DVC Growth

[diznyfanatic]

After considering DVC for six or seven years, we finally purchased recently and couldn't be happier about it.

I was just wondering if there has been a spike in the number of new DVC members in the last couple years (as we inch ever closer to 2042), or if the level of growth has remained pretty steady from year to year?

What are your thoughts on how membership growth is/will be impacted as we continue to approach the 2042 expiration date on all but one resort?

 

[ohiominnie]

I don't know what the figures are year by year, but I can tell you these two interesting tid-bits of information......

First....when we joined in April of 2001 we were told there were about 55,000 members. We were just on a cruise and at the DVC presentation we were told there were OVER 100,000 members!

Secondly.....while sitting at the pool at Saratoga Springs on Friday, June 9th, we saw the Fed-Ex man emerge from the DVC offices with a cart full of Fed-Ex boxes. Each one being the same size, and each being the size we received our DVC contract materials in. There were an estimate of 80 boxes. He made TWO trips to his truck (although the second trip out probably only had about 60 boxes) I do not know how many times per week he comes, but even if it's only once a week, that's STILL a good number of new contracts going out.

Of course, one must consider those could also be add-ons. And I wonder how they figure their "over 100,000 number"....is that members or number of contracts? B/c we have four contracts, which would skew the numbers.

 

[byoung]

I believe it's number of members, without counting add ons.

 

[Happy Birthday Cat]

There has been a spike. SSR is a huge resort that is bringing in lots of new members. DVC is very profitable to Disney and will continue to grow into the future. It is truly one of the bright spots for Disney and was mentioned in the company's annual report as such. IMHO there is no reason for it not to continue to grow.

HBV

 

[NYMomof4]

I'm happy that I bought DVC last year-I think that the prices will continue to rise for the later expiration DVC's (assuming there will be more after SSR). The best part of DVC is planning the next trips for me!

 

[corpcomp]

My guide also mentioned the 100,000 figure but remember that there are a fixed number of points so the growth in membership is directly related to the number of resorts and SSR is a really big one. BVC, the last new resort, was one of the smallest so new BVC members are limited.

SSR is over 50% sold out and I imagine probably several more thousand before it is all sold.

After that, we will see what new resort they come out with in the next 2-3 years.

 

[corpcomp]

Of course I meant BCV. It's late and I'm tired.

 

[pumpkinboy]

Sure the Quantity of members has gone up, but the Quality of members must have gone down since I joined After all, any club that would have me as a member can't be a very classy club (to paraphrase the classic Groucho Marx quote: "I wouldn't join any club that would have me as a member").

 

[corpcomp]

Sure the Quantity of members has gone up, but the Quality of members must have gone down since I joined After all, any club that would have me as a member can't be a very classy club (to paraphrase the classic Groucho Marx quote: "I wouldn't join any club that would have me as a member").

Ahh!! That explains the holes in the walls one member was talking about!!

 

[LIFERBABE]

I went to the Member Update 2 weeks ago, and they had a large graphic showing that SSR alone has added 25,500 members to DVC.

Not sure how they calculated this number, but it is very close if you base it on the numbers from 2003 (when we joined) was around 60,000.

I dont think DVC has hit the 100,000 member point yet. They are close, but not quite there. I believe they said around 87,000 at the Member Update, but not 100% sure about that.

 

[RoyalCanadian]

Sure the Quantity of members has gone up, but the Quality of members must have gone down since I joined

None of us wanted to say anything when you joined pumpkinboy. Somehow all the DVC members kind of thought someone else would be the member to disapprove of your application and we wouldn't have to deal with you at the pool, in the restaurant or the gift shop . These things do slip through, I guess. In the end we kind of hoped you would just get tired of the idea and sell out.

 

[BillPA]

In July of '93 we became member number 8749. There have been many new members since.

 

[Doug Wolfe]

Here is the number of members from the Disney Vacation Club website:

Discover the secret that more than 90,000 Member families already know.

This has been on the site for a long time, so I would not be suprised if they are well over 100,000 by now. As they build more resorts in future years with expirations of 2054, or later, the numbers will only continue to climb.

 

[gtrist4life]

Just for speculation sake,

Say 10 years from now, you own points at SSR and there are two other 2054 resorts (Pixar Park Pines and Villas at the Contemporary since we're speculating). If the number of members in each group (DVC I and DVC II) are about equal, would DVC have three levels of reservation?

- 11 months for SSR home resort
- 8 months at other home group resorts (DVC II)
- 7 months at other group resorts (DVC I)

Just looking for a way that may ease the transition as DVC I members get closer to 2042 and the number of members increase.

Peace,
G4L

 

[leeleelew]

I worry about how difficult it may become to book with so many members trying to book also.

 

[diznyfanatic]

I worry about how difficult it may become to book with so many members trying to book also.

That was part of the reason I posed the question too, but also because I've often wondered if having only one resort so far that will be available to reserve after 2042 has had any impact on growth. Part of what I love about joining DVC is the opportunity to reserve and experience all of the resorts when we would like a change from our Home Resort.

Lacking any hard core information from Disney regarding future plans and expansion, it is why we decided to purchase at BWV rather than SSR. I'm sure there will be future DVC resorts, but until that information is announced, and can determine what those resorts will be, I'd rather have the variety and availability of seven resorts until 2042, than have 12 additional years at only one resort.

SSR is a lovely resort, and other than our travel times which are limited to mostly peak times where it is vital to have the home resort booking advantage, those are the only reasons we did not purchase at SSR. Well, aside from the fact that I will be 84 years old in 2042 anyway!

Interestingly enough, since we only just recently closed on our BWV contract, and wanted to be able to reserve for Food & Wine, I expected that it would be tough getting what we wanted.

As of Friday of last week, the only two resorts that MS said had any availability at all for the third week in October were OKW with limited availability (no studios at all and very limited 2 bedrooms) and SSR with pretty open availability. We booked a two bedroom at OKW and I'm sure we will love it and will have a wonderful time.

I know it is a very popular time and that it is only four months out from our travel dates, but still I was a bit disappointed that we could not book at our home resort for our first trip Home.

We are waitlisted for BWV, so maybe we'll find some pixie dust and something will open up.

 

[*elaine*]

Interestingly enough, since we only just recently closed on our BWV contract, and wanted to be able to reserve for Food & Wine, I expected that it would be tough getting what we wanted.

As of Friday of last week, the only two resorts that MS said had any availability at all for the third week in October were OKW with limited availability (no studios at all and very limited 2 bedrooms) and SSR with pretty open availability. We booked a two bedroom at OKW and I'm sure we will love it and will have a wonderful time.

I know it is a very popular time and that it is only four months out from our travel dates, but still I was a bit disappointed that we could not book at our home resort for our first trip Home.

We are waitlisted for BWV, so maybe we'll find some pixie dust and something will open up.

I hope that BWV comes through for you!! (and Welcome Home)