DVC --- Good or bad for Disney park improvements/growth?

[rutgers1]

Let me start by saying that DVC is a great thing for me. I also think it is a great thing for the Disney company, since they get people like me to visit Disney World much more frequently than they otherwise would have visited.

BUT...............that last part got me thinking. If Disney keeps building this core of people they can depend on every year to visit, do you think that it will stifle creativity and expansion in the theme parks?

I am under the opinion that Disney has slowed down on expansion and improvements within the parks. If we are talking about what it would take to make them reinvest in the parks, my guess it would be FEAR that people won't come. However, with DVC, now they have yet another layer of protection against that. They got 2 extra visits from me over the past year simply due to DVC -- which is a lot of money in the Disney bank. I assume most of you have a similar situation.

Here's the question ---- Do you think that a thriving DVC is good or bad news for those of us who would like to see Disney expand and improve its theme park offerings?

 

[joandegennaro]

I think it is good for Disney and DVC members. We have stayed at CBR prior to purchasing DVC and did the commando thing. We purchased DVC with the intent to lessen our park time and increase our resort time. Disney will have to keep improving, bringing new up to date stuff to pull us in to see it. I think that while many purchase while their children are young and want to do a lot of park time, many members may have had it for so long that their park time has lessened and many like myself purchased when the kids were in their teens and also have less time planned for parks. Disney will have to entice me and DH to go to the parks....

 

[Deb & Bill]

More DVC resorts at WDW just make the parks more crowded. A lot of the long time members might spend more time in their villas and enjoying other things, but I would venture a guess that the newer members want to be in the parks.

But if they make DVC resorts away from WDW and DL, they need to have a reason for members to book there. I still think most DVC members plan to use their points at WDW resorts.

It might make a better bottom line for Disney, but too many resorts at WDW only makes it harder for guests to enjoy the parks.

 

[ssawka]

More DVC resorts at WDW just make the parks more crowded. A lot of the long time members might spend more time in their villas and enjoying other things, but I would venture a guess that the newer members want to be in the parks.

But if they make DVC resorts away from WDW and DL, they need to have a reason for members to book there. I still think most DVC members plan to use their points at WDW resorts.

It might make a better bottom line for Disney, but too many resorts at WDW only makes it harder for guests to enjoy the parks.

I don't get what you are saying. Are you saying that DVC should not expand, or are you just speculating on crowd levels? If it's the later, I really don't get the "I'm here so shut the door" attitude. Sorry, this is not directed specifically at you, but I see it all the time where I live. Living outside of Washington, DC you see home construction all the time, and every time there is new construction, you here citizens yelling that the local governments need to slow development. The problem with that is that most of the people who are yelling have also moved into new homes relatively recently.

I am under the opinion that Disney has slowed down on expansion and improvements within the parks.

I disagree. Disney is currently undergoing a huge expansion of Fantasyland in the MK, nearly doubling the size of it. Add to that all the refurbishments (PotC, HM, CBJ, etc.) and the new attractions (TSM, EE, MLF, etc.) that have been added in recent years and I would say Disney is investing quite a bit into the parks. The problem is that many of the parks are aging and Disney needs to spend more on refurbishing the existing attractions and less on building new attractions then they have in the past. I think Disney is commited to making improvements and adding attractions, certaintly not at the level that Walt wanted the to, but I don't think Disney is a company that rests on their laurels. The big difference now compared to Walt's vision is that Walt built things because he wanted to, now the company builds things because it helps the bottom line.

 

[nunzia]

Let me start by saying that DVC is a great thing for me. I also think it is a great thing for the Disney company, since they get people like me to visit Disney World much more frequently than they otherwise would have visited.

BUT...............that last part got me thinking. If Disney keeps building this core of people they can depend on every year to visit, do you think that it will stifle creativity and expansion in the theme parks?

I am under the opinion that Disney has slowed down on expansion and improvements within the parks. If we are talking about what it would take to make them reinvest in the parks, my guess it would be FEAR that people won't come. However, with DVC, now they have yet another layer of protection against that. They got 2 extra visits from me over the past year simply due to DVC -- which is a lot of money in the Disney bank. I assume most of you have a similar situation.

Here's the question ---- Do you think that a thriving DVC is good or bad news for those of us who would like to see Disney expand and improve its theme park offerings?

I think it is good up to a point. At some point this cash cow will be overbuilt and will devalue, so I hope they are careful.
I think the parks ARE being constantly worked on. Right now I am seeing such a huge amount of creativity and commitment to California Adventure, that maybe things in WDW are on the back burner. Aren't they still doing that Fantasyland expansion? I feel that DLR was kind of neglected for awhile, but Disney has realized what an amazing gem it is, much like your Grandmother's silver that has been put away in it's box for so long you forgot how beautiful it was until you bring out the silver cleaner. As a DLR fan it is so nice to see all the attention and care being given to Walt's park, and I'm sure at some point they will turn toward WDW too.

 

[disneynutz]

DVC is a cash cow for Disney, but the number of members is very, very, very, small compared to the millions of visitors to WDW yearly. Disney is a business and they will do what is good for Disney. They won't upgrade or add anything unless they can expect a return on their investment.

