Independent Condominium Association?

[WilsonFlyer]

There *is* a group like this. It's called the Disney Vacation Club Management Corporation. We pay them to run the resorts for us.

If 90% (or 9% or .9%) of us think we need better CS, there already is a mechanism to express that. There is an entire member satisfaction team. There's an email address. There are people who call, talk to members and pass that information along to senior management.

I'm sure if they ran a poll, at least 93% of us would like fee ponies (or free annual passes for those that can't keep a pony at home). That doesn't mean DVC is evil if they don't give them to us, does it?

Name 3 people that represent us on the condominium association (WITHOUT looking it up) aside from DVC/DVD management.

 

[gkrykewy]

I'm convinced that the general membership here has been brainwashed by other members here that "Disney knows best and that's what you bought into so be happy with whatever they sell/do."

Snake oil is still snake oil. Some of us can still look at the bottle and see it for what it is.

Really? You think the DVC DIS membership is more likely to just trust in Disney than the general DVC membership?

You must not spend a lot of time in these threads. Lots of complaint, lots of cynicism, and lots of pragmatism. If anything, you've got it backwards.

"Some of us can see it for what it is" -- give me a break.

 

[WilsonFlyer]

Really? You think the DVC DIS membership is more likely to just trust in Disney than the general DVC membership?

You must not spend a lot of time in these threads. Lots of complaint, lots of cynicism, and lots of pragmatism. If anything, you've got it backwards.

"Some of us can see it for what it is" -- give me a break.

I really should be ashemed of how much time I do spend on this forum and in these threads.

As for your first sentence, I'd suggest that you go back and read the history of this thread, which you obviously haven't done, since I was told exactly that (inference being "We trust Disney to do the right thing." in so many words) by several members here and it wasn't rebutted even once by anyone else here.

What I do know is that we have no idea what the membership at large would think of the idea one way or another, and we likely never will because somewhere like this is the only likely place something like this would start and the way fresh ideas get shot down here, that just won't ever happen.

 

[Tara]

I think the poll has proven that the members here represent a fraction of the membership of DVC of which many of us know and think we know 10x more than the average member. Unfortunately, I have to way to poll the membership at-large of which the results, I am convinced, would be different.

Well, the poll proves that of the fraction of a percentage of members who read this board, there is a fraction of that fraction that cared to respond, and of that, very few thought it was a good idea.

I'm convinced that the general membership here has been brainwashed by other members here that "Disney knows best and that's what you bought into so be happy with whatever they sell/do."

Snake oil is still snake oil. Some of us can still look at the bottle and see it for what it is.

Bob, you have really got to be kidding! The poll didn't go the way you thought it should, so now everyone who disagrees with you is brainwashed? If the poll when in favor of the association, how brainwashed would everyone be? Do you have any idea how you come across when you act as if you somehow know what's good for everyone and other owners are just babbling morons who believe anything with ears?

As for your first sentence, I'd suggest that you go back and read the history of this thread, which you obviously haven't done, since I was told exactly that (inference being "We trust Disney to do the right thing." in so many words) by several members here and it wasn't rebutted even once by anyone else here.

I never said Disney knows what's best. Only that I didn't think any independent association would do that job any better.

 

[DisneyWalker44]

How likely is it that such an association would attract the kind of person who would

- poll the members
- not like the results of the poll
- declare the poll is invalid
- insist that what people really want is the opposite of what the poll shows
- insult the members who did vote
- declare himself to be better than those he disagrees with

 

[tjkraz]

I don't know about that. Most businesses that tell 90% of their clients they don't care don't do well in the long term.

That's why most businesses don't ask in the first place....which is also true of DVC.

As DisneyWalker44 suggested, any sort of owner advisory committee is simply going to ask for things that Disney isn't willing to provide. The lack of Counter Service dining at Kidani didn't take anyone at DVC by surprise. It's omission was a calculated move. For the most part, such a committee would ask for perks and other handouts that Disney isn't interested in giving to members. Or, as others suggested, they would latch onto little pet projects which may not come close to representing the desires of membership as a whole.

 

[CMOORE185]

I think the poll has proven that the members here represent a fraction of the membership of DVC of which many of us know and think we know 10x more than the average member. Unfortunately, I have to way to poll the membership at-large of which the results, I am convinced, would be different.

