Disney Vacation Club adjusts 2010 Vacation Points charts

[chalee94]

Just a random thought here, but does anyone actually know how low the actual weekend usage was/is? Was it really bad enough to warrant all the sturm und drang and bad PR this thing is generating, especially with the current economic conditions and the other recent DVC changes?

DisFlan

see, the thing is: the higher the percentage of DVC members who were staying on sun-thurs, the higher the sturm (with proportionately higher drang as well). so the more members who are aggravated by the change, the more necessary the change probably is...

 

[Inkmahm]

Similarly, it's not greedy for DVC to attempt to equally represent the interests of ALL of its owners. Under the old system, some people were getting a large number of days for a disproportionately small number of points, some people were getting a small number of days for a disproportionately large number of points, and some people were getting shut-out entirely. It would be irresponsible for DVC not to attempt to re-balance the system. If Disney makes more money from these changes, it will be a natural result of the system working as it should, not greed.

Excellent summary.

 

[CommandoDawg]

When we bought BCV in 2002, we decided 210 pts were perfect for us. We thought our trips would likely be during magic season and that 6 nights would give us enough time at WDW (6 nights during magic season = 210 pts). NOW 6 nights during magic season is 220 pts! What happened to the Disney promise that vacation charts WILL NEVER CHANGE?! We have friends who bought the exact same time we did and they also bought 210 pts for the same reason. Although both families have older kids with many activities and our WDW trips can be at any time of the year and are often just long weekends, I am still disappointed in Disney. What is the next "promise" they will break re our DVC membership?

I read on Disboards before I bought that the total points allocated to the entire resort stayed the same but the points could be reallocated. If the points could never change, there would have simply been a point chart. There would not have been a "2008" point chart and a "2009" point chart and so on. For the people who wanted to stay in the same size room the same week every year, the system that was used by the other Timeshares worked better. Being able to change point values depending on demand was always an integral part of the Point system. When my family went to WDW in the mid 1980s, the crowds were not bad. But going to WDW became more popular through the years until it is now one of the busiest weeks. Other events like F & W get more popular every year. With so many members, DVC needs the ability to adjust point values both as a RESULT of high demand (which changes through the years) and to ENCOURAGE usage for slower times and days. The pre 2010 calendars encouraged the use of weekdays. Probably too much. I can buy a large BLT addon if someone will pay me $1 for each entry on Disboards about a DVC member having a split stay to avoid the high point charge for weekends.

 

[roelongo]

Why wasn't this change brought up at hte member meeting in December? Isn't that what those meetings are for?

 

[mickeymom629]

I am so unhappy, as we are one of the many families who can only afford the Sunday through Thursday stays unless we skip years. We have 4 children, and we bought at 150 HH points and later added 50 VB. With my 150 points, we could stay every summer in a 2 bedroom at OKW. With our entire 200 points, we could stay 5 nights in a 2 bedroom at BWV during spring break. With banking and borrowing, we were able to go a little more often as long as we didn't stay on the weekends.

I wrote member services just to express my unhappiness, though I know it won't change things.

I am now a little relieved that we got APs last year, managed 4 trips (not all DVC) and used up our points until 2010. I have 2 sons about to graduate college and a DD about to graduate HS, so I guess our vacation villa size needs could reduce to a 1 bedroom. (Not experienced with 1 bedrooms to know how difficult booking them is ).

I guess I should be happy that they didn't change things until now, but it is still very disappointing.

 

[glennbo123]

Thank you for getting it, I'd rather help you than make you feel warm and fussy.

I think this is a Freudian typo -- many of us are feeling a little fussy lately.

 

[Ksp]

I guess it's time to plug in some numbers for our family and find out if this will be a positive or negative for us in terms of amount of points needed for our vacation.
It does seem to me, based on our official documents as well as what our guide initially told us, that Disney has the right to shift the point allowances around as long as they stay within the total amount allowed for that resort. Whether I will enjoy this change or not remains to be seen.

 

[DisFlan]

see, the thing is: the higher the percentage of DVC members who were staying on sun-thurs, the higher the sturm (with proportionately higher drang as well). so the more members who are aggravated by the change, the more necessary the change probably is...

I don't completely buy this. If DVC really wanted to encourage more weekend stays, those points would have come down more. If folks want to dodge the high weekend points, they still can (and will) do it.

DisFlan

 

[Brian Noble]

YES THEY DID DURING THE SALES PRESENTATION!!!!!!!!

Sadly, one of the documents you signed said, in effect, that nothing anyone said was binding, and only the contract mattered. This is an important thing to keep in mind. If a Guide ever says something works a certain way, and that is important to you, ask the Guide to show it to you in writing. For example, a lot of people bought after being told by a Guide, "Sure, it's okay to put five in any 1BR. We do it all the time, just bring an air mattress."

If DVC ever decides to actually adhere to the published limits, a lof of people are going to be scrambling for those AKV and BLT 1BRs and they are going to be very upset. But it will be their own doing.

 

[tom in ct.]

Those meetings are just window dressing to make you feel as though your part of the master plan! kinda like checking your bag before you go in the parks! It makes you feel more safe but your not!! If Disney really wanted to save money they would get rid of all those "SECURITY" gaurds checking those pocketbooks!!

