1BR Villas?

[muppets3d]

That's just not true. There's always SOME price at which demand will fall off and people decide it's just not worth it.

It's not good for the membership at large if DVC prices some rooms so high that people don't want to book them.

 

[Mommb]

Did you price 2 studios? If you're going to use the kitchen, awesome. If not, 2 studios will probably beat a 1BR.

If all you care about is cost (or if you need 4 separate beds or have two groups wanting privacy), then yes, 2 studios may be better than a 1-bedroom.

If you want a kitchen, in-room laundry, seating space away from beds, a guarantee that everyone is together, and a large tub (in many resorts), then a 1-bedroom is better.

The use cases for studios and 1-bedrooms are different enough that cost (either in points or in dollars) is just one factor to consider.

 

[WinterSolider]

If all you care about is cost (or if you need 4 separate beds or have two groups wanting privacy), then yes, 2 studios may be better than a 1-bedroom.

If you want a kitchen, in-room laundry, seating space away from beds, a guarantee that everyone is together, and a large tub (in many resorts), then a 1-bedroom is better.

The use cases for studios and 1-bedrooms are different enough that cost (either in points or in dollars) is just one factor to consider.

I literally said that there was a different use case for 1 bedrooms in my post.

I'm responding to people who have made the claim that they want "more space."

 

[WinterSolider]

It's not good for the membership at large if DVC prices some rooms so high that people don't want to book them.

You seem to be confused about how demand elasticity works.

You're acting like there's only two options, either way too expensive or way too cheap.

There's a huge chasm of pricing possibilities in between "so expensive nobody books them" and "so cheap that they're impossible to book" and DVC has done a very poor job of finding that equilibrium. Not only *should* DVC be doing a better job balancing pricing with seasonal demand, they are *contractually obligated to do so.*

A conspiracy theorist might look at their points charts and conclude that they might actually like have charts that are out of balance because it increases breakage.

 

[Genie+]

Did you price 2 studios? If you're going to use the kitchen, awesome. If not, 2 studios will probably beat a 1BR.

I did actually Previously I had seen where BWV would cost us 20pts to rent 2 studios while 1BR was 25pts. OKW has that as well. The first time I used our VGF to book 2 studios there for 4 people it surprised me that a 1BR would’ve been less points (Nov trip). We still went with 2 studios to have 2 bathrooms. To me that is the weak spot of most DVC 1BRs.

Our upcoming VGF trip is 3 people and we’re actually saving 2pts/nt taking the 1BR over 2 studios (Apr trip). In this case the bath situation is fine and the layout will be more comfortable to spend time together in the room. When we did 2 studios we didn’t bother getting connecting because there’s nowhere to hang out together anyway. The 1BR is nice like that. We’ll have the living room, kitchen dining room.

It would’ve been relatively easy to get 2 VGF studios, that is not the case for VGC. I think it’s only because we were interested in 1BR that we found 7 month availability at VGC. And that is saving 3 or 4pts/nt not doing 2 studios (Sept trip).

The idea of a villa has grown on us though. At first those expensive examples jumped out to me - where 2 studios are a decent amount less points than 1BR. So it surprised us when the rooms and seasons we gravitated toward were actually cheaper when booking 1BR.

 

[IsDVCForMe?]

You seem to be confused about how demand elasticity works.

You're acting like there's only two options, either way too expensive or way too cheap.

There's a huge chasm of pricing possibilities in between "so expensive nobody books them" and "so cheap that they're impossible to book" and DVC has done a very poor job of finding that equilibrium. Not only *should* DVC be doing a better job balancing pricing with seasonal demand, they are *contractually obligated to do so.*

A conspiracy theorist might look at their points charts and conclude that they might actually like have charts that are out of balance because it increases breakage.

If people are still booking value and club level rooms at AKV in 2027 as quickly as they are today, the point chart isn’t leveled out.

For instance, why not make a value studio one less point year round than a resort studio at this point? They will still go because they’re one point cheaper. I don’t get it.

 

[Mirabell Rose]

It's not good for the membership at large if DVC prices some rooms so high that people don't want to book them.

It’s not good for the membership to advertise a level of villas to them when you are selling the product that there is extremely little chance they will be able to book. The value rooms were ‘false bait’ for buyers as were the concierge rooms. It has caused a lot of hard feelings amongst AKV owners. Someone will still book at a very high price and at a very small difference from standard and Savanah views. The key is to match price in points to demand.

 

[Sandisw]

You guys are answering a different question than the one being asked.

"Is it worth upgrading from a Studio to a 1-bedroom" is what you're answering. That's a matter of subjective preference.

The relevant question is, "ASSUMING I want to stay in a 1-bedroom, should I pay with cash or points?" That's not a matter of subjective preference, it's a matter of objective math.

By all means, stay in a 1 bedroom if that's what you like. But it's a horrible use of points, you should just pay cash for those stays and you'll save money.

Except I already spent the cash on the points so for me, booking on cash would cost me additional money each time.

My dues don’t change based on how I use them….so, for me, its not a horrible use of points…because I am not having to spend additional cash while I have “points” available to pay.

 

[Sandisw]

If people are still booking value and club level rooms at AKV in 2027 as quickly as they are today, the point chart isn’t leveled out.

