2011 Annual Meeting

[cobbler]

Booking windows being reduced from the current "6" months to 9 months? Actual is currently 7 months and other options are always under consideration based on member utilization.

Ok, I've obviously been gone quite a while - last I knew it was that whole rolling reservation thing debate going on.

So would someone mind please telling me what booking windows are for non-home resorts (I know it is currently 7 months but what was the whole result of this rolling reservation thing?) and are we going to now be able to book non-home resorts at 9 months out?? When?? Or is this just an idea someone is batting around??

Thanks

 

[DebbieB]

Ok, I've obviously been gone quite a while - last I knew it was that whole rolling reservation thing debate going on.

So would someone mind please telling me what booking windows are for non-home resorts (I know it is currently 7 months but what was the whole result of this rolling reservation thing?) and are we going to now be able to book non-home resorts at 9 months out?? When?? Or is this just an idea someone is batting around??

Thanks

This is the first I've heard this, I missed it on Doc's original post (was the post updated?). I'm surprised no one else picked this up. That's huge! I like VGC and booking at 9 months would be great!

 

[maburke]

I attended the DVC Annual Meeting. Highlights:

• Grand Floridian announced! Opening end of 2014.
• On-line booking starts gradually beginning Jan 19
• DVC members will be able to purchase Tables in Wonderland without an AP

WooHoo!! Thanks, Claire, for the TIW card! I'll make it worth your while!

I have a question: Why do you think they announced GF three years ahead, when they tried to keep BLT a secret until it was almost finished?

Thanks, Mike, Doc, Tim, and everybody else for your reporting.

 

[DebbieB]

WooHoo!! Thanks, Claire, for the TIW card! I'll make it worth your while!

I have a question: Why do you think they announced GF three years ahead, when they tried to keep BLT a secret until it was almost finished?

Thanks, Mike, Doc, Tim, and everybody else for your reporting.

My guess is they were trying to sell SSR at the time, which was large and needed all the help they could get. Right now, there is not much to sell at WDW. I don't think the target audience for Aulani is the same as people who would buy at WDW. Plus maybe Claire thought it was silly to have a "mirage" building .

 

[Maistre Gracey]

I am not a fan of the GC being available using points. I feel it devalues my VGC points. I just can't see how VGC points will have the same resale value with this new policy.

Also, did I read correctly that the home resort advantage is being reduced??
If so, is the 11 month window being reduced or is the 7 month window increasing?
I don't think I will like that policy either.

MG

 

[Deb & Bill]

...I guess I did hear a CM at Kidani (who I remembered from Jambo a few years back) say that she preferred Kidani b/c at Jambo you had to clean 2 floors of rooms (and we know DVC is only top floor)

Nope, Jambo is the top two floors (fifth and sixth - though sixth floor is limited in size).

 

[js]

I attended the DVC Annual Meeting. Highlights:

• Grand Floridian announced! Opening end of 2014.
• On-line booking starts gradually beginning Jan 19
• DVC members will be able to purchase Tables in Wonderland without an AP
• More TV channels including FOX News
• Point reallocations are coming again
• Vacation planner being mailed tomorrow – handed out at meeting

[/IMG]

Thank you SO much for posting.
May I please ask you if it was mentioned when the TIW would be available to purchase? I am going in August 2012 and we usually eat at 1-2 Signature Restaurants and the rest other nice restaturants. This would be a big help, I think since I've never really looked into it.

I would love to stay at the GF and look forward to hopefully being able to trade into there.

 

[DVC Mike]

I have a question: Why do you think they announced GF three years ahead, when they tried to keep BLT a secret until it was almost finished?

I think it is a reflection of how Claire Bilby runs things versus how Jim Lewis ran things. She promised that DVC would be more open.

Also, did I read correctly that the home resort advantage is being reduced??
If so, is the 11 month window being reduced or is the 7 month window increasing?
I don't think I will like that policy either.

No changes to the 7/11 month booking policy.

 

[cobbler]

No changes to the 7/11 month booking policy.

Ok, then what is the deal with the booking window thing in Doc's original post?? Was that just a question asked and they are "looking into it"?

