Question on new point chart

[SharonS]

OK...I know my opinion is going to be unpopular, but here goes.....

Perhaps Disney is doing this because of the large number of members only staying Sunday thru Thursday. While they do sell DVC as flexible, I believe the original thoughts were that people would buy enough points to stay a week at a time generally. Now, if you attempt to book at less than the 11 month window, often all the week nights are gone, but Friday/Saturdays are open.

In the long run, this may help to even out availability.

 

[Tara]

We purchased 150 points at Vero so we could reserve a 2-BR Sunday - Thursday each year. Now, I don't have enough points to do that now. I probably will look at a resale in the near future (25 - 50 points) to make up the difference. The fees at Vero are so high, though!

If I were in your shoes, I'd look for a one-time transfer of of points. You can get this pretty darned cheaply (a fraction of buying the same points through resale). Then use the transferred points for your next trip and bank the same amount of your current use year points forward. That way you will have a surplus you can draw a little bit from each year, but you won't be paying fees on those points.

 

[Maribel]

Although not legally a point increase, IMHO it is an increase in the the sense that I believe most members don't go for a week, and some, like myself, go for more. Ergo, it will now require more points for a stay. Also, I surmise that the 2010 reallocation is only the first such change since DVC is only permitted to reallocate 20% from the previous year. I believe they are evening out the weekday and weekend points since they feel it will increase their bottom line.

You may be right in that most members right now are not going for whole weeks and most people are going weekdays, and that is exactly why this change was necessary.
If they will change the charts again in the future, it will be to make sure that the resorts are as close to 100% occupancy as they possibly can.
I don't know what the rules about timeshare sells are, and if there are guides lying to their customers, something needs to be done from a legal standpoint.
When I bought my points, I knew this could happen, not because my guide told me (actually, when I talk to my guide I had already all the information I needed to make my purchase), but because I read it somewhere. I actually think it was in the charts themselves where it said that the point reallocation could change to reflect seasonal changes and resort occupancy.
Now, I think that they should have made a better job to avoid having so many differences in the total week count, so to avoid the problem many families have of having 1 or 2 points needed to complete a vacation.

 

[Maribel]

How does this get more $ for Disney? If they have a certain number of points to sell, how does re-arranging the points chart do that? The points chart is simply how we use them.

"To help address a growing Member interest in weekend stays" - Is there really a "growing number"? It seems like most of us who do not stay the weekends, because of the higher points, understood this from the beginning and never complained. The points are still higher and I will still not want to use my points for weekends.

Now, unfortunately, my Sun-Thurs trips will cost me more. I guess Disney isn't caring about the Member interest who were fine with avoiding the weekend. And, again, how does this generate more money for Disney?

I wonder how many DVC members prefer weekend only trips as compared with member who prefer Sun-Thurs trips. It seems to me that the people who were staying for the weekend were probably staying for the whole week and have plenty of points.

Well, DVC has the historical information of resort usage. If you look at this boards, it looks like they were doing very well on the sun-thr area (only in this board there are about 40% that used their membership this way).
When they implemented the system of higher points for weekends, they did it to avoid people renting mostly weekends living the weekdays open. It looks like they now have exactly the opposite.

 

[skunk]

Purchased 150 pt BWV resale in 2006. For those of us with small contracts, the point value of weekdays vs weekends is outstanding. Ratio of 2 to1, weekdays to weekend days. (except for GV) With the 2010 adjustment, the ratio changes to 3-2 days for all room categories and seasons.

So even though I will use a total of 15 more points for my 2 trips, weekdays are still a better value, and I will continue to vacation Su-Th. I also choose to go Su-Th to avoid the weekend crowds. We chose BWV as we spend 90% of our time at Epcot. I have experienced F&W on Fri/Sat. No thanks. Not using extra points to stand in line at Food Booths all day. In my mind, weekends vs. weekdays, is comparable to mornings vs. afternoons at the parks. Time is money and I prefer not to stand in long lines.

DVC is flexible, unless members don't use their points the way DVC wants them to? If they already have our money, how does it generate more income for DVC, to have full rooms on the weekend? It doesn't, but that's not how the parent company sees it. Empty rooms means lost income to Disney, not "To help address a growing Member interest in weekend stays".

I think the 2010 adjustment will have little impact on weekend/weekday usage, rather it will cause members to borrow pts, change room categories, or reduce the number of days, to take the same trips. (the whole BLT thing is disgraceful) In my case, the extra 15 pts means we will bank 35 pts each year, rather than using the 50 pt balance to bring friends to F&W each year. That will free up a room for them. Anticipating another adjustment in 2011, if they really expect to impact weekend/weekday usage. Make the most of the weekday value while you still can.

If there are so many DVC members taking Su-Th trips, how is it that Disney says they canceled the weekday Flower Power concerts, because attendance is too low during the week to warrant the expense?

 

[disneybride96]

We purchased a small BLT contract that allowed us to book 4 October nights, every other year, in a MK view room. Now we don't have enough & they don't allow add-ons of less than 100 points now.

