Fixed Week DVC ??? Reported at Aulani....

[Bill and Jen]

I figured since its all over the mousecellaneous board we might as well get it started were it belongs.

My 2cp

As long as certain rooms are dedicated to a fixed week all year round and they are unable to participate in the point system I am A OK with it. If it is this way then a portion of the new resort is not really part of DVC as we know it and that does not effect me in the slightest.

On the other hand, if they have certain weeks that have more fixed weeks than others, or if fixed week members are allowed into the regular point system I am not sure how happy I will be with such a significant change.

What does everyone else think?

 

[ToddyLu]

Let me do a little reading...hmmm....

 

[EdTreo]

Absolutely not.

 

[Longhairbear]

I thought I read that fixed week members cannot trade out to another DVC resort. Also they do not go through MS to book. They just show up??? To me that is weird, paying more for the fixed week option, but getting less flexibility.

 

[NewDCLGuy]

Me? I think we should wait and hear how it actually works before we get the pitchforks and boiling oil. But apparently that puts me in the minority around here.

 

[Disney Doc]

I would look at it as follows... for a premium, MS will reserve your room for you every year, at the same time, precisely when the 11-month window opens. There are people now who effectively stay the same week every year - they just have to remember to make the ressie themselves. (I do agree though - why give up the flexibility that makes DVC so appealing?)

 

[missycj96]

We do need to hear how it actually will work. I would be concerned if the new fixed week aulani purchasers had the same right to the rest of the DVC inventory, but existing members did not have those rights to aulani. I'm hoping they have figured out a way to let those who choose the fixed week option to have their fixed reservation while treating existing members equally. Let's wait for the details before we form an opinion.

 

[wdrl]

I spoke to my Guide and found out some information about the Fixed Week Option at Aulani. I already posted the information on the following thread on the Mousecellaneous board: http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=37191938&postcount=89.

 

[bwvBound]

I am both sympathetic to why some buyers are interested in fixed weeks and cautiously ok with DVC offering these at Aulani.

We own a fixed week at a different timeshare. The property sells both fixed and floating weeks ... with a premium on fixed; extra flexibility, such as split-week options, offered to floating. The format established all holiday and summer weeks as fixed and the remaining off-season weeks as floating. (A float owner cannot book summer or holiday.) Nine years later, we are still very glad we bought the fixed summer week as it is a much stronger trader in RCI than the off-season float weeks.

As for Aulani, I'm eager to hear how much inventory will be fixed (35%??) and how that will be ear-marked. If it is spread equally across the year and unit types, as I've read on the forums, then I don't see any threat to the points-owners reservations. Given the point chart released last week, it seems we can already be certain that Aulani won't establish all holiday and summer weeks to fixed with only off-season dates for points. The points owners will still have access to the high-demand weeks ... even if fewer units are available.

I'm kinda glad that DVC is offering more options!

 

[ssawka]

I think from a business standpoint it makes perfect sense for Disney to offer the fixed week option. Aulani, more so than any other DVC resort will probably have owners that will never venture to any other DVC resort.

 

[Crystal_27]

I'm not loving that DVC has opened the door for this fixed week scenario, even though I'm sure that the market for Aulani can bear it moreso than the on Disney resorts. Still, the very concept seems to go against DVC's system. But, as we have no choice in the matter, I suppose that those non-owners wanting in at Aulani can only hope for the best (just like we do with every other non-home resort booking).

 

[Scrappy_Tink]

Here's my take on it....we already agreed in a previous post that this is going to be a hot seller in Japan. Think about it, Japan has "Golden Week" the same time every year. Their Japanese buyers may not be interested if it's a "crap shoot" whether or not they can get ressies during Golden Week...they will want a guarantee. Hense..."fixed week". DVC makes an extra 10% from Japanese buyers, and they get their Golden week every year.

 

[dis-happy]

After looking at the 40+ page tug thread on the changes Marriott has made (and the general consensus that it is a mess), it causes me concern that Disney is making a radical change.

In the end, I hope they do it well and are giving full disclosure on the ins and outs to either type of purchase, especially since people have already posted buying points already.

Have to wonder if the "not so bad" points chart is a reflection of the decreased availability.

 

[DeeCee735]

Me? I think we should wait and hear how it actually works before we get the pitchforks and boiling oil. But apparently that puts me in the minority around here.

Agreed!

 

[dianeschlicht]

I would look at it as follows... for a premium, MS will reserve your room for you every year, at the same time, precisely when the 11-month window opens. There are people now who effectively stay the same week every year - they just have to remember to make the ressie themselves. (I do agree though - why give up the flexibility that makes DVC so appealing?)

But of that's the way they travel, and they like not planning every year...why not give up the flexibility to always have your same week?

