DVC's 4th Television Advertisement - dispelling the "myth"?

[DVC Mike]

DVC advertising has become a growing presence. Ads are appearing on the weather.com when you lookup the weather for Orlando, and other web sites. People have noticed a few TV ads for DVC.

The Orlando Sentinel published an article about DVC's 4th TV ad.

Disney Vacation Club has grown rapidly in recent years, adding members and locations at a dizzying rate. But now the Walt Disney Company's Celebration-based time-share arm is trying to get over a uniquely Disney hurdle:

Persuading new buyers that Disney Vacation Club is about more than visiting Disney's theme parks.

That challenge is at the heart of a new television commercial Disney has begun airing in several key markets across the country. It is only the fourth TV spot the company has produced to promote its time-share division.

Dubbed "Little Travelers," the 60-second version of the commercial opens with children talking about the places they have been through their families' Disney Vacation Club memberships. Viewers hear about the Grand Canyon, Costa Rica and England before any reference to a theme park. They are treated to images of the Eiffel Tower and Venice canals instead of Cinderella's Castle and the Epcot ball.

Sybil Woolfork, Disney Vacation Club's director of marketing, said the television commercial aims to remove one of the "key barriers" keeping potential time-share buyers from considering Disney's program.

"It really does help to dispel the myth that Disney Vacation Club is only Disney," Woolfork said.

Full article here:

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/custom/tourism/orl-disney0908apr09,0,7749659.story

 

[DVC Mike]

Guests who visit WDW (or DLR) are bombarded with advertising about Disney’s best kept secret. Each park has multiple DVC booths. DVC has sold well to those guests who regularly visit Disney parks. They are DVC’s best sales prospects.

With the expanded advertising, DVC is trying to persuade potential buyers that DVC is more than just visiting Disney parks. True, there are DVC resorts at Vero Beach and Hilton Head Island, and one being prepared in Hawaii. But the bulk of the DVC resorts are located next to Disney parks, and DVC as a timeshare is uniquely able to deliver it’s best value for Disney vacations.

Can DVC “remove one of the ‘key barriers’ keeping potential time-share buyers from considering Disney's program” and “dispel the myth that Disney Vacation Club is only Disney”? It’s quite a challenge for DVC, in my mind, to switch from its unique niche as a Disney-focused timeshare to a general timeshare such as Marriott, Hilton, etc.

I guess there are those that respect the Disney brand and legendary customer service that will consider DVC and ask for more information. I wonder how many buyers purchase DVC specifically for the “over 500 getaways”?

 

[lovinthemouse]

My thought on it is, I bought DVC to go to Disney more often and for more future visits. I like the thought of the other resorts being DVC (ie.. HHI and VB and Hawaii) but DVC is quite a bit more expensive than some of the other timeshares. If you are not going to use it for Disney visits I can't see it being cost effective.

 

[Monorail Purple&Gold]

I can't speak for anyone but my family, and we bought in for the proximity to WDW--period. The rest was really gravy when we discovered the member getaways aspect of the program.

In a way I don't think DVC is Disney's "best kept secret" anymore, due to the overt nature of the recent publicity of the program. I know on my last trip in '06 there were DVC booths at almost every turn-quite a change from the years prior.

I know we are WDW die-hards, and we wanted the ability to vacation "when we want" and stay "where we want" when we planned trips. We stayed at AKL in 2005 and fell in love with the resort. When we found out we could purchase at AKV and actually afford it now, speaking to our guide was basically a formality because we had decided (using these boards ) to buy already.

From what I've read most people who take tours and receive DVC's "sales pitches" claim the process is low-pressure and laid back, and the product basically sells itself. IMO Disney is trying to maximize the number of folks who buy-in by being the pursuer rather than the pursued.

 

[DVC Mike]

I can't speak for anyone but my family, and we bought in for the proximity to WDW--period. The rest was really gravy when we discovered the member getaways aspect of the program.

The TV ad emphasisis the "over 500 getaways" and shows pictures of foreign locations before showing one picture of a theme park.

 

[Robo-Daddy 3000]

I haven't seen the ad but judging from the article the sales pitch sounds a bit misleading. DVC is all about vacations at Disney and for them to try and sell it as something different isn't right. If you buy DVC, you most likely will end with a booking advantage at a home resort near a Disney park! That should be considered a "key benefit" not a "key barrier"!

