Disney's Long Term DVC Strategy

[Girlstar30]

Club level would also be a great idea for a staycation (or “stayfari” as I’ve coined it in my head).

I’ve never been club level at the Disney resorts because it’s hard to justify the expense when we usually aren’t awake and around the resort for more than an hour or two a day…but eventually I hope to transition to slower paced visits…especially once the kids are off to college and we’re not dealing with limited travel periods at peak cost or peak heat.

Love stayfari, that's so cute, im going to call it that too! I think its neat to try when our points are valid

 

[DonkeyHoTay]

Club level would also be a great idea for a staycation (or “stayfari” as I’ve coined it in my head).

I’ve never been club level at the Disney resorts because it’s hard to justify the expense when we usually aren’t awake and around the resort for more than an hour or two a day…but eventually I hope to transition to slower paced visits…especially once the kids are off to college and we’re not dealing with limited travel periods at peak cost or peak heat.

Club level is amazing. Just stayed at Contemporary in a Tower suite and we were only in the parks a few hours at a time - rest of the time was in the suite, sampling the delicious lounge offerings and watching the Disney World turn from the balcony.

 

[Girlstar30]

Club level is amazing. Just stayed at Contemporary in a Tower suite and we were only in the parks a few hours at a time - rest of the time was in the suite, sampling the delicious lounge offerings and watching the Disney World turn from the balcony.

Does the balcony turn? That's so cool didnt know that BLT has a club level, do they all have that?

 

[DonkeyHoTay]

Does the balcony turn? That's so cool didnt know that BLT has a club level, do they all have that?

No ... I was trying to make a joke (double entendre?) about Disney World and the soap opera As the World Turns, because I only know Dad jokes and have impulse control problems.

I think most of the deluxe resorts have club levels - I've been to Poly, Yacht Club, Grand Floridan and now Contemporary. They're all a little different and awesome at the same time.

 

[PolyRob]

Does the balcony turn? That's so cool didnt know that BLT has a club level, do they all have that?

There is no other DVC club level besides AKL Jambo House.

The cash Contemporary resort has two club levels, atrium and tower. @DonkeyHoTay stayed in a tower suite.

 

[Girlstar30]

No ... I was trying to make a joke (double entendre?) about Disney World and the soap opera As the World Turns, because I only know Dad jokes and have impulse control problems.

I think most of the deluxe resorts have club levels - I've been to Poly, Yacht Club, Grand Floridan and now Contemporary. They're all a little different and awesome at the same time.

I totally believed you seems like it would be fitting at blt

 

[samsp99]

It's a situation that doesn't have an easy answer, I'm afraid. Current DVC leadership seems to operate under the general premise of "DVC Resale is the devil." There's definitely a push to reclaim market share; they believe they have lost a lot to the resale market when, in fact, it appears to me that the issue lies with their undertrained cast members and guides who can't sell the product without truly "selling." I feel like the average experience of most guides these days is less than five years, which doesn't provide them with a wealth of knowledge about the product. However, the problem is that as they target the resale market, they negatively impact the overall value of the product. The current direction could eventually render it comparable to other timeshares—this means that DVC loses its key market differentiation: its ability to maintain market value and break away from the stigma and mold of traditional timeshares.

I am a resale owner. I have asked questions at the DVC sales desk at resorts a couple of times and had mixed results - from terrible to ok. Are the people staffing these desks guides? If so then they need more training on how to use openings as the opportunity to start a conversation, and then lead to talking about what they have to offer in terms of new contracts.

 

[Sandisw]

I am a resale owner. I have asked questions at the DVC sales desk at resorts a couple of times and had mixed results - from terrible to ok. Are the people staffing these desks guides? If so then they need more training on how to use openings as the opportunity to start a conversation, and then lead to talking about what they have to offer in terms of new contracts.

No, the ones at the desk are not guides. Can’t remember their title but they are simply there to get people into a meeting with a guide.

They don’t actually deal with sales…just basic info about how great DVC is!!!

 

[DL1WDW2]

They might be labeled Associates .

 

[CVG]

They probably hate being approached by DVC members. I did ask them a question once about how I (as a second class member) should respond when asked in the shops if I was a DVC member. They didn't have a clue what I was talking about and no suggestions on how to proceed.

Someone suggested that most guides have less than 5 years experience and that would affect the quality of their service. C'mon, the product isn't rocket science. The person with average intelligence who spent all day on the product would need 6 months or less to pretty much know all they need to know. Then they only need the other sales attributes required to be effective.

 

[AstroBlasters]

They probably hate being approached by DVC members. I did ask them a question once about how I (as a second class member) should respond when asked in the shops if I was a DVC member. They didn't have a clue what I was talking about and no suggestions on how to proceed.

Someone suggested that most guides have less than 5 years experience and that would affect the quality of their service. C'mon, the product isn't rocket science. The person with average intelligence who spent all day on the product would need 6 months or less to pretty much know all they need to know. Then they only need the other sales attributes required to be effective.

