DVC Special opportunities??

[David Raguso]

ive only been a member since May so i wasnt sure if someone who has been a member.

Does DVC ever randomly provide special limited time opportunities like reduced point levels or costs on hotels or food or anything else on the property(in addition to whats listed on the member website under perks).
Do they ever perhaps waive the $95 fee if you make a reservation with interval or on the cruise line?

 

[tjkraz]

ive only been a member since May so i wasnt sure if someone who has been a member.

Does DVC ever randomly provide special limited time opportunities like reduced point levels or costs on hotels or food or anything else on the property(in addition to whats listed on the member website under perks).

Dining and other discount programs change from time to time but for the most part the answer to your question is no. No breaks on point levels.

Do they ever perhaps waive the $95 fee if you make a reservation with interval or on the cruise line?

I don't recall this ever happening...at least not in the last 5-6 years.

 

[JaxFLBear]

Not that I've seen. For discounted hotel rooms and food, the best option is getting a DVC discounted AP. There are AP rooms rates available at various times of the year and you can purchase the Tables in Wonderland (DDE) card. The TIW card will get you a 20% discount on meals and beverages at most table services locations with a few blackout dates.

The only time I've seen them waive the $95 fee is on the initial booking for the Member Cruise when using points. They will charge the $95 fee if you make changes to the Member Cruise reservation.

 

[hakepb]

DVC has tried to offer "friends" cash deals on SSR and OKW studios from time to time, but I do not think they are much different than what the general public can get. The Cash deals are available inventory because owners used their points to trade out on a cruise, ABD... It is bad for owners when those trade out rooms have to be discounted. Discounted cash rooms mean it will take more and more points in the future to pay for cruises, ABD...

DVC by definition will never offer reduced points. DVC owners own 100% of the points inventory. If you think about it: if DVC offered Jan - June at 50% points, then that 50% of owners owners could stay twice as long. By the end of the year, you would have the other 50% of owners that could not reserve anything because those that received the "bonus" took up all the availability.

The only temporary exception to the discount policy is next year's AKV Sunset Savannah view no animal period. Those that stay in the Sunset Savannah will get reimbursed to the standard points level because of the lack of animals. I think this exception is possible because the developers (DVC) will be eating the 1 year cost of unsold Kidani inventory (available 2nd half 2009) to compensate those affected. By the end of the year, points held and inventory available will still be balanced.

 

[CraftyMouse]

Does DVC ever randomly provide special limited time opportunities like reduced point levels or costs on hotels or food or anything else on the property(in addition to whats listed on the member website under perks).
Nope. Only the dining discounts and other perks you see on the website. There is no incentive for DVC to offer us any further discounts or incentives. We've already bought into the club. Personally, the savings we receive on accommodations over the course of our membership is incentive enough for me!

Do they ever perhaps waive the $95 fee if you make a reservation with interval or on the cruise line?
Nope, and don't expect them to start. The fee is pretty standard in the timeshare industry and I highly doubt they will ever waive it. If anything the fee will be raised over the years, to reflect the cost of the labor involved in handling trades. The fee used to be $75 and went up to $95 about a year ago.

.

 

[Deb & Bill]

They did offer OKW members to upgrade their OKW points to 2057 for an extra $15 a point, but that expired on Feb 29. Now OKW owners can upgrade their points for $20 a point which could expire anytime they want it to expire.