Boardwalk Standard vs. Preferred View -- Points Cost

[JudyS]

I have some questions about the difference in points cost between Boardwalk Standard and Preferred View rooms.

Question #1) Is it possible for Disney to change the relative costs of these two classes of rooms? Could this be affected by Disney's decision to split Preferred View into two categories? Could Disney do away entirely with the "discounted" cost for Standard View? My impression is that Disney can not do this --- DVC contracts allow Disney to change the distribution of points costs across the various times of the year, but doesn't allow Disney to change the total yearly point cost for any room type. Is this correct?

Question #2) I notice that on some dates -- say, Sunday - Thursday during Adventure season -- there is a big discount in the number of points required for a Standard View room, rather than a Preferred View room. For example, a 1 bedroom at this time is 22 points Preferred View, 16 points Standard View. This means the Standard View room costs 27% less points. However, at busier times of year, the difference is less. For example, Fri-Sat during Premier period, there is no cost difference between Standard and Preferred View 1 bedrooms -- they both cost 75 points per night. I'm wondering is this is because of the noise from the Boardwalk -- perhaps Preferred View rooms are very nice at quiet times, such as weeknights during slow season, but not quite so desirable during times when many people go to the Boardwalk night clubs. What do others here think?

Thanks!

Judy S.

 

[timC]

Answer#1 - In theory, yes they can. There is a lot of flexibility and control built into the contract... In practice, however, WDW and DVC is extremely cautious about change. They've only made on 1 change that to the points distribution and that was in 1996.

That said, the new BW view category might cause them to consider a tweek. However, would be a real challenge to figure out a scheme that the owners would like... I'm guessing they'll chicken out, and leave'm where they are.

Answer#2 - That's interesting, I never noticed that. Generally, Sun-Thu is about 50% of the Fri-Sat rates, in both BW and STD views. The difference you discovered is quite subtle. I'm not sure that anyone would notice this difference, or would be much of a factor in shifting demand to/from BW to STD view.

Regarding noise... I've only experienced BWV during a slow season... very quiet.

 

[CarolMN]

Originally posted by JudyS
I have some questions about the difference in points cost between Boardwalk Standard and Preferred View rooms.

Question #1) Is it possible for Disney to change the relative costs of these two classes of rooms? Could this be affected by Disney's decision to split Preferred View into two categories? Could Disney do away entirely with the "discounted" cost for Standard View? My impression is that Disney can not do this --- DVC contracts allow Disney to change the distribution of points costs across the various times of the year, but doesn't allow Disney to change the total yearly point cost for any room type. Is this correct?

It is technically/legally possible to change the relative costs of standard and preferred vierw rooms, but highly unlikely, IMHO.

As long as the total number of points required to reserve a "unit" (defined somewhere in the legal documents) for an entire year remains the same, Disney has the right to reallocate the points any way it chooses. That includes the right to make standard view studios cost more and two bedrooms preferred view rooms less (for example).

Briefly, think of a unit as a group of rooms or a section of the resort To the best of my knowledge, no one on the boards knows exactly what is included in each unit. I doubt that all the units are the same and for that reason (again IMHO), I think changing the relative allocation between room classes now would be very difficult, and the benefit to Disney and the members negligible in comparison. The standard view classification was introduced before the resort was sold out and thus at that time, Disney could actually adjust the total number of points required without violating any contractual language.

Question #2) I notice that on some dates -- say, Sunday - Thursday during Adventure season -- there is a big discount in the number of points required for a Standard View room, rather than a Preferred View room. For example, a 1 bedroom at this time is 22 points Preferred View, 16 points Standard View. This means the Standard View room costs 27% less points. However, at busier times of year, the difference is less. For example, Fri-Sat during Premier period, there is no cost difference between Standard and Preferred View 1 bedrooms -- they both cost 75 points per night. I'm wondering is this is because of the noise from the Boardwalk -- perhaps Preferred View rooms are very nice at quiet times, such as weeknights during slow season, but not quite so desirable during times when many people go to the Boardwalk night clubs. What do others here think?

Thanks!

Judy S.

I think the point differentials are just a matter of supply and demand. DVC's job is to "price" the rooms so that the occupancy of the resort is high/even all year round. I like to think of that job as similar to a handicapper at the race track. His/Her job is to assign different amounts of weight to each horse so that all horses finish the race at exactly the same time. Of course, they never do, but it's usually close. In the same manner, the DVC "handicappers" know that the resort will be full during premier season no matter what type of room. More people want to be there at that time than there are rooms to accomodate them. In the slower seasons, they need to price lower to attract more guests. If the resort isn't at, or very near capacity all year round, the system will not work very well - some members will ultimately lose points via expiration.

To make a long explanation shorter, I don't think noise from the Boardwalk has anything at all to do with the cost of the rooms.

Good question - it will be fun to see what other posters think!

 

[TroyWDW]

Originally posted by CarolMN
As long as the total number of points required to reserve a "unit" (defined somewhere in the legal documents) for an entire year remains the same, Disney has the right to reallocate the points any way it chooses. That includes the right to make standard view studios cost more and two bedrooms preferred view rooms less (for example).

Carol, I don't think DVCMC has that much freedom. The DVC properties located in Florida are governed by the Florida Statutes, specifically Chapter 721. (Click Here: Florida State Laws - Chapter 721)

A section of the statutes that would appear to govern the points allocation is:
721.56 Management of multisite timeshare plans; reservation systems; demand balancing.

