Fixed Week Option - Will it appeal to VGF Buyers?

[CarolMN]

I'm wondering how popular the fixed week option at the VGF will turn out to be with VGV buyers.

Thanks to DVC News (article author Wil Lovato / aka wdrl), we know that up to 35% of the resort could be sold this way.

Perhaps it would appeal to people who want to guarantee a visit for Christmas or New Year's Eve every year, or perhaps even during early December or the school breaks. Since the resort will be so small, it's possible that it will be very hard to book popular times, even at 11 months. Competition for at least the studios and lower cost views at 7 months could be intense. (I am assuming there will be some type of lower cost option due to the layout of the building).

It appears that each year, a fixed week owner would have the option to turn the week into points that could be used to book anything else that is eligible for booking with points. So the fixed week option won't lock you in to only the week you buy.

Not sure that I would want to pay a premium for the fixed week option, but if they had offered it for the BWV, we would have had to seriously consider it.

Your thoughts?

 

[mjc2003]

I think it's crazy, and a cash grab, because they will probably sell the weeks at a similar premium as they did at Aulani (10%). So for me, I need 400 points for a 2 bedroom. That's going to cost me $66,000 at least (if the buy in is $165, I suspect it'll be higher). Now to guarantee a certain week I pay another $6600? I could do a lot with $6600, and if I'm spending $66k already I'd be pretty annoyed that that's not enough to get me the week I want.
Why offer the fixed week at all, why not just offer the points? Because they can squeeze another 10% out of 35% of the buyers. Nice.

Conversely, if I don't get the fixed week option I'm now spending $66,000 and wouldn't even have equal opportunity for prime weeks?

I know I would be hesitant to ever trade in the week, because if I'm spending that kind of money I'd only want to stay at VGF and even though I understand I'd be trading in for VGF points, I might have paid a premium for Christmas week and now I'm stuck with maybe getting the scraps?

I don't know who this segment of the market is that is willing to spend that kind of money, but I guess it exists. I'm also quite confident that the bloom will come off the rose and there will be plenty of these contracts to be had in a few years for 50-60% of the direct cost.

I guess I just don't see the appeal of GFV (to the extent that it's worth all this money to stay there). It's a beautiful property, but what are you really getting? Access to the outdated, fleetingly functional monorail? You can't walk to MK like BLT.

I certainly would not be willing to pay a PREMIUM on top of the PREMIUM the points already cost.

 

[bobbiwoz]

Even though I would love to own at the GF in order to stay there in December, I would not be staying a week, so that's more than I want to buy.

 

[Chuck S]

I could understand the fixed week option for Aulani. It would appeal to Asian guests that have some very specific holidays. But for a WDW-based resort, I don't think it will be a popular option.

 

[wdrl]

The Fixed Ownership Interest at VGF represents yet another choice to DVC Members. I suspect most Members will not find the concept of a Fixed Week that appealing, but for some it might be an option that works best in their situations. I know there are some long time timeshare owners in other systems that are more comfortable with a fixed week system rather than dealing with the uncertainties of a points-based timeshare.

DVD offers the Guaranteed Week at Aulani, but I don't think it has sold many such weeks. I've done a small amount of research on Aulani deeds and I haven't noticed very many deeds that appear to represent fixed weeks. I'd be completely and utterly shocked if DVD has sold anywhere near the 35% cap for any week at Aulani. In fact, 10% or even 5% might be way too high of a count. I think the same will happen at VGF.

We know how difficult it is to secure a reservation for one of the five Concierge Level Vacation Homes at AKV, even at the 11-month window. Given that VGF will have only six Grand Villas, the same might happen to VGF owners who want to book a GV for a week at certain times of the year. Faced with this uncertainty, a Member might decide to lock in a week using the Fixed week option.

 

[scottashackleton]

The Fixed Ownership Interest at VGF represents yet another choice to DVC Members. I suspect most Members will not find the concept of a Fixed Week that appealing, but for some it might be an option that works best in their situations. I know there are some long time timeshare owners in other systems that are more comfortable with a fixed week system rather than dealing with the uncertainties of a points-based timeshare.

