Hypothetical: "Generic DVC". Like the idea?

[Granny]

Webmaster Cricket made a comment about pride in home resort ownership on the DVC Forum board, and I thought it might make an interesting discussion.

Let's say, hypothetically, that DVC didn't have home resorts. They just sold points, and every point had the same end to the contract, and the same booking advantage of 11 months at any DVC resort, and the same amount of dues.

Would you like such a system?

Or do you like the idea of a home resort, which you can have an emotional and financial tie to? And get preferred booking over other DVC owners?


Obviously, this is just hypothetical. But it would be interesting to see what people think.

Personally, I like the idea of owning at specific resorts, and the advantage of booking there earlier than others.

Also, I apologize in advance for calling it "Generic DVC". That seems to present bias when in fact I just don't know what else to call it. "Super DVC"??

I've got other comments, but wanted to hear from this group. I am currently on vacation, so I won't be able to check back much. Hopefully, this thread won't be dead before I get back to it!

So which is it for you?

 

[DisneyBill]

Have a good vacation, but I'm with you on keeping a home resort base and related details.

 

[JohnNJ]

I would vote for keeping a home resort with 11 month advantage but wouldn't mind pooling all of the costs and having a standard per-point maintenance fee for all DVC resorts.

 

[JimMIA]

I think you and Cricket are talking about two different things, both of which are interesting ideas...although I'd be donning my "flame suit," if I were you.

Cricket's idea was for a "Generic DVC" with NO 11-month booking privileges, sold for a slightly lower points cost, and presumably some type of generic dues cost. I'd guess that you would have to have an average of the dues costs from all the resorts.

Both are interesting ideas. I can see a lot of resistance to your "Super DVC," because a lot of folks paid extra to get 11-month booking rights at their favorite resort and they would surely object to that base of early bookers being expanded. Doing so would DEvalue their ownership. I'm not one of those folks, but I would side with them if this idea were seriously considered.

The problem I see with both concepts is that - in a time-share - you have to have time to share. The only way I could see either being feasible would be if Disney either discontinued cash sales at DVC resorts (not likely, I'd guess) or used their bankroll of ROFR'd points to provide the availability.

I don't see the latter happening unless they ROFR so much that they feel they have to have another outlet. Presently, if they are able to sell ROFR'd points for $92, I don't see any incentive in them changing.

 

[CarolMN]

No. I do not like this idea and would not buy into it. I bought BWV and I want to stay at BWV. I have only used points elsewhere once - for 2 nights at VB. I want the home resort booking advantage at BWV so I can stay in standard views and guaranteed Boardwalk views.

I am very glad that by contract, DVC cannot take away the home resort booking advantage - the most they can do is reduce it to 1 month. Hope they don't. IMHO, the home resort booking advantage should be even longer!

Best wishes -

P.S. Thanks for the thread - I look forward to all the answers. It's been a bit boring around here, lately.

 

[JimMIA]

I would vote for keeping a home resort with 11 month advantage but wouldn't mind pooling all of the costs and having a standard per-point maintenance fee for all DVC resorts.

Naw...I don't think so. Some people bought specific resorts because they wanted to be able to book there at 11 months -- others bought specific resorts because of the lower dues.

You can't have it both ways. If you get my dues, I get your 11-month window.

 

[new_yawka]

I am one of the people who likes trying all the resorts and have loved the 5 we have already been to.

That said, I believe a "free for all" system would not be practical and would give substantial priority to those people who have a schedule flexible enough to call MS at the moment they open (I realize this system exists to a more limited degree now, it seems that it would become ridiculous).

Booking a DVC vacation should not be the same type of experience as trying to get a CRT breakfast PS. Quite the contrary...to the extent possible, calling MS should at its most effective moments be like calling an old friend...in order to enhance the "Welcome Home" feeling many of us cherish.

I have not yet been to VWL, but with the current system I was able to book a vacation at 7 months without much trouble (and look forward to going in December). If everyone had an 11 month window...well, I can imagine the smaller resorts will almost always book up first and quickly. For those that have a preference, they would be shut out of it quickly, unless there preference lies at one of the larger resorts.

Another possible problem. At times of lower occupancy, the smaller resorts would remain at full capacity, where the larger resorts OKW and SSR would see occupancy levels decrease. A resort cannot continue to provide the same levels of service to which we are accustomed if their occupancy levels diminish significantly...

I am happy to own at BWV and we love the resort. It is nice to know that I can always get my resort of preference if I am shut out of trying a new (to me) DVC resort.

It is not "pride" in home resort that makes me like the current system, but rather, comfort knowing that I have some control over where I will spend my vacation. That level of control would be lost with an across-the-board system.

I've rambled enough...

Interesting topic Granny, thanks.

 

[JimMIA]

The only way I could see either being feasible would be if Disney ...used their bankroll of ROFR'd points to provide the availability.

I know it's uncool to quote myself, but I think I may have stumbled onto something here.

