"Refinement" of Concierge Collection

[wintergreen]

Is anyone else disappointed that more than half of the Concierge Collection hotels are being "refined" out of the program? We have exchanged many times to these hotels, and I am quite disappointed with the direction DVC is taking this. I know that many members feel that these exchanges are not a good use of points, but we really liked the options. We will be selling half of our points as a result.

 

[Doctor P]

We used the options early in our membership and liked the availability to go some places we wouldn't go on cash (or so we thought). However, the more we thought about it, the less sense it made to use those options (at least for one night stays). I think with the availability of shorter stays at some of the World Passport resorts, the higher exchange fees, and the high points costs, I probably will not miss the concierge options that much.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Remember that these decisions are not all of DVC's doing. Some of the blame must be placed on the other resorts themselves. All exchange options are re-negotiated with those groups annually or semi-annually, so things change all the time.

 

[wintergreen]

Remember that these decisions are not all of DVC's doing. Some of the blame must be placed on the other resorts themselves. All exchange options are re-negotiated with those groups annually or semi-annually, so things change all the time.

Yes, but I have suspicion there there is something else going on this time, particularly as DVC has had to announce that it is "refining" the collection this year. The number of choices has been reduced from 25 to 11 (!!). There has never been that level of change in the program in the years that we have been members. My guess is that DVC cannot make up the cash they pay out to the partner resorts by filling DVC accommodations with cash-paying guests (this seems to be tied to the introduction of the $95 fee for Disney Collection reservations as well). This just does not appear to me to be a "business as usual" change.

 

[bwvBound]

The number of choices has been reduced from 25 to 11 (!!).

Do we know which ones are in/out?

 

[wintergreen]

Do we know which ones are in/out?

Check the points chart for 2008 on the member's website. Any resort with two asterisks (**) next to it will not be available after May 2008, and reservations must be made by the end of January 2008.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Check the points chart for 2008 on the member's website. Any resort with two asterisks (**) next to it will not be available after May 2008, and reservations must be made by the end of January 2008.

While that's true, we don't yet know if other options will be added for those taken away either.

As to your other point, Yes, I too think "something else" is going on, and not in a good way, but until we have ALL the facts, it's hard to speculate on what that might be or the reason.

 

[Chuck S]

You don't suppose that perhaps it is a case of be careful what you wish for do you? Perhaps because of some members complaining about there being cash room availability, and not point room availability, DVC has simply taken the step to cut down on the Concierge trades, and thus by cutting down trade options, it may leave more rooms in member inventory. Since II trades don't show up as cash nights, there is less chance of upsetting members who don't fully grasp that trades have to be paid for somehow. II trades won't show up as cash nights on the Disney website.

 

[dianeschlicht]

You don't suppose that perhaps it is a case of be careful what you wish for do you? Perhaps because of some members complaining about there being cash room availability, and not point room availability, DVC has simply taken the step to cut down on the Concierge trades, and thus by cutting down trade options, it may leave more rooms in member inventory. Since II trades don't show up as cash nights, there is less chance of upsetting members who don't fully grasp that trades have to be paid for somehow. II trades won't show up as cash nights on the Disney website.

Certainly a possible reason if they are getting the same complaints that we see around the boards here from those who don't truly understand the system. If that's the case, it truly would be a "be careful what you wish for" situation!

 

[Mtnman44]

I think several different recent happenings all seem to point that Disney is having trouble selling unsused (or traded) DVC villas for cash.

 

[DVC Mater]

can someone tell me if grand weilea in hawaii is gone?

 

[Dean]

can someone tell me if grand weilea in hawaii is gone?

No, it's still there.

Most of the options going away are in areas where timeshare exchanges are a reasonable option though there was one or two that are still on the list where that is likely true as well. Give that only 11 options will remain assuming no new ones are added and a number of the ones leaving have been on board a while, it makes me wonder if they are phasing out the CC. This would make sense to me as I know they've gotten a fair amount of complaints over the years about the number of points required and the utilization overall has been very low. I also wonder if they're having trouble getting the cash from cash rentals to pay for the options and figured it was time to put a stop to the bleeding.

 

[tvwalsh]

The Grand Hotel got refined away! 14 out of 25 of the Concierge Collection got refined away. This is not good!

 

[bwvBound]

Check the points chart for 2008 on the member's website. Any resort with two asterisks (**) next to it will not be available after May 2008, and reservations must be made by the end of January 2008.

The 2008 Concierge Collection points chart doesn't work for me. I've tried two different browsers (SeaMonkey and IE 7), two different PCs, two different networks. I can launch the 2007 CC points chart -- but the 2008 either redirects to a YOMD page or fails attempting to launch Adobe. Simply a NoGo.

Edited to add: Got it! I was able to open the url directly from w/in Adobe Reader.

 

[Merilyn]

I couldn't find any ** when I looked up the collection. Where are they? The Grand Hotel was on there with no ** .

 

[llmurphy17]

The stars are on the 2008 calendar when you view the point charts for the Concierge Collection.

Many of them are gone

 

[JLS]

I really don't care much about this change because I never thought it made much sense to use the concierge collection given the huge number of points required for those stays. The desireable seasons/hotels were typically 60 points per night or more for a mere hotel room. I own 300 points, and cannot justify using almost 2/3 of my yearly points allotment to stay at in a hotel room over a long weekend. I bought DVC because we like to stay in Villas, especially when travelling with our son. So to me, it just wasn't an economical use of points. Most of the rooms that they are charging 60 or more points per night for you can rent for around $300 or $350 per night.

 

[dianeschlicht]

JLS, I agree. It was not an option I ever considered.

 

[Dean]

The 2008 Concierge Collection points chart doesn't work for me. I've tried two different browsers (SeaMonkey and IE 7), two different PCs, two different networks. I can launch the 2007 CC points chart -- but the 2008 either redirects to a YOMD page or fails attempting to launch Adobe. Simply a NoGo.

Edited to add: Got it! I was able to open the url directly from w/in Adobe Reader.

The 2007 points come up as a Java type popup. The 2008 points pops up as a pdf. Make sure you have acrobat and simply download it then you should be able to open it easily. Also ake sure you don't have popups blocked.

 

[Dean]

I really don't care much about this change because I never thought it made much sense to use the concierge collection given the huge number of points required for those stays. The desireable seasons/hotels were typically 60 points per night or more for a mere hotel room. I own 300 points, and cannot justify using almost 2/3 of my yearly points allotment to stay at in a hotel room over a long weekend. I bought DVC because we like to stay in Villas, especially when travelling with our son. So to me, it just wasn't an economical use of points. Most of the rooms that they are charging 60 or more points per night for you can rent for around $300 or $350 per night.

I've said this many times. To me it is insulting somewhat to have options that are not really options. But to my amazement, many people don't seem to care the $$$ value of the points they are giving up. Their choice of course, just not something I could do unless it were a use or lose situation.