Has There Ever Been a Problem with Lack of Demand for VB Points

[Apollo53]

Possible doesn't mean likely to me either but apparently it does depending on the source. So basically, the manner in which its being used in this thread is a mute point.

 

[Vince]

One other thing I wanted ask, I noticed on the members site that DVC is still offering some Vero points, can someone tell me if they think these are original points that never were sold or if they are a built up inventory of buy back points from contracts that they wouldn't let through? Also what does Disney do with all the buy back points from all the resorts that are sold out? Do they from time to time have a selling campaign and unload them for more money like they did with OKW a couple of yrs back? Thanks ahead of time.




Regards,
Vince

 

[manning]

In big business (probably small ones too) if they thought they could make considerably more money in another venture than the one currently making a profit, they will consider (and will) sell the current venture and use the money for the other.

The question is not only do we sell because the venture is losing money, but how can we make more.

These contracts were set up in a way that the members end up holding the bag. Not DVC.

What's that old saying? "Never say never!"

Anything is possible!!!
-------------------------------------------

He who writes the contract holds the advantage.

 

[BWVDee]

As long as the legal aspects of the DVC membership contracts are followed, it is possible that many things could happen to any or all of the DVC resorts. No one knows. Since we are talking about possiblitlies, of course it is all speculation. However just because it is speculation does not make it any less possible of occuring. I sincerely doubt and really hope that DVC will not be sold off or broken up and will continue to remain the way it is today in all aspects. However, there is and always was a remote but still a possible chance that things could change. With a possible merger looming, this possible chance has come more to the forefront.
I am shocked to say this and never thought I would, but I agree with Rich. I think he has made some very valid points. It is, hopefully, a very remote chance that the DVC resorts would even be sold off, but if they were and if they were going to be broken up; I think the first one to go would be VB and next would be HH. Solely due to the fact that they are off site resorts. I think VB's past history along with it being an offsite resort would make it the first in line.
I also agree that although this possiblity is remote, it is still something that potential buyers should take into account. Especially if they are intending on using VB pts at WDW.
It is not a chance I would take right now. And believe me, I have never bashed VB and certainly am not doing so now either. However I must add, that until I see how this whole thing plays out, I highly doubt I would purchase any additional pts at any of the DVC resorts.

 

[jaysue]

Good points BWVDee, IMO I would be ok buying WDW DVC points but would only buy VB or HH points to stay there specifically

thanks
jaysue

 

[childsplay]

Place me in the "make sure you understand all of the possible ramifications" camp as well.......while it has never been a particularily good idea to purchase VB points with the intention of using them mainly/exclusively at WDW resorts.....I too would caution that this strategy just increased in risk (if only slightly).

 

[Richyams]

Again, a thesaurus is a source for situational synonyms.

A dictionary is a source for definitions.

Again, is it possible that a comet could hit the Earth and end life as we know it?

Is it likely?

Possible does not mean likely.

 

[Apollo53]

synonym

\Syn"o*nym\ (s[i^]n"[-o]*n[i^]m), n.; pl. Synonyms (-n[i^]mz). [F. synonyme, L. synonyma, pl. of synonymum, Gr. synw`nymon. See Synonymous.] One of two or more words (commonly words of the same language) which are equivalents of each other; one of two or more words which have very nearly the same signification, and therefore may often be used interchangeably. See under Synonymous. [Written also synonyme.]

You keep referring to definition when it is the "usage", as in what context "likely" was used that your questioning. If one were to go by pure definition alone the two words would never be interchangeable.

 

[Dean]

While I don't think it's likely, VB could be sold off as could HH or any other DVC resort. Actually what could be sold is the management contract and any unsold inventory. I remember discussing this issue about Marriott about 4 or 5 years ago. i speculated that both Spicebush and Swallowtail could be sold by Marriott. I was given much the same rhetoric as in this thread. Things like they were too nice, too valuable and the like. Well, since Marriott has let go a total of 4 resorts including these two. I feel bad for those that bought with the idea of trading for other Marriott's, as many did and I almost did.

Bedides, it's not a reasonable decision to buy VB with the idea of mostly trading to WDW, with or without the higher dues. But if one wants to do that anyway, it's their dime.

 

[SleepyatDVC]

I understand Rich's use of the words "possible" and "remote" and their intended definitions.

But in regards to the possible but remote selling off of VB or even the entire DVC franchise, the bottom line is that VB (and HH) owners would have the disadvantage of not having the ability to exchange onto WDW proximity (without extra $$).

Whereas, the worst case scenario for owners of the 5 on-site DVC properties would be that they are "stuck" at the home resort - which would still be "on-site."

 

[LIFERBABE]

I too agree that many buyers were misled into buying VB because of the cheaper points to trade into onsite properties. I had a friendly DVCer on the bus tell me to do just that when we were looking to purchase. I had read the POS and understood that if we ever lost trading privileges I wanted to be onsite.

