Member Insider January/February 2015 Email

[LauraLea]

I posted a couple comments but they were not posted yet. It is reviewed before posting. Have to wonder what didn't make it.

Someone posted that we should get the same annual pass prices as local residents. I posted that we already do. $149 off is also the FL resident price. People just want to complain, don't look at what we do have.

There are 2 seasonal Florida passes that have a substantial savings that I think some DVC members would like to get. Blackouts are 2 weeks at Easter, 2 weeks at Christmas, and then about 9 weeks in the summer.

Seasonal Pass $339.74
Weekday Select Pass $233.24

Compared to the $516.53 (taxes included for all) for the annual pass, these are quite a savings. We are grateful that we qualify.

Laura

 

[DebbieB]

There are 2 seasonal Florida passes that have a substantial savings that I think some DVC members would like to get. Blackouts are 2 weeks at Easter, 2 weeks at Christmas, and then about 9 weeks in the summer.

Seasonal Pass $339.74
Weekday Select Pass $233.24

Compared to the $516.53 (taxes included for all) for the annual pass, these are quite a savings. We are grateful that we qualify.

Laura

That would be nice to get for members.

The point I was trying to make was complaints about perks going away (valet parking) but not thinking about perks we have been given and have increased.

When I was first a member, there was no AP discount. People on this board were pushing for a 10% discount. They came through with $100 off, which was about 25% off. A couple of years ago it was increased to $149 off new passes, currently about 24% discount. It replaced the 10% Length of Stay ticket discount when that ticket no longer existed. It would be nice to get discounts on other tickets.

We were given the opportunity to purchase the TIW card at the Florida Resident price of $100. Cheaper than the AP price of $125.

 

[Straughn]

DVC owner at VWL since 2004 and now have added a small contract VGF (enough to stay in a studio every other year). I have never had an issue with getting a reservation but then I can plan at 11 months out and have been mostly successful switching at 7 months if I wanted. I think that, unfortunately, a lot of new owners don't really understand the importance of the 11 month booking window compared to 7 months. I have had to explain to more than one person the difference between the two. I spoke with a new owner who thought he had priority all the time at his home resort and thought that non-owners would be bumped for him. He thought that 11 months was just the earliest you could book. This goes to not only reading the contract but having a guide who explains the system clearly. I also think people get swept away by the "magic" at the sales center and don't really listen and ask questions.

Having said that, I totally concur that maintenance has gone down significantly since we bought 11 years ago. I wonder if the cleaning staff ever bothers to report dripping faucets, stove burners that don't work, badly damaged furniture etc. or they just leave it up to the guest. I haven't experienced the cleanliness issues that some have, but I have had several maintenance problems which required fixing in order to use the villa as it was intended to be used. I have also reported small problems such as burned out light bulbs (something housekeeping could easily report. How do you clean the bathroom when the ceiling fixture is burned out and it is dark?) Last time I had a burned out bulb in the shower, it took several calls over multiple days to get it replaced.

Frankly, I would like to see Disney concentrate on servicing and maintaining the properties they have instead of adding and adding and adding. This would make DVC more exclusive and the resale value under the " right of first refusal" significantly higher. VGF is a small property and I don't think it is sold out, yet here we go with Poly. I have not read positive comments on that property. If they can't sell out VGF, what makes them think that they can sell the Poly for more $$.

 

[disneynutz]

DVC owner at VWL since 2004 and now have added a small contract VGF (enough to stay in a studio every other year). I have never had an issue with getting a reservation but then I can plan at 11 months out and have been mostly successful switching at 7 months if I wanted. I think that, unfortunately, a lot of new owners don't really understand the importance of the 11 month booking window compared to 7 months. I have had to explain to more than one person the difference between the two. I spoke with a new owner who thought he had priority all the time at his home resort and thought that non-owners would be bumped for him. He thought that 11 months was just the earliest you could book. This goes to not only reading the contract but having a guide who explains the system clearly. I also think people get swept away by the "magic" at the sales center and don't really listen and ask questions.

Having said that, I totally concur that maintenance has gone down significantly since we bought 11 years ago. I wonder if the cleaning staff ever bothers to report dripping faucets, stove burners that don't work, badly damaged furniture etc. or they just leave it up to the guest. I haven't experienced the cleanliness issues that some have, but I have had several maintenance problems which required fixing in order to use the villa as it was intended to be used. I have also reported small problems such as burned out light bulbs (something housekeeping could easily report. How do you clean the bathroom when the ceiling fixture is burned out and it is dark?) Last time I had a burned out bulb in the shower, it took several calls over multiple days to get it replaced.

Frankly, I would like to see Disney concentrate on servicing and maintaining the properties they have instead of adding and adding and adding. This would make DVC more exclusive and the resale value under the " right of first refusal" significantly higher. VGF is a small property and I don't think it is sold out, yet here we go with Poly. I have not read positive comments on that property. If they can't sell out VGF, what makes them think that they can sell the Poly for more $$.

Disney makes their money selling new DVC resorts, not maintaining them. They could do a better job cleaning and maintaining the resorts but what's the downside if they don't? They get paid by us owners no matter what kind of job they do.

Bill

 

[mort1331]

I WANT FREE DISNEY MOVIES. I own DVC which is part of Disney. So I want free movies that Disney has rights too. Lets start with any of the Marvel, and also the new Star Wars. I have rights!!!!!


Just kidding, but this is not that far off from what some are demanding.
Grow up and read what you bought and what your really entitled to.

 

[nkosiek]

I WANT FREE DISNEY MOVIES. I own DVC which is part of Disney. So I want free movies that Disney has rights too. Lets start with any of the Marvel, and also the new Star Wars. I have rights!!!!!


Just kidding, but this is not that far off from what some are demanding.
Grow up and read what you bought and what your really entitled to.

That said, is anyone else surprised there isn't a CCTV station of random Disney movies? I mean they have that cartoon station and the goodnight Duffy thing, I am kinda surprised that the whole place doesn't have a station or two of Disney movies.

Yes, I know I can go to a Community Hall and get a dvd, I was just thinking of the nights when you forgot to stop by and put the kids to bed at 8pm and want to stay up for a bit.

 

[SpaceMountain77]

Of all the posted comments, one of the most sensical, which I have considered myself, is the idea of a yearly resort refillable mug.

I would gladly pay $29.95 for yearly mug access/use. Currently, we are buying two mugs each a year and paying $35.98 per person.

 

[Nanajo1]

I am curious about what perks other Timeshares have that the complainers think DVC should have. I only own at Disney so I don't know what is out there.

 

[DVCanadian]

I was shocked by the number of negative comments (200+).

It seemed clear that most of the posters did not understand what they had bought. All of these users are logged in DVC members!

Did they really pay thousands of dollars to be part of a disney discount club?
I don't think they realize they bought a timeshare.

As I got over my shock it was unbelievably funny. I mean what else can you say?

 

[disneynutz]

I was shocked by the number of negative comments (200+).

It seemed clear that most of the posters did not understand what they had bought. All of these users are logged in DVC members!

Did they really pay thousands of dollars to be part of a disney discount club?
I don't think they realize they bought a timeshare.

As I got over my shock it was unbelievably funny. I mean what else can you say?

Goes to prove that Disney advertising works really well, they tell you that you are special and we believe it!

Bill