Points lower on Poly Bungalows

[coastalhh]

I think it is highly unlikely at least before they finish selling points at the Poly. Otherwise the studio points will end up totally out of line with even VGF studios and people will be less inclined to buy there.

i think it could lead to problems at 7 months if noone wants to book bungalows and everyone wants to book elsewhere there is always going to be someone who can't book a room anywhere while the studios are unoccupied.

Now once it is sold out who knows.......

There are only 20 bungalows in the plans and 360 studios. You could Lower the bungalows by 54 points a night by adding 3 to the studios. It will happen. Just a matter of when and how many points. I would guess 2 point increase across all studios which would lower the bungalow 36 points a night. If that didn't work another point and so on

 

[coastalhh]

Since DVC has some discretion over what room nights go to DRC when members use points for things like cruising, I think it very well could be a GOOD thing for members if cash guests like & reserve the bungalows. (Of course, that assumes that members don't want to use their points to stay in them).

Bungalows filled with cash guests could result in point costs for non-DVC options going down and it very probably would open up availability at other resorts for booking categories & times members DO want to use points for.

So I see cash guests in the bungalows as a win-win.

That is a very good point and I do see them as a potential popular option for (high end)cash guests. Better than some of those suites with no kitchen they charge almost as much for.

 

[disneynutz]

If you are point heavy and are really attracted to the 2 bedroom bungalows then I would blow some points there. I just don't see the point justification but that's just me.

Now if they threw in access to The King Kamehameha Club, then I might give it a try for a couple of nights.

Bill

 

[Minniesgal]

There are only 20 bungalows in the plans and 360 studios. You could Lower the bungalows by 54 points a night by adding 3 to the studios. It will happen. Just a matter of when and how many points. I would guess 2 point increase across all studios which would lower the bungalow 36 points a night. If that didn't work another point and so on

An extra 3 points a night on a studio still makes it the most expensive studio on property I'm not convinced.

 

[Dean]

Since DVC has some discretion over what room nights go to DRC when members use points for things like cruising, I think it very well could be a GOOD thing for members if cash guests like & reserve the bungalows. (Of course, that assumes that members don't want to use their points to stay in them).

Bungalows filled with cash guests could result in point costs for non-DVC options going down and it very probably would open up availability at other resorts for booking categories & times members DO want to use points for.

So I see cash guests in the bungalows as a win-win.

It seems doubtful to me because on a $$$ per point basis, it's likely less efficient than most options in the system. It'd really come down to what % they could rent that were turned over and what the $$$ per point return was. Given the number of points, it'd likely be better from this direction to fill them with points guests and rent the studios on cash.

Are you hoping that DVC will reallocate the nightly point costs for a bungalow for February 2016? If so, its not going to happen. The point charts for 2016 have already been released and it would be impossible for DVC to reallocate the 2016 point costs at this time. In order to lower the nightly costs for the bungalows, DVC would have to increase the costs of the studios. The earliest DVC could reallocate point costs at the Poly would be for the 2017 calendar year.

I don't expect it to happen that quickly, if it happens at all, and it is a little late to do so. But if the point is that the chart being released is the deterrent, I don't think that's an absolute. I'm pretty sure this has happened a couple of times already with BLT & BWV though neither in a situation where they changed a period where the reservation window was open.

There are only 20 bungalows in the plans and 360 studios. You could Lower the bungalows by 54 points a night by adding 3 to the studios. It will happen. Just a matter of when and how many points. I would guess 2 point increase across all studios which would lower the bungalow 36 points a night. If that didn't work another point and so on

The problem they'd have is getting the balance. They could change by less or even more if they wanted but they would have to change either the studios upward and/or raise other seasons for the bungalows to lower them. I tend to think they will change them eventually and will increase the studios.

An extra 3 points a night on a studio still makes it the most expensive studio on property I'm not convinced.

