Not Happy with Availability

[_auroraborealis_]

I think having info about the waitlist is not feasible just because waitlist is such a weird beast.

Bob waitlists the 1, 2, 3 of the month.
Jane waitlists just 1st.
Tim waitlists the 3rd.

If the 31st and 1st becomes available, jane leaves the list, but Bob's still there. If the 2-4th becomes available, Tim comes off. Bob is still hanging because he hasn't matched fully either time.

People want to know where they are in the list, and that just doesn't really work. You could be the 20th person to waitlist, but because you're the only single-day WL, you get off the list first.

 

[William Ades]

I think having info about the waitlist is not feasible just because waitlist is such a weird beast.

Bob waitlists the 1, 2, 3 of the month.
Jane waitlists just 1st.
Tim waitlists the 3rd.

If the 31st and 1st becomes available, jane leaves the list, but Bob's still there. If the 2-4th becomes available, Tim comes off. Bob is still hanging because he hasn't matched fully either time.

People want to know where they are in the list, and that just doesn't really work. You could be the 20th person to waitlist, but because you're the only single-day WL, you get off the list first.

That's an excellent point.

 

[DRUMZ2B]

Yeah, I know and understand all of that. I'm just saying we (DVC Owners) pay thousands of dollars for our memberships that generally bring us to the property at least once a year if not several times. If I want a room, I should be able to get one. Especially when I'm trying to book several months ou

We have been members since 2000, It has gotten out of control. Dues keep going up, Point manipulation at certain properties, Availability issues. Had Enough! May be time to sell.

 

[Cyberc1978]

We have been members since 2000, It has gotten out of control. Dues keep going up, Point manipulation at certain properties, Availability issues. Had Enough! May be time to sell.

Could you elaborate on the manipulation part?

 

[ptlohmysoul]

We have been members since 2000, It has gotten out of control. Dues keep going up, Point manipulation at certain properties, Availability issues. Had Enough! May be time to sell.

At the current prices, it's definitely a good time to sell!

 

[Dean]

Yeah, I know and understand all of that. I'm just saying we (DVC Owners) pay thousands of dollars for our memberships that generally bring us to the property at least once a year if not several times. If I want a room, I should be able to get one. Especially when I'm trying to book several months out. I'd get it if it were only a week or two. It doesn't even have to be at DVC and/or Deluxe Resort, I'll take a room at one of the All-Stars. I'm just not going to pay more than I already do out of my pocket for it. So at the end of the day if I don't get a room with my points, I'm not going. Therefore they aren't getting the money/revenue I would spend on DDP, fireworks cruises, mini-golf, merchandise, etc. All of which would probably end up outweighing the loss on the room costs. Additionally I'd be much more inclined to add-on to my ownership if there were more options like that. They have a lot of nice perks for DVC Members, but the ones that really make membership worth it (Moonlight Magic, After Hours Discounts, etc) really only apply to folks that live within 250 miles of Orlando. Everything else worth while you can pretty much get as an AP holder. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad I bought in and It has brought me there more times than I could have ever expected to, and will continue to do so. It's just frustrating when you see that payment come out every month and yet you can't get a place to stay unless your willing to plan your life, job, vacations and other commitments 11-7 months in advance. The closer to 7 months in advance you get, the slimmer the options become...

You paid for the opportunity to attempt to reserve a room using the points with given rules in place and fairly unilaterally options to change those rules if deemed appropriate. IMO, and I've said this many times on DIS, DVC has seen unprecedented availability over the years on shorter notice. Far more than should have been present given the various parameters. We've just gotten to where it should have been all along. Remember the resorts are sold out, even the retained inventory at sold out resorts isn't primarily used for reservations or rentals but maintenance and rehab. If you want a guaranteed room a fixed week option is the only way to do so, otherwise DVC likely won't work for you. This IS the nature of a timeshare.

My wife and I are now thinking of selling our DVC points, our annual dues money can be used to rent a rom and make short trips when we want. We have been very happy with DVC using it for annual one to two week trips but were looking forward in retirement to just pick up and go when we felt like now that we have moved much closer.

Another alternative is using the points for the options you can plan for and taking the opportunity to try other things when it doesn't work out.

It's really not whenever they wish though is it? It's more like, whenever you wish as long as its at your home resort no earlier than 11 months, and then take your chances at another resort no earlier than 7 months. Either way, if you can't plan your life out a year to 6 months in advance you your chances of getting what you "wish" are slim. You are right, there are a lot of ways to visit Disney, but I pay significant amount of money to visit with DVC...

This is the rules you signed up for and the nature of timeshares in general. If it doesn't work for you then selling might be the best option.

I think having info about the waitlist is not feasible just because waitlist is such a weird beast.

Bob waitlists the 1, 2, 3 of the month.
Jane waitlists just 1st.
Tim waitlists the 3rd.

If the 31st and 1st becomes available, jane leaves the list, but Bob's still there. If the 2-4th becomes available, Tim comes off. Bob is still hanging because he hasn't matched fully either time.

People want to know where they are in the list, and that just doesn't really work. You could be the 20th person to waitlist, but because you're the only single-day WL, you get off the list first.

Though it's not perfect, the WL works fairly well esp when combined with peaking online periodically.

