Riviera Owners Are Going To Make Booking At 7 Months Much More Difficult

[Brianstl]

I think where Riviera will put stress on the 7 month window is through the resale restrictions. You will have a larger percentage of owners at legacy resorts who won't be able to trade into Riviera, while that will apply to a much smaller group of owners at Riviera. The percentages will become closer as Riviera matures, but that will be offset by resale Riviera owners walking standard and tower rooms at Riviera because that is their only option.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I am extremely confident that there were a lot of people who bought there with the intention to trade out regulate for 1 and 2 bedrooms elsewhere.

I'm maybe less confident based on the people I have seen who bought then were confused how/where to book the 1BR units when logged in as DVC members.

 

[Spark65]

I think where Riviera will put stress on the 7 month window is through the resale restrictions. You will have a larger percentage of owners at legacy resorts who won't be able to trade into Riviera, while that will apply to a much smaller group of owners at Riviera. The percentages will become closer as Riviera matures, but that will be offset by resale Riviera owners walking standard and tower rooms at Riviera because that is their only option.

Based on whats been posted here and online that only 10% makes up the resale market for DVC it does mean quite a few legacy owners and some grandfathered resale owners can trade in to Riviera. If 10% holds true for RIV owners I can't see where that will have a negative effect for booking rooms.

Can anyone come up with a percentage of how many DVC owners actually stay at their home resort vs trading out?
Which resort owners are the biggest users of the 7 month window?

 

[Sandisw]

Based on whats been posted here and online that only 10% makes up the resale market for DVC it does mean quite a few legacy owners and some grandfathered resale owners can trade in to Riviera. If 10% holds true for RIV owners I can't see where that will have a negative effect for booking rooms.

Can anyone come up with a percentage of how many DVC owners actually stay at their home resort vs trading out?
Which resort owners are the biggest users of the 7 month window?

I wonder. I am going to venture to guess that SSR owners top the list of trading out, but only based on anecdotal info posted here.

I would guess you also have people like me who own 3 different resorts and plan to use most of my BWV and RIV points at those resorts and will trade out of SSR 95% of the time when using those points.

 

[kboo]

I wonder. I am going to venture to guess that SSR owners top the list of trading out, but only based on anecdotal info posted here.

I would guess you also have people like me who owns 3 different resorts and plan to use most of my BWV and RIV resorts at those resorts and will trade out of SSR 95% of the time when using those points.

we have cheap BLT points, relatively cheap VGF points, and relatively not too bad RIV points (best incentives when we bought in April) even though we talk about trading out ALL the time. our first 7mo booking will be VGC this spring with BLT points.

 

[Ben E N]

Can anyone come up with a percentage of how many DVC owners actually stay at their home resort vs trading out?
Which resort owners are the biggest users of the 7 month window?

This may be hard to get an exact number, as I bet a lot of users are like me. So far, according to my rough calculations, I have spent 330 points at my home resort and 260 elsewhere (this could be off by a bit.) I'm not sure where that would place me, or anyone like me.
I agree that SSR owners probably trade out the most, as they are literally be advertised as "sleep around" points on some sites such as disneytouristblog, but it's not at all fair to put all SSR owners into that category.
I'm sure Disney has detailed information on that all, but I'm also sure we will never see it.

 

[Dizzydizney]

@ben EN...I did not read this entire thread. But believe me, I did NOT purchase DRR points to use at other DVC resorts. For you to even be upset about DRR owners making it more difficult for DVC members to switch at 7 months....BUY WHERE YOU WANT TO STAY!!!! If you want to stay at BWV or BCV or BLT then for the love of GOD purchase a contract there!!! Where do you own? Why do you care? The ability to switch resorts at 7 months is not a guarantee....and if you yourself bought into DVC with this in mind....well, did you do your homework? I don't know your story...I don't spend a whole lot of time on these boards. Did you buy direct? Resale? Did a DVC salesperson give you a load of carp?

