Grand Floridian Purchase

[G'sMaman]

Does anyone have more details about the fixed week option? If we decide not to go during the week we've reserved, I understand that we can convert that week into points. When do we have to decide whether or not to convert for that year? Also, how do they decide what use year those points fall into or is there no such thing as a use year with a fixed week? Would you be able to bank those points like regular points as well? We live in California so I've heard our guide can't discuss the details of VGF so that's why I'm asking here. Thanks!

 

[disneynutz]

You still need to choose a UY, points can be converted from fixed to regular 31 days prior to arrival. Once converted, the points can be banked.

Bill

 

[wdrl]

At Aulani, a Fixed Week owner can convert the week to points and then bank or even borrow the points, just like traditional points. I assume that owners who buy a fixed week at VGF will have the same flexibility.

As Disneynutz stated, all fixed weeks are associated with a Use Year, just like traditional points. This is because the underlying points that support the fixed week are derived from a Unit (which is not the same as a villa or vacation home) that has a Use Year assigned to it. If a Fixed Week Owner's underlying points are derived from a Unit that has been assigned to the December UY, then if that week is converted to points, the points will be considered to be December UY points.

Most of the time I would expect Fixed Week Owners to get points with Use Years that closely match their Fixed Week. Thus, it makes sense for the Owner who buys week #51 or #52 near Christmas time to get a December UY. However, a savvy Fixed Week Owner who buys week #51 or #52 but who also knows that some years they might travel in October for Food & Wine may try to get the October UY.

 

[disneynutz]

At Aulani, a Fixed Week owner can convert the week to points and then bank or even borrow the points, just like traditional points. I assume that owners who buy a fixed week at VGF will have the same flexibility.

As Disneynutz stated, all fixed weeks are associated with a Use Year, just like traditional points. This is because the underlying points that support the fixed week are derived from a Unit (which is not the same as a villa or vacation home) that has a Use Year assigned to it. If a Fixed Week Owner's underlying points are derived from a Unit that has been assigned to the December UY, then if that week is converted to points, the points will be considered to be December UY points.

Most of the time I would expect Fixed Week Owners to get points with Use Years that closely match their Fixed Week. Thus, it makes sense for the Owner who buys week #51 or #52 near Christmas time to get a December UY. However, a savvy Fixed Week Owner who buys week #51 or #52 but who also knows that some years they might travel in October for Food & Wine may try to get the October UY.

We have an Oct UY, bought week 49 for December stays. Points are Oct UY points that show up as regular points in our account even though they are fixed. We already converted the fixed week to regular points and canceled our existing VWL reservation to stay VGF next December. We have 30 VGF points left which can be banked.

Bill

 

[G'sMaman]

This is really helpful info! Thank you so much. Now we have a hard decision to make.

 

[dbs1228]

We have an Oct UY, bought week 49 for December stays. Points are Oct UY points that show up as regular points in our account even though they are fixed. We already converted the fixed week to regular points and canceled our existing VWL reservation to stay VGF next December. We have 30 VGF points left which can be banked.

Bill

Why did you convert your fixed week to points if you are planning on going in Dec and how do you have points left over? Did you cancel the fixed week so you could get bigger accommodations and use 2 years of points with 30 points left over? This is interesting - i would consider doing a fixed week if we were a few years closer to retirement, still in the changing of vacation dates based on college DD's!

 

[disneynutz]

Why did you convert your fixed week to points if you are planning on going in Dec and how do you have points left over? Did you cancel the fixed week so you could get bigger accommodations and use 2 years of points with 30 points left over? This is interesting - i would consider doing a fixed week if we were a few years closer to retirement, still in the changing of vacation dates based on college DD's!

Week 49 this year has a check in on 12/8 we already made arrangements for a stay starting on 12/3. The fixed weeks aren't really fixed, the calendar changes back and forth from year to year.

Fixed weeks also have a 10% premium so instead of 296 points, we bought 326 points. You still get those 10% worth of points when you convert from fixed to regular points.

Bill

 

[nd43]

Fixed weeks also have a 10% premium so instead of 296 points, we bought 326 points. You still get those 10% worth of points when you convert from fixed to regular points.

Bill

Bill, given how this works, it looks like fixed weeks would either create excess or diminished capacity for the resort depending on how the total number of points were calculated for VGF.

For instance, if every fixed week person converted their week to points, but Disney sold out the resort based on a total point figure that excluded the 10% up-charge points, suddenly a lot more points would be in the system competing for the same rooms. At the same time, if Disney includes the 10% upcharge points from the base number of points for the resort and everyone uses their fixed week, suddenly all those extra points for fixed weeks have been removed from the system freeing up capacity for others.

