Disney Vacation Club adjusts 2010 Vacation Points charts

[AnnaS]

When you click on points chart

Thank you. I thought it would be on their first page with DVC News.

 

[ladycop67]

They removed the 2010 point chart. Here is what they have listed on website:
On January 21 a version of the 2010 Vacation Point Charts was incorrectly posted. An updated version will be made available within the next week. Members with valid email addresses on record will receive an email when the new charts are available. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.

 

[Inkmahm]

hmmm ...when i asked why the weekends were so much higher when i originally bought in, i was told it was to protect the interests the non-locals...otherwise, the weekends would be impossible to book as many Floridians (and others able to make short trips) would buy in specifically to book numerous long weekends as opposed to a weekly stay

guess we'll find out if those who feel confident in their ability to book a standard week (assuming they rn't booking @ 11 months, 10 days out, etc) start posting they've been shut out with any regularity

That's exactly the reason I was given, too. The locals would come for multiple weekends during the year and then those of us who travel would have a hard time booking weekends, but could get weekdays fine. Full weeks would be hard to book.

 

[Inkmahm]

actually for my family we lose a day at disney and they lose my money for tickets and DDP ....understand your point but just disagree

And for my family, we gain about a day each year that we will spend extra at Disney spending more money. It will even out in Disney's eyes as they don't care if they get my $ or your $, just so they get the $ from SOMEone.

 

[Inkmahm]

We bought at BWV in 1998- so 11 years ago. We bought just enough points for a week in July- the only time we get vacation time. We now will be two points short for a weeks stay.

Given the decline in quality at WDW, the cost of tranportation to/from WDW, and the decline in BWVs, we decided to rent our points this year and take a break. Once those obligations are fulfilled, I regret to say we will cut our losses and be done with it.

Our dues have increased significantly- by about 75% over 11 years, and we get less and less. We will now always be 2 points shy for a weeks stay each year. Where am I going to "buy" two points? Our work situation has been stablWe will always be 2 points short. We do NOT want the required 25 or 50 points....we bought what we needed 11 years ago. When we bought, we were promised that the week total would never change for a season- just the individual days. We were also given the line that the weekends were so high to protect us from sell-outs by locals. Yes, I know that they can legally make changes- but they also risk losing customers- and we will be included in that loss tally.

At some point, it just doesn't make sense....and so we will be cutting our loss. At least we got some cheaper vacations for a few years, and we can probably get more than our original $63/point that we originally paid.

Yes, Disney is making a business decision, but it is also our business decision to go elsewhere. It seems risky in a down economy to be driving OLD established customers away and bet on attracting new ones. There is a saying that a bird in the hand......oh well, I guess the real world even penetrates WDW.

Borrow the 2 points the first year, 4 points the second year, 6 points the third year, etc. Until you have a year where you can transfer in a larger number of points in one shot. In the meantime, you can keep taking the same one week you have been taking just by being a little creative.

 

[dizzneebabe]

So you (DVC'ers) are caught between a rock and a hard place. DO you buy more to add on or do you sell for a loss? Or do you keep them and just go for fewer days?

We now own 404 pts. That's around 40K!!!! --how much more do I have to buy to allow us to vacation once a year in ADVENTURE and every other year in Magic (1 bdrm units mind you). The reality is, we're one point short on one vacation and one point over on another, but at different resorts. So now what should have been a no brainer for us has turned into a big PITA!!!

 

[dizzneebabe]

This is good for us, too. We tend to do either full week stays (which are about the same) or long weekends. If we ever stay longer than a week, it includes two weekends and probably no more weekdays (like a nine-night stay... a week plus the second weekend tacked on).

I agree--we stay for at least a week at a time, too. The weekend points are way out of whack. HOWEVER...they should have been able to adjust the weekday/weekend points without touching the weekly totals, with the exception of the holiday weeks. What has happened now is many are either stuck with an extra point or two here and there or are short a point or two. Those points seem unusable now from both sides. We can't rent (either as the renter or seller), buy (resale or Disney) or transfer that little number of points, realistically anyway.

I feel sorry for anyone who has banked/borrowed planned for a 2010 trip assuming 2009 charts. Those folks have much more at stake.

 

[Maelstrom_]

They posted this on the DVC site above the points chart listing:

On January 21 a version of the 2010 Vacation Point Charts was incorrectly posted. An updated version will be made available within the next week. Members with valid email addresses on record will receive an email when the new charts are available. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.

