Anyone ever do this or is it a hairbrained scheme I am thinking about?

[Inkmahm]

I could be wrong(won't be the first time), or maybe the question was, Is it okay to book a campsite to use for park benefits (EMH, DME and such), then stay offsite? Maybe the dining plan wasn't free, just the option to buy it. Regardless, this was a FW thread, so obviously, the answer was no since they would be taking up another spot for the campers.

Obviously the answer is yes, not no. As long as they pay for the campsite, it shouldn't matter what they do with it. They can choose to use it or not and it is none of their concern that they are taking up a spot that another camper could use. That other camper could have rented it first if they really wanted it.

 

[spruce]

A little off topic.....We always have a 1 or 2 br booked at OKW or BWV for our entire trip and book a studio for 1 night at BCV to get 2 days access to storm along bay mid trip. The BCV room goes unused except for changing clothes.

 

[Luigi's Girl]

A little off topic.....We always have a 1 or 2 br booked at OKW or BWV for our entire trip and book a studio for 1 night at BCV to get 2 days access to storm along bay mid trip. The BCV room goes unused except for changing clothes.

Wow. Interesting!

 

[stopher1]

In fact, I don't believe you could exceed the room occupancy at all.

You CAN'T - in our pre-DVC days we used this promotion 3 years in a row, and the last two of them were at moderates because my DD turned 3 and CRO would not allow us to be in the values (except for the ASM "family suite" which was actually more expensive than the mods!!

 

[Inkmahm]

A little off topic.....We always have a 1 or 2 br booked at OKW or BWV for our entire trip and book a studio for 1 night at BCV to get 2 days access to storm along bay mid trip. The BCV room goes unused except for changing clothes.

Hmmmm... that IS an interesting idea We don't use the pools much at all for just my DH and me, really only the hot tubs at the end of long days in the parks. But for families who want to use SAB, I can see how this would work out well.

I wonder if anyone here will complain that you're stealing that studio from another DVC member who can't stay at BCV because you've taken their room?

 

[rantnnravin]

Hmmmm... that IS an interesting idea We don't use the pools much at all for just my DH and me, really only the hot tubs at the end of long days in the parks. But for families who want to use SAB, I can see how this would work out well.

I wonder if anyone here will complain that you're stealing that studio from another DVC member who can't stay at BCV because you've taken their room?

well, it's not like you're renting it out, so it should be okay...

 

[Dean]

Hmmmm... that IS an interesting idea We don't use the pools much at all for just my DH and me, really only the hot tubs at the end of long days in the parks. But for families who want to use SAB, I can see how this would work out well.

I wonder if anyone here will complain that you're stealing that studio from another DVC member who can't stay at BCV because you've taken their room?

As I noted in a previous post, I know several that do this while staying off property. They get free park parking for 2 days, access to a pool for 2 days and a room for 19 hours or so plus they can get the DDP for 1 day for 4 people, all for the cost of a studio room for a single day.

I got to thinking. Why not get an II exchange in for those that can and use it similarly. Using a bonus week to a studio, the cost could be as little as $315 for the week in total including the $95 resort services fee. You'd get all the benefits noted above other than the one I didn't mention, Pool Hoping.

 

[nunzia]

Best Buy's CEO would disagree with you. Much of Best Buy's management has been involved in a multi year effort to make sure the "rules" have enough flexibility for customer satisfaction to translate into profitability, and yet cannot be taken advantage of by people who take advantage of such things. Several other retailers have been making similar efforts, Best Buy has gotten the most press.

Disney is getting hurt here if their goal is to have bodies in the park spending money. (I'm not sure if that is their goal or their goal in selling hotel rooms - I suspect its primarily the second - I also suspect that they have a rather complicated financial model of how much one body in the park means in dollars to Disney). If you book a DVC room and a hotel room for four people, and Disney's goal is to get eight people into the park - you aren't helping Disney meet its objective of more people in the park.

But..they are not getting money in the restaurants..these are taken up by free diners and possibly not allowing in paying customers. We had this mess at the MGM when I worked there. Anything to get the rooms filled, so they would gamble. Here's a free buffet..HUGE crowds of freebies, long lines of those who would like to pay but couldn't get in. There was some sort of compensation built in between the departments but it was sure a mess for those of us on the food end. So, the value rooms are full, at 82.00, meanwhile, all these people are stuffing their faces for free. I don't know how the departments at Disney split this, but I bet F&B is having their bottom line suffer. Freebies are fine to a point, but I don't see this as really being a win/win situation for them. They are selling rooms, yes, but food profit is down, ok Parks revenue is maybe up since they have tickets, but how about merchandise? Are these people buying more Disney stuff with the savings? I can't see how this would be beneficial to Disney..they are losing a bunch of Food and Beverage revenue.

