Friends/Family going/ $$ question

[Amy&Dan]

. Some people seem to think that because I'm a stay at home mom I should stay at home to do things for them, LOL.

Oh my, don't even get me started on that one! Come to think of it, the two people who always want to use my points, ask me about it in between giving me grief for being a stay home mom. I have learned to be comfortable with both my SAHM status and keeping my points to myself. I think there will simply always be people who want more than you can give to them, so you might as well learn to have boundries sooner rather than later. Good luck!

 

[bpmorley]

I am a new member but I invited my cousins to join us (they have never been) and asked for $50 a night from them. It is cheaper than All Stars...They declined my offer but $50 is what I felt comfortable with.

Was it because of the $50 per night? or was it because they didn't want to go? If it was because of the $50/night they're better off not being in Disney

 

[bpmorley]

I went to www.photobucket.com to put my picture in there but I cannot remember how I did it after that, if you go to the technical board it tells you how. My husband had to help me big time, I am terrible at stuff like that!

Thanks I'll give it a try. I was trying to put a small wedding photo in there

 

[zalansky]

Oh my, don't even get me started on that one! Come to think of it, the two people who always want to use my points, ask me about it in between giving me grief for being a stay home mom. I have learned to be comfortable with both my SAHM status and keeping my points to myself. I think there will simply always be people who want more than you can give to them, so you might as well learn to have boundries sooner rather than later. Good luck!

That's what I was thinking too!

 

[bobbiwoz]

Both my DMom and DSis have contributed to our point total. Once they realized that we would invite them, often, to join us at WDW for grand events, (like this great vacation coming up in August), they understood that it was costing us something, and ASKED to contribute. We are fortunate. DMom asked that we share our blessings when she "goes" and there's no doubt that we will.

Having their contribution or not, there is no way that I could not have invited them to the upcoming VWL trip. DMom doesn't see DGGC (ages 1,2,3) that often, and this is their first trip to WDW!!! My DSis is the best Auntie in the world!!

Bobbi

 

[golfnut1264]

We would never dream of charging friends and family to share our DVC accomodations, but on the other hand, we'de never dream of allowing someone else to "invite themselves along" on our vacation.

I would expect any guests to cover their own expenses, and frankly I'd also be expecting some kind of thank you--covering dinner one night, providing something for the room, or even a thoughtful note.

you see that is the difference between us I dont EXPECT anything from my family and friends...it is all decided on before the trip...i make there ressie and they pay me and save about 70% off normal rack rate...
but when you say you expect dinner or something than you mine as well just charge them so you arent dissapointed when they give you nothing...
if you expect something in return for giving someone a free vaction than you should nt make statements like "you would never dream of"....a little hypocritical to me.....

 

[kimberh]

I am a new DVC owner, just made my first ressie. It has never dawned on me that someone, family or friends would expect me to pay for THEIR Disney vacation. We have been to Disney so many times that I have lost count. We are not rich, I have a son in college so I have that expense, I also have had 3 sets of braces, 2 weddings and 2 grandchildren. The point is life goes on and noone has helped us pay for it but us. We have had some moocher friends along the way and I just have to tell you, it gets old after a year or two. When you are always picking up the check and you are the one with the family at home ( they were childless) something has to give. I do not miss them in the least. I learned a long time ago that people have money to spend on what THEY want to spend it on. I would never Charge my children and grandchildren or elderly parents to come stay with us, that is why we bought it. I just don't think anyone else qualifies for that honor now if I could help them save money I would be more than happy to do so but to give it away I don't think so. I feel for all that have to fly, your cost is so much more we do drive.

 

[MareQ]

I think that it all depends on who did the inviting. If we invite friends or family, we bite the bullet and use our points to pay for the rooms. But they are responsible for food and tickets. We make that known up front when we invite them. Now if they start inviting themselves, that is a completely different story. I think that I would use previous advice and charge them $10 a point for the difference of any upgrade you need to make.

Ditto for us although we wouldn't allow anybody to invite themselves - period. My points so I get to choose how and when they are used.

 

[Dale-n-Chip]

OK, I'll bite. . .

When we bought, we bought only enough points for **US** (immediate family, three people) to vacation at WDW for around a week each year in a 1BR. We didn't buy enough to take other people with us. With 200 points, there aren't many times of year we can "afford" a 1BR for a full week at SSR, our home resort (Adventure and Choice seasons only)! You can't stay ANYTIME ANYWHERE for a week in a 2BR for 200 points, period.

I purchased enough for us and if we decide to invite others along, well, we'll have to figure out how to get that paid for at the time, since we'll have to rent points from somebody. Having to rent points makes it a cash outlay rather than simply "using our timeshare."

Of course, we haven't had to test my theory yet, since we only joined in Nov. . . but that's my theory, anyway. Obviously, YMMV.

