Disney Vacation Club adjusts 2010 Vacation Points charts

[tjkraz]

It is within DVC's power to alter the seasons. They certainly could go from 5 seasons down to 4 or 3, or even increase to 6. There are very few restrictions.

But what they cannot do is change the total annual points at a resort. They cannot simply eliminate Adventure season, move those dates to Choice Season, and call it a day.

If DVC is to increase the number of points required per night for January, September and early-December, they must decrease the nightly points somewhere else on the calendar.

Personally I don't think there's justification for eliminating Adventure Season altogether. The most needed change is to move the early-December weeks to a more expensive period. If you look at the month of September and much of January, those dates NEED the heavy discounting of Adventure Season in order to fill the resorts. Early-December doesn't need that and it shouldn't be lumped in with those other low-priced dates.

In my mind's eye, I view Dream season (the middle one) as your baseline. From there, DVC charges a premium for Magic and Premier Season dates because demand would otherwise exceed supply. And for Adventure and Choice Seasons, DVC is discounting the rooms because of low demand.

December 1-14 obviously bucks this wisdom and is the best candidate to move. You could make an argument for increasing most of October as well. On the flip side, there are dates in the spring (mid-April and May) which are overpriced and late-August is sorely overpriced.

Wouldn't surprise me a bit if DVC made these adjustments in the new few years.

 

[tjkraz]

DVC fails to take into account that some members such as myself will change their vacation plans to continue to maximize their point value.

Not at all. That's exactly what all of us who are impacted will be doing. It's just the method of coping which will change from one member to the next.

 

[Chuck S]

DVC fails to take into account that some members such as myself will change their vacation plans to continue to maximize their point value.

This year a 2 bedroom at Saratoga Springs was 175 points during President's week.
Next year, the same accommodations increase to 192 points.

Since we don't do much on Sunday (aside from swimming and shopping) we will probably stay off-site and check in around 7:00 AM Monday morning.

This way a 17 point deficit becomes a 19 point surplus


The Prophet

I think they probably considered that, because ultimately, by reserving one less weekday night, you are dropping demand for a weekday, and helping to even out demand between weekdays and weekends.

 

[Dean]

I think one thing just about everyone agrees on DVC did a lousy job of communicating the change. It seems Disney in general and DVC for sure has had this kind of problem for years now. I doubt that enough of us will just go and used the villas and not go into the parks. A large % of us not spending money in the parks is what would get WDW Co's attention.

I think their timing was poor but agree with their method up to a point. I think they could have done better but not the way most seem to think. TMI or the appearance of a choice where there is none are usually bad things in such situations.

Isn't it that the total number for a given type of room per year can't change? That was how my guide explained it-

You were told wrong. Technically each unit (usually a collection of rooms) is to stay the same but ultimately it's simply the entire resort can't change. And lockoff's are only legally restricted by the 20% change per year.

DVC fails to take into account that some members such as myself will change their vacation plans to continue to maximize their point value.

Quite the contrary, not only do they expect it, they are trying to control it to a degree and they should. I think members unreasonably assume that DIS members are the norm, they are not. I think the contrary is the case. DVC delayed the reallocation for years due to previous member reaction. This change should have happened about 91 or 92. One of the trendy management styles currently is to make quick decisions, implement them and then evaluated where you are and change again quickly if necessary. Many feel that you can over analyze situations. Many also feel that if you wait for a consensus from a group, you never get anything done. IMO, there is a lot of truth to those opinions though I also don't think one should be too hasty. Actually DVC doesn't really care much what some members do but rather what the membership as a whole do, budgets and to keep within the legal constraints of FL law and the POS. For DVD, add sales to that list.

 

[Deb & Bill]

DVC fails to take into account that some members such as myself will change their vacation plans to continue to maximize their point value.

This year a 2 bedroom at Saratoga Springs was 175 points during President's week.
Next year, the same accommodations increase to 192 points.

Since we don't do much on Sunday (aside from swimming and shopping) we will probably stay off-site and check in around 7:00 AM Monday morning.

This way a 17 point deficit becomes a 19 point surplus


The Prophet

You still bought the same number of points, still paying the same dues, still going to eventually use those 19 points.

 

[DaveH]

Maria I it stinks for you and others whose vacation needs are the same. My point is to others who think all of us vacation the same. I hope things work out for you. You could always get more VWL points. Hang in there, things may change in the future in your favor later on.

 

[OneMoreTry]

wait, is this hall and oates or 10cc? (the things we do for love.)

I think it's from "The Things We Do for Love." Isn't that Hall and Oates?

 

[Pete W.]

I think it's from "The Things We Do for Love." Isn't that Hall and Oates?

No, it is definitely 10cc. They also did the song "I'm not in Love." Funny juxtaposition -- these were their 2 big hits.

 

[MiaSRN62]

Isn't that Hall and Oates?

John Oates just recently appeared at my dd's school for a small impromptu concert. He sounds good as ever......they're Philly guys.........

I hope things work out for you. You could always get more VWL points. Hang in there, things may change in the future in your favor later on.

Thanks so much for the kind words Dave.....appreciate it....


Maria

 

[Mick West]

You are missing the fact that yes, the total number of points in the season went up, but so did the number of dates you need to spread those points across...

I'm not missing this fact. I just don't see the relevance of it. Worst case scenario: ther is only one season of use; 1 Jan - 31 Dec. Of course theres more dates, but the points per night would be extremely high. And if that were the case my "value" as everyone else's, would decline. I'm defining value as my points give me XX amount of stays now and with changes that XX amount lowers. Totally do not get your ... number of dates... reference.

