Disgruntled members: What are the DVC-specific issues?

[Sandisw]

We became owners in 2009 and while some of the current things can be frustrating, I do try to look at it from the other way.

MS was only open 9 to 5 pm when we first joined. I don’t even think they were open Sundays. Now, it’s 7 days a week, 9 to 9. Yes, the wait time the past few years is a bit frustrating but not unique to DVC.

There was no website. You could not check for other rooms, you could not stalk, you could not book…everything was a call. Now we have the ability to do it 24/7 for most things

Of course, it’s got it’s issues..more for some..and the borrowing glitch…now 2 years in is the big one..not understanding why it can’t be fixed and why we have not gotten a good explanation. But we can also see and use both transferred and OTU points online which was never a thing.

Borrowing restrictions are understandable but hopefully it is nearing its end and by 2023 it will be back to 100%. But, it doesn’t have to be so anyone buying now just needs to be aware of that and plan for it.

There have been changes to the product for sure since we bought but we don’t see them as a big deal.

Resale restrictions don’t both us because we own at the resorts we want to be at..we understood that trading out at 7 months was never a sure thing and the lack of availability we may be seeing could be because people are booking sooner in the system and staying put.

The great news is that new buyers have forums like this to digest it all and make sure it’s a product that works. There will be bumps in the road and changes as things go forward., especially for things outside of DVC.

For me, those might be something a new potential buyer should analyze first..which you are.because of those changes are of big concern, then it may very well be that buying DVC isn’t right for you.

We enjoy the place and can make it work by just enjoying the resorts, etc and making parks less of each trip.

Good luck.

 

[DonMacGregor]

The availability issues are baked in the system. Availability will always be an issue. Some of the rooms are way better than others and always have been. Some times are more popular and always have been. Future resort decisions could make this worse (poly bungalows) or better (VGF2). Covid extra points made this worse, but it’s by design.

Correct. Many people confuse a timeshare with a hotel. Timeshares operate under a 100% occupancy model, and as we all know, if 100% of a resort's total annual points are being utilized (perfect hypothetical scenario), then every room will be occupied every night.

Now, add the real-world potential for specific resorts, rooms, and dates to be in greater demand, and you have an availability "issue". It's like musical chairs, except rather than having one more person than available chairs, every person playing wants to sit in the SAME chair.

 

[smisale]

Just wanted to say and hope this makes sense. I booked a trip for my daughters wedding gift for Boardwalk and then later decided to book a trip to AKL for march break 2023 but was short 40 point called member service to see if I used points from AKL to book BWV they answered in 10 mins and took the points I had for HH and then returned my points back so that I could book AKL since HH could not be used 11 months out.it took a bit but I realised that wait time for someone else waiting for me to finished. For me the magic is still there and I would buy in a heart beat again.

 

[kes601]

Chat is intermittent for sure, but I've always been able to use it when I needed it, at least after refreshing every few minutes or whatever. I suspect that's more of a staffing issue than a technical one.

Ya, the thing I don’t get about the complaints about chat is that it isn’t like they have an unlimited supply of CMs on the other end. Would people rather it show as unavailable or would they rather get in a multi-hour queue? I remember a few months ago chat would only show available when somebody was immediately ready to help. Then they changed it so it would show your place in the queue. I certainly don’t want to open up a chat and then tell me there are 500 people in front of me with a multi hour wait….

 

[ray3127]

Just thought of another one. The dang membership card. JUST GIVE US A PHYSICAL CARD! We do everything DVC/Disney with 1 email EVERYTHING. To have to invent a new email just to be able to get a digital blue card to get the benefits is maddening! My parents have the same problem. My mom's email is their only email at all. So only she will have a digital blue card and have to figure out how to even get to it on her phone etc.

I do not WANT to use Google wallet or whatever the Apple version of that is!

1000%

I mentioned not wanting to be on my phone all day, and this is another great example.

Also, doesn't Disney understand that it's fanbase LIKES physical mementos? Their marketing literally encourages us to buy physical items to remember our trips by. I see members post all the time about little tchotchkes from way back when that bring them joy. The membership card was one of those things for me.

Its minor, and isn't a reason that would stop me from buying... but it is yet another annoyance.

 

[sethschroeder]

One of the biggest issues is no APs for sale.

