GF direct over Riviera direct is a no brainer

[havoc315]

I doubt Skyliner will expand to SSR/OKW/DS. People parking for free at DS and using the transport is already an issue, and it's complete pain right now.

The obvious expansion is Coronado/Blizzard Beach/All Stars. These are massive resorts full of cash guests, and Coronado has a huge convention center.

I can see AK/AKL eventually, with Coronado as a hub, but for now I think getting those huge resorts online for two parks would do more for what Disney cares about, which is bus footprint/$$. I mean, I love the Skyliner, but lets see how it goes when it gets that many more people on it.

You might be right. But there may be a greater incentive to building it to AKL -- AKL basically supports the lowest room rates of any deluxe (lower rack rates that then tend to get discounted even more).. That's largely due to transportation. Stick a skyliner stop at AKL, you might significantly increase demand (and thereby increase room rates).

On the other hand, people looking at the All Stars are looking for the lowest rates possible, and those rooms are generally filling up without much additional discounting. In other words, add a Skyliner stop to AKL, you might find yourself getting an additional $50-$100 per night, per room. Stick a skyliner stop at All Stars... not sure that will do as much to help Disney's bottom line.

If you included stops at Animal Kingdom Lodge AND Animal Kingdom Themepark, then you'd be increasing the value of all the resorts on the skyliner, including AKL, Boardwalk, Beach Club and Riviera. To me, Disney would be more interested in increasing the value of the deluxes as opposed to the values. (The reason people stay in a value is because they won't want to pay deluxe prices. They won't be able to charge an extra $100 per night for a value just because it's on the skyliner, but they might be able to get an extra $100 per night from the deluxes).

 

[RoseGold]

In other words, add a Skyliner stop to AKL, you might find yourself getting an additional $50-$100 per night, per room. Stick a skyliner stop at All Stars... not sure that will do as much to help Disney's bottom line.

All Stars/Coronado are much bigger than AKL and take tons and tons of buses running back to back. Disney has been struggling hard with bus drivers since Covid. They care more about the buses than squeezing out a few bucks on a few hundred rooms on a sold out deluxe resort.

I can see AK (as opposed to AKL) being helpful to reducing the total number of buses, and AKL would be a natural extension of that. But Coronado + All Stars would be huge, and it would be the first logical step towards AK anyway.

The other option would be to make All Stars the end of the line instead of AoA, as opposed to grouping All Stars with Coronado. That would be a smaller expansion that I can see mattering a lot to Disney. It might make All Stars tricky with transfers and such in the future, but that's what values get, I suppose.

 

[havoc315]

All Stars/Coronado are much bigger than AKL and take tons and tons of buses running back to back. Disney has been struggling hard with bus drivers since Covid. They care more about the buses than squeezing out a few bucks on a few hundred rooms on a sold out deluxe resort.

It's not like the skyliner is free. Between the construction costs, the maintenance costs, and the operating costs, it may be even more expensive than buses. Certainly, even if cheaper in the long run, it would take years before breaking even.

Saving on a handful of buses isn't going to pay for the skyliner construction.

There are 1300 rooms at AKL... If you increase the value of AKL, adding even $30 in value to each room, each night.. That would increase Disney's revenue by $14 million. If it increased the bookable value of AKL by $50 per night, that would be increased revenue of $24 million. At $100 per night, it would be $47 million per year.

I think squeezing out $14 to $47 million per year is more likely to justify building a skyliner than saving a few bus drivers (and hiring skyliner staff).
It's been estimated that it cost Disney $33 million to build the skyliner.

https://mittentomagic.com/how-much-... Disney Skyliner cost to build at $33 million.

So arguably, enhancing the value of AKL would pay for the skyliner construction in 1-2 years, and would then increase revenue by $14 to $47 million every year thereafter.
I think that would likely do more for Disney's bottom line than saving on a handful of buses.

I can see AK (as opposed to AKL) being helpful to reducing the total number of buses, and AKL would be a natural extension of that. But Coronado + All Stars would be huge, and it would be the first logical step towards AK anyway.

The other option would be to make All Stars the end of the line instead of AoA, as opposed to grouping All Stars with Coronado. That would be a smaller expansion that I can see mattering a lot to Disney. It might make All Stars tricky with transfers and such in the future, but that's what values get, I suppose.

 

[Douglas Dubh]

If you look on Google maps a Canal could have connected RR with the maintenance inlet for the friendship boats near Germany- a boat could have dropped you at the international gateway via the Lagoon

I don’t think that would have worked. One, they would have had to build a new bridge south of the China pavilion or else they’d keep having to raise a lower the bridge all day. Two, they’d need more boats to service RR, which means an expanded Marina and hiring more boat captains. Three, they prep the fireworks barges behind the outpost so they’d have to completely reconfigure that area so guests wouldn’t be going through a backstage area. They also store a lot of the festival booths behind China and Germany.

