Rumor: Disney shutting down rental brokers

[squirrel4569]

Rumor posted on Facebook today was that Disney will be putting rules in places to prevent brokers from renting points, instead requiring owners to do rentals privately. This is due to reservations being made during busy seasons and then being canceled.

The story I've heard is that this will go into effect in August.

Anyone else heard this or have an opinion on it?

 

[CarolMN]

As I understand the more popular brokers' process, the owner actually makes the reservation,, not the broker. So I don't see how Disney can shut them down as there isn't an easy way to tell that a broker was even involved.

 

[han22735]

I agree with the PP. The broker really only handles the $$ part. The owner actually logs in and makes the reservation.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Rentals made during busy seasons then cancelled? That's speculation reservations and not the typical model brokers have used although at least one started carrying those rental listings. Still, they come from owners.

Whose FB had that posting? A guides?

 

[JWigs]

We rent our points out since we don't live Super close to the parks. I think it's a good way for people to use their points if they want or to not have them go to waste.

I'd be upset if the rumor was true bc it allows us to justify having DVC for those years we might not want to go to Disney and you can only bank so many points.

 

[DebbieB]

I don't see where DVC would care if reservations are cancelled. If it's a busy season, someone on the waitlist will get it.

Their bigger concern is probably people renting points instead of reserving a CRO room. But I don't see how they can stop it, it's legal.

 

[disneynutz]

You don't take money from the mouse. If Disney feels that you are, they will take steps to correct the situation.

Bill

 

[smjj]

I don't see where DVC would care if reservations are cancelled. If it's a busy season, someone on the waitlist will get it.

Their bigger concern is probably people renting points instead of reserving a CRO room. But I don't see how they can stop it, it's legal.

The problem is many DVC owners go to make a reservation and can't and have to go on a waitlist and that is stressful, I know we have had to do it. As owners, you would like to make a reservation and not have to worry about waitlists due to people holding then cancelling reservations. I am not saying some waitlist are bad, they are needed and if made by owners who then need to cancel, OK and no problem. Some new owners are already complaining they can't make a reservation at their home resort at the 11 month window and I am sure this has a lot to do with it. For us, we were upset when we could not make a reservation at our 11 month window and had to waitlist for it, it came thru but we worried every day until it did...smjj

 

[DisDadDVC]

Rumor posted on Facebook today was that Disney will be putting rules in places to prevent brokers from renting points, instead requiring owners to do rentals privately. This is due to reservations being made during busy seasons and then being canceled.

The story I've heard is that this will go into effect in August.

Anyone else heard this or have an opinion on it?

Sounds like typical facebook nonsense to me.

 

[DisDadDVC]

The problem is many DVC owners go to make a reservation and can't and have to go on a waitlist and that is stressful, I know we have had to do it. As owners, you would like to make a reservation and not have to worry about waitlists due to people holding then cancelling reservations. I am not saying some waitlist are bad, they are needed and if made by owners who then need to cancel, OK and no problem. Some new owners are already complaining they can't make a reservation at their home resort at the 11 month window and I am sure this has a lot to do with it. For us, we were upset when we could not make a reservation at our 11 month window and had to waitlist for it, it came thru but we worried every day until it did...smjj

I'm confused. What does it matter who is booking the rooms? There are xx number of points out there. DVC is designed to be fully occupied at all times. The reason why there are waitlists is because the demand for that room outstrips the supply. Banning brokers won't change that.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I doubt most of the reserve-then-cancel are DVC rental brokers. Once those book, they are considered final.

 

[msjprincess]

The problem is many DVC owners go to make a reservation and can't and have to go on a waitlist and that is stressful, I know we have had to do it. As owners, you would like to make a reservation and not have to worry about waitlists due to people holding then cancelling reservations. I am not saying some waitlist are bad, they are needed and if made by owners who then need to cancel, OK and no problem. Some new owners are already complaining they can't make a reservation at their home resort at the 11 month window and I am sure this has a lot to do with it. For us, we were upset when we could not make a reservation at our 11 month window and had to waitlist for it, it came thru but we worried every day until it did...smjj

How would stopping brokers change that?

