Major Disappointment with DVC

[tvwalsh]

When I joined back in 1992, I figured that DVC would build resorts all over the US. I even expected some resorts in foreign countries. I think the salespeople did as well. I never expected that I would need to pay that transfer fee all the time. Disney got gun shy after the Vero and Hilton Head failures and started doing what had worked for them before, building resort after resort in WDW.

I do think the time has come for a new DVC resort outside of WDW!

 

[Snow Shoe]

I beleive "that was the orginal plan" of DVC to have resorts in many places. Here on the Dis Boards some time back, there was a discussion by a DVC exec staff member I beleive on this very subject. They mentioned the lack luster response to HH & VB caused them to re-think their orginal plans and build only at WDW. They even sold their property in CA a while back.

 

[tjkraz]

While I'd love to have another low point destination like HHI and VB, I can't think of a single location compelling enough to make it my Home resort. If there were more points in our future, they would almost certainly be at a WDW-based property, and we'd take our chances at 7 mos elsewhere.

If we reach a point in our lives in which we feel the urge to travel throughout the country, it seems like Mariott or some other point-based timeshare would be a better match.

When folks hear "Disney" they think either California or Florida. It would take a pretty compelling destination to entice non WDW or DL fans to consider owning there. And, even with the addition of one or two other destinations, DVC would still be a far cry from other more diverse programs available.

The 10 years it took to sell out 150 units at VB probably didn't help either.

I hear your pain, tvwalsh...I just don't know how many of us would be willing to do anything to bring it closer to reality.

EDIT: Along the lines of Show Shoe's post, Jim Hill Media had an article up about 6 months ago with details on a New York City project that came THIS CLOSE to getting the OK back in the mid-90s. Mike Eisner got gun shy, for a lot of justifyable reasons, and didn't approve the project.

If I remember some of the details correctly, the main reason was that the property was in a very bad location--which has since been revitalized. The project was also being considered just as Disney's Broadway show unit was starting to come alive. There was to have been a cash hotel and DVC units. When you consider the possibility of selling room / show / dining vacation packages to cash guests, it really could have been something.

 

[DebbieB]

So would you be willing to buy points at other resorts? DVC is only going to build a resort if they anticipate that they are going to be able to sell all the points within a reasonable amount of time. If they are not going to be able to sell it and recoup their costs, why would they build it? Certainly not to just give current members more choices while they are stuck with the costs.

 

[AFMom]

Well - I have to say, I'm glad that no one tried to tell us there would be any new resorts when we were considering buying a little while ago. We knew what there was and didn't really think there'd be anything else. I can see how frustrating that must be to have bought with that in mind! I think Disney would do well with a ski resort - there is so much they could do for families, and most ski resorts aren't all that family friendly. People would flock to it! I know we would. I'm not as sure about Hawaii, but hey - would a DVC fit on Castaway Cay????? (hehehe). I guess we can cross our fingers and hope someone gets gutsy there!

 

[DrBond007]

I do think the time has come for a new DVC resort outside of WDW!

What do you think would have the greatest chance of having good enough sales to merit a DVC resort? New York? Washington?

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=711791

 

[PamOKW]

I would also really enjoy having more offsite options but Disney would have to make a commitment to get into the resort business.

I think part of the reason why Vero and HHI were harder sells is because they weren't really selling them to the public at large. If they had taken Vero in a slightly different direction -- maybe added a spa and hooked up with a golf course -- I'm sure they could have marketed and sold it to people who come to southern Florida for winter vacations -- like at the Breakers or the Boca Raton Club. But, they kept it Disney with the focus on families/children and primarily marketed to people vacationing at Disney. It's no wonder that people vacationing at Disney with their children (because that's what they most enjoy) would not be as interested in buying outside of WDW when there were DVC resorts available. At the same time, someone who comes to Florida to sunbathe, be pampered and play a few rounds of golf may be turned off as soon as they hear the words "Disney" (can you believe such people exist?). To market offsite they need to find buyers who are interested in those areas and market to them -- not count on just the pool of people who come to Disney.

But, that's almost a whole new company for Disney -- maybe it's something they'll pursue down the line but right now I don't see them gearing up for that commitment.

 

[DrBond007]

I think part of the reason why Vero and HHI were harder sells is because they weren't really selling them to the public at large. If they had taken Vero in a slightly different direction -- maybe added a spa and hooked up with a golf course -- I'm sure they could have marketed and sold it to people who come to southern Florida for winter vacations -- like at the Breakers or the Boca Raton Club.....

Great points, thanks for sharing. Vero could have a better associate with the Polo club horse ranch a few miles north of the resort, or some other great resort activity.

I've always thought the idea of a DVC timeshare ship sounded pretty neat, and had great potential for sales.

 

[tjkraz]

But, that's almost a whole new company for Disney -- maybe it's something they'll pursue down the line but right now I don't see them gearing up for that commitment.

I agree with everything you said, Pam--it would be a completely different business for Disney.

And, if I were to consider buying, my biggest fear would be that some management / philosophical shift months or years down the road could result in a change of ownership for those resorts. If Disney were to leap into the hotel business and later decide it wasn't working for whatever reason, they could probably divest themselves of the resorts to Mariott, Hyatt or some other large chain.

