okw - pool slide - vote

[RLevy29]

I'll vote for anything that may reduce "MARCO" "POLO"

That is too funny. We were actually at a condo resort in Hawaii that had "No Marco Polo" posted in the pool rules. I'm not really sure how a slide woulsd stop people from playing this game,though.
I didn't vote because my choice wasn't there. We really don't care if they add a slide or not. We would still stay at OKW because we like the resort and would stay there whether there was a slide or not. I'm glad that Disney is always doing enhancements to the resorts.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

This poll is meaningless because:

1. Anyone can vote, not just OKW owners.
2. There is no indication how much the dues will increase for OKW owners.
3. The DIS DVC board is not a representive sample of ordinary DVC members, much less OKW owners.

My guess is that, for me, it will work out to about $20 for each time I go down the slide.

 

[WDWDaisy]

Originally posted by Horace Horsecollar
This poll is meaningless because:
[*]There is no indication how much the dues will increase for OKW owners.
My guess is that, for me, it will work out to about $20 for each time I go down the slide.

I was a the the meeting that DCV made the statment about the slide. After the meeting was over I went and talked to on of the DVC people at the meeting that was in the finance dept and ask how much our dues would go up the added cost of the lifegaurdes and the increase in Liablity Insurance. I was told 3-4 cents per point. I find the to be way to low when thinking there is around 3,500,000 OKW points, this would mean the cost of this would olny be 100K - 150K. I would think that cost would be more like 500K - 750K. Just think, at least 4 - 5 lifegaurdes per day so a staff of 7 - 10 at 25K of pay and compesation per year and the Liablity Insurance has to go up 100K or more. This would mean dues should go up around .14 - .22 per point. With the ave person having 270 this means a dues going up 40 - 60 per year. A lot more than I would like to pay for JUST A SLIDE!!!!

It will be nice to see how people would vote with this kind of added cost.

 

[Uncleromulus]

Well-IF true, there will be lots less reason for me to pool hop any more.
The costs is, of course, a concern. Would they could have done this when they originally built that pool!!
As to noise, etc--it will probably be a "safer" pool, with lifeguards managing behavior. Maybe football and baseball throwing will be eliminated???

 

[AnnaS]

I also cannot vote. At this point, it really does not matter to us either way. I have an 18 yr. old son and one will be 16 next month. The only one who would really benefit is my daughter and she will probably not care in a few years either. Perhaps the nieces, nephews, and friend's children and one day the grandchildren. I really cannot comment except of course, everyone hopes it will not disrupt their vacation but it has to be done sometime.

 

[doc428]

I personally think it is great that they are putting in a slide at OKW. I only hope that they can keep the relaxed atmosphere we enjoy now.
The only question I have is if they will keep pool hopping priviledges? We really enjoy spending time at other resorts.(especially at Coronado Springs) I have always wondered how many members do use pool hopping anyway?

 

[Desperado]

Originally posted by Horace Horsecollar
This poll is meaningless because:

1. Anyone can vote, not just OKW owners.
2. There is no indication how much the dues will increase for OKW owners.
3. The DIS DVC board is not a representive sample of ordinary DVC members, much less OKW owners.

My guess is that, for me, it will work out to about $20 for each time I go down the slide.

And of course, they are even more meaningless when they don't support the viewpoint I want. They are only valid when they support MY stance.

I think there's a much different perspective now than the older poll before SAB pool hopping was eliminated.

 

[sgtdisney]

Originally posted by Desperado
I think there's a much different perspective now than the older poll before SAB pool hopping was eliminated.

We will never know this for sure, will we? DVC has decided to add the pool with or without the Member's approval. At least we don't know if they polled the members and got approval. All I know for sure in regard to the member's choice, is that I wasn't asked.

The poll on this thread is interesting but I doubt it is an accurate reprentation of the members wishes. A true poll would only include members who hold points at OKW since they 'own' the resort and they will end up paying for this slide in the long run.

Without knowing who is paying to support this slide (including staffing the lifeguards) I would have voted it down. I am sure the DVC isn't going to pay for these lifeguards and maintenance out of the goodness of their hearts and I know I would rather not personally.

 

[PamOKW]

SGT -- From the POS description, it sounds like Disney will probably be paying for the installation since it was their decision. However, they are permitted to pass along all future costs of added recreational facilities to the membership. Somewhere on the boards, someone at the actual meeting followed up and was told to expect a $.02-$.04 per point increase in dues. I'm curious as to how long it will take DVC to actually inform the members of their decision and the actual plans for the slide. I will be disappointed if we are not informed in a timely fashion rather than having to hear it "through the grapevine".

 

[Crissup]

Originally posted by Desperado
Absolute nonsense. A 5+ year old survey doesn't necessarily represent the vast majority of members views today.

Do you suppose the OKW owners have changed that dramatically over 5 years? Or are you referring to all the new BWV, VWL, BCV, HH and Vero owners?

 

[sgtdisney]

PamOKW, I think that is why this just doesn't sit well with me. The management of the resort has decided to make an alteration to the resort without the input of the people who pay for the resort at this point. I just don't like that.

To flip this around what if Disney decided to remove the slide at BWV or Vero without consulting the membership. I realize that taking something away is different than adding something. I just wish that they would have considered the opinions of the people paying for this 'enhancement' before they just did it. It could be true, the majority may be in favor of a slide now, and if this was the case I wouldn't have an issue at all.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Originally posted by PamOKW
SGT -- From the POS description, it sounds like Disney will probably be paying for the installation since it was their decision.