 

[msjprincess]

I doubt most of the reserve-then-cancel are DVC rental brokers. Once those book, they are considered final.

MTE

I think people are less likely to cancel when it's nonrefundable, like it is through a broker.

 

[tjkraz]

The problem is many DVC owners go to make a reservation and can't and have to go on a waitlist and that is stressful, I know we have had to do it. As owners, you would like to make a reservation and not have to worry about waitlists due to people holding then cancelling reservations. I am not saying some waitlist are bad, they are needed and if made by owners who then need to cancel, OK and no problem. Some new owners are already complaining they can't make a reservation at their home resort at the 11 month window and I am sure this has a lot to do with it. For us, we were upset when we could not make a reservation at our 11 month window and had to waitlist for it, it came thru but we worried every day until it did...smjj

When demand is high, demand is high. In your case, you couldn't get a room right at 11 months. Do you really think that there were dozens of rental brokers online at exactly 11 months, reducing your odds of getting a room?

I don't particularly believe this story. However, if DVC is really interested in improving members' odds of booking rooms, here are three things which would have far greater impact than eliminating rental brokers:

1) Increase point costs on dates for which demand is so high that people are having to waitlist at 11 months.
2) Eliminate "walking."
3) Make EVERY change to a reservation a cancellation and re-booking. (This would theoretically eliminate the speculative bookings where profit-seeking members book a high-demand room and work for weeks or months to find a renter.)

But every one of those changes is a case of "be careful what you wish for." They would negatively impact both renters AND the far greater number of owners simply looking to use their points.

I'm quite sure Disney loses some money to rentals but they cannot eliminate rentals.

 

[keishashadow]

I'm confused. What does it matter who is booking the rooms? There are xx number of points out there. DVC is designed to be fully occupied at all times. The reason why there are waitlists is because the demand for that room outstrips the supply. Banning brokers won't change that.

yes, but it might give those who own at very popular resorts just a bit more breathing room when trying to secure 'their home' at the 11 month window. It is not uncommon at all to be shut out especially for the less expensive rooms.

situation is not quite as bad compared to increasing reports of ticket brokers sucking up tickets to popular events, but in the same ballpark imo.

then, there's the issue of revenue paid to the broker for their services, which seems contradictory to the no profit thing as to selling points expressed by DVC.Not having a law degree, could be wrong on this count. Realize many love these services, both members and renters...me, no so much.

I've seen the argument expressed that a member is ultimately entitled to use their points as they see fit. True, but only if they adhere to whatever rules, enforced or otherwise stated. My thoughts are that a combo of two factors is in play: speculative bookings (that may be released relatively last minute) or a member booking directly (upon direction of a broker's client) . Regardless, both effectively decrease the pool of rooms/chance a member has to be enjoying their home resort.

Note that the above is JMHO but coming from a BWV member who is unable to walk her early October reservation she needs due to use year restrictions. I didn't run into issue booking that same week every year at the 11 month window until the professional brokers started to become more common and SSR was built. Other than people becoming more savvy as to booking, I can think of no other factors in play but it's frustrating, no matter the cause.

 

[smjj]

yes, but it might give those who own at very popular resorts just a bit more breathing room when trying to secure 'their home' at the 11 month window. It is not uncommon at all to be shut out especially for the less expensive rooms.

situation is not quite as bad compared to increasing reports of ticket brokers sucking up tickets to popular events, but in the same ballpark imo.

then, there's the issue of revenue paid to the broker for their services, which seems contradictory to the no profit thing as to selling points expressed by DVC.Not having a law degree, could be wrong on this count. Realize many love these services, both members and renters...me, no so much.

I've seen the argument expressed that a member is ultimately entitled to use their points as they see fit. True, but only if they adhere to whatever rules, enforced or otherwise stated. My thoughts are that a combo of two factors is in play: speculative bookings (that may be released relatively last minute) or a member booking directly (upon direction of a broker's client) . Regardless, both effectively decrease the pool of rooms/chance a member has to be enjoying their home resort.