 

[bobbiwoz]

We had friends who had never been to WDW and we invited them along with some family members this past December. We booked a studio at the VWL for each group and it turned out great. No, we do not expect or want anything in return, but they did treat us to dinner and wrote a lovely thank you note.

These friends know that we are thinking of having an 40th anniversary family get together at WDW in 2 years. She asked if I could arrange for them to be there. She made it clear that she wanted to pay. At this point, for her at least, going to WDW WITH US is what the attraction is. When we get closer to the date, 11 months out, I'll explain to her about transferring points and if it works out for them to pay for the points transferred, that's fine. We didn't expect to give friends a room to stay for this celebration. We will have a party for friends and relatives at our CM home as well. As a family we like to celebrate!

Just as I don't expect stay over guests to our Cape May home to cough up some of the expenses of taxes, maintenance, etc., when I invite them, I don't expect money to change hands when I invite people to our WDW home. A letter of thanks is good manners, and we have received some beautiful ones.

Bobbi

 

[goofy4tink]

My dd and I are going to travel to WDW in Oct with another mom and her dd, to celebrate the two girls' 13th birthdays. I have booked a boardwalk view 2 bdrm villa for us. I didn't suggest this trip with the intent that the other mom pay anthing towards our villa. However, she is the type who really wants to pay her way. She asked me to figure what it would cost her to book her room herself through Disney and then charge her that. Well, she is staying in the 'studio' part, but will obviously have use of the washer/dryer and full kitchen and living room area. No way was I charging her what she would have paid. We are going from Sat-Thursday. I told her to give me $800...she said that was too little, told her that was all I was taking, plain and simple. I don't think she was happy, but she can pick up some meals if she wants to.

I really think that if family members/friends go with you (or use your points for a stay by themselves) they should feel that they should pay for something. Maybe something towards the room costs or dining, but it shouldn't be a free ride. Heavens, if I travel to visit my brother in Seattle, I always buy several meals out when we are there. It's only polite...why would using DVC pts. be any different.

 

[CrzyforPiglet]

We are taking my sister, her boyfriend, my niece, and mom with us to WDW in early May and staying in a 2BR at SSR. To be honest until my sister asked me how much I wanted towards the room and seeing this thread it hadn't even occured to me to charge my family to stay with us. We knew when we bought into DVC that we would want to take a couple of extended family trips and love that we're able to do it. I told my sister that we weren't expecting anything for the room and that if they wanted to treat us to a dinner that would be great and if not, that was fine too. For me the memories of a family vacation (which we never had growing up) is worth more than anything.

Laurie

 

[zalansky]

Take into consideration the relationships we have with those who are invited (by us or themselves) to our DVC "homes". I would not think of charging my best friend, my sisters, or my father. But those people are all people who have done tons for me over the years and I have a close relationship with. With my in-laws and dh's sister and brother - I have no closeness at all, neither does my dh for goodness sakes! We are not charging my in-laws for their room because they have helped us here and there but sis in-law and bro in-law have never done a nice thing for us, ever! Hence, they will get charged the $10 per point. If they tried to even be close with us maybe things would be different but they don't make any effort. But hey, that's another thread!

 

[Amy&Dan]

I agree with the above poster, it all boils down to the relationship you have with somebody BEFORE you bought your DVC. My parents, love em to death, have travelled with them for years and now that they are older and not able to afford to travel, it was a given for me and my husband to not charge them one cent. For my sister who I also love dearly but have never travelled with, who doesn't hesitate to tell me how annoying my kids are (still have no idea why she would even want to travel with us except of course to get a freebie) and who has never done anything for me or our mother when we might have needed it, well that's a different story. I love her but I don't feel I owe her the same privilidges my parents have earned. I also think it depends on who does the inviting. For people who invite others to join them, then yes, you are obligated to pay unless you specify they are invited to join you for a certain amount. However, when you have somebody in your life who has no qualms about inviting themselves, again, whole different story. Frankly, as soon as my sister and my friend assumed they could come along for free, I assumed they were the last people on earth who deserved such special treatment. I also agree that not everyone has enough points to share. You can't share what you don't have. If my husband and I were a couple with no kids, we might invite another couple along with us to share a one bedroom. But our two kids make it impossible to share anything under a two bedroom. And lastly, for my family, we go to WDW for quality time together. Between school and work we have very little time to hang out just the four of us. So its also a matter of me not wanting to share important family time, not just my points. We all have different situations, so to say " I can't imagine not letting others use my points" is merely a personal decision based upon a personal situation. Not something that can be expected to work for everyone.

 

[flechette]

What Amy&Dan said!

Very Eloquent!

 

[Muushka]

What Amy&Dan said!

Very Eloquent!

Yuppers, very well said!