Do you know how Disney calculated those excess points in the total resort figure? I assume they would not be allowed to over sell a resort given they allow people to convert back to regular points. So I am guessing this will create some excess capacity at VGF everytime someone uses their fixed week.

 

[nd43]

Bill, given how this works, it looks like fixed weeks would either create excess or diminished capacity for the resort depending on how the total number of points were calculated for VGF.

For instance, if every fixed week person converted their week to points, but Disney sold out the resort based on a total point figure that excluded the 10% up-charge points, suddenly a lot more points would be in the system competing for the same rooms. At the same time, if Disney includes the 10% upcharge points from the base number of points for the resort and everyone uses their fixed week, suddenly all those extra points for fixed weeks have been removed from the system freeing up capacity for others.

Do you know how Disney calculated those excess points in the total resort figure? I assume they would not be allowed to over sell a resort given they allow people to convert back to regular points. So I am guessing this will create some excess capacity at VGF everytime someone uses their fixed week.

I might answer my own post!

I wonder if Disney could do this? Everytime someone uses their fixed week, they take the "excess" points they paid and turn them over to CRO. That way, they can sell cash reservations using all the excess fixed week points. It would make them a lot more money selling fixed weeks. That is why they probably would pull the points from the base pool. I am guessing something in the framework of how fixed weeks work allows them to do this. Again, just a guess. However, if I were Disney, I would try and make this approach work because it would be an obvious money maker every year. The thing is, the owner paid for those points and pays MF on those points, could Disney still use them for cash reservations without paying back the ownership?

 

[G'sMaman]

I think i read somewhere that someone bought their fixed week points with 2 different contracts (1 for 100 pts and another for 50). Do you know if you can break up the points when you sell or do you have to sell the fixed week as a whole? Thanks.

 

[Breyean]

I might answer my own post!

I wonder if Disney could do this? Everytime someone uses their fixed week, they take the "excess" points they paid and turn them over to CRO. That way, they can sell cash reservations using all the excess fixed week points. It would make them a lot more money selling fixed weeks. That is why they probably would pull the points from the base pool. I am guessing something in the framework of how fixed weeks work allows them to do this. Again, just a guess. However, if I were Disney, I would try and make this approach work because it would be an obvious money maker every year. The thing is, the owner paid for those points and pays MF on those points, could Disney still use them for cash reservations without paying back the ownership?

You might be wrong, though...

http://dvcnews.com/index.php/resort.../2295-grand-floridian-guaranteed-week-details

Guaranteed Week owners can opt-out of their week each year if they so desire. The opt-out must occur more than 31 days prior to the scheduled arrival. The Guaranteed Week reservation will be cancelled and the owner will receive the number of Vacation Points listed on their deed (see chart.) These Vacation Points are subject to all of the traditional program guidelines and timeframes for securing reservations, banking points, borrowing points, etc.

Once cancelled, the Guaranteed Week cannot be reinstated for the given calendar year. The villa will be released into the points inventory, and made available to all Disney Vacation Club point owners.

 

[tjkraz]

I wonder if Disney could do this? Everytime someone uses their fixed week, they take the "excess" points they paid and turn them over to CRO. That way, they can sell cash reservations using all the excess fixed week points.

Villas only get to CRO via member trades (DCL, etc.) and Disney's ownership in the properties. Disney doesn't own the Guaranteed Week points so they could not be used as a vehicle for creating more CRO availability.

If any excess capacity is created via use of Guaranteed Weeks, revenue from those rooms would be credited to owners as Breakage.

 

[nd43]

Villas only get to CRO via member trades (DCL, etc.) and Disney's ownership in the properties. Disney doesn't own the Guaranteed Week points so they could not be used as a vehicle for creating more CRO availability.

If any excess capacity is created via use of Guaranteed Weeks, revenue from those rooms would be credited to owners as Breakage.

I agree. I am just throwing out options. They would have to construct the fixed week contracts such that the excess points are given to Disney from the owner as a "service fee" or equivalent for each year they use the fixed week, therefore, giving the excess points for that year over to Disney ownership.

I am not saying they are doing this. I am just theorizing it would be a much more profitable way to sell fixed weeks then just let the excess points create excess capacity each year. I do not have a fixed week contract to check for such language. It was just a random thought.

 

[disneynutz]

I think i read somewhere that someone bought their fixed week points with 2 different contracts (1 for 100 pts and another for 50). Do you know if you can break up the points when you sell or do you have to sell the fixed week as a whole? Thanks.

My understanding is that you have to buy the fixed week contract as a whole and you would sell it as a fixed week contract. You can't break it up. That could be a negative but the positive is that there won't be many fixed week contracts on the resale market, the reservation, room size and category are guaranteed.

Bill