 

[RoseGold]

There are 1300 rooms at AKL... If you increase the value of AKL, adding even $30 in value to each room, each night.. That would increase Disney's revenue by $14 million.

Jambo is only 900 and I think 1/4 of those are already DVC. They could stick it to us as maintenance with dues, but that's not as good as raising rates and eliminating all of those buses at Coronado/All Stars. Coronado has got it all except the Skyliner, as opposed to aging, spread out CB. IMO, Coronado is an obvious hub for TTC/AK going forward. The CB/Coronado/TTC line would melt these boards, and I think it's on the table.

The other trick would be to start on DVC's Coronado 2 and shift the skyliner cost to the timeshare construction alongside the moderate, then act like the skyliner makes this moderate location into a deluxe. Sound familiar?

That timeline doesn't quite line up for DVC right now, as Poly 2 is under construction now. The Coronado 2 location could be between Coronado and AK -- or north of Coronado on the way to TTC. (Or at Reflections, with a stop after TTC maybe?) The construction timing for Coronado 2 could line up with large Skyliner expansion to AK or TTC, or Disney could just start now whichever line Coronado 2 won't be on. IMO a smaller expansion Disney for right now could be All Stars onto the AoA line.

All that to say, I really hope for CB/Coronado/TTC! I think that would make Poly the best transportation in DVC, with GF not far behind. And boy would that make Coronado look good.

 

[Douglas Dubh]

They could build a new DVC north of Animal Kingdom, add a new entrance to AK, connect that entrance to the AK’s northern train station, then build a new land to the south with an entrance between Asia and Africa. A new skyliner station could connect the new DVC and AK entrance with the Coronado, and then it could go to the TTC or Epcot.

 

[🍀TwinsMom]

Am I barking up the wrong tree here, but I feel like the drawing for Poly 2.0 DVC on the right side shows what looks like a gondola in a built-in alcove/square cutout? Is it possible Poly 2.0 has a dedicated Skyliner station like Riviera, thereby boosting Riviera sales and justifying Poly 2.0 having resale restrictions?

 

[🍀TwinsMom]

Anyone else seeing it?

 

[DonMacGregor]

Am I barking up the wrong tree here, but I feel like the drawing for Poly 2.0 DVC on the right side shows what looks like a gondola in a built-in alcove/square cutout? Is it possible Poly 2.0 has a dedicated Skyliner station like Riviera, thereby boosting Riviera sales and justifying Poly 2.0 having resale restrictions?

I think that's way up the wrong tree, in the wrong forest. Or more precisely, wrong swamp, because it's exactly three miles, as the crow flies, from the northernmost terminus of the Skyliner at World Showcase to the center of the old Spirit of Aloha building. That's 3 miles of mostly swamp, with no clear or logical points to put in what would need to be at least 2 or 3 intermediate stations, as well as emergency vehicle access. If you routed it to follow World Drive and cross over the MK parking lot, it would be closer to 4 miles. And you'd still need intermediate stations.

I could MAYBE see them extending it to the TTC someday on a northward leg, and to DS and AK on an east-west leg sometime in the future, but with the Monorail serving Epcot already and the TTC being a "doable" walk from the new Poly tower, I'd think a northward extension really isn't a viable endeavor.

 

[rM3panno]

We bought 300 direct points at Riviera broken into 2 - 150 point contracts. My plan was/is to be able to pass on a "blue card" contract to each of my 2 daughters someday. This will (hopefully) be after 20 years or so of enjoying making those memories with them as they grow up. If they choose to sell it, no matter what the value, it will be a 100% gain for them. If I am forced to sell beforehand than the value is what it is. Either way the memories are worth more than the contract value to me.

This is the exact same thing we did. 300 points direct at RIV in 2 separate 150 point contracts. We plan to transfer the deed to our 3 and 6 year old sons later in life with an escrow account for annual dues.

 

[Lunchbox66]

We like Riviera and the Epcot area better... no brainer haha.

 

[NVDISFamily]

This is the exact same thing we did. 300 points direct at RIV in 2 separate 150 point contracts. We plan to transfer the deed to our 3 and 6 year old sons later in life with an escrow account for annual dues.

I’ve built our dvc holdings with the idea of hopefully being able to pass them on to our kids. Not sure if also adding an escrow account for dues is good. I see it as an awesome gift but worry about passing it on if the kids can’t afford that. What about the expenses of the trips and tickets? My hope is that they will be well on their way to building there own economic “empire” by the time they are ready to take these over and perhaps the pressure to afford a luxury like DVC dues will help incentivize them to push their progress on their careers or entrepreneurial endeavors.

