Beca
Apparently, we all have more money than brains!!!
- Joined
- Mar 5, 2004
- Messages
- 4,676
Okay, I went to the meeting, and I certainly left with mixed feelings. Here's the scoop:
1) BCV rooms will be getting new mattresses (Stearnes and Foster 720 or something like that). The GM said they were wonderful and he was planning on buying one for his home.
2) BCV living rooms will be getting new sleeper sofas (no mention of the ones in the studios).
3) The carpet in the hallways has not worn well, and will be replaced this year to something with less gold in it.
4) The BCV lobby will be getting an overhaul. The chandeliers and "life-sized" sand castles are being constructed right now.
Other interesting points...members will not pay for the carpets in the hallways because that is "common area", but will help pay for the renovation in the lobby because that is an area members use (not so sure I understand this, as they are both common areas, but whatever....I'm not complaining).
Member satisfaction is at appx. 90%, but member satisfaction at BCV's was much lower...about 75%. Interestingly, Jim expressed that the "member satisfaction" manager had his work cut out for him, because he wants the remaining 10% to disappear. But, when the GM of BC told that member satisfaction at the BC was 75%, no discussion of "why" or "how we can improve this" was ever made. It was mentioned, and then we went on.
The website will undergo big renovations this year, including banking points and viewing your point status on line. JL said he knew DVC was WAY behind on this, but it just takes time.
Starting in January, members will now be able to make ressies that include the dining plan. I don't know if I will use it or not, but I know this will make many of you VERY happy!!!
The cruise has been so popular that DVC is considering two options to ensure everyone gets on:
1) Once you have gone on two cruises, you might become ineligible for a 3rd the following year. DVC may "ask" you to lay out to allow others to go, or
2) A lottery where you call to sign up, and receive a phone call back from MS in the order your name was drawn to pick your cabin, or
3) Have two member cruises next year.
No decision has been made yet, but I think JL was getting a little "chewed" by some people who don't like spending 5 hours on the phone on the day ressies are made.
I asked about the "views" at Epcot, and was very surprised at the GM's response. He said rooms that have ANY view of Epcot are less than 8% of the resort....which is wrong if my map is correct. He stated that is why the Epcot view was taken away. Some people expected SSE, while others "wanted a full, unobstructed view of World Showcase". I asked what members could request if we wanted to "take our chances" with views, and he said, "Road view".
I also asked if there was a way to return to the "first reserved, first assigned" policy of two years ago, and the GM basically said, "Some sort of pecking-order in room assignments is just not possible in a resort this small. We may only have 5 or 6 rooms come available in your size each day. We cannot decide who should get what room." I found that VERY interesting. It seems to me that the smallness of the resort is what should make it easy to decide such things.
The GM and Jim Lewis seemed to entertain all sorts of, what I would call...interesting requests, with joy (such as, getting more member merchandise, issuing a fast past to ever member at check-in, making sure the word "member" is actually embroidered onto the logo with the member merchandise), but my question seemed to get under his skin. However, in spite of that, I think he must be a very nice man...he just didn't like my question.
The interesting part was after the meeting, so many people came up to me and told me the secret was putting down ROOM NUMBERS on your room requests. Two people told me they list about 20 rooms in order on their request sheet, to ensure they get the best possible room at all times. Yikes!!! You could've blown me over with a feather!!! First, I cannot imagine asking a MS person to write all that down for me, and secondly...who says the MS person actually writes all that down, and third...well, it just seems silly and unneccessary to me....but, then again....they seem to get the views they want.
Basically, the meeting went like this:
There was a business meeting, then Jim Lewis went to the other side of the room and introduced the plethora of WDW reps. It was very nice to have all of them "on hand" to answer questions, but it also made me think that there is "strength in numbers". Then, Jim said he wanted to take a few minutes to "Discuss all the wonderful things DVC has done for you this year." He then spent about 40 minutes telling us how hard he fights for us to get "benefits" of our membership. Then, the floor was opened for discussion of questions for about 15 minutes. After that time, Jim said we did not have time for anymore questions (even though many people did not get to ask their question), and the meeting was adjourned.
Some of the managers in the meeting seemed VERY nervous when they had to answer a question. One member asked why BCV had no member merchandise in the store, and the mercandise manager apologized profusely and explained that we did, in fact have merchandise in the store. The member said she asked a CM in the store who told her that the BCV's did not carry member merchandise. The manager glanced over at Jim Lewis, and once again apologized to the member and said she would "re-train" her entire staff for this purpose. It was very, very weird.