Bill

 

[dianeschlicht]

Let me start by saying that DVC is a great thing for me. I also think it is a great thing for the Disney company, since they get people like me to visit Disney World much more frequently than they otherwise would have visited.

BUT...............that last part got me thinking. If Disney keeps building this core of people they can depend on every year to visit, do you think that it will stifle creativity and expansion in the theme parks?

I am under the opinion that Disney has slowed down on expansion and improvements within the parks. If we are talking about what it would take to make them reinvest in the parks, my guess it would be FEAR that people won't come. However, with DVC, now they have yet another layer of protection against that. They got 2 extra visits from me over the past year simply due to DVC -- which is a lot of money in the Disney bank. I assume most of you have a similar situation.

Here's the question ---- Do you think that a thriving DVC is good or bad news for those of us who would like to see Disney expand and improve its theme park offerings?

First of all, I think DVC is certainly good for the theme park business. It brings an automatic audience it most of the time.

I do sometime wonder though if too much is spent on developing DVC when there is relatively little (in comparison) spent on developing new projects at the WDW parks. More and more, it seems like it is taking a long time for Disney to come up with new and innovative ideas for new attractions and the reworking of old ones. I've also noticed a decided decline in the atmosphere and condition of the parks. That's something that will not bode well with all the DVC members who have come to love their Disney vacations.

Take for example the food services and restaurants. When we first started going to Epcot, we were wowed by how authentic the cuisines were in the around the world restaurants. Now things have become rather "predictable", and many restaurants all over WDW have the exact same items on their menus. It has actually made us less likely to dine with Disney recently. When we do "dine with Disney", we stick to the signatures, but even those have become a bit on the "boring" side.

I think it's time for Disney World to stop resting on it's laurels and start being innovative again.

 

[rutgers1]

I guess I'll just have to take a wait-and-see approach with the Fantasyland refurbishment. If they hit the ball out of the park, then I will be happy. However, if the new attractions don't push the boundaries of theming and technology, I will be disappointed.

I guess my fear is that, as DVC continues to grow and Disney has a greater and greater core of people that they can expect to visit every year, they will feel less inclined to upgrade the theme parks. Why upgrade when you already have the the cash-in hand from returning guests?

The Fantasyland refurb is potentially a great sign. I have never been out to California, so I can't comment on those changes, but from what I read here, they are much needed. I'd really like to see a few more rides added to both Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom. To my family, those parks - especially Animal Kingdom - are nice places but they are just add-ons to our Disney vacation (only visit for an evening or two each trip). With a few more attentions, I could see us spending a day at either of them.

 

[rutgers1]

DVC is a cash cow for Disney, but the number of members is very, very, very, small compared to the millions of visitors to WDW yearly. Disney is a business and they will do what is good for Disney. They won't upgrade or add anything unless they can expect a return on their investment.

Bill

I agree that it is a cash cow, as they wouldn't be pouring so many resources into building DVC and promoting it if they weren't making a bundle off of it. I disagree somewhat about the percentage of people being insignificant compared to the masses who aren't part of DVC. Obviously, Disney feels on-property guests are very important to the health of their company. With DVC, they are taking it a step further by pretty much guaranteeing that a large core comes back year after year. With 7 (I think it is 7) DVC resorts already in Disney Florida and more rumored to be planned, my guess is that they are banking big time on this being a big area of growth.

It is my hunch that they feel that they see more return on each dollar spent building DVC than on dollars earmarked for new attractions. I am a happy DVC member, but if I had to choose between DVC and constantly expanding/improving attractions, I'd go with the latter. I think Disney has bought into the overall resort experience being the thing that drives people to Disney World, not the attractions. That might be true, but for many of us, the rides are important too.

 

[disneynutz]

I agree that it is a cash cow, as they wouldn't be pouring so many resources into building DVC and promoting it if they weren't making a bundle off of it. I disagree somewhat about the percentage of people being insignificant compared to the masses who aren't part of DVC. Obviously, Disney feels on-property guests are very important to the health of their company. With DVC, they are taking it a step further by pretty much guaranteeing that a large core comes back year after year. With 7 (I think it is 7) DVC resorts already in Disney Florida and more rumored to be planned, my guess is that they are banking big time on this being a big area of growth.

It is my hunch that they feel that they see more return on each dollar spent building DVC than on dollars earmarked for new attractions. I am a happy DVC member, but if I had to choose between DVC and constantly expanding/improving attractions, I'd go with the latter. I think Disney has bought into the overall resort experience being the thing that drives people to Disney World, not the attractions. That might be true, but for many of us, the rides are important too.

I think that Disney likes that money that DVC sales generates now, instead of waiting to get paid latter when someone stays in a room.

You can't judge all members based on how DISers feel and vacation. Over the years we have met some very nice DVC Members who don't vacation every year and just let their points expire. During our last visit we met a couple who have been owners since DVC started and they didn't know what banking and borrowing was. If they feel like going, they go. Their last use of their points was 4 years ago. I will bet that as time goes on, many members get tired of the same vacation every year and just stop going.

In 2009, Disney had 120 million Guests, there are 400,000 DVC members, not member families, members. Seems like DVC has a pretty small voice on park changes and improvements.

Bill