DVC members/Why no free internet for us?

[Chuck S]

"As many have said, let those who want the access pay for it." ...........

I agree. And since we haven't used the bus service in 10+ years as members, let those who use it pay for it!!

Same with the swimming pools; the boat to DD; dining discounts, etc. etc. etc.

When you look the whole picture/likely none of use all the services. Reasonable internet fees would just be an addition to what's already being done...JMHO

Except that the bus service, swimming pools and DtD boat were all park of the package at purchase, DVC is maintaining the level of service represented at time of purchase. High speed internet was not originally represented to be a Disney resort (or DVC) perk or even be available.

Dining Discounts? What are you talking about? DVC memnbers don't pay for "discounts" through their dues, they can be discontinued at any time. Those members wanting the dining plan or the DDE DO pay for those. Just as the AP discount costs DVC members nothing if they choose not to get an AP.

 

[dvc_john]

Of course except the OKW pool slide and lifeguards. And then, bus service to AK wasn't part of the original package either. Or bus service to BB. And who really pays for ME? Not sure if it's part of transportation maint fees or not, but somebody's paying for it.

I guess with this logic, it means no new advances in technology or other inventions that didn't exist in 1991. No flat screen televisions. No ice-makers for BWV. And if they should ever extend the monorail to BWV/BCV, we sure wouldn't want to pay for that because it wasn't part of the original package!

Just my humble opinion, but:
The only reason we don't have free wi-fi is because there is a contract with an outside vendor, and until that contract expires, there will be no change.
Free wi-fi is the norm, not the exception. Free wi-fi is available at most upscale timeshares (Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt).
Free wi-fi is available at most budget motel and moderate motels/hotels.
Free wi-fi is starting to become available at some upscale hotels, and as a perk to some hotel points programs.
Free wi-fi is available at most coffee shops and libraries, and is starting to become available city-wide in some areas. At least 3 cities near me have it.

 

[Deb & Bill]

...Free wi-fi is the norm, not the exception. Free wi-fi is available at most upscale timeshares (Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt).
Free wi-fi is available at most budget motel and moderate motels/hotels.
Free wi-fi is starting to become available at some upscale hotels, and as a perk to some hotel points programs.
Free wi-fi is available at most coffee shops and libraries, and is starting to become available city-wide in some areas. At least 3 cities near me have it.

I'd like to see your data. This wasn't true on the 18 day trip we took out weat recently.

 

[dvc_john]

I'd like to see your data. This wasn't true on the 18 day trip we took out weat recently.

I'm not sure what part you want data on, but free wi-fi is available at:

timeshares:
Marriott Grande Vista
Marriott Horizons
Marriott Sabal Palms
Hilton Seaworld
Hilton Tuscany/International Drive
Hilton Miami Beach
Hyatt Coconut Plantation
Hyatt Pinion Pointe Sedona
Hilton Eagles Nest Marco Island
Hilton Seawatch Ft Myers Beach
Fairfield Bonnet Creek
Calypso Cay

budget motels:
every Fairfield Inn and Hampton Inn I've stayed at within the last couple of years

moderate motesl/hotels:
every Spring Hill Suites, DoubleTree Inn, and Hilton Garden Inn I've stayed at within the last couple of years

high end hotels:
some Omni's are converting to free wi-fi.
Hilton offers free wi-fi to Diamond members (as one choice of a list of perks to choose from)

libraries:
Davenport, Ia
Bettendorf, Ia
Ft Myers, Fl
Sanibel, Fl

Coffee shops:
just about every coffee shop in the area I live, including Starbucks, Panera, etc.

cities:
Cedar Rapids, Ia
Rock Island, Il
Bettendorf, Ia (pending)

 

[OKW Lover]

The heck with free internet, if we're going to agitate for free anything it should be free park adminssion. Lets see;
We can argue that it doesn't cost Disney anything to give us free admission since the parks are already built.
We can argue that our local town doesn't charge anything to visit their playgrounds.
We can argue that we would spend a lot of money in the parks if it just didn't cost us so much to get in.