I'm convinced that the general membership here has been brainwashed by other members here that "Disney knows best and that's what you bought into so be happy with whatever they sell/do."

Snake oil is still snake oil. Some of us can still look at the bottle and see it for what it is.

You brought it back up.

Bob, my experience with associations is you have a small group making decisions for the larger group, which does not always seem to be what the larger group really wants. I think, and this is only my opinion, that some people are on an association board for their own personnal agenda, not caring what the larger group really wants. This in the end could make things worse rather than better.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Bob, my experience with associations is you have a small group making decisions for the larger group, which does not always seem to be what the larger group really wants. I think, and this is only my opinion, that some people are on an association board for their own personnal agenda, not caring what the larger group really wants. This in the end could make things worse rather than better.

LOL, sounds like ANY kind of government! I agree with you though. It's back to that same old cliche comment I made back on page one. I don't ever trust "committees" or "associations" to do much for the whole.

 

[gkrykewy]

How likely is it that such an association would attract the kind of person who would

- poll the members
- not like the results of the poll
- declare the poll is invalid
- insist that what people really want is the opposite of what the poll shows
- insult the members who did vote
- declare himself to be better than those he disagrees with

Sean Hannity?

 

[Chuck S]

That's why most businesses don't ask in the first place....which is also true of DVC.

As DisneyWalker44 suggested, any sort of owner advisory committee is simply going to ask for things that Disney isn't willing to provide. The lack of Counter Service dining at Kidani didn't take anyone at DVC by surprise. It's omission was a calculated move. For the most part, such a committee would ask for perks and other handouts that Disney isn't interested in giving to members. Or, as others suggested, they would latch onto little pet projects which may not come close to representing the desires of membership as a whole.

This again reminds me of the time DVC polled OKW members about having a pool slide. The proposal was building and maintaining the slide at OKW owners' expense through either a special assessment or increased dues. The membership voted overwhelmingly NOT to have a pool slide. DVC simply built it anyway, at their expense, but members dues still need to cover maintenance and life guard salaries. They have the right to do at any resort, it is in the POS that they can add resort amenities at will, at their expense, and that members will need to pay any upkeep. They have these rights detailed in our contracts, so I'm guess that most members voting in this current poll see little need to support a toothless condo association. And if the association had any real clout or power there is no guarantee it wouldn't become like a nightmarish HOA. I think most folks voted against it on two premises..1) why add even more to the expense of DVC by having an association that collects additional dues and 2) better to stick with the devil we do know that hasn't done an awful job overall (Disney/DVC) than opt for one with even more negative potential.

Actually, I think the way Kidani is set up, with pre-made sandwiches & salads and with the option of customized "private dining" is an interesting idea. And actually is similar to OKW's Turtle Shack at the Turtle Pond pool. While OKW does have a small snack bar that serves burgers near the main pool, their overall selection is extremely limited compared to almost any other resort snack bar.

Then there is the Turtle Shack, serving drinks and pre-packaged foods at the largest quiet pool. I really think if there were room to add a few more tables, and a private dining type option at the Turtle Pond pool, we'd use that occasionally. Now we drive over to POP for counter service. Although, I'm sure we won't see it, as OKW offers no in-room dining services, other than pizza from POR.

I really doubt, if Kidani gets a CS snack bar similar to OKW, that Kidani owners would be satisfied, and we'd see just as many complaints as we now see about no CS.

 

[nytimez]

I think the poll has proven that the members here represent a fraction of the membership of DVC of which many of us know and think we know 10x more than the average member. Unfortunately, I have to way to poll the membership at-large of which the results, I am convinced, would be different.

I'm convinced that the general membership here has been brainwashed by other members here that "Disney knows best and that's what you bought into so be happy with whatever they sell/do."

Snake oil is still snake oil. Some of us can still look at the bottle and see it for what it is.

You brought it back up.

Wow. Do you always react this way when you can't get others to agree with you? Some of us joined DVC because we stayed in the resorts first, enjoyed it, and bought in because that's how we like it. I don't agree with everything DVC management does, but I'm pretty sure I wouldn't agree with everything in "independent" association would do either.

And I really don't agree with the notion that you somehow know better than everyone else on these boards, and everyone who disagrees with you has been brainwashed.