Points Leveling - Just an Idea

[ScottakaMickey]

There is always talk on the boards about doing different things to add value to your DVC or to enhance or eliminated renters, etc. While not specifically tied to any of these, I'd be curious of what people would think if DVC leveled the points out, within in a given season, such that the number of points for a Sunday is the same for Saturday, Friday, Thursday, etc.

Example - OKW Adventure Season Studio
Sun - Thur - 8 points for day (40 Points for all 5 days)
Fri - Sat - 20 points per day (40 Points for both days)
Total 80 points for a week.

Level the Points out to 11 points per night or 77 points for the week, yes, my math doesn't work, but it would all balance out over the whole year. Such that for weeks reservation it's the same, but it would then offer flexibility to allow anyone to come and go on any day of the week and the points usage is the same for any day. Assuming you don't transition from one season to another.

I personally like the idea as I'm a weekend visitor, as it would lower my points, but I think those that shoot for the Sun - Thurs would adjust to a little bit higher points usage for the added flexibility.

What are other thoughts?

 

[childsplay]

I think that if you lowered the weekend point requirement all of the weekends would be sucked up by people in the southern US who would take 20 weekend trips a year, making it really difficult for people who live futher away to get full weeks.

 

[toocherie]

I think that if you lowered the weekend point requirement all of the weekends would be sucked up by people in the southern US who would take 20 weekend trips a year, making it really difficult for people who live futher away to get full weeks.

Exactly what I was gonna say but you beat me to it!

 

[Chuck S]

While it is possible for DVC to do so, I don't think it is a good idea. I am not one of those "5 weekday stay" people, and it would probably not have a huge effect on the number of days/points I use. But, the reason given by DVC for the higher weekend points makes sense. There is simply more local demand, as your post illustrates, for weekends. It would make booking extended stays more difficult for those of us that travel 1200 or more miles to visit WDW to book 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10 day stays. Members Services would be busy booking weekends, like they are booking major holidays.

The cash resorts seem to realize this as well, charging more for weekend nights this year.

 

[Judique]

There is always talk on the boards about doing different things to add value to your DVC or to enhance or eliminated renters, etc. While not specifically tied to any of these, I'd be curious of what people would think if DVC leveled the points out, within in a given season, such that the number of points for a Sunday is the same for Saturday, Friday, Thursday, etc.

Example - OKW Adventure Season Studio
Sun - Thur - 8 points for day (40 Points for all 5 days)
Fri - Sat - 20 points per day (40 Points for both days)
Total 80 points for a week.

Level the Points out to 11 points per night or 77 points for the week, yes, my math doesn't work, but it would all balance out over the whole year. Such that for weeks reservation it's the same, but it would then offer flexibility to allow anyone to come and go on any day of the week and the points usage is the same for any day. Assuming you don't transition from one season to another.

I personally like the idea as I'm a weekend visitor, as it would lower my points, but I think those that shoot for the Sun - Thurs would adjust to a little bit higher points usage for the added flexibility.

What are other thoughts?

I like it the way it is now. I don't want to change. I usually do 5 day weeks, and sometimes add a weekend. When I add a weekend, I think of my points as being averaged. When I do 5 days, I feel as if I've gotten a bargain. I think your way would encourage a lot of 'weekend bookers' and then those who do longer vacations would have a much rougher time booking a weekend at the reduced point cost, and I feel my membership would be devalued. I would agree to having to book 7 days or more, before I would agree to reduced weekend point costs.

Why would a Sun-Thurs booker want to adjust to higher points to allow someone else to book a weekend cheaper? Makes no sense to me.

 

[tjkraz]

...but I think those that shoot for the Sun - Thurs would adjust to a little bit higher points usage for the added flexibility.

I think the uproar from current members would deafening.

In your own example, a member wanting a 5-night stay would go from paying 40 points to 55 points...an increase of 38%. That's a terribly steep price to pay with the only benefit being added flexibility.

And as others already pointed out, weekend nights would disappear immediately nearly year-round.

 

[BEASLYBOO]

It's no different than the airline industry giving cheaper flights for week day travel rather than week-end travel! While I understand the logic, I think the point difference is on the high side and could be a little more reasonable for all DVC members, North, South, East and West included.

