Is DVC No Longer Special??

[sean-1966]

Does anybody else feel DVC is loosing it's lustre? I just feel that I am now one of the masses as opposed to being one of the "choosen few". When we bought in we felt that we owned a little bit of the magic. But it seems like they are announcing new resorts every few months. Expanding at an enormous rate but not offering anything additional to the existing owners. I hope this has come out right. Don't get me wrong, I love our DVC ownership. Maybe I'm just losing the magic?

 

[PEANUT1]

i think some people may be frustrated too if they missed out on getting special incentives (like developer points and all). Not me personally

 

[simzac]

I feel just the opposite from the OP. With each new resort added, my ownership becomes even more magical because I have another place to stay on points that is an actual DVC villa. JMO

 

[chalee94]

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1738000

 

[bobbiwoz]

We enjoy going to WDW, and we enjoy taking our family and friends with us. DVC hasn't lost anything as far as we are concerned.

Bobbi

 

[groverdog]

I feel just the opposite from the OP. With each new resort added, my ownership becomes even more magical because I have another place to stay on points that is an actual DVC villa. JMO

I agree. I feel so lucky when I am able to leave Epcot and walk to my wonderful villa at BW. I know so many people who would kill to be in my position; they would love to be a DVC member. They would love to be able to visit often and to have such nice accomodations. It makes me feel so special and so lucky, it brings tears to my eyes to think about it. I have years of wonderful vacations at wonderful resorts to enjoy and I couldn't be happier!

 

[alldiz]

My only concern is that they overexpand.....don't sell enough units, causing
our dues to skyrocket. Can that happen
Kerri

 

[hellerjw]

I too am glad they keep expanding. When we bought last year we knew we would be primarily utilizing the WDW DVC resorts, with an occasional jaunt to HHI. With the news of the Hawaii addition and the KTV possibilities it adds even more to the "magic".

If you consider the millions that visit WDW each year, I feel the 100,000 or so that are owners still fit in the "chosen few" category, because we did find the "best kept secret" - its called addonitis (damn contagious thing!)

 

[Chuck S]

My only concern is that they overexpand.....don't sell enough units, causing
our dues to skyrocket. Can that happen
Kerri

I don't think so, as the unsold points technically belong to DVD/Disney who would have to be responsible for their share of the dues. The only exception would be if the resort itself were downsized from the expected total points available, like what happened at Vero, when the resort was never completed to the original plans, so set costs had to be divided by fewer owners. However, there was still a cap as to how much the dues could be raised each year, and original owners received a dues subsidy for several years from DVD until the maximim dues increase brought their dues up to match the actual expenses.

 

[ammo]

DVC is a commercial program. Membership has always been based on a combination of knowledge, desire, and financial means, not something inherently special in the member. As a result, I have never felt that there is anything special about DVC membership per se -- it is similar to being a member of a country club that a lot of people wish they could afford to join.

The experiences at WDW with family and friends are definitely special, but membership itself?

 

[crisi]

The older I get the more I realize that people can be broken down into two kinds.

The first kind is external facing. They constantly compare themselves to others. They are competitive. This isn't bad - these people can be great acheivers.

The second kind is internal facing. They really don't care if they play a game where everyone wins - in fact, they prefer that since competition isn't in their nature. The Joneses just bought a BMW, how nice for them, they like their Camry fine. This also isn't bad, since these people are often very content.

Like being an introvert or an extrovert this isn't hard and fast, its a continuum.

I'm the second kind. As long as Disney isn't creating an experience that directly affects me due to park crowding or something else, I don't need to feel like I'm special because I own DVC. And I'm far along to one side that I admit that I don't really "get" why this would bother anyone at all.

 

[alldiz]

I don't think so, as the unsold points technically belong to DVD/Disney who would have to be responsible for their share of the dues. The only exception would be if the resort itself were downsized from the expected total points available, like what happened at Vero, when the resort was never completed to the original plans, so set costs had to be divided by fewer owners. However, there was still a cap as to how much the dues could be raised each year, and original owners received a dues subsidy for several years from DVD until the maximim dues increase brought their dues up to match the actual expenses.

