A couple of rumors.

[Beca]

I wonder if that's true. Whenever I ask one of the DVC "face characters" at WDW how sales are they invariably say things are going gangbusters.

Not a face character (my connection in entertainment quit)...a management friend...but, not at DL....she's at WDW.



Beca

 

[CarolA]

Keep in mind one of the KEY points Dean made. Disney tends to have VERY generous sales predicitions.... so they wind up "disappointed" a LOT! LOL! They act like these things will sell out in 1 year and of course it ALWAYS takes longer then they want..... (I think that whoever does forecasting for DVC is not really in touch with the real world)

THe other thing that could very EASILY be hitting DVC sales and causing a more recent slump is the rise in interest rates, makes taking a Home Equity loan out to do your DVC much less desirable (and lots of folks do that). Combined with the "bump" up in CC payments some folks are starting to feel the pinch.....(I personally know a woman who "owns" a ton of DVC points. She financed ALL of them with a Home Equity. This woman is living on the edge and contacted me the other day to see if I wanted to buy her points. NOPE! I told her when she bought to buy several small contracts, now she has the MEGA contract and can't find a buyer)

I think if DVC really wanted to move points they could do it... I don't sense desperation at all. (Lets get real one good move to sell more would be to offer LOWER interest rates, there's are still pretty high compared to the market. IT works for car dealers!)

 

[fkj2]

Well, in all honesty, I can't figure out how DVC can ask almost $100 per point now. It was one thing to buy in when the points cost half that and another to buy now, without adding in the interest for those who finance and the maintenance fees. I just don't know anybody, regardless of how good of a job they have, that has that kind of expendible income, not right now.

And for those who are buying into VWL, BCV or BWV, and OKW of course, they're only going to get, what 36-37 years of ownership now? I bought in in 1992--just seems like yesterday. Where'd THAT time go??

 

[cobbler]

Well, in all honesty, I can't figure out how DVC can ask almost $100 per point now. It was one thing to buy in when the points cost half that and another to buy now, without adding in the interest for those who finance and the maintenance fees. I just don't know anybody, regardless of how good of a job they have, that has that kind of expendible income, not right now.

I agree. We were walking by BWV last year and popped into their sales room and I got chatting with a CM and we talked about CR. Now of course I know and we all know that we hear a million and one different versions from CM's buthe did mention that trying to make the point price higher would probably make it not sell. Not only that the point requirement to stay there. Esp when you can buy SSR new for less, and even the shorter contracts for less.

I think SSR sales slowing is a variety of things. Housing sales have gone down - at least here in the midwest from what I have been hearing on the news. Interest rates climbing, cc payments going up. Loss of jobs. We have lost so many jobs here in MI its nuts!

 

[Anewman]

Maybe DVC has built one big resort too many at WDW. SSR may simply be the wrong size in the wrong place at the wrong time. They probably should have concentrated on 1) a more discrete sized CRV on a par with BWV or BCV, and 2) a California resort. The demand would likely be higher for either of these.


DisFlan

Yes the smaller resorts are(will always be) more in demand, But I imagine Disney makes a better profit from the BIG resorts. And they hope that those trying to get into small resorts BUY POINTS at those mega resorts. Not all DVCers are DISers, are all not as educated.

Folks trying to get into VWL or CRV do not hear "11 month window and 7 month window." They only hear "You can book CRV with SSR points."

Retail does it all the time, gets you to the store with low profit items hoping you will buy higher profit items.

 

[artvandelay]

Just to add another rumor from another wdw fan site, Imagineering is taking over the old airstrip near TTC (until 2009) as a staging area for a building project in the area (possibly CR).

Here's what it said:

11 March 2006: Construction project at the Contemporary Resort

The long abandoned STOL airport near to the Transportation and Ticket Centre is set to be turned over to Imagineering from September 2006 until December 2009. It is speculated that this large area will be used as a staging area for a huge construction project at the Contemporary Resort. Rumors link the construction project to a possible introduction of a Disney Vacation Club wing. This information is not yet officially confirmed, and may be subject to change.

The plot thickens....

 

[OKW Lover]

As far as Imagineering taking over the former STOL-port, its rumored that this has absolutely nothing to do with a possible DVC project at the Contemporary because its well over 1/2 mile away.

