Disney dropping Vero Beach price

[SL6827]

When Disney dropped the price on Vero Beach to $100 a point direct, was this the first time that they ever dropped the price on a property, or has it been done before? And why exactly do you think that they did that? Low sales? High dues?

 

[LittleFishy101]

IMO, it was probably from low sales

 

[CarolMN]

AFAIK, DVC has never dropped the list price for any resort (until now). However, at times, they have offered incentives which could be considered a reduction in price.

 

[Ben E N]

I'm sure it's all supply and demand based. They were finding that they were not able to turn over the inventory that they had at the price they were asking, so they had to lower it. That seems to be unheard of on property, but there are lots of beachfront timeshares that Vero Beach is competing with. The high MFs make it stick out compared to other properties within DVC.

 

[SL6827]

I bet it killed Disney to have to drop their price. But ya, those MFs do stand out.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

If I were a betting sort and cared enough, I would say that the odds on VB not getting sold in 2042 (i.e., becoming not-Disney) are stupid low.

 

[DougEMG]

Non-WDW/DL DVC resorts just can't compete with other timeshares. Personally I think all of the off site resorts have been a mistake.

 

[Ben E N]

Non-WDW/DL DVC resorts just can't compete with other timeshares. Personally I think all of the off site resorts have been a mistake.

Yes and no there. Off site properties help sell DVC as not just being Disney World based. Knowing I can go to Aulani if I am sick of WDW helped me seal the deal.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Yes and no there. Off site properties help sell DVC as not just being Disney World based. Knowing I can go to Aulani if I am sick of WDW helped me seal the deal.

But Disney execs aren't looking at it that way. They look at a lot of this stuff as short-term P&L.

Right now, what they can see is Aulani has been a headache since the first declaration, and at current pace they are at least 5 years from sell-out. AUL started selling in 2010, and they will be fortunate if they're done selling by 2020.

 

[Ben E N]

But Disney execs aren't looking at it that way. They look at a lot of this stuff as short-term P&L.

Right now, what they can see is Aulani has been a headache since the first declaration, and at current pace they are at least 5 years from sell-out. AUL started selling in 2010, and they will be fortunate if they're done selling by 2020.

Yeah I saw that when they were desperately trying to sell it before a show on their cruise. It was one of the only ads they had during the whole cruise. The actual idea of Aulani may not have been a terrible one, but they clearly built way too big of a resort there. There are just not that many people who are so passionate about Disney that they have to be associated with it even when staying at a resort half way around the world. With both Vero beach and Hilton Head selling out, though, they have shown that off property spots can sell, just not in huge numbers.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Yeah I saw that when they were desperately trying to sell it before a show on their cruise. It was one of the only ads they had during the whole cruise. The actual idea of Aulani may not have been a terrible one, but they clearly built way too big of a resort there. There are just not that many people who are so passionate about Disney that they have to be associated with it even when staying at a resort half way around the world. With both Vero beach and Hilton Head selling out, though, they have shown that off property spots can sell, just not in huge numbers.

I don't think it hurts that VB and HHI are East Coast, so work somewhat for people who drive (or fly, in the case of VB) to Orlando. Hawaii is obviously work for anyone not from Oahu.

 

[kristenrice]

I absolutely LOVE Hilton Head and I would go there every year if I had the points. We only have enough HHI points to go every three years and since we want to stay in a 1BR (there are only 21 at the resort), availability at 7-months for our preferred vacation time (spring break) is tight. Until we can save up enough points to add on another 75 or so, we will have to try for 7-month availability or just stick with the every-three-year plan.

 

[Ben E N]

I don't think it hurts that VB and HHI are East Coast, so work somewhat for people who drive (or fly, in the case of VB) to Orlando. Hawaii is obviously work for anyone not from Oahu.

And I doubt most people who own at HHI are from within a 1 hour drive of it. The same goes the majority of owners at WDW resorts. An extra resort in Hawaii wasn't an entirely terrible idea, but it doesn't seem like it was the best thought out one. One in the Bahamas probably would have even done better, not that I'm at all advocating they build something there, either.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

And I doubt most people who own at HHI are from within a 1 hour drive of it. The same goes the majority of owners at WDW resorts. An extra resort in Hawaii wasn't an entirely terrible idea, but it doesn't seem like it was the best thought out one. One in the Bahamas probably would have even done better, not that I'm at all advocating they build something there, either.

Yeah. I was more thinking that for those who drive down the East Coast, HHI is not that tough to get to. Plenty of people who could have WDW points who might be within a 10-hour drive to swap in every few years to HHI. Vero itself seems popular as a bookend to WDW or a cruise.

 

[Littlelulu01]

Aulani mf’s could pass up vb in the next few years. On top of the mf’s you have to pay the transit accommodation tax at Aulani, which when factored in probably make it more expensive than vb right now. The nice thing about the transient tax though is that you don’t have to pay unless you’re staying at Aulani.

Being west coast, and an Aulani owner, I’m happy they committed to such a wonderful property but only see the costs of our stays going up exponentially over vb or anywhere else.

The other issue is there’s a lot of Aulani owners wanting to trade out at 7 months. Once Aulani sells out Onsite wdw and dl at 7 months will likely be extremely difficult.

For direct Vb at $100 seems a bargain compared to Aulani direct pricing. Mf’s being almost equal you are getting more years at Aulani but also almost double the upfront cost. We recently stayed at Aulani and they have quite a timeshare sales presence on site. Lots of folks going to the presentations and I’m sure lots of direct buyers. Saw many happy customers with their new Dvc bags.

 

[Littlelulu01]

I don't think it hurts that VB and HHI are East Coast, so work somewhat for people who drive (or fly, in the case of VB) to Orlando. Hawaii is obviously work for anyone not from Oahu.

We’re West coast and it’s actually much easier and less expensive to get to Hawaii than wdw. I think there’s a ton more Dvc owners east coast though.

We typically visit Hawaii a couple times a year. It’s rare to meet east coast vacationers. Aulani is the exception because of Dvc.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

We’re West coast and it’s actually much easier and less expensive to get to Hawaii than wdw. I think there’s a ton more Dvc owners east coast though.

We typically visit Hawaii a couple times a year. It’s rare to meet east coast vacationers. Aulani is the exception because of Dvc.

I still have a hard time calling a resort that will take 10+ years to sell out successful by DVD standards, especially as they had legal problem too with it.

 

[disneynutz]

The non park resorts are an issue for Disney IMO and I don't see them building any additional. The park resorts bring millions of dollars more to Disney due to the greater opportunities for guest spending. Food, tickets, AP's, extras like MVMCP, and Disney merchandise are all absent from the non park resorts.

Bill

 

[mustinjourney]

curious to know if they would ever do a DVC in France. Those onsite hotels there are stupid expensive -- so it would have been nice to be able to book an onsite DVC stay there for a couple nights to tag on to a paris trip.

 

[disneynutz]

curious to know if they would ever do a DVC in France. Those onsite hotels there are stupid expensive -- so it would have been nice to be able to book an onsite DVC stay there for a couple nights to tag on to a paris trip.

Your are under the misconception that DVC saves you money, it doesn't, it causes you to spend more money than the average guest in the long run. There are several locations that DVD prior management has acquired to build on but they changed their minds after looking at the numbers. Current management doesn't seem to be interested in building away from the US parks and the same management team also sells Golden Oak at WDW where you can buy a home starting at a couple of million bucks.

Bill