No help from DVC guide. Who to call?

[SpaceMountain77]

Hello everyone,

A few days ago, I called my guide to discuss another VGF fixed-week purchase. I would like to know if I have to buy a fixed week before all original points are declared sold or if it is possible for floating week points to be reacquired through ROFR and sold as fixed-week points.

If a week has to be purchased before sell out, then I would like to know for certain so that I can begin financial planning. If points can be converted, then there is no rush.

When discussing this with my guide, he seemed completely disinterested. Who would you suggest I call?

Thanks,
Jim 8O

 

[BirdsOfPreyDave]

If you're asking if you can buy fixed-week contracts through resale, the answer is yes. I've seen discussions online where people have done so and gotten it past ROFR.

 

[disneynutz]

Hello everyone,

A few days ago, I called my guide to discuss another VGF fixed-week purchase. I would like to know if I have to buy a fixed week before all original points are declared sold or if it is possible for floating week points to be reacquired through ROFR and sold as fixed-week points.

If a week has to be purchased before sell out, then I would like to know for certain so that I can begin financial planning. If points can be converted, then there is no rush.

When discussing this with my guide, he seemed completely disinterested. Who would you suggest I call?

Thanks,
Jim 8O

Your Guide probably doesn't know the answer and would rather spend his limited time available selling to eager buyers.

I would call the sales number and ask to speak to a manager, even then the manager will probably have to check with someone else for the answer to your question.

Bill

 

[SpaceMountain77]

Your Guide probably doesn't know the answer and would rather spend his limited time available selling to eager buyers.

I would call the sales number and ask to speak to a manager, even then the manager will probably have to check with someone else for the answer to your question.

Bill

Yes, it has been my impression that he is not as familiar with fixed-week sales and would prefer immediate sales calls. Unfortunately, for him, my decisions are based on informed understanding and not pixie-dust laced postcards.

I called and the cast member wanted to transfer me to my guide. Supposedly, notes were made on my membership, which indicated my previous questions were being researched by a manager.

 

[Micca]

Regardless of how the guide would like to spend their time, Space Mountain, presumably someone who has previously purchased from the guide, called to ask a question. In sales, this is known as an opportunity. Now Space Mountain has a bad taste in their mouth about this guide, so what happens next time they want to buy direct? That's weak on the part of the guide. It reflects poorly on them, and indirectly on Disney.

* Disclosure: I've never sold a damn thing in my life, but I've heard sales managers lecture sellers.

 

[SpaceMountain77]

Regardless of how the guide would like to spend their time, Space Mountain, presumably someone who has previously purchased from the guide, called to ask a question. In sales, this is known as an opportunity. Now Space Mountain has a bad taste in their mouth about this guide, so what happens next time they want to buy direct? That's weak on the part of the guide. It reflects poorly on them, and indirectly on Disney.

* Disclosure: I've never sold a damn thing in my life, but I've heard sales managers lecture sellers.

Yes, Micca, it is very disappointing because it will easily be a $28,000 - $33,330 purchase, depending on the selected view. Moreover, if fixed-weeks need to be purchased before VGF is officially declared sold out, then my purchase will be occurring within the next few months.

Perhaps I should have asked about a PVB bungalow fixed-week purchase and requested an address to send my $152,641.50 cashier's check

 

[Judique]

Yes, Micca, it is very disappointing because it will easily be a $28,000 - $33,330 purchase, depending on the selected view. Moreover, if fixed-weeks need to be purchased before VGF is officially declared sold out, then my purchase will be occurring within the next few months.

Perhaps I should have asked about a PVB bungalow fixed-week purchase and requested an address to send my $152,641.50 cashier's check

After attending the 'event' to see the Poly studio last night, with tongue in cheek I would say get that check in the mail ASAP, lol!

Steve, the guide who hosted the presentation stated that only 3 of the bungalows would be available for fixed week purchase. So this leads me to believe that if you want to buy an additional fixed week at the VGF, you should find someone soon who can answer your question. It may have to be rofr'd as a fixed week or you may have to find a resale fixed week once VGF sells out. If the fixed weeks are designated villa points at the Poly, they are probably the same at VGF.

My 'guess' is you should buy sooner rather then after sellout if you want to get what you desire. Good luck with your purchase.