 

[Chuck S]

I'm not sure what part you want data on, but free wi-fi is available at:

timeshares:
Marriott Grande Vista
Marriott Horizons
Marriott Sabal Palms
Hilton Seaworld
Hilton Tuscany/International Drive
Hilton Miami Beach
Hyatt Coconut Plantation
Hyatt Pinion Pointe Sedona
Hilton Eagles Nest Marco Island
Hilton Seawatch Ft Myers Beach
Fairfield Bonnet Creek
Calypso Cay

budget motels:
every Fairfield Inn and Hampton Inn I've stayed at within the last couple of years

moderate motesl/hotels:
every Spring Hill Suites, DoubleTree Inn, and Hilton Garden Inn I've stayed at within the last couple of years

high end hotels:
some Omni's are converting to free wi-fi.
Hilton offers free wi-fi to Diamond members (as one choice of a list of perks to choose from)

libraries:
Davenport, Ia
Bettendorf, Ia
Ft Myers, Fl
Sanibel, Fl

Coffee shops:
just about every coffee shop in the area I live, including Starbucks, Panera, etc.

cities:
Cedar Rapids, Ia
Rock Island, Il
Bettendorf, Ia (pending)

For regular hotels, motels, the cost of rooms has increased greatly since 1991 to cover expenses, including that "free" internet. Motel 6, Budget 8 are no longer "cheap", Hampoton's have gone up about 25% over the last 4 years. No longer are they $69, most of the time we pay $90. So in a sense every guest pays for that internet service, where as at Disney, the guests that use it pay for it.

For instance, let's say that OKW decides to give the internet as perk, but still must pay the provider $1.50 per each room per night rather than $10 per night per person that wants to use it to recoup the installation, modem & service costs. (Figure average home cable internet service is $45 per month, or $1.50 per day)

With approx 500 rooms, OKW will be spending $273,750 annually. The resort could hire a few employees that would better serve all guests, rather than those that want to use high speed internet. I'm wondering what percentage of folks actually use the high speed connection daily during their vacation...I'm guessing maybe 25%. At $10 per day, the provider is making a tidy profit alright, but it isn't adding to the dues of all the guests.

 

[dvc_john]

We'll just have to agree to disagree on whether or not internet service should be included or not. And, it's a moot point until whatever contract they have with their current provider expires.

But just some additional math:
Using your figures, that cost would come out to less than 4 cents/point.
However, if a city of 125,000 people can have a city-wide wi-fi for $50k/year, I would think OKW could do it for a like sum. That would come out to 7/10 cents/point.

And for comparison, OKW transportation costs are 47.48 cents/point.

 

[castleri]

I only see two real possibilities for changes from the status quo:

1. DVC "negotiates" a discount for us, which would basically be Disney agreeing to waive part of its profit for each day purchased.

2. DVC announces "free" access, but it's subsidized by our dues.

#1 would be great. #2 would be disappointing--I hope Disney is more responsible than that. As many have said, let those who want the access pay for it.

Maybe they'll consider multi-day discounts or something like that. If so, I can't see it being something that's exclusively offered to DVC members.

Agree completely -

Just because there are golf facilities available does that mean they should be free and subsidized by our dues? Those who wish to golf have the option to get a gold membership and pay reduced fees with some restrictions. Maybe somthing like this could be done with regard to internet access. The possibility of discounted rates for members seems like the best option to satisfy the most members - those who do or don't use the internet while at DVC. I don't use either of these items while at WDW and while I don't want to pay for those who do (I consider them in the same realm as mini golf, movies etc) I would be happy for those who do to have a discount the same as you can get for other forms of entertainment. Some hotels/motels have "free" afternoon manager receptions by the pool with wine, beer, chips, popcorn, soda etc. I firmly believe you pay for it somewhere in your room charge and only a few use it- While the rates for these hotels have gone up my studio at OKW still costs me 8 points a night Sun-Thurs in Sept and I get exactly what I was told I would when I purchased and even more now that I get an AP discount and am able to purchase the DDP which doesn't cost other members more for me to be able to have them. Yes my maintenance fees went up a little but not much compared to the increase in other hotel rates around the area or at Disney for that matter. Oh yes - if you want to know about high internet fees - take a cruise and pay as much as $1 a minute depending on which of their plans you use.

