BOULDER RIDGE VILLAS & COPPER CREEK VILLAS & CABINS: Wilderness Lodge DVC Expansion Thread

[FTM22]

I booked straight through the Disney website and am not DVC. Did you receive a letter from Disney about the construction? I called the number in that letter (it was not the normal customer service #). The first CM gave me details on where the construction was taking place and when I asked her my options for moving resorts, she transferred me to a Guest Services line that seemed to be exclusively for those calling about WL. I was offered the $100/night discount, a switch to another resort, or park ticket upgrades. Nothing was mentioned about a compensation offer until I was transferred to that second line, though.

This is correct- you MUST talk to Guest Services evidently. Our TA took care of ours but that was who did the deal. FWIW, neither the TA nor we have received any notification of the construction to date and last year we did not receive notification of the pool rehab either. The DIS is THE place for information!

 

[Kathymford]

I have a question about these rooms being converted to DVC....when will these added shares of DVC be sold? Will they wait and sell them when they finish the cottages? Or will they sell them as soon as the rooms are finished? DH and I want to buy into WL DVC direct from Disney and this is what we've been waiting for!!

I don't think anyone will know this yet. Especially since none of this has been OFFICIALLY confirmed/announced from DVC. I own at VWL and haven't heard anything. As an owner, I have lots of questions, but I know to be patient when it comes to Disney and these things.

 

[hebbynan]

Thank you all! I was just curious as I'd love to buy in when all the DVC expansions are finished. I'm so excited!

 

[Poola]

Ugh, this was not what I wanted to hear. We are booked for May 2016, and I was planning to stay put as long as no construction at the lodge itself. Is this "conversion" going to be a major construction issue? Could it be finished by the time we get there? Construction in the lodge and then all along the beach is frustrating. Wondering if I should just move and be done with it.

 

[Lehuaann]

Ugh, this was not what I wanted to hear. We are booked for May 2016, and I was planning to stay put as long as no construction at the lodge itself. Is this "conversion" going to be a major construction issue? Could it be finished by the time we get there? Construction in the lodge and then all along the beach is frustrating. Wondering if I should just move and be done with it.

If they are re-doing layouts, installing kitchens, washer/dryers, new flooring, tubs, etc, then, yes, it could absolutely look and sound like construction. I don't know about major jack-hammering construction, maybe if they're breaking up tile, but I think you'll be able to hear something.

That is the reason I went ahead and switched to AKL almost a month ago (a portion of my post from July below) -

...I also have a hard time believing the main lodge will not be affected in some way, especially since I read somewhere that rooms/floors in the main lodge were being converted to DVC. Not sure if that's true though...

 

[Cpdiswinter]

I booked straight through the Disney website and am not DVC. Did you receive a letter from Disney about the construction? I called the number in that letter (it was not the normal customer service #). The first CM gave me details on where the construction was taking place and when I asked her my options for moving resorts, she transferred me to a Guest Services line that seemed to be exclusively for those calling about WL. I was offered the $100/night discount, a switch to another resort, or park ticket upgrades. Nothing was mentioned about a compensation offer until I was transferred to that second line, though.

I tried email first because I am out of the country at the moment and it's too complicated to call guest services. It will need to wait until I get back but thank you for the info!

 

[wilkeliza]

So we decided to switch. The switched us with only having to pay back the $400 credit to the Polynesian in November. The only reason it hadn't been offered before was because there were no race rooms available the first time and seems like we got incredibly lucky in timing when I called back. There is still some construction at Poly but the majority is done and even more should be done by November so I like my odds there better.

I was told by the special events travel booking agent at Disney (they handle runDisney, and like convention bookings etc) that they don't think November will be too bad but if it was for say marathon weekend or princess they would have told me to move for sure as Wilderness Lodge will be heavily under construction then including the lobby area of the main building. That is January and February 2016.

 

[WDWKOOK]

Wellllll - I'm shocked, SHOCKED, to find gambling going on here.... "Your winnings, sir - why Thank you" (Casablanca) .

wdwkook - I sort of told our favorite CMs in the WL restaurants that this would occur about a year ago . No surprise - the WL, and several other deluxe hotels have hit the ceiling on room price increases. They can't jack 'em up anymore without corresponding discounts - so they are converting to DVC.