For the property, I don't see a 1 to 3 point increase for some or all seasons to be a major deterrent.

 

[udflyer00]

I think the bungalow points are crazy outrageous... Not because our family only has 200 points, which would get us 1 night, but even if I was a lucky member of the 1000 point club you can get so much more for your points at any of the other DVC resorts. However I think that as long as people are booking them I don't think the points will go down. When we were there on our last trip in June we did the tour of the bungalow, which I agree they are totally awesome and you can't beat the location, but the bungalows around it had guests enjoying the swings on the porch so they are being rented at the current rate.

I just can't believe how much it costs. our June trip in a 2 bedroom OKW room for 6 nights wouldn't have even gotten us 2 nights in a bungalow?!?! I just can't see using that amount of points per night when you can get so much more else where on property.

 

[freediverdude]

Right now the point chart for the Poly studios is virtually the same as for the VGF studios, except for the minimum in adventure season for a standard view is 1 point less for Poly (likely in order to still be able to say the VGF is the most expensive to get into), and I think the highest end in premier season is also 1 point different, and they made up the difference on one of the other seasons where VGF is lower. So I doubt that they will increase the Poly studio standard view points, because it would put the point cost above the VGF. One thing they could do I suppose is increase the points required for the 2nd and 3rd floor lake view studios, since those do have a premium view that one might say is worth even more. But there's only 48 of those studios, so I don't know if that could make a big enough of a difference to be able to lower the bungalow points much.

 

[JWG]

I'm not sure the bungalows going to cash reservations matters for DVC. The lowest possible point night for a bungalow is 115. At $6.02 per point in dues a person is paying $692 per night to stay there BEFORE accounting for buy-in costs. Whoever decides they want to be there on Christmas will be putting out 227 points and $1,367 for that Friday night stay

 

[freediverdude]

I'm not sure the bungalows going to cash reservations matters for DVC. The lowest possible point night for a bungalow is 115. At $6.02 per point in dues a person is paying $692 per night to stay there BEFORE accounting for buy-in costs. Whoever decides they want to be there on Christmas will be putting out 227 points and $1,367 for that Friday night stay

Yes, BUT, the cash rate for the Christmas night I think is over $3000, so I guess it's all a matter of scale.

 

[udflyer00]

right, some have more than enough points that they really don't care the nightly rate. I wish we were in that boat, but we have to make every point last as long as it can... lol

 

[supersnoop]

DVD is allowed to swap declared and I ndeclared inventory. So, if they pull one bungalow for cash reservations, they would have to open up 7 or 8 undeclared studios for members. That sounds like a good trade for owners.

 

[Dean]

DVD is allowed to swap declared and I ndeclared inventory. So, if they pull one bungalow for cash reservations, they would have to open up 7 or 8 undeclared studios for members. That sounds like a good trade for owners.

I'm not sure they can do so directly. What they can do is reserve a given option that is declared with their owned points and let anything outstanding be confirmed into declared and open or if they wanted, to undeclared inventory as well.

 

[coastalhh]

Either way. It an obvious mistake to make the points that high. If you talk to any salesmen they were all told bungalows would be impossible to get if you didn't own at poly. That was there early sales pitch. Every early preview before it opened or went on sale said the same thing. They would be booked the second they become available and stay booked 24/7. It hasn't been that way at all and most poly contracts sold can't even afford 2 nights there.

Green lighting the "cabins" at WL is a major mistake before they see a larger booking pattern for the bungalows. If the cabins are not 3 bedroom and only have 2 bedrooms for more than a grand villa they are doomed to fail.

The problem I foresee in owning at poly will be like owning at a resort 20% over sold. All those bungalow points were sold to people mainly wanting studios. Thus in three years when it's sold out studios will be very hard to get and bungalows will he easy for non owners.