You could consider doing a lake view room. After checking out the resort area last week, I think I will personally prefer the lake view. Seems more relaxing to me.

 

[tx2tn]

If they already have our money, how does it generate more income for DVC, to have full rooms on the weekend? It doesn't, but that's not how the parent company sees it. Empty rooms means lost income to Disney, not "To help address a growing Member interest in weekend stays".

Does DVC make more money on those people that come to a DVC resort on a weekend?

Clearly that is what they are trying to do. Evenly distribute the Members between weekday and weekend stays.

I too have 150 BWV. My 2009 trip this September will cost an additional 15 points for the same reservation next year. Sad.

 

[Inkmahm]

If there are so many DVC members taking Su-Th trips, how is it that Disney says they canceled the weekday Flower Power concerts, because attendance is too low during the week to warrant the expense?

There is no direct correlation between occupancy at DVC and 1) park attendance or 2)occupancy at the rest of the Disney hotels or 3) occupancy at the offsite hotels.

 

[mickeymom629]

So even though I will use ...more points ... weekdays are still a better value, and I will continue to vacation Su-Th.

DVC is flexible, unless members don't use their points the way DVC wants them to? If they already have our money, how does it generate more income for DVC, to have full rooms on the weekend? It doesn't, but that's not how the parent company sees it. Empty rooms means lost income to Disney, not "To help address a growing Member interest in weekend stays".

I think the 2010 adjustment will have little impact on weekend/weekday usage, rather it will cause members to borrow pts, change room categories, or reduce the number of days, to take the same trips. (the whole BLT thing is disgraceful) [/QUOTE

]

 

[White_Sox_Fan]

Empty rooms means lost income to Disney, not "To help address a growing Member interest in weekend stays".

Actually I believe empty rooms mean a loss of benefit to DVC members, If a room is empty that means 1) there are members out there not using their points, therefore losing their personel benefit or 2) members have traded out there points and the room is not booked for cash, this effects everyone else in that we as DVC members have traded those points into cash for the benefit of that individual with no return of that cash.

Or am I wrong on this?

 

[tarzanman]

When I lived in Michigan, I would make more weeklong trips or Sun-Thur variety. Now that I live in Florida, I use more points for weekend trips. I can see the good and the bad with the changes. It should help increase weekend bookings because it will use less points. Honestly I think that it helps out as many members as it hurts. I am already looking forward to using less points for a Savannah View room at AKV.

 

[skunk]

There is no direct correlation between occupancy at DVC and 1) park attendance or 2)occupancy at the rest of the Disney hotels or 3) occupancy at the offsite hotels.

I was kidding. It's a business cost avoidance, plain and simple. However, this business decision has had a personal impact on my May trip. We normally go in Feb, but decided to go in May instead, to enjoy warmer temps, and the Flower Power Concerts. None too happy when Disney decided to make the concerts "weekend only" events, and you already know I didn't book the weekend. So I will enjoy one concert night, rather than five.

My choice of the first week in May, was based on past concert history. I assumed it would be the same in 2009.. Similarly, even though we knew that the points could be adjusted, based on past history, few anticipated it would actually happen any time soon. Many contracts were purchased based on current charts, and not with a 20% cushion in mind. So while the change is a business decision made in the best interest of the membership, the impact of this business decision is very much personal.

Hoping that David Cassidy won't be at F&W the first week in November too. Stay warm!! It's a balmy 10 degrees now.

 

[BroganMc]

My choice of the first week in May, was based on past concert history. I assumed it would be the same in 2009.. Similarly, even though we knew that the points could be adjusted, based on past history, few anticipated it would actually happen any time soon. Many contracts were purchased based on current charts, and not with a 20% cushion in mind. So while the change is a business decision made in the best interest of the membership, the impact of this business decision is very much personal.

Unfortunately, I suspect we'll be seeing a lot of cancelled or trimmed down special events over the next year or so. Darn recession has us all in a pinch. I was quite bummed about the lack of NYE fireworks at DTD this past trip.

That stuff I completely understand. Disney does have to keep in business while competing in a tough luxury market.

As for the point change, if what I've observed in SSR previews over the last couple years are truly representative, I think the grumbling on this board has just barely scratched the surface. The sad thing is I'd guess most members don't even realize things have changed yet, and won't until they start booking next week. It's not like DVC sent letters to anyone's home or included the charts in a new member booklet for the year. At most, you'd get an e-mail with a small footnote advising of the new charts. I kinda doubt many people bothered to log in and see what the difference was.

 

[SunnieRN]

I knew this was possible, just surprised by its magnitude and the fact that the BLT point structure changed prior to the resort even being opened. Well akv also. I am curious to see what next year will bring!

 

[tx2tn]

I knew this was possible, just surprised by its magnitude and the fact that the BLT point structure changed prior to the resort even being opened. Well akv also. I am curious to see what next year will bring!

Sadly, if they increase the points for SUN-THU again next year, I will have to sell my points. It just won't be cost effective for me anymore.....

 

[CarolAnnC]

2010 Point discussion are now limited to This Thread. Please visit there to continue the discussion. Thank you.