Not allowed to book the host hotel...

[Maistre Gracey]

Does anyone know the logic behind this rule?
Why aren't the DVC host hotels part of the Disney Collection? It was never a huge deal before, but it seems like a bigger deal now that VGC is about to open. With only 48 rooms, Members will be almost shut out from that hotel unless you have points there. Yes, it's a lot of points to use them at the hotels, but it's still a nice option to have.

Thoughts?

MG

 

[CarolMN]

No idea why. It's just always been that way.

Assume you know that it's just the GCH that will be blocked. If they follow the pattern, you'll still be able to book DLH and PP.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

Assume you know that it's just the GCH that will be blocked. If they follow the pattern, you'll still be able to book DLH and PP.

Hi Carol.. Yeah, I figured that's what will happen. Actually I added on at VGC, so it won't affect me too much.

I actually asked my guide this question, and she seemed to believe that Disney actually loses money when booking the hotels on points. I guess she may be right, but it's hard to believe when you look at the point requirements.
If that's the case, than Disney must lose money on all hotel bookings using points. I suppose they keep the option there to make DVC look more attractive.

MG

 

[Chuck S]

I think DVC pays a contracted price for the bookings, which is probably less than rack rate. I doubt they actually lose $$. But the high number of points required may also mean that Disney/DVC is having a tough time recovering enough revenue to offset the cost of the trade. If the room doesn't rent, DVC still needs pay Disney. If the room does rent, there is booking/accounting costs between the two operating companies. So it is doubtful the high point cost reflects the true cost of the room alone...it allows some extra to cover the other costs and the estimated number of "non-rented/non-recovered" costs. Why add to the recovery problem by putting more points into the presumably saturated cash pool? It is much simpler to not allow DVCers to book at the host hotels. That is one possibility to explain the rule.

 

[spiceycat]

they have never been - starting back with BW - when BCV and VWL - you do remember the complaints.

some people just felt the need to spend more points and just get a hotel room.

really think that is more the reason - they don't want the DVC members to go with just a hotel room - when we paid for more.

especially with DL - there are some nice hotels much cheaper than the DL ones.

 

[Dean]

Back when BWV and BWI opened together they made a conscious decision that they didn't need both, not real reason other than they simply didn't think it was needed (from what I've been told). Then when VWL and the BCV opened, they had to made a decision whether to remove the hotel portion or not, which they did. They likely did this for consistency rather than any major overall plan but you never know. DVC has the devil of a time renting out the rooms garnered with exchange points now so any extra inventory would really sabotage the system I'd think. It's likely that the two new options will also lose their direct hotel counterpart though for CA there is logic to keeping the hotel given the size of the villa portion there. We'll see how they go with that one.

 

[toocherie]

It's likely that the two new options will also lose their direct hotel counterpart though for CA there is logic to keeping the hotel given the size of the villa portion there. We'll see how they go with that one.

Haven't they already made the decision? I thought the point chart for 2010 said something about points for the hotel only being good through Dec. 31, 2009?

 

[Dean]

Haven't they already made the decision? I thought the point chart for 2010 said something about points for the hotel only being good through Dec. 31, 2009?

I'm sure they have but I don't think they've formally announced it and I wouldn't take that notation as gospel though I suspect it will end up being accurate.

 

[erionm]

The Contemporary is gone from the Disney Collection. The 2010 point chart for the FL resorts is on the member website and the Contemporary is not included.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

The Contemporary is gone from the Disney Collection. The 2010 point chart for the FL resorts is on the member website and the Contemporary is not included.

That one they did formally announce in Jan or Feb. with the final date you could book a room.