Yes not DVC but it is DVC at the same time since the whole point of DVC for WDW is going to the parks for a vast majority of owners.

 

[Minniesgal]

We have no real issues with DVC but we use ours how we intended to as we bought. We book at 11 months generally stay at home resort unless something interesting pops up at 7 months and we don’t really borrow more than 50%. It works as it was intended

 

[jo-jo]

Ya, the thing I don’t get about the complaints about chat is that it isn’t like they have an unlimited supply of CMs on the other end. Would people rather it show as unavailable or would they rather get in a multi-hour queue? I remember a few months ago chat would only show available when somebody was immediately ready to help. Then they changed it so it would show your place in the queue. I certainly don’t want to open up a chat and then tell me there are 500 people in front of me with a multi hour wait….

This year we went through getting a DAS online. Took three tries, each wait was 3-4 hours. When they come on, no ding or anything. If you're not looking at the screen , you wouldn't know a CM came on.

I'd rather get in a line of 500 people and know they won't get to me for three hours, than sit staring at screen. At long as it pop up with , you are now number 252, your wait is 97 mins. You are number 98, your wait is 25 mins.

 

[kes601]

This year we went through getting a DAS online. Took three tries, each wait was 3-4 hours. When they come on, no ding or anything. If you're not looking at the screen , you wouldn't know a CM came on.

I'd rather get in a line of 500 people and know they won't get to me for three hours, than sit staring at screen. At long as it pop up with , you are now number 252, your wait is 97 mins. You are number 98, your wait is 25 mins.

For DAS, where the only way you can get pre-registered is to do the chat / video thing then I see where getting in line and waiting makes sense. For the chat feature on the DVC site, where you could also call, I see no reason for having somebody get in a multi-hour queue, but that’s just my opinion. Just like I won’t wait 60 minutes or more for any ride, I won’t wait that long for a chat either

 

[jo-jo]

For DAS, where the only way you can get pre-registered is to do the chat / video thing then I see where getting in line and waiting makes sense. For the chat feature on the DVC site, where you could also call, I see no reason for having somebody get in a multi-hour queue, but that’s just my opinion. Just like I won’t wait 60 minutes or more for any ride, I won’t wait that long for a chat either

It's not the waiting, it's having to stare at the tablet/laptop for hours. Why not have a ding/chime when a CM comes on?

 

[Marionnette]

For DAS, where the only way you can get pre-registered is to do the chat / video thing then I see where getting in line and waiting makes sense. For the chat feature on the DVC site, where you could also call, I see no reason for having somebody get in a multi-hour queue, but that’s just my opinion. Just like I won’t wait 60 minutes or more for any ride, I won’t wait that long for a chat either

The problem with chat is that availability comes and goes. You have to have your screen on and watch it/refresh it to see when it becomes available. Then you end up waiting for the next CM to help you and pray that your question/request can be answered by a chat CM and that they don't tell you to call instead.

A lot of the complaints listed are legitimate. They are also suggestions that could make DVC a better product overall if TPTB would actually listen to what members want - such as a functioning website - and not giving us what they want us to have - such as digital membership cards that require the use of 3rd party apps on a smartphone.

 

[davidl81]

I’ll just say that if you think you are going to go to DVC regularly for the next 10 years or so DVC still makes tons of sense. We have had to book cash rooms at Boardwalk the last two wine and dine half marathon weekends and that cash price is no joke. We are about $4500 in total for 6 nights at BW in the last two years. It has me looking super hard for a 100 point BW contract just to use for that weekend every year as the cost still makes sense even for only 19 years of use.

 

[BamaGuy44]

I’ll just say that if you think you are going to go to DVC regularly for the next 10 years or so DVC still makes tons of sense. We have had to book cash rooms at Boardwalk the last two wine and dine half marathon weekends and that cash price is no joke. We are about $4500 in total for 6 nights at BW in the last two years. It has me looking super hard for a 100 point BW contract just to use for that weekend every year as the cost still makes sense even for only 19 years of use.

If you're super in love with BWV specifically I think it would be worth a resale contract, even for 19 years. I was within an inch of pulling the trigger on a 80 pointer that popped up the other day, but I decided to wait. I want to see what happens with Poly2.

If it's just the location you love, Swolfin is great for a fraction of BWV cash rate. It was our go to for years before we bought DVC. It even qualifies for the extra hours for deluxe.