 

[Dean]

Hello everyone, A few days ago, I called my guide to discuss another VGF fixed-week purchase. I would like to know if I have to buy a fixed week before all original points are declared sold or if it is possible for floating week points to be reacquired through ROFR and sold as fixed-week points. If a week has to be purchased before sell out, then I would like to know for certain so that I can begin financial planning. If points can be converted, then there is no rush. When discussing this with my guide, he seemed completely disinterested. Who would you suggest I call? Thanks, Jim 8O

He isn't going to know and what ever answer you get now isn't guaranteed even if from the top. I'd call corporate if I truly wanted to know. My personal assumptions and interpretations would suggest that they cannot convert points to fixed weeks after the fact but even if they could, I think it's a guarantee they won't. I know they've refused to sell fixed weeks at VGF even when they had the points and could have, self imposing a much smaller limit than the 35%. I'd say if you want a specific fixed week you need to buy it now and there's a good chance even that option will not be available to you.

 

[rfc0001]

Steve, the guide who hosted the presentation stated that only 3 of the bungalows would be available for fixed week purchase. So this leads me to believe that if you want to buy an additional fixed week at the VGF, you should find someone soon who can answer your question. It may have to be rofr'd as a fixed week or you may have to find a resale fixed week once VGF sells out. If the fixed weeks are designated villa points at the Poly, they are probably the same at VGF.

My 'guess' is you should buy sooner rather then after sellout if you want to get what you desire. Good luck with your purchase.

I think you hit the nail on the haystack. There are only certain units deeded as fixed weeks. Once they sell all the fixed weeks, they're gone. They would have to ROFR another fixed week to sell you a fixed week, which is like finding a needle in said haystack. Regardless, it's going to be more difficult once VGF sells out and therefore your guide may be less willing to go to any heroic measures when they could be selling Poly deeded weeks. I'd plan for purchasing before they sell out. That said, they were on track to sell out in April, but the announcement of Poly sales probably slowed down sales as people hold off new purchases until Poly goes on sale. I'd guess VGF slows to a trickle and lasts through the end of the year--pure baseless speculation, but that's where I would put my money.

 

[wdrl]

I think you hit the nail on the haystack. There are only certain units deeded as fixed weeks. Once they sell all the fixed weeks, they're gone. They would have to ROFR another fixed week to sell you a fixed week, which is like finding a needle in said haystack. Regardless, it's going to be more difficult once VGF sells out and therefore your guide may be less willing to go to any heroic measures when they could be selling Poly deeded weeks. I'd plan for purchasing before they sell out. That said, they were on track to sell out in April, but the announcement of Poly sales probably slowed down sales as people hold off new purchases until Poly goes on sale. I'd guess VGF slows to a trickle and lasts through the end of the year--pure baseless speculation, but that's where I would put my money.

Granted, there is a limited number of Guaranteed Week deeds that can be sold at the Villas at Grand Floridian. But DVD is authorized to sell up to 35% of each of the seven accommodation types, such as Lake View Studio or Standard View One-Bedroom, for each week. Even with this 35% cap, DVD could sell 2,444 Guaranteed Week deeds. Through January 23, 2015, it has sold only 247, barely a tenth of what it is authorized to sell. Furthermore, none of the accommodation types have maxed out for any week.

Some people believe once DVD has sold points as part of a traditional flexible point deed or as part of a Guaranteed Week deed, then the points must retain that designation for the life of the resort. There is nothing in the Master Declaration that supports this belief. Once DVD reacquires a deed, it can then resell those points however it so desires. Keep in mind that the provision granting the Guaranteed Week privileges is tied to the deed, not to the points. When the deed is reacquired, the provision goes away.

When a new deed is sold, DVD can add the Guaranteed Week provision to the deed as long as it has not exceeded the 35% cap for that accommodation type for that particular week. The only other limitation is that DVD has to have a Residential Unit that has enough points in it to underwrite the deed. If someone wanted to buy a two-bedroom Lake View Guaranteed Week deed, it would cost 685 points. Currently, all but one (Unit 07A) of VGF's 36 Residential Units has enough available points to fund a 685-point deed.

An additional constraint on DVD is that it cannot sell more than 98% of a resort's total points to the public. When DVD initially designates a resort as being "sold out", it means it will no longer actively market that resort, not that it has reached the 98% limit on sales. When Bay Lake Tower was labeled "sold out" in July 2011, DVD still had about 455,000 it could see to the public. DVD could slap the "Sold Out" label on VGF tomorrow, but it doesn't mean it must stop selling points for that resort.

As long as it doesn't violate the 98% cap on total sales and the 35% cap on Guaranteed Week sales, there is nothing to prevent DVD from selling its available points to the public.

 

[wdrl]

Steve, the guide who hosted the presentation stated that only 3 of the bungalows would be available for fixed week purchase.

In the initial declaration for PVB, only 10 bungalows were declared. With a 35% cap on Guaranteed Week sales, DVD can only sell three Guaranteed Week deed at this time. Once the remaining 10 bungalows are declared, the number of Guaranteed Week deeds that can be sold will increase from three to seven for each of the 52 weeks.