Does anyone know which Disney department is paying to design and build the slide for OKW -- and why they are doing so?

If someone says, "Disney Vacation Club is paying," what does that mean? The capital funds and operating funds of the Disney Vacation Club resorts come from our dues. Yet, the suggestion in these threads has been that our dues will only pay the ongoing costs, not the initial costs.

Now let's consider Disney Vacation Development (DVD), Disney's development subsidiary for the DVC resorts. I don't see why DVD would invest capital in a mature, fully sold-out resort. DVD would have to take a finanical hit, without seeing any return on that investment.

So who is really paying the initial costs? Does anyone have a contact at DVC who can provide the real story?

 

[DeeP]

I think the reason Disney decided to put a pool slide at the main pool at OKW now is because when SSR opens all pool hopping will be ended for DVC members. By enhancing the main pool at OKW, now all DVC resorts have a pool slide, life guards, an enhanced pool.
I honestly think Disney is doing something that they consider a good thing with adding the slide and life guards to OKW. I am sure they think it is something that will make members happy not angry.
I wonder how OKW members would have felt when pool hopping is stopped if the main pool at OKW did not have a slide or life guards and the members no longer have the opportunity to pool hop to another pool to enjoy these amenities. I am sure there would have been many unhappy OKW members.
Disney is in a situation that they are damned if they do and damned if they don't!

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Originally posted by DeeP
I think the reason Disney decided to put a pool slide at the main pool at OKW now is because when SSR opens all pool hopping will be ended for DVC members.

Just to clarify, there has been no announcement that pool hopping will end for all DVC members when SSR opens. It's merely "educated speculation" based on several posts in which people reported being told that the pool at SSR would not be available for pool hopping.

I'd still like to know what part of Disney is paying for the slide.

We already know who will be paying the ongoing bills for the lifeguards, insurance, maintenance, and electricity. The OKW DVC resort will -- and that's us.

 

[sgtdisney]

Originally posted by DeeP
I wonder how OKW members would have felt when pool hopping is stopped if the main pool at OKW did not have a slide or life guards and the members no longer have the opportunity to pool hop to another pool to enjoy these amenities. I am sure there would have been many unhappy OKW members.

I can't answer anyone else but myself, but I could not care less if they end pool hopping. When I bought into the DVC there was only one resort. I have never, in 12 years, pool hopped anywhere on the property. I bought into DVC to stay at what is now known as OKW, and was happy with the purchase without the pool slide or any other DVC resorts in the collection. Don't get me wrong, it is great to have those options. But if I could only stay at OKW and nowhere else, or never pool hop anywhere, it would not upset me at all.

 

[crisi]

It is possible (how likely - I don't know) that DVC is doing this at the request of the Hotels division. I get the feeling that it isn't too difficult to book OKW through CRO - and all Disney's marketing materials for the past several years (since the Value resorts came on line and slides became a "standard" at the Moderate and Deluxe resorts) highlight slides at the resorts other than Value. I think Disney believes there wonderful themed pool slides help them sell their resorts - and OKW was the only non-value resort without one. This lets them bill "Home Away from Home" as "slide" resorts (does Ft. Wilderness have a slide?).

If, indeed, it is easiest for DVC members to get into OKW at short notice, it also means that OKW has the greatest number of rooms turned over to CRO for booking. And since many of the people looking to book "Home Away from Home" through CRO travel with children, I'd guess the pool slide makes a difference to them.

This might even help even out the "trade imbalance" between using points for DVC stays and using them at the Poly. After all, if CRO isn't reselling those rooms, then Disney isn't recapping the money for the trades, and they need to put a premium on points to acheive balance.

As always, I could be wrong. But its another way to look at things.

 

[PamOKW]

Crisi -- That's been my thinking all along as well. It's OKW "the Disney Resort" that really wants the slide. They've finally decided to just go ahead and put it in.

 

[Desperado]

Originally posted by Crissup
Do you suppose the OKW owners have changed that dramatically over 5 years? Or are you referring to all the new BWV, VWL, BCV, HH and Vero owners?

I think the end of pool hopping at SAB has had an impact.

This is also probably a first step (maybe 3rd step) toward the end of pool hopping. DVC isn't going to put pool hopping up for a vote. So they are trying to make sure those staying at OKW have a more kid friendly option.

 

[Desperado]

You also seem to think there has been a sea change in OKW members' thinking that will demand a slide if asked. I wouldn't be adverse if DVC brought the topic up for discussion again but I'm not sure whether the results would be different. We've done the poll at least once here and I was surprised to see the results come out almost exactly as they had with the DVC poll. There were also a surprising number of people who were not members who liked not having a slide. Basically, the same people still own DVC that owned when the poll was done the first time. There may not be a big a shift in their desire to put in a slide now.

Are the poll results the same as last time, or has there been a shift?

 

[Richyams]

I can't answer anyone else but myself, but I could not care less if they end pool hopping. When I bought into the DVC there was only one resort. I have never, in 12 years, pool hopped anywhere on the property. I bought into DVC to stay at what is now known as OKW, and was happy with the purchase without the pool slide or any other DVC resorts in the collection. Don't get me wrong, it is great to have those options. But if I could only stay at OKW and nowhere else, or never pool hop anywhere, it would not upset me at all.

My sentiments exactly.