Poly Bungalows are getting reserved - just one snapshot, but

[CarolMN]

it makes you wonder. about the oft-repeated assumption that the Poly is going to get a reallocation due to empty bungalows!

According to the "Next 60 days" RAT, for the period of 8/27 - 10/21

2 bedrooms at OKW have 26 open nights available -
2 bedrooms at SSR have 30 open nights available -
.
By comparison, Poly bungalows have only 5.

Of course, no way to know how many villas were available, just that there was at least one.

There were no studios anywhere for that same time period. I didn't look at the 3 bedrooms or 1 bedrooms listed.

The snapshot was done on 8/21.

 

[ziravan]

I've always thought the Bungalows were a win - win for Disney.

If they stay full, they generated a million points sold on average for $160/point. $160 million dollars on at most a $40 million investment ($2 million per unit).

(Plus they generate $6 million or so in MFs per year. And lets face it, Disney as vendor makes serious coin on MFs.)

If they don't stay full, even better. They still generated the same amount of points income for Disney (and the same $ of MFs) PLUS they can be turned over as breakage to CRO and generate serious cash.

Win. Win.

The only way DVC reallocates is if they determine that they're legally obligated to do so on behalf of members. And as pointed out in the OP, they have a ton of latitude there.

At the moment, I don't think the current bungalow situation bothers DVC much. There's a reason why they duplicated the model at CCV.

 

[disneynutz]

DVC uses the legally obligated excuse when they reallocate but IMO there is more to it. SSR Congress Park and The Springs were popular so how were they legally obligated to increase the required number of points to stay there? Lets see if they increase the studio required points at PVB after they sell out.

Bill

 

[MouseOfCards]

Really want to try the bungalows at some point. Are they worth it?

 

[disneynutz]

Really want to try the bungalows at some point. Are they worth it?

Maybe, there was an issue with no air conditioning, the sewer pump noise is noticeable, the plunge pool on the deck isn't heated, and some have reported that the boat horns are annoying.

Bill

 

[arminnie]

I had a bunch of points that were going to expire 10/1 so I booked the Poly bungalows for a couple of nights. I'm looking forward to staying there - but it will be interesting to see if it is worth it.

We stayed at the Swan a few months ago as a splurge. We were not all that impressed so I would not stay there again.

 

[bobbiwoz]

When we have been at a DVC promotion on DCL, the presenters always say how wonderful to book a Poly bungalow for a night or two at the end of your stay, so you can relax and feel pampered after a hectic fun filled vacation. I suppose many people do that.

I hope the Cabins at CC are available sometimes at 7 months, so we can enjoy a night or two there before or after our WDW stays. The vibes at WL suit my family better. We have a pre BWV stay booked in December. Plus it's a hot tub that they have on the screened balcony, with a railing to enter.

 

[Deb & Bill]

My issue with the Bungalows is the number of real beds. One king and one queen. For portable beds - one queen sleeper, two bunk sized murphy beds - none of these are my idea of luxury.

 

[keaster]

My issue with the Bungalows is the number of real beds. One king and one queen. For portable beds - one queen sleeper, two bunk sized murphy beds - none of these are my idea of luxury.

Yes, I kind of wish they had made the 2nd bedroom bigger to accommodate 2 queen beds (much Like a dedicated 2 bedroom in normal DVC villas have). Same with the cabins!

 

[_auroraborealis_]

My position hasn't been that they reallocate because the bungalows aren't booking. My position has been they reallocated SSR because two areas were getting all the requests, and they just changed categories on the cash side for Poly based on, again, two buildings getting all the requests.

At Poly, there is a clear sloppiness in how they created categories for studios, and there is one building that gets all the requests, and one building prone to generating desk tantrums.

Now, to make a category between Standard and Lake, where do they get the points? My guess is the bungalows, but that is incidental to the reasoning why. If they reallocate, it's to limit the people upset they didn't get one of the 6 Tokelau rooms with side-on castle views, or the people upset that they're in the front of Pago Pago.

 

[CarolMN]

My position hasn't been that they reallocate because the bungalows aren't booking. My position has been they reallocated SSR because two areas were getting all the requests, and they just changed categories on the cash side for Poly based on, again, two buildings getting all the requests.

At Poly, there is a clear sloppiness in how they created categories for studios, and there is one building that gets all the requests, and one building prone to generating desk tantrums.

Now, to make a category between Standard and Lake, where do they get the points? My guess is the bungalows, but that is incidental to the reasoning why. If they reallocate, it's to limit the people upset they didn't get one of the 6 Tokelau rooms with side-on castle views, or the people upset that they're in the front of Pago Pago.

They can reallocate without moving points between buildings or categories - just like they did with Boardwalk View and Pool/Garden view. Separate categories, but the point cost is the same. "Tantrums" can be greatly reduced if people know ahead of time what they are getting. If they know, they don't have weeks/months to fantasize & get their hopes up. They could create booking categories by Building, or perhaps by Pool View, Parking lot view and Garden view.

They could also just refuse to take requests for those 6 Tokelau rooms - like they did for view requests for the value rooms at AKV and then refuse to make any changes to assignments for those rooms at check-in. Frankly, that is what I would do.

