FW Cabins

[Drr10]

How many Cabins are there in FW and how many are actually dedicated to DVC? You can find plenty of nights if you want to pay cash, but never can find more than 2 nights if you want to book on points. This is 11 and 7 months out.

 

[Patmcpsu]

They built 409 total cabins. This thread says they declared 63 so far (the remaining 346 are being operated as hotels, for now).

At new resorts, they won't declare all the rooms as part of DVC right away - they usually start with a small portion and declare more rooms as deeds get sold. The problem with CFW is that deeds haven't been selling much.

 

[DonkeyHoTay]

You can find plenty of nights if you want to pay cash, but never can find more than 2 nights if you want to book on points. This is 11 and 7 months out.

The problem with CFW is that deeds haven't been selling much.

Yes. We each have to do our part and start buying contracts there so more inventory will be declared. So, anyone reading this thread should call their guide immediately and sign up for 500 points.... that should create the availability I want for random weekends in the summer. Who is with me ?!?!?!?!?

Seriously, I doubt the sales pace is going to improve at CFW despite their best marketing and dues reduction efforts. Dues are still too high and that product is just too unique to get real traction like more traditional resorts. I bought a favorite week (#50) at CFW because I actually want to stay there during December and don't have time to stalk reservation systems. So far I have only been able to get 7 month reservations in December using Welcome Home reservation priority (using direct OKW points), or just be lucky on the waitlist at other peak times. I think the only real shot at moving DVC inventory at CFW is going to come from some combination with LSL in a Trust package type thing (that should tell you I don't even know what I'm talking about, so don't read into this too much) where buying CFW and/or LSL allows them to declare inventory in both places. I have to keep dreaming this in order for it to be true, and you can help me by repeating it elsewhere.

 

[Chili327]

How many Cabins are there in FW and how many are actually dedicated to DVC? You can find plenty of nights if you want to pay cash, but never can find more than 2 nights if you want to book on points. This is 11 and 7 months out.

Tough sell. lol

 

[tidefan]

We are here now. One interesting thing that I did not know. This is our 4th stay at the Cabins and every time prior to this, we've had a walk-in shower, so I just assumed that is what they all had. When we checked in to this Cabin, lo and behold, it had a tub. Apparently, 60 something of the Cabins have tubs, which would normally be fine if DW hadn't had a knee replacement last year. If I knew before I would have requested the walk-in shower. Now I know

Other than that, love the Cabins. Our last 3 stays have been here. However, as I've said before, there are some things keeping us from buying here:

• Dues are too high
• Restrictions
• Don't trust the verbiage in the Trust that they can reallocate points across units (i.e. - they can increase the points that the Cabins cost in the future)
• I worry that they may try to combine CFW (which we love staying in) with LL (which we would have 0 desire to stay in). Honestly, the problem isn't LL itself, it's where they decided to put it. They've completely destroyed the vibe at the Settlement area of the Fort. I was over there yesterday and it's really sad. When you look over Crockett's Tavern and see a hulking Marriott-like monstrosity, it sort of ruins that "wilderness" vibe..., but maybe that's just my opinion...

 

[GADisneyDad14]

This is our 4th stay at the Cabins and every time prior to this, we've had a walk-in shower, so I just assumed that is what they all had. When we checked in to this Cabin, lo and behold, it had a tub. Apparently, 60 something of the Cabins have tubs, which would normally be fine if DW hadn't had a knee replacement last year. If I knew before I would have requested the walk-in shower. Now I know

Appreciate this report, I didn’t know this!

 

[GADisneyDad14]

They built 409 total cabins. This thread says they declared 63 so far (the remaining 346 are being operated as hotels, for now).

Just FYI, there are 364 cabins.

 

[Patmcpsu]

Don't trust the verbiage in the Trust that they can reallocate points across units (i.e. - they can increase the points that the Cabins cost in the future)

This is the first I've heard about this being in the contract. Do you know the exact verbiage?

The reasonable points chart is the only thing that would make me consider CFW - if that's subject to change, yikes.

 

[Robclint734]

This is the first I've heard about this being in the contract. Do you know the exact verbiage?

The reasonable points chart is the only thing that would make me consider CFW - if that's subject to change, yikes.

Long time lurker first time poster here! But the CFW really intrigues our family. We are a family of 6 and that gets tough with the number of points for a 2 bedroom at times. The point charts at the Cabins really caught our eye. However I too am now just learning about this verbiage and have some concern now too.

 

[tidefan]

This is the first I've heard about this being in the contract. Do you know the exact verbiage?

The reasonable points chart is the only thing that would make me consider CFW - if that's subject to change, yikes.

@Sandisw can maybe provide the verbiage, but the Trust documents I believe allow Disney to reallocate if more units are added to the use plan.

 

[Sandisw]

@Sandisw can maybe provide the verbiage, but the Trust documents I believe allow Disney to reallocate if more units are added to the use plan.

Yes, I am not home right now but I can definitely add the specific language later today!

 

[Sandisw]

@Sandisw can maybe provide the verbiage, but the Trust documents I believe allow Disney to reallocate if more units are added to the use plan.