 

[tubtruck]

Perhaps these points charts are actually only potential ways forward and not finalised, as nothing has actually been announced at present everything is speculation.
They may have a heap of other variations in points charts and use them to discuss possible scenarios of implementing each and everyone of them.

Maybe nothing will actually be changed in the end.

 

[dizzneebabe]

Notice they didn't say an incorrect points chart. Just that it was incorrectly (read:unintentionally) posted. I doubt the new chart will be much different. They wouldn't have written up the PR blurb that went with it, if it wasn't real.

I agree. I don't think it would have been there or in that format if they didn't intend that to be the correct charts. I'm guessing they are coming up with another PR statement to tell us that "we" requested this change.

 

[dizney4us]

I don't think that is true for "most of us." Certainly not me. I will save about 12 points per year on my normal vacation schedule.

Remember, the points reallocation is neutral overall. Where some people "lose" others will "win". The net effect is zero overall.

That may not be true, especially if we all try to switch our weeks to those lower points weeks, some of us won't be getting in! I REFUSE to buy more points. I am also so disgusted, that I will not use DCL, I will now give that money to Princess or Royal Caribbean- I feel I've been conned!!!

 

[Doctor P]

So, do people think they will have the final points charts ready and available before MS opens on Sunday? Wonder what they will do if they don't.

 

[Dean]

I think I echo a lot of people's sentiments when I say that the whole thing is just disappointing. Its not illegal or immoral, it just feels unfair. Most of us probably purchased DVC because ultimately we believe in the Disney magic. Things like this change that are radical shifts from what we are use to, and seem to come without warning, challenge that magical aura.

As I noted, to me the surprise is that it's took them this long to make changes. It shouldn't have been a surprise IMO. Timeshares change over the years and the protections you have are what's in the legal documents and state statutes. I simply don't get the unfair issue as I think everyone either knew or should have know this was a possibility if not a probability.

Having gone thru this once before, I must say I'm disappointed and surprised.

As you know, I've been predicting this for some time. It took much longer than I expected because I expected it somewhere around 2001 or 2002. Assuming they got it close to right, this might be the last time (or might not be) unless there are factors that change and thus change the demand such as new festivals or events. I think we're seeing a different DVC now than then. IMO, DVC was overly concerned about member reaction and held back on changes they should have made. That certainly does not seem to be the case now with the changes we've seen lately.

Some are saying the notification was inappropriate but I'd somewhat disagree. DVC cannot and should not put these things out there as a trial balloon to see how members will react. They need to make their decisions (within the legal framework), post them and move on. They will re-evaluate those decisions behind the scenes but should not let reaction or sentiment cause the to back away simply for the reason of avoiding the reaction.

 

[Tysdad747]

I agree. I don't think it would have been there or in that format if they didn't intend that to be the correct charts. I'm guessing they are coming up with another PR statement to tell us that "we" requested this change.

Just like I was told at the beginning of the year the dining plan no longer includes a tip because the guests requested that. This gives the guest full control over the tip.

BS!!!!

 

[Cindaddy]

Just like I was told at the beginning of the year the dining plan no longer includes a tip because the guests requested that. This gives the guest full control over the tip.

BS!!!!

Yeah. That was good one!

 

[Deb & Bill]

Has anyone given a thought to the poor renters? How this is going to affect them? For years and years they have been told to rent Sun through Thur night. Now what are they going to do???

Sammie, good to see you around again. I love your bus driver analogy. It is so true. I saw this coming a few years ago.

 

[bobbiwoz]

...

Some are saying the notification was inappropriate but I'd somewhat disagree. DVC cannot and should not put these things out there as a trial balloon to see how members will react. They need to make their decisions (within the legal framework), post them and move on. They will re-evaluate those decisions behind the scenes but should not let reaction or sentiment cause the to back away simply for the reason of avoiding the reaction.

I have been hoping for some weekend point relief.

However, I do think that BLT owners have a legitimate complaint. They bought into something that they won't be able to use for even a whole year and with the change of terms of buying BLT points, I think DVC is wrong on that score. Do you think even BLT points should have been affected like they were?

