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DVC owners are anal - but very clean

S

Steamboat Bill

You have to read this thread on the DISboards to try to get a better understanding of what I try to tell people about DVC owners. This is just one funny thread that sums up the entire DVC experience. When a DVC owner arrives at a "home resort" the staff constantly says "welcome home". Most DVC owners really feel that their TS is their home.

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1223129

Here is the first post....

"On our day to leave we get kind of, well... anal (hope it's ok to use that word) and we try to leave our place nearly as clean as we found it. We take all our recycleables to the bins. Remove, tie up, and place all the trash bags by the front door. Run all utensils and kitchen items in the dishwasher. Place all the bath towels and wash cloths in a pile in the bathtub. Put the furniture back in the original spots. Make sure fridge is empty. And leave a decent tip and a thank you note for mousekeeping. Is this normal? or are we just quirky."
 
Steamboat Bill said:
You have to read this thread on the DISboards to try to get a better understanding of what I try to tell people about DVC "On our day to leave we get kind of, well... anal (hope it's ok to use that word) and we try to leave our place nearly as clean as we found it. We take all our recycleables to the bins. Remove, tie up, and place all the trash bags by the front door. Run all utensils and kitchen items in the dishwasher. Place all the bath towels and wash cloths in a pile in the bathtub. Put the furniture back in the original spots. Make sure fridge is empty. And leave a decent tip and a thank you note for mousekeeping. Is this normal? or are we just quirky."
Click to expand...

You know I just responded to this post on the dis. I too clean before I leave.
 
If you don't tidy up the unit, How do you know you got all your stuff?

Therefore we clean up before we leave any unit TS or Hotel room.
 
I agree that they are neurotic (and I say this while actually owning DVC). We don't leave it a sty, but we don't wash the dishes, etc. That's what housekeeping is for, and darn it, I'm on vacation -- even if it is my last day. Why pay the housekeeping portion of MF if you're going to do all of your own cleaning? (Btw, we do leave a tip.) The only concession I make with regard to cleaning/vacation status is that I do laundry while there.

I think people carry the idea of "home" a bit too far. DVC is a timeshare, after all, and Disney itself is ultimately a profit-driven, money-making corporation. People often confuse image ("Welcome Home!") with reality ("Here's your mostly-clean 1BR; now run off to the parks and spend, spend, spend so we can turn a profit.") It's when they confuse the two that they get disappointed.

Kim
 
I think if you own a t/s anywhere and go to that place every year you begin to feel like it's your second home. I think that is only natural. We do own DVC and because the cast members (that's what they call the employees) are so friendly and accomodating, and yes, because they do say "Welcome Home" we absolutely do feel like it's our second home. But we also go to the Marriott Ocean Club in Aruba every year and when the baggage guys at the front recognize us and hug us and welcome up back, we feel like that too is our second (third) home. I love that feeling!
 
I also want to say that whenever we stay in a t/s, if it's ours or a trade, we do leave things pretty orderly. We never clean the place before we leave but we certainly empty the frig and start the dishwasher. I think that is the decend thing to do. Yes, we pay maintenance fees for the cleaning and changing the linen but not for putting a trashed t/s back in order.
 
Time2Ponder said:
DVC is a timeshare, after all, and Disney itself is ultimately a profit-driven, money-making corporation. People often confuse image ("Welcome Home!") with reality ("Here's your mostly-clean 1BR; now run off to the parks and spend, spend, spend so we can turn a profit.") It's when they confuse the two that they get disappointed.
Click to expand...

Amen...sister!
 
Not to hijack the thread but I always clean out the fridge - leave anything unopened in the fridge in case the housekeepers want it.

Throw all the used linen in a pile in one tub.

Make sure all the garbage is in bags or manageable and is in a pile somewhere close the door - this can be a bit of a pile if you're chucking bits and pieces of groceries. Anything that might leak, like ice cream or something, I'd leave in one bag in the sink.