Sorry it took me a few days.....here is the relevant information that shows that DVD can add different property, including other component sites to the same Resort plan.....

All property contained within the same RTU plan provide the total number of points and it is those points that can then be used to reallocate over any or all vacation homes. The point balancing still has to always match total points assigned to the property that has been activated into a specfic RTU plan, but the big difference is that DVD has the ability to keep adding more inventory into the same one.

CFW has had two declarations of vacation homes....the first one was 30 homes, totaling 229,820 points (7661 per cabin) and yet the second declaration was 33 cabins, totaling 257,961 (7817 per cabin). DVD has not given a reason why there was a difference.

Another interesting feature is that because this is a trust and not a leashold, and DVC remains owners of the property, they can sell based on 52 weeks in a year where the other resorts show 51.

Another interesting tidbit is that they have the right to substitute property in the trust...not something we see in other POS documents.

Not saying this will ever happen, and right now, it is functioning exactly like the rest because the only property added are the cabins....but, the potential exists for DVD to move in a different direction with new resorts. LSL will be the first test that could give us insight of whether or not this model will be used beyond CFW....

 

[Robclint734]

Sorry it took me a few days.....here is the relevant information that shows that DVD can add different property, including other component sites to the same Resort plan.....

All property contained within the same RTU plan provide the total number of points and it is those points that can then be used to reallocate over any or all vacation homes. The point balancing still has to always match total points assigned to the property that has been activated into a specfic RTU plan, but the big difference is that DVD has the ability to keep adding more inventory into the same one.

CFW has had two declarations of vacation homes....the first one was 30 homes, totaling 229,820 points (7661 per cabin) and yet the second declaration was 33 cabins, totaling 257,961 (7817 per cabin). DVD has not given a reason why there was a difference.

Another interesting feature is that because this is a trust and not a leashold, and DVC remains owners of the property, they can sell based on 52 weeks in a year where the other resorts show 51.

Another interesting tidbit is that they have the right to substitute property in the trust...not something we see in other POS documents.

Not saying this will ever happen, and right now, it is functioning exactly like the rest because the only property added are the cabins....but, the potential exists for DVD to move in a different direction with new resorts. LSL will be the first test that could give us insight of whether or not this model will be used beyond CFW....

Thanks Sandisw! As much as I’m trying to figure out what that all means, can you dumb it up for me to worst case scenario?

 

[Sandisw]

Thanks Sandisw! As much as I’m trying to figure out what that all means, can you dumb it up for me to worst case scenario?

Basically, property is added to the trust. Then, DVDs creates Right to Use plans and adds trust property to them. That property is what owners who buy into the plan have home resort advantage

The trust model allows them to out property from different locations into the same RTU plan which means they are not capped.

For example, they can decide to put LSL and CFW all under the same RTU plan…all points can then be reallocated across both, which allows them to increase points and inventory as much or as little as they want.

So, technically, if DVD were to do it, they could add points for LSL and then end up moving them to cabins. The only rule is it can’t happen in first yesr of sale.

 

[Patmcpsu]

This language makes it pretty clear that DVC wants to merge CFW with *something*. All the rumors make more sense now.

If that *something* is LSL, then CFW owners would be vulnerable to the LSL point chart - if the LSL points chart is expensive, it would indirectly make CFW more expensive. I doubt it would be any horror story, but a cabin could potentially become what 1BR villas generally cost. The insurance policy, though, is that maintenance fees would become less $/pt in the process.

There's still way too much uncertainty to invest tens-of-thousands of dollars in. And as others have mentioned, the current math doesn't work out because cash rates on the cabins are pretty affordable.

Current comparison, using round numbers to keep it simple:
CFW Cabin: ~20 points x $12pt = $240/nt
BWV1BR: ~30 points x $9/pt = $270/nt
VGF 1BR: ~40 points x $8/pt = $320/nt

 

[DonkeyHoTay]

Among the reasons I bought a favorite week at CFW is to insulate myself from any future point allocation shenanigans by DVC, and guarantee my 1 week stay for the contract points I bought. I don't think the Trust documents allow DVC to obviate the rights to the guaranteed week (or demand more points than those established in the favorite week contract) as a result of future resorts added to the Trust or point re-allocations between properties in the Trust.

That said, if I ever cash in the favorite week points to use them at other times at CFW and then find out the cabins are more expensive point wise due to re-allocations, then my booking power at CFW will have diminished and I will be sad.

 

[Chili327]

Among the reasons I bought a favorite week at CFW is to insulate myself from any future point allocation shenanigans by DVC, and guarantee my 1 week stay for the contract points I bought. I don't think the Trust documents allow DVC to obviate the rights to the guaranteed week (or demand more points than those established in the favorite week contract) as a result of future resorts added to the Trust or point re-allocations between properties in the Trust.

That said, if I ever cash in the favorite week points to use them at other times at CFW and then find out the cabins are more expensive point wise due to re-allocations, then my booking power at CFW will have diminished and I will be sad.

Not unless they refund you for your purchase.