Can we keep this Secret!? Its Gonna Get Crowded!

[Carl Aird]

They are really being agressive with the DVC sales!
Every bus, in the park, TV commercials even shopping malls has DVC ads/booths
anyone scared it gets too crowded!?!?!?

 

[Chuck S]

They are really being agressive with the DVC sales!
Every bus, in the park, TV commercials even shopping malls has DVC ads/booths
anyone scared it gets too crowded!?!?!?

They can not legally "oversell" a resort, meaning that they can not sell more points that there are on that resorts point chart for the resorts "base year."

That does not mean that certain times of year, depending upon individual member travel preferences, that reservations will be available for ever member that wants them, of course. If 20% of members all want to travel at Christmas and New Years, and you have 300,000 members, you still have 60,000 people tryin for a limited number of rooms system wide. The higher the number of members overall, the higher the likelihood of disappontment, and here is where the sheer volume of small point contracts comes into play. If 20% of members want the same reservations, and DVC has sold 100K 450 point contracts instead of 300K 150 point contracts, that would mean that 20,000 members would want the same reservations rather than 60,000 members. It is a numbers game of supply and demand. Supply is set by the number of rooms. Demand is variable by the number of members.

 

[cocoaguy]

Sales must be at a all-time low considering the economy.

 

[TDC Nala]

If they are advertising that much, it probably means they're not getting that many buyers.

 

[Dean]

They are really being agressive with the DVC sales!
Every bus, in the park, TV commercials even shopping malls has DVC ads/booths
anyone scared it gets too crowded!?!?!?

That is not aggressive. Forcing you to go through the sales solicitor (OPC) to get things like a parking pass, calling you multiple times a day, knocking on your door, lying about the reason such as saying there's a problem with your reservation; now these are more aggressive.

 

[drusba]

Sales must be at a all-time low considering the economy.

Been varying rumors but the last I saw was an Orlando Sentinel article that was discussing that Disney lost its outside broker facility to sell bundled securitized mortgages for the timeshares. That has nothing to do with Disney's sales but just the fact that the whole outside market for that is drying up. The impact on Disney is that it will have to keep many of its own mortgages (which it can do) and its immediate profits go down. You sell bundled mortgages and can claim the full amount of the sale as current income, if you hold a mortgage you get the money paid and your income is over a period of years. The thing I found interesting buried in the story was that Disney's timeshare sales last quarter were up over the prior period and prior same quarter the previous year. I have to believe that it will slow but obviously Disney is not hurting.

 

[DisneyWalker44]

You sell bundled mortgages and can claim the full amount of the sale as current income, if you hold a mortgage you get the money paid and your income is over a period of years.

I believe Disney does count the full amount of the DVC at sale, even on a financed contract. What securitizing does is allow them to count the full profit of the mortgage at time of sale.

 

[drakethib]

That is not aggressive. Forcing you to go through the sales solicitor (OPC) to get things like a parking pass, calling you multiple times a day, knocking on your door, lying about the reason such as saying there's a problem with your reservation; now these are more aggressive.

I may sound like a total newb, but does that stuff really happen?

 

[Belle & Ariel]

Has there been a time when as many resorts were sold as new (AKL, BLT, THV)at the same time?

Plus there is competition with many resales going on.

 

[Dean]

I may sound like a total newb, but does that stuff really happen?

Absolutely and routinely, and in some cases, much worse. Having to go through the OPC (scheduler) is routine at many timeshares to get certain items, esp a parking pass or welcome packet, and you'll be directed there regardless. They also often double as the concierge so they get you coming and going. I've been to many "owners updates" where no mention was made of sales until you actually sat down across from someone, fortunately I knew what was going on but many people do not. I know of people being bussed to other locations and being refused transportation back if they didn't buy, even refused to be shown where their kids were and a couple of instances of promised bodily harm though I am not aware of any instances of actual physicality. The latter are rare certainly and not generally something I'd worry about in civilized countries.

Has there been a time when as many resorts were sold as new (AKL, BLT, THV)at the same time?

Plus there is competition with many resales going on.

Don't forget CGV. There have also been as many as 4 selling at one time (OKW, VB, HH & BWV) likely also 4 later (VB, HH, VWL & BCV). There was not a lot of true overlap for BCV and VWL in that they formally closed sales at VWL (even though it wasn't sold out) around the time BCV came on board. They anticipated VWL would sell out on the sly but it didn't so they formally reopened sales 6-12 months later for a few months ands I THINK this was when BCV was still selling. This ignores the small spurts when OKW added buildings 62-64 and BWV added the units where much of the sales area was before.

 

[nordkin]

Absolutely and routinely, and in some cases, much worse. Having to go through the OPC (scheduler) is routine at many timeshares to get certain items, esp a parking pass or welcome packet, and you'll be directed there regardless. They also often double as the concierge so they get you coming and going. I've been to many "owners updates" where no mention was made of sales until you actually sat down across from someone, fortunately I knew what was going on but many people do not. I know of people being bussed to other locations and being refused transportation back if they didn't buy, even refused to be shown where their kids were and a couple of instances of promised bodily harm though I am not aware of any instances of actual physicality. The latter are rare certainly and not generally something I'd worry about in civilized countries.

This may be routine for timeshares in other countries, but I do not believe DVC has ever done this. Someone new asked the question and I would not want to scare them off of DVC.

I have seen high pressure tactics used by several time share companies, but my experience with DVC has always been very "no pressure" at all.

 

[Dean]

This may be routine for timeshares in other countries, but I do not believe DVC has ever done this. Someone new asked the question and I would not want to scare them off of DVC.