Make sure all the dishes are in the dishwasher, including the coffee pot from that morning, and make sure it's running.

Not that I feel a compulsion to clean, but I like to arrive at my timeshare stay at checkin and not have housekeeping running behind. It's my little bit to try to keep things moving along.
 
I do every one of those things when I vacate a timeshare, with the exception of leaving a note for "mousekeeping." Actually come to think of it, I treat timeshares better than I treat my home!
 
ATugger and a Diser here.

We clean out the refrigerator, put towels in one bathtub, take out the garbage, load the dishwasher and turn it on. It doesn't take very much time.

And OKW DVC really does feel like our second home.
 
We will own Disney eventually.

We're going to be at OKW next Saturday and will be there for twelve days. Very exciting! We are not owners, we are exchangers. We're leaving there two days early that second week, but I have someone using our last night, which is nice. I am glad to hear that Old Key West is such a nice place and that owners really feel "home" there. Hopefully, Rick and I will feel the same way.

We always leave a tip, but we also always clean the fridge and start the dishwasher just before we leave. The towels always go on the bathroom floor in a heap and all trash is in the trash cans. The place looks like it would be easy to clean when we are gone.
 
Not to change the subject...

I don't mean to change the subject, but many of you have mentioned leaving "tips" for housekeeping. My family and I will be going to our timeshare for the first time in December, and I have not thought of tipping. What is the norm for tipping housekeeping? I have worked as a food server, so I tend to be very concious of jobs that people do and who deserve tips. Is there any formula that is commonly used?
 
Steamboat Bill said:
"On our day to leave we get kind of, well... anal (hope it's ok to use that word) and we try to leave our place nearly as clean as we found it. We take all our recycleables to the bins. Remove, tie up, and place all the trash bags by the front door. Run all utensils and kitchen items in the dishwasher. Place all the bath towels and wash cloths in a pile in the bathtub. Put the furniture back in the original spots. Make sure fridge is empty.
Click to expand...

Many resorts that I have been to (non-DVC resorts) request that you do the above listed things. In fact, you usually get a checklist of things to do on checkout day. Even if we are not specifically asked to do these things, I usually do them anyway. I also strip the beds and place the linens near the towels. I especially do this when we have more than one bedroom and we haven't used all the beds. Why waste water washing linens that haven't been used. Hopefully housekeeping gets the idea which linens really need changing.

Evelyn
 
EvelynK72 said:
I also strip the beds and place the linens near the towels. I especially do this when we have more than one bedroom and we haven't used all the beds. Why waste water washing linens that haven't been used. Hopefully housekeeping gets the idea which linens really need changing.

Evelyn
Click to expand...

Maybe it's just me, but I think this is gross. :eek: When I go into a room/villa, whether it is a hotel room or a TS, I want ALL of my linens to be fresh -- even if that means washing "unused linens." I'll gladly pay an extra few $$ a year to make sure this happens.

Kim
 
We don't leave as much as we used to....

kiruk said:
I don't mean to change the subject, but many of you have mentioned leaving "tips" for housekeeping. My family and I will be going to our timeshare for the first time in December, and I have not thought of tipping. What is the norm for tipping housekeeping? I have worked as a food server, so I tend to be very concious of jobs that people do and who deserve tips. Is there any formula that is commonly used?
Click to expand...

We give the mid-week people $5.00, twice that at check-out. My mother-in-law tipped also, last trip to Hawaii, so they got double. I thought that was very nice.

I watched the maids do cleaning at Ridge Tahoe and at Lawrence Welk Escondido. They are in and out in about 45 minutes. The cleanings are not as thorough as we would like to believe. Maybe they spend more time when there are special cleaning issues, but by the time most people clear out their stuff, what is left? Clutter has always been a bigger problem at my house than cleaning. I can clean my entire house and have everything straightened and look around a few hours later and see little messes that both of us have made. Without clutter, my job would be a cinch.
 
