Is the 11 month / 7 month rule a "perk"?

[justcruisin]

Now that Disney has made a modification to some of the "perks" of DVC ownership, I started wondering if the 11-month home resort booking and 7-month non-home resort booking windows is a "perk" or is it specifically mentioned in the contract?

We joined 10 years ago - been very happy with our purchase of HHI but have never been there! Just had a frightening thought that perhaps DVC could remove the ability to visit a resort other than your home resort. Could that happen?

Thank you.

 

[RobDoc]

My understanding of the POS is that members are guaranteed a 1 month (30 day) priority at our Home Resort for making reservations over owners at other resorts. Currently there is a 4 month priority for owners but that could be increased or decreased.

Yes, with a certain set of circumstances members could be limited to being able to reserve only at their Home Resort. IMO, that is not likely to happen but it could and is outlined in the POS.

 

[ORD2KOA]

Now that Disney has made a modification to some of the "perks" of DVC ownership, I started wondering if the 11-month home resort booking and 7-month non-home resort booking windows is a "perk" or is it specifically mentioned in the contract?

We joined 10 years ago - been very happy with our purchase of HHI but have never been there! Just had a frightening thought that perhaps DVC could remove the ability to visit a resort other than your home resort. Could that happen?

Thank you.

I would hazard to guess that it's a privilege/perk, because when we bought, there was only one DVC. There's nothing in our documents about non-home bookings.

 

[Debbie H]

Back when we bought in early 92, there was no other resort. When the other resorts started popping up, we had to stay at our home resort every other time. Somewhere along the line they changed that rule but it would be nice to get it back since EVERYONE seems to want to stay at OKW because of the lower points.

 

[5forDiz]

Back when we bought in early 92, there was no other resort. When the other resorts started popping up, we had to stay at our home resort every other time. Somewhere along the line they changed that rule but it would be nice to get it back since EVERYONE seems to want to stay at OKW because of the lower points.

This is interesting, I did not know this was the case years back about having to to stay at your Home Resort every other time. Learn something new every day here on the DIS !

I do agree with you on OKW's popularity due to lower points and now, I think even more popular too since recent renovations; just this past summer we couldn't book into OKW (our HR too ) for consecutive nights during August ( I did call after 7 month window however in March; but even waitlisted it didn't come through for us )

 

[Sandisw]

I am not sure that I would necessarily call it a "perk", but it is something in the rules that can be changed at any time.

The only thing, as mentioned, is that owners get a 1 month advantage over other owners (at least that is the way it reads in my BLT documents). I would think it could go to 11/10 at some point if Disney felt there was a need to do it.

Given the price of the resorts, IMO, I can't imagine that because one of the selling points they have is to tout the home resort booking advantage--having 4 months is a lot--having only one might not go over as special.

 

[Dean]

Back when we bought in early 92, there was no other resort. When the other resorts started popping up, we had to stay at our home resort every other time. Somewhere along the line they changed that rule but it would be nice to get it back since EVERYONE seems to want to stay at OKW because of the lower points.

I have a copy of an early POS and don't recall that listed anywhere. Certainly by the time BWV, VB and HH came on board that wasn't the case. The original POS did have a 10/11 month rule rather than a 7/11.

Technically they could change it to a min of 1 month instead of the current 4. But there's no guarantee that a given resort will remain in the club. There are a number of scenarios where they might not.

 

[drusba]

I did not come along until shortly after BWV opened but that is the first I ever heard about an early requirement that you had to select your own resort every other time. It certainly was not in effect when BWV opened.

As to whether being able to reserve at the other resorts is just a "perk," the answer is no. It is a topic specifically covered in the official documents and one whole volume of the POS is essentially dedicated to it. The basic ability to be able to reserve at other resorts once they have been added to the DVC system is not something DVD can just arbitrarily do away with but it does have a lot of discretion in making modifcations.

 

[Dean]

As to whether being able to reserve at the other resorts is just a "perk," the answer is no. It is a topic specifically covered in the official documents and one whole volume of the POS is essentially dedicated to it. The basic ability to be able to reserve at other resorts once they have been added to the DVC system is not something DVD can just arbitrarily do away with but it does have a lot of discretion in making modifcations.

While technically it's not a perk, it is something that could change or go away. It's not really contractual in the same sense as the home resort is.

 

[justcruisin]

Thanks to all who replied.

Sorry, but I'm still confused. Our home resort is HHI - could DVC restrict our usage to our home resort and not allow the points to be used at another DVC resort?

I do realize it is unlikely this would happen (hopefully)

Thanks again.

 

[drusba]

While technically it's not a perk, it is something that could change or go away. It's not really contractual in the same sense as the home resort is.

My view is somewhat different. It is something that is definitely part of the POS and contracts and my reading of the "DVC Resort Agreement," the muti-site POS, and the statutes applicable (particularly the Vacation Club section to the Florida Timeshare laws) does not lead to the conclusion it is something that could "just go away." Resorts can be removed from the reservation component based upon certain events (e.g., casualty at the resort, eminent domain, bankruptcy of the DVD entities), and the Buena Vista Trading Company (the exchange reservation unit of DVD) has discretion to modify a number of things but Disney cannot just decide if it feels like it to delete a site from the inter-resort exchange program or end your the ability to reserve at other sites.

 

[Sandisw]

Thanks to all who replied.

Sorry, but I'm still confused. Our home resort is HHI - could DVC restrict our usage to our home resort and not allow the points to be used at another DVC resort?

I do realize it is unlikely this would happen (hopefully)

Thanks again.

Yes, if Disney removed HH from the "group" of DVC resorts (its probably more complicated than the way it sounds but that is the essence), then you would no longer be part of the "club" and would be restricted to using the points at HH only.

As mentioned, I think this is highly unlikely, but if they were to remove resorts from the club, I do think that HH and VB would be the first ones considered.

 

[Dean]

My view is somewhat different. It is something that is definitely part of the POS and contracts and my reading of the "DVC Resort Agreement," the muti-site POS, and the statutes applicable (particularly the Vacation Club section to the Florida Timeshare laws) does not lead to the conclusion it is something that could "just go away." Resorts can be removed from the reservation component based upon certain events (e.g., casualty at the resort, eminent domain, bankruptcy of the DVD entities), and the Buena Vista Trading Company (the exchange reservation unit of DVD) has discretion to modify a number of things but Disney cannot just decide if it feels like it to delete a site from the inter-resort exchange program or end your the ability to reserve at other sites.

I think we're looking at it the same way but coming from different sides of the equation. There certainly are protections included in the multisite POS however, there is little that cannot change. Legally DVC could change almost anything within this document as long as it does not conflict with individual home resort POS language. And while a single resort cannot simply vanish, there are a number of ways a given resort could cease to be a member of the club. These include things like natural disasters, a member vote, etc as you state but also includes the fact that the management contract for individual resorts could be sold, which is likely the largest risk for some resorts.

As mentioned, I think this is highly unlikely, but if they were to remove resorts from the club, I do think that HH and VB would be the first ones considered.

Along with HI, these are likely the only ones that have any real risk.

 

[ORD2KOA]

Legally DVC could change almost anything within this document as long as it does not conflict with individual home resort POS language.

And they have made changes over the years.

For me, the Rule of 4 is a perfect example of how you can't do anything about it when they decide to make a change. IMO, that's the worst thing they've done to us so far.