 

[Ben E N]

@ben EN...I did not read this entire thread. But believe me, I did NOT purchase DRR points to use at other DVC resorts. For you to even be upset about DRR owners making it more difficult for DVC members to switch at 7 months....BUY WHERE YOU WANT TO STAY!!!! If you want to stay at BWV or BCV or BLT then for the love of GOD purchase a contract there!!! Where do you own? Why do you care? The ability to switch resorts at 7 months is not a guarantee....and if you yourself bought into DVC with this in mind....well, did you do your homework? I don't know your story...I don't spend a whole lot of time on these boards. Did you buy direct? Resale? Did a DVC salesperson give you a load of carp?

Thank you for your input. As you said, you didn't read the thread. This isn't about owners such as yourself, it's about how a minor unbalance in one place can impact the system as a whole. But yes, don't buy in one place with the expectation of staying in another. That is a surefire way to end up disappointed.

 

[Wakey]

RIV is the shiny new resort, but it’s massively underwhelming in my view. When the newness wears off, not many will be enticed by the points cost of preferred view, realising that those points get them a lot more elsewhere. The Tower Studios are also not hitting the spot with guests- I could easily have booked them this summer 7 months out. Who wants to stay in a tiny studio when similar points get you a normal sized studio elsewhere? I agree, lots of those RIV owners will end up chasing elsewhere. DVC Owners are value maximisers. VGF gets away with it, as it’s a bit special, RIV isn’t.

 

[crvetter]

I could easily have booked them this summer 7 months out.

Well that’s not really fair because the declared inventory was significantly higher than owners of the resort. So just like any new resort the easiest time to book is just as it first opens and this has the added benefit of it being the summer too. You didn’t state they are selling out now at 11 months.

When the newness wears off, not many will be enticed by the points cost of preferred view, realising that those points get them a lot more elsewhere. We shall see what they are like next summer when the number of owners increase dramatically. It seem DVC is getting flack because the tower studios would cause walking all year to now being believed the product is a failure because in its first year they aren’t being walked or booked 100%...

This is really just your personal preference on the resort and I don’t think can be extrapolated across all DVC owners of which there is many. I know from your prior posts you claim to love SSR. So with that I would expect a compact resort wouldn’t be to your liking, but that was my guess based on all your posts on riviera.

DVC Owners are value maximisers. VGF gets away with it, as it’s a bit special, RIV isn’t.

Why act as if it’s just VGF it is also PVB and BLT lake and theme park views? All of which seem to have good 11 month demand. The latter two having some opening at 7 months (except theme park view). I will say by all accounts Rivieras Standard views have been similar to BLT Theme Park in that it’s fireworks, park icon, and parking lot. They also seem similar to VGF standard in that it’s parking lot, road (both minor impacts), and greenery. It’s really all about personal preferences again you seem to be stating your personal preferences as facts across all owners. It could be owners looked like value maximizers cause BWV and BCV have cheaper point charts but the main drive is just being at Epcot so riviera is a nice second or first place (maybe no one ever cared about value when staying there, those buying resale there have a $ value per night much higher than most DVC resorts).

 

[Ben E N]

Why act as if it’s just VGF it is also PVB and BLT lake and theme park views? All of which seem to have good 11 month demand.

Something that will be interesting to follow is if Riviera holds the same amount of interest as those three resorts at all. PVB and BLT are both associated with original Disney World resorts, and VGF is associated with their flagship resort. I don't know how important that is to every DVC owner, but their close proximity to the Magic Kingdom certainly drives their hotel room prices to way above $500 on most nights. While Riviera looks very nice indeed, it is sitting on the same lake as rooms that only cost $250 or so a night. Obviously it's a unique resort compared to them, but it has to build a name for itself, while every Disney fan already knows of the other three resorts.
Obviously I've already stated my opinion on the matter, but this is something that DVC has not tested before, so I'm curious to see what impact it has both on sales and booking demand.

 

[crvetter]

Something that will be interesting to follow is if Riviera holds the same amount of interest as those three resorts at all. PVB and BLT are both associated with original Disney World resorts, and VGF is associated with their flagship resort. I don't know how important that is to every DVC owner, but their close proximity to the Magic Kingdom certainly drives their hotel room prices to way above $500 on most nights. While Riviera looks very nice indeed, it is sitting on the same lake as rooms that only cost $250 or so a night. Obviously it's a unique resort compared to them, but it has to build a name for itself, while every Disney fan already knows of the other three resorts.
Obviously I've already stated my opinion on the matter, but this is something that DVC has not tested before, so I'm curious to see what impact it has both on sales and booking demand.