 

[Fitswimmer]

For regular hotels, motels, the cost of rooms has increased greatly since 1991 to cover expenses, including that "free" internet. Motel 6, Budget 8 are no longer "cheap", Hampoton's have gone up about 25% over the last 4 years. No longer are they $69, most of the time we pay $90. So in a sense every guest pays for that internet service, where as at Disney, the guests that use it pay for it.

Costs for almost EVERYTHING have gone up since 1991. I don't think you can point to Internet Access as even the largest part of that 25% increase. Most of those hotels offer "free" breakfasts which given the cost of additional labor and the increase in delivery costs would probably be a higher percentage of the 25% than internet access.

I work for a company that helps provide funding for internet access in libraries and schools. Since we started in 1998, costs for internet access are going DOWN, in contrast to everything else.
We all pay for services at home and on vacation that we don't use, and we've all learned to live with that. I pay for channels on my TV that I never watch, but I do that to get the ones I do watch.

I take online courses and in order to go to Disney more often, I really would LOVE to have cheaper (if not free) access in the room so I could keep up with school in the evenings. Cheaper access would be an incentive for people to come more often because they would not have to completely disconnect from work to be there. Nobody really wants to work while they're on vacation, but sometimes there's just no choice.

What about the Interval International Resorts, Cruise Line or the Concierge Collections-does anyone know about the internet access there? If members are getting free or inexpensive IA there, why shouldn't we get it at "home"?

 

[Chuck S]

I did not point to the cost of internet service at hotels as the largest part of the increase, but it is certainly included in the cost of the room. As people "demand" more and more services from hotels, room costs rise.

What would be the financial advantage to Disney to offer free internet services? Would it keep people in the rooms, rather than in the parks spending $$? It would be a cost, but no direct advantage...do you think MORE folks would stay at Disney hotels? Disney already has something other hotels can't offer, the parks.

 

[Fitswimmer]

There is a post on one of the other threads that really makes the point.

Just as there are members who don't watch much tv, there are others who probably never use the sofas for anything but sofas. Regardless of individual priorities, living with substandard materials isn't a good reflection on DVC with either new or existing members.

Free or low cost internet access is part of the package at most resorts that would be considered equal to DVC. I wouldn't go as far as to say that the resorts are substandard without it, as could be said about the sofa bed conditions-but I also wouldn't say that the resorts are substandard without flat screen TV's. I don't watch much TV at the resorts and I never use the sofa beds, but I still feel that paying for upgrades to bring those items up to quality is important. I joined DVC to be able to stay in upscale accomodations every time I go on vacation. If free or low cost internet access is part of upscale accomodations at other resorts, it should be part of DVC as well.

 

[*elaine*]

What would be the financial advantage to Disney to offer free internet services? Would it keep people in the rooms, rather than in the parks spending $$? It would be a cost, but no direct advantage...do you think MORE folks would stay at Disney hotels? Disney already has something other hotels can't offer, the parks.

The advantage to Disney for MY family would be that my husband would be more likely to support longer stays at WDW for the whole family if it were easy for him to have computer access in the room. Right now it is a chore to talk him into 6 nights, because he feels that he can't be away from work that long. With free/cheap internet access, I could easily imagine him spending a morning in the room working while the kids and I were out at the pool, and then the family spending the afternoon and evening at the parks. Our vacations would increase in length and Disney would make more money.

I don't think that our situation is unique either - as people become more and more adept at telecommuting, with easy internet access, people will be able to take LONGER vacations.

I think that there may a difference in mindset that is responsible for some of the disconnect on this thread.

eta: The same logic could be applied to the swimming pools at the resorts. By building elaborate pools with slides, sandy bottoms, and other attractions, rather than simple utilitarian pools, aren't they just encouraging people to stay out of the parks? I think that Disney realizes that there are good reasons for having amenities at the resorts, not just the parks, that cause people to lengthen the overall vacation.

 

[crisi]

Cruise line you buy a package, and cruise line access isn't cheap because its satalite

I suspect Disney will be one of the last places where internet is "free" - they just don't have a reason to offer it for free. It may be the case that they start offering "free" internet access with room blocks for conventions - there they have some reason. But for vacationers - a last holdout.

