Shorter stays, more in housekeeping cost

[SL6827]

Do short stays cost DVC more money in housekeeping and such? I mean even after a two or three night stay, the room would need a full cleaning. Just a thought.

 

[BillPA]

Yes that is a BIG COST, I hope the raise the minimum to 3-4 nights per stay.

 

[hjgaus]

Yes that is a BIG COST, I hope the raise the minimum to 3-4 nights per stay.

Do you mean for WDW DVC or both coasts? I am local Southern Californian and majority of our DVC points per year are spent on weekend staycations at VGC paired with AP's. Obviously when we choose WDW our time is 1 or 2 weeks at every 2 or 3 years in between so I'm not sure if I would like a 4 night minimum.

 

[SL6827]

Yes that is a BIG COST, I hope the raise the minimum to 3-4 nights per stay.

I can't imagine heading to the World for less than 3-4 nights. It's a 10 hour drive for us, but I can see people who aren't that far away doing so. I could do 2 nights at Hilton Head, if need be, but three is just right for us.

Do you think that this might just be something Disney might consider going forward?

 

[Marionnette]

Yes that is a BIG COST, I hope the raise the minimum to 3-4 nights per stay.

I can't see that happening. If you look at availability at 60 days or less, there are a lot of orphaned nights that would go unused with a 3-4 night minimum stay. How many members have grabbed an open night at one resort in order to extend their stay? Or cobbled together a last-minute vacation with a couple of nights each at multiple resorts? Or booked a GV, Poly Bungalow or AKV CL for just one special night? The kind of restriction on point usage you're suggesting would leave a lot of unhappy members with unusable points and a lot of empty units scattered throughout DVC. And it might even be in violation of the contract (I'm not as savvy as some people are when it comes to the terms of the agreement, so I'll defer to them on this matter).

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I doubt they would ever inflict a minimum stay requirement. Unsure of the mechanism, but I'd be more likely to expect a cleaning fee.

 

[drusba]

Section III. 4. of the Home Resort Rules and Regulations provides:

"Minimum Stay. The current minimum stay at any DVC Resort is one (1) Use Day. However, DVCMC may require, from time to time, that a minimum number of consecutive Use Days for a particular season or special season be reserved. The number of consecutive Use Days required to be reserved shall in no event exceed five (5) Use Days."

That rule thus allows DVC to set up to a minimum five night stay although it is doubtful it can do so across the board for the entire year under the rule as stated. When it estimates annual housekeeping dues for the budget it does so based on the history of prior stays, e.g., such as what is the median and average stays. DVC is purposefully set up so that members do not get to vote on limiting services to save on dues. Moreover, I doubt DVC would ever make the decision to require minimum stays just to allow members to save on dues, including because the minimum stay rule does not appear to be designed to allow that, and because Disney would have a lot to answer for after selling contracts for as low as 50 points to new purchasers for the last several years, which means, for example, that it intentionally sold contracts to new purchasers who could not reserve a minimum of three to five nights at VGF or four or five nights at Poly.

 

[EvilDrPorkchop21]

Yes that is a BIG COST, I hope the raise the minimum to 3-4 nights per stay.

No.

 

[MooseBucks]

I can't see that happening. If you look at availability at 60 days or less, there are a lot of orphaned nights that would go unused with a 3-4 night minimum stay. How many members have grabbed an open night at one resort in order to extend their stay? Or cobbled together a last-minute vacation with a couple of nights each at multiple resorts? Or booked a GV, Poly Bungalow or AKV CL for just one special night? The kind of restriction on point usage you're suggesting would leave a lot of unhappy members with unusable points and a lot of empty units scattered throughout DVC. And it might even be in violation of the contract (I'm not as savvy as some people are when it comes to the terms of the agreement, so I'll defer to them on this matter).

They could always allow a lower minimum stay within 60 days.

 

[bobbiwoz]

Villas like the GVs, cabins and bungalows cost so much, I doubt they would do that. Actually onboard cruises the DVC tout renting a bungalow as a special way to end a vacation. They encourage 1-2 night stays.

 

[Dean]

Do short stays cost DVC more money in housekeeping and such? I mean even after a two or three night stay, the room would need a full cleaning. Just a thought.

As noted yes and it's one of the reasons DVC dues are about 30% higher than comparable non Disney timeshares but it's not the only reason.

 

[cruisin5]

More people in a room also have a higher mousekeeping cost. Should five in a one bedroom pay more than two? I sure hope it doesn't come to minimum stays. We love short stays and split stays.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Even in the highest seasons, I see issues with imposing stay minimums. How many of us have booked a de facto split stay because we were able to get the first day, then the third-fifth day, and then waitlisted the second? Imposing minimum stays won't magically cure the Tetris that is unit availability based on bookings.

 

[Dean]

More people in a room also have a higher mousekeeping cost. Should five in a one bedroom pay more than two? I sure hope it doesn't come to minimum stays. We love short stays and split stays.

It's all about balance. Is it an item that is considered core to a resort? Is it something that has real ongoing cost? What is the cost to enforce something pay to play Is there a bulk savings? The free valet parking issue is a great example. No savings, full price, not core to a resort (actually the opposite), small % of people in question and easy to enforce. A pool is the opposite. But for a resort that charges to get replacement shampoo and towels, any charge is possible. So could they charge for extra people or shorter stays, sure, but I doubt they will at this point. What I'd like to see is for them to better enforce the occupancy limits.

 

[alldiz]

Wow never thought of this but yes, I guess it certainly increases cost.

Having a minimum stay is not the answer IMO. The big draw of DVC is the flexibility. I for one have booked 2 nights pre and post cruise.
And also people like to switch resorts or worst case they have to piece together a reservation.
Limiting that would be a detriment to me in the way I sometimes use my Dvc.
At worst a housekeeping fee but even that feels nickel and diming.
Kerri