New Disney Vacation Club Resort

[johnboywallnut]

I heard that dis is going to build a new vacation club resort at ak.

 

[Sarangel]

That's an interesting rumor, but where did you hear it? The last one I heard was that they would put a DVC into the Contemporary.

Sarangel

 

[LodgeMan]

When we were there last week, we talked to our guide and he indicated that the Contemporary plans were approved ( I assumed preliminary site plans, etc) but that another resort would be built first. But, as with anything DVC-rumor related, I take it with a grain of salt.

 

[johnboywallnut]

this is not a rumor, i had a talk, with one of the builders.

 

[Lord Fantasius]

this is not a rumor, i had a talk, with one of the builders.

Was he building a bridge in Brooklyn at the time you were talking with him...?

-R

 

[ralphd]

Was he building a bridge in Brooklyn at the time you were talking with him...?

-R

.....to the moon?

 

[Sarangel]

All right, guys. Be nice. This may be a legitimate rumor.

 

[johnboywallnut]

hey lord, do even knew where Brooklyn is. your a losser

 

[mitros]

This one is deteriorating quickly, isn't it?

 

[Crazy Hakim]

I heard that dis is going to build a new vacation club resort at ak.

There is a Billboard, on Buena Vista Drive, sort of behind Epcot, traveling west, when you go past Old Key West, under the overpass, but before you reach Caribbean Beach Resort, on the right side the billboard shows a wrapped present, and the DVC Logo, and it clearly says "Coming Soon"
That's it.......
Doesn't say where.

With the success of the DVC's, Animal Kingdom would be a likely choice.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

There is a Billboard, on Buena Vista Drive, sort of behind Epcot, traveling west, when you go past Old Key West, under the overpass, but before you reach Caribbean Beach Resort, on the right side the billboard shows a wrapped present, and the DVC Logo, and it clearly says "Coming Soon"
That's it.......
Doesn't say where.

With the success of the DVC's, Animal Kingdom would be a likely choice.

Well, I heard what was "coming soon" was the DVC advertising billboard covered by the wrapping paper.

MG

 

[Lord Fantasius]

hey lord, do even knew where Brooklyn is. your a losser

Yeah, yeah, isn't that somewhere in California where the Dodgers play?

Detoriating quickly, that's for sure....

It would be neat to have a DVC resort at AKL (even though I don't own), and it does make sense, but whether the hoopla over building a DVC resort at the CR was just a diversion (either intentionally or not) or a reality, that rumour has been around for awhile and they probably aren't any closer to building it than they were two years ago (o.k., don't know that for a fact, but one would think that during the renovation of the CR they would have indicated it then). The only indication DVC @ CR isn't far off is that while there are completion dates for the renovation of various floors of the tower and the south garden wing, none of the schedules indicate any renovation for the north garden...hence, either they want to see how the renovation is going or they have other ideas in mind for the north garden wing.

With the success of the DVC's, Animal Kingdom would be a likely choice.

Its' funny, but is the AK that successful to warrant a DVD resort? For what they were built for, AKL is more succesful than the AK, so which influences the building of a DVC resort more? The existing resort or the park it's nearby? If you said the park, MK would win hands down, so why not build a DVC resort there first?

 

[Maistre Gracey]

Its' funny, but is the AK that successful to warrant a DVD resort? For what they were built for, AKL is more succesful than the AK, so which influences the building of a DVC resort more? The existing resort or the park it's nearby? If you said the park, MK would win hands down, so why not build a DVC resort there first?

Well they sorta did... The Villas at Wilderness Lodge. I know it's not on the mono, or an easy walk from The Contemporary, but it is a Magic Kingdom resort.

MG

 

[jade1]

AK DVC would be good, but is there any way they could expand the AK waterway to have a boat system to AK like VWL? That would help a lot and "almost" put AK DVC in our "addon" list (if EXP EVEREST is good).

 

[bicker]

I cannot imagine that ever happening. The cost would be prohibitive.

 

[jade1]

Bummer, I have never seen an areial shot to see how far the hotel is from AK etc. The only thing I hate more than counting on the bus system is driving. I assume a walkway is way to long also then?

 

[Lord Fantasius]

Bummer, I have never seen an areial shot to see how far the hotel is from AK etc. The only thing I hate more than counting on the bus system is driving. I assume a walkway is way to long also then?

It's probably about the distance between the Grand Floridian and the MK if you could walk it along the bay directly between the two. I have a few good aerial views but still haven't mastered how to attach one to a post; however, there's a couple of sites you can go to to get aerial views of almost anywhere, including Disney...terraserver works well as well as a couple of the others.

