DVC Survey

[Stargazer65]

I hope I get that survey - I’d definitely say NO to paid early booking and to booking based on number of points owned.

Totally agree...not a fan of this idea. All owners should have a level playing field for booking resorts PERIOD!
Except for me...I should be able to book whenever I want to. I'm pretty upset that isn't on the survey.

 

[radiodome21]

I got the survey and took it. Didn’t care for anything they suggested TBH. Vero, Aulani and HH sound nice but I didn’t buy DVC to ever use them there though. And I laughed at having the offering of having a dedicated CM help plan a Disney trip. I’ve been doing just fine with that on my own. There were some other questions about my thoughts about having an exit strategy that involved Disney. In my head I viewed that as if I have to sell my car back, do I sell back to the dealership I bought it from or make more money selling it privately?

I’ve never really thought that Disney has DVC’s owners best interest at heart with a lot of decisions so when I got this survey I already started my .

 

[Brian Noble]

Just a few things to note.

• DVC is somewhat fond of following in the footsteps of other timeshare developers.
• Other timeshare developers already do several of these things.

For example: Wyndham has four* booking windows.

1. At 13 months prior to check-in, owners can book at their home resorts; Members of the Trust can book Trust-allocated inventory.
2. At 11 months prior to check in, Owners can make a total of between zero and five reservations each year in most (but not all) resorts, based on how many developer points they own.
3. At 10 months, all** properties are available to all owners.
4. At 60 days, point requirements are discounted between 0% and 60%, again based on how many developer points one owns.

If DVC does something like this, I will die of Not Surprise (with apologies to Iago.)

-----
*: There are actually a couple of other windows, but they are not relevant here.
**: This is not quite true, but again, not really relevant.

 

[I Run Long]

I don't like #1 at all. An early booking fee sounds like it would be one of those items that would be available with the Magic Membership Beyond (or whatever it's called). If so, that would only be available for direct owners. I don't know if that is where they would go with that service, but yikes, that sounds awful for resale members.

What was the specific question on booking based on number of points owned? If they did that, it would pave the way for rewarding those with mega points that do commercial rentals.

To the area I bolded, if this was an add-on fee similar to Membership Magic, it would run into the same problem it has now. Membership Magic is not available to purchase for international owners such as myself. Horrible idea.

 

[Flash_Sloth]

No, I didn't receive this survey. My first thought was "is this a paid alternative to walking a reservation?" and "can you imagine the screaming when walkers walk into these reservations?"

My other timeshare is Hilton Grand Vacations, and they occasionally have discounted points bookings: black Friday sales, less popular room types / resorts / seasons, etc. DVC typically has such a high occupancy rate, I'm surprised that they're asking a survey question about discounted points for reservations on somewhat short notice. If anyone were keeping their points around hoping to snag these, they could end up without a reservation and wasting points!

 

[walt34]

To the area I bolded, if this was an add-on fee similar to Membership Magic, it would run into the same problem it has now. Membership Magic is not available to purchase for international owners such as myself. Horrible idea.

Some of the changes described in the survey would require major changes to the legal framework of DVC. I wouldn't make any assumptions about a possible connection to Membership Magic Beyond and its current restrictions.

 

[zackiedawg]

I didn't receive the survey, if I did my answers would be NO NO NO NO NO on both of those questions - vehemently against it and find it horrible that the question was even thought up and would be offended if ever put in place. I don't care if it states select resorts or all - in my opinion, it shouldn't be at any resort.

Too many things are being put behind pay walls - access to parks, lounges, perks, etc all becoming like a caste system - but at least ownership has always been straightforward - buy points, get home resort access at the same time as everyone else in that resort, and non-home resort access at the same time as everyone else at non-home resorts. More points that you buy just lets you stay longer or more often - but the person with 100 points has the same window of opportunity to book as a person with 1000 points.

But having a pay-to-book-early paywall, aside from just being a sleazy money grab, also strips away more of the original DVC benefits you got at purchase (thought you could get that rare category at 11 months like everyone else? Ha! People who decided to give us more money were allowed in at 12 months and got all the bookings!). Feels a bit like paying coyotes to get across the border then finding out that you need to pay them twice as much once you get there or they don't let you go.

What really bothers me is that I can afford all of these things - but I find them greedy and immoral and don't want to pay them in principle. I can't imagine what people who can't afford them feel like when they saved and saved to get their dream DVC purchase then find out many of the things that they bought DVC for suddenly are removed from your membership and you need to pay more money each year or you fall to the back of the line, or can't even get them at all.

I really hope these surveyed ideas never come to fruition.