Would I ever do that??? Heck no, but I can see where it might be appealing for some. We have friends who go to Hawaii the same time every year, and they don't own a timeshare. This would be perfect for them.

 

[Granny]

wdrl...thank you for posting the information on fixed week that your guide gave you. Very helpful.

As it's described, I don't see why fixed week would cause an issue with DVC owners. Basically, they are taking up to 35% of the reservations out of DVC inventory.

The key, as has been pointed out in this thread, is that the week owners won't have reservation rights at other DVC resorts. I think this is a pretty workable solution if this makes the resort more appealing to prospective buyers.

It does raise a couple of questions to me:

1. Once the resort is sold out, will Disney let us know how the fixed week distribution falls out? In other words, I'm assuming that they won't sell the same amount of each of the 52 weeks. So it could affect general availability for the resort and it would be good to know when the heavy "locked in week" times are.

2. If "Golden Week" in Japan is so huge, would Disney sell out the entire DVC inventory for that week as a fixed week ownership? So basically that week would be virtually off limits to traditional DVC owners (including Aulani owners)? Just because they say 35% doesn't tell us that they mean 35% of the inventory at any given time.

3. Once the resort is sold out, I'm assuming that the fixed weeks can never be changed? So availability due to fixed week sales won't change in the future?

Me? I think we should wait and hear how it actually works before we get the pitchforks and boiling oil. But apparently that puts me in the minority around here.
06-29-2010 06:28 PM

Like most people I am just curious about how this is going to work. It's fodder for discussion. I'm not worked up about it and whatever they choose to do with Aulani I'm sure we can work with it.

I think the hybrid timeshare system is very interesting so I'm enjoying people pointing out the good and bad with such a system. So my questions are in that vein...just trying to figure out how the system could work.

Could we just wait until all information is available? Sure, but what's the fun in that?

 

[DenLo]

It appears the fixed week is going to be called a "Guaranteed Week" by the DVC and that the GWM (guaranteed week members) will be able to opt out of their week and switch the week to points. Here's more information on it by TJkraz on DVC News.com: http://www.dvcnews.com/index.php/ha...-175/1289-dvc-entering-fixed-week-marketplace

Granny this article might answer some of your questions.

I really don't think that the GW will affect our chances of staying Aulani at the 7 month mark any more than if those villas had been purchased as points and the Home resort members book at the 11 month mark. We will still be vying for a limited number of rooms with the remaining 65% (more than what is currently available at BLT) along with everyone else.

I also understand historically that the Japanese often vacation during Golden Week (April 30 - May 5th) and in August. The only impact I see for these dates is that Golden Week every four years or so will be the same as Easter week and many may be disappointed there. But once again we don't travel Easter week because of the crowds so it won't impact us.

Why would someone buy a GW and pay a premium of 10 percent. I have a little more trouble with this one. But my DH just mentioned, think of the people that always travel to VB and want one of those beach cottages every year for their family. Or the ones that always want a grand villa for Christmas or New Years each year at BWV with a Boardwalk view. If they had a GW option, don't you think they'd opt for it? Sure you are paying a premium for the privilege but those members would have a lot less stress in their lives for something they use every year.

Definitely not for us as we move our travel dates around to suit a whim. (One of the advantages of being retired.) But it does sound like it might suit the Japanese who do like a set vacation date and maybe some other DVC members as well.

 

[wendyinoc]

The only negative on the fixed is you can't use it at the other DVC resorts. I think that will turn some people away from it. However, if you don't buy Aulani points the chances of getting Christmas at 7 will be slim to none.

 

[tmgandolph]

The only negative on the fixed is you can't use it at the other DVC resorts.

But according to DVCNews Fixed Week owners can use their points at other DVC resorts.
http://dvcnews.com/index.php/hawaii--ko-olina-resorts-175/1289-dvc-entering-fixed-week-marketplace

This purchase option, which DVC calls Guaranteed-week Reservations, will permit buyers to use their ownership toward other Disney Vacation Club resorts and exchanges, subject to a unique set of terms and conditions.

Funny more people aren't upset over that.

 

[dianeschlicht]

But according to DVCNews Fixed Week owners can use their points at other DVC resorts.
http://dvcnews.com/index.php/hawaii--ko-olina-resorts-175/1289-dvc-entering-fixed-week-marketplace

This purchase option, which DVC calls Guaranteed-week Reservations, will permit buyers to use their ownership toward other Disney Vacation Club resorts and exchanges, subject to a unique set of terms and conditions.

Funny more people aren't upset over that.

I wont get upset about that until I see the unique set of terms and conditions. I'm sure those conditions are going to be the equalizer part.