Ft. Wilderness Cabins becoming DVC?

[mlayton14]

Update - fort wilderness villas and trailers

 

[Nursemanit]

While I love to speculate, it seems that some of us are getting worked up about what might be.

Totally agree - we need the poly point charts that they will selling alongside the cabins to have anything more than a “WAG”

But I am still guessing an average of 230 points a week for the cabins. Because arguing without all the facts makes the internet fun.

 

[tidefan]

VGF and RIV 1 bedrooms are larger, and the locations are different..... you can't compare the two.....

I am expecting them to be similar to the SSR point charts for 1 bedrooms due to the smaller size, and the potential for no washer/dryer....especially given that point charts tend to match the cash price.

The 2042 charts were created at a time when the cost of a deluxe room was half of what it is today...

I think these are going to come in between studios and 1-bedrooms. You are comparing a 504 sq ft cabin (assuming footprints stays the same) to a 714 sq ft villa. I still think you have to factor in the square footage as pricing has seemed to flow along these lines (as in a 1-bedroom is often twice a studio as it is double the square footage, but the 2 bedrooms are only about 3 studios in pricing, in accordance with their square footage).

Also, I get the argument about the price creep, however, the buy in cost was less than half per point of what it is now only about 12ish years ago...

 

[Nursemanit]

I predict golf cart rental will go up to $75 a day or 500 a week for members. That’s 26,000 a year in revenue- and golf carts only cost 10k and last 20 years minimum.

 

[tjkraz]

Couldn't get that for the moderate building there before RIV either. This will be new and shiny. And not cheap.

Caribbean Beach : Riviera =/= Ft Wilderness Cabins : DVC Cabins

 

[Sandisw]

Couldn't get that for the moderate building there before RIV either. This will be new and shiny. And not cheap.

RIV is not even close to the same as what was there at CBR before.... That is not what is happening at FW...they are pretty much simply putting in the same thing...just new. Cabins that sleep 6 with cabins that sleep 6.

I guess we will have to wait and see...but, if the point chart that exists now for trades is any indication, these won't be that high since the cost to trade to non DVC hotels, is always much higher than the DVC charts for rooms at shared locations.

 

[Nabas]

A FW Cabin for tonight (4/24) has rack of $522. Riviera 2 bedroom standard is $1689.

The cabins may be nicer than current once updated and the Riviera rate may be inflated. But both of those factors aren't enough to bridge that gulf.

Yeah, a Fort Wilderness cabin costs less than many (most?) Deluxe Resort Studios.

I cannot imagine a point chart anywhere near approaching a 2-bedroom. Heck, even a 1-bedroom is pushing it.

 

[Sandisw]

Yeah, a Fort Wilderness cabin costs less than many (most?) Deluxe Resort Studios.

I cannot imagine a point chart anywhere near approaching a 2-bedroom. Heck, even a 1-bedroom is pushing it.

That is why my prediction is closer to the SSR 1 bedroom...only because they do sleep an extra person....but definitely can't see it much more than that!

Outside of premium weeks, the highest a SV 1 bedroom goes at SSR is 36 points for a weekend...they start as low as 21/night in September....

 

[WeLuvWDWx5]

Is there limits to how many and what breed of dog you can bring?

Yes, you can only bring two dogs. I called to confirm whether there were rules to the type of breed and they said no. We have brought our two dobermans with us a few times now and I also saw a few dobermans with campers. So I guess any breed is allowed.

 

[Spivey378]

I want to bring my cat.

 

[Traveling on cc points]

camping isn’t really my thing so I never really had any interest in fort wilderness but the fact that you can bring your dog and use points is very intriguing.

Is there a dog park on the grounds for the dogs to get some exercise and play with other pups?

If most of your predictions are correct, and the point charts are in the high studio/low 1 bedroom range, we may buy a small contract.

 

[KalamityJane]

camping isn’t really my thing so I never really had any interest in fort wilderness but the fact that you can bring your dog and use points is very intriguing.

Is there a dog park on the grounds for the dogs to get some exercise and play with other pups?

If most of your predictions are correct, and the point charts are in the high studio/low 1 bedroom range, we may buy a small contract.

Yes, there’s a dog park!

 

[Traveling on cc points]

Yes, there’s a dog park!

Thanks! That is awesome.

 

[BL2020]

This may be cynical but it sounds like a ploy to fob off fort wilderness maintenance costs onto DVC members. This resort has a large footprint.

 

[tjkraz]

This may be cynical but it sounds like a ploy to fob off fort wilderness maintenance costs onto DVC members. This resort has a large footprint.

That's an obvious benefit of any DVC conversion. Disney gains the one-time cash infusion from selling points and it rids itself of a certain amount of recurring expense. But they also permanently lose the revenue stream those hotel rooms previously produced.

 

[hilltopper152]

Is it possible they make several different size cabins?

They have said they will be adding things to the resort so I bet they add things central to those so that you are not traveling as far to what is there.

Maybe. Being at the Fort several times recently, not sure what that would be or where without removing more of the wilderness. They could easily mess up the long-standing FW but hope they keep it contained.

 

[hilltopper152]

If these legitimately sleep six and have a point chart similar to a one-bedroom villa, then I imagine these will be very popular among some.

But if these have a point charter closer to a two-bedroom villa, then I agree with you. Why bother to buy here?

They won't change much from before based on what they said and that means sleeping 6 will be tight. I would say younger kids and parents.

 

[hilltopper152]

I'm going to offer a massively different opinion on room pricing. Maybe wishful thinking. I just think demand will be there but capped to a very specific audience. My thought is this will be selling in direct competition to some great alternatives and DVC is not likely to drop price per point for this specific resort. I think the sell for buying direct points here will be to maximize the importance of 11 months at this resort. Getting at the point chart is so favorable for that bottom end one bedroom point chart that people are inclined to add on points here specifically to use it. I think selling 200-300 points to a family to stay here each year or for a week will be pretty hard. It's stuck between DVC products marketing wise but many of on this thread would love a few nights. I think this is how they get someone interested in Poly and adding this on the side. Also how they get us resale owners to be inclined to add a few points here even if not enough for member perks. That 11 month window being so competitive like a beach club.

This probably doesn't make sense but neither does paying $240ish a point direct for a price chart anywhere near RIV. Cash stays were 300-400 and even if we say these are now valued at 500-600 a night it's just not great deal to own the expensive timeshare versus the value of what that cash rental could be on property. I really think many of the people in the group are leaning too far away from the opportunity cost component of how people would spend their money. There is margins to be made without them taking on this whole project and trying to squeeze it.

 

[zavandor]

If we spreadsheeted it, I bet Disney stands to make a lot more money renting golf carts to people who want them over 50 years rather than selling a few more points up front.

Couldn't the same be said about hotel rooms and DVC?
I don't think they'll include a golf cart with the room, but it would be novel enough to raise interest in it. Also, they currently rent them for $50, I read in a post, if it's true, it's the value of renting a couple of points and yet someone suggested they could charge 10 points more.
If the perceived value of that amenity is so high, then it could help to raise the point chart. Just wondering if the FW infrastructure could handle one golf cart per cabin.

Club level is a little different because Disney as a whole hasn't built club level recently.

The Grand Destino tower has club level.

 

[Sandisw]

Maybe. Being at the Fort several times recently, not sure what that would be or where without removing more of the wilderness. They could easily mess up the long-standing FW but hope they keep it contained.

I think the announcement was 350 cabins and it currently has more? So maybe reconfiguring some of that area from cabins to amenities?