Could the size of OKW/SSR become a benefit?

[Buckeye Fan]

After reading several threads, I started thinking...could the size of OKW and SSR end up being a home resort advantage if DVC aggressively grows? As more and more people are in the system and don't have a home resort advantage at WDW (HH, VB, Hawaii, GCV, ???), there may be more people trying to book at the 7 month window. At OKW and SSR, you'd have a pretty good shot at getting any reservation you want, any time you want, at the 8 - 11 month mark (with a few exceptions, such as GVs). I'm not sure if this is the case at some of the other resorts???

I know people are very passionate about their home resorts, and I truly respect that. I haven't found a DVC resort that I didn't like!!! The other resorts will always have a pull because of location and theming. I just thought it was interesting to ponder since size tends to be a major downside for these two resorts.

Interested in your thoughts...

 

[crisi]

After reading several threads, I started thinking...could the size of OKW and SSR end up being a home resort advantage if DVC aggressively grows? As more and more people are in the system and don't have a home resort advantage at WDW (HH, VB, Hawaii, GCV, ???), there may be more people trying to book at the 7 month window. At OKW and SSR, you'd have a pretty good shot at getting any reservation you want, any time you want, at the 8 - 11 month mark (with a few exceptions, such as GVs). I'm not sure if this is the case at some of the other resorts???

I know people are very passionate about their home resorts, and I truly respect that. I haven't found a DVC resort that I didn't like!!! The other resorts will always have a pull because of location and theming. I just thought it was interesting to ponder since size tends to be a major downside for these two resorts.

Interested in your thoughts...

With the exception of a few times of year (Christmas - New Years) and a few units (BWV Standard View units) you can get pretty much what you want at any of the other resorts 11-8 months out as well. If offsite members are going to start competing for rooms at seven months and create an issue, its going to create issues across the board.

There will always be people who can't plan this year more than seven months out - even some BCV owners - keeping some rooms free at the other resorts until the seven month window hits. The issue is going to be (and to some extent already has become) that when that seven month window happens, its like trying to get breakfast with Cindy.

 

[dianeschlicht]

I think the more members, the more diffiult booking inside the 7 month window will be for ALL DVC resorts.

 

[dwelty]

I subscribe to the theory that it all evens out in the long run. More members equal more inventory. The only exception would be if Disney builds a new resort in an inferior and undesirable offsite location. I consider Disneyland and Hawaii to be desirable and popular locations. HHI and Vero are off site, have they realy caused any avalibility problems at WDW? They have both been open for several years now, and I have never heard anyone make this claim. I think the reason that avalibility has become a little tight lately has been due to "Incentive" points that are granted to new purchasers.

 

[spiceycat]

both HHI and VB were down sized from the original plan.

they are much smaller than Disney had though at first. (disney had beach property at HHi to be used - from a CM there)

they are not big resort.

the one in cal is even smaller - but isn't the one in Hawaii - big?

 

[La2kw]

Those resorts are already an advantage for us because they are the two resorts we love the most. The others are fun to stay at occasionally, but we truly prefer OKW and SSR. OKW will always be "home" to us. We do intend on purchasing CRV and GCV when those become available, but are not really interested in the other DVC resorts.

 

[tomandrobin]

Hawaii is suppose to have about 400 units.

The Hawaii location should sell well. There are only 7 timeshare resorts on that island that trade with II, only 2 of them are on the beach. Disney will be next to the Marriott (which is one). The other one is the Hawaiian Princess at Makaha Beach.

I think there alot of members who would want to trade out to Hawaii. I also think that alot of West Coasters will buy Hawaii. But until construction start and sales start, we won't know.

 

[BroganMc]

I subscribe to the theory that offsite property owners should not be given the same 7 month window as onsite owners. Discriminatory, yes, but necessary to keep onsite owners content. There are only so many places Disney can build onsite. If they continue this offsite aggressive policy they can quickly outnumber the availability onsite.

And I think we will always have a disparity of owner desire. I expect most if not all offsite owners will want to stay onsite, but only some onsite owners will want to stay offsite. I bought DVC to stay at Disney World. I own Marriott to stay elsewhere. So I will never be looking to stay at DVC Hawaii, HiltonHead, Vero Beach, DisneyLand or Mexico et. al.

The question becomes a numbers game. And certainly we will see issues as DVC goes from a mostly theme park timeshare to world timeshare. (Something I expect will take about 15 years of aggressive building and selling to be a serious reality.)

In the meantime, the bigger resorts will always have the advantage of availability simply due to the number of rooms.