 

[muppets3d]

No, I didn't receive this survey. My first thought was "is this a paid alternative to walking a reservation?" and "can you imagine the screaming when walkers walk into these reservations?"

My other timeshare is Hilton Grand Vacations, and they occasionally have discounted points bookings: black Friday sales, less popular room types / resorts / seasons, etc. DVC typically has such a high occupancy rate, I'm surprised that they're asking a survey question about discounted points for reservations on somewhat short notice. If anyone were keeping their points around hoping to snag these, they could end up without a reservation and wasting points!

I would love to see DVC offer this but I don't think they tend to have a lot of empty rooms most of the time, even the slow-to-book room types like the Polynesian Bungalows typically eventually fill up.

 

[VGCgroupie]

I’ve never seen any week I couldn’t book BCV at 11 months.

Also I’m not concerned about surveys; they will vet anything they do with lawyers. But maybe my fixed week buy was a good plan? I’m still debating that last question.

The only downside to a FW is having to call in to opt out. While annoying not a huge deal.

 

[VGCgroupie]

I would love to see DVC offer this but I don't think they tend to have a lot of empty rooms most of the time, even the slow-to-book room types like the Polynesian Bungalows typically eventually fill up.

My thoughts too

 

[VGCgroupie]

I am super extra nosey so if anyone else gets the survey Id love to see all the questions If am a chosen one I will post them all here when I get them

I am also curious as to why certain people were chosen and not others.

 

[Mouseforward]

Maybe I’m just getting old, but why can’t we just keep the terms the same as what we agreed to when we purchased the resort?

I prefer consistency.

Allowing 12 month booking for a fee would give a massive advantage to commercial renters. This would be the opposite of what they promised us last year.

ETA - they already have a 12 month option at the new resorts. It’s called a preferred week.

 

[muppets3d]

Maybe I’m just getting old, but why can’t we just keep the terms the same as what we agreed to when we purchased the resort?

I prefer consistency.

Allowing 12 month booking for a fee would give a massive advantage to commercial renters. This would be the opposite of what they promised us last year.

ETA - they already have a 12 month option at the new resorts. It’s called a preferred week.

Because $235 per point for new sales isn't enough. They want more.

 

[Brian Noble]

I am also curious as to why certain people were chosen and not others.

You don't need to survey everyone, just a statistically valid sampling of them; that gets you pretty close to the underlying answer. And, you probably want to do that, because that allows you to ask questions more often without your population suffering from survey fatigue.

In other words: It was a big Random Number Generator. Maybe they re-purposed the Drunken Monkeys from the ROFR process?

 

[VGCgroupie]

You don't need to survey everyone, just a statistically valid sampling of them; that gets you pretty close to the underlying answer. And, you probably want to do that, because that allows you to ask questions more often without your population suffering from survey fatigue.

In other words: It was a big Random Number Generator. Maybe they re-purposed the Drunken Monkeys from the ROFR process?

I’m just being a Veruca. I want a survey and I want it now

 

[muppets3d]

You don't need to survey everyone, just a statistically valid sampling of them; that gets you pretty close to the underlying answer. And, you probably want to do that, because that allows you to ask questions more often without your population suffering from survey fatigue.

In other words: It was a big Random Number Generator. Maybe they re-purposed the Drunken Monkeys from the ROFR process?

They may be targeting certain demos. Folks that own points at certain resorts, or have been a member for a certain time, etc. Hard to say what their goal is.

 

[daisyduck2]

I did not get this. I would like there to be a place for notes so I could give them a piece of my mind.
If they implement #1 most members will lose their minds.
I could get on board with #3.
As for #2 if I owned Hilton Head Id not be happy they are even floating this as a potential, pay massive dues and then non owners can book at 11 months, crazy.

There was also the same option as number two for Aulani.
Unfortunately I did not think of taking a screenshot of all of the potential offerings until I had completed most of the survey.

 

[daisyduck2]

What was the title of the email so I can be on the lookout for it?

Disney Destinations Research needs your input

 

[daisyduck2]

I don't like #1 at all. An early booking fee sounds like it would be one of those items that would be available with the Magic Membership Beyond (or whatever it's called). If so, that would only be available for direct owners. I don't know if that is where they would go with that service, but yikes, that sounds awful for resale members.

What was the specific question on booking based on number of points owned? If they did that, it would pave the way for rewarding those with mega points that do commercial rentals.

Based on the wording of the option, the booking window would be based on number of points. The way I interpreted the question is the more points you had the earlier your booking window would be available.

 

[VGCgroupie]

There was also the same option as number two for Aulani.
Unfortunately I did not think of taking a screenshot of all of the potential offerings until I had completed most of the survey.

Okay y'all Im losing my marbles again. Aulani typically sells for cash really well.