DVD offers the Guaranteed Week at Aulani, but I don't think it has sold many such weeks. I've done a small amount of research on Aulani deeds and I haven't noticed very many deeds that appear to represent fixed weeks. I'd be completely and utterly shocked if DVD has sold anywhere near the 35% cap for any week at Aulani. In fact, 10% or even 5% might be way too high of a count. I think the same will happen at VGF.

We know how difficult it is to secure a reservation for one of the five Concierge Level Vacation Homes at AKV, even at the 11-month window. Given that VGF will have only six Grand Villas, the same might happen to VGF owners who want to book a GV for a week at certain times of the year. Faced with this uncertainty, a Member might decide to lock in a week using the Fixed week option.

How does Disney deal with their fixed week contracts? Is it set on specific dates, i.e. 10/1-10/7 every year? Or is it the first Saturday in October to the second Saturday in October type of system? With the former, it's kind of a bummer knowing that 5 of every 7 years you will have your week begin and end on a weekday, whereas with the latter, you guarantee a Saturday to Saturday stay.

 

[DenLo]

There might Europeans that would be interested in the fixed week. Many Europeans arrange their two to three week long vacations around holidays or seasons. And a lot of those I've met at WDW often stay in Orlando in timeshares or at WDW for a week or more.

I think DVC is just trying to compete with other timeshares in Orlando that offer a fixed week. Some timeshare owners, just can't get their head around the points concept. It is limited enough that point owners know they can book a least 65 percent of the resort at any time. But if people are not buying a significant number of fixed week contracts at Aulani, I would expect the numbers to be lower at VGF. So the fixed week will probably have very little affect on DVC members that buy points at VGF.

 

[wdrl]

How does Disney deal with their fixed week contracts? Is it set on specific dates, i.e. 10/1-10/7 every year? Or is it the first Saturday in October to the second Saturday in October type of system? With the former, it's kind of a bummer knowing that 5 of every 7 years you will have your week begin and end on a weekday, whereas with the latter, you guarantee a Saturday to Saturday stay.

At Aulani, the Fixed Weeks run from Sunday to the following Sunday. There is a chart in the Aulani POS that explains the check-in and check-out dates for each week. Simply put, if the Fixed Ownership Interest is identified by week number 38, then the check-in date will be the 38th Sunday of the calendar year and the check-out date will by the 39th Sunday of the calendar year.

 

[hakepb]

Doesn't a fixed week guarantee that allocations cannot make your week more expensive (or conversely cheaper?)

What if you bought week 14, in 2014 that's April 6-13 and should only be Magic Season. But, occasionally week 14 will be Easter week (like 2013) and be Preimer week. Does a fixed week mean you get an occasional bonus on Easter? For a 2BR, that's a 154 point savings.

 

[Cricket2]

I think it's an option specifically tuned for rich people that don't want to goof around with point booking windows and trying to call at the right time of year to book their family into a resort at a specific time every year. Something between Golden Oak and regular DVC options. I'm also guessing that some people will buy blocks of weeks out of the year rather than just simply one week. This gives them that option.

 

[Shellandscott]

At Aulani, the Fixed Weeks run from Sunday to the following Sunday. There is a chart in the Aulani POS that explains the check-in and check-out dates for each week. Simply put, if the Fixed Ownership Interest is identified by week number 38, then the check-in date will be the 38th Sunday of the calendar year and the check-out date will by the 39th Sunday of the calendar year.

Doesn't a fixed week guarantee that allocations cannot make your week more expensive (or conversely cheaper?)

What if you bought week 14, in 2014 that's April 6-13 and should only be Magic Season. But, occasionally week 14 will be Easter week (like 2013) and be Preimer week. Does a fixed week mean you get an occasional bonus on Easter? For a 2BR, that's a 154 point savings.

