Am I the only one annoyed by the "free upgrade" happening?

[Val]

I posted this over on the planning board, too, but my question: Does this effect WHERE DVS members are located during their visit? We made ressies right at the 7 mos mark (we own at BWV and are going there next week. Checked in at 9 AM Sunday (wasn't expecting room to be ready- so no flames)....we had requested either the Springs or Congress Park. Told that the ONLY available rooms were in Carousel or Paddock. We are currently in the Paddock- near the quiet pool and a bus stop but far away from the main pool and a long walk away from DTD.

I know that requests are only requests, but it seems that DVC members (and especially owners of SSR, as I heard others complaining at the quiet pool) should get priority in their requests. Do you think all the upgrades might be affecting this- or is SSR really just that busy?

 

[robinb]

Do you think all the upgrades might be affecting this- or is SSR really just that busy?

The upgrades don't take place until late August and early September. I think SSR is just that busy.

 

[spiceycat]

this has been done before. I think one reason it is being done again - is because last time - a fair amount (I think 25%) became members. might have been more. because I think some others came back later stayed in a value resort again - then became members.

 

[LIFERBABE]

Yes, Thank you Minnie Girl for asking what many were thinking.

I was fine with it also, even last year, defending the practice. But the many threads, like Robin, about how to best take advantage, of something I value so much and make many sacrifices for in my everyday life began to wear on me also.

It is not any of the guests fault and I do wish them well and I am extremely happy to be going to SSR again. But DVD needs to review their relationship with WDWTC and let them know that if this becomes a yearly event, it will harm the membership morale. Just because it is theirs to do with as they please, doesnt mean they should cause harm to the benefits of membership.

Also, I ask at every DVC meeting I attend when will SSR get priority bookings for certain sections/views. They always say that if the membership was more vocal about it, they would consider it. I think its time to get vocal.

And Im not jealous, Im concerned and annoyed

 

[lisaviolet]

No sarcasm taken.
4). How is it reasonable that my mf's are going to be paying to clean their rooms every day & not my own????

Thanks MinnieGirl33 for giving me all your thoughts. Much appreciated that you didn't think I was trying to stir the pot. Is this one 100%? If so, yep that would most definitely annoy me. You have me there.

I also didn't realize that some got an OKW one bedroom. I'm laughing. I think I would just about faint coming from POP to that unit. Disney better watch out for medical lawsuits. I mean really I stood still mesmerized the minute I entered one as a DVC member. I can't imagine.

 

[MinnieGirl33]

... this long to voice what many of us feel and I am glad that you had the chutzpah to do so. Thank you!

Thanks for the support robinb!

I have no beef with those receiving the upgrade... until & unless they cause a problem for me or my "home" specifically (but that is another issue altogether). They got a windfall, good for them. I too have had to stop reading those threads. My Sicilian & Irish were getting riled at the same time. Not pretty. Ignorance truly is bliss.

I am very conscious of treating both my children equally. What I do for one, I do for both or I don't do at all.

For me, this is about our membership as a whole. What types of improvements are we really looking for? How does my feeling about my membership affect my add-on plans?

Should rooms be assigned based on when they are booked? Should home resort priority mean anything at the 7 month window? Should all members get priority over non members?

Should the free ddp be extended to DVCers (when offered) provided we buy park tix? (Mind you, we use DDE not DDP so this really has no effect on us but I think the point is, should it be an option)

Should there be a best rate policy in effect for members (even if it means the inability to link ressies)?

Is increased membership really in our best interest right now? While increased membership means new resorts it also means more competition for that space & less quality control (imo). Should the focus be on the making the existing product as fabulous as it can be & striving for a 100% guest satisfaction rate? Wouldn't that increase the value as much as additional locations would?

What do you think? (Have I strayed too far? It's all related in my mind but..)

My "Membership" is not feeling very "Magical" right about now but I am glad to have this forum to freely express that.

 

[MinnieGirl33]

I was fine with it also, even last year, defending the practice. But the many threads, like Robin, about how to best take advantage, of something I value so much and make many sacrifices for in my everyday life began to wear on me also.

It is not any of the guests fault and I do wish them well and I am extremely happy to be going to SSR again. But DVD needs to review their relationship with WDWTC and let them know that if this becomes a yearly event, it will harm the membership morale. Just because it is theirs to do with as they please, doesnt mean they should cause harm to the benefits of membership.

