Bungalows and Cabins - a racket

[mlayton14]

Please tell me if I’m way off here or if already discussed ... but are these premium offerings (PV bungalows and CCV cabins) kind of a racket? These accommodations never appear to be occupied for the most part, yet they represent a very large numbers of points for sale. Would it be safe to say that 95%
+ of the buyers at poly and CCV would stay in the normal villas , and thereby competing more for these normal villas yet a large number of overall points are sold for the units that require more points than most people would dream of spending?

 

[rg35]

I agree - these room types are out of wack with the rest of the system and were ill advised ideas.

 

[ScubaCat]

They can reallocate after the resort sells out and some time has passed. The trick is to keep the "starting at" points value low to lure buyers.

 

[meekey7197]

They can reallocate after the resort sells out and some time has passed. The trick is to keep the "starting at" points value low to lure buyers.

but that means raise the "price" of the studios right?

Legit question... could they legally subdivide the bungalows? I've looked at the floorpans, I think they could make a studio and a one bedroom like a traditional lock off two bedroom. Would it cost money? Yes. But so did fixing those nutty bathrooms in the original BLT studios...

 

[DougEMG]

Yes, they are a racket.

 

[Mumof4mice]

They need make the bungalows and cabins sleep more than the GVs. Then hopefully groups that book GVs could be enticed to swap space for the novelty. Queen sized bunk beds with trundle in the second bedroom. Fold down Murphys on every wall. Throw a few tents on the covered deck!

Not exactly the epitome of luxury vacationing. But the cost per person once you cram in about 24 people would turn those into the new hot ticket.

 

[MB_01]

They need make the bungalows and cabins sleep more than the GVs. Then hopefully groups that book GVs could be enticed to swap space for the novelty. Queen sized bunk beds with trundle in the second bedroom. Fold down Murphys on every wall. Throw a few tents on the covered deck!

Not exactly the epitome of luxury vacationing. But the cost per person once you cram in about 24 people would turn those into the new hot ticket.

Or make them more luxurious than the Grand Villas. I’ve never been in a cabin or bungalow but there is an immediate sense of “bigness” when you enter a GV. From the pictures I’ve seen I don’t think you will get that from cabins/bungalows. Maybe they need to throw in a butler and a chauffeur! Perhaps a guy with a violin?

 

[mlayton14]

All interesting thoughts , however my main point is that a good number of people who buy into PVB and CCV won’t be able to book what they want at their home resort because of these high point offerings , and thereby drive them to SSR, OKW, and AKV?

 

[Ben E N]

All interesting thoughts , however my main point is that a good number of people who buy into PVB and CCV won’t be able to book what they want at their home resort because of these high point offerings , and thereby drive them to SSR, OKW, and AKV?

Yes. That does happen. Compounding the issue is that for both Poly and CCV, buyers were allowed to buy in with as little as 50 points. Many thought "we will just stay in a studio once every 3 years!". When you do that with enough people, though, and there are so few studios to be had at CCV, issues arise.

 

[jarestel]

I think "racket" is probably too polite a description for the cabin/bungalow schemes. Disney has found a way to build expensive accommodations that most members will never book except for a night or two here and there, thereby freeing them up to rent as cash rooms much of the time. Of course, all maintenance and upkeep is provided by the kind-hearted owners at Polynesian and Copper Creek. And as has already been pointed out, since points sold against the cabins/bungalows aren't usually being used for cabins/bungalows Disney was able to sell way more points than they could have without the cabins/bungalows. Good for them, they make more money, but bad for owners who have to compete for oversold regular rooms.

 

[mlayton14]

I think "racket" is probably too polite a description for the cabin/bungalow schemes. Disney has found a way to build expensive accommodations that most members will never book except for a night or two here and there, thereby freeing them up to rent as cash rooms much of the time. Of course, all maintenance and upkeep is provided by the kind-hearted owners at Polynesian and Copper Creek. And as has already been pointed out, since points sold against the cabins/bungalows aren't usually being used for cabins/bungalows Disney was able to sell way more points than they could have without the cabins/bungalows. Good for them, they make more money, but bad for owners who have to compete for oversold regular rooms.

You stated it better than me !

