Could they build on castaway cay and offer a land/ cruise package? That would be awesome. And add a 5th park there!
Could they build on castaway cay and offer a land/ cruise package? That would be awesome. And add a 5th park there!
I think as far as Hawaii goes Disney was counting on Japan to be a large part of their business, as the Japanese like to vacation in Hawaii. I have jokingly talked to a few employees at the cruise line about a DVC ship, and they said don't laugh it has actually been discussed. I don't know if it could ever work though.Well Tim, then the executives that made that decision at DVD are idiots and I'm glad they're all gone.
Anybody making those kinds of billion dollar decisions that thinks the average American can afford to fly, eat and take the time off from work to go to Hawaii every year or even every other year has severely missed the mark. While that statement may not be totally on the mark for those on the left coast, I think it certainly is true for most middle-income Americans.
Most of us still see Hawaii as Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous simply because of its distance and cost to just get there and back for a family.
DVC is HEAVILY marketed at middle to upper middle income Americans. Most of us are lucky to get to even see Hawaii once or twice in a lifetime. We travel freely all over the rest of America all the time (Those other cities and destinations you mentioned.).
If this is the measure of the expansion of DVC outside WDW and DL, it is truly a sad day for all of us and it was a terrible marketing decision. I'm not sure it wasn't done knowing full well what the end result would be with full intentions of using it as a way to get a Disney presence in Hawaii AND kill the outside Disney thing once and for all. I do have moments of being a conspiracy theorist.
Personally, I don't care if they ever build another resort outside Disney. I bought DVC to go to WDW and DL. Period. While we make make a trade into whoever at some point in the future, it wasn't why my family chose to buy in.
Disney needs to do what Disney does best; build resorts where the parks are there to back them up. When that market is saturated, the gig's over and they'll find a new one.
With the possible exception of AKV, where atmosphere and style probably contributed as much as anything else, the parks are what has sold DVC. What I mean is proximity. Disney needs to figure out that building a resort next to Epcot or HS is the answer. One need only look at the success of BLT or the perceived success of the Poly or GF DVCs to see this. Out the window is the answer. I still can't believe executives at Disney can't seem to get their arms around this simple concept. Build a DVC somewhere where people can reach out and touch Spaceship Earth and see Illuminations from their balconies and watch what happens. Put the Epcot monorail through the center of it like the Contemporary and they won't be able to finish it before it's sold out. Marketing 101.
I sure hope the future of DVC's expansion doesn't depend on DVC resorts outside Disney. If it does, I'm afraid we are all doomed to disappointment.
I would like to throw this out there while we're blue-sky thinking. It would be interesting, IMO, if they could figure out a way to do a timeshare through DCL with a ship. I don't think this has ever been done and I'm not sure how it could be done from a legal standpoint, but I bet it could. Disney's got a smart legal team. I'm sure there's a way and I'm equally sure it would sell if they did it. Then again, that would require some original thinking and DVD seems to be sorely lacking in that department since I've been a member. I wish they'd hire me and give me a shot at making that one happen. I bet you a dollar to a doughnut that I could.
Well Tim, then the executives that made that decision at DVD are idiots and I'm glad they're all gone.
Anybody making those kinds of billion dollar decisions that thinks the average American can afford to fly, eat and take the time off from work to go to Hawaii every year or even every other year has severely missed the mark. While that statement may not be totally on the mark for those on the left coast, I think it certainly is true for most middle-income Americans.
Personally, I don't care if they ever build another resort outside Disney. I bought DVC to go to WDW and DL. Period. While we may make a trade into whoever at some point in the future, it wasn't why my family chose to buy in.
Disney needs to figure out that building a resort next to Epcot or HS is the answer. One need only look at the success of BLT or the perceived success of the Poly or GF DVCs to see this. Out the window is the answer. I still can't believe executives at Disney can't seem to get their arms around this simple concept. Build a DVC somewhere where people can reach out and touch Spaceship Earth and see Illuminations from their balconies and watch what happens. Put the Epcot monorail through the center of it like the Contemporary and they won't be able to finish it before it's sold out. Marketing 101.
Anybody making those kinds of billion dollar decisions that thinks the average American can afford to fly, eat and take the time off from work to go to Hawaii every year or even every other year has severely missed the mark. While that statement may not be totally on the mark for those on the left coast, I think it certainly is true for most middle-income Americans.