 

[Ashlotte]

New owner since 2021, took first trip with DVC in early March of this year.

Had a wonderful time BECAUSE of DVC and getting to stay at BLT and BCV doing a split stay trip.

Taking both sets of grandparents in march of next year, again thanks to DVC.

Couldnt be any happier with our decision to buy in.

Only gripe would be the resale restriction nonsense, but I knew that going in with a resale contract, but its still pretty asinine all the same.

I agree about the resale restriction nonsense. I get not inviting resale owners to Moonlight Madness if it is paid for by DVD sales department. But not offering small discounts for dining or shopping seems petty and honestly, probably hurts them more than it helps them. I 100% am someone more likely to spend money if I have a coupon. For me, the choice isn't buy this thing at full price or buy it with a coupon. It is buy it with the coupon, or likely not buy it at all, since I probably didn't need it anyway. Not offering discounts means they get LESS money from my family, not more. Which is fine. Sounds like they don't want my money. Uh oh. Sounds like maybe I am the petty one?

 

[legler2250]

Have been a member of DVC since 2015 and almost every year I keep buying more points. I think DVC is fantastic and love almost everything about it!

In my opinion, human beings that generate more 'I' driven statements and 'me' centered thought patterns have more trouble adapting to anything that doesn't fit their narrow worldview and therefor complain more. The more you can perspective shift, the more resilient you can be to negativity. Don't get me wrong, complaining can be fun, as long as you don't take yourself too seriously =)

 

[BamaGuy44]

Have been a member of DVC since 2015 and almost every year I keep buying more points. I think DVC is fantastic and love almost everything about it!

In my opinion, human beings that generate more 'I' driven statements and 'me' centered thought patterns have more trouble adapting to anything that doesn't fit their narrow worldview and therefor complain more. The more you can perspective shift, the more resilient you can be to negativity. Don't get me wrong, complaining can be fun, as long as you don't take yourself too seriously =)

Not specific to anyone in this thread, but you're right. There are people for whom there is no such thing as a minor inconvenience. It's either perfect or a complete outrage. The web site is either perfect or "completely unusable" Genie+ is either perfect or a "complete disaster", etc. And when something costs as much money as Disney/DVC it's magnified that much more.

I guess I'm gifted with the ability to be VERY picky about what annoyances I allow to really get under my skin and put me in a bad mood. Especially things I have no control over. Some might say that's me just letting people or companies walk all over me and get away with it. Maybe that's true but it's served me pretty well, and makes it easier to enjoy things. And realistically in most cases there's nothing I could do about it anyway. YMMV

 

[mdinme]

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.

Florida started it. The largest business in state had to respond to a zero win situation.

 

[Marionnette]

In fairness, the OP specifically asked for issues that current members have with DVC. Had they asked what current members love about their membership, there would be different answers, most of which are positive.

 

[Sandisw]

Not specific to anyone in this thread, but you're right. There are people for whom there is no such thing as a minor inconvenience. It's either perfect or a complete outrage. The web site is either perfect or "completely unusable" Genie+ is either perfect or a "complete disaster", etc. And when something costs as much money as Disney/DVC it's magnified that much more.

I guess I'm gifted with the ability to be VERY picky about what annoyances I allow to really get under my skin and put me in a bad mood. Some might say that's me just letting people or companies walk all over me and get away with it. Maybe that's true but it's served me pretty well, and makes it easier to enjoy things. And realistically in most cases there's nothing I could do about it anyway. YMMV

1000% agree. I understand others have a different view and I that is fine, but I do get bothered when owners like us have made choices to accept things as they are and adjust to then have it implied…not in this thread or anyone in particular…that we are being walked on or apologizing for Disney.

We just make a choice to deal with Disney and DVC in a different way. But, as I mentioned earlier, I do think there is a lot with Disney that one needs to evaluate before even considering DVC because while they are connected in many ways, in other ways they are not.

So, with this thread it does make sense people are sharing frustration areas.

 

[BamaGuy44]

Florida started it. The largest business in state had to respond to a zero win situation.

Did they though? Has every large corporation in Florida taken a public stand? I don't see Universal/Comcast's CEO doing so. Disney didn't want to take a side but their employees bullied them into it. I'm not saying the bill is good or bad, just Disney's reaction to it.