 

[spruce]

I wonder if anyone here will complain that you're stealing that studio from another DVC member who can't stay at BCV because you've taken their room?

Actually, since we own at BCV for the 11 month booking window, we have not pirated from another DVC member, we have secured a room for our use with our ownership.

I see nothing unethical about the OP's thought. If you paid for a room, you own it along with any perks for that rental period. How the room is legally used is up to the rentor. I see this as using the rules in the most advantageous manor possable. Something businesses and individuals do all the time with the IRS tax code.

 

[Inkmahm]

Actually, since we own at BCV for the 11 month booking window, we have not pirated from another DVC member, we have secured a room for our use with our ownership.

I see nothing unethical about the OP's thought. If you paid for a room, you own it along with any perks for that rental period. How the room is legally used is up to the rentor. I see this as using the rules in the most advantageous manor possable. Something businesses and individuals do all the time with the IRS tax code.

Exactly!

And I'm going to file away the idea of getting a BCV studio for a night just to get SAB benefits for the next time I'm there in spring with nieces/nephews who might enjoy the pool. We wanted an Epcot resort for the 11 month advantage, too, but we chose to buy BWV due to the boardwalk views. BCV would have been second choice for no view, but SAB pool. For us, we enjoy the view more. For taking kids along, I'm guessing the pool would be a bigger hit than the boardwalk view. Have to admit, I never thought of getting a room just for access to the pool!

 

[Dean]

I can't see how this would be beneficial to Disney..they are losing a bunch of Food and Beverage revenue.

Obviously Disney sees it as beneficial overall or they would not do it. Remember not every unit will be to the max, lets assume they average 3 people per room. They're getting full price for the room, selling on average around a 3-4 days ticket (1 day min), guaranteeing utilization of restaurants at times when numbers would be down plus all the other merchandize sales. A few DVC sales likely would occur due to the extra visitors. Even if it's a break even, you've kept the system running during a down time and you're gotten a few people in the habit of going who will make future trips that would not have done so otherwise.

I don't know how the departments at Disney split this, but I bet F&B is having their bottom line suffer.

I'm sure all departments are giving up something. Many of the restaurants are not Disney controlled so it's likely they either made a conscious choice to participate OR they made a commitment up front to participate in promotions that Disney runs at the same level as other Disney restaurants. I don't have any specifics other than when we did the DDP twice in 2006, we noted that at some restaurants they rang up the actual costs then when they entered the DDP info, it rang up again at about 50% of the actual costs. The one I remember specifically (Pepper market) rang up as the same per person charge no matter what the actual charges were initially. And given that the tip was included at that time, I wonder the tip was paid based on the discounted charges. In any regard they'd have to see the overall situation to be favorable or they wouldn't stay in business with Disney.

 

[hansel1]

Don't kid yourself into thinking that anything but profit matters to Disney in the end. It's a for profit corporation, not a charity.

This discussion has led to a profit vs. people argument. Personally, I'm not concerned with disney's profit in relation to the OP's idea. I am concerned that booking a room you aren't going to use could prevent another family from obtaining a reservation.

I'm not really sure that you are concerned with much more than saving yourself money. That's ok, everyone is different. It doesn't make you wrong. It's just different.

I think you might need a hug!

 

[Dean]

This discussion has led to a profit vs. people argument. Personally, I'm not concerned with disney's profit in relation to the OP's idea. I am concerned that booking a room you aren't going to use could prevent another family from obtaining a reservation.

I'm not really sure that you are concerned with much more than saving yourself money. That's ok, everyone is different. It doesn't make you wrong. It's just different.

I think you might need a hug!

But isn't that simply socialism vs capitalism. We either work (maybe not as hard) for the common good or work really hard for those most important to us (family). The truth is every time we use a discount, make a reservation, take advantage of a "deal", we are potentially hurting someone else often with no endpoint in site. Simply by using DVC we're hurting the hotel we would have stayed at and the extra restaurants we would have eaten at if it were not for the kitchen. Obviously common courtesy applies but saying this is a concern goes WAY beyond an expectation of common courtesy.

 

[CarolA]

But..they are not getting money in the restaurants..these are taken up by free diners and possibly not allowing in paying customers. We had this mess at the MGM when I worked there. Anything to get the rooms filled, so they would gamble. Here's a free buffet..HUGE crowds of freebies, long lines of those who would like to pay but couldn't get in. There was some sort of compensation built in between the departments but it was sure a mess for those of us on the food end. So, the value rooms are full, at 82.00, meanwhile, all these people are stuffing their faces for free. I don't know how the departments at Disney split this, but I bet F&B is having their bottom line suffer. Freebies are fine to a point, but I don't see this as really being a win/win situation for them. They are selling rooms, yes, but food profit is down, ok Parks revenue is maybe up since they have tickets, but how about merchandise? Are these people buying more Disney stuff with the savings? I can't see how this would be beneficial to Disney..they are losing a bunch of Food and Beverage revenue.