 

[TandCmum]

I have heard that the major building project is a possible 5th park. I'm not sure where i read it but it as to do with the route that the new beltway road is taking into Disney and the fact that some land is being cleared near the area where the road runs looking like a gateway for a new park. Seeings this is taking place south of the TTC the airfield news seems more likely for this than for CR. I'll try to find the article

 

[TandCmum]

I have heard that the major building project is a possible 5th park. I'm not sure where i read it but it as to do with the route that the new beltway road is taking into Disney and the fact that some land is being cleared near the area where the road runs looking like a gateway for a new park. Seeings this is taking place south of the TTC the airfield news seems more likely for this than for CR. I'll try to find the article

here it is

http://www.miceage.com/kevinyee/ky110105a.htm

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

here it is

http://www.miceage.com/kevinyee/ky110105a.htm

I think that's wishful thinking by Kevin Yee. The road is a new, Western entrance into WDW, not access to a fifth theme park.

Florida's Turnpike Enterprise and the Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority are building a new north-south toll expressway near the western edge of Walt Disney World. It's State Road 429, the Western Beltway. Much of it is aleady open.

Disney is spending $50 million to build Western Way, a private road connecting the Western Beltway to West Buena Vista Road (near Disney's Coronado Springs Resort).

I found this site about Western Way: http://www.danielgunter.com/westernway.htm

 

[lisareniff]

Seeings this is taking place south of the TTC the airfield news seems more likely for this than for CR.

I believe the airfield is just east of the TTC parking lots which would be different then the new road. You can see it on an ariel map.

 

[jimmytammy]

I dont build in Orlando, though at times I wish I did. Maybe half the year anyway. And you are right, Orlando building has increased that much in price according to national stats.
I am speaking on a personal standpoint for my little business here in NC. And I probably was speaking sarcastically when I wrote that customers come to us thinking prices have gone down. Maybe I should refraise that to say customers come to us expecting a lot more for a lot less money.

 

[sean-1966]

I read the article. I think a fifth park is inevitable, and I think it will be on par with Islads of Adventure. Now where it will be is anybodys guess. I don't think a new highway through Disneys property can tell us where it will go.

BTW a park with a villians theme would be so cool!!!

 

[dcibrando]

that is exactly what I was thinking... if it's not selling well they could offer a very good discount on buying in at SSR

Why are they raising the price of points if SSR isn't selling well? I guess I don't understand the thinking on that.

 

[sean-1966]

I took a look at the area the writer thinks the new park will go, via Google Earth. There are already some building there. There is still lots of room though.

 

[Doug Wolfe]

In reference to the DVC project at Eagle Pines that was announced in July 2001, go to the link below:

http://www.themeparks.com/wdw/eaglepinesdvc.htm

This is the original press release with a drawing of the proposed 600-unit Eagle Pines project.

The bottom line is, Disney closed the Disney Institute a short time later. The land from the institute and its infrastructure (roads, water lines, sewers, etc.) all made it very simple to build SSR instead.

When I bought at BCV in March 2002, my contract specifically stated that the announced Eagle Pines Resort may never be built.

 

[DisFlan]

I also think a 5th or even a 6th park is inevitable. If WDW wants an increasing number of visitors for longer visits, it needs more parks to put them in and more rides to put them on.

DisFlan

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

As far as Imagineering taking over the former STOL-port, its rumored that this has absolutely nothing to do with a possible DVC project at the Contemporary because its well over 1/2 mile away.

I agree.

There is a large "backstage" area immediately north of the Contemporary Resort. Not only would it make a more efficient staging area, it would be a better "show" than a construction staging are that's visible to guests from the monorail and road.

The Imagineers may or may not have plans for the STOLport, but such plans would have nothing to do with Disney's Contemporary Villas.

 

[thelionqueen]

even had our paperwork turned in. Then, at the last minute, I cancelled the entire deal. I just did not like SSR.

It is a nice, new and big resort, but honestly, the rooms looked like many other places I've stayed, the location by DTD was nice, but nothing great. The grounds are so spread out and, honestly, never even heard of (let alone knew anything about) Saratoga Springs NY, so it had no appeal to me.

The F&F deal was so good in my mind, I could not pass it up. It was the time we were meant to join, so we did. After sending everything in, there was this nagging...yes it's a good deal, but I'm not crazy about the resort. This ultimately was the determining factor in our purchase cancellation.

Just wanted to let you all know what we did and maybe there are others who feel the same which may count for a portion of the slow sales. I am anxiously awaiting a new DVC. We LOVE OKW and may buy resale but I'm still holding out for CR. If they offer it, it's ours

 

[walter]

I believe that if CR was to become a reality, you would be talking 4-5 yrs before construction and all legal issues would be completed. In that amount of time, $ cost will increase. As you stated, OKW was an option on the resale market (good choice) and you could always use your OKW points to reserve at CR. Waiting would possibly lose 4-5 yrs of value, plus if you are one of many people that visit WDW on a regular basis, your cost of staying on site or off site for these years could have been better used in your initial investment. Just my opinion.