DVC satisfaction survey, lowest in 4 years

[Inkmahm]

I think part of those results may also be from people unhappy because of II/RCI and point reallocations. Bit some can also be contributed to people not really understanding the program. We see people on the boards all the time with unreasonable (IMO) expectations for any timeshare.

Some may also be due to some maintenance and housekeeping issues we see at the resorts as they age, and as we see the condition of rooms deteriorate just prior to major rehabs. I noticed more room condition issues at OKW just prior to the recent rehab. But I also understood it was not cost effective to replace some of these items when a major rehab was scheduled the following year.

Both of those are excellent points. The second in particular makes sense now that some of the resorts aren't brand new anymore and are needed rehab work. I guess I need to remember that my own home isn't as perfect as it was when it was built 25 years ago, either! We all age. Even DVC rooms.

 

[wdrl]

I do not know the validity of this rating organization but if you look at the actual data DVC is in fact still the highest rated timeshare even for the quarter. That 88.6 higher number for best in timeshare is for Hyatt but when you look at Hyatt, it says it doesn't have quarter figures for it but only its figure for all time (the 88.6 compared to DVCs 92) and then just designates that as highest in the quarter. In other words whoever put out this info purposefully does not get it right.

I think you misread some of the data. The Marriott Vacation Club, with a score of 88.6, is the highest ranked timeshare for the 1st quarter, 2011. The Market Metrix website indicates there are 25 quarters of data available for the Marriott Vacation Club. The Hyatt Vacation Club is also shown to have a score of 88.6, but the website indicates that there are no prior quarterly scores available for Hyatt. See http://www.marketmetrix.com/mmhibrowser/Default.aspx?brandID=44 for more information.

 

[gkrykewy]

And yet the rating in Q4 2010 was among the highest recorded! I suspect this is just a blip in the data.

 

[Scott H]

Not surprised at all. I recently have experienced several issues with DVC where the left hand has no clue there even is a right hand.

 

[Doug7856]

There have been a lot of problems with the dining plan reported on the DISboards. Also, there have been scattered reports of people's reservations cancelled or changed without their knowledge. These kinds of things can have a negative impact on people's experience that seem monumental when taking a survey about a recent stay.

 

[JimMIA]

Room discounts on point reservations are not possible because to discount point rooms would illegally place DVC in the position of selling more points than can be used in any one year.

No it wouldn't. The developer is limited by law in the number of points they can sell, but they are not required to collect all of those points each year! No points based timeshare collects 100% of their points every year.

DVD would still sell the same number of points, they'd just collect fewer for a percentage of rooms in certain slower seasons in order to fill up the resorts. And those decisions would be made by DVC to maximize their occupancy -- they wouldn't owe anyone anything.

Many timeshare systems offer discounted points costs for VIP members and also to fill empty rooms. DVC doesn't refrain from doing so because of some legal technicality -- they don't do it because they dont' have to.

 

[littlestar]

I think part of it could be the computer system problems. We spent over an hour at the front desk trying to get a computer problem worked out (not fun when you'd like to start your vacation) on our last trip.

 

[JimMIA]

Not getting "free" dining may sour some people's attitudes as well.

Only the clueless.

DVC owners have always had the same access to "Free Dining" as anyone else. Just call CRO and make a reservation at the resort of your choice, pay the room rate, park tickets or whatever else is required of every other "Free" diner, and you're in. Many, many DVC owners have taken advantage of "Free dining."

DVC owners who complain about not getting "Free dining" are really just upset they are not getting something for nothing -- which nobody gets.

 

[tjkraz]

No it wouldn't. The developer is limited by law in the number of points they can sell, but they are not required to collect all of those points each year! No points based timeshare collects 100% of their points every year.

DVD would still sell the same number of points, they'd just collect fewer for a percentage of rooms in certain slower seasons in order to fill up the resorts. And those decisions would be made by DVC to maximize their occupancy -- they wouldn't owe anyone anything.

Many timeshare systems offer discounted points costs for VIP members and also to fill empty rooms. DVC doesn't refrain from doing so because of some legal technicality -- they don't do it because they dont' have to.

My understanding is that with VIP programs you reference, the developer is subsidizing the difference in points. Although I agree DVC (DVD) could certainly do the same.

No, not all members use their points in a given year but I don't see how it would be legal to intentionally create a system in which less than 100% point usage in a year would result in full occupancy. That's the textbook definition of overselling a resort.

As for the general complaints mentioned here, they may all be valid but I don't see anything which has reached critical mass since 1/1/11. There have been--and always will be--scattered reports of shoddy housekeeping, poor room maintenance, dining plan issues, etc. Some members may be experiencing problems for the first time and view it as a sign of decline. But I doubt such changes would be particularly noteworthy over a 3-4 month period.

 

[JimMIA]

My understanding is that with VIP programs you reference, the developer is subsidizing the difference in points. Although I agree DVC (DVD) could certainly do the same.

I don't know what the accounting is internally, but with Wyndham owners at certain VIP levels (meaning they paid WAY too much purchasing direct from the developer) get automatic upgrades on their reservations subject to availability. So they pay points for a one-bedroom and get a two-bedroom, for example.

No, not all members use their points in a given year but I don't see how it would be legal to intentionally create a system in which less than 100% point usage in a year would result in full occupancy. That's the textbook definition of overselling a resort.

Really? Then DVC has already done something illegal with BWV. They initially based their points schedule on a certain classifications of rooms and later permanently lowered the points cost for the less desireable (standard view) rooms that everyone now tries to get!