 

[Quiksilvr]

I think it's also problematic that the "500+ getaways" may change or be taken away at any given time. It's not like DVC is required to offer exchanges. For DVC to market the program like the exchanges are an integral part of what's being sold is somewhat misleading. Obviously, once the sales prospect calls Disney and is speaking with a guide, they'll learn that the 500 getaways are actually timeshare exchange subject to a number of rules and restrictions, so there will definitely be full disclosure, but I think that emphasizing the exchanges in television commercials is a somewhat shady way to entice someone to make that first telephone call to DVC.

I bought DVC because I wanted to go to WDW. My wife let me buy DVC because DVC will be great when we have kids. If the proximity to the parks was not part of DVC, I doubt that I would have purchased any timeshare product at this time in my life (I was 26 when we purchased). The exchanges were just an added bonus for me that I am sure we will use more than once (I understand how many feel about the exchanges being a costly use of points, but I'm personally completely indifferent to that). Still, I believe that those exchanges are just an ancillary benefit to DVC that should not necessarily be emphasized in television commercials.

 

[Monorail Purple&Gold]

The TV ad emphasisis the "over 500 getaways" and shows pictures of foreign locations before showing one picture of a theme park.

Are they pubbing it as the adventurer aspect or just the member getaways. Seems like a way of starting at point A, then going through points B, C, and D to get to E when they could just simply go A to E.

Misleading may be too strong a description here, but as DVC Mike said far and away the majority DVC's are close to the parks.

 

[tjkraz]

Misleading may be too strong a description here...

I agree...misleading is far too strong a word. Disney is simply highlighting an aspect of their product that people may have overlooked. I don't see anything wrong with trying to raise awareness beyond six theme park based resorts.

The Walt Disney World based resorts may be the bread-and-butter of the program and the reason that you and I bought our points. But there's no reason that every single owner need fit the same mold.

...but as DVC Mike said far and away the majority DVC's are close to the parks.

The majority may be, but not all. And whether folks consider Interval trades to be of value or not...they are still legitimately part of the program.

IMO, DVC is trying to appeal to those who enjoy the theme parks, but don't plan on returning year-after-year to that one same place. Certainly there are families who enjoy visiting WDW every 2 of 3 years and also vacation elsewhere. Disney is trying to communicate that folks CAN get that great room right in the heart of Walt Disney World AND still use points for hundreds of destinations around the world.

In my mind, current members can only benefit from this sort of marketing. We NEED more members in the program who want to use their points at locations like HHI, VB and Hawaii. Particularly Hawaii. If Hawaii is a sales success, it will lead to more destinations which enhance the program. It's also important that we get owners into the Hawaii resort who want to USE their points at that location. If not, it will only make things more difficult to book at the theme park resorts.

 

[DVC Mike]

I agree...misleading is far too strong a word. Disney is simply highlighting an aspect of their product that people may have overlooked. I don't see anything wrong with trying to raise awareness beyond six theme park based resorts.

The Walt Disney World based resorts may be the bread-and-butter of the program and the reason that you and I bought our points. But there's no reason that every single owner need fit the same mold.

I agree. However, I wonder how successful DVC will be in signing up folks who don't go to a Disney park on a semi-regular basis.

 

[smep013]

We bought into DVC because we know we will go to Disney at least once a year, and because we have desires to travel elsewhere. It was a win-win for us. It forces us to plan a vacation so we can use the points. We are travelling to Italy through DVC this summer, using our developer/incentive points.

 

[Monorail Purple&Gold]

I agree. However, I wonder how successful DVC will be in signing up folks who don't go to a Disney park on a semi-regular basis.

It is an interesting slant/target audience for DVC marketing to focus on considering the true intent/nature of the product being sold.

Am I wrong in understanding, but won't using points for member getaways require some flexibility with travel dates along with the exchanges being available in the first place? Not exactly a guaranteed vacation destination.

 

[tjkraz]

I agree. However, I wonder how successful DVC will be in signing up folks who don't go to a Disney park on a semi-regular basis.

I think the key is "semi-regular".