I own at DVC but also own at another fixed week resort. The first thing I thought of was just these points. I own week 52, Fri-Fri, sometimes this covers Christmas sometimes it covers NYE. Some years have 51 fridays, some years have 53 fridays. Spring break moves, even Jersey week moves some years it is the first weekend, some the second.

Here is a sample of Sat-Sat week 2013-2016

2013 2014 2015 2016
Week 51 21 Dec - 28 Dec 20 Dec - 27Dec 19 Dec - 26Dec 17 Dec - 24 Dec
Week 52 28 Dec - 04 Jan 27 Dec - 03Jan 26 Dec - 02Jan 24 Dec - 31 Dec
​

So if you have week 52 you will be quite disappointed if in 2016 you need to check out on NYE. But you need to check in Christmas eve which you normally spend at home with family.

 

[dianeschlicht]

I think it's crazy, and a cash grab, because they will probably sell the weeks at a similar premium as they did at Aulani (10%). So for me, I need 400 points for a 2 bedroom. That's going to cost me $66,000 at least (if the buy in is $165, I suspect it'll be higher). Now to guarantee a certain week I pay another $6600? I could do a lot with $6600, and if I'm spending $66k already I'd be pretty annoyed that that's not enough to get me the week I want.
Why offer the fixed week at all, why not just offer the points? Because they can squeeze another 10% out of 35% of the buyers. Nice.

Conversely, if I don't get the fixed week option I'm now spending $66,000 and wouldn't even have equal opportunity for prime weeks?

I know I would be hesitant to ever trade in the week, because if I'm spending that kind of money I'd only want to stay at VGF and even though I understand I'd be trading in for VGF points, I might have paid a premium for Christmas week and now I'm stuck with maybe getting the scraps?

I don't know who this segment of the market is that is willing to spend that kind of money, but I guess it exists. I'm also quite confident that the bloom will come off the rose and there will be plenty of these contracts to be had in a few years for 50-60% of the direct cost.

I guess I just don't see the appeal of GFV (to the extent that it's worth all this money to stay there). It's a beautiful property, but what are you really getting? Access to the outdated, fleetingly functional monorail? You can't walk to MK like BLT.

I certainly would not be willing to pay a PREMIUM on top of the PREMIUM the points already cost.

I couldn't have said it better. I doubt I'm even going to be interested in staying there anyway.

 

[Sammie]

I think it's an option specifically tuned for rich people that don't want to goof around with point booking windows and trying to call at the right time of year to book their family into a resort at a specific time every year. Something between Golden Oak and regular DVC options. I'm also guessing that some people will buy blocks of weeks out of the year rather than just simply one week. This gives them that option.

Exactly. I know for sure that many people that stay at the GF regularly have talked to DVC about purchasing and this is what they are interested in.

These are not people who are members now and these are people who have no desire to stay anywhere except the Grand Floridian. I can definitely see this for the Grand Villas. These are buyers who were never interested in DVC until now.

There are many, many guests who come to the Grand Floridian every year, at the same time, some staying for 2 or 3 weeks and they book 2 or 3 rooms. This will appeal greatly to them and yes they can afford this. These are people who have been paying rack rate, these are not people who hang on the Internet hoping for a discount. Many are foreigners and many are from the Middle East and they have done this for many years.

As to the bloom wearing off, well that actually will be up to DVC and how this property is managed and maintained. These buyers will be accustomed to staying at the Grand Floridian and will expect the same level of service they have gotten before. If that happens, no, I don't see them selling.

Believe me if I had that kind of money, I would so being doing this too. We love the Grand Floridian.

 

[wdrl]

Here is a sample of Sat-Sat week 2013-2016

2013 2014 2015 2016
Week 51 21 Dec - 28 Dec 20 Dec - 27Dec 19 Dec - 26Dec 17 Dec - 24 Dec
Week 52 28 Dec - 04 Jan 27 Dec - 03Jan 26 Dec - 02Jan 24 Dec - 31 Dec
​

So if you have week 52 you will be quite disappointed if in 2016 you need to check out on NYE. But you need to check in Christmas eve which you normally spend at home with family.