 

[DVC Mike]

Ok, then what is the deal with the booking window thing in Doc's original post?? Was that just a question asked and they are "looking into it"?

A woman complained that she calls to book BLT at 6 months and can't get in. She wanted the window extended from six months to nine months.

It was explained that she can actually call at 7 months. There was no mention made of changes to the booking windows - based upon what I heard.

 

[RobDoc]

Ok, I've obviously been gone quite a while - last I knew it was that whole rolling reservation thing debate going on.

So would someone mind please telling me what booking windows are for non-home resorts (I know it is currently 7 months but what was the whole result of this rolling reservation thing?) and are we going to now be able to book non-home resorts at 9 months out?? When?? Or is this just an idea someone is batting around??

Thanks

As Mike stated the "question" suggested extending the non-Home resort reservation window from 6 months to 9 months. The response was that the current policy is 7 months and that these issues are always under scrutiny based on member utilization - but that no changes are anticipated at this time. It was a case where this member had experienced no availability at BLT for the dates she wanted within 6 months - but failed to describe the dates, view, villa-type she was requesting and how far within "6" months she called. (ie - MK view GVs were not likely available for the first week in December when calling in September.)

This type of "question" has been asked many times at the annual meeting over the years - often by long time members who still remember what it was like reserving at OKW back in the mid-90s.

 

[Goofy DVC]

Thanks to all for posting info on the Annual Meeting, much appreciated.

 

[Snurk71]

I am not a fan of the GC being available using points. I feel it devalues my VGC points. I just can't see how VGC points will have the same resale value with this new policy.

Same here - devalues potential resale and rental value IMO if supply is increased (law of supply and demand).

 

[nunzia]

Same here - devalues potential resale and rental value IMO if supply is increased (law of supply and demand).

I don't think this will devalue anything. If they are allowing folks to use points to rent rooms under the Disney Collection, as they do at DLH and PP, then people will get a regular hotel room..not a villa..at horrific points useage and would maybe splurge once. I think they will eventually build that 4th rumored tower at DLH but for now, why not let people use their points to get a room at VGC and see how gorgeous it is and then maybe they'll want VGC home resort points to stay in a better room for a MUCH lower cost. And also, for us VGC owners who are caught late in the game trying to add a room (as I was in October), my points went to DLH and the family I booked would have much rather stayed at VGC

 

[tjkraz]

I am not a fan of the GC being available using points. I feel it devalues my VGC points. I just can't see how VGC points will have the same resale value with this new policy.

I doubt hotel rooms will be priced comparable to DVC villas.

Right now the lowest priced Studio rate is 17 points per night. When GC was part of the Disney Collection back in 2009, the lowest rate was 24 points for a Standard View in "Super Value" season.

I suspect hotel rooms will cost quite a bit more than Studios. And given the growing demand for VGC points (I've been told there are literally hundreds of names on a waiting list to buy direct), I doubt it will impact the resale market.

As Mike stated the "question" suggested extending the non-Home resort reservation window from 6 months to 9 months. The response was that the current policy is 7 months and that these issues are always under scrutiny based on member utilization - but that no changes are anticipated at this time. It was a case where this member had experienced no availability at BLT for the dates she wanted within 6 months - but failed to describe the dates, view, villa-type she was requesting and how far within "6" months she called. (ie - MK view GVs were not likely available for the first week in December when calling in September.)

This type of "question" has been asked many times at the annual meeting over the years - often by long time members who still remember what it was like reserving at OKW back in the mid-90s.

I couldn't even tell if she was an owner at BLT or not. I was really lost with her questioning. Like Doc said, the only real details were that she could never book BLT on points "at 6 months." I couldn't tell if she was an owner who wanted more time to book BLT or a non-owner who wanted that window to open later because it better suited her schedule.

Whatever the case, if she was calling 6 months out, it doesn't surprise me that she couldn't find much availability after non-owners had already been booking for a month.