 

[mlayton14]

This brings up a very interesting question .. if the "offsite DVC owners" end up making it harder to reserve at WDW for the "onsite DVC owners", doesnt the company have the right to change the home resort booking window? More specifically, would they also have the right to have separate rules for onsite vs offsite owners? eg - If you own at Hawaii, DL, etc you can book at WDW resorts from 6 months, while all of the onsite owners (for lack of better words) get the standard 11-7 mo window?

I know its theoretical, but is it within guidelines for those that know the in's and out's of the legaleze in the contracts?

 

[Mtnman44]

I'm inclinded to believe that those who buy at the Hawaii location will be a different type of member than those who come to WDW every year, so I question whether it will really have a noticeable impact for WDW 7 month availability. I assume that Hawaii owners may occasionally book at WDW, but you gotta think that if people buy into DVC to come to WDW all the time, they would by one of the on site locations.... Assumptions are risky I guess but still......

 

[mlayton14]

I'm inclinded to believe that those who buy at the Hawaii location will be a different type of member than those who come to WDW every year, so I question whether it will really have a noticeable impact for WDW 7 month availability. I assume that Hawaii owners may occasionally book at WDW, but you gotta think that if people buy into DVC to come to WDW all the time, they would by one of the on site locations.... Assumptions are risky I guess but still......

I totally agree about Hawaii and DL per se ... but what about in 10 years? Assuming DVC keeps on expanding offsite since there isnt a ton of land at WDW, wouldnt this become an issue? I say this because every company's prime directive is to GROW ... if DVC stops building, they stop growing, then what?

 

[La2kw]

I also think that alot of West Coasters will buy Hawaii. But until construction start and sales start, we won't know.

Don't bet on that. It's much cheaper for me to fly to Florida than to Hawaii, and I live in L.A. The cost of everything is also pretty high in Hawaii compared to L.A. or Florida.

 

[Brenle]

Don't bet on that. It's much cheaper for me to fly to Florida than to Hawaii, and I live in L.A. The cost of everything is also pretty high in Hawaii compared to L.A. or Florida.

Are you serious? Cheaper to fly to the east coast? I also had the same thought as tomandrobin - west coasters would buy into HI before east coasters.

 

[jemiaule]

Are you serious? Cheaper to fly to the east coast? I also had the same thought as tomandrobin - west coasters would buy into HI before east coasters.

Yup, I live in northern California and can find cheaper flights to Orlando than to Honolulu most of the time.

For amusement I just did some price comparisons on Orbitz stating a departure date of May 4th and a return date of May 10th.

SJC To Honolulu: Range of $362 up to $669

SJC To Orlando: Range of $248 to $496

 

[Brenle]

Wow! Who would have thought that? Maybe because Orlando is a popular destination?

And saw your signature. Do you still travel with weiner dawgs?

 

[La2kw]

Are you serious? Cheaper to fly to the east coast? I also had the same thought as tomandrobin - west coasters would buy into HI before east coasters.

It's about a 5 hour flight to Hawaii from the west coast. About the same amount of time as a flight to the east coast.

 

[Brenle]

It's about a 5 hour flight to Hawaii from the west coast. About the same amount of time as a flight to the east coast.

I truly am amazed!

So do you think west coasters will be interested in HI considering the higher cost of living there and cheaper flights out to the east coast?

 

[La2kw]

I truly am amazed!

So do you think west coasters will be interested in HI considering the higher cost of living there and cheaper flights out to the east coast?

I don't think it will be any more attractive than the Florida properties. I will definitely use points there for a trip once in a while, but I won't purchase there. I do plan on purchasing an addon at CRV however.

 

[jemiaule]

Wow! Who would have thought that? Maybe because Orlando is a popular destination?

And saw your signature. Do you still travel with weiner dawgs?

LOL, no not anymore. The pooches got to do a cross country flight with me when we relocated from Orlando back to CA. (We are native Californians who lived in FL for 3 years)

Now it is two boys who we drag back and forth from CA to FL. Not like they complain much

 

[jemiaule]

I truly am amazed!

So do you think west coasters will be interested in HI considering the higher cost of living there and cheaper flights out to the east coast?

I can only speak for myself and we will not be buying in HI. We may use our current points there once in a while but I cannot see us consistently vacationing there.

We leave over the hill from the coast (about 40 minutes) and could go daily to the beach during nice weather if we wanted to. A regular beach vacation just isn't that appealing to us because of that; maybe one every few years would be.