DVC units used to cover sold out resorts?

[Tiger926]

We used points for a Contemporary Concierge room for our 1st night before our 9 nights @ AKV, 1.5 years ago. When we got there, they immediately brought us upstairs to Concierge and they all had smiles of delight on their faces. We didn't think anything of it, as it's Disney after all! Our Concierge CM said that they had a big surprise for us, and boy, did they ever!

We were upgraded to the Presidential Suite - 2 beds, 3 baths, 3 balconies, kitchen, dining room, living room, foyer, private butler and the most incredible view of MK. We watched Wishes in our jammies! This room was over $2,000+ a night, yet we only paid 30 something points (don't quote me on that).

So, as DVC members we did get upgraded as we used points through the cash booking system - it was Disney reservations who upgraded us at the hotel itself, and not DVC, of course, as this room went through regular reservation system. They said as members they wanted to reward us for being loyal guests! This was the first time we had ever been upgraded after years of cash stays before DVC, so it was a nice surprise! I would suspect that this room sits empty a lot of the time, so in this case, it seemed to be a true surprise upgrade.

In regards to others getting upgraded, I think it's fine as well. It has nothing to do with me - whether Disney is using it as a marketing strategy (a good one, IMHO), or because they are truly overbooked, it really has nothing to do with me. It's just like going on a flight - every single person on that flight probably paid a different cost for their ticket, and so there is nothing that can be done about it. As long as Disney is paying dues for those points, which would cover maintenance and such, then it's a nice surprise for those families - just like what happened to us!

Just wanted to share this story, Tiger

 

[Dean]

I guess I have no burn with upgrades using inventory already in CRO, developer inventory, unsold invenstory, or DVC exchange inventory. My problem is with breakage inventory - basically just rooms left unused. I also don't have a problem with Disney paying DVC to use these as ugrades either, as they help us as members by recouping costs. My point is that don't get any additinal breakage income by putting outside upgrades into a 1-br than a studio. I would much rather see a member get upgraded from a studio to a 1-br, and have the outside upgrade get the studio.

In my view the breakage inventory is no different, it's no longer owned by the members and is owned by DVCMC to use as rentals. While they may get any income it generates, there is a max even to that. I don't know how they determine the payment but look at it this way, it is a room that would have gone unrented in all likelihood. Better to get $50 per night than nothing.

I have always been partial to first-come-first serve.

Which is unusual in timeshares and has it's own set of inequities when applied.

I guess I don't see it as a snub, as much as I see it as a waste, and something that would be a great perk to members. Of course, people would start complaining about whatever method was used for upgrades, and people would start planning on getting upgrades during slow times, etc. and ruin it.

As a rule timeshares purposefully do not upgrade members because if they do, it creates an expectation and tends to generate less or lower cost sales. If you think you might get upgraded from a studio to a 1 BR, you very possibly might buy less points and reserve smaller units hoping for the occasional upgrade. People do this with cruises all the time even though the % of people that are actually upgraded is quite small.

 

[waltfan1957]

Nope, I've never heard of this happening to anyone

happens every year at ssr & okw

 

[waltfan1957]

Doc - What about the wear & tear the room gets that I pay to fix up with my annual dues ?

Nope - no cost to Disney - but what about the DVC owner ?

We love our DVC membership and have zero regrets - but I dont like the fact that we are SOMETIMES treated as an after thought when it comes to the cash paying guests.

Just food for thought.......

I bolded the sometimes as I believe it's always

 

[RobDoc]

I have always been partial to first-come-first serve.

"First-com-first-serve" based on what - The date the reservation was made or the early arrival at the resort? Originally, DVC resorts tried to honor reservation requests based on when the reservation was made - giving owners at a resort who booked at 11 months a priority over others reserving only weeks or even days before arrival. When guests arrived at the front desk, they applied pressure (sometimes quite vocal) on the CM to override their room assignment and provide a location more ot their liking. As time passed, that original policy was discarded in favor of the room-ready, "first-to-arrive-at-the-resort-at-6:30am" - giving that guest the opportunity to not only get any villa already cleaned but also first dibs on other villas still occupied even if that means waiting until 4pm. Those able to arrive early in the day were being favored over later arrivals - regardless when the reservation was made. Category changes like "near HH" and "BW View" have helped early reservers to regain some advantage over those last minute reservations and those using DME and online check-in also seem to find some benefit with their requested locations , but the feeling of favoritism for vocal encounters and early-arrivers still exists among many.

Regardless which method is used, there may always appear to be some inequity in how those upgrades would be dispensed. I'm not really in favor of any system that gives some members benefits not readily available to all members, but I do feel that owners at a resort (who actually own the resort and are paying all operational fees) deserve some consideration regarding stays at their "home".

I guess I don't see it as a snub, as much as I see it as a waste, and something that would be a great perk to members. Of course, people would start complaining about whatever method was used for upgrades, and people would start planning on getting upgrades during slow times, etc. and ruin it.

BINGO!

I think the number of the 1BR "breakage" villas may be over-esitmated too - meaning that the number of these member upgrades would actually be minimal. I believe that the majority of the upgrades from Value and Moderate resorts have actually been from DRC inventory via points already used for non-DVC options ... and not from Breakage inventory. It might be a perk - but to very few members.