If the timeshare units were separated from DVC, the ability to use at WDW resorts would follow.

 

[tvwalsh]

So would you be willing to buy points at other resorts? DVC is only going to build a resort if they anticipate that they are going to be able to sell all the points within a reasonable amount of time. If they are not going to be able to sell it and recoup their costs, why would they build it? Certainly not to just give current members more choices while they are stuck with the costs.

I have 220 Vero points and 50 HH points. Because these are the only DVC resorts outside of WDW, I am delighted that I have both to complement my 230 OKW points. I think the beach cottages at Vero and other desirable rooms and times will be harder to get as the number of WDW bound members increases.

 

[Doctor P]

We are big Disney and WDW fans, so we were very surprised at the fact that when we stopped at HH on our way back from our Disney cruise in summer 2003 we thought we had died and gone to heaven. We love staying in studios, and the studios at HH are, in our opinion, by far the nicest studios of any DVC resort and we loved Hilton Head and the setting. Many other DVC'ers who have had the time and opportunity to visit HH and VB have said the same thing. I think HH, at least, has actually had stronger sales in the last couple years than it did previously, and I suspect that the changing demographics of original DVC owners and the population as a whole may make a new attempt at off-site resorts more palatable and more likely to succeed. Time will tell, but I know it will be interesting to watch.

 

[bongo59]

9/11 changed alot for DVC.............their will be other resorts but they will be in the US and its borders............i think France Japan and China will be it for awhile

 

[Beca]

I'm actually really glad that DVC is not trying to "conquer the U.S.". I bought to stay at WDW. I can only think of ONE location that might have as many people wanting to get "in" (reservations at), as the number of people who want to trade to WDW....Hawaii.

I would be a little worried about my ability to get a room ANYWHERE on WDW property even 5-6 months out if there were a number of DVC resorts not on WDW property. I just think the ratio of people wanting to visit "other places" would never be as high as the number of people who are wanting to trade into WDW.

I'm happy just the way it is!!! I'm sorry that you find disappointment in this.



Beca

 

[gjw007]

I can think of one other possible location and that would be in the Caribbean, perhaps St Johns or somewhere in the American/British Virgin Island. It might be easer for people on the east coast to go to the Caribbean than it is to go to Hawaii. It also provides a tie-in to the cruise line if they wish to stop there. I do agree that marketing non-Disney World or Disneyland sites need to be different than onsite theme park properties. The key is that the distination has to be the attraction and not the timeshare property.

 

[phyllisnnj]

According to all of the reports the timeshare industry is booming. I think Disney would be successful if they select highly desirable locations and offer amenities families are looking for.

http://www.arda.org/consumer/stats/stats.htm
http://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/stories/2004/12/06/focus2.html
http://www.cendant.com/media/trends_information/trends_information.cgi/Hospitality+Services/223

Are they advertising SSR to the general public?
Hilton, Marriott and Starwood sent mailers to their hotel frequent guest members with specials rates for staying at the hotel or timeshare and attending a timeshare presentation. In order to take advantage of the offer both spouses had to attend and they were required to have a combined minimum income of specified amount. I’m sure Disney could easily advertise the latest DVC resort to recent hotel guest of the deluxe resorts that paid full rack rate.

 

[MDonley]

They don't call DVC "The best kept Disney secret" for nothing.

But seriously, when we bought into OKW over 10 years ago, we also believed the sales pitch of future resorts. So much so that we jumped on the VB bandwagon right away and have the coin from its opening week (in which DW & DS participated) to prove it! The reason that we DIDN'T jump on BWV was a rumor that the bus drivers had heard and were passing along: When Florida passes casino gambling, there were plans to put one at Boardwalk.

Trading out to II resorts is a nice option, but I'd still like to see a DVC resort by DL.

 

[snowbunny]

The reason that we DIDN'T jump on BWV was a rumor that the bus drivers had heard and were passing along: When Florida passes casino gambling, there were plans to put one at Boardwalk.

Well I thought gutting the Feature Animation division was the beginning of the end, but that would really put the nail in the coffin of Walt Disney's vision. How depressing is that.

Having been to Las Vegas many times on business, I can say categorically that there is one place my kids will never step foot while they are under my control, and that is anywhere near a casino. I truly hope this is no more than an unfounded rumor. I don't follow political events in Florida, so I do not know where the issue of gambling stands, but we recently had a HUGE fight here in Maine to keep casinos out of the state.

 

[tjkraz]

A few months ago Disney was surveying folks on the possibility of adding gambling to Pleasure Island. Word was the idea wasn't exactly warmly received.

 

[DrBond007]

I do think the time has come for a new DVC resort outside of WDW!

I would like to see an additional offsite alternative.



"May god bless this wonderful day for democracy."

 

[timC]

To market offsite they need to find buyers who are interested in those areas and market to them -- not count on just the pool of people who come to Disney.

But, that's almost a whole new company for Disney -- maybe it's something they'll pursue down the line but right now I don't see them gearing up for that commitment.

That's exactly right Pam. DVC is too dependent on WDW and the "family vacation market". To be successful, I think they would have to re-invent their travel business, and not lead with the WDW market as they do now. Might take a corporate restructuring to do it... That would have to be left up to Eisner's replacement.