Note that the above is JMHO but coming from a BWV member who is unable to walk her early October reservation she needs due to use year restrictions. I didn't run into issue booking that same week every year at the 11 month window until the professional brokers started to become more common and SSR was built. Other than people becoming more savvy as to booking, I can think of no other factors in play but it's frustrating, no matter the cause.

You stated it much better than I did, thanks...smjj

 

[tjkraz]

Note that the above is JMHO but coming from a BWV member who is unable to walk her early October reservation she needs due to use year restrictions. I didn't run into issue booking that same week every year at the 11 month window until the professional brokers started to become more common and SSR was built. Other than people becoming more savvy as to booking, I can think of no other factors in play but it's frustrating, no matter the cause.

Well, you can eliminate SSR (or any other resort) owners from the equation at 11 months because they have no access to BWV.

I would stay that owners absolutely HAVE become more savvy about booking. Also people are more aggressive about owning at their preferred resort. Today there is undeniably a greater need to book at 11 months for many resorts than there was 10-15 years ago. Many resorts--like BWV--do not have the 7 month availability they once did.

And for many times of the year, the point charts are no longer performing their intended function of balancing member demand. I sound like a broken record but if DVC wants to ensure that resorts aren't full at 11 months for periods like early December and Food & Wine Fest time, they need to adjust the point charts and increase costs for those dates.

I do not have first-hand experience in dealing with the rental brokers. However my understanding is that when a member deposits their points, they attempt to pair that owner up with the first/easiest match of a prospective renter. If the broker has requests for rental dates which are 10 months out and 11.5 months out, they're going to give the business to the 10 month reservation which can be booked immediately.

Asking an owner to be on-line at 8am, exactly 11 months out, is far from the hassle-free transaction I would expect. Especially for periods when it's possible that a room will not even be available.

There are 532 villas at BWV. Really, how many owners do you think brokers have lined-up to book at exactly 11 months for any given day?

 

[disneynutz]

If DVC rentals decreased would Disney room reservations increase? How many points were forfeited each year prior to rental brokers? How much money does Disney lose when DVC owners stay home instead of vacationing at Disney? Can Disney come up with their own program to allow owners to transfer points to Disney at a reduced rate if they did take steps to stop other renting?

Bill

 

[squirrel4569]

I'm not familiar with the rental process through a broker so much, but I know there is a difference in the price paid per point to the owner vs the price paid per point to the broker, so that might also be part of it like a previous poster said. I know that there are some brokers that advertise specific dates and resorts for "sale" at discounted prices, so I'm not sure if those are trips that people booked with the intention of selling or people who have cancelled but can't get their points back due to use year, etc. Some of them are far out though, so they aren't in the holding points window.

It may very well just be that Disney wants more control over it, like the places that booked ADRs for people too. If it's perceived that people are profiting from the DVC contracts of others that could be a problem. If they are trying to limit the number of non-DVC owners that are in DVC rooms that could be it as well.

 

[msjprincess]

yes, but it might give those who own at very popular resorts just a bit more breathing room when trying to secure 'their home' at the 11 month window. It is not uncommon at all to be shut out especially for the less expensive rooms.

situation is not quite as bad compared to increasing reports of ticket brokers sucking up tickets to popular events, but in the same ballpark imo.

then, there's the issue of revenue paid to the broker for their services, which seems contradictory to the no profit thing as to selling points expressed by DVC.Not having a law degree, could be wrong on this count. Realize many love these services, both members and renters...me, no so much.

I've seen the argument expressed that a member is ultimately entitled to use their points as they see fit. True, but only if they adhere to whatever rules, enforced or otherwise stated. My thoughts are that a combo of two factors is in play: speculative bookings (that may be released relatively last minute) or a member booking directly (upon direction of a broker's client) . Regardless, both effectively decrease the pool of rooms/chance a member has to be enjoying their home resort.

Note that the above is JMHO but coming from a BWV member who is unable to walk her early October reservation she needs due to use year restrictions. I didn't run into issue booking that same week every year at the 11 month window until the professional brokers started to become more common and SSR was built. Other than people becoming more savvy as to booking, I can think of no other factors in play but it's frustrating, no matter the cause.

But 11 month bookings are only available to BWV owners.