Off-topic a bit: They may need to do that for the alternate studios at CCV as well.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

They can reallocate without moving points between buildings or categories - just like they did with Boardwalk View and Pool/Garden view

True, but I do think that one of the issues with categories at Poly is the perceived value difference between some locations. People want Tokelau pool or castle view more than any other "Standard" location, and I think we've all seen some disappointment when someone gets the ground level Lake View. I would not find it amiss/surprising if some of these rooms were reallocated and point structures re-done to reflect the perceived value of various locations. I think the perceived view value difference between BWV Pool and BWV Boardwalk isn't as great as the perceived view value difference between the front side of Pago Pago and that handful of Tokelau rooms.

Off-topic a bit: They may need to do that for the alternate studios at CCV as well.

I look at the CCV configurations, and think: Man, what a hot mess. I can see why the alternate studios aren't a booking category, but on the other hand, they really ought to be.

 

[hakepb]

I also wonder about creating bungalow categories for outside (3 or 4 closet to boat horns on both sides) vs central

 

[Candace]

Maybe, there was an issue with no air conditioning, the sewer pump noise is noticeable, the plunge pool on the deck isn't heated, and some have reported that the boat horns are annoying.

Bill

Ditto to all of this, and I might add that the second bathroom for guests staying in that small bedroom with the queen bed, is in the hallway. That sewer noise is like a bomb going off. The air conditioning in July of 2016 was really poor. The view was fabulous at night with the EWP and the piped in music from MK is wonderful. I had a boatload of points expiring, so I used them for 6 nights. Glad I did, but I would not use them again on a Bungalow. I do want to try the CCV though.

 

[tjkraz]

If they don't stay full, even better. They still generated the same amount of points income for Disney (and the same $ of MFs) PLUS they can be turned over as breakage to CRO and generate serious cash.

I've always struggled with the line of reasoning which assumes that there aren't enough DVC members willing to pay for the bungalows, yet contends that there are enough cash guests willing to pay $2500+ per night for a bungalow booked less than 60 days before arrival.

 

[DVC Sue]

I would LOVE to stay in a Poly Bungalow, but I just can't justify the cost - even if I could get in with my BWV points.

 

[LowesChevy]

My issue with the Bungalows is the number of real beds. One king and one queen. For portable beds - one queen sleeper, two bunk sized murphy beds - none of these are my idea of luxury.

Right and as most adults would want an actual bed. Crazy to spend the points on less beds than a regular two bedroom unit imho.

 

[alldiz]

Ditto to all of this, and I might add that the second bathroom for guests staying in that small bedroom with the queen bed, is in the hallway. That sewer noise is like a bomb going off. The air conditioning in July of 2016 was really poor. The view was fabulous at night with the EWP and the piped in music from MK is wonderful. I had a boatload of points expiring, so I used them for 6 nights. Glad I did, but I would not use them again on a Bungalow. I do want to try the CCV though.

Wow I can't believe all the problems with the bungalows. To be so costly and to lack even basic air conditioning in Florida is unacceptable. When I looked at the bedding situation, I can't believe they built more"ish" (CCV).
Happy to hear you enjoyed the EWP I do love that.
Next time you have points expiring let me know LOL!!
Kerri

 

[ziravan]

I've always struggled with the line of reasoning which assumes that there aren't enough DVC members willing to pay for the bungalows, yet contends that there are enough cash guests willing to pay $2500+ per night for a bungalow booked less than 60 days before arrival.

First, it's a little simplistic, so I'll back up a bit.

1. Most people who own Poly only have enough points for studios. My educated guess looking at numbers is that about half the bungalows points belong to owners with at least 250 points - enough to even think about staying in bungalows routinely -- (about 12.5% of total whereas Bungalows comprise 25% of points).

So. There will be more studio owners than studios. As owners book at 11 months and some trade out, those trade outs are going to tend to what's avail at say 8-9 months. And more often that's going to be bungalows.

That means more non-Poly owners are going to find bungalows at 7 months than studios (adjusted for busy season of course), and it means that DVC will tend to be able to trade points (cruises, ABD, etc.) for bungalows.

Yes breakage. But DVC will also have access to bungalows as trade far ahead of the 60 day breakage. (CRO has its own supply of Poly studios and will probably be more interested in bungalows as trade anyway).

There will be a bigger supply of bungalows at 7 months than studios.

2. DVC doesn't have to sell a room for $2500/night. They can discount to whatever moves the room. And as breakage, it's free money at whatever price DVC can command.

3. Even if the rooms sit empty (and they won't), my point is that it was worth it to build them for the points and MFs they generate. Everything else is gravy/icing/etc.

My bigger point is that I doubt DVC cares that many owners think the bungalows are overpriced and I'm not sure that they'll be in a hurry to reallocate.

 

[drusba]

As to the actual popularity of the bungalows, my tracking of them through the last couple years indicates that they are being reserved before the 60-day breakage period (when Disney can rent them to anyone) at about the same rate as SSR GVs or just a little better, which previously were the GVs that were the last to fill among all GVs. During DVC's low to moderate demand season, mid-Jan to late Sep, they have been open at 60 days out about 60% of the time; during the Sep to early Jan high demand season, they are mostly reserved by then and usually mostly reserved by 4 months out. During that low to moderate season, about 25% of the days have been open as late as 1 day out (indicating some are going unreserved entirely) but that is also similar to SSR GV's.

Personal view is that the bungalow reservation pattern is quite adequate from Disney's point of view. Members are using them at least as much as the much lower cost SSR GVs, Disney gets to use them as showcase units for its advertisements for WDW, and Disney gets to rent them for a large number of days, which is mostly just pure profit to Disney since all the maintenance costs are paid by member dues.