For instance, why not make a value studio one less point year round than a resort studio at this point? They will still go because they’re one point cheaper. I don’t get it.

There is a max reallocation chart for each resort. It tells you what the cost for each room would be if there were no differences in each use day.

The extra points for CL rooms come from other units because if DVC were to close the lounge, those extra points get put back to other rooms.

But I think the 2027 change to raise CL and Value is aimed at demand…but given the small number of rooms in each of those categories, its not going to be easy to balance as it seems like it would.

 

[Brian Noble]

But I think the 2027 change to raise CL and Value is aimed at demand…but given the small number of rooms in each of those categories, its not going to be easy to balance as it seems like it would.

It was balanced by reducing some Savanna view room-nights.

 

[Sandisw]

It was balanced by reducing some Savanna view room-nights.

Yes, but I was referring to further balancing…I am sure it took a lot of jenga moves to do what they did.

 

[IsDVCForMe?]

We need a little more jenga lol

 

[Mirabell Rose]

Yes, but I was referring to further balancing…I am sure it took a lot of jenga moved to do what they did.

It happened in a nanosecond and can be done on a simple spreadsheet with the right formulas. Plug in number of total units in each category and points as constants and link to variables.

 

[muppets3d]

You seem to be confused about how demand elasticity works.

You're acting like there's only two options, either way too expensive or way too cheap.

There's a huge chasm of pricing possibilities in between "so expensive nobody books them" and "so cheap that they're impossible to book" and DVC has done a very poor job of finding that equilibrium. Not only *should* DVC be doing a better job balancing pricing with seasonal demand, they are *contractually obligated to do so.*

A conspiracy theorist might look at their points charts and conclude that they might actually like have charts that are out of balance because it increases breakage.

Right now the value studios are as cheap as 2 points per night less than resort view and they're still difficult to book.

How much closer can they be? I don't think it's possible to make them any less desirable. There are only 18 of them and thousands of AKV members.

 

[IsDVCForMe?]

Right now the value studios are as cheap as 2 points per night less than resort view and they're still difficult to book.

How much closer can they be? I don't think it's possible to make them any less desirable. There are only 18 of them and thousands of AKV members.

You can though. One point less per night. They’ll still be scooped up.

 

[WinterSolider]

Right now the value studios are as cheap as 2 points per night less than resort view and they're still difficult to book.

How much closer can they be? I don't think it's possible to make them any less desirable. There are only 18 of them and thousands of AKV members.

If a 2 point difference doesn't do the trick, try a 1 point difference. Or get really aggressive and make it so that there's no price difference at all on weekends. Some people still might roll the dice on value for a chance at "free" Savanna View. I don't know, get creative. See what the market will bear. Test and adjust.

But this is kind of a distraction from the real problem. Value and Club at AKV are so small that they don't move the needle for most members. The real problem is seasonal imbalance, not imbalance across view categories.

 

[muppets3d]

You can though. One point less per night. They’ll still be scooped up.

So all you've proven is it doesn't matter what the point difference is, they'll still be hard to book. Simply because there are only 18 of them and thousands of AKV members. Thank you!

 

[airjay75]

If a 2 point difference doesn't do the trick, try a 1 point difference. Or get really aggressive and make it so that there's no price difference at all on weekends. Some people still might roll the dice on value for a chance at "free" Savanna View. I don't know, get creative. See what the market will bear. Test and adjust.

But this is kind of a distraction from the real problem. Value and Club at AKV are so small that they don't move the needle for most members. The real problem is seasonal imbalance, not imbalance across view categories.

Very much agree. There are always going to be rooms at particular resorts that are difficult to book simply because there aren't that many of them. Seasonal imbalance is the far greater problem.

If anyone is interested, go look at availability for just about any given room right now for August and see how that compares to September-December. I'd be very surprised if there are any rooms that have more availability in September-December than August right now - maybe there is one here or there.

Of course, I get it. August is hotter than hell in Florida. That reduces demand. But, if demand is less, the points should be less not the other way around.

 

[muppets3d]

If a 2 point difference doesn't do the trick, try a 1 point difference. Or get really aggressive and make it so that there's no price difference at all on weekends. Some people still might roll the dice on value for a chance at "free" Savanna View. I don't know, get creative. See what the market will bear. Test and adjust.

But this is kind of a distraction from the real problem. Value and Club at AKV are so small that they don't move the needle for most members. The real problem is seasonal imbalance, not imbalance across view categories.

The seasonal imbalance only seems to be an issue in early December. At all other times of the year, from my perception, demand is relatively equal.

 

[airjay75]

The seasonal imbalance only seems to be an issue in early December. At all other times of the year, from my perception, demand is relatively equal.

I think December is just where it is the worst - see my last post.

If you compare savings using points instead of cash rates, September is right behind December last I checked. And, again, September used to be one of those months people didn't go to WDW because kids were back in school. Well, you've got a lot of Disney adults and probably even plenty of families willing to take kids out of school for a week in September. And, with the points being the lowest and savings over rack rates, why not? Of course, still pretty darn hot and in the middle of hurricane season, so it isn't for me, but I understand the appeal.