Also, I ask at every DVC meeting I attend when will SSR get priority bookings for certain sections/views. They always say that if the membership was more vocal about it, they would consider it. I think its time to get vocal.

And Im not jealous, Im concerned and annoyed

I couldn't agree with you more.

 

[Starr W.]

I couldn't agree with you more.

Hey MinnieGirl33, you are not alone in your feelings. My DH agrees with you.

 

[MinnieGirl33]

Is this one 100%? If so, yep that would most definitely annoy me. You have me there.

I don't claim to know all the details but this is how I understand things...

WDW owns roughly a 2-4% of all DVC resorts (I'm not getting into trade-outs) so that means members own 96-98%

Mousekeeping is one of the things our maintenance fees pay for. It's why we only get a full clean once a week & trash & towel service on day 4. If we want extra towels we have to pay for it!

How much WDW contibutes toward operating costs is anyones guess (if anyone has ever seen a breakdown I'd love to see it) but logic says (to me anyway) that the members are the ones paying it.

At least when a guest pays cash (even at an AP rate) the perception is DVC is still receiving a fair amount for that room. There is no way I could ever say $85 is fair.

I know what you mean about the room size... convinced DH to stay in a studio one night so we could come in a night early... made me promise never again and we are only a family of 4!

 

[cocowum]

Really? You're surprised? You're surprised that we might be a teeny bit upset/honked off/jealous that you are paying $82 a night for a 1 bedroom with full housekeeping and free dining? While we pay thousands of dollars for smaller villas, no daily housekeeping and paying more for the DDP alone than you're paying for the whole kit and kaboodle? You're surprised? I don't mean to pick on you, but I would recommend that you let us vent here without rubbing our noses in your good fortune.

I apologize if you felt like I was rubbing your nose in "my good furtune" that wasn't my intention, I was just expressing my excitement.

Everyone has positve and negatives in their lives. Yes, I was surprised by the negative feelings posted. When something positive happens to someone else I'm happy for them!!! That's why I was surprised to see people were actually unhappy about it.

Hope this helps: Remember that feeling when you bought a piece of your favorite vacation spot and reveled in knowing you were going to save up to 70%?

That's still true.

I wouldn't worry about other people. Jealousy will give you an ulcer.

Well said.

I will unsubscribe now and let you, as you said, "get back to your venting" I hope you have a wonderful vacation.

 

[Chuck S]

Also remember that SSR is NOT fully sold, even though buildings may be completed, they are NOT yet declared part of DVC inventory...they are Disney/Developers inventory. So techincally they are NOT giving DVC resort rooms for upgrades...this undeclared inventory is Disney's to do with as they please. They could give them away for free if they wanted to without having an impact on actual DVC inventory. And since those buildings are not part of DVC inventory, DVC should not be paying the maid service or maintenance on those rooms.

Then, I'm sure you'll ask why DVC members are staying in those rooms if they aren't part of inventory, and why are the cash customers staying in sold DVC units. It is a simple swap by what happens to be available. Once SSR is fully sold, CRO won't be able to use it as an overflow resort...they will only get rooms released to them by their 2% to 4% retentions, unreserved 60 day DVC inventory and trades. AKV will be the new "overflow" resort if there is unsold inventory there, just as CRV, if built, will be an overflow resort until it is fully sold.

 

[gkrykewy]

Also remember that SSR is NOT fully sold, even though buildings may be completed, they are NOT yet declared part of DVC inventory...they are Disney/Developers inventory. So techincally they are NOT giving DVC resort rooms for upgrades...this undeclared inventory is Disney's to do with as they please. They could give them away for free if they wanted to without having an impact on actual DVC inventory. And since those buildings are not part of DVC inventory, DVC should not be paying the maid service or maintenance on those rooms.

Then, I'm sure you'll ask why DVC members are staying in those rooms if they aren't part of inventory, and why are the cash customers staying in sold DVC units. It is a simple swap by what happens to be available. Once SSR is fully sold, CRO won't be able to use it as an overflow resort...they will only get rooms released to them by their 2% to 4% retentions, unreserved 60 day DVC inventory and trades. AKV will be the new "overflow" resort if there is unsold inventory there, just as CRV, if built, will be an overflow resort until it is fully sold.

What about OKW, though?

 

[MinnieGirl33]

Once SSR is fully sold, CRO won't be able to use it as an overflow resort...

