Just back and my feelings on Saratoga Springs

[mwmuntz]

Thanks a million for these comments, I do really appreciate it. As far as being treated unfairly, I have been on this board for 5 years now. Nothing really bothers me much, I tend to take it with a grain of salt and absorb the truly helpful information in and use it for our trips. I have learned to brush off the posts that are abrasive, or I'll address them and move on. Anyway, I do love a good discussion. I don't look at alot of these posts as bashing, but just a good give and take. Thanks again for your kind words.

Ahhh! I understand! I just need to grow a nice, thick layer of "DISboard skin", if I want to play here?

 

[Jillpie]

Ahhh! I understand! I just need to grow a nice, thick layer of "DISboard skin", if I want to play here?

Thats exactly right and welcome.

 

[beachblanket]

What I was trying to convey is there is no guarantee at 11 months with DVC .

Ironclad, absolute 100% guarantee of availabilty at 11 months? Correct, it doesn't exist.

However, anyone with home resort booking prioirty who starts repeat dialing MS at 8:58:00am or so exactly 11 months to the day out has about a 99.9% of getting something (if not exactly the category of accomodation they were looking for). Even for Christmas week; while crazy even that isn't like calling for breakfast at the castle or an Illuminations cruise. Or put another way, all the available space is not gone in first two minutes.

In other words, the risk there is much, much lower than at 7 months, where -- depending upon the resort and season (obvious examples would probably include BWV standard category during F&WF and HH for June) calling MS 7 months out at 8:58:00 looking for that sort of space almost guarantees disappointment.

 

[alldiz]

The website Dean is looking at is the the Interval exchange website. In order to search yourself VS DVC searching for you, you need to pay $89 and become a member of Interval, then you simply plug in dates and or resort codes and search availability.

Here is the II listing available to DVC members:

http://disney.intervalworld.com/web/cs?a=5

Unless you own another timeshare that trades using II, you won't be able to purchase an II membership as an individual. For DVC members, DVC holds a corporate membership and all II arrangements must be made thru MS. We have no individual status with II at all and the full list of II resorts is not available to DVC members.

Thanks for the info
Kerri

 

[Dean]

The website Dean is looking at is the the Interval exchange website. In order to search yourself VS DVC searching for you, you need to pay $89 and become a member of Interval, then you simply plug in dates and or resort codes and search availability.

One must be an II member and thus must own an II affiliated timeshare, DVC doesn't qualify because DVC is only a corporate member, their choice.

Thanks, Dean. I don't know if this means I should worry less....or more.

No need to worry at all unless you're trying to trade in or out, even then don't worry about things you can't control. Just realize that things change over time and one must adjust or be left behind.

Why are you not privy to the entire inventory on Interval with DVC????

So my gut is DVC and Interval negotiated the list, and Disney ended up having to take apples from all levels of the barrel.

Perhaps Dean knows the actual history.

It's actually quite simple and does make some sense. Put yourself in DVC's shoes. They want to provide the best options available and to have the ones reasonably close to DVC. They don't want to provide other Orlando options, no reason to. They shy away from limited availability resorts, something I disagree with. So you end up with a list that is someone's idea of the best available overall to cover the world and minimize dogs that excludes Orlando and limited availability resorts. But if an area doesn't have great resorts, they may end up with simply OK resorts to give some choice.

They also tend to delay on adding new resorts, something I also think is a mistake. Here's a good example. Many resorts have multiple II codes which are to a degree a separate resort from II's standpoint. Thus when you are looking for a trade, you must list each code or you may miss inventory. Look at Westin Kierland with multiple codes. DVC only has one code included but II has two. Most of the inventory will come from the new section which is not on DVC's list. Of course the resort will put you where they want to and are not obligated to put you in the section you trade for. End result is there are units available at a resort on DVC's trade list but DVC member's can't get them. In this situation they should either add the second code or take the resort entirely off the list until completed and has a track record. BTW, this is a true example of a DVC member who wanted to trade for this resort and couldn't even though the exact unit type and week they wanted was sitting there in II.

 

[jemiaule]

I don't think any guides are misleading anyone, I think some are rushing to purchase something they did not research and then taking the easy way of blaming the guide who is not present to give her or his side of the situation.

Sorry, but you are wrong. You luckily never have spoken to or heard about my (now) former guide. Let me tell ya a bit about him.

