Disgruntled members: What are the DVC-specific issues?

[Breems]

I'm looking to purchase DVC after researching for a few years.

Unfortunately, it seems I'm jumping in at a historically low point in terms of member experience. There are daily posts from members selling or cautioning that they wouldn't buy now.

I'm trying to distinguish current DVC-specific issues from more general issues. I'm empathetic to the latter (e.g., prices, Genie+, etc) but am considering them separately.

Here are the pain points I've gathered:

1. 50% borrowing restriction.
2. Low availability
3. Technical issues with the member website

What else am I missing? What would you distinguish as disturbing, long-term trends as opposed to (hopefully) ephemeral COVID aftershock? The items above seem like they could classify as the latter which gives me a little hope in keeping my dream alive.

 

[mdinme]

I’ve never had a website issue. Love it, can go on anytime and lurk. Had 130 points in holding and used every one. I’d ignore any website noise…maybe outside US more?

 

[Mexacajun]

I was a multi year goer before the pandemic and then I didn’t go from May 2019 to March 2022. I was so worried about the magic. I was worried with all the negative that was out there.
Then I went.
And it was magical. Even though I had a real struggle day with genie+, it was still magical. I got to see my kids fall in love again. I got to just experience the things I knew and loved plus more (mickeys run away railway, Star Wars, ratatouille, etc.). I remembered why I loved it.
I fell in love all over again. While I was there, I booked two more trips and when I got home, I bought into dvc.
The negative is noise. The positive makes memories that last a lifetime. Believe in the magic, it’s still there.

 

[JoeyPeligroso]

I purchased my first contracts in 2020. DVC was attractive before the challenges associated with the pandemic and was clearly attractive in 2020. Based on my positive experiences with DVC, I made a second purchase in 2022.

It is true that DVC has changed over the last 5 to 10 years. I read about DVC for years prior to making my purchases. However, the happiness associated with travel to Disney in particular and with owning DVC far outweighs some of the changes that have been made in this product - at least from my perspective.

DVC purchases clearly are not for everyone. However, for the right person the DVC product can be an excellent way to enter vacation ownership associated with Walt Disney properties.

Relative to some of your specific points, the member website does work most of the time. Sure, I have had some challenges, but member services have been there for me if I am not able to accomplish something on the website. Wait times with member services have also improved substantially over the last 3 to 4 months, in my experience. Finally, this website (DISboards) is a tremendous resource for DVC owners, especially with some of the complexities associated with point usage and use years.

Secondly, it is very important to understand that DVC has always required advanced planning with respect to a vacation. DVC is not a good product for spur of the moment and/or last-minute planning.

Finally, I think that the 50% borrowing restriction was actually a responsible decision by DVC. Obviously, I have not experienced any different option as I am a new owner. However, from a new owner’s perspective, I think that this decision (hopefully temporary) created a better opportunity for availability during a challenging time.

 

[Nabas]

Here are the pain points I've gathered:

1. 50% borrowing restriction.
2. Low availability
3. Technical issues with the member website

What else am I missing? What would you distinguish as disturbing, long-term trends as opposed to (hopefully) ephemeral COVID aftershock? The items above seem like they could classify as the latter which gives me a little hope in keeping my dream alive.

Adding to this list is Disney's recent attempt to alter the point charts to increase the "lockoff premium". (Basically, booking a Studio and one-bedroom separately costs more than booking a two-bedroom.) Since most lockoffs tend to be rented as two different rooms, this would have resulted in more points available to Disney to rent out as cash rooms.

Members called them on it and Disney backed down, but it was a sleezy move on Disney's part.

We caught them on this. What else is Disney doing that we haven't called them out on?

 

[kes601]

I’ve never had a website issue. Love it, can go on anytime and lurk. Had 130 points in holding and used every one. I’d ignore any website noise…maybe outside US more?

I would suspect if you had the borrowing glitch for resale contracts (we don’t) you might have a diffferent opinion. If I had to call in every time I wanted to borrow to get that hard to book room I’d be extremely frustrated with the site.

That said, we’ve had no issues with it that have affected our ability to book vs others, but like I said if we couldn’t borrow online I’d not be happy.

I don’t think it’s a reason not to purchase though unless looking for a reason to talk yourself out of it.

 

[Marionnette]

I'll add:

• Long waits on hold for Member Services phone calls. There isn't even a callback feature.
• Chat is rarely available.
• Things like merging reservations for same room and membership used to be accomplished immediately and now takes well over a week to get done.
• No discount for the top level AP (even if you could buy one) or any other type of ticket discount in the absence of APs.
• Resale restrictions.
• Confusing, multi-tiered rules with regard to what makes one a "qualified" member.