Bobbi

 

[marynvince]

They sucked folks in with the following:

1) Every guide sings a version of the following song, even the DVC videosays this: Based on the 160 point minimum you could get up to 2 weeks of vacations if you budget correctly.
2) Points can be adjusted but they will always balance...What does that mean? Well if you look at the history of DVC it means that the points chart will stay the same except for seasonal adjustments. Yes there have been a few isolated changes but for the most part it is implied that Xpoints will get you y accomodations in Z season Sunday through Thursday and 2X points for Fri and 3x for Sat. See the following from dvcnews:

DVC points can be redeemed for any of the Disney Vacation Club resorts as well as a variety of other Disney and non-Disney destination. The resorts which are home to actual DVC villas are collectively known as the Disney Vacation Club Collection. The most economical use of DVC points will always be found within this grouping. Also note that there is very little flexibility for these point values to ever change. An Old Key West Studio that costs 8 points per night today is likely to still cost 8 points per night in another 20 years. The only way that DVC could ever raise points for a given night at one of the Disney Vacation Club Collection resorts is by lowering the points for another night in the year.

3) Do we really think after all these years of DVC that a major rebalance is in order? They've had it that wrong for so long? Or is it more likely that Disney is taking advantage of travel habits and is trying to maximize their profit by minimizing the number of nights DVCers can get accomodations?

4) If Disney is truely rebalancing, what prevents them from rebalancing last minute every year? So much for planning and banking. What if their rebalancing causes a big up swing in weekend bookings, especially by local DVCers, then they will be "forced, as some have implied it is their fiduciary duty" forced to increase weekend points. Great, we'll be back where we were, except....
5) DVCers may add on to maintain there current preferred vacation style. Very clever.

6) For all of you that don't see a problem with what is going on here, I ask you this...What prevents Disney from changing the points structure so that every other night is "expensive"? They know that DVCers are going to stay more then one night so they make, pick any days, Friday, Sunday and Tuesday "premium" days. Nothing says they need to maintain the Sunday through Thursday and Fri/Sat. Maybe everyday will get it's own value to really balance demand.

I think we were all sold a bill of goods that implied that for any given vacation, until our contracts expired, the only increase in cost would be the MFs. I'm disappointed in the way Disney has handled this. I was seriously considering a substaintial add-on at HHI and now there is no way. I am also going to stop promoting to everyone I can, what a great deal Disney Vacation Club is.

As it turns out, The "Best Kept Secret" was how Disney planned to screw DVCers with a major point reallocation.

 

[Dean]

Do you think even BLT points should have been affected like they were?

Bobbi

I do because they obviously changed the formula for weekends vs weekdays. They would be best served to implement those changes across the board. Likely better to do so now than leave BLT the same then change it in a year or two. As I noted, anyone either knew or should have know it could happen, and frankly, that it would likely happen at some point. Now is as good a time as any. IMO, anyone who purposefully bought only the number of points for only part of a week or even a full week in a lower season, made a poor choice. I realize that sometimes you find the right contract resale (or add on) where you don't have total control over the number of points. The bottom line is to expect other changes and that at least part of those changes will be negative to you and I.

 

[dclfun]

A couple of things really bother me- being told initially by my guide to look at the points charts, figure when we wanted to travel and how many days, what type unit, etc. to decide how many points we'd want to purchase. How many members did that initially and now don't have enough? I was told that the points allocations could change however the total points needed for a weeks stay would be the same depending on the season. From what I'm hearing the total points for a week have changed. I don't mind the weekends being less points and the weekday points being more. I think there have been lots of members booking only Fri/Sat with cash to save their points and thus the same issue they were originally trying to prevent ( locals using up the weekend days for weekend-only stays) has occured in the other resorts- one of the reasons the weekend rates went up for cash bookings. I can see DVC wanting to balance things out for members who can't bear to pay twice as much for Fri/Sat. I know for me, it will be much less tempting to pay cash for Fri/Sat. The other recent changes bother me more-being charged the resort fee to stay in a non-DVC WDW resort ( and those points becoming more and more costly), policy change that allows people to walk reservations and shut others out, not being able to wtl individual days w/in a reservation, and as others have mentioned, being told that we, the members, requested the changes. I find it hard to believe that people requested things that would cause them to pay more for "choice", and make it harder for them to get a ressie or clear a waitlist. Same thing with the dining plan that the pp mentioned. I don't know anyone who requested to have prepaid grats removed from the dining plan. I, for one, would have been glad to pay more for the ddp if it included grats. Now we don't choose it at all knowing what we originally had that's been taken away. Looking to the future, since we're now only able to waitlst two bookings a year, I imagine we'll soon not be able to rent or transfer points either, or on a very limited basis. I'm sure management would rather our points expire and thus be converted to $$ for cash ressies than for someone else to be able to purchase them at the bargain prices most members are selling them for. I've still gotten great value from my membership and I know I still will but I won't be adding more points, something I'd originally planned to do so that my children would have more points to divide once I'm gone. We'll enjoy today as who knows what tomorrow might bring.---Kathy