 

[glennbo123]

In the current 2008 point chart a standard view 1 br for the whole month of January staying sunday for 3 nights would cost 16 points per night = 48 points. In 2010 the same unit is 19 points per night so 54 points. Only the preferred view for 3 nights would have cost you 66 points. And in 2010 that would be 72 points, or 24 points per night. I think you are comparing the preferred view in 08 to the standard view in 10 (which is 19 per night, but was only 16 per night in 08)

Perhaps MS charged you for a preferred view in 08 when you thought you booked a standard view??

I think you're exactly right. When I saw the original post I thought there's no way a Sunday to Wednesday stay went down!!

The 66 points in 2008 divided by 3 nights' stay equals 22 points per night, which is a Boardwalk/Preferred view. The 57 points in 2010 works out to 19 points per night, which is a Standard view.

 

[tom in ct.]

Lets clear all the smoke here and # crunching!!! It's simple

If your stay is usually 7 days that includes Fri. and Sat. things bacically stay the same no winner or loser!

If you are a local or even an out of state weekender that stays 3 to 4 nights that include Fri. and Sat. your a BIG winner!!

IF what seems alot of people are here a Sun. through Thurs. vacationer your a BIG LOOSER!!

So who does it effect the most? Families trying to save and spend extra quality time with their kids at disney! THANK DVC

And that's that

 

[ashbradnmom]

YES THEY DID DURING THE SALES PRESENTATION!!!!!!!! I guess you are just not listening. They represented Disney and everyone planned on how many points to buy using their point charts.

I love Disney too but STOP being such a ! What they did was wrong and affects far to many people in the wrong way! Like the other person said, "Just because it's legal doesn't make it right....!"

Yes your guide may have promised you that. But would you believe a car saleman who told you your car would never change and be the same the entire time you owned it.

Just a little comparison. Plus i never trust a salesman. JMO

 

[KLR-wlv]

Could this be - since I don't buy the balancing out occupancy reasoning- increasing the weeknights to make the extremely high points at VGC and probably Hawaii seem more in line with the rest of the system? So there isn't one resort with obvious "point bargains" (like VB beach cottages sadly once were).

 

[jamstew]

I disagree. We all got the same paperwork to read when we purchased DVC. We were/are all in the same situation but that situation will not affect us all the same. Not my issue if some people wanted to believe what they were told by guides vs what their own eyes could read if they took the time to read what they were signing.

Unintended I hope, but it just comes across as sounding really condescending.

 

[DisDaydreamer]

OT, but I'm wondering what the 3 day record (for a DVC board thread) is for posts and views. We're almost at 1000 posts and 33,000 views. That's amazing.

That's almost 14 posts per hour every hour for three days.
AND
That's almost 8 views per MINUTE for three days.

 

[skunk]

Sorry if a repost. Looking at 2009 BWV chart for all seasons and room categories, in general:

2 weekend days = 4 weekdays, with one exception:

GV = 2 weekend days pretty much = 2 weekdays

For 2010, all seasons and room categories, 2 weekend days = 3 weekdays

So all of the room categories had to take a 1 weekday hit, to make GV equal to the rest? Too simplistic?

 

[pakhowe]

Disney did not promise that the number of points per night would never change. Go back and read the contract you signed, its specifically stated in there that they can reallocate the number of points per night but that only the total number of points per year can not change.

I disagree. We all got the same paperwork to read when we purchased DVC. We were/are all in the same situation but that situation will not affect us all the same. Not my issue if some people wanted to believe what they were told by guides vs what their own eyes could read if they took the time to read what they were signing.

Call it whatever you want, but Disney played by the rules.

Disney may have played by your rules, but they did not play by mine. If you pay attention to the what people are writing you will see a common thread where guides provided a rational explanation to the reallocation clause having to do with where certain holidays fall in the calender year. This is a misrepresentation and is wrong. To simply say they are sales people and you should expect them to lie is overly simplistic. This is the kind of rational that has caused such behavior to become almost acceptable in our society. Obviously quite acceptable to some of the posters here.

I agree Disney acted within the letter of the contract, but allowed their sales practices to be less than above board. It is easy to be smug when you are benefitting from these changes, but it does not change the fact that Disney has fallen way short in the manner in which this reallocation has played out.

 

[DVCSAMNH]

Nice post.

Here's my interpretation. The longest required stay DVC could impose would be 5 days, that is clearly spelled out in the POS. They could also likely make it 7 days by a vote of the members themselves. What isn't addressed at all is any further requirements or restrictions. Could they for example say which 5 days such as saying your stay must include at least 1 weekend points night or even 2. IMO they could and I definitely want to participate in that thread if it were to even happen. I'm sure you'll get a lot of dissenting views on this subject but I think people will be a little less likely to say it won't happen simply because DVC is warm and fuzzy as has been many people's stance in the past.

Thanks, Dean. It would be interesting to see if DVC would ever give up the amount of control necessary to allow the members to decide on the 7 day minimum. It doesn't seem to fit their pattern.

 

[Mattsmommy]

If your stay is usually 7 days that includes Fri. and Sat. things bacically stay the same no winner or loser!

Not true

HHI Premier Season 1 week 2009
1 bd room-259
2 bd room-330


HHI Premier Season 1 week 2010
1 bd room- 261
2 bd room- 336

I know the difference is only a few points but some people bought just enough to cover a one weeks stay