 

[DisFlan]

Leave it alone. We like those low point weekdays.


DisFlan

 

[Dean]

There is always talk on the boards about doing different things to add value to your DVC or to enhance or eliminated renters, etc. While not specifically tied to any of these, I'd be curious of what people would think if DVC leveled the points out, within in a given season, such that the number of points for a Sunday is the same for Saturday, Friday, Thursday, etc.

Example - OKW Adventure Season Studio
Sun - Thur - 8 points for day (40 Points for all 5 days)
Fri - Sat - 20 points per day (40 Points for both days)
Total 80 points for a week.

Level the Points out to 11 points per night or 77 points for the week, yes, my math doesn't work, but it would all balance out over the whole year. Such that for weeks reservation it's the same, but it would then offer flexibility to allow anyone to come and go on any day of the week and the points usage is the same for any day. Assuming you don't transition from one season to another.

I personally like the idea as I'm a weekend visitor, as it would lower my points, but I think those that shoot for the Sun - Thurs would adjust to a little bit higher points usage for the added flexibility.

What are other thoughts?

Personally I'd love it and the 3 day weekends would become my only stays if it were to happen. But I don't think it'd be a good move for the system as a whole and thus it's not likely a good thing for them to do. I don't know of a single points system that doesn't charge a differential for weekends vs weekdays unless they also have minimum stays. IMO, a minimum stay is the only way they could to so. So don't expect this type of change unless there are other associated major changes that many would consider negative.

 

[brittsmum1998]

We would hate it also. We are a Sun thru Fri family which allows us to stay on property at a differant hotel for the weekend. Its a good excuse to try the others.

 

[ZekeKelso]

While level points won't work, I do think the current point charts are a bit out of wack. In theory, you want the different point values to equalize damand. That's clearly not the case as weekdays fill much faster than weekends.

Assuming Disney wanted to rejigger the point charts, I think some shift from weekends back to weekdays would be a good thing.

 

[Chuck S]

While level points won't work, I do think the current point charts are a bit out of wack. In theory, you want the different point values to equalize damand. That's clearly not the case as weekdays fill much faster than weekends.

Assuming Disney wanted to rejigger the point charts, I think some shift from weekends back to weekdays would be a good thing.

But remember that having the resorts somewhat empty on weekends also allows CRO to rent weekends for cash to locals. This, in part, help make the trades into the Disney collection possible, as they would have to have some demand for cash rooms to offset those trade costs.

 

[dianeschlicht]

No, no, no! I like it the way it is, because I know that even though I am traveling a long ways, I can stay nearly 2 weeks (12 nights) and only have one weekend of higher points to deal with.

 

[RobDoc]

Points listed are for OKW Studio, 1BR, 2BR, GV (weekday/weekend) respectively from 1991 thru 1995:

Adventure Season: 7/17 , 14/35 , 19/47 , 31/77

Choice Season: 8/21 , 17/42 , 23/57 , 37/92

Dream Season: 10/25 , 20/50 , 27/67 , 45/112

Magic Season: 11/28 , 23/57 , 31/77 , 52/130

Premier Season: 15/38 , 31/77 , 42/105 , 68/170

DVC did a reallocation of points which began in 1996 and will continue at least thru at least 2009.

Current point needs:

Adventure: 8/20 , 16/40 , 22/54 , 36/88

Choice: 8/21 , 18/41 , 24/56 , 38/91

Dream: 10/24 , 20/48 , 27/64 , 45/107

Magic: 11/27 , 22/54 , 30/73 , 51/123

Premier: 15/36 , 30/73 , 41/100 , 66/162

I don't anticipate any further reallocation since DVC has had an opportunity to make changes each time a new resort has been added to the program and has not really made any signficant modifications since 1996. Certainly SSR and AKV do have some variation, but nothing which suggests any interest in leveling the points. The POS does describe what a maximum reallocation would provide and shows how many points would be required at each resort if points were levelled 365 days per year.