We have been members since 2000, It has gotten out of control. Dues keep going up, Point manipulation at certain properties, Availability issues. Had Enough! May be time to sell.

I assume you refer to reallocations which they are contractually required to do if needed. It's one of the possibility members should plan for going in.

 

[SL6827]

I think having info about the waitlist is not feasible just because waitlist is such a weird beast.

Bob waitlists the 1, 2, 3 of the month.
Jane waitlists just 1st.
Tim waitlists the 3rd.

If the 31st and 1st becomes available, jane leaves the list, but Bob's still there. If the 2-4th becomes available, Tim comes off. Bob is still hanging because he hasn't matched fully either time.

People want to know where they are in the list, and that just doesn't really work. You could be the 20th person to waitlist, but because you're the only single-day WL, you get off the list first.

Wow! Didn't know this.

 

[ILoveMyDVC]

Yes, things have changed over the past few years - it's absolutely disappointing to find that the "old" patterns have disappeared & that you will have to work harder to get what you want when you want it. I feel for you. But unless the economy takes a significant dip, I don't see anything changing back regarding availability.

Hope you can find a way to make DVC work for those shorter trips. Congrats on the move!

It seems to have changed once renting was allowed, the population became computer literate and the advent of the professional renting agencies.

 

[ILoveMyDVC]

The 7/11 month rule was 'always that way'. What wasn't for some of us - the number of DVC resorts and the change in rules made renting okay. Renting was against the rules when we bought in - and the internet was not what it is today.

 

[Dean]

It seems to have changed once renting was allowed, the population became computer literate and the advent of the professional renting agencies.

Renting has always been allowed, I rented out my first week in 1995 because I couldn't use the first set of resale points. What has changed is that the membership has become more aware (renting and reserving), the ability to do so online along with more pressure for certain resorts and the dramatic volume of SSR points trying to reserve at 7 months. These combined have a trickle down effect back to day 1 of the eleven month window. AKV has likely further added to the problem.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

It seems to have changed once renting was allowed, the population became computer literate and the advent of the professional renting agencies.

No changes with renting - it has always been allowed.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Renting has become easier, but it has always been permitted. The internet has removed difficulty in doing so. In 1995, unless you were posting to USENET, you had to rent to friends/family/people you knew, basically.

 

[keishashadow]

I think having info about the waitlist is not feasible just because waitlist is such a weird beast.

Bob waitlists the 1, 2, 3 of the month.
Jane waitlists just 1st.
Tim waitlists the 3rd.

If the 31st and 1st becomes available, jane leaves the list, but Bob's still there. If the 2-4th becomes available, Tim comes off. Bob is still hanging because he hasn't matched fully either time.

People want to know where they are in the list, and that just doesn't really work. You could be the 20th person to waitlist, but because you're the only single-day WL, you get off the list first.

Not to mention all three could be bypassed by a DVC'r stalking the website and grabbing availability before it is matched up.

System is the one we are given, have to work it the best you can and hope for the best

 

[ILoveMyDVC]

Renting has always been allowed, I rented out my first week in 1995 because I couldn't use the first set of resale points. What has changed is that the membership has become more aware (renting and reserving), the ability to do so online along with more pressure for certain resorts and the dramatic volume of SSR points trying to reserve at 7 months. These combined have a trickle down effect back to day 1 of the eleven month window. AKV has likely further added to the problem.

I remember a no renting for money clause.

 

[ILoveMyDVC]

Renting has become easier, but it has always been permitted. The internet has removed difficulty in doing so. In 1995, unless you were posting to USENET, you had to rent to friends/family/people you knew, basically.

Prodigy!
I definitely remember a clause that said you could not accept money for use of your points.

 

[Dean]

I remember a no renting for money clause.

That has never been the case. The current wording is c/w what it's always been. You remember incorrectly or more likely, you assumed when someone else said it, it was true but it wasn't.

 

[CarolynFH]

Prodigy!
I definitely remember a clause that said you could not accept money for use of your points.

That has never been the case. The current wording is c/w what it's always been. You remember incorrectly or more likely, you assumed when someone else said it, it was true but it wasn't.

The prohibition against accepting money for points transfers may be confusing things here.

 

[ILoveMyDVC]

Renting has always been allowed, I rented out my first week in 1995 because I couldn't use the first set of resale points. What has changed is that the membership has become more aware (renting and reserving), the ability to do so online along with more pressure for certain resorts and the dramatic volume of SSR points trying to reserve at 7 months. These combined have a trickle down effect back to day 1 of the eleven month window. AKV has likely further added to the problem.

I only have the rules from 1998 forward in my files. There is a clause about not receiving compensation for transferring points in the 1998 docs. I recall one in the earlier documents prohibiting $ for non-member stays.

 

[ILoveMyDVC]

The prohibition against accepting money for points transfers may be confusing things here.

This I have in my 1998 guidelines. Why did I throw out the earlier ones???

 

[ILoveMyDVC]

That has never been the case. The current wording is c/w what it's always been. You remember incorrectly or more likely, you assumed when someone else said it, it was true but it wasn't.

There was nobody back in those days to 'assume' from but nice shot. Some things never change. I have 1998 - no $ for transfers. I remember being relieved there was a change that allowed renters for $ for the times I couldn't use my points. I could have mis-read but I would not ever assume from someone "say'n"