1) When I asked about buying at BCV and BWV he said I couldn't and that only current DVC members could buy at sold out resorts.

2) He told me that I could buy SSR, that I would never have to stay there and I could just stay at any of the DVC properties I wanted to.

3) When I flat out asked him (numerous times!) about potential problems with availability at other DVCs he told me it should never be a problem. In one phone conversation he directly said he could assure me I would never have a problem booking what & where I wanted. This was after telling him some of our trips were planned in a 2 to 3 month window, we always visited during the fall, and we prefered the Epcot DVCs.

When I mentioned perhaps I should look into resales he told me that:
1) Disney always exercises ROFR on BCV and anything I try to purchase they would buy.
2) That a lot of resales have liens on them
3) Most resales have no current year points and the next year points will be used up as well
4) Most likely the current years dues will not be paid and I will have to pay all of them as well as very high closing costs.

Thankfully people on another DVC board told me the truth and that my guide was full of

LisaViolet was especially helpful, let me know how I could request a new guide and hooked me up with her guide who is fantastic...but best of all truthful.

Oh, and the DVC Manager I had to speak with in order to change guides was really unhappy with the

my original guide had told me.

So, extremely long story short, there is definitely one guide that I personally have dealt with that is not just misleading, he will tell any lie it takes to sell SSR.

 

[rinkwide]

Pretty sure we have the same guide. His favorite line - Lots of my members never stay at their home resort.

 

[Deb & Bill]

...When I mentioned perhaps I should look into resales he told me that:
1) Disney always exercises ROFR on BCV and anything I try to purchase they would buy.
2) That a lot of resales have liens on them
3) Most resales have no current year points and the next year points will be used up as well
4) Most likely the current years dues will not be paid and I will have to pay all of them as well as very high closing costs.....

There was a time not too long ago where almost no BCV resales were going through. Or BWV resales. And lots of resales are stripped with not many points coming in the next year either. So two out of four ain't too bad.

 

[BroganMc]

I also want to thank you for sharing your viewpoint, I do appreciate you taking that time in this last post . It was hard enough to be that far away, I cannot imagine having a disability too, I do hope they keep the handicapped rooms close by for your convenience.

Thanks, but don't worry overmuch for me. Since I got a powerchair a few years ago, I'm as spry as my little nieces and nephews. When you have a comfy chair that goes 4.5mph and up to 20-25 per day, you tend to enjoy long distances much more. It's crowds that drag you down since pedestrians have a weird internal radar that leads them into collisions with you. (EPCOT exodus at closing and parade/fireworks crowds at Magic Kingdom are the worst.)

My real need is to have a room with a roll-in (i.e. stepless) shower. Without that, I'm reduced to what I lovingly call "*****'s baths" in the sink, not your cleanest method. Fortunately, all the rooms at SSR that are labeled "handicapped" have roll-in showers and since it is a larger resort there are more HA rooms. But in say BCV, there are 12 in a resort of 200+ rooms. Getting a HA room I need at BCV is like getting a concierge room at AKV. But without the benefit of a zero entry pool I can use.

You can see why I tend to favor larger resorts, with wide open spaces and newer-built (in the accessibility industry, the newer something is built the better the accessibility offerings). So for me, while the EPCOT resorts have a great location they have enough disadvantages for me not to want to own there or believe they are the absolute best DVC has to offer. I guess you could say, I wouldn't mind if the bulldozers visited the area and built from scratch but created a village more like SSR ... big buildings, close underground parking, shared public areas, zero entry pools and lots of walking paths lined with trees and/or water.

Barring that, I'll enjoy my SSR and ride the bus or my van to the parks. EPCOT is only a mile away.

 

[Jillpie]

yes, I completely understand your point of view. And here's hoping we each get what we want each and every trip!

 

[elijahpep]

Ironclad, absolute 100% guarantee of availabilty at 11 months? Correct, it doesn't exist.

However, anyone with home resort booking prioirty who starts repeat dialing MS at 8:58:00am or so exactly 11 months to the day out has about a 99.9% of getting something (if not exactly the category of accomodation they were looking for). Even for Christmas week; while crazy even that isn't like calling for breakfast at the castle or an Illuminations cruise. Or put another way, all the available space is not gone in first two minutes.