But with the option of converting the Fixed Week to traditional points each Use Year, the problem can be remedied. If you know that you don't want to use your Fixed Week #51 in 2016, you can convert your Week to points and apply those points to another reservation, or bank the points into the next Use Year. So, the family that doesn't want to check-out on December 24th could use their points so that they can check out on another day.

At Aulani, Fixed Ownership Interests have the same cancellation rules as traditional points. As long as the Fixed Week is cancelled more than 31 days before the check-in date, the converted points go directly into the Member's current Use Year allocation. At 31 day or less, the points go into a Holding Account. A Fixed Week Owner could wait until 31 days before their Week to decide whether they want to use it without suffering any restrictions. Thus, the Fixed Week Owner could first check to see if alternate dates/accommodations are available before canceling their Fixed Week.

 

[drusba]

I think Disney believes that with GF there is a market out there for fixed weeks to some who have more purchasing power than most of us poor folk. He who can buy Christmas week in a GV right on the lake would be making the ultimate RB statement and would not buy otherwise because he would have to compete with others at 11 months out to reserve it. If you want two weeks in a GV, you will have to buy fixed weeks because the total points otherwise are going to exceed the maximum allowable point purchase

 

[Sammie]

I think Disney believes that with GF there is a market out there for fixed weeks to some who have more purchasing power than most of us poor folk. He who can buy Christmas week in a GV right on the lake would be making the ultimate RB statement and would not buy otherwise because he would have to compete with others at 11 months out to reserve it. If you want two weeks in a GV, you will have to buy fixed weeks because the total points otherwise are going to exceed the maximum allowable point purchase

What is RB?

 

[Dean]

I think it's an option specifically tuned for rich people that don't want to goof around with point booking windows and trying to call at the right time of year to book their family into a resort at a specific time every year. Something between Golden Oak and regular DVC options. I'm also guessing that some people will buy blocks of weeks out of the year rather than just simply one week. This gives them that option.

I think using that definition, anyone who owns enough points to book there for a week would fall under the definition of rich people, for that matter anyone who owns DVC could come under that umbrella.

If one wants to guarantee a specific time and view, it might be right for some. What it could effectively do is lock other owners, including those who own at GF, out of certain times like Xmas, Spring break, etc. If only 70% of the resort is available for points bookings at higher demand times, that makes it a very small resort and effectively makes it where you'd not only have to own there but book exactly 11 months out for most times/options. It becomes almost the same difficulty as the CL AKV options. IMO anyone who plans to buy there and buy enough points for a week and also has a specific week they tend to visit most years should seriously consider buying the fixed week option there.

 

[Sammie]

I think using that definition, anyone who owns enough points to book there for a week would fall under the definition of rich people, for that matter anyone who owns DVC could come under that umbrella.

If one wants to guarantee a specific time and view, it might be right for some. What it could effectively do is lock other owners, including those who own at GF, out of certain times like Xmas, Spring break, etc. If only 70% of the resort is available for points bookings at higher demand times, that makes it a very small resort and effectively makes it where you'd not only have to own there but book exactly 11 months out for most times/options. It becomes almost the same difficulty as the CL AKV options. IMO anyone who plans to buy there and buy enough points for a week and also has a specific week they tend to visit most years should seriously consider buying the fixed week option there.

Based on the interest in this resort by people new to DVC, but frequent guests at the GF, I have always felt that the chance of getting in this resort without buying there will be very limited.

 

[Dean]

Based on the interest in this resort by people new to DVC, but frequent guests at the GF, I have always felt that the chance of getting in this resort without buying there will be very limited.

IMO this option will make it even more difficult even for those that own there for higher demand times but not impossible though if one is proactive.

 

[nunzia]

This is a bit off topic, but I haven't seen how big/small VGF actually IS..It has 8 Grand Villas?? VGC has only 2..so is this a bigger DVC resort than VGC?