Very simple answer: “I am a DVC member who purchased through a 3rd party and not entitled to a discount.”

 

[CVG]

Very simple answer: “I am a DVC member who purchased through a 3rd party and not entitled to a discount.”

When you answer a question about whether you are a homeowner, you would not list every single attribute that may or may not affect the rest of the conversation.

Perhaps you were being asked "Are you a DVC member" because they were then going to ask you to complete a survey. The full reply suggested would not be appropriate.

It's not for the member to anticipate either the nature of the conversation or whether or not the rules are the same as they were yesterday.

 

[AstroBlasters]

When you answer a question about whether you are a homeowner, you would not list every single attribute that may or may not affect the rest of the conversation.

Perhaps you were being asked "Are you a DVC member" because they were then going to ask you to complete a survey. The full reply suggested would not be appropriate.

It's not for the member to anticipate either the nature of the conversation or whether or not the rules are the same as they were yesterday.

I’m sorry, but that just feels like trying to muddy the water so that someone can justify unethical behavior.

We know darn well that the reason we are being asked is because the cast members want to know if we qualify for a discount or some other DVC-Y perk.

IMO, it is unethical to represent that one qualifies for a discount, including by omission, when they know that they do not.

I’m not talking about Disney not coding their apps or website correctly….thats on Disney. I’m talking about a live cast member asking a guest/member a question and that guest/member responding with a less than truthful answer with the intent of receiving a benefit they know they are not entitled to.

If someone wants the discount and other direct perks then buy at least the minimum number of direct points to qualify. If they don’t think it’s worth it, then don’t. But, don’t buy just resale and then try to knowingly pass yourself off as being eligible for those discounts and perks.

 

[CVG]

I’m sorry, but that just feels like trying to muddy the water so that someone can justify unethical behavior.

We know darn well that the reason we are being asked is because the cast members want to know if we qualify for a discount or some other DVC-Y perk.

IMO, it is unethical to represent that one qualifies for a discount, including by omission, when they know that they do not.

I’m not talking about Disney not coding their apps or website correctly….thats on Disney. I’m talking about a live cast member asking a guest/member a question and that guest/member responding with a less than truthful answer with the intent of receiving a benefit they know they are not entitled to.

I understand where you are coming from but it is not lying to answer a question truthfully. And I repeat that rules can change any day and it's not for the member to know that immediately. The solution is really simple and it sounds like they are introducing it by asking the correct question "Are you entitled to any discounts" to which I always reply truthfully!

 

[AstroBlasters]

I understand where you are coming from but it is not lying to answer a question truthfully. And I repeat that rules can change any day and it's not for the member to know that immediately. The solution is really simple and it sounds like they are introducing it by asking the correct question "Are you entitled to any discounts" to which I always reply truthfully!

I teach my kids that knowingly omitting information that they know is material is the same as lying. Intent matters.

So, if someone is sophisticated enough to have done the research to have purchased resale then they should know enough to answer that they are a DVC member “who purchased their points through a 3rd party”
or “who did not purchase the points directly through Disney”. What the cast member does after that is up to them and on Disney.

 

[Sandisw]

When you answer a question about whether you are a homeowner, you would not list every single attribute that may or may not affect the rest of the conversation.

Perhaps you were being asked "Are you a DVC member" because they were then going to ask you to complete a survey. The full reply suggested would not be appropriate.

It's not for the member to anticipate either the nature of the conversation or whether or not the rules are the same as they were yesterday.

If you are buying something at the store or eating in a restaurant, it would not be hard to assume they are asking due to eligibility for discounts.

If you are talking to a CM at the kiosk or with a CM at the front desk, then it would not be hard to assume they aren’t asking due to eligibility for discounts.

Obviously, only you can decide how to evaluate and answer.

I am finding more and more CMs ask if I have any discounts and not if I am DVc, AP, etc.

Personally, if I know I am not entitled to discount, I would say so…if I was in the process of buying.

Then, it’s up to the CM.

 

[E2ME2]

If you own DVC points and pay annual dues, you are a DVC Member.
If the question was “Are you a DVC Member; the answer is YES.
Differentiating the status of your membership to determine if you bought direct vs. resale and/or have the MMB add-ons, requires a different question that would produce a different answer.

 

[CarolynFH]

We just head ‘em off at the pass and say “We have DVC, Disney Visa, and [whatever other potential discount eligibility we have at the time]. Any discounts with those? Any better than the other?”

 

[tx911]

If you own DVC points and pay annual dues, you are a DVC Member.
If the question was “Are you a DVC Member; the answer is YES.
Differentiating the status of your membership to determine if you bought direct vs. resale and/or have the MMB add-ons, requires a different question that would produce a different answer.

Yeah, they need to just start asking "are you eligible for DVC discounts?"

 

[DVCsloth]

Yeah, they need to just start asking "are you eligible for DVC discounts?"

I mostly need to tell them that I'm DVC and Passholder, usually similar discount. I think they have been getting better about asking though.