I’m not disregarding your opinion and I think I’ve expressed my opinion on what Riviera offers (and might offer to others). My comment was to the other poster suggesting only VGF commands a high point per night which simply isn’t true. Though to play devils advocate BLT and CR are sitting on the same lake at FW and WL both of which command less per night (FW much less even in the cabins). We don’t compare them the same simply because of the amenities offered at the resorts and room sizes and quality. Riviera is mostly the 1st and 2nd largest rooms in their room categories at Disney.

 

[Ben E N]

I’m not disregarding your opinion and I think I’ve expressed my opinion on what Riviera offers (and might offer to others). My comment was to the other poster suggesting only VGF commands a high point per night which simply isn’t true. Though to play devils advocate BLT and CR are sitting on the same lake at FW and WL both of which command less per night (FW much less even in the cabins). We don’t compare them the same simply because of the amenities offered at the resorts and room sizes and quality. Riviera is mostly the 1st and 2nd largest rooms in their room categories at Disney.

I am also not disregarding yours. You are bringing up good and fair points about Riviera. There is no way to know whose prediction will be correct until at least a year or so from now. While that can make this discussion a little frustrating, as there is no "right" answer right away, it also makes it interesting to consider all the factors that go into it.

And as for CR and BLT, while they both technically sit on Bay Lake, half the rooms at CR and about a third at BLT face the Seven Seas Lagoon, and they are both obviously walkable to the most popular theme park in the world. VWL does not offer that perk at this time.

 

[crvetter]

I am also not disregarding yours. You are bringing up good and fair points about Riviera. There is no way to know whose prediction will be correct until at least a year or so from now. While that can make this discussion a little frustrating, as there is no "right" answer right away, it also makes it interesting to consider all the factors that go into it.

And as for CR and BLT, while they both technically sit on Bay Lake, half the rooms at CR and about a third at BLT face the Seven Seas Lagoon, and they are both obviously walkable to the most popular theme park in the world. VWL does not offer that perk at this time.

To your last paragraph that’s my point even though they are in the same general vicinity what they offer can be very different.

Also to your point I fully agree maybe one shouldn’t buy Riviera specifically and only for location, especially if they would be happy with Caribbean Beach and about a 10 min walk max. As they would be about the same price per night but they wouldn’t lock their cash up

 

[DebbieB]

Based on whats been posted here and online that only 10% makes up the resale market for DVC it does mean quite a few legacy owners and some grandfathered resale owners can trade in to Riviera. If 10% holds true for RIV owners I can't see where that will have a negative effect for booking rooms.

Can anyone come up with a percentage of how many DVC owners actually stay at their home resort vs trading out?
Which resort owners are the biggest users of the 7 month window?

I've owned BWV for 20 years. I'd guess I average 50%. Last year stayed at BWV twice, VGC once. This year have a Riviera reservation for April and BWV for November. Usually plan a spring trip for elsewhere, easier to get in. I've stayed at all the WDW DVC except CCV (stayed there as WL), SSR (no desire), Riviera. I see this Riviera trip as a one and done, just like I've done at VGF and BLT. The points are too high. It's costing 160 points for 6 nights in a preferred studio in April, the same dates at a BWV boardwalk view studio is 111.

 

[The Jackal]

Actually DRR Standard View is looking more limited than BWV SV.

Possibly, it’s not sold out so it is a little too early to really decide. Now it appears any studio at CCV is more limited to BWV SV. They are quite possibly the 3 hardest to get on DVC property after AKL Concierge and AKL Value.

 

[Heather07438]

I agree with OP. I bet a lot of uneducated buyers were guided to buy Riviera as the “only DVC for sale at WDW”.

Not to mention that strategy is an overall advantage to sales people. They get to sell the initial RIV contract, then once the new member realizes it's hard to book a certain room/time elsewhere they add on another contract to widen their booking privileges lol.