drusba
I went to Iowa once, and it was closed.
- Joined
- Aug 19, 1999
- Messages
- 14,845
I'll just add a final view. Is there a weekday/weekend use difference? Undoubtedly. Its major causes are two-fold: (a) Disney set up a system that made weekends unattractive on the point scale; and (b) DVC members are not dummies. Regardless of how many points you have, you will try to maximize weekday use and minimize weekend use if your schedule allows. I do it even for extended trips--we often go for 12 nights/13 days by arriving on a Sunday and leaving on a Friday; though we use points for weekend nights during that stay we are obviously doing our best to minimize it to just two of those 12 nights. If you broke that trip down into two components, a week and 5 nights (the second being Sun through Thurs night), for the second one I am doing nothing different from someone who goes only on weekdays(so I guess half of me is contributing to the problem).
It is possible that if there are a lot of people with 150 point contracts a lot of those will do their best to avoid weekends, but a lot of people with a lot more points are doing the same thing. The system is set up to have that inherent problem. Moreover there is no easy fix. For example, Disney could shift some of those weekend points to weekdays, but even then the maximum change per day cannot exceed 15% (or is it 20%, cannot recall off-hand) in any one year meaning it would take several years of shifting points to even out the days. Meanwhile, weekends would still be unattractive and something to avoid or minimize if you can.
Second is there an inordinate demand for off-seasons because of their lower point costs? My guess would be not much because here the controlling factor is most often not the point cost but instead when your schedule allows you to go--most people with kids in school just aren't going to be doing those off-seasons. Younger couples without kids can always do it but for most of them the laws of nature will catch up (i.e., they will have kids). Older people whose kids are gone can do it, although many will find that is a temporary reprieve--soon they will be going when the grandkids can go (I am already in that situation even though I still have two at home).
In other words, I guess my view is Disney created this problem from day one by requiring a lot more points on weekends. Whether the minimum number of points were 150, 190, or 230, it would still exist. I guess the argument is that the higher the points required the fewer the number of people that would buy and therefore the fewer that would be vying for weekday spots on the calendar, particularly for studios. That might have some validity. But there is another way of looking at it. If the minimum was 230 and everyone bought at that level or higher, those with the higher points, who usually want 1BR or 2BR's for the same times(and find them fairly easy to get) would likely be facing a lot more competition for those.
It is possible that if there are a lot of people with 150 point contracts a lot of those will do their best to avoid weekends, but a lot of people with a lot more points are doing the same thing. The system is set up to have that inherent problem. Moreover there is no easy fix. For example, Disney could shift some of those weekend points to weekdays, but even then the maximum change per day cannot exceed 15% (or is it 20%, cannot recall off-hand) in any one year meaning it would take several years of shifting points to even out the days. Meanwhile, weekends would still be unattractive and something to avoid or minimize if you can.
Second is there an inordinate demand for off-seasons because of their lower point costs? My guess would be not much because here the controlling factor is most often not the point cost but instead when your schedule allows you to go--most people with kids in school just aren't going to be doing those off-seasons. Younger couples without kids can always do it but for most of them the laws of nature will catch up (i.e., they will have kids). Older people whose kids are gone can do it, although many will find that is a temporary reprieve--soon they will be going when the grandkids can go (I am already in that situation even though I still have two at home).
In other words, I guess my view is Disney created this problem from day one by requiring a lot more points on weekends. Whether the minimum number of points were 150, 190, or 230, it would still exist. I guess the argument is that the higher the points required the fewer the number of people that would buy and therefore the fewer that would be vying for weekday spots on the calendar, particularly for studios. That might have some validity. But there is another way of looking at it. If the minimum was 230 and everyone bought at that level or higher, those with the higher points, who usually want 1BR or 2BR's for the same times(and find them fairly easy to get) would likely be facing a lot more competition for those.