One more interesting note, I met a very nice couple in Epcot later that evening. They had also attended the BCV meeting earlier, and remembered me. The lady was joining in on singing the "room request" blues. She told me she had listed 8 rooms on her request and had received none of them. She was VERY upset about this. She also went on to express her displeasure at the state of the BCV rooms in general. I said, "Well, the occupancy at this resort is so high, I imagine that it is very hard to keep rooms looking brand new when they never go empty." She waved her hands off and said, "That's just an excuse."
We talked on for awhile about how beautiful BCV is, and how they never stay anywhere else. I asked if they had joined in 2001 when the BCV's opened, and they replied, "Oh no....we have been members since '91".
I was shocked....they don't own at BCV, attended the BCV meeting (she said they did not attend the OKW one), and were VERY upset at the state of the BCV's. She said, "Well, if I were an owner at that resort, I would be REALLY upset at the way DVC was taking care of my resort. After all, the resort has only been opened 4 years and it looks terrible." Again I said, "Why blame DVC? They are not the ones tearing it up....it's the people who stay there, and occupancy rates being so high." Once again, she said..."Occupancy rates aren't the problem, and people cause wear and tear....it's DVC's job to fix it." She was right....but, I still found it shocking.
I asked if she ever had a problem booking BCV's at the seven month window, and she replied, "No..never...why do you ask?" But, I can only assume that since she was staying in the early part of December, that they either call day-by-day at the 7 month window, or utilize the waitlist. I KNOW that rooms at the BCV filled by noon of the 7 month day for early December, because my mom could not get a room there, as she called in the afternoon.
I'm not sure why I found our conversation so interesting....on the one hand it was strangely flattering to see another resort owner to enthralled with the resort I own at that they refuse to stay elsewhere. But, then she would say how glad she was she didn't own there, because DVC was not doing a very good job on the upkeep.
But, she said they have not stayed anywhere else since BCV opened. It made me think of tjkraz.....that CERTAINLY shoots a hole in the "buy where you want to stay" theory~~
Anyway....I'm not sure why I included all of this....just random thoughts that somehow left an impression on me. Feel free to comment, I would love to get everyone's opinion, as some of the "stuff" just left me a little "off balance"....I'm not sure how I feel about any of it....I just can't seem to process things sometimes
The meeting was, well...strange. It seemed to me that, while DVC was making a great pretense to be "open", the people up there are actually quite scared of the members....if that makes any sense.
Beca
1) BCV rooms will be getting new mattresses (Stearnes and Foster 720 or something like that). The GM said they were wonderful and he was planning on buying one for his home.
2) BCV living rooms will be getting new sleeper sofas (no mention of the ones in the studios).
3) The carpet in the hallways has not worn well, and will be replaced this year to something with less gold in it.
4) The BCV lobby will be getting an overhaul. The chandeliers and "life-sized" sand castles are being constructed right now.
Other interesting points...members will not pay for the carpets in the hallways because that is "common area", but will help pay for the renovation in the lobby because that is an area members use (not so sure I understand this, as they are both common areas, but whatever....I'm not complaining).
Member satisfaction is at appx. 90%, but member satisfaction at BCV's was much lower...about 75%. Interestingly, Jim expressed that the "member satisfaction" manager had his work cut out for him, because he wants the remaining 10% to disappear. But, when the GM of BC told that member satisfaction at the BC was 75%, no discussion of "why" or "how we can improve this" was ever made. It was mentioned, and then we went on.
The website will undergo big renovations this year, including banking points and viewing your point status on line. JL said he knew DVC was WAY behind on this, but it just takes time.
Starting in January, members will now be able to make ressies that include the dining plan. I don't know if I will use it or not, but I know this will make many of you VERY happy!!!
The cruise has been so popular that DVC is considering two options to ensure everyone gets on:
1) Once you have gone on two cruises, you might become ineligible for a 3rd the following year. DVC may "ask" you to lay out to allow others to go, or
2) A lottery where you call to sign up, and receive a phone call back from MS in the order your name was drawn to pick your cabin, or
3) Have two member cruises next year.
No decision has been made yet, but I think JL was getting a little "chewed" by some people who don't like spending 5 hours on the phone on the day ressies are made.
I asked about the "views" at Epcot, and was very surprised at the GM's response. He said rooms that have ANY view of Epcot are less than 8% of the resort....which is wrong if my map is correct. He stated that is why the Epcot view was taken away. Some people expected SSE, while others "wanted a full, unobstructed view of World Showcase". I asked what members could request if we wanted to "take our chances" with views, and he said, "Road view".