I have seen high pressure tactics used by several time share companies, but my experience with DVC has always been very "no pressure" at all.

If you'll read my posts you'll see that I was responding to someone that said DVC had gotten aggressive. My point was that DVC's was no where near aggressive and giving info to things that happen routinely at other timeshares that are infinitely more aggressive. BTW, one of the horror stories I mentioned (not telling the parents where the kids were being held hostage), happened in Orlando.

 

[rigsby25]

I don't understand why they keep referring to it as a secret? Who was ever keeping it a secret?

 

[nordkin]

If you'll read my posts you'll see that I was responding to someone that said DVC had gotten aggressive. My point was that DVC's was no where near aggressive and giving info to things that happen routinely at other timeshares that are infinitely more aggressive. BTW, one of the horror stories I mentioned (not telling the parents where the kids were being held hostage), happened in Orlando.

I missed that post earlier in the thread and I apologize. You are correct DVC is no where near as aggressive as other time shares.

 

[Dean]

I missed that post earlier in the thread and I apologize. You are correct DVC is no where near as aggressive as other time shares.

Not a problem and no apology necessary, I just wanted to make sure you knew where I was coming from and that people know that DVC is NOT aggressive on their worst day. Actually I wish they were more so because it has cost us at least 3 off property resorts (Newport Coast, NYC and CO mountains) due to poor sales at VB and HH. They could be a lot more aggressive in sales without actually being truly aggressive. If they simply asked every non member who signed in if they wanted to sign up for a tour and provided some type of brochure, their sales would likely have been up 25% over the years. There are many things they could do but are not currently to solicit sales without being obnoxious or high pressure. Add to that it's possible to be professional and add some pressure without being obnoxious or high pressure during the tour itself. Westin and Marriott do it all the time, I'm sure others do as well.

 

[RobDoc]

Has there been a time when as many resorts were sold as new (AKL, BLT, THV)at the same time?

Plus there is competition with many resales going on.

Not for awhile, but in the mid-late 90's DVC was actively selling OKW, VB, HH and BWV at the same time.

 

[lah3hh]

On a personal note, I feel the way DVC is sold is the best way of doing business. For DH and I, it was truly one of the main reasons we bought into DVC (on top of the quality product they offer!).

We had met with only one other timeshare seller in HHI in 1998. They were the usual awful story...big room, many desks with folks being talked to, bells ringing whenever someone bought, pressure to buy now to get the best deal, price started out at one point and went down the longer you refused their offer, didn't want to let us go....and when it was all said and done and we still said 'No' they pretty much kicked us out of the room and wouldn't even shake our hands.

Then we went to DVC HHI and met a wonderful DVC guide. She presented the DVC product to us in a very friendly non pushy manner and even encouraged us to think about it because the offer was good up to 30 days. We went home and kept discussing our options and decided to buy. It was exactly that technique that puts Disney miles ahead of the others. I hope they NEVER lose sight of that type of sales approach because it makes for happier DVC members later.

We are members now over 10 years and have had nothing but pleasurable experiences with the resorts and even our many add ons since then. BTW, we still prefer to deal with our wonderful gal we met back in 1998. She is the absolute best!!! We are truly lucky to have such a wonderful guide and we love her for it...

 

[Dean]

On a personal note, I feel the way DVC is sold is the best way of doing business. For DH and I, it was truly one of the main reasons we bought into DVC (on top of the quality product they offer!).

We had met with only one other timeshare seller in HHI in 1998. They were the usual awful story...big room, many desks with folks being talked to, bells ringing whenever someone bought, pressure to buy now to get the best deal, price started out at one point and went down the longer you refused their offer, didn't want to let us go....and when it was all said and done and we still said 'No' they pretty much kicked us out of the room and wouldn't even shake our hands.

Then we went to DVC HHI and met a wonderful DVC guide. She presented the DVC product to us in a very friendly non pushy manner and even encouraged us to think about it because the offer was good up to 30 days. We went home and kept discussing our options and decided to buy. It was exactly that technique that puts Disney miles ahead of the others. I hope they NEVER lose sight of that type of sales approach because it makes for happier DVC members later.

We are members now over 10 years and have had nothing but pleasurable experiences with the resorts and even our many add ons since then. BTW, we still prefer to deal with our wonderful gal we met back in 1998. She is the absolute best!!! We are truly lucky to have such a wonderful guide and we love her for it...

As I stated above, it's possible to be more aggressive and still be appropriate and professional. Other top companies are able to combine the two. As I pointed out, there has been and is a ongoing COST to current members related to DVD being so low key on sales. I recall a story of someone who toured and since they weren't asked about buying, assumed they weren't eligible and left not being members when they wanted to be.

 

[Mattsmommy]

I never felt DVC was high pressure. I toured the Westgate Lakes resort in Orlando a few years ago and that was very high pressure. When we told the salesman that we were not interested he told us you probably can't afford it and that is why you are not buying. I like to do my research before making a big purchase. I am so glad I didn't buy Westgate.

 

[linco711]

Not sure if this applies, but we vacationed over New Years, and I know we should know better, but have done so in the past and although very crowded was still able to get into the parks since we were staying on property. However this time we were told to be sure we got into a park before 11:00 and to stay there because the parks would start closing when capacity was reached and we would not be able to get back in. We are not used to having to arrive early and stay in the same park all day till closing.....was not happy about the over selling of tickets. It seems to me that if you're staying on property and have a park hopper, you should be able to use it for that purpose It made our vacation a lot more stressful than it needed to be......