Because markup on souviners is better?

Let's say your orginal budget was $1,000 for Food and Souviners. And you were going to get a 20% discount on the room.... So your orignal room for three nights was around $200 (Value) Total cost for you and DH.... $1200.


Now you get Free Dining.... So you spend $250 on room and food. That gives you $950 to spend on souviners which have at LEAST a 100% markup based on regular retail (and I bet Disney's is higher on a LOT of stuff) The "margin" is better on souviners then food....Plus it cost less to sell.

And how much do you bet that the averge family spends MORE then they would have on souviners since "we are eating for free"

 

[global_mom]

I bet that alot of you guys were shining stars on your high school debate teams!!

 

[Inkmahm]

This discussion has led to a profit vs. people argument. Personally, I'm not concerned with disney's profit in relation to the OP's idea. I am concerned that booking a room you aren't going to use could prevent another family from obtaining a reservation.

I'm not really sure that you are concerned with much more than saving yourself money. That's ok, everyone is different. It doesn't make you wrong. It's just different.

I think you might need a hug!

No, thanks.

Don't judge me by YOUR standards of what is important enough to care about. No, I'm not at all concerned about keeping another family from making a reservation. The playing field is level. If that family wanted the reservation as much as the person who booked it just to get the free dining, they COULD have booked it first. They didn't? Too bad. I prefer to be concerned about things that are much more important to me- my family, my church, funding research to cure various diseases, funding our local zoo, the girl scouts, United Way, etc. The money I save by getting "deals" etc. allows me to be generous to charities of MY choice, which doesn't include families that want a trip to WDW in a value resort.

 

[Inkmahm]

But isn't that simply socialism vs capitalism. We either work (maybe not as hard) for the common good or work really hard for those most important to us (family). The truth is every time we use a discount, make a reservation, take advantage of a "deal", we are potentially hurting someone else often with no endpoint in site. Simply by using DVC we're hurting the hotel we would have stayed at and the extra restaurants we would have eaten at if it were not for the kitchen. Obviously common courtesy applies but saying this is a concern goes WAY beyond an expectation of common courtesy.

Exactly.

 

[TisBit]

I believe that the "less fortunate family argument" could go for someone who books at a value when THEY could afford a moderate. They are also depriving that less fortunate family from getting what they want. Or a family of four that books two rooms, just to have extra space!

There is nothing unethical, as long as you are not making any deceitful transactions (see definitions). As already mentioned, you could make the same arguments about people who rent out their DVC, they are depriving an "owner" the oppotunity to use it. Under that theory, if you can't use your points you should let them expire!

For the record, the definition of Ethical from dictionary.com (I believe #2 applies here)

1. pertaining to or dealing with morals or the principles of morality; pertaining to right and wrong in conduct.
2. being in accordance with the rules or standards for right conduct or practice, esp. the standards of a profession: It was not considered ethical for physicians to advertise.
3. (of drugs) sold only upon medical prescription.

 

[bounceliketigger]

What's EMH?

 

[marynvince]

I believe that the "less fortunate family argument" could go for someone who books at a value when THEY could afford a moderate. They are also depriving that less fortunate family from getting what they want. Or a family of four that books two rooms, just to have extra space!

There is nothing unethical, as long as you are not making any deceitful transactions (see definitions). As already mentioned, you could make the same arguments about people who rent out their DVC, they are depriving an "owner" the oppotunity to use it. Under that theory, if you can't use your points you should let them expire!

For the record, the definition of Ethical from dictionary.com (I believe #2 applies here)

1. pertaining to or dealing with morals or the principles of morality; pertaining to right and wrong in conduct.
2. being in accordance with the rules or standards for right conduct or practice, esp. the standards of a profession: It was not considered ethical for physicians to advertise.
3. (of drugs) sold only upon medical prescription.

What I book versus what I can afford or booking two rooms because I want the extra space are decisions that I make to maximize my personal utility. These decisions have no bearing, absoluely none, on anyone else. That any DVC owner can pretend to argue for the less fortunate that might lose out on a room is ridiculous. We enjoy a privledge that includes frequent, expensive vacations. It is becasue we are smart with our money that we are in this position. Smart often includes such things as clipping coupons, buying things on sale and taking advantage of special offers. Special offers like free dining. I applaud all that can make this offer work to their advantage.