 

[kes601]

Confusing, multi-tiered rules with regard to what makes one a "qualified" member.

Can you expand on this? I know there is a grandfathered in date for resale purchases and then it depends on what the minimum # of direct points was at the time of purchase, but what other rules exist? Just curious for my own knowledge.

 

[BeachClub2014]

I am not a disgruntled owner but can empathize with some of the DVC-specific annoyances or issues. Some of the DVC-related concerns already expressed haven't been our experience so doesn't leave a bad taste for us. I do truly believe that many of these concerns are tied to individual tolerances.

• Website - never really had a real problem with it
• Chat - has always been there when we needed it
• Phone waits - these have always been long, so certainly nothing new
• Availability - can definitely be an issue for certain resorts, certain room types, and certain times of the year. If we all want the same BCV studio during Food & Wine, it will be an availability issue for many
• Resale restrictions - annoying, but if you buy directly then there is no real impact
• Annual Pass discount - it's not up to DVC to decide, so can they really be blamed? I dunno.
• 50% borrowing restriction - hasn't been an issue for us. Hopefully, it will go back to the prior norm

The benefits of membership for our family have far outweighed the annoyances. Now, if we want to talk grievances with Disney and WDW then THAT would be a different discussion.

 

[Marionnette]

Can you expand on this? I know there is a grandfathered in date for resale purchases and then it depends on what the minimum # of direct points was at the time of purchase, but what other rules exist? Just curious for my own knowledge.

For example, I have a 25-point resale contract which was purchased in 2012. I cannot use those points for cruises, hotel rooms or ABD but they wouldn't get me much anyway. What it does get me is a "blue card" membership. You can't get that today even if you could purchase just 25 points direct.

A little while later (2016, I believe), DVC changed the rules so that you needed to purchase direct in order to get a blue card. They did not set a minimum amount and people began buying resale and adding a 25-point direct contract to qualify.

Over the years, DVC has increased that minimum buy-in for blue card status, grandfathered previous owners each time. At this point, you could have a anywhere from 25 points resale to 150 points direct (total) as the minimum that you own to qualify. And if you own multiple contracts, you best keep track of which ones qualify and which ones don't in the event that you decide to sell some of them.

 

[jo-jo]

I've had website issues Trying to piece together a trip. You see a night at the resort you want, go to book it.....just when you click the last page.......you get "sorry, we are working on it". But then you get to start over again. It's not like the whole website when down.

Right now, to me it's crazy that DVC can't buy an AP. If anyone deserves to be able to buy one ,it's DVC. People who own hundreds of points , that live within driving distance, might want to do long weekend for every season, every festival. That's about 8 trips a year. Are they to buy 4 days tickets each time?

I so wish DVC could buy the same passes that FL residents could. I'd buy that pixie pass in a flash.

edited to add......I've asked this before about FL getting "the good stuff", and was answered that FL folks have to put up with a lot more traffic and such with disney. But then why does all of FL get the deal and disney has added a ton of jobs to FL. With DVC, disney gets gobs of money up front with the trade of a discount room. Again people will say disney has the DVC bucks, then don't HAVE to give you anything. So someone in Key West FL, lives maybe 300 miles from disney gets a better deal, than a DVC owner who lives just over the stateline less than 300 miles away. Neither one has to deal with disney's traffic nor is getting a job there.

I didn't mind this so much until it now and it costs $900 for an annual pass.

Now help this old person off this soapbox.

 

[Marionnette]

I am not a disgruntled owner but can empathize with some of the DVC-specific annoyances or issues. Some of the DVC-related concerns already expressed haven't been our experience so doesn't leave a bad taste for us. I do truly believe that many of these concerns are tied to individual tolerances.

• Website - never really had a real problem with it
• Chat - has always been there when we needed it
• Phone waits - these have always been long, so certainly nothing new
• Availability - can definitely be an issue for certain resorts, certain room types, and certain times of the year. If we all want the same BCV studio during Food & Wine, it will be an availability issue for many
• Resale restrictions - annoying, but if you buy directly then there is no real impact
• Annual Pass discount - it's not up to DVC to decide, so can they really be blamed? I dunno.
• 50% borrowing restriction - hasn't been an issue for us. Hopefully, it will go back to the prior norm

The benefits of membership for our family have far outweighed the annoyances. Now, if we want to talk grievances with Disney and WDW then THAT would be a different discussion.