721.56(6) Prior to offering the multisite timeshare plan, the developer shall create the reservation system and shall establish rules and regulations for its operation. In establishing these rules and regulations, the developer shall take into account the location and anticipated relative use demand of each component site that he or she intends to offer as a part of the plan and shall use his or her best efforts, in good faith and based upon all reasonably available evidence under the circumstances, to further the best interests of the purchasers of the plan as a whole with respect to their opportunity to use and enjoy the accommodations and facilities of the plan. The rules and regulations shall also provide for periodic adjustment or amendment of the reservation system by the managing entity from time to time in order to respond to actual purchaser use patterns and changes in purchaser use demand for the accommodations and facilities existing at that time within the plan. The person authorized to make additions and substitutions during the term of the multisite timeshare plan shall also comply with the requirements of this subsection in ascertaining the desirability of the proposed addition, substitution, adjustment, or amendment and the impact of same upon the demand for and availability of existing plan accommodations and facilities.

Certainly, the state laws don't instruct down to a level of "how many views will the timeshare have". But, it does instruct the managing entity, DVCMC, to periodically evaluate the use patterns and to make adjustments for the good of the whole (i.e. demand balancing).

Your handicapping analogy is a good one. DVCMC uses the points to create negative and positive influences on when people reserve rooms to achieve demand balance. One could possibly argue that DVCMC has been lax in complying with the demand balance requirements of the Florida State Laws with reference to the Fri-Sat versus Sun-Thu points and resulting demand.

I do agree that DVCMC does have a lot of discretion. Of course, we the members, do pay their salaries. I would like to think that we greatly influence the decisions that DVCMC makes, but in reality that is probably not the case. Interesting question...

Troy

 

[CaptainMidnight]

It's interesting how DVC thought they would need to compensate for less desirable views with the reduced point requirements and now you just about need the 11 month window in order to be able to obtain one of those less desirable lower point views. Based on this level of demand, it does seem the point requirements could be altered a bit. Standard points is one big advantage BWV owners have with thier resort. More power to them.

 

[DeeP]

As a DVC owner with all my pts at BWV both original and add on, I have very mixed feelings about the newest and greatest room reservation policy at BWV. On one hand it is great that as a BWV owner I now have a much better and guaranteed chance at a BW view villa, which by the way we love and feel it is worth every extra pt required, BUT this is also going to make standard view villas even harder to get and now then comes the question when you can't get the standard view and have to get a pv that is garden view, water view whatever is that room really worth the same amount of extra pts as the BW view villa is? Personally, I don't think so. There are many very, very nice views in the pv/non bw view category and also a few that are really walking a fine edge as pv vs standard but none of the pv non bw views can compete with the bw view villas.
In a perfect world as a BWV owner, I would like to see DVC re allocate to keep the standard view pts the same, lower the pv non bw view pts and raise the bw view villas pts. Do I think this will happen? No, but one can always hope, LOL!
DVC has defintely shifted the sands in the new change to BW view villas and the shift is definitely in the favor of BWV owners for booking at their home resort, which is the way any home resort should be, but this new change I fear will also create more competition among BWV owners to get the sv rooms once they know that the possible chance of the coveted bw view villa is not an option many owners might choose to conserve the pts. rather than take the pv garden, etc view. I just hope this new change is not opening up a pandora's box.

 

[travelbug]

Originally posted by DeeP
but this new change I fear will also create more competition among BWV owners to get the sv rooms once they know that the possible chance of the coveted bw view villa is not an option many owners might choose to conserve the pts. rather than take the pv garden, etc view. I just hope this new change is not opening up a pandora's box.

That's an interesting thought, Dee. I had not thought of that angle, but I'll bet you could be right. Since I usually have to travel at peak times, it's already hard enough to get standard BWV rooms when I call day by day at the 11-month window. I'd hate to think that it could get any tougher. But time will tell, I guess.

 

[Dean]

TroyWDW, they could legally change the points for each and every unit for each and every day if they wanted. The only requirement is that the totals end up the same at the end of the year. Remember that the points system is simply a method to get to the end and that the actual ownership is in real estate, not the points themselves. I too seriously doubt they would change the Standard view units much or at all other than season and weekend/weekday adjustments.

 

[TroyWDW]

Dean, I agree. DVCMC has great discretion in how they allocate the points, but Florida Statutes instruct that they must correct demand inbalances. Creating a "wacky" point system that leaves many rooms unused is not within their discretion. I think we are saying the same thing.

Troy

 

[Dean]

Originally posted by TroyWDW
Dean, I agree. DVCMC has great discretion in how they allocate the points, but Florida Statutes instruct that they must correct demand inbalances. Creating a "wacky" point system that leaves many rooms unused is not within their discretion. I think we are saying the same thing.

Troy

They have a fiduciary responsibility, I would agree. To that end the season points and weekend vs weekday are more at risk than this issue. I would think it would be easy to make the change to have 3 levels of points at BW and keep the usage at least as good as now.

 

[JudyS]

My, the rules regarding how Disney can modify the point structure are complicated!

Thanks to everyone who answered my questions. This is useful information for deciding which resort to buy.

 

[DebbieB]

This issue has changed my thoughts on my future plans. After not getting the BW view the first time I booked BWV at 11 months, I just resigned myself to standard view rather than gamble on the BW view again. Now with the guaranteed BW view available, I might go for it. The problem is I don't have enough points, I really need an add-on!