DVC 7 Resorts In 7 Weeks - Cost of "Being Flagged"

[catsdad]

As a long time DVC owner, I have really enjoyed the DIS' recent focus on all-things DVC, including the DVC 7 Resorts in 7 Weeks podcast. For those of you that watch/listen to this series (which I encourage), the current recurring theme is that the DIS team is being "flagged" by resort staff for special treatment, with the apparent goal being a more favorable review. From what I have heard, that special treatment has ranged from staff going the extra mile (or two) to welcome the team, the team being provided with "choice" rooms, housekeeping spending extra effort to ensure a perfectly clean room, to outright food/gift "bribes". In the new-world of paid "influencers," it is refreshing that the DIS team has steadfastly refused to review a resort when they suspect special treatment. Good job!

With that said, this has started me to wonder about the stewardship of our equally-paid DVC dues. Using our dues to lavish this type of preference, including food/gift "bribes," on the DIS team appears antithetical to a sold-out membership-funded resort. While we all appreciate random Disney Magic, and I support our dues being used for those moments, this seems quite different. I am curious to know the larger DVC community's thoughts on this subject.

 

[Louis morrell]

You are right, Pete and his crew have been very ethical in disclosing the preferentially treatment and refusing then to give a review but rather a description of their experience.
Your question makes me wonder how many bloggers out there are influenced by special treatment and free stuff. Worse than that, how many are so unethical that they seek it out.
As a DVC owner I don't want to pay one penny for it.

Kudos to Pete and his team for pointing it out up front and trying to figure out how to make it not happen.

 

[vacationer1954]

I am curious to know the larger DVC community's thoughts on this subject.

I don't know where the money for the food/gift came from.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Your question makes me wonder how many bloggers out there are influenced by special treatment and free stuff. Worse than that, how many are so unethical that they seek it out.

A lot of bloggers are out there, and most seek it out. For the record, in the industry and legally, it's not considered unethical unless they don't disclose that they received consideration.

 

[Louis morrell]

A lot of bloggers are out there, and most seek it out. For the record, in the industry and legally, it's not considered unethical unless they don't disclose that they received consideration.

Agreed, I think I said as much in my original statement. And for the record what industry considers unethical and what I consider unethical can be two different things. It doesn't make either of us wrong we just may disagree.
Maybe I am just a simple county boy though.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Agreed, I think I said as much in my original statement. And for the record what industry considers unethical and what I consider unethical can be two different things. It doesn't make either of us wrong we just may disagree.
Maybe I am just a simple county boy though.

FTC Guidelines are pretty specific around disclosure rules. So there are rules. Not everyone follows 'em, but.

 

[CMNJ]

As a long time DVC owner, I have really enjoyed the DIS' recent focus on all-things DVC, including the DVC 7 Resorts in 7 Weeks podcast. For those of you that watch/listen to this series (which I encourage), the current recurring theme is that the DIS team is being "flagged" by resort staff for special treatment, with the apparent goal being a more favorable review. From what I have heard, that special treatment has ranged from staff going the extra mile (or two) to welcome the team, the team being provided with "choice" rooms, housekeeping spending extra effort to ensure a perfectly clean room, to outright food/gift "bribes". In the new-world of paid "influencers," it is refreshing that the DIS team has steadfastly refused to review a resort when they suspect special treatment. Good job!

With that said, this has started me to wonder about the stewardship of our equally-paid DVC dues. Using our dues to lavish this type of preference, including food/gift "bribes," on the DIS team appears antithetical to a sold-out membership-funded resort. While we all appreciate random Disney Magic, and I support our dues being used for those moments, this seems quite different. I am curious to know the larger DVC community's thoughts on this subject.

I think that it may be hard to prove it isn’t just “random Disney magic” as you said. From time to time various posters will share how they were given small gifts/food by various resorts, the perfect room that they specifically requested, etc. Since they do these things with the average Joe it would be hard to show it was some type of violation in their duties to the membership by giving them to the Dis team. I do like that the Dis team was fully transparent about the situation but I don’t see that Disney blatantly did anything wrong that you could prove.

 

[catsdad]

Since they do these things with the average Joe it would be hard to show it was some type of violation in their duties to the membership by giving them to the Dis team. I

Based on the reviews that I have heard so far, and the pattern that has developed over the course of the reviews, I think we can easily say that the DIS team did not merely receive random Disney Magic. Based on the AKV review, it sounded like there were even more instances of special treatment than they discussed. Admittedly, AKV Jambo House is a unique situation, since we will never know if the "special treatment" came out of the Villas' budget (our dues) or the hotel's budget. I will be interested to hear whether this pattern plays out at DVC-only locations, and if the DVC-owner team members have any comments on the topic.