It's almost instant revenue for them and an immediate injection of cash by selling points. I suspect we will see a Moderate add DVC very soon or as soon as more DVC can be added to the remaining Deluxe Resorts.

We arrive at Poly in a couple of days and I will definitely be visiting WL on a photo recon mission. Stay tuned...

 

[Dean Marino]

I don't think anyone will know this yet. Especially since none of this has been OFFICIALLY confirmed/announced from DVC. I own at VWL and haven't heard anything. As an owner, I have lots of questions, but I know to be patient when it comes to Disney and these things.

Gotta comment on this....

We don't know what Disney is going to do... try to roll this into the existing VWL, or make a separate, NEW DVC Contract.
BUT - we can take a few hints from the room conversions at the main lodge....

A DVC offering needs several levels of rooms. The CABINS would represent the really high end stuff, just as at the Poly. If that were the ONLY new thing? Absolutely - those would have been "stuffed" into the original contract, by hook or crook.

But now - we see a mechanism for creating all the OTHER levels of a DVC offering... Main Hotel conversion. This gives us the necessary elements for a free standing DVC offering. I have no data (no one does) - but I still think that this will be the first time we see TWO separate DVC offerings in one physical location. I've always wondered just what WDW would do on the day a contract ended.... shut the whole thing down? Try to sell new contracts on a "refurb" offering? It gets ugly. This may very well be the plan of the future - staggered offerings.

 

[Kathymford]

Gotta comment on this....

We don't know what Disney is going to do... try to roll this into the existing VWL, or make a separate, NEW DVC Contract.
BUT - we can take a few hints from the room conversions at the main lodge....

A DVC offering needs several levels of rooms. The CABINS would represent the really high end stuff, just as at the Poly. If that were the ONLY new thing? Absolutely - those would have been "stuffed" into the original contract, by hook or crook.

But now - we see a mechanism for creating all the OTHER levels of a DVC offering... Main Hotel conversion. This gives us the necessary elements for a free standing DVC offering. I have no data (no one does) - but I still think that this will be the first time we see TWO separate DVC offerings in one physical location. I've always wondered just what WDW would do on the day a contract ended.... shut the whole thing down? Try to sell new contracts on a "refurb" offering? It gets ugly. This may very well be the plan of the future - staggered offerings.

It will be interesting to see what they to do say the least. With the existing WL DVC contract expiring 2042 (I believe that's the right year) to then add new levels with a new expiration without doing anything to the old contracts sounds like a mess. I have my eye on this one. As all owners should since it will probably set precedence.

 

[hebbynan]

Thanks for your input on this

It will be interesting to see what they to do say the least. With the existing WL DVC contract expiring 2042 (I believe that's the right year) to then add new levels with a new expiration without doing anything to the old contracts sounds like a mess. I have my eye on this one. As all owners should since it will probably set precedence.

We've always wanted to buy at WL but have been hesitant because we want to get a new 40 year contract. That's why we haven't bought resale. I'm hoping they add new contracts for the new added rooms but I guess if we have to buy in on the cabins then we will. If they're selling in 2017 we are in!!!!!

 

[pclvnmcky88]

I'm looking at the WL for DH and I during WDW Marathon weekend, but now y'all are worrying me a bit. Is the construction going to be that bad that we should move?

 

[diddldonna]

I'm looking at the WL for DH and I during WDW Marathon weekend, but now y'all are worrying me a bit. Is the construction going to be that bad that we should move?

I moved because I was informed construction would be major between Oct 26 and end of Jan 2016, then after that it will ease off, however others have been told different. For me it wasn't worth the risk so we have been moved.

 

[Wood Nymph]

I'm looking at the WL for DH and I during WDW Marathon weekend, but now y'all are worrying me a bit. Is the construction going to be that bad that we should move?