Never had a problem with the website? You're either lucky or you just don't use it much. I've seen Rex too often and I'm on a first name basis with the Dwarfs.

Chat comes and goes. You have to catch it being active.

Phone waits are long. Sometimes you can't even connect. Sometimes you get disconnected. It depends on when you call. But even though the waits could be long before the pandemic, they are especially long now.. And for a company that is so invested in technology, why isn't there a callback system in place?

Resale restrictions affect all members. When resale RIV owners cannot book other resorts, that means that there will be less rooms available for other owners to book there. Making this restriction affects the fluidity of the system. As new resorts with resale restrictions are added and the older resorts expire, you will see this get worse.

AP discounts for DVC members and other ticket discounts are negotiated by DVC with the parks division. I don't begrudge the military discounts that are offered to retired and active service but it just demonstrates that Disney could do something for DVC members if they wanted to. They just don't want to.

We do agree on your points regarding the 50% borrowing restriction and availability. But the borrowing glitch that affects some resale owners is a real problem that DVC seemingly has no interest in solving.

 

[stlrod]

1. Website
2. Website
3. Website
Specifically,
4. Inability to borrow points purchased on resale on website
5. Inability to switch from VGC to WDW using website or vice-versa
6. Recurring 7 dwarfs on the website
7. And finally, having to wait on hold for 45 minutes and hear "Your membership is taking so long to load" whenever I call in as if it's my fault their website is crappy. Fire the IT contractor!

 

[BeachClub2014]

Never had a problem with the website? You're either lucky or you just don't use it much. I've seen Rex too often and I'm on a first name basis with the Dwarfs.

I use the website quite a bit, just haven't had these issues. Sorry to hear that you and others have, it just hasn't been my experience.

Resale restrictions affect all members. When resale RIV owners cannot book other resorts, that means that there will be less rooms available for other owners to book there. Making this restriction affects the fluidity of the system. As new resorts with resale restrictions are added and the older resorts expire, you will see this get worse.

We can agree to disagree on this point. I do recognize that there is a lot of fear of what may happen in the future, but that isn't the case today. If you buy points directly from DVC then you have totally unrestricted points that can be used anywhere.

AP discounts for DVC members and other ticket discounts are negotiated by DVC with the parks division. I don't begrudge the military discounts that are offered to retired and active service but it just demonstrates that Disney could do something for DVC members if they wanted to. They just don't want to.

How can you know that DVC "just doesn't want to?" Not trying to be argumentative but what common, public knowledge supports that belief?

 

[Brian Noble]

it seems I'm jumping in at a historically low point in terms of member experience.

This may be true in relative terms in that more people are unhappy now than many periods on the past. However I will bet that on balance most owners are still perfectly happy. The DIS is not a representative sample of owners and the place seemed full of guests enjoying themselves when I was there last month.

 

[kanerf]

I am now own over 600 DVC pts. I go several times every year. Things have not really soured for me. I look at the state of the world and think WDW ain't that bad. I don't believe I will be changing my opinion any time soon. Also, Disney will try different things, but if they do not work, they will drop them. All big companies do things that bother their customers once and while.

 

[EilonwyWanderer]

The lack of AP is really difficult (but hopefully a short-term COVID thing?) if you plan on trying to go more than once a year.

 

[Unclelude]

This may not be a DVC thing, more of a Disney thing... In the last couple of years they have consciously put themselves into political issues. I go to Disney to get away from that stuff...

Lately, I've been going to the non WDW resorts and they have been great... But if the political crap gets thrown in my face at a DVC stay it will likely be my last.

 

[Budzooka]

We bought DVC direct in 2016 and added on and additional resale contract in 2020. We are not disgruntled and this has been a fantastic decision for our family to have some very special memories. Of course there are room for improvements, but most of my frustrations stem from ownership issues that were here when we bought in and not recent changes.

The 50% borrowing restriction is a problem but I understand why they did it and hope that if will come back at some point. Nobody could have predicted travel to stop for several months.

I agree with the previous post about once you take a trip, any frustration is washed away by the magic. When we bought into DVC, we said we weren’t doing this to go to the parks every year and we have enjoyed Vero and Aulani as much as the parks.

Definitely no regrets.

 

[DisWeaver]

I purchased in Aug of 2021. In the subsequent 8 months I have added on three resale contracts. We will take our third trip this year in a couple of months. The kids love it, which means the value is absolutely there for me.

I can understand the frustration for those DVC owners who have had a degradation of service over the years. I’ve experienced it too, based on my previous 5 non-DVC trips. But if you are going to be visiting Disney, DVC is the way to go, IMHO.