 

[Pooh12863]

What perceived "extra" cost to owners are we all imagining?

 

[catsdad]

What perceived "extra" cost to owners are we all imagining?

We don’t know all of the perks that were provided, but I can envision (1) the expense of food/gifts they received and the incidental cost to have a cast member deliver them to the rooms, (2) the cost to more thoroughly clean their rooms, either in direct housekeeping labor or the cost of a less-clean room imposed on another member because housekeeping resources were redirected to the DIS team, (3) the cost of time spent to educate cast members on the DVC team, when they could have been otherwise working for the members, and (4) the cost of management time devoted to the DIS team instead of other tasks. In the grand scheme of things, this may not amount to more than a couple of hundred dollars. But, how much it costs is a different question than whether this is how our dues should be used.

Part of me wishes that the DIS team had laid out everything they received, given a review under those circumstances, and essentially said that every member should expect this type of treatment and to contact the manager if they don’t experience the same.

 

[starry_solo]

Where is the link to the special treatment that was offered/provided? I would like to read about it

 

[catsdad]

Where is the link to the special treatment that was offered/provided? I would like to read about it

You will have to listen ...

 

[3cuteboys]

How do these resorts know that they are from the DIS? Shouldn’t the DIS team members try to go under the radar to do a review? I am curious about this, not blaming anyone.

 

[AaronEuth]

How do these resorts know that they are from the DIS? Shouldn’t the DIS team members try to go under the radar to do a review? I am curious about this, not blaming anyone.

I have to imagine they are using Pete's points (compensated from the DIS budget); so his reservations are getting flagged. At this point I would expect any of their names on the reservation would draw attention. DIS has stated they have figured out a work around for the next series, but has not disclosed the plan.

 

[skippytx]

I'm sure Disney's Marketing/PR dept is handling everything like they do for the other "influencers" and "media" personalities.

I don't really care to be honest. "good stewardship of our dues?" AKV has a budget of like 37M a year. It would be a fraction of a fraction of a cent broken down to a per owner basis even if it did come out of the DVC budget. Its in our best interest for them to have a positive experience anyway.

 

[Lumpy1106]

^ this. While it is hindering Pete's ability to provide a true review, how seriously are we taking Pete's reviews anyway? IMHO, I think what is happening is a good-natured, impromptu competition between the resorts to one-up each other. In the grand scheme, it's not really costing us anything, and it's in our best interest that "The DVC Show" to have a good relationship with all of the DVC resorts. This really doesn't reach the threshold of the entitled "social media influencers" by any means.

 

[Jennasis]

Reviews don't interest me. Everything is subjective. What I like is when they SHOW ME WHAT THE PLACE LOOKS LIKE. Show me the hotel. Show me the lobby/pool. Show me the restaurant. I don't care if they liked it or not. I just enjoy seeing the things. I'm not naive enough to think I'm getting the GM to personally greet me when I check in and a plate of fresh baked cookies waiting in my room. But I think it's super to see other people getting it, and I'm fine with it.

 

[Matty B13]

^ this. While it is hindering Pete's ability to provide a true review, how seriously are we taking Pete's reviews anyway?

If you saw the episode of Pete's review of the Grand Floridian Resort, not VGF, then you would know that Pete gives a "true" review of resorts. I think he has enough money of his own, that he doesn't need anymore from Disney (think he has bought over 1000 points in the last 6 months).

 

[Lumpy1106]

Reviews don't interest me. Everything is subjective. What I like is when they SHOW ME WHAT THE PLACE LOOKS LIKE. Show me the hotel. Show me the lobby/pool. Show me the restaurant. I don't care if they liked it or not. I just enjoy seeing the things. I'm not naive enough to think I'm getting the GM to personally greet me when I check in and a plate of fresh baked cookies waiting in my room. But I think it's super to see other people getting it, and I'm fine with it.

You know, it kindof reminds me of my Disney Wonder cruise. We shared a table with another family. When dessert came each night, the other family's son only wanted chocolate chip cookies. They weren't on the menu, but every night, without fail, and without asking, our server brought him more and more cookies. By the end of the week he had at least a dozen cookies. It doesn't cost the other passengers anything and, come on, that's funny!

 

[Dean Marino]

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