Is the departure of Jim Lewis a good thing for DVC?

[PirateFrank]

For those that are worried about the new person in charge...

Remember that Lewis' canning will help set the tone for what will be expected going forward. Not sure why they would put the same leadership style in his place.
The new person can get canned just as easy.

MG

How? The next DVC is likely at the GF...and as far as I can surmise, DVC has permission from the state of Florida to sell DVC units.


OK, that was a crass attempt at some humor. I just don't think that firing an executive is an automatic indicator that things are going to improve....and to suggest that things will improve because the guy before him was fired for a very specific screw up (allegedly, of course) is a BIG assumption.

I'm firmly in the wait and see camp. I'm a BLT owner and I've had nothing but magical experiences during my trips on points. I haven't noticed any shoddy furniture, lack of upkeep or grumpy cast members.

And I most certainly did NOT feel unsafe at any point in or around the BLT resort. Quite the contrary actually....I'm still trying to figure out how someone could ever come to such a conclusion.....

 

[Dean]

None of us know. While he wasn't very popular and there were changes some would consider negative during his tenure, that doesn't necessarily mean he did a bad job overall. Plus sometimes "the devil you know" is the lessor of evils. I wonder what his severance package AND conditions were. I wonder if we'll see him pop up with another hotel or timeshare company.

 

[Hunclemarco]

Only time will tell.

i replied no idea....as per your thought as well...i'll remain "guarded"

 

[quentina]

What are we expecting to change, Perks??? We lose some, we gain some.... Personally,I don't sit back and worry about the small things. I LOVED valet and I was disappointed when it was removed but, I just put on my walking shoes

As far as everything else, I am not too concerned. I have yet to have a DVC room that I didn't like (and it was always clean).

 

[disneychic]

We all know that you need change in order to progress. So, whether or not this 1 change will lead to a completely positive outcome -- I am not sure. But, I am optimistic that good things CAN come from this.

 

[DaveH]

I voted no idea, because I honestly don't know. I am wait and see and hope so. Maybe even though places like the DIS is a small sample of the membership, the stuff said on these kinds of boards besides complaints like we make to member satisfaction team help them realize there seems to be some issues to be looked into to and maybe improved. I have done some complaining on this thread and boards, but we are still happy with our DVC purchases right now. I hope it stays that way.

 

[tjkraz]

For those that are worried about the new person in charge...

Remember that Lewis' canning will help set the tone for what will be expected going forward. Not sure why they would put the same leadership style in his place.
The new person can get canned just as easy.

MG

That would only hold true if Lewis' firing was predicated by poor design decisions and upkeep at resorts under his tenure, and we don't know if that's the case or not.

For Disney to outright fire an executive--not re-assign, not allow to retire--the underlying causes have to be pretty serious. I don't think Lewis was fired because he didn't give members advance warning of the valet parking perk being discontinued or because the OKW refurbishments aren't warmly received by all. The justification was something far more serious than that, IMO.

Only time will tell if current DVC policies, many implemented by Lewis, prove to be in line with Disney's corporate vision going forward.

Was it Lewis' time to go? Yeah...particularly in light of much feedback received in the last 48 hours. But will his replacement be any better? Only time will tell.

I will say that Karl Holz overseeing DVC--and presumably being involved in naming a replacement--leaves me very hopeful for the future. I don't have many bad things to say about DCL. Holz' leadership could be a real boon for DVC.

 

[been2marceline]

In most organizations, the &*(& rolls uphill.

I've been an owner since the early ninetys, and IMHO, most of the degradation that was perceived to have occurred at DVC, happened during his watch. I am pretty sure that I am not the only long time owner with this opinion.

Maintainence in the villas has suffered significantly while he was in charge. I stayed in the GCV villas in April and the cleanliness was seriously lacking, requests to repair broken items, provide basic supplies, etc. were ignored.

There are now 2, with potentially three classes of owners, including the fixed period owners in DVC, where prior to his arrival, there was one.

A lot of trade out options have disappeared during his stint.

II was replaced with RCI during his tenure, an organization that openly stole inventory from its membership ( research the RCI class action ).

DVC won't recommend the vast majority of RCI accomoddations due to them being not up to DVC standards.

Borderline fraudulent sales practices occurred during his watch, not withstanding the current Aulani fiasco...