I've been to Hawaii five times in my lifetime and every trip I made I saw/talked to an abundance of people from Japan, west coast of the USA, and various other countries. Most of the folks I've talked to from the west coast of the USA told me that Hawaii was to them what Florida is to me as a midwesterner. If I lived in California, I'd go to Hawaii at least twice a year (I LOVE Hawaii ).
As far as the future of DVC for more stand alone DVC resorts, I don't know. I've often wondered if they might partner with other chains and expand the Buena Vista Trading Company instead of developing new resorts. Should be interesting to watch.
Please put the drumstick down and back away from the turkey!
Why not?
I agree with this. Hawaii is the easiest possible "sell" you could imagine without being attached to a theme park.Aulani ... will determine the future of DVC in many ways.
Two thoughts. One, for the Left Coasters and the Japanese, HI *is* a much more common destination than you'd imagine from the Right Coast. Two, I'm sure that Aulani is being sold more as "part of a system" rather than "this resort is where you'll always go." That's the logical progression if DVC really intends to expand beyond the berm, and it is how most other point-based systems are sold.Anybody making those kinds of billion dollar decisions that thinks the average American can afford to fly, eat and take the time off from work to go to Hawaii every year or even every other year has severely missed the mark.
This purchase always struck me as "We've got cash, they are selling a parcel for a song, might as well buy it." If Aulani does well, I would not be surprised to see a similar mixed-use (part timeshare, part hotel) go in at National Harbor. If Aulani does not do well, expect to see it quietly sold, and probably for a halfway decent profit. Other development at National Harbor hasn't been blistering, but it has happened slowly but surely, and interestingly has been a mix of residential, commercial, and hotel/resort. I expect the area to continue to build out, and "the hill" that Disney owns could end up being a good spot for higher-end residential if it comes to that.Washington DC - I would be surprised if that ever gets off the ground. It's been 2 1/2 years and no progress towards actually building and DVC was never announced to be part of it.
I disagree that the success of Hawaii will have anything to do with National Harbor. It is my belief that National Harbor will never be a DVC component for a number of reasons. It will never have enough year round interest to fill the rooms, there will never be enough repeat business, and I can't see enough interest in ownership to ever sell it out.I agree with this. Hawaii is the easiest possible "sell" you could imagine without being attached to a theme park.
Two thoughts. One, for the Left Coasters and the Japanese, HI *is* a much more common destination than you'd imagine from the Right Coast. Two, I'm sure that Aulani is being sold more as "part of a system" rather than "this resort is where you'll always go." That's the logical progression if DVC really intends to expand beyond the berm, and it is how most other point-based systems are sold.
This purchase always struck me as "We've got cash, they are selling a parcel for a song, might as well buy it." If Aulani does well, I would not be surprised to see a similar mixed-use (part timeshare, part hotel) go in at National Harbor. If Aulani does not do well, expect to see it quietly sold, and probably for a halfway decent profit. Other development at National Harbor hasn't been blistering, but it has happened slowly but surely, and interestingly has been a mix of residential, commercial, and hotel/resort. I expect the area to continue to build out, and "the hill" that Disney owns could end up being a good spot for higher-end residential if it comes to that.
This purchase always struck me as "We've got cash, they are selling a parcel for a song, might as well buy it." If Aulani does well, I would not be surprised to see a similar mixed-use (part timeshare, part hotel) go in at National Harbor. If Aulani does not do well, expect to see it quietly sold, and probably for a halfway decent profit. Other development at National Harbor hasn't been blistering, but it has happened slowly but surely, and interestingly has been a mix of residential, commercial, and hotel/resort. I expect the area to continue to build out, and "the hill" that Disney owns could end up being a good spot for higher-end residential if it comes to that.
Wyndham manages to do well there. Very well. And, they sell from the developer at prices pretty comparable to DVC's. It can be done. But, Wyndham as a system is much larger than DVC. In Wyndham's model, home resort is not particularly important to most owners.It is my belief that National Harbor will never be a DVC component for a number of reasons. It will never have enough year round interest to fill the rooms, there will never be enough repeat business, and I can't see enough interest in ownership to ever sell it out.
This is an important observation, and not to be overlooked. From where I sit, Disney is already concerned about whether or not the "only Disney will do" market has been tapped out. Just take a look at how their marketing materials have changed over the past several years to increasingly emphasize the non-park trips. RCI and the other Collections are a much bigger part of their message.Most of us bought DVC for the theme park destinations so I can see it's hard to grasp the logic of non-park locations.