DVCNews Debates: Guest compensation

[athenna]

It's only been a few times that I've invited friends down, it's been mainly my fiance and I...But a few times by best friend came w/me, we're lifelong friends, the thank you was sufficient....In '09 there were a bunch of us meeting down there and spending the week together, but only 1 friend was staying with me, and the fact she didnt have to pay for a room just wasnt making sense to her....So she insisted buying me lunch our 1st meal in WDW together...Good enough for me.

[simbasmom]

I guess, thinking back, we must be pretty selfish with our points. In over 10 years of membership, we've only had family join us 3 times, twice staying in our villa. One time we gifted DS and DDIL with a week in a studio at BWV, but that was a belated honeymoon gift. And I agree with a PP about wanting a "Thank You." One time DM invited herself along on my solo trip. Then she had the nerve to call my BCV studio "adequate"-the one she stayed in for free, invited herself along, and didn't even say "Thank you!" Just "adequate"!!! OK, off my soapbox now.

[jarestel]

The majority of our trips have included guests and we've never charged anyone for accommodations. We find WDW is a lot of fun with a large group that ranges from toddlers to grand-parents, and sometimes even great-grand-parents. I suppose we're lucky in the respect that everyone in our extended groups has always been respectful and responsible, so there's never been any issues.

We are usually treated to a variety of "free" meals which we do accept, but it's not expected.

[denlo]

When we offer a DVC room for our guests we do not expect any compensation. We do furnish groceries for the villa as it is our home away from home, but only snacks, drinks, breakfast items and perhaps sandwich makings. Otherwise our guests are expected to pay for their own meals when dining out in addition to paying for their park tickets and transportation to Orlando. So our guests still have to shell out quite a bit of money.

And it's true that they are pretty clueless regarding the value of the room we give them. But DH and I are surprised when a family member expects to given a free room on a regular basis. Maybe they don't understand that we had to use a couple of years of points to book the room last time?

[CFRivera]

We're usually very clear about providing lodging and most of the time, nothing else. I even go so far as informing them of prices for tickets for parks and special events (discount and otherwise). What we normally do is ask guests for $50 per person to diffray costs of buying food and beverages which we use to stock up the fridge in the room ($25 for children). A thanks is enough, and they clean up after themselves. Maid service is not included.

[beepy]

We have invited my brother and sisters (and bring their families) to come to WDW with us, but have not had any takers. We are using our points. but I am up front that there are still costs that they will need to pay - Airline, Tickets and Dining plan. I also believe that for an experience like this, the other party should have some "skin in the game" (i.e. they need to pay some of their way), whether it is the park ticket, flights or something showing some commitment.

Since we live in Utah, the flights are moderately expensive. So, yes, it is an expensive undertaking, even if the room is paid for. I think that they just don't really comprehend what a great experience it is to be "on the property" and how enjoyable it is to be on one of the dining plans (you just go and have fun and you generally know beforehand how much the whole thing will cost).

We have had nieces and nephews go with us. It is fun for our kids (who are all older teenagers) to have cousins with them and allows them to wander off at times and have fun while we do other attractions. With nieces and nephews, we have found that we should plan on the cost of the dining plan or whatever approach to meals we take. Sometimes we have covered the flight, other times both flight and dining plan. But in all cases, we have asked the other family to cover the park entrance tickets.

For us, it is especially fun to watch new friends and family experience the "World" for the first time. We enjoy the WDW as much as ever, but are much more relaxed in our approach in than in earlier days. We kind of get to relive the experience all over again.

They seem to be okay with that sort of thing. I know I would be.

[corvin2]

This is my first post because this is near to my heart.

When we purchased into DVC we also got the "when do we go". I was like when you get one too but on the Insistence of my wife, I booked a family villa. Lots of points (for 12 people). The trip was some months out and each family member started backing out. Luckly for us we were in the window to bank the points. Good lesson for us and her. Then we sent some of my wife's friends to AKL for four days. Do you think we got a "thank you." No. (Those rooms cost a lot if we didn't have those points). Now they call us all the time and somehow my wife says we used up all of our points for the year.

I am also like others the first time is on us. After that I think a little compension is not bad, lunch, dinner anything is good enough as a thank u. Not sure how much we would charge but I like the posts so we may use one of your suggestions.
We want every1 to enjoy Disney as much as we do.

[ahukle]

We have been DVC members since 2003. I retired in 2006 so we can make the trek from Illinois to Orlando whenever we want. The wife and I like to go down ourselves now and then, but we find taking friends and family down is a lot more fun for all. The grandkids can't get out of school to go any time like us and the kids have their dedicated vacation times. So, we can't always take the kids & grandkids when we like to go which is during the low crowd times. So frequently we like to take our friends with us and upgrade our room to accommodate more people.

Originally we started with 250 points and then kept running out because of the frequent trips with bigger rooms requirement. So, we added points that got us to 300 points. That was still not enough so now we are sitting at 420 points and we still end up borrowing to get our trips in that we want. Our last trip, we stayed at Bay Lake Tower in the 3-bedroom suite with 10 people and had a fantastic time. The grand villas have so much room and it was worth the points used. We would never think of asking our guests for any kind of compensation. We provide the great location/room and their personal expenses are their own. Our compensation is to see the smiles on our guests faces and see that they are having a great time at the happiest place on earth. We have even converted a few guests to become DVC members when they see what they can do with membership. Our friends talk about the trips for months afterwards. So, using our points for having guests travel with us makes us happy and feel rewarded enough to continue doing it free-gratis to our guests.

We make the trek often enough to take advantage of the big DVC $100 discount on annual park hopper passes. With the discount and the extra $40 off for renewing every year, your pass is paid for after you spend about 10 days there. We fly down several times a year with or without guests. I wished we lived down there, but the weather is too hot for my tastes most of the year so our current mode of operation is a good compromise. Our favorite times to go down is the Epcot Flower & Garden show the first week it starts (no crowds) and the end of the Epcot Food & Wine festival so we can do that and also catch the artists that come to DT Disney and do their art on the sidewalks. We can't wait for the next trip down and always seem to be planning and looking for fellow travelers to go with us.

[simbasmom]

This is my first post because this is near to my heart.

When we purchased into DVC we also got the "when do we go". I was like when you get one too but on the Insistence of my wife, I booked a family villa. Lots of points (for 12 people). The trip was some months out and each family member started backing out. Luckly for us we were in the window to bank the points. Good lesson for us and her. Then we sent some of my wife's friends to AKL for four days. Do you think we got a "thank you." No. (Those rooms cost a lot if we didn't have those points). Now they call us all the time and somehow my wife says we used up all of our points for the year.

I am also like others the first time is on us. After that I think a little compension is not bad, lunch, dinner anything is good enough as a thank u. Not sure how much we would charge but I like the posts so we may use one of your suggestions.
We want every1 to enjoy Disney as much as we do.

Welcome, and thank you for sharing your story. It reminded me that DSIL just came up with the idea for a mega-family reunion next year. She wants us to book "at least" a GV and a 2 BR for everyone she has in mind. I'm just so sure that what happened to you would happen to us. People coming from all over the US and DS at sea-I'm just so afraid of everyone backing out at the last minute. I think I'll show DH your post, so he can tell DSIL "no way!" And Welcome!

[bb9822]

As many have said it is an invite so nothing is expected , but if the person that you invited wants to or offers to buy you lunch or dinner it is their way of saying thank you to you for letting them share your villa with you so i would not ask my guest for any money in exchange for sharing my room .

Thank you .