BLT was built with substandard fittings and furnishings, all the while being sold at the highest points price in DVC history.

I can't see how any new person in that position could do much worse.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

In most organizations, the &*(& rolls uphill.

I've been an owner since the early ninetys, and IMHO, most of the degradation that was perceived to have occurred at DVC, happened during his watch. I am pretty sure that I am not the only long time owner with this opinion.

Maintainence in the villas has suffered significantly while he was in charge. I stayed in the GCV villas in April and the cleanliness was seriously lacking, requests to repair broken items, provide basic supplies, etc. were ignored.

There are now 2, with potentially three classes of owners, including the fixed period owners in DVC, where prior to his arrival, there was one.

A lot of trade out options have disappeared during his stint.

II was replaced with RCI during his tenure, an organization that openly stole inventory from its membership ( research the RCI class action ).

DVC won't recommend the vast majority of RCI accomoddations due to them being not up to DVC standards.

Borderline fraudulent sales practices occurred during his watch, not withstanding the current Aulani fiasco...

BLT was built with substandard fittings and furnishings, all the while being sold at the highest points price in DVC history.

I can't see how any new person in that position could do much worse.

Right on target..

MG

 

[Joey7295]

Borderline fraudulent sales practices occurred during his watch, not withstanding the current Aulani fiasco...

What is the current Aulani fiasco?

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

Way to early to tell...lets just say the grass is not always greener on the other side.

And that may be because more manure is being spread.

You have the cruise line guy now running things.
I am actually MORE concerned now then I ever was with Mr. Lewis. IMHO the criuse line has gone so far down hill that it's just unbeliveable.

 

[wiltonken]

If he is the individual who was responsible for the pool hopping rules and/or the once a year transferring of points to another member's account and/or the "new" time window for banking points then good riddance.

 

[smjj]

I just wish whoever they pick and for that matter all at Disney management would keep asking them-self's and mean it, this one question: "Walt would Walt have done?"...smjj

 

[dianeschlicht]

I just wish whoever they pick and for that matter all at Disney management would keep asking them-self's and mean it, this one question: "Walt would Walt have done?"...smjj

If they would have asked themselves that, we wouldn't have had JL in the first place! I'm afraid the downturn of quality and service in all of Disney is not going to improve just because one guy is fired. Whomever is choosing the new person, might be the same group who chose JL.

 

[smjj]

If they would have asked themselves that, we wouldn't have had JL in the first place! I'm afraid the downturn of quality and service in all of Disney is not going to improve just because one guy is fired. Whomever is choosing the new person, might be the same group who chose JL.

That is what I am afraid of. I know one thing for certain, on the MC just 33 day from now I already know what the new hot topic will be....smjj

 

[Sammie]

If they would have asked themselves that, we wouldn't have had JL in the first place! I'm afraid the downturn of quality and service in all of Disney is not going to improve just because one guy is fired. Whomever is choosing the new person, might be the same group who chose JL.

I don't think any of the upper management that was at Disney when Jim started are still there. Eisner is gone and so is Al Weiss.

 

[hakepb]

It will be interesting. When I look at coaches on sports teams getting fired, sometimes a great choice is made, sometimes the replacement is worse.

I wonder about the DCL connection. DCL started "small" with (on purpose) responsibly sized ships looking like ocean liners (touched all the right "buttons" to me.) Now DCL is going Mega-sized, but I still want to try the Dream.

 

[BEASLYBOO]

I don't have 1st hand knowledge of the internal workings of DVC, but was Jim, and Jim alone, responsible for every decision made regarding any/all changes to DVC, most probably not. Who knows if things will be better or not, no one, have to wait and see.

Things are way past "What would Walt do?", I'm afraid that the only thing that counts now is the bottom line.

 

[dianeschlicht]

I don't have 1st hand knowledge of the internal workings of DVC, but was Jim, and Jim alone, responsible for every decision made regarding any/all changes to DVC, most probably not. Who knows if things will be better or not, no one, have to wait and see.

Things are way past "What would Walt do?", I'm afraid that the only thing that counts now is the bottom line.

Yep, just like every other company....Bottom line only. No longer any customer service concerns.

 

[CarolAnnC]

This has turned into a duplicate discussion of the "official" Jim Lewis termination thread, therefore we will be closing this one now. Thanks all.