I can't see someone who dislikes the theme parks respecting the "Disney" name enough to buy into Ko Olina or to use DVC as an Interval trade vehicle. If that's the market DVC is aiming for, then they are in for a rude awakening.

But I tend to think there are a lot of families who are either split in their loyalties (i.e. wife likes the parks, husband does not) or folks who view Disney as a good destination every few years. Those people would be apt to tune-out the standard DVC sales pitch as being too park-centric.

If DVC is able to hook people on the worldwide appeal, suddenly DVC takes on a whole new persona. They will soon have 3 non-park resorts in the program and while Interval trading may have its own learning curve, it is actually quite an economical use for points.

 

[ZekeKelso]

<snark>

Disney could have overcome this "misperception" by actually making it easier and more reasonable to use DVC as a vehicle to travel the world. Instead, the chose to spend millions on advertising. Bummer.

</snark>

What DVC needs are happy and satisfied customers. Folks who feel good about buying a timeshare. Not folks who feel they made a bad choice.

Right now, DVC is really only appropriate for folks whose primary interest is staying in a DVC resort. If Disney wants to change the perception, they should change the basic facts.

 

[Robo-Daddy 3000]

The ease and flexibiity by which DVC can make vacation planning possible is greatly diminished if you are not going to use the membership for vacationing at your home resort. I would think that if you were only going to use your DVC membership for II exchanges, you could find a better deal somewhere else. Perhaps DVC should've waited until they are closer to opening the resort in Hawaii before pursuing this type of advertising path. Until Hawaii opens up, you are still going to be forced to purchase an ownership interest in Orlando, Florida at the theme park (except for a small # of points that might be available at VB and HH).

 

[tjkraz]

What DVC needs are happy and satisfied customers. Folks who feel good about buying a timeshare. Not folks who feel they made a bad choice.

According to independent surveys, DVC member satisfaction is over 90% and tops in the timeshare industry. Any perceived negative feelings toward DVC exhibited in these forums is not representative of the membership as a whole.

The ease and flexibiity by which DVC can make vacation planning possible is greatly diminished if you are not going to use the membership for vacationing at your home resort. I would think that if you were only going to use your DVC membership for II exchanges, you could find a better deal somewhere else.

That "ease and flexibility" may be what sold you on DVC, but the same cannot be said for thousands of other members.

Interval handles millions of timeshare weeks per year. That's reflective of an awful lot of people who aren't intimidated by the system's shortcomings.

As for finding a better deal, why should timeshares be different than anything else? Whether you're buying a car or an iPod or a cheeseburger, not everyone bases their purchase decisions entirely upon getting the best deal.

And DVC has still cornered the market when it comes to on-property rooms. You can't buy into Marriott and stay on WDW property. Even if it means dues that are 20% higher for DVC than Marriott, that may be a fair premium to pay if it means getting that BoardWalk View room every three years.

 

[ZekeKelso]

According to independent surveys, DVC member satisfaction is over 90% and tops in the timeshare industry. Any perceived negative feelings toward DVC exhibited in these forums is not representative of the membership as a whole.

Sorry if I wasn't clear. Right now, DVC seems to stand head-and-shoulders above the rest of the industry. Let's keep it that way. I'd hate to see heavy advertising and promotion bring in members who aren't as satisfied.

As for finding a better deal, why should timeshares be different than anything else?

Just gets back to my point about member satisfaction. If folks are encouraged to buy DVC for trades, then realize they could have gotten the same trade value by spending half as much on Worldmark points, that's bad for DVC.

 

[Brian Noble]

Except that most timeshare owners really have no idea what the exchange marketplace really looks like. There might be sseveral hundred people active at sites like TUG and TS4M. Those folks are incredibly well informed. The average timeshare owner? Not so much. For them, it's vacation, not a hobby or, for that matter, a job.

The DVCers I know who use II are generally pretty satisfied. True, they are not getting anywhere near top value for their exchanges, but that doesn't seem to take away from their satisfaction.

The only danger to DVC in marketing this way is not keeping a very sharp eye on the resorts available to members.

 

[casper]

That 7 to 11 month window is sounding more and more important.

 

[DVC Mike]

That 7 to 11 month window is sounding more and more important.

Yep, as more DVC resorts go up outside of Disney Parks, it will get probably harder to book the ones inside the parks.