And Wyndham does it all the time with various resorts offering points reductions between 10% and 40% during certain periods when occupancy is low. The number of rooms available and the degree of the discount varies widely, again depending on occupancy.

Selling more points than the resort will physically accommodate would certainly be overselling, but charging fewer points for a particular reservation is not, IMHO.

 

[tjkraz]

Really? Then DVC has already done something illegal with BWV. They initially based their points schedule on a certain classifications of rooms and later permanently lowered the points cost for the less desireable (standard view) rooms that everyone now tries to get!

BWV was still in active sales when that change was made. And the lower point charts did decrease the number of points they were legally able to sell.

 

[JimMIA]

As for the general complaints mentioned here, they may all be valid but I don't see anything which has reached critical mass since 1/1/11.

I agree. I don't think we can draw any conclusions at all with only the data for the overall score. I don't know how we can speculate on causes without any of the underlying data about what specific things owners were satisfied or dissatisfied with.

DVC's satisfacton level certainly took a big drop (4.3% in one quarter), but the highest score also took a 3.3% drop, so I'm not sure what, if any, significance there is. If the lower scores persist for multiple quarters, that would be more concerning than this one time.

 

[CarolMN]

.......(snip).....Really? Then DVC has already done something illegal with BWV. They initially based their points schedule on a certain classifications of rooms and later permanently lowered the points cost for the less desireable (standard view) rooms that everyone now tries to get!
........

Jim - The developer added the standard view classification well before the resort was sold out. They actually lowered the total number of BWV points they planned to sell as a result of the change, so nothing illegal happened.

 

[disneynutz]

I agree. I don't think we can draw any conclusions at all with only the data for the overall score. I don't know how we can speculate on causes without any of the underlying data about what specific things owners were satisfied or dissatisfied with.

DVC's satisfacton level certainly took a big drop (4.3% in one quarter), but the highest score also took a 3.3% drop, so I'm not sure what, if any, significance there is. If the lower scores persist for multiple quarters, that would be more concerning than this one time.

Has anybody on the DIS ever been surveyed by Market Matrix? Who knows where they obtain their sample, it could be RCI trades or cash guests who were booked at a DVC resort. Since it's the Market Matrix subscribers who benefit from the surveys, one would think that there is a slight conflict of interest.

Bill

 

[wdrl]

Really? Then DVC has already done something illegal with BWV. They initially based their points schedule on a certain classifications of rooms and later permanently lowered the points cost for the less desireable (standard view) rooms that everyone now tries to get!

Jim - The developer added the standard view classification well before the resort was sold out. They actually lowered the total number of BWV points they planned to sell as a result of the change, so nothing illegal happened.

BWV's total points were never changed once the initial declaration was made. The ratio of points to the size of the underlying real estate interest remained constant from the first BWV declaration to the last declaration in May 2003. Webmaster Doc located some of BWV's early point charts which showed that DVD anticipated the affect of the Standard View category on BWV's total points before it opened the resort. The cost of a Preferred/Boardwalk view was already set at a higher rate than Standard View, even though the Standard View accommodations were not available for booking until several months after BWV opened.

 

[CarolMN]

BWV's total points were never changed once the initial declaration was made. The ratio of points to the size of the underlying real estate interest remained constant from the first BWV declaration to the last declaration in May 2003. Webmaster Doc located some of BWV's early point charts which showed that DVD anticipated the affect of the Standard View category on BWV's total points before it opened the resort. The cost of a Preferred/Boardwalk view was already set at a higher rate than Standard View, even though the Standard View accommodations were not available for booking until several months after BWV opened.

Drat!! Another fact I believed true bites the dust. Thanks for straightening me out.

 

[TisBit]

Looking at the scores, while Disney has the lowest survey in four years, the best timeshare score was also the lowest in four years! I wonder if the economic impacts of owning a timeshare is starting to catch up to some people causing lower scores.

A lot of the things that are mentioned here could impact the scores, but also the recent posts of more aggressive sales tactics might mean a glut of "misinformed" owners are starting to realize they were not given all the information and failed to ask the right questions at the time of purchase.

 

[tgropp]

Actually this does not surprise me as if and when you read the boards, there are more and more people that are complaining, some about minor issues and some not. I often thought that you can not please some people but until a truly bad expeirence happens to you at WDW, you never think about it. I had a terrible problem at Christmas time during my vacation and in all honesty, the staff at VWL could have cared less. They actually took away over $500.00 in meal credits among other issues and refused to give them back. Thank God for the DVC member satisfaction team as they were appalled and I was rewarded quite well. I think the issue is that like any business, Disney is trying to fill their rooms at any cost and then the workers are asked to carry the extra load and hope that all goes well with all the new system changes etc. , even though they are probally overworked with all the cutbacks.

 

[Scott H]

Actually this does not surprise me as if and when you read the boards, there are more and more people that are complaining, some about minor issues and some not. I often thought that you can not please some people but until a truly bad expeirence happens to you at WDW, you never think about it. I had a terrible problem at Christmas time during my vacation and in all honesty, the staff at VWL could have cared less. They actually took away over $500.00 in meal credits among other issues and refused to give them back. Thank God for the DVC member satisfaction team as they were appalled and I was rewarded quite well. I think the issue is that like any business, Disney is trying to fill their rooms at any cost and then the workers are asked to carry the extra load and hope that all goes well with all the new system changes etc. , even though they are probally overworked with all the cutbacks.

Glad they were good and understanding for you.

 

[saturndb]

perks being taken away are a big complaint for me