In other words, the risk there is much, much lower than at 7 months, where -- depending upon the resort and season (obvious examples would probably include BWV standard category during F&WF and HH for June) calling MS 7 months out at 8:58:00 looking for that sort of space almost guarantees disappointment.

Yes, and you are correct also, some resorts are hard to get at certain times of the year at 7 months, but not impossible. Especially if the person can be flexible. For example, Preferred view at boardwalk instead of standard for F&WF. This is just what I did a week or so ago for October. It will be my family's first stay at Boardwalk. I jsut hope we enjoy it, as I am sure we will. But not too much as I can't afford any more add-ons right now. I also can't see anyone being disappointed not to get it, as it wouldn't have bothered me. I mean, come on, they will still be going to Disney! I could be happy in any of the DVC resorts as long as I am there. But maybe that's just me.

~Eli

 

[BroganMc]

There was a time not too long ago where almost no BCV resales were going through. Or BWV resales. And lots of resales are stripped with not many points coming in the next year either. So two out of four ain't too bad.

I could be wrong but I thought this topic started over the contention whether the greeters at the DVC booths in VWL were intentionally misleading by telling prospective buyers with ownership they could stay at VWL.

i.e. the conversation is:

Buyer: "So tell me about DVC, where are they selling?"
Greeter: "Saratoga Springs, right across from Downtown Disney and Animal Kingdom Villas."
Buyer: "But this [VWL] is a DVC too?"
Greeter: "Yes, a sold out resort. We also have resorts at Boardwalk, Beach Club, Old Key West, Hilton Head and Vero Beach."
Buyer: "So if I buy DVC can I stay at those places too?"
Greeter: "Yes, it's all part of the Disney Vacation Club."
Buyer: "How does that work, I get a week to use anywhere in the system?"
Greeter: "No, you buy points and reserve where you want to stay per night. Currently the price is X per point. Do you want to set up a tour with a sales guide at SSR? We'll pick you up anywhere you're staying on property."

Has the greeter mislead the buyer because they failed to mention the resale market or 11/7 month booking windows? I'd say no. Simply because once you buy into the club you can stay anywhere in the club without extra penalties such as additional booking costs encountered with other timeshares. (i.e. with my Marriott Grande Vista ownership, I have to pay an extra II fee if I want to stay there outside my ownership season.)

Now are there sales guides can be unscrupulous and actively steer people away from resales? Yes. There are always bad apples and/or those not getting the info they want. But after dealing with three different guides myself, I tend to find that practice rare. Of course, I also go into purchases with a lot of background research so I may inadvertantly solicit more frank responses. I'm also not keen on the resale market due to too much uncertainty, so it's not like I'm looking for a guide to talk me out of that.

 

[Abbysmom327]

You people crack me up just dont stay there its as simple as that or we can act like 3 year olds and jump on here and say stupid things I guess that will solve your problems.

This is an open forum.....and I like to hear everyone's opinions on different things, resorts, meals, etc..... I don't think anyone but yourself is acting like a 3 year old. The poster very tastefully gave HER opinion of the resort. I am glad she did.....Now I know that if I ever stay there I should try and avoid that section.

Erica

 

[jemiaule]

There was a time not too long ago where almost no BCV resales were going through. Or BWV resales. And lots of resales are stripped with not many points coming in the next year either. So two out of four ain't too bad.

Oh, I am sure there was a time. This wasn't one of those times though. My point was really that some guides will say anything to make a sale for the current property...and what they say isn't always truthful.

A lot of people I talked to when this all happened felt he was using scare tactics to get me to buy SSR from him since he said all of that about resales and was telling me Disney does not allow new members to buy sold out resorts.

But, I bought some BWV points from Disney after switching guides and got my BCV points resale at the same time. I think both closed within a few days of each other.

So bad guide said:
1) Disney always exercises ROFR on BCV and anything I try to purchase they would buy.
- Ironically & amusingly Disney ROFR'd the BWV resale I was trying to purchase but the BCV one went thru jsut fine

2) That a lot of resales have liens on them
- I had a nice conversation with Jerry from TSS about this before making my offer, still have the email from him to. He said "We guarantee that you will acquire the package free and clear with Title Insurance."

3) Most resales have no current year points and the next year points will be used up as well
- Mine had not only the current years points, next years points, it had banked points too

4) Most likely the current years dues will not be paid and I will have to pay all of them as well as very high closing costs.....
Dues were paid, I just paid the prorated amount from the purchase date and closing was not bad.