At this point bicker might be right, the cost probably would be prohibitive, or at least not enough return on the investment, to build a waterway between AK and AKL, though the effect would be quite nice (a topological map shows the area inbetween AKL and AK is actually pretty marshy...high water table...and ergo, pretty hard to tame). A steam train or trolley system between the two would be alot cheaper and as effective, especially if it spurred growth of a DVC and possible another resort in the area.

What confuses me however is that Disney, Inc's, mantra about why they can't build anymore hotel resorts, or even finish off POP, is that the local area does not have a large enough labor pool to increase Disney's staffing necessary to support additional hotel rooms...at least that's what we've been told everytime the issue of another resort is kicked around. Now, whether that's true (admittedly, the labor supply in the LBV-region is getting fairly restricted) or just an excuse, why the gung-ho effort to churn out DVC-resorts one after another?

Understandably, the DVC program is extremely profitable for Disney, Inc., and with the 40-year limit on ownership contracts (unlike a true timeshare), the resorts will eventually convert to regular nigthly resorts starting in another 25 years, and that might be the answer to the question, but still doesn't resolve the problem of staffing. Do DVC-resorts require that many less workers than a full-service resort? I know rooms are only cleaned twice a week or between guests, but that would only reduce the maid service by about half; it wouldn't necessarily mean all other staffing is reduced.

-R

 

[bicker]

At this point bicker might be right, the cost probably would be prohibitive, or at least not enough return on the investment, to build a waterway between AK and AKL

I figure if it was anywhere near viable, they would have done it when they had the whole area under construction, when they were building AK.

Do DVC-resorts require that many less workers than a full-service resort? I know rooms are only cleaned twice a week or between guests, but that would only reduce the maid service by about half; it wouldn't necessarily mean all other staffing is reduced.

Half? Try 85%. Really, with all the churn, it's probably closer to 75%.

 

[Lord Fantasius]

I figure if it was anywhere near viable, they would have done it when they had the whole area under construction, when they were building AK.

Not to bicker, bicker, but there have been many, many, many viable things Disney COULD HAVE built when an area was initially under construction but choose to delay until later on once they saw how use unfolded or for economic reasons. Think waterbridge between EPCOT and the EPCOT resorts, think walkway/bridge between GF and MK (o.k., so that one's not done yet, but will eventually), think overflow parking lots, widening World Dr., etc. There are hundreds of big and little improvements/enhancements on Disney's, Inc's, masterplan that were viable at time of conception but were not constructed for myriad reasons. There's a difference between viability, feasibility, reasonability, and trying to get away with the least amount of effort to keep the guests coming.

In case we've forgotten, DL and WDW was Walt's gifts to families so they could get away and enjoy themselves within a magical place apart from the stresses of "reality." It was the extension and end result of what Disney, Inc., was meant to support; now it's turned around and the parks are supporting the company! Profiteering from vacationing families was pretty low on Walt's priority list, and yes, that is why Roy was a good balance to keep the co. from going bankrupt, but the whole of WDW is filled with features that are not functionally necessary though are included because it adds to the whole.

Agreeably, I don't think everything should be, or can be done at the same time as it would interfere with the operations of the World, and money might be better spent elsewhere on more immediately necessary enhancements, but there are very few things that are truly cost prohibitive especially considering they already own the land. If Disney, Inc., can dredge out and build an entire lagoon, they can certainly dredge out a 500' waterway if they so desire.

-R

 

[bicker]

Not to bicker, bicker, but there have been many, many, many viable things Disney COULD HAVE built when an area was initially under construction but choose to delay until later on once they saw how use unfolded or for economic reasons.

Not as many as you might think.

Think waterbridge between EPCOT and the EPCOT resorts

This was built as part of the construction of the entire BoardWalk Resort -- part of the development of that entire piece of land.

think walkway/bridge between GF and MK (o.k., so that one's not done yet

Thanks for providing me a handy counter-example to your assertion.

think overflow parking lots, widening World Dr., etc.

I don't see the connection. These two were simply small enhancements, necessary for logistical purposes. There is no specific need for a rather expensive canal between AKL and AK.

The only example I can think of, from your standpoint, would be the walkway from the BoardWalk to D-MGM. However, I'm sure you'll agree that the cost of a small ribbon of asphalt on already-stable ground cannot compare to the cost of a canal, even the same length.