Disney Legal Has Answer For Transportation/dues Question

[PKS44]

I received a reply from Disney legal regarding my concerns about discrepancies in transport costs between the YC/BC/BCV and the BWI/BWV...You can read some about this if you are unfamiliar here .

Here is the legal department's answer--in a nutshell-- I don't want to type up the whole letter but in summary here are the key points and quotes:

1)"Your question is indeed a reasonable one."
a)Size of resort does matter
b)but types of guests determine usage

2)"The demand for bus service is greatest during the first few hours of the day and at park closings"

3)"The following factors tend to minimize the difference in keys between these hotels" (the YC/BC/BCV and the BWI and BWV)
a)higher occupancy at BWI and BWV
b)"more guest per unit at DVC member occupied units"
c)"Higher percentage of convention guests(who do not attend theme parks as often as leisure guests)at" YC/BC "(which is one of our larger convention hotels)"

4)The contracts between Disney and the Swan/Dolphin for tranport "are not appropriately comparable to DVC's mixed use resorts."

5)"No Disney hotels or DVC resorts are burdended with any transportation demands resulting from the Swan or the Dolphin"


And my response to this is --thank you- that is all I wanted. That mostly makes sense...I can accept this explanation. This has been very helpful. Number 3 c above is the most illuminating as I am sure conventioneers do not go to the parks much in the mornings...that would tend to make the larger convention resorts have as few guests or fewer than the smaller resort...I don't understand #4 and 5 exactly but do not have info enough to disagree..I do suspect the Swan and Dolphin have lots of those non- park-going and less- park-going conventioneers- and lower occupancy so I get that..I know that transport is shared with Swan and Dolphin so I don't see how they can say # 5 is true but I suspect this is semantics.

Here is the final paragraph that I think is also encouraging:

WDW Co. "has been working on a new bus operation initiative for some time that, when deployed sometime in 2007, is expected to significantly improve the efficiency of our bus transportation system."

I thought I would share this with all those interested...For those who hoped this might lead to a reduction in dues of any size--sorry--i never really thought that was the true issue--there was never any need for any "fight"-- I only wanted a satisfying answer and I think I finally got one.

Paul

 

[coasterbob]

Paul thanks for all your work and research on this matter. It is good to see you as one of us (DVCers), who cares enough to voice his concerns, and only wanted a fair explanation.

 

[Disneymooners93]

Good job!!

I wasn't following your pursuits that closely but glad you got the resolution you wanted.

 

[Laurabearz]

Thank you so much for following thru on this...

I only wanted a satisfying answer and I think I finally got one.

I agree. Again, thanks!

 

[greenban]

Thanks for your efforts, and taking the 'heat' on your prior threads!

Great Job!

-Tony

 

[Daitcher]

Paul,

Thanks for the time it took to get a meaningful response. I'm also impressed that this issue wasn't just swept under the rug by DVC.


Thanks again,

DAVE

 

[psu4glory]

paul.....thanks so much for the time and effort that you put into this research. you raised a more-than-valid concern, and in my opinion, this was the perfect way to go about it...polite persistence w/Disney until they satisfactorily answered the question.

speaking for myself and, perhaps, some other DVC'ers...i was very interested in how Disney would respond to this issue. great job!

 

[bobbiwoz]

Thank you for taking the time to do this. It helps me better understand what's going on. I was telling DH about your threads and letters, just the other day. I'm glad you're satisfied with the answers.

Bobbi

 

[JimC]

Thanks Paul.

During our just completed trip we were told that Disney is replacing its fleet with the newer no step buses that kneel and use a ramp for wheel chairs rather than a lift. They seat fewer but carry more during peak times and load/unload faster/safer because no steps. This should be complete in 2007.

Possibly this is part of the initiative they are working on.

 

[debbie in Seattle]

Thanks for your efforts.

 

[T.E. Yeary]

You are to be commended for putting your time and effort into researching this issue.

Kudos,
Tom

 

[lisareniff]

 

[shellbelle1971]

Ditto, many thanks for following through on this. I was very interested in this issue and appreciate the thorough research you did.

Michelle

 

[Jen D]

Well done, Paul. Thank you.

 

[Doctor P]

Glad you got what appears to be a thorough and thoughtful answer to your questions. I would have never thought of some of the pieces of the answer, so this was very illuminating.

 

[LIFERBABE]

As a neighbor at BWV, we want to thank you too

It didnt bother me, but I always appreciate those that pursue truth.

 

[byoung]

Thanks for your effort.

 

[Dean]

Paul, not to rain on this parade but I will, I almost posted this morning but decided to think about it today. Did the answers you posted really give you any info you didn't have knowledge of already, it didn't me. As I stated on the earlier thread, the question isn't what is the plan as much as how they are sticking to the plan. If I had had the questions you did, the only way I'd have been satisfied would be to have the numbers to go with the areas you posted above. Things like how many keys per unit, occupancy percentages, usage surveys and the like are where the true answers lie.