 

[meekey7197]

All interesting thoughts , however my main point is that a good number of people who buy into PVB and CCV won’t be able to book what they want at their home resort because of these high point offerings , and thereby drive them to SSR, OKW, and AKV?

We own at Poly and have never had an issue getting a studio HOWEVER I do feel bad for CCV owners as those studios seem to be had hard to get at AKL club and value

 

[meekey7197]

They need make the bungalows and cabins sleep more than the GVs. Then hopefully groups that book GVs could be enticed to swap space for the novelty. Queen sized bunk beds with trundle in the second bedroom. Fold down Murphys on every wall. Throw a few tents on the covered deck!

Not exactly the epitome of luxury vacationing. But the cost per person once you cram in about 24 people would turn those into the new hot ticket.

I mean especially at CCV. I cant Tell you how many weekends I spent at my friends lake cabin with people sleeping on every available surface LOL or just gut them and fill them with questionable bunk beds and flimsy mattresses, just like summer camp!

 

[bwvBound]

You stated it better than me !

In all fairness ... this observation has been discussed repeatedly, across this and other discussion sites, since the bungalow point charts were first revealed.

 

[chainkid]

As someone who nearly always stays in BW Grand Villas, I can honestly say I would never even consider spending the points to stay at the Poly or Wilderness lodge cabins. It costs a lot more points for a fraction of the space. I love the Poly and the wilderness lodge but its a lousy bang for your buck when you have much more spacious rooms with better location for less . I'm sure they are selling these as cash cows to general public but I would not waste my points. I originally hoped to add on to my DVC collection but after staying there and being restricted to either a studio or the bungalows , I saw no good options for my family and passed.

 

[ScubaCat]

In reading this thread, it almost sounds like DVC is just a big money making scheme and isn't really so "magical" after all! Who'dve thunk it? (continual resale restrictions to intentionally kill that market in 2011, 2016, 2018, 2019... rapidly-increasing dues... bland rehabs after severe wear and prior lacking upkeep..... massive price increases....... value studios unavailable right around when SWGE is opening...... nah, it can't be.)

 

[chicagodisneyguy]

Anyone know what the avg cash price is for the bungalows and cabins...either thru CRO or DVC cash discount?

 

[Wakey]

At Copper Creek even 1 beds were gone 11 months out for much of Xmas 2019, I was shocked.
This is in part due to the points loaded on the bungalows (or cabins as they now call them there).
Do the maths and over Xmas you'll see how a significant proportion of the resorts overall points are loaded on those bungalows.
Do not buy Copper Creek expecting to be able to stay in a studio, 1 or 2 bed by booking at 11 months at the busy times.
Don't expect to book studios at even quiet times much past 11 months.

 

[crvetter]

At Copper Creek even 1 beds were gone 11 months out for much of Xmas 2019, I was shocked.
This is in part due to the points loaded on the bungalows (or cabins as they now call them there).
Do the maths and over Xmas you'll see how a significant proportion of the resorts overall points are loaded on those bungalows.
Do not buy Copper Creek expecting to be able to stay in a studio, 1 or 2 bed by booking at 11 months at the busy times.
Don't expect to book studios at even quiet times much past 11 months.

To be fair even the cabins are gone thanksgiving week and the first two weeks of December. So some people are using them at CCV but the bungalows don't look sold out at all. After the 7 month mark some people are grabbing the cabins but not the bungalows. So while there might not be a market in CCV owners outside of peak DVC time it appears that some owners at other resorts are staying in them.

To judge CCV availability during Christmas and Thanksgiving of this year is tough because Disney didn't have the resort fully declared when the 11 month window opened for those weeks. I think while yes the Cabins add pressure I'm sure it will be less pressure next year when most owners don't have 2 years of points to book big trips right away and the full resort is available. Yes I realize Disney has declared most of the units now but that was after the 11 month opened for Christmas and Thanksgiving so I don't know if they release all that inventory back-dated into the system (I suspect the answer isn't yes probably only some is back-dated) as a good deal of it probably was used prior to being declared for Welcome Home Visits and being reserved for CRO.

 

[SL6827]

I wonder if Disney will continue to build DVC like this in the future? Huge point grabbing accommodations to go along with normal size DVC units.