DVCNews Debates: Guest compensation

[Presley]

I've found the easiest way for me to handle this is to only invite when I have room in the villa that I was already going to stay in. If I had living parents, sure, I'd get an additional space for them.

[chevy]

We are a family of 3 so can easily make use of a studio. Our next trip in August, we are going with my wife's cousin and her 2 kids and decided we'd like to make use of a 2 bedroom. It's a 100+ points difference in a 2br vs a studio so we asked for compensation in the form of them paying for our DDP. We are new members (coming up on a year, so it is a significant financial investment for us.) The cost of them covering our food is comparable to $8-10 per pt in the difference it takes to get a 2BR. They were fine with it, we showed them that they were still saving over $1000 in lodging costs by using our DVC points. I would think it would depend on where you're at financially.

[Ranger275]

I got a friend and his family a room at SSR one year, it was a studio. I did charge him like $80 a night, he knew he was getting a good deal and we really didn't spend any of the vacation together. It worked out well as we got some money for points we weren't going to use and he got a deal on a room. But I don't think I would do it again as now we usually don't have enough points for what we want to do and I wouldn't share a room with friends or family. We have tried to set up vacations with family and friends before and someone seems to always back out.

[baylaketenor2010]

My first post

My father and I jointly own a membership at BLT. We pooled our points and booked a 2br for this December. I've asked a few friends to join us, and help fill up the room. I don't expect anything from them.

I'm actually having the opposite problem that alot of the previous posters have had. My friends are absolutely insisting on compensating me for staying with us. Since we'd already booked the room, and were staying in a 2br no matter whether they came or not, I'm not letting them pay for the room. We finally settled on my letting them pay for my breakfast when we go out

Pax.

[denlo]

My first post . . . . . . Pax.

Welcome to the DVC News.

[goofyjames]

We have taken our mothers (mine and DW's) with us. They have paid for their own air and dining. But as someone said before, it wouldn't have changed the size of the room we would stay it, just means the little ones stay on the pull out instead of a bed. We are trying to decide about letting some friends room with us for upcoming trip in Dec.

With the moms we don't expect anything in return, although they have been gracious in terms of watching the kids one night while DW and I have a nice dinner. We don't expect them to "keep up with us" (we are still pretty active in our visit - haven't learned to slow down and realize that we have 50 yrs of this). If they want to stay in the room and relax, that's their problem.

With friends, we figure we will take the same stand.. we will make our plans, and if they want to try to keep up, they can... if they wan't to go their own way.. that's up to them. If they cancel we may or may not invite someone else. It would be a much bigger deal if it changed the room size needed, so I'm glad I've seen the prior posts in case this becomes an issue in the future.

[djplong]

I bought with the express intention of having family use some of the points.

I'd made an offer to my younger daughter as she was craving a Disney fix and was trying to arrange a 2-couple trip driving down to save costs. I told her I'd let her have enough points for a stay in a Studio with a 'standard' view - and it turned out the cheapest point cost was at her favorite, my home resort, the AKL. She was VERY thankful that I was enabling her to have a Disney trip on her own (she's been down there as part of family trips in 97, 97, 01, 02 and '07, Disneyland in '05 and a school band trip to WDW in '09)

Unfortunately she's had to postpone it for a year - but we never made the reservations.

I've also made a standing offer to family members that I'm willing to put up points to stay at a Treehouse Villa but have had no takers yet.

[macuser]

We too bought with the intention that others in the family would make use of our points...at AKV. Our BLT points are a secret from most of the family.

For the AKV GV trip for T'giving, the BIL and his brood are driving and will be supplying the vehicle for grocery runs. They've also offered to pay for a Princess meal for DD and I (girls day I suppose), and *may* (depending on craziness of all 4 kids involved) babysit our 2 - but we don't expect them to do so. They do regular Disney trips and know that they are saving a ton on room and they get to stay on property for the first time. The SIL that's also coming will be compensating us with one afternoon/evening of babysitting our 2 monsters. She regularly watches them, and assumed that would be her "cost" of vacation (free airfare, free room, and she probably won't have to pay for much food, but she does have to pay for her tickets. Maybe). Even then, if she decides she doesn't want to babysit, that's okay, we don't care.

SIL was supposed to fly down with us and her long-term boyfriend. I bought their airfare less than a month ago. They broke up this week. (grr, right?). DH's first thought is "F&$@! Can I change his reservation name or get the airfare money back?!". Since its AirTran, I think we are screwed. But, I leave the guy's name on our ressie in hopes that they reunite (they're pretty good for each other, we think he got scared with the whole "just turned 29 and they are the last ones not married/engaged/parenting"). But I digress.

Now, if they don't get back together I am NEVER buying flights for someone else again.

As for the spring 2013 trip, the other BIL and his brood are coming down to Disney too. We're driving, separately. We only overlap for 3 days and we have 2 rooms (this is for several reasons) - they at Jambo and us at Kidani. We don't expect any payment or babysitting from them, and they're still responsible for food, tickets, etc.

So it really depends but we don't expect anything in return. Just hope for that "free" babysitting!

[Den]

My wife and I have provided , on a couple occasions, a 1 bedroom suite for my brother and family and also, different trip, my sister in law and family. We did not ask nor expect compensation.

We did help them plan thier trips and told them all the perks of staying at the resorts. Some had been to Disney before but none had stayed at the Disney resorts. I had almost as much fun helping plan their trips as I have my own.

When they got to the resorts they were overjoyed. Even the kids didn't want to leave the resort. They texted us constantly as to what they were doing and were so excited. We suspected they were really having fun when they stopped texting. Our suspicions verified when they returned home, they were so excited to tell us what all they did and enjoyed the resort so much.

We treated them to the resort with some of our points and I had almost as much fun as if I had actually gone on the trip.

Worth every point, especially to see the kids enjoyment!!