Sharing villa with non-DVC family/friends

[Disney102015]

I don’t think there’s a right or wrong answer here but just curious how other people handle it when you own DVC and travel with others who do not own DVC (and share a villa with them). Do you cover the room since you pay for the points anyway? Do you have them chip in some of the cost and if so how do you figure out what is reasonable?

Again, I’m sure this varies by situation - maybe you’d treat 1 grandparent tagging along differently than a friend with multiple kids, etc. Just looking for some perspectives on what others have done.

 

[Sandisw]

If I am traveling with them, I do not accept any money for the room.

If I book a room for someone else and am not traveling, then it depends. Sometimes it’s free and sometimes, with friends, I have charged $5 or $6/point.

I agree there is no right answer, other than to have the discussion before you make a decision to go on the trip and not after booking!!

 

[Pixie Dusted Snow]

I do not own DVC but if I were traveling with someone who did I would certainly chip in Especially since its likely they are booking a bigger more expensive villa than if I were not traveling with them.
As for how much I guess that would depend on the price and how many people are traveling. If it were my group and their group I'd certainly offer half. More groups, less of a cost per group.
I would never expect them to pay for the entire thing unless they absolutely insisted and refused to take money after offering it more than once.

 

[UrsulaWantsYourSoul]

Part of it depends on if you are increasing the size of accommodations you normally would have. If you are usually a 1 bedroom person anyway and you can add them in at no additional points... great! If you move up to a 2 bedroom (or grand villa!) or get a second studio or whatever... it certainly screams I'm laying out extra money on you. But yes - different for everyone. I figure if I want them to stay with me, I want to make it free or super affordable aka "a deal you can't refuse" . Some people do "the first time's one me" approach.

That said, for us:
Family is free
Friends: $100/person/night if they have a real bed. A little less if they are on a pull out couch (in the common area).
(which I tell them I'm putting the money toward the next resale contract - haha)

 

[Castillo Mom]

I don’t feel comfortable charging family members to join us in our villa. In the past, I’ve invited extended family along and had zero expectations in terms of reimbursing me for anything despite having their own bedroom while my adult kids slept in the living room, or perhaps extended family got their own studio. Recently, I’ve decided that my immediate family situation has changed and its unfair for my sons and daughter-in-law to always have to be the ones to sacrifice. Unfortunately, extended family will need to obtain their own accommodations. If I had points to spare, then I would of course get them their own villa.

 

[AnnaS]

I have invited family and friends (close). I book them their own studio/villa. I invite, they are my guest. I don't expect anything from them. Of course, I plan for this (knowing I might have extra points).

No one has ever approached me (except my kids) asking me if I have extra points for them to use with me or without me.

 

[MICKIMINI]

Son and DIL are free to ask for whatever they want and as long as we have extra points, we gift them 8-15 nights a year.

We've upgraded to a 3br villa three times in the late 1990's/early 2000's and entertained large family trips. We didn't ask for anything other than a "donation" to the in room grocery list (bulky items like laundry soap and perishables - $50 or so for 5 nights) mainly because we were flying and they were driving. They got a good deal!

 

[Marionnette]

I don’t think there’s a right or wrong answer here but just curious how other people handle it when you own DVC and travel with others who do not own DVC (and share a villa with them). Do you cover the room since you pay for the points anyway? Do you have them chip in some of the cost and if so how do you figure out what is reasonable?

Again, I’m sure this varies by situation - maybe you’d treat 1 grandparent tagging along differently than a friend with multiple kids, etc. Just looking for some perspectives on what others have done.

For my kids, no charge regardless of whether we travel with them or they go by themselves. If they take a group of friends with them, we ask that the friends cover our dues for the points used.

For other family members (nieces, nephews, cousins, etc.) the cost of our dues if they travel without us. If we invite them to travel with us then they are our guests. If they offer to reimburse me for their share of the points, we tell them to buy us a nice dinner and we'll call it even. I have a brother and sister-in-law who have never offered anything. My sister and her husband always buy us dinner or a thank you gift.

We have yet to travel with close friends using our points.

 

[71 Truck]

If I invite friends or family it is on me. My wife and I just spent one night at Saratoga Springs. We invite friends to stay with us doing this a couple times a year.

If someone were to ask to tag along and stay with us it would depend who they are. If it were close family or friends and we did not have to upgrade to a bigger room than probably not.