 

[CarolMN]

I think that if you lowered the weekend point requirement all of the weekends would be sucked up by people in the southern US who would take 20 weekend trips a year, making it really difficult for people who live futher away to get full weeks.

It wouldn't be just the Southerners (those within driving distance), LOL.

Those of us who live farther away and fly in, would probably increase our stays to 9 or 10 days and use up 2 weekends on every trip - Since many of us book 11 months out, good luck to anyone who has to book at 7 months and wants a weekend, LOL.

 

[PamOKW]

The reason weekends are more is because DVC anticipated the "long weekend" traveler. At it's heart, DVC is mean to give folks weeklong vacations. It would be extremely difficult to find any complete weeks if people didn't have to pay a premium for the weekends.

At this stage, DVC has been around so long that you'd also upset members who have calculated their trips based on the current lower weeknight amounts and have made their own "workarounds" for the higher priced nights. They might find they would need to stay fewer than 5 nights. If you evened out the current 214 points for a week in a one bedroom at BCV in Choice season, the 24 point weeknights would go to roughly 31 nights per point -- an increase of 35 points for a 5 night stay.

I usually stay 7 or more nights without changing out of DVC so it really wouldn't change much for me -- except I might be tempted to head down more often for long weekends......and I'd have to fly!

 

[childsplay]

I don't anticipate any further reallocation since DVC has had an opportunity to make changes each time a new resort has been added to the program and has not really made any signficant modifications since 1996.

This is really the "proof in the pudding", DVC has had numerous opportunities to change the point structure between weekday and weekend points and has made few if any changes. About the only real "changes" for the new resorts (BCV, WL, AKL and even SSR to a certain extent) are higher point requirements across the board, not an evening out.

 

[rayelias]

There is always talk on the boards about doing different things to add value to your DVC or to enhance or eliminated renters, etc. While not specifically tied to any of these, I'd be curious of what people would think if DVC leveled the points out, within in a given season, such that the number of points for a Sunday is the same for Saturday, Friday, Thursday, etc.

Example - OKW Adventure Season Studio
Sun - Thur - 8 points for day (40 Points for all 5 days)
Fri - Sat - 20 points per day (40 Points for both days)
Total 80 points for a week.

Level the Points out to 11 points per night or 77 points for the week, yes, my math doesn't work, but it would all balance out over the whole year. Such that for weeks reservation it's the same, but it would then offer flexibility to allow anyone to come and go on any day of the week and the points usage is the same for any day. Assuming you don't transition from one season to another.

I personally like the idea as I'm a weekend visitor, as it would lower my points, but I think those that shoot for the Sun - Thurs would adjust to a little bit higher points usage for the added flexibility.

What are other thoughts?

DVC was not built for the members. DVC was built so that Disney could construct a brand new resort at zero cost to them, with a healthy profit, and very little on-gong maintenance, and retain enough points to create an ongoing profit center.

It's not by chance that the weekends are higher. That's when Disney resorts are at their highest capacity and rooms are easiest to rent. So, make it more expensive for DVC members to stay there, thus more vacancies, and more rooms to rent out for DVC profit.

 

[Dean]

DVC was not built for the members. DVC was built so that Disney could construct a brand new resort at zero cost to them, with a healthy profit, and very little on-gong maintenance, and retain enough points to create an ongoing profit center.

It's not by chance that the weekends are higher. That's when Disney resorts are at their highest capacity and rooms are easiest to rent. So, make it more expensive for DVC members to stay there, thus more vacancies, and more rooms to rent out for DVC profit.

I don't think DVD or DVC has every stated officially why the points are structured as they are. While I'm likely more distrustful than most, I don't think there's a conspiracy to generate weekend days to rent out but more an attempt to even out usage.

 

[AKV707]

As has been stated, I think that DVC has the higher weekend points to make it possible for all members to stay on a weekend. I think that the current system is quite equitable. I am one of those who stays on points on weekends. I have an 11 night stay coming up and it is all on points. I would hate to see it become difficult to book a weekend because members who live closer to WDW have booked all of the weekends.

I do believe that DVc is for the members and for the bottom line. I mean, what percentage of weekend rooms get booked through CRO anyway?