Thanks Chuck....that is good to hear.

I'm just so excited about all the possible places to stay
Hey when I get to stay in beautiful prepaid accomodations at WDW.....
that is all the special I need
Kerri

 

[Deb & Bill]

Does anybody else feel DVC is loosing it's lustre? I just feel that I am now one of the masses as opposed to being one of the "choosen few". When we bought in we felt that we owned a little bit of the magic. But it seems like they are announcing new resorts every few months. Expanding at an enormous rate but not offering anything additional to the existing owners. I hope this has come out right. Don't get me wrong, I love our DVC ownership. Maybe I'm just losing the magic?

I'm with you Sean. We've already sold off two contracts, have another on the market to sell. You read stuff like the free internet and then it just get dragged out with no real information. DVC is a bit like Britany Spears, just popping them out, one after another with no concern about the ones they already have.

 

[disney junky]

I'm with you Sean. We've already sold off two contracts, have another on the market to sell. You read stuff like the free internet and then it just get dragged out with no real information. DVC is a bit like Britany Spears, just popping them out, one after another with no concern about the ones they already have.

I disagree. DVC is 15 years old. Who heard of wireless internet then? I appreciate the fact that there are upgrades every so often. It lets me know that they are looking out for the stakeholders. They owe me nothing beyond what is in my original contract. Plus, what other "timeshare" could you have purchased where you would be selling your contracts for close to what you paid for them?

 

[hellerjw]

Plus, what other "timeshare" could you have purchased where you would be selling your contracts for close to what you paid for them?

Ditto, as long as they keep adding value and keep new buyers coming our interests will stay viable in the resale market and fetch good prices. I don't expect it, but its one of the stand-out features of DVC - the fact you can get out if needed without losing half your buy-in costs.

 

[bwvBound]

I feel just the opposite from the OP. With each new resort added, my ownership becomes even more magical because I have another place to stay on points ...

Ditto!

(The above says it so much nicer than my immediate response.)

 

[DisDaydreamer]

Ditto!

(The above says it so much nicer than my immediate response.)

I see your Ditto and raise you a Ditto....


I don't feel like one of the masses until I walk through the WDW gates... THEN I feel like I am but a grain of sand...

Still love it though.

 

[a Really Bad Egg]

I just feel that I am now one of the masses as opposed to being one of the "choosen few".

I didn't know they chose people to be in the club.

I really thought it was for whomever wanted (and could afford) to buy a Disney timeshare.

 

[keys2kingdom]

I feel just the opposite from the OP. With each new resort added, my ownership becomes even more magical because I have another place to stay on points that is an actual DVC villa. JMO

Here, here!!! ITA

This thread reminds me of the "Welcome Home losing meaning" thread and I feel exactly the same way about it. As long as DVC has great resorts to stay at I don't care if there are 1 million members. Provided quality resort options keep pace with membership I'm OK with not being a chosen one.

 

[Dean]

My only concern is that they overexpand.....don't sell enough units, causing
our dues to skyrocket. Can that happen
Kerri

As noted, those that own at each resort will pay their own way. The issue isn't how much they expand but HOW they expand. Does each new resort have more demand than the rest, less or about the same. A resort with more points than demand compared to the average (like VB, HH, SSR and to a degree, OKW) will skew the system in the negative for owners. But certainly having more different types of choices like HI can't be a bad thing. It's also good for those of us who are II timeshare owners as it creates more opportunities to trade in.

Plus, what other "timeshare" could you have purchased where you would be selling your contracts for close to what you paid for them?

Actually there are quite a number of good high quality timeshares where one could do as good or better than those buying DVC in recent years. Granted there are a lot more that act worse than buying a new car but the idea that DVC alone holds it's value is simply wrong. DVC prices are protected due to a combination of several factors.

• These include that it's Disney, but mostly the on property resorts as HH and VB sell for quite a bit less than the rest, even OKW.
• ROFR has a place.
• The points system means that in many people's eyes they are buying the perfect time for them, effectively making every buying one who thinks they're buying what would amount to a peak week at a fixed week or floating season resort.