I couldn't believe the time the gentleman spent on the mid-week cleaning at Kahana Falls in June. The place was absolutely spotless. My husband tried to convince him to move home with us to clean our place.

We do most of the things mentioned in this thread and are very particular about putting all the furniture and decorations back. We tend to rearrange a lot to child proof the unit for our youngest. I don't expect the cleaning staff to have to move furniture in addition to their other duties.

Sheila
 
I feel, at least with DVC, tipping is not necessary. Disney is very careful to list those jobs that should include a gratuity but the maids are not included on that list. I leave unopened food and drinks there but I don't usually tip. I do tip in Marriotts. Somehow I get the feeling those maids aren't as well paid, but I could be misinformed and I will be grateful if someone has the right tipping formula.

To the poster who is going to OKW for the first time. YOu will love it. I am curious what timeshare you traded to get into OKW and what size unit you have. Of all the DVC resorts OKW is by far our favorite. The location and the room size can not be beat. Also the folks who frequent OKW are a breed unto themselves. We are more lay back and enjoy the resort more than most of the other members. I think it is because we have owned there longer. I am one of the original owners and I fell in love 15 years ago and the love affair has never ended.
 
icydog said:
OKW are a breed unto themselves. We are more lay back and enjoy the resort more than most of the other members. I think it is because we have owned there longer. I am one of the original owners and I fell in love 15 years ago and the love affair has never ended.
Click to expand...

You made a home run purchase 15 years ago as the prices have doubled!
 
Taking My Roomba With Us Next Trip

Hmmmmm. My wife and I will most likely take our iRobot Roomba with us on our next timeshare vacation. We're vacationing but will let the little robot clean up the floor while we're enjoying ourselves.

LOL :rolleyes:
 
Steamboat Bill said:
You made a home run purchase 15 years ago as the prices have doubled!
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Actually exactly doubled! What other timeshare can make that claim? Maybe a Hawaiian Marriott but I am not sure they even doubled their money. Plus for 10 years we had free tickets for four every time we stayed there. Oh for the good ole days....:rolleyes:
 
Look how many "views" you got just by using the word "anal" in your subject header. LOL, I might try that someday if I really really want folks to read my topic! ;)
 
Time2Ponder said:
Maybe it's just me, but I think this is gross. :eek: When I go into a room/villa, whether it is a hotel room or a TS, I want ALL of my linens to be fresh -- even if that means washing "unused linens." I'll gladly pay an extra few $$ a year to make sure this happens.

Kim
Click to expand...

Amen...I am not even sure that would be allowed. Sounds like a code violation of some sort. Housekeeping has no way of being sure that someone didn't slip in that bed for few minutes.

I want my sheets FRESH, for certain! Change EVERY towel and sheet, please.
 
Carol C said:
Look how many "views" you got just by using the word "anal" in your subject header. LOL, I might try that someday if I really really want folks to read my topic! ;)
Click to expand...

Carol...at least somebody appreciates my humor...this post is an example of something that is appreciated on TUG, but something that got me permenantly BANNED from DISboards.
 
Bill, did you know TUG and Disboards have just signed a reciprocity agreement? Bill? Bill?

Just kidding. But I'm on some other boards that are even tougher. One cruise board edits out any reference to postings on other cruise boards, i.e., your reference to Disboards would have been removed without any sign you had ever mentioned it.
 
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Maybe I'm quirky, but, I do what the op does no matter WHAT resort we stay at. When we are ready to vacate the unit my husband always says it looks like no one even stayed here this week. We travel aprox. 4 months of the year. If there is no dishwasher I wash and put away whatever we used that morning. Some of our home resorts also greet us with "welcome home". We have even been greeted that way at resorts we have exchanged into!
BTW I have not stayed at onsite Disney resorts, but I have treated my sister and her family to weeks there and they love it.
 
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