 

[tomandrobin]

It's crowds that drag you down since pedestrians have a weird internal radar that leads them into collisions with you. (EPCOT exodus at closing and parade/fireworks crowds at Magic Kingdom are the worst.)

You are being modest, I think its your magnetic personality that is drawing them in!

 

[BroganMc]

You are being modest, I think its your magnetic personality that is drawing them in!

Hmm, I hadn't considered that. Maybe I just need to reverse my polarity, or get one of those ol' fashioned cow catchers.

I still can't get over how often and easily pedestrians manage to stick their toes between my front caster wheels and back mountainbike drive wheels. Usually ladies wearing open-toed sandals. In winter. I've been cursed at in so many languages and with such ferver I have a hard time not laughing anymore.

How hard is it for people to realize moving vehicles tend to like going in a straight line. To avoid them STOP CROSSCUTTING YOUR PATH!!!

Oh well, I guess that's why I like the wide open walkways of SSR over the jampacked BCV byways. my ears don't blister as much from rebukes.

 

[UConnJack]

The website Dean is looking at is the the Interval exchange website. In order to search yourself VS DVC searching for you, you need to pay $89 and become a member of Interval, then you simply plug in dates and or resort codes and search availability.

Wouldn't it be nice if DVC had a website service like that?

 

[Anthony1971]

To go back and comment on the themes: The Boardwalk while achieving a built up look of a true Boardwalk lacks the sound of the waves and the smell of the ocean however whether or not this was part of the plan it does have the attack birds. The last time we were there the birds stole my cousin’s slice of pizza out of his hand and then pooped on him. I do have pictures……..
I do however love the BW for its location I can think of a LONG list of Dislikes and like of all DVC resorts and cash only resorts but I enjoy staying at them all. I think the likes and dislikes come from rooms you are in including location and the outcome of the total vacation.

 

[Muushka]

To go back and comment on the themes: The Boardwalk while achieving a built up look of a true Boardwalk lacks the sound of the waves and the smell of the ocean however whether or not this was part of the plan it does have the attack birds. The last time we were there the birds stole my cousin’s slice of pizza out of his hand and then pooped on him. I do have pictures……..
I do however love the BW for its location I can think of a LONG list of Dislikes and like of all DVC resorts and cash only resorts but I enjoy staying at them all. I think the likes and dislikes come from rooms you are in including location and the outcome of the total vacation.

I totally agree with this statement. We stayed at BWV once and I swore we would never return. I think a lot of it has to do with the room we got. Plus I was having foot trouble at WDW that time. I think of BWV and I think loooooooooooong hallways and how sore my feet were!

Hmmm, maybe some day we should give it another shot.

 

[UConnJack]

Undoubtedly that is the situation at the moment. But AKV cannot sell itself by existing membership alone. It'll have to have a majority of new membership if it ever hopes to be completed.

The situation existing now is that new buyers have two choices: SSR and AKV. SSR is a bit cheaper, mostly completed and within walking distance of outside resort entertainment. New members are overwhelmingly going for SSR leaving AKV for the existing members and enthusiasts. But when SSR sells out later this year, that leaves only AKV as the route into the system (outside resales and wait lists for big points).

That's when we'll see the influx of neophyte questions, but I suspect with an entire host of new quarrelsome problems. Such as: room occupancy for that 5th person, wanting to stay within walking distance of something, and mass confusion about point requirements.

It's WAY too early to claim that the 80/20 ratio (from another thread which I assume you are basing this comment on) of new sales in favor of SSR says anything about SSR being favored over AKV by new members. AKV has not been selling long enough to the general public for that number to mean anything. Assuming recent new buyers have probably been considering the DVC purchase for months (and assuming most are not DIS members and have "insider" knowledge), SSR has been the "only" resort they have had to consider and probably didn't even know much about AKV, if at all.

In addition, I am sure they are still selling SSR more aggressively as they would like to see SSR sold out ASAP. All a guide needs to do to steer a prospective buyer away from AKV and to SSR is to say its not built yet, and you would be buying into a few rooms at they lodge that will have limited availability for a couple years; but you could buy SSR now, at a lower price point with incentives, stay at all the DVCs including AKV when it is fully operational.

Give it another few more months. I'll bet AKV will eventually outpace SSR sales.