If we had to upgrade to a bigger room then I would expect something. I would think the extra people would offer something with out me having to ask.
I would look at something like trading the room for a couple of meals at Disney restaurants and maybe some room snacks.

 

[aea71]

We've never asked for payment when inviting friends or family. If they insist, we ask them to treat us to a reasonably priced table service dinner once during the trip.

 

[chalee94]

I don’t think there’s a right or wrong answer here but just curious how other people handle it when you own DVC and travel with others who do not own DVC (and share a villa with them).

Also, be aware that when some people are invited along - but have no skin in the game - they may look at the cost of tickets, food, etc. and bail at the last minute. So if you are booking a larger villa, you may want to account for this possibility in certain cases...

 

[ElizabethG]

Also, be aware that when some people are invited along - but have no skin in the game - they may look at the cost of tickets, food, etc. and bail at the last minute. So if you are booking a larger villa, you may want to account for this possibility in certain cases...

I agree. People who have never been to WDW will not know the costs.
We have only brought guests a couple of times. I have covered the accommodations each time. However, when discussing the trip, I give them an estimate on what tickets and food will cost them. So, when they agree, they have an idea of the costs.

 

[wdwnut]

I’ve taken many friends, family members, and also booked multiple villas for a high school cross country team years ago. I’ve never taken any money for the villas. My “price” is a meal or two during the trip.

 

[com_op_2000]

We have never charged or ask people to contribute to a stay.
We have given DVC stays as gifts to family/friends.
When we bought in back in '93, we knew this is how we were going to share our good fortune to own DVC.
Many happy vacation have occurred due to being able to forget money issues and just enjoy the time together.

 

[TCRAIG]

I’ve always just brought family and have never charged - even if I get them their own Villa...

 

[scbruno]

We never ask for money for the room and honestly have more points than we need so upgrading is fine if not we rent the balance. If they ask to treat for diner or pitch in for groceries that is the max we will let them pay for.

 

[tidefan]

Also, consider that while you may think it is great to treat people to a trip, it can be the quickest way to have friendships go south. I find that Disney trips, especially, can suffer from differing expectations.

 

[rocketriter]

I don’t think there’s a right or wrong answer here but just curious how other people handle it when you own DVC and travel with others who do not own DVC (and share a villa with them).

We did this once, inviting a couple of relatives. We took a 2-bedroom, provided the lockoff room for them at no charge, and helped coordinate meal and pass reservations on those days that we planned to spend together. They bought their own plane tickets and park passes, and treated us to a couple of nice dinners. (We also stopped them from heading into the parks in flip-flops on the first day, for which they still thank us.) Fond memories all around.

 

[rocketriter]

We did this once, inviting a couple of relatives and discussing the arrangement in advance. We took a 2-bedroom, provided the lockoff room for them at no charge, and helped coordinate meal and pass reservations on those days that we planned to spend together. They bought their own plane tickets and park passes, and treated us to a couple of nice dinners. (We also stopped them from heading into the parks in flip-flops on the first day, for which they still thank us.) Fond memories all around.

 

[5th gate dreamers]

for us, everyone pays $20/pt. the caveat is every group gets their own bedroom. for example, if one couple is joining us, we get a two bedroom and they pay $20/pt for half the needed points. if two couples join us, we rent a grand villa and each couple pays $20/pt for one third of the needed points. we typically do a nice treat during the trip (pay for a dessert party, sit down dinner, etc) to offset any minor guilty feelings of making friends or family pay the rate that strangers pay. our feeling is, we paid the tens of thousands of dollars for those points...no ones getting those for free or a discount unless its a gift (weve gifted a 5 night stay before). its a mistake financially to say "eh, its paid for...it isnt costing any money to let someone use them". of course, your points are yours to use how you see fit just like ours are ours to use how we see fit. there for sure isnt a right or wrong answer, but we are in the category of "they are ours, they are consumable...youre paying for them". someone using your points is like using your gasoline, not using your car. someone can borrow your car and its not really using anything up (besides ephemeral wear and tear). but say we have 3 cans of gas in the garage and someone wants to use one of the cans...you are paying us for the 5 gallons of gas that was in that can. points are the gas the in the tank (which you expect someone to replace when they borrow your car), not the car.