Did anyone else get this letter?

[hakepb]

NM duplicate

 

[Ski Bum]

Total speculation on my part, but I wonder if this is partly a result of the new restrictions placed on resale points in March of this year? All the scuttlebutt I've seen suggests that two things have happened: 1) the delta between resale and direct point pricing has grown from ~$20 to ~$40; probably more as a result of DVD raising direct prices as opposed to resale prices falling, and 2) the change hasn't deterred too many people from buying resale -- it may even have tipped more people toward buying resale due to the increased price delta.

So now is DVD left with the unenviable task of trying to put the genie back into the bottle? Hence this letter... and who knows what to follow?

 

[icydog]

I spoke with someone from the Business Standards Dept. she first tried to claim that I got the letter because my original resold contract formerly was owned by a cast member.
I have reason to doubt this since so many people here, who could not have been involved with a cast member, were also sent the letter.

She even added people who had gotten the letter forgot they had employee discounts in their long forgotten past. PLEASE Are you kidding me?


I was WAY WAY more impressed with DVCs VP Claire Bilby's apology. At least she didn't try to spin this! She told the truth that this Was an error and said she was sorry!

 

[Aunt Michelle]

I was WAY WAY more impressed with DVCs VP Claire Bilby's apology. At least she didn't try to spin this! She told the truth that this Was an error and said she was sorry!

I was impressed that you reached her in person! I think it's a good move that she's taking/or returning calls personally.

 

[Simba's Mom]

I have a question that the comment about buying points from a CM made me wonder. If we bought our contracts by resale, could we have unknowingly bought our contracts from a CM? Of course, it doesn't matter, but I'm just trying to explain to myself a possible reason that we got that letter. Could our contracts be somehow linked to the CM(S) who originally owned them and that's why we got the letters? Or do you think that the letters were just randomly sent out? I just can't [don't want to] believe that our dues are paying for DVC to send out a vast supply of letters, when the letters are relevant to only about 5% [my guess] of the members.

 

[hakepb]

Total speculation on my part, but I wonder if this is partly a result of the new restrictions placed on resale points in March of this year? All the scuttlebutt I've seen suggests that two things have happened: 1) the delta between resale and direct point pricing has grown from ~$20 to ~$40; probably more as a result of DVD raising direct prices as opposed to resale prices falling, and 2) the change hasn't deterred too many people from buying resale -- it may even have tipped more people toward buying resale due to the increased price delta.

So now is DVD left with the unenviable task of trying to put the genie back into the bottle? Hence this letter... and who knows what to follow?

The problem with your argument is DVC has had record sales which negates most of your points. DVC could ROFR and drive up resales if they really wanted.

It does make me wonder if any "Mr Bankrupt" type renters were CM's, though....

 

[twinklebug]

About what % off is a CM discount for DVC points?

I don't think we're permitted to say the exact amount on the web.
Suffice it to say it's enough to consider becoming a part time CM if I move to the area and want to add on.

I was even considering becoming a CM anyway... well, until all these less-than-magical mailings and rules have started coming out. Like Walt, I want to treat the guests like people deserving of a bit of magic, Not like annoying numbers in the equation.

 

[Dean]

I have a question that the comment about buying points from a CM made me wonder. If we bought our contracts by resale, could we have unknowingly bought our contracts from a CM? Of course, it doesn't matter, but I'm just trying to explain to myself a possible reason that we got that letter. Could our contracts be somehow linked to the CM(S) who originally owned them and that's why we got the letters? Or do you think that the letters were just randomly sent out? I just can't [don't want to] believe that our dues are paying for DVC to send out a vast supply of letters, when the letters are relevant to only about 5% [my guess] of the members.

I can't see how it'd matter if you bought on the open market, only if you had slid into a contract through a family member. DVD would have approved the sale and given their waiver or ROFR which should put you in the same basket as everyone else.

About what % off is a CM discount for DVC points?

I think it used to be 25%, last I heard it was 25% for some and 15% for others but I don't recall the division of one vs the other.

To me this was not the way to handle it even if they have a problem. Now it may be they've already tried the other more appropriate options, supervisor distributions, emails, etc and this was just the next step up. Since they did it this way I'm guessing they have a list of CM they are about to fire and they are looking for the last straw to close the documentation loop.

 

[bobbiwoz]

I'm just opening up old mail now, and we got the letter too. Never been a CM, but have bought resale. We have a fair number of points and make lots of reservations, but usually DH or I are at WDW at the same time as the other reservations. Only rarely are our points being used when we're not at WDW too! Thought it was a negative letter, but I did think it was because we made so many reservations.

 

[dianeschlicht]

I was impressed that you reached her in person! I think it's a good move that she's taking/or returning calls personally.

Yes, I'm impressed by that too!

 

[wildernessDad]

Gee, I guess I'm not making enough vacation reservations, because I have not received the letter. I guess I'll have to make more reservations.

 

[n2mm]

About what % off is a CM discount for DVC points?

When we bought in 2005 we got 15% off our SSR points. My DH was not a WDW CM, but a CM for the Disney Catalog. We bought in 1 month before his division closed. While current CMs can't talk about discounts, former ones surely can! Originally we were told we would get 25% off, but mid-way through the process we were called and said it was a mistake and that only WDW CMs got the higher discount. Even with the lower price of SSR in 2005 and the incentives and discount I still paid more than what it's selling on resale. I think we paid around $72 per point then.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Gee, I guess I'm not making enough vacation reservations, because I have not received the letter. I guess I'll have to make more reservations.

Yes, at least you've identified the problem, and found a way to fix it. More Disney-more often!

 

[twinklebug]

When we bought in 2005 we got 15% off our SSR points. My DH was not a WDW CM, but a CM for the Disney Catalog. We bought in 1 month before his division closed. While current CMs can't talk about discounts, former ones surely can! Originally we were told we would get 25% off, but mid-way through the process we were called and said it was a mistake and that only WDW CMs got the higher discount. Even with the lower price of SSR in 2005 and the incentives and discount I still paid more than what it's selling on resale. I think we paid around $72 per point then.

I bought in the year after my son was a CP CM - the timing was off, but the goal was achieved anyway. I did ask if CP'rs and family were able to get the discount and she said yes, but they don't get the same discount as Regular CMs.