DVC Cancels Member Golf Tourney

[Donna]

Noticed in the new Vacation Magic - the DVC member golf tourney held at WDW has been cancelled do to "capacity issues and guest satisfaction issues". I think a letter to MS is in order. Who handles capacity better than Disney? Don't they have 99 holes of golf they can work with for all those members who want to play in it? They're certainly not satisfying THIS guest by cancelling it all together. donna

Donna
DVC, CM

[This message was edited by Donna on 03-18-01 at 09:26 PM.]

 

[ceejay13]

We agree. My DH was wanting to try and play this year. Did you just receive your Vacation Magic? We haven't seen ours yet.

 

[Dumbo]

I know how you feel. They never let me on the golf course. Then again, I'm an elephant!

Dumbo

 

[jctwizzer]

Let's see. There's about 65,000 DVC members. They may get 140 in the golf tournament. From their perspective, its not much bang for the buck.
So far, two people have commented. I'd say they made the right decision considering the circumstances.

 

[Donna]

Actually, last year they had MORE than they could handle for the tournament. They had places for 250 people and over 300 showed up hoping to make the waiting list. Disney tried to accommodate everyone but they were just overhwhelmed. Obviously, not all 65,000 members golf! That's not the point; it's been held for 7-8 years now and it's becoming increasingly popular. Last year my husband played and absolutely loved it. They had so many nice "goodies" (that we paid for,lol) they gave out, the nicest being a DVC member golf shoe bag. I can't see why, now that they know this is grown so large, adjust accordingly. They made a decent buck out of it, charging $160 a person plus $40 for the member tourney golf shirt.
As for the magic, it's online now on the member only site. donna

Donna
DVC, CM

 

[Donna]

by the way, JCTwizwhatever, two people commented in one hour, just what IS your point? I was merely stating something i thought people would want to know. I know a few people on this site that were there last year. lighten up.

Donna
DVC, CM

 

[PamOKW]

I was sorry to see this cancelled, too. But, I think you answered your own question Donna. The problem is it was too popular. It sounds like their choice was to host a major event for a thousand golfers or a small event that disappoints 500+ members. As DVC gets bigger, we sacrifice some of the events they could do for a smaller group. The reason stated in the VM is "issues related to capacity and Guest satsifaction." I bet they got negative feedback from those who showed and couldn't play.

 

[jctwizzer]

Donna...actually, I thought your comment about the situation calling for a letter to MS was an over-reaction; and I tried to explain why I felt that way with the numbers that existed at the time. At this point, I don't see any reason to change my mind. And I am a regular, avid golfer; I just don't see golf as a major part of our DVC experience.

 

[Donna]

Well, for my husband, golf is definitely a major part of HIS DVC experience. He golfs extensively at HH and WDW every trip. In fact, it is what sold him on DVC (i already knew we were buying, lol). When i said "a letter to MS is in order", i meant *I* was sending a letter to MS expressing disappointment in this decision. At no time did i ask anyone else to write; that was not the reason for my post at all.
Pam, you are right, it did get too popular. My husband did very well last year and was looking forward to doing even better this year. It's just a shame they didn't offer other options; perhaps a lottery system to the golfers interested or assigning certain numbers of golfers to certain courses. Alot of people planned their trips (for us it was our "couple-only" trip) around this. The Food and Wine Festival is going on then also, so we will probably still take a trip during that time.
donna

Donna
DVC, CM

 

[Donna]

just a note to my above statement - when i mentioned golf was what sold my husband on DVC, i meant - the LBV course being built around OKW (golf views from room). The view from bldg. 16 of the green is incredible.At that time, 1996, it was the bldg. they used for the tours. donna

Donna
DVC, CM

 

[PamOKW]

Donna you should let DVC know you'll miss the tourney. Maybe they can come up with something for the future and it will also help keep the HHI tournament.

Your husband isn't the only one who loves his golf. At a member meeting when they were telling about the plans for HHI & Vero a man (Texan) said quite loudly, If it doesn't have golf, I'm not interested.

The beauty of OKW on the golf course is what sold me too. It wasn't just a hotel it was a second home on a FL golf course in WDW!!!

 

[Donna]

Pam,
LOL, having Hilton Head as a dvc resort only sealed the deal! We bought there also once we stayed there on our first dvc trip (had points to use or lose).
As a matter of fact, i DID email MS and expressed our disappointment. I guess i just find it strange that something would be cancelled because it was TOO popular; not like Disney to turn away paying guests! They said in exchange, they are offering the DVC Golf membership (even though it's been available for awhile), which lets you golf for an $85 member fee and then you pay another fee each time you golf depending on what time of year. This is of no use to me, since he can golf anytime of year we go for $25 on my CM rate. It was the competition that he enjoyed out of this tourney. He DID mention possibly trying the hilton head one but i loved roaming the parks while he golfed, lol. donna

Donna
DVC, CM

 

[robinb]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>And I am a regular, avid golfer; I just don't see golf as a major part of our DVC experience.[/quote]

You must not own at OKW, then . I do not golf at all, but I can't help but connecting golfing and DVC togther. The golf course makes OKW, IMO. We always ask for a golf course view so we can watch the golfers play.