 

[CarolynFH]

I’ve built our dvc holdings with the idea of hopefully being able to pass them on to our kids. Not sure if also adding an escrow account for dues is good. I see it as an awesome gift but worry about passing it on if the kids can’t afford that. What about the expenses of the trips and tickets? My hope is that they will be well on their way to building there own economic “empire” by the time they are ready to take these over and perhaps the pressure to afford a luxury like DVC dues will help incentivize them to push their progress on their careers or entrepreneurial endeavors.

Yes, we split our 300 points in 1997 into two 150-point contracts to "make it easier for each child to inherit." Now that they're adults, we recognize that it probably won't work out that way. The child who could afford it probably won't want it - they enjoy periodic visits to WDW but not as regularly as would make owning DVC worthwhile - and the other one won't be able to afford it and may not want it either. We're hoping to live long enough to see what happens on January 31, 2042, but if we don't, we've told our kids that they could probably rent out our points until our ownership ends.

 

[Nursemanit]

Yes, we split our 300 points in 1997 into two 150-point contracts to "make it easier for each child to inherit." Now that they're adults, we recognize that it probably won't work out that way. The child who could afford it probably won't want it - they enjoy periodic visits to WDW but not as regularly as would make owning DVC worthwhile - and the other one won't be able to afford it and may not want it either. We're hoping to live long enough to see what happens on January 31, 2042, but if we don't, we've told our kids that they could probably rent out our points until our ownership ends.

This is just one example why the whole sales line of " leaving DVC to your kids " is a bit odd. Interests, Geography, incomes can not be predicted.

That, and if you live a full life your kids will be retirement ages and their kids out of college before you die.

 

[BeachClub2014]

This is just one example why the whole sales line of " leaving DVC to your kids " is a bit odd. Interests, Geography, incomes can not be predicted.

It certainly isn't an idea embraced by all, but for many DVC families it has merit, and including DVC ownership in estate planning is a good idea. Of our three kids and their spouses, one set would love to inherit our DVC, one set could take it or leave it, and the third wouldn't want it at all. Given that, we are planning accordingly.

We also figure that if we were to meet our demise tomorrow, our DVC ownership is part of the estate regardless of whether they want it or not. They can keep it or sell it, the same as all our other property and assets. The hope is that won't be an issue for many years to come.

 

[Sandisw]

It certainly isn't an idea embraced by all, but for many DVC families it has merit, and including DVC ownership in estate planning is a good idea. Of our three kids and their spouses, one set would love to inherit our DVC, one set could take it or leave it, and the third wouldn't want it at all. Given that, we are planning accordingly.

We also figure that if we were to meet our demise tomorrow, our DVC ownership is part of the estate regardless of whether they want it or not. They can keep it or sell it, the same as all our other property and assets. The hope is that won't be an issue for many years to come.

We added our adult kids when we bought RIV but they were on board with it.

It was never sold to us as something to be passed on but we just decided it made sense for them to be owners.

We have planned for about 10 years of dues tp be covered before the three of them need to decide anything.

Obviously, things could change and they could decide none of them want it and just sell.

But it made sense for us!

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

But Im not giving DVC any money to condone the ridiculous and unnecessary restrictions they have put on that resort.

If your principle dictates you show them by not purchasing at a resort with restrictions (which by the way I totally get can be a con to people and should be a consideration to someone even if it's just understand that's what the contract will be like) it's in contradiction to giving them money in the first place much less more. You are in fact still giving the company money either by owning DVC in the first place or adding on contracts at places that don't have such restrictions. Money is money to them YKWIM?

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

For many, the Grand Floridian comes across as rather stuffy.

I do agree on that. Grand Floridian is quite beautiful even though it's showing its age but in terms of owning there it's really a certain type of person who enjoys that same as any resort.

While we didn't stay at Riviera we did have a nice coffee break in the lobby and passed some hallways on our way out to the Skyliner and coming in passed by the pool. There was an understated luxury feel to Riviera. To some that's going to come across as bland and I can understand that but it still felt more of a subdued feel than an in your face Grand Floridian. From looking at the room photos there still a high end feel just pulled back a little. That may not be to some people's tastes especially if they liked the DVC theming of old.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

This is a very random question but while we were at Riviera I went to the public bathroom and saw they had feminine products just in a basket. I don't remember if I noticed this when I went to the bathroom in Poly or even in Grand Californian Hotel in DL in 2019. Is this newer? normal? only certain resorts? I know random but it did make me think a nice touch

 

[Nursemanit]

They won't be able to charge an extra $100 per night for a value just because it's on the skyliner, but they might be able to get an extra $100 per night from the deluxes).

Have you seen AoA prices? They can and have added $100 to a value