Rumor boards says DVC to be sold!

[Mickey'sApprentice]

Here's a heads up...there is a juicy rumor on the rumors and news thread that DVC will be sold to Marriott. It starts out with info from a bus driver...but an engineer adds some credence in post #33. Anyway, there is some excellent discussion about the feasibility of this happening.

Here is the link:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2279817&page=3

What do you think?

(Mods if this is too off topic, or if this started here and was moved, please feel free to move, close, or whatever.)

 

[Quilter007]

Well, our experience w/ the bus drivers was that half of them couldn't explain how to get from the Carousel to the Springs @ SSR, so I'm not real confident that they are "in the know" on the inner capital financing decisions @ Disney.

 

[minster22]

So we will be staying at Marriott's Boardwalk @ Disney??!!

 

[BEASLYBOO]

Well, our experience w/ the bus drivers was that half of them couldn't explain how to get from the Carousel to the Springs @ SSR, so I'm not real confident that they are "in the know" on the inner capital financing decisions @ Disney.

Yes, does the term "You can't get there from here" ring a bell!
Very well put, I'm sure it's about as reliabable as the intel you get from the "Boat Captains"

 

[Lynne M]

Nonsense.

I swear the bus drivers make stuff up just to amuse themselves by getting the guests all wound up.

 

[alamode]

I sure hope that this is not the case. I refuse to support a company run by people who do not believe in equality for all. This would be a giant step backwards for Disney to be in any way associated with them.

 

[5forDiz]

 

[mvc1997]

Nonsense.

I swear the bus drivers make stuff up just to amuse themselves by getting the guests all wound up.

That's too funny! Can you imagine if they read these boards and saw the rumor they started! What a jolly good time they would have. Have a contest to see WHOSE rumor made it and whose didn't.

 

[DebbieB]

Here's the original rumor board thread:

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2279817

DVC & some resorts to Marriott, some to Holiday Inn (Port Orleans, CBR).

 

[2infinityandbeyond]

Here's a heads up...there is a juicy rumor on the rumors and news thread that DVC will be sold to Marriott. It starts out with info from a bus driver...

That's all I needed to see, and I read no further.

 

[tjkraz]

The idea of selling the physical structures doesn't make any sense. Disney Vacation Development (the entity that actually builds and markets the resorts) doesn't actually own the land. Long term leases are in place which are certainly not favorable to any one Disney business unit over another.

And the combined operations of many DVC/cash resorts would complicate matters--particularly a resort like AKV where some floors are cash and some timeshare in the same physical building.

Disney could certainly farm-out management of the timeshare operation. "Disney Vacation Club" would cease to exist and our ownership would roll into another timeshare program. I wouldn't rule that out entirely at some point in the next several decades, but right now the timing doesn't seem even remotely appropriate. DVC is one of the few timeshares actually doing well in our economy. And with the aggressive expansion plans (Hawaii in particular), it doesn't make sense that Disney would want to suddenly have its timeshare holdings fall under another shingle.

Farming-out management services would make the most sense when/if Disney decides to get out of the business of actively building and selling new resorts. In addition to the management fees the buyer would receive, they would benefit from adding the existing stable of DVC resorts to their portfolio.

But if Disney is going to continue to build and sell (and including Hawaii they easily have 6-8 years worth of inventory in the pipeline), it doesn't really make sense to bring another entity into the mix. DVC has been a real cash cow for Disney--they want to continue to grow the program beyond theme parks rather than getting out of the business.

 

[AKV707]

Never trust the bus drivers!

How would this be to Disney's advantage?

 

[DVC Mike]

Utter nonsense.

 

[Mickey'sApprentice]

Here's the original rumor board thread:

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2279817

DVC & some resorts to Marriott, some to Holiday Inn (Port Orleans, CBR).

That is the same "original" thread that I quoted. However, I chose to ask everyone to look at post #33 on page 3.

Post #33 is from an engineer who supposedly interviewed with a Sr. VP who stated that:

1) tomorrowland skyway building would be demolished
2) fantasyland would get a huge revamping AND
3) DVC would be sold

I also did not put credence in the bus driver, but thought the post by the engineer was worthy of repeating, and opening for discussion, especially since there is evidence of both #1 & #2.

 

[chalee94]

I also did not put credence in the bus driver, but thought the post by the engineer was worthy of repeating, and opening for discussion, especially since there is evidence of both #1 & #2.

the response was also worthy of repeating: a disney engineering exec might have a great idea of what plans are on the table for demolition and construction of areas within the parks...but why would they have any insights into larger corporate plans such as selling an entire division?

 

[Simba's Mom]

Didn't the engineering person say "outsourcing"? Is that using non-Disney employees for certain functions at the resort, as many resorts are doing now (rumored to be bell services, housekeeping, etc)? Perhaps he got outsourcing confused with outright selling.

 

[kevmag]

The idea of selling the physical structures doesn't make any sense. Disney Vacation Development (the entity that actually builds and markets the resorts) doesn't actually own the land. Long term leases are in place which are certainly not favorable to any one Disney business unit over another.

And the combined operations of many DVC/cash resorts would complicate matters--particularly a resort like AKV where some floors are cash and some timeshare in the same physical building.

Disney could certainly farm-out management of the timeshare operation. "Disney Vacation Club" would cease to exist and our ownership would roll into another timeshare program. I wouldn't rule that out entirely at some point in the next several decades, but right now the timing doesn't seem even remotely appropriate. DVC is one of the few timeshares actually doing well in our economy. And with the aggressive expansion plans (Hawaii in particular), it doesn't make sense that Disney would want to suddenly have its timeshare holdings fall under another shingle.

Farming-out management services would make the most sense when/if Disney decides to get out of the business of actively building and selling new resorts. In addition to the management fees the buyer would receive, they would benefit from adding the existing stable of DVC resorts to their portfolio.

But if Disney is going to continue to build and sell (and including Hawaii they easily have 6-8 years worth of inventory in the pipeline), it doesn't really make sense to bring another entity into the mix. DVC has been a real cash cow for Disney--they want to continue to grow the program beyond theme parks rather than getting out of the business.

And with the aggressive expansion plans (Hawaii in particular)
(and including Hawaii they easily have 6-8 years worth of inventory in the pipeline),

Are there any links out here with info on possible expansion plans? We just joined DVC and I'm curious what's in the planning for down the road...
Thanks!

 

[littlestar]

I would love some kind of DVC partnership with MVCI (Marriott Vacation Club). Of course, I'd like to see all the big boys unite together and form a mini system for exchanging - Westin, Hyatt, Marriott, Hilton, and Sheraton, and the Royal resorts. I can dream . . .

 

[Chuck S]

And with the aggressive expansion plans (Hawaii in particular)
(and including Hawaii they easily have 6-8 years worth of inventory in the pipeline),

Are there any links out here with info on possible expansion plans? We just joined DVC and I'm curious what's in the planning for down the road...
Thanks!

Disney never officially releases long term expansion plans for DVC. In fact, there were some resorts that were announced and never built.

The only way I see this rumor having any merit would be if Disney outsourced all of their resort operations to Marriott or another provider, not just the DVC operations. And by the time Marriott would pay the licensing fee for the use of the Disney name, (because Marriott's Polynesian Resort just doesn't have the same ring) their abilty to profit is in doubt.

 

[sean-1966]

I bought in because it was Disney. If it stops being Disney I see a whole lot of people, like me, selling...