I also asked if there was a way to return to the "first reserved, first assigned" policy of two years ago, and the GM basically said, "Some sort of pecking-order in room assignments is just not possible in a resort this small. We may only have 5 or 6 rooms come available in your size each day. We cannot decide who should get what room." I found that VERY interesting. It seems to me that the smallness of the resort is what should make it easy to decide such things.
The GM and Jim Lewis seemed to entertain all sorts of, what I would call...interesting requests, with joy (such as, getting more member merchandise, issuing a fast past to ever member at check-in, making sure the word "member" is actually embroidered onto the logo with the member merchandise), but my question seemed to get under his skin. However, in spite of that, I think he must be a very nice man...he just didn't like my question.
The interesting part was after the meeting, so many people came up to me and told me the secret was putting down ROOM NUMBERS on your room requests. Two people told me they list about 20 rooms in order on their request sheet, to ensure they get the best possible room at all times. Yikes!!! You could've blown me over with a feather!!! First, I cannot imagine asking a MS person to write all that down for me, and secondly...who says the MS person actually writes all that down, and third...well, it just seems silly and unneccessary to me....but, then again....they seem to get the views they want.
Basically, the meeting went like this:
There was a business meeting, then Jim Lewis went to the other side of the room and introduced the plethora of WDW reps. It was very nice to have all of them "on hand" to answer questions, but it also made me think that there is "strength in numbers". Then, Jim said he wanted to take a few minutes to "Discuss all the wonderful things DVC has done for you this year." He then spent about 40 minutes telling us how hard he fights for us to get "benefits" of our membership. Then, the floor was opened for discussion of questions for about 15 minutes. After that time, Jim said we did not have time for anymore questions (even though many people did not get to ask their question), and the meeting was adjourned.
Some of the managers in the meeting seemed VERY nervous when they had to answer a question. One member asked why BCV had no member merchandise in the store, and the mercandise manager apologized profusely and explained that we did, in fact have merchandise in the store. The member said she asked a CM in the store who told her that the BCV's did not carry member merchandise. The manager glanced over at Jim Lewis, and once again apologized to the member and said she would "re-train" her entire staff for this purpose. It was very, very weird.
One more interesting note, I met a very nice couple in Epcot later that evening. They had also attended the BCV meeting earlier, and remembered me. The lady was joining in on singing the "room request" blues. She told me she had listed 8 rooms on her request and had received none of them. She was VERY upset about this. She also went on to express her displeasure at the state of the BCV rooms in general. I said, "Well, the occupancy at this resort is so high, I imagine that it is very hard to keep rooms looking brand new when they never go empty." She waved her hands off and said, "That's just an excuse."
We talked on for awhile about how beautiful BCV is, and how they never stay anywhere else. I asked if they had joined in 2001 when the BCV's opened, and they replied, "Oh no....we have been members since '91".
I was shocked....they don't own at BCV, attended the BCV meeting (she said they did not attend the OKW one), and were VERY upset at the state of the BCV's. She said, "Well, if I were an owner at that resort, I would be REALLY upset at the way DVC was taking care of my resort. After all, the resort has only been opened 4 years and it looks terrible." Again I said, "Why blame DVC? They are not the ones tearing it up....it's the people who stay there, and occupancy rates being so high." Once again, she said..."Occupancy rates aren't the problem, and people cause wear and tear....it's DVC's job to fix it." She was right....but, I still found it shocking.
I asked if she ever had a problem booking BCV's at the seven month window, and she replied, "No..never...why do you ask?" But, I can only assume that since she was staying in the early part of December, that they either call day-by-day at the 7 month window, or utilize the waitlist. I KNOW that rooms at the BCV filled by noon of the 7 month day for early December, because my mom could not get a room there, as she called in the afternoon.
I'm not sure why I found our conversation so interesting....on the one hand it was strangely flattering to see another resort owner to enthralled with the resort I own at that they refuse to stay elsewhere. But, then she would say how glad she was she didn't own there, because DVC was not doing a very good job on the upkeep.
But, she said they have not stayed anywhere else since BCV opened. It made me think of tjkraz.....that CERTAINLY shoots a hole in the "buy where you want to stay" theory~~
Anyway....I'm not sure why I included all of this....just random thoughts that somehow left an impression on me. Feel free to comment, I would love to get everyone's opinion, as some of the "stuff" just left me a little "off balance"....I'm not sure how I feel about any of it....I just can't seem to process things sometimes
The meeting was, well...strange. It seemed to me that, while DVC was making a great pretense to be "open", the people up there are actually quite scared of the members....if that makes any sense.
Beca
Now, the 'frontage road'