 

[ziravan]

Either way. It an obvious mistake to make the points that high. If you talk to any salesmen they were all told bungalows would be impossible to get if you didn't own at poly. That was there early sales pitch. Every early preview before it opened or went on sale said the same thing. They would be booked the second they become available and stay booked 24/7. It hasn't been that way at all and most poly contracts sold can't even afford 2 nights there.

Green lighting the "cabins" at WL is a major mistake before they see a larger booking pattern for the bungalows. If the cabins are not 3 bedroom and only have 2 bedrooms for more than a grand villa they are doomed to fail.

The problem I foresee in owning at poly will be like owning at a resort 20% over sold. All those bungalow points were sold to people mainly wanting studios. Thus in three years when it's sold out studios will be very hard to get and bungalows will he easy for non owners.

That is why I bought a fixed week Lake View studio during F&W.

DVC will have no trouble keeping the bungalows filled with either members or cash reservations. The same with VWL.

I'm hoping that at BCV, they build a longhouse in the woods between BCV and international gateway, put "fireworks view" balconies into two story grand villas, and build an walkway over EPCOT Resort Blvd with direct access to the Gateway and sell them as "secluded EPCOT direct access villas".

 

[RRB]

It seems like there is a lot of availability for the Bungalows. Do you think they may lower the points so they start to get some use?

I spent a few minutes looking at the on-line reservation system and didn't see much availability until mid next year. Maybe the DVC system wasn't working but everything I looked for for was booked solid. where are you seeing the availability for the Bungalows?

 

[Dean]

I spent a few minutes looking at the on-line reservation system and didn't see much availability until mid next year. Maybe the DVC system wasn't working but everything I looked for for was booked solid. where are you seeing the availability for the Bungalows?

There is almost universal availability starting early Jan through the 11 month window. Only a handful of nights early Jan are not available.

 

[dizfan]

Just my opinion, but I don't see them raising the points for studios unless they are modifications to the studios.

They wasted a lot of space in the one bathroom. Either convert the tub to a Jacuzzi or add a small W/D. Suddenly there is a reason for PVB studios to be more expensive than VGF studios. If they added a small W/D, they could even convert the Moorea laundry room to another studio for more points.

They did a studio conversion to BLT after it was open. They heard enough complaints that they did something about it. Making a minor modification to PVB studios, suddenly turns them into very unique rooms that could very well increase sales. DVC sales staff would likely be very happy to have this modification.

 

[JohnDaleswife]

I really think that a reallocation of the Poly points will happen at some time in the future. I wonder if they will use this heavy point requirement at the new lodges at the VWL?

 

[freediverdude]

Just my opinion, but I don't see them raising the points for studios unless they are modifications to the studios.

They wasted a lot of space in the one bathroom. Either convert the tub to a Jacuzzi or add a small W/D. Suddenly there is a reason for PVB studios to be more expensive than VGF studios. If they added a small W/D, they could even convert the Moorea laundry room to another studio for more points.

They did a studio conversion to BLT after it was open. They heard enough complaints that they did something about it. Making a minor modification to PVB studios, suddenly turns them into very unique rooms that could very well increase sales. DVC sales staff would likely be very happy to have this modification.

I agree, there is a lot of wasted space in the bathroom. They could either make the toilet into a separate room with that much space, or like you said put something upgraded in, like a W/D or whirlpool tub. It makes me wonder what the original plans were. They do seem to be filling the bungalows though at least after the 7 month mark. I guess we will just have to see what the booking trends look like after the new resort fever wears off.

 

[jgdsoarin]

We own at Poly and just had our first stay. We really loved everything about the room and location, but I agree that the bathroom does have space for a small w/d and I wished the tub was jetted. Those two simple and relatively inexpensive changes could have really set the studios apart. I also think that the parking lot Pago Pago rooms should have a slight decrease in point value. That could probably be offset by charging slightly more for the Tokelau rooms that have a lake view (like our standard view room did on our trip). The bungalows are never happening for me. Way too many points--even though they are extremely fun to look at!