-- Robin

 

[jctwizzer]

"regular and avid"--I play two times every week when its over 35 degrees at home, which is probably 40+ weeks per year. At OKW, I have played twice in 20+ trips....I play at home, and vacation for me is to do something I can't do at home. At home I can't go to the Parks and be immersed in the magic or watch kids, including two grandchildren, be entranced; can't run into Orlando and see Leu Gardens; can't go to Winter Park and ride the boats and see the Morse and other museums; can't go down to Bok Tower and enjoy the ambiance. Golf is great, but it's not everything. JMHO! <IMG WIDTH="15" HEIGHT="15" SRC="/infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif" alt="razz">

 

[Donna]

wow, peoples vacation styles really ARE different. That's why we love our DVC, you don't have to "run" anywhere. You have lots of time and years to see it all in the FL area. I don't even golf but i love sitting on the OKW porch and watching the golfers play through. I don't get very immersed in the magic by going off property; so we don't venture out too much. LBV is a beautiful course and the fact that it's right in our own "backyard" makes it even better! Maybe it's those steep rates that keep you away jc

donna

Donna
DVC, CM

 

[tomp]

I have golfed in the member tourney for many years and I am very dissapointed to hear this news! I manage a golf course in CT. and something just doesn't sound right! In years past they sent every member a registration letter and there was a deadline to pay buy the same way we run things at our club. This has the effect of weeding out the people who are very interested to interested to the maybe I would like to play mentality! People who really want to play in a event at our club pay right away!! And when it's full it's full no hard feelings, just if you wanted to play you should of payed sooner! And two years ago I wasn't sure if I would be able to squeeze away from work that week and when I was able to I called 5 weeks before the tourn. fully expecting it to be sold out and there would of been no hard feelings because I was the one who was tardy with my plans, But there was a spot open so I happily took it! As far as I'm concerned It's more than likely an internal problem with DVC! The women they had running the show last year was Marta Santos and trust me my 8 year old daughter knew more about running a tournament then she did! And please I'm not trying to slander the poor girl I'm just saying the facts !It was probably just dumped on her by some DVC exec. who probably knew less about golf than she did! And when registration for a tournament is mishandled from the start it's like a snowball going downhill! They probably handled the wait list wrong resulting in a lot of disgruntled members!And again trust me SOME people think that if their members of a club that they are owed the world and are above GOD himself! unfortunate but true! and there is one more thing that I would like to add. There was rumblings a few years ago when the tournament was moved from LBV to eagle pines that the cost that LBV was charging DVC was to high that was why they moved it to eagle pines! In DVC's own words eagle pines was cheaper! Just some food for thought I may be all wrong but I have a gut feeling that I'm on the right track!

 

[Mickey_UK]

I have played golf now for 30 years and been a DVC member since 1994. I have only recently started to play at disney(the last 3 years)now,even if I am the only golfer in our group I will still play golf at disney.I agree it was the surroundings that sold me on OKW.

 

[Donna]

I agree TOMP, i think there is more to this than meets the eye. I also agree with your remarks about the person running the tourney last year. I spoke with her on several occasions and although she was nice, i felt it was very unorganized. She told ME it was sold out really early. They tried to fit in as many as they could and that's when the problems started. They probably have no one to take the bull by the horns and run this thing they was DISNEY feels it should be run. In any event, NOW I AM ACTUALLY SUGGESTING, please do write a letter. There are a few members on other boards that are writing letters too. Probably won't do much good, but it never hurts to try. I will post when i hear back from them. thanks everyone for their posts. donna

Donna
DVC, CM

 

[infobahn]

If it takes up the resources of OKW (or DVC) to run a golf tournament that not everyone can play in, then get rid of it. I love golf, but I can't see spending money, knowing some of it has to come from dues, to entertain a fraction of the owners during a short period of time.

My wife plays tennis, does DVC have something for her? My point is that it was nice to have it when it was small an managable. Its popularity has done it in, and would require a lot more resources to keep it going than I think it should.

Robb
OKW-DVC

 

[Donna]

Robb,
This member tournament was totally funded by the PLAYING MEMBERS. It had nothing to do with anyones dues. Each person paid $160 a piece to play, if you wanted a shirt it was $40 more. The person that handled the event was from the golf dept. at wdw because when i called her, that is how they answer. Please don't insinuate this was paid for by non-golf playing dvc members; it was paid for BY THE GOLFERS. Maybe you should write to dvc too and see if they'll start something for your tennis-playing wife

Donna
DVC, CM