Being a
DVC member, I understand the full benefits of the World Passport Collection, and cherish the flexibility of it.
In fact, Disney Vacation Club was the first vacation club that we purchased, and added on additional points shortly. However, we first decided to purchase any other vacation club because we have requested to go to Marriott Ocean Club in Maui for a studio, and was told that only a two bedroom was available in the entire summer, and that the chance of reserving a studio is dim, and that the chance of reserving a Christmas week is impossible. After waiting for months, we decided to book a hotel unit in Maui for our Hawaii vacation. The total cost of an oceanview accomodation for a week of our Hawaii vacation during Christmas was roughly $3,500 after tax($500/day). We stayed at Westin Maui, and while the resort was absolutely beautiful, the rooms were rather small and did not have the amenities of vacation clubs.
I attended both the Marriott Maui and Westin Ka'anapali sales tour, and decided to purchase into Westin's because of the much more luxurious amenities, and the interior was designed by a famous interior design company Hirsch Bedner(the same that designed many Four Seasons), and the fact that Westin was built ground up for vacation club while Marriott was a hotel converted(with three bathrooms for 2 bed, and no kitchen). The Christmas week costed $10K more, but we decided to purchase into it b/c even as a Westin Ka'anapali owner for regular weeks, booking into the Christmas week is impossible.
The purchase price of a Christmas week at Westin Ka'anapali could have purchased 630 points of DVC at $84/pt. I think the DVC points that we are asking in exchange is justified on these grounds. I do not believe that you would be able to exchange into Westin Ka'anapali using DVC because even other Starwood members will have problem exchanging into it. As for the Christmas and New Year's week, I think the availabilty for exchange is next to none. Starwood would have took the units for their rental in the unlikely case that the owners exchanged it for elsewhere.
There are many other 5 star resorts, but few I can think on the top of my head with similar purchase price. I know that Four Seasons properties, Westin St. John's fixed weeks, Harborside Atlantis's Christmas weeks, are within this price range. There are many 5 star resorts two bedroom units, some of which that I have visited, that sell for less than $20,000/ year. The purchase of the requested 270pts for exchange for a two bedroom could have easily purchased many 5 star resorts.
Besides, Disney charges 60 DVC points/night to stay at a oceanview hotel room in Kapalua Bay, Maui, Hawaii. For a week, at the much smaller accommodation at Kapalua Bay Hotel year round, you would need to use 420 DVC points versus the 200 points that I am exchanging for at a studio in Westin. Like Westin, Kapalua Bay is a Starwood property, and according to Starwood, actually ranks in a lower category than Westin Ka'anapali. Westin Ka'anapali is a category 5 hotel while Kapalua Bay is category 4.
You are also right that they are many other places you can visit. I guess the point is that I had wanted to visit Hawaii during Christmas, and this exchange is for those who really want to go to Hawaii during Christmas. After all, there is only one Hawaii just like there is only one Disney. There are many other 5 star resorts in Orlando, but none as demanded as Disney. 5 star resorts is too vague to differentiate resorts apart.
Reservations can also be made at other weeks, and the unit is not locked to reserving only at Christmas. In fact, Christmas and New Year's week owner can book any week in the year, while the floating week owners can not book into Christmas and New Year's week. This is kind of like the points required for a Christmas reservation at DVC could book into the Magic or Dream Season, but not vice versa. It is just a more demanded week than other times.