 

[DaveH]

I'm not missing this fact. I just don't see the relevance of it. Worst case scenario: ther is only one season of use; 1 Jan - 31 Dec. Of course theres more dates, but the points per night would be extremely high. And if that were the case my "value" as everyone else's, would decline. I'm defining value as my points give me XX amount of stays now and with changes that XX amount lowers. Totally do not get your ... number of dates... reference.

Mick because some dates will go down, therefore folks who use those dates get more dates.

 

[tjkraz]

Worst case scenario: ther is only one season of use; 1 Jan - 31 Dec. Of course theres more dates, but the points per night would be extremely high. And if that were the case my "value" as everyone else's, would decline.

That is not entirely correct.

If there was only one season, the points per night would be some equilibrium point among all of the seasons offered now. The points per night compared to what were "Adventure" and "Choice" seasons would probably go up, while the points per night for dates in "Premier" and "Magic" seasons would go down.

YOUR value (as you have defined it) may go down, but a relatively equal number of owners who use points for the higher-priced seasons would see their value go up.

Given that the total points over the entire resort cannot change, there really aren't any circumstances in which chart adjustments would cause everyone's value to diminish. In any change some will win and some will lose.

 

[DVCGeek]

You were told wrong. Technically each unit (usually a collection of rooms) is to stay the same but ultimately it's simply the entire resort can't change. And lockoff's are only legally restricted by the 20% change per year.

Uh oh. That theoretically could blow my entire plans (detailed in post #2431) where I thought I was "safe" with my # of points into a brick wall since I usually plan to go for studios @ 11 months every time and then eventually try other resorts @ 7 months... We'll see. If I have to add more points or use cash some trips then so be it. I might end up with an add on at the next new FL resort and alternate years or something, maybe even up myself to 1 bedrooms depending on what $$$ is like for me by then. Time will tell!

 

[LisaS]

I'm not missing this fact. I just don't see the relevance of it. Worst case scenario: ther is only one season of use; 1 Jan - 31 Dec. Of course theres more dates, but the points per night would be extremely high. And if that were the case my "value" as everyone else's, would decline. I'm defining value as my points give me XX amount of stays now and with changes that XX amount lowers. Totally do not get your ... number of dates... reference.

If DVC did this, the points would not be extremely high. They would be a sort of average of all of the point costs we have now.

Simple example: Let's say DVC had only two seasons, each with an equal number of days in the year assigned to those seasons. Let's say there is only one room type and it costs 10 pts/night to stay in Season 1 and 30 pts/night in Season 2. You normally stay in Season 1 and I normally stay in Season 2 so you are accustomed to paying only 10 points per night while I pay 30 points per night.

If DVC decided to have only one season for Jan 1 - Dec 31, then based on the reallocation rules the cost per night would have to be 20 points. You would have to pay an extra 10 points per night while I would save 10 points per night. So you would see a loss in value while I would see an increase in value.

 

[doconeill]

Let's simplify it.

There are only two weeks, and one unit.

One is "value" season, and costs 4 points a night (no weekday, weekend stuff). That's a total of 28 points.

One is "premium" season, and costs twice as much, 8 points a night. That's 56 total points.

The sum total of points is 84. This number CANNOT CHANGE no matter what DVC does.

If they reallocate both weeks into a single season, there is still 84 points to distribute, but over 14 days. That means each day will cost 6 points.

So, it went up 2pts/night for one week, but went DOWN 2pts/night for the other week. It averages out because it has to be a zero net change.

DVC cannot simply take away that value week and make it a premium week where everything costs 8pts/night.

Edit: I see Lisa and I had the same idea...except someone interrupted me with work! How dare they!

 

[Mick West]

Mick because some dates will go down, therefore folks who use those dates get more dates.

Thanks! I get it! You have a way, in few words, of communicating effectively. And I'm beginning to understand this change is negative for some (me!), positive for some - and not much of a change for others! Thanks again.

 

[The Prophet]

Not at all. That's exactly what all of us who are impacted will be doing. It's just the method of coping which will change from one member to the next.

One thing I'm thinking about doing is canceling my Sunday night stay a day or two before I arrive -- which might give me a better chance of my room being ready Monday morning.
I don't care if the points go into holding, because I have a Feb use year and 11 months to use the points.

Legal ...Yes
Ethical....Probably not

 

[tjkraz]

One thing I'm thinking about doing is canceling my Sunday night stay a day or two before I arrive -- which might give me a better chance of my room being ready Monday morning.
I don't care if the points go into holding, because I have a Feb use year and 11 months to use the points.

Legal ...Yes
Ethical....Probably not

If your goal is to make DVC suffer, I don't really see that happening. The ones most likely to lose are any DVC members on the waitlist for the night you will ultimately cancel.

Just be aware that under the Holding rules you can only book 60 days from arrival. You may have 11 months to use the points but that may be impractical depending upon how flexible your dates are.

 

[palhockeymomof2]

One thing I'm thinking about doing is canceling my Sunday night stay a day or two before I arrive -- which might give me a better chance of my room being ready Monday morning.
I don't care if the points go into holding, because I have a Feb use year and 11 months to use the points.

Legal ...Yes
Ethical....Probably not

Not sure if that would work since I would not count on the room you canceled staying vacant...if someone is looking for that night. I've called daily when the waitlist ended at 7 days and have even had luck getting a room by checking the resort I wanted on arrival day...

 

[Dean]

One thing I'm thinking about doing is canceling my Sunday night stay a day or two before I arrive -- which might give me a better chance of my room being ready Monday morning.
I don't care if the points go into holding, because I have a Feb use year and 11 months to use the points.

Legal ...Yes
Ethical....Probably not

It's not unethical but likely won't help you either as it's very unlikely to get you in the room any earlier and it could easily cause you to be later.