 

[Snurk71]

I don't think this will devalue anything. If they are allowing folks to use points to rent rooms under the Disney Collection, as they do at DLH and PP, then people will get a regular hotel room..not a villa..at horrific points useage and would maybe splurge once. I think they will eventually build that 4th rumored tower at DLH but for now, why not let people use their points to get a room at VGC and see how gorgeous it is and then maybe they'll want VGC home resort points to stay in a better room for a MUCH lower cost. And also, for us VGC owners who are caught late in the game trying to add a room (as I was in October), my points went to DLH and the family I booked would have much rather stayed at VGC

The law of supply and demand says it does though. If you have more supply available (more rooms), the demand (resale price or rental price) for that item decreases. They have no more VGC points to sell (and the waitlist is long from what I understand), so the thinking of selling more points as a benefit doesn't seem likely. If there are only so many VGC points available for "guaranteed" booking at 11 months, that increases the value of all of our VGC points (yours too). If I'm late to the game on renting at BCV (another home resort), they don't let me rent at BC. So why at GC (you can make a similar size argument comparing BCV with say SSR)? They're effectively reducing the "exclusiveness" of owning VGC.

I'll be a little more okay with this as long as the point costs are astronomical like they are for other Collection resorts (more than DLH) - no way should you be able to get a cash room on pts for under 40 pts/night. That would still make me feel special as an owner as very few would probably make that booking.

 

[tjkraz]

I think it is a reflection of how Claire Bilby runs things versus how Jim Lewis ran things. She promised that DVC would be more open.

Perhaps there will be more transparency. Time will tell.

Personally I view this is merely a difference in sales philosophy. Lewis thought it best to keep new projects a secret while continuing to sell what was readily available. 3+ years ago he didn't want to lose SSR and AKV customers to those who might wait for BLT.

Bilby seems to think that it will be easier to sell existing resorts with the promise of booking VGF at 7 months. I'm sure they will also stress that SSR and AKV are much cheaper than VGF will be.

I tend to think her approach will work well in this market, but we'll see.

 

[DVC Mike]

Perhaps there will be more transparency. Time will tell.

Personally I view this is merely a difference in sales philosophy. Lewis thought it best to keep new projects a secret while continuing to sell what was readily available. 3+ years ago he didn't want to lose SSR and AKV customers to those who might wait for BLT.

Bilby seems to think that it will be easier to sell existing resorts with the promise of booking VGF at 7 months. I'm sure they will also stress that SSR and AKV are much cheaper than VGF will be.

I tend to think her approach will work well in this market, but we'll see.

Yep, could be.

Still, you would think announcing GF now is going to give some potential DVC purchasers pause. Some folks are going to put off a DVC purchase until they can buy GF. That was probably why BLT was not announced early.

Claire did promise more transparency and openness, and announcing things more in advance. Perhaps her philosophy, which apparently differs from that of Jim Lewis, played a part in making the announcement now.

 

[Mickey'sApprentice]

As for not announcing BLT, I think you can only pull that trick off once.

Plus, I think it probably made a few people less than happy. I know that I read about more than one person that went ahead and bought SSR when they wanted BLT.

 

[sznk]

i had a somewhat informative talk with Yvonne Chang (MS Mngr) after the meeting.

she said the 2013 points reallocation details were still being worked out. she couldn't give many details yet, but she did say that the changes do involve 'seasons.'

we spoke at length about the new online booking system. as someone with a long IT background, i am interested in the pre-realease system testing. i asked Ms Chang to what extent the system was tested in an actual user environment, aside from testing by programmers and systems analysts, or contractor 'testers' that are not familiar with the ins-and-outs of actual ownership issues. she told me that many of the DVC CM's have been using the online booking system for months when owners call to book DVC.
(imo: i think that's a good start to user testing. i am very excited about this new feature. all systems have issues, particularly when they initially go live. i don't expect it to be perfect, but i am really looking forward to utilizing it.)
i suggested they set up a test site for owners to test and give feedback (not just complaints) about the new system. no plans for that at this time ... (canned response.)

time will tell about Ms Bilby's leadership, but she certainly presented herself to be much more concerned with our needs and satisfaction than Jim Lewis ever did.

i want to thank W Doc & DVC Mike for their excellent recaps of the meeting.
- sue