Sometimes decisions don't always make good business sense, but they do them anyway. Look at so many of the changes over the years.....Im sure alot of members thought they would never take away the free passes because it would disenfranchise so many (and it did) but they were quickly replaced with eager members. They may need a nice tax writeoff.

I don't take anything for granted and they did not have their lawyers include that language (regarding not trading) to fill white space on the paper.

 

[pumpkinboy]

I Love visiting VB, and will happily rent your points for weeknights, at least until we add-on there ourselves. Just waiting for a little more disposable income to add on there as we'd love to include VB in our annual vacation plans.

 

[Apollo53]

I understand why DVC eliminated free passes, lost revenue. I hope they don't sell off VB, since it is part of reason we joined. We actually decided to join after the Comcast offer, because after
some analysis on our part we concluded the chances of VB be sold off were unlikely.

Of course we could be totally wrong, hope not.

 

[RLevy29]

I didn't think that the free passes were a lost perk. I thought that everybody knew that they were not going to get them beyond 1999. So people who had this perk thought that it was going to go on forever?

 

[sgtdisney]

Originally posted by RLevy29
I didn't think that the free passes were a lost perk. I thought that everybody knew that they were not going to get them beyond 1999. So people who had this perk thought that it was going to go on forever?

We got the free passes and knew up front that they were ending on Dec 31, 1999. They did promise, if I remember correctly, substantial discounts on passes when the free passes ran out, but so far I have yet to see any worthwhile discount on ticket media for DVC members. I will say, while I was hoping there would be some discounts after the pass program expired, I wasn't counting on it. The passes were a nice perk that was basically a sales tool to get interest in the DVC which was a brand new concept at the time.

 

[jmminarik]

I might have missed this in all of the grammar and definition lessons, but I didn't see anyone mention the value to DVC VB might have vis-a-vis Disney controlled points: their own share and the points given up by members.

My thoughts are running something like this: Lots of DVC members trade points for alternate vactions. Lots of VB owners spend VB points onsite at WDW. Vero (and HH) both seem to constantly offer some type of cash discount to get people to use the resort(s) as a weekend away or to relax before or after a trip to the World. I wonder how valuable (from a PR and $$$ perspective) it is to Disney to have us VBer's (and presumably HHI'ers) be able to get onsite rooms (and spend money in WDW) and Disney use the 'surrendered' and already owned WDW DVC points to block out rooms at VB and HH to rent out for cash. Even if they don't quite break even for the rentals, Disney as a whole makes money because we're onsite buying park tickets/meals/souviniers, etc. and the VB/HHI owners are still picking up the majority of the tab for maintenance and running of the resorts.

So, from this perspective, selling off VB and HHI has less global appeal in my mind. Of course, I could be wrong.

-Joe

 

[sgtdisney]

jmminarik, You could be right about that to a degree. But that could be working against Disney as well. The DVC rooms at Disney World seem to be renting (even with discounts) at 179.00 or more per night when they go for cash from CRO. I wonder how much Disney gets for the VB (and HHI) rooms on average compared to WDW rooms?

I was at VB last summer and my son was playing with a boy in the pool so the boy's dad and I started up a conversation. He asked me if I was a DVC member so we started talking about the resort. He said he was from SoFla and comes up to VB a lot in the summer. When I asked him if he was a member he said no, he wasn't. He told me that Disney deeply discounts the VB rooms so often that he comes up numerous weekends a year and gets some Florida resident rates sometimes as low as 99.00 a night for a studio room. I don't think I have ever heard of a time at WDW that a DVC resort room has gone for under 100.00. If Disney is deeply discounting rooms at one resort that they can sell for twice as much as another, I can see where that may effect the bottom line. Who knows for sure though, and of course the discounts are never something you can count on.

 

[bobbiwoz]

Why would any other timeshare organization or anyone BE interested in VB and not in the other properties?

I think we're all going to sink or swim together.

Bobbi

 

[Dean]

Originally posted by bobbiwoz
Why would any other timeshare organization or anyone BE interested in VB and not in the other properties?

I think we're all going to sink or swim together.

Bobbi

I'm sure many systems would be intersted in VB and other DVC options as well. The issue would be what was on the table. If only VB and HH were being offered, that's what is available. Since the rest are on WDW property, they would likely not be offered regardless. Still, I think it's very unlikely to come into play.

 

[nickglover]

Just to wrap up this discussion, I went ahead and purchased Vero Beach....nothing will change now!

Nick


Anything is possible, and one day Marriott could wind up with the whole DVC operation and maybe even operating the resort hotels....I would think the most likely scenario would be that at least for the short term, any acquiring company would continue to run things just the way they are.