I also suspect its a little moot for a lot of people who need to be connected. I get what I need through my cell phone - so do a lot of people I know who need to stay connected. And if I need to stay connected with a VPN connection, its a business expense, my company picks up the tab.

Internet connectivty got a lot cheaper because - to a large extent - that is what the dot com bust paid for. We anticipated far more demand than actually existed, and therefore created far more supply than we've actually needed. So we currently have more infrastructure than we need.

 

[Debbie H]

When we stayed in DL last year at the Grand Californian, it was free. All the way down I-95 the hotels have free internet. Most have wireless. If DCL wanted to offer this, they could. It's been in there quite a few years now so I assume it has been paid for many times over.

 

[Deb & Bill]

When we stayed in DL last year at the Grand Californian, it was free. All the way down I-95 the hotels have free internet. Most have wireless. If DCL wanted to offer this, they could. It's been in there quite a few years now so I assume it has been paid for many times over.

We just stayed in the GC. High speed internet was not free. It was paid for with the daily resort fee.

 

[sjdisneywedding]

Sorry but that doesn't make any sense to me. It would be we who "absorb the cost," not DVC. They'd pass any cost along to us in dues. The fact that they haven't shows that they respect the wishes of those members who don't agree with you (and I) that high-speed Internet service is worthwhile to subsidize.

what cost? the 1/10000 of a penny that true wireless actually costs per person? Wireless is so cheap and such a part of every day life that even places such as McDonalds and Panera Bread offer it free to anyone within reach.

 

[sjdisneywedding]

if you want the service then pay for it.

I don't and therefore don't want my dues raise so someone else can check e-mails and whatever.


when I'm on vacation I don't need a laptop

you are oversimplifying it, internet today is like what basic cable was in the recent past. Its an everyday part of life for a huge % of people. Its like saying we shouldnt have cable tv in the rooms because our dues would go up.

do you use the microwave when at dvc? I dont, maybe we should get rid of all those so we can lower our dues. everyone could rent them for $25 a day

how about watching movies on the vcr or dvd or whatever they have? I dont, maybe we can get rid of those to lower costs

Point is DVC is home-away-from-home and internet is a huge part of most of our home lives. It should be free in my opinion

 

[sjdisneywedding]

Yes its free at buget and costs at deluxe. So the Fairfield Inn is free and the Marriott charges. (And it's called marketing. Disney does NOT need free internet to sell rooms, La Quinta does!)

I don't ever expect it to be free at Disney. Disney does NOT work like normal hotels. (How many of those hotels did you stay at that did NOT have pay per view movies??? Ever seen that at Disney) Disney does not want you ON the internet, they want you IN the parks spending money. Whole different model then the Days Inn, Marriotts etc.


I pay and I use it. I don't think that all the rest of you should pay for me to use it....

I think maybe the problem is differing views on the use of the internet. I think many stilll see it as a "work" type thing, however its not. Being in the parks spending money has nothing to do with being on the internet. Many go on the internet today instead of watching the news or a sit-com on tv.

If this were the case then they would take the tvs out of the rooms too

 

[sjdisneywedding]

Let those who choose to use it pay 100% of the cost--whatever that cost may be. (And, yes, I have used it a number of times myself.)

thats just ridiculous to me, its the easiest excuse to come by. So every time you go down a slide in one of the pools you should swipe your room card to get charged-or better yet every time you enter the pool you should go through a turn style and pay. You should probably pay at least $100 a day just to turn the tv on and then another $20 to use the remote and maybe another $20 if you actually want to view any channels.


home away from home to me includes internet for a price equal to the daily rate I pay there---about 50 to 60 cents at most!!!

 

[sjdisneywedding]

Disagree if you wish, but I don't see Internet service at WDW reaching the level of expected availability as cable TV. Every room at every (non-niche) hotel worldwide has a TV. Only a fraction of the guest rooms at resort which is primarily a vacation destination will house wi-fi compatible devices.

Highly disagree! Wireless internet will be available EVERYWHERE for cheap if not completley free. It practically is already and the wave hasnt even nearly began yet.

Either join in and provide the service or lose out