We will be at the WL from Jan 9th to 13th - Marathon weekend. It doesn't sound like major construction is planned for our trip dates.




We received our letter from Disney Destinations telling us about the construction during our January trip.

They don't say anything about DVC units in the south wing.

 

[pclvnmcky88]

Hmm, now I'm even more confused haha. I'll talk to DH about it tonight. I'm running the half but he's running the marathon (his first and he's very nervous) so the construction might be a bummer.

 

[Kathymford]

The construction in January will mostly affect the villas both in noise and closure of the villas pool, beach areas, walking paths, etc. I believe they are trying to move people from the hotel side too, but I cannot comment on that. Lots of information in this thread.

 

[MamaCrystal]

Gotta comment on this....

We don't know what Disney is going to do... try to roll this into the existing VWL, or make a separate, NEW DVC Contract.
BUT - we can take a few hints from the room conversions at the main lodge....

A DVC offering needs several levels of rooms. The CABINS would represent the really high end stuff, just as at the Poly. If that were the ONLY new thing? Absolutely - those would have been "stuffed" into the original contract, by hook or crook.

But now - we see a mechanism for creating all the OTHER levels of a DVC offering... Main Hotel conversion. This gives us the necessary elements for a free standing DVC offering. I have no data (no one does) - but I still think that this will be the first time we see TWO separate DVC offerings in one physical location. I've always wondered just what WDW would do on the day a contract ended.... shut the whole thing down? Try to sell new contracts on a "refurb" offering? It gets ugly. This may very well be the plan of the future - staggered offerings.

We have an accepted offer for a VWL contract so we're hoping that Disney ends up just offering contract extensions. That hope probably sways my thoughts on this!

You mentioned that DVC needs several levels of accomodations thus the south wing conversion could lead to a separate offering. However, VWL already offers several levels. If Disney offers a new, separate contract for the cabins and south wing, the cabins will be the only difference between the two, correct? Unless they also add a DVC club level, but the precedent there is that club level DVC is not a separate upper echelon contract.

If they do go ahead with a separate entity, I hope they offer current members a chance to convert to the new one because it would be pretty sad not to have the option of using your home resort points on the new cabins. There wouldn't really be any drawback (maybe higher dues?) to converting to the new contract, as you'd still have access to all the other levels of rooms in the south wing.

It will be really interesting to see how they end up handling this.

 

[Kathymford]

We have an accepted offer for a VWL contract so we're hoping that Disney ends up just offering contract extensions. That hope probably sways my thoughts on this!

You mentioned that DVC needs several levels of accomodations thus the south wing conversion could lead to a separate offering. However, VWL already offers several levels. If Disney offers a new, separate contract for the cabins and south wing, the cabins will be the only difference between the two, correct? Unless they also add a DVC club level, but the precedent there is that club level DVC is not a separate upper echelon contract.

If they do go ahead with a separate entity, I hope they offer current members a chance to convert to the new one because it would be pretty sad not to have the option of using your home resort points on the new cabins. There wouldn't really be any drawback (maybe higher dues?) to converting to the new contract, as you'd still have access to all the other levels of rooms in the south wing.

It will be really interesting to see how they end up handling this.

VWL does not have separate "view" levels (standard, lake, etc.); only different size accommodations. I think that's what the PP was referring to.

Assuming it makes sense financially, I would extend my VWL contract in a heartbeat, not to mention I could use more points there!

 

[MamaCrystal]

VWL does not have separate "view" levels (standard, lake, etc.); only different size accommodations. I think that's what the PP was referring to.

Assuming it makes sense financially, I would extend my VWL contract in a heartbeat, not to mention I could use more points there!

Aha, yes that could be. Although I still can't picture such stark differences available (not like savannah, lake, boardwalk, etc). I don't think I'd pay more for any of the different views available in the regular villas there. I would definitely love to check out those cabins though!

Assuming Disney waives ROFR for us, we'd also jump on a contract extension!

 

[OKW Lover]

I would guess that there will be a new "VWL2" property, with a later termination date, as they declare units into inventory. In that case current VWL owners would have the same 7-month window as everybody else.