Folowing that idea, then how is it they are able to use OKW for the overflow?

I get the concept of "non-DVC inventory". I do, really.

It doesn't change the price disparity for the week I will be there. and how that is affecting my DVC-morale.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

I don't like the free upgrades either.
I just went to the Resort Board and didn't see these threads. Anyone have a link?

Thanx...

MG

 

[Chuck S]

Folowing that idea, then how is it they are able to use OKW for the overflow?

OKW has rooms turned over to CRO by member trades, along with rooms retained through the percentage that Disney owns, and unreserved 60 day DVC inventory. Also there seems to be a fairly high number of "unsold" points at OKW, as we received several phone calls during our trip a week ago, saying that points are available for purchase at OKW, points that Disney has gotten either through ROFR or long term loan defaults.

Remember, several people sold off OKW recently to purchase AKV...any ROFR points are developers inventory, and usable by CRO.

 

[Snookies]

...I know what you mean about the room size... convinced DH to stay in a studio one night so we could come in a night early... made me promise never again and we are only a family of 4!

MinnieGirl33, we are only a family of 3 & I can't convince DW and DD to stay in anything smaller than a 2-bedroom! I also want to say thanks for starting an interesting thread.

I apologize if you felt like I was rubbing your nose in "my good furtune" that wasn't my intention, I was just expressing my excitement.

Everyone has positve and negatives in their lives. Yes, I was surprised by the negative feelings posted. When something positive happens to someone else I'm happy for them!!! That's why I was surprised to see people were actually unhappy about it...

I don't think apologies are necessary. I also don't think anyone is unhappy about someone else's good fortune. Instead, I think expressed views are about technical operating procedures, e.g., using SSR and/or OKW as overflow for overbooked value resorts during a free dining promotion.

Also remember that SSR is NOT fully sold, even though buildings may be completed, they are NOT yet declared part of DVC inventory...they are Disney/Developers inventory. So techincally they are NOT giving DVC resort rooms for upgrades...this undeclared inventory is Disney's to do with as they please. They could give them away for free if they wanted to without having an impact on actual DVC inventory. And since those buildings are not part of DVC inventory, DVC should not be paying the maid service or maintenance on those rooms...

Chuck S, given your statement, do you think this is somehow related to the double developer points reported as a current incentive at SSR (& AKV)? I guess I'm wondering our of curiosity if SSR is as close to sell-out as has been suggested.

 

[MinnieGirl33]

Also there seems to be a fairly high number of "unsold" points at OKW, as we received several phone calls during our trip a week ago, saying that points are available for purchase at OKW, points that Disney has gotten either through ROFR or long term loan defaults.

That's what I was thinking (we got those calls too) but wouldn't available points at OKW (whether ROFR or default) revert back to DVC inventory as opposed to CRO inventory?

Maybe the more seasoned members trade out more often? Purely speculation, of course.

 

[Chuck S]

Chuck S, given your statement, do you think this is somehow related to the double developer points reported as a current incentive at SSR (& AKV)? I guess I'm wondering our of curiosity if SSR is as close to sell-out as has been suggested.

Remember that new buildings are still coming online, and that until they are sold or declared DVC inventory, they belong to the developer to use as Disney sees fit. They can use them as incentive (through granting developers points) or rent them.

That's what I was thinking (we got those calls too) but wouldn't available points at OKW (whether ROFR or default) revert back to DVC inventory as opposed to CRO inventory? They are not available as part of DVC Member inventory, unless used as an incentive.

Maybe the more seasoned members trade out more often? Purely speculation, of course.

ROFRed points go back to developers inventory...the contracts are dissolved. They are then available for sale as "new" contracts. Until those points are sold, they are "developers" points, and can be used by CRO or as sales incentives, if needed. If they are used as a sales incentive, then they morph into DVC member inventory

 

[lisaviolet]

we are only a family of 3 & I can't convince DW and DD to stay in anything smaller than a 2-bedroom!

Don't give up hope Snookies. I had the same issue with my partner for the last five trips. She said, "no more studios...one bedrooms forever". As I thought, "well that's nice I guess we aren't going on as many trips on our point total!". And I vetoed on this last trip and she actually said she enjoyed the studio and will back down.

 

[nbodyhome]

IMHO, Disney is doing this to try to sell more DVC more than anything else. There are still rooms available at the value resorts.