If Disney did that, they would sell some of their ROFR'd points at a reduced rate, and those points would carry NO 11-month booking privileges. They would calculate an appropriate average dues cost for this category of points, and those dues would be distributed appropriately to the various resorts.

People who like to own where they stay would not be adversely affected, because they would still have their 11 month exclusive booking rights. [In fact, they might enjoy MORE of an 11-month booking privilege as ROFR'd points from their resort were sold into "Generic DVC" contracts.]

Disney would benefit because they would have a new market for ROFR'd points.

Current owners would benefit because the better prospect of selling ROFR'd points would continue to enhance resale prices, and they would also have the opportunity to buy "Generic DVC" for add-ons.

Future owners would benefit because they would have a choice of seven home resorts, or the "Generic DVC" to choose from.

I'm sure there are downsides I haven't seen in my five minutes of consideration of this issue...but it is interesting.

 

[Cricket2]

I'm sure there are downsides I haven't seen in my five minutes of consideration of this issue...but it is interesting.

One downside would be the mad rush at the 7 mth window to grab up the remaining few reservations that were left by the 11 month owners for the popular weeks. After that, it should level off to exactly where it is now because the total # of points would have to remain the same.

Also the contract end date of SSR would throw a wrench into it as well.

 

[dianeschlicht]

I bought into DVC when there were only two choices, and I usually stay at my home resort, but this strikes me as an idea similar to a few other "vacation clubs" where you can book any resort in the group at 11 months, but the owners at that resort have a 1 month advantage over you.

 

[spiceycat]

I love OKW - but if the points were the same for OKW vs BCV - then you are not being fair to OKW.

and the dues - hey - if that happens I want all the things that BCV has that OKW doesn't have....and I got told that is not going to happen. Plus a super wonderful pool!!!!

I want room service - full room service at OKW - and I have been told that is not going to happen ever.

Now if I were getting a 1 bedroom or bigger than I would go with OKW - the villa are that much bigger.

but I am happy with studios.

the only way to make the maintence fees the same - would be to do what other timeshare do - and believe me there are some very, very, very unhappy timeshare owners out there because they are paying the same in a studio off season as a 2-bedroom in on season. Not happy owners is not a good situation for any timeshare. they start to feel that the timeshare is taken advantage of them.

OKW has less maintence fees because it cost less to run. it is that simply.

 

[OneMoreTry]

I like having a home resort. I bought for the "home at Disney World" feeling. It's psychological. I don't think the generic points would have enticed me to buy.

If DVC had been set up as a generic, would members be deeded a unit? If not, how would the contract be set up? Like a country club?

 

[Laurabearz]

I would not like that type of system at all. I want the 11 month window, but then again we we bought points with the 11 month window in mind. If there was no such advantage when we first bought in, we would prolly have fewer points.

 

[married@wdw]

Interesting -- why not give the "generic DVC" owners an even smaller window. Six-months perhaps?

It's all a very interesting idea. We'd probably do an add-on of these generic DVC points if they were available because they'd be cheaper and we tend to vacation at off-peak times of year anyway.

That said, I like things the way they are. We own at OKW for the 11-month advantage on a GV and because it's so peaceful there (not to mention it was the cheapest when we bought and price really mattered). But we don't have that "Old Key West is best" mentality -- we frequently stay elsewhere and have yet to dislike a DVC resort (the new test is SSR in mid-August). I wouldn't change a thing about my DVC (well, except for tripling the number of points perhaps???)!!!

 

[sorcerermick]

I totally agree. I am proud to say I "own" points at this resort or that, and have done a couple of add ons for the sole purpose of having an 11 month booking window at certain resorts such as BCV.

 

[NJOYURLIFE]

I like the 11 month home resort booking window. We have only stayed at OKW and just recently at SSR, so we still have a few other DVC resorts to "try out". However, because the resorts are all so different, hotel type vs apt type, different theming, different pools, and locations, I think that people need to have that control over where they stay especially if they wouldn't be happy with certain types of accomadations. We are always just happy being at WDW, but I am sure once we try more DVC resorts, we will end up with favorites.

One thing that I am surprized that DVC does not offer is some type of VIP program for those with a significant amount of points.

 

[jade1]

Dreadfull idea for smaller resort owners, great for the rest. We really enjoy the booking advantage at BCV and WLV as well as the financial gains.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Dreadfull idea for smaller resort owners, great for the rest. We really enjoy the booking advantage at BCV and WLV as well as the financial gains.

...and the different sizes of the WDW/DVC resorts is exactly why this wouldn't work with DVC.

 

[Cricket2]

...and the different sizes of the WDW/DVC resorts is exactly why this wouldn't work with DVC.

Why is that? I guess I don't see how the size of the resort would come into play as long as the total quantity of points remained the same, after the 7 month point it would be exactly the same as it is now for those with the 11 month advantage if not better.

What am I missing that you are seeing?

 

[CharlesTD]

I think that system would be beneficial for all members and would likeley be greeted with great appreciation. I know that we would like this and we own at a few resorts but none of them are truly a favourite to us we really like BWV but will stay at all of them other than BCV.