Rumor on possible new DVC resort

[Mickey'sApprentice]

But new resorts aren't built for existing owners---unless they are adding on. New resorts are built to be sold, primarily to new owners. If they can't be sold, they can't be built.

I know that existing owners VISITING a new resort doesn't help, but existing owners PURCHASING the new resort does help.

 

[tjkraz]

Disney has a lot more current owners than they did when they build Hilton Head or Vero Beach.

Is there any evidence out there to say that Vero Beach and Hilton Head are more popular today than they were when they were built. I'm thinking that Hilton Head is more popular. However, I've also seen the resale price plummet so I don't know.

Relatively speaking, the resorts should be more popular today than 15 years ago simply because there are more members in the program. But there's an important distinction to be made between occasional bookings at 7 months and a willingness to own points at a new destination.

Aulani will be an important barometer. It takes more than just a desire from members to visit the resort--DVC needs to convince people that they need to OWN at the resort.

And to sell 480 units, Disney cannot just rely on add-on sales from existing members. They need to be able to successfully market Aulani / DVC as a better timeshare option than others like Marriott and Wyndham who also have Hawaii destinations plus dozens of other native resorts across the country.

 

[ssawka]

Relatively speaking, the resorts should be more popular today than 15 years ago simply because there are more members in the program. But there's an important distinction to be made between occasional bookings at 7 months and a willingness to own points at a new destination.

Aulani will be an important barometer. It takes more than just a desire from members to visit the resort--DVC needs to convince people that they need to OWN at the resort.

And to sell 480 units, Disney cannot just rely on add-on sales from existing members. They need to be able to successfully market Aulani / DVC as a better timeshare option than others like Marriott and Wyndham who also have Hawaii destinations plus dozens of other native resorts across the country.

Yes, this is why I am also skeptical as to whether or not there will be a DVC component of the proposed Washington, DC resort. I just don't see many people wanting to buy into the DC resort as their "home".

 

[Mickey'sApprentice]

Relatively speaking, the resorts should be more popular today than 15 years ago simply because there are more members in the program. But there's an important distinction to be made between occasional bookings at 7 months and a willingness to own points at a new destination.

Aulani will be an important barometer. It takes more than just a desire from members to visit the resort--DVC needs to convince people that they need to OWN at the resort.

And to sell 480 units, Disney cannot just rely on add-on sales from existing members. They need to be able to successfully market Aulani / DVC as a better timeshare option than others like Marriott and Wyndham who also have Hawaii destinations plus dozens of other native resorts across the country.

I don't think Aulani will be a good barometer at all. The majority of DVC owners including myself live East of the Mississippi river.

 

[BeccaG]

I don't think Aulani will be a good barometer at all. The majority of DVC owners including myself live East of the Mississippi river.

But I kinda think that's the point of Aulani, to get the international customer's foot in the door. Especially the Japanese for whom Hawaii and Disney are already favorite vacation spots.

 

[wdrl]

I don't think Aulani will be a good barometer at all. The majority of DVC owners including myself live East of the Mississippi river.

A few months ago Jim Lewis stated that about 83% of DVC members live east of the Mississippi River. I believe the VGC and Aulani are attempts to attract new customers that live in the western half of the country.

 

[Mickey'sApprentice]

A few months ago Jim Lewis stated that about 83% of DVC members live east of the Mississippi River. I believe the VGC and Aulani are attempts to attract new customers that live in the western half of the country.

My point was that Aulani would not be a good barometer to see if existing members would add points at a new resort. I would consider adding on elsewhere. I have considered adding on at Hilton Head. However, I am not going to add on at a resort halfway around the world.

For me and dh, airfare to Hawaii would cost more than a somewhat extravagent trip to Walt Disney World.

 

[Dean]

I know that existing owners VISITING a new resort doesn't help, but existing owners PURCHASING the new resort does help.

I don't think one can sell a new resort mostly to existing owners and certainly not one that larger and is not a destination unto itself. They tried that in various ways to a degree with VB/HH/VWL and failed, miserably for HH/VB. They will not be able to sell HI that way and they won't be very successful selling HI the same way they've sold WDW resorts no matter how much they market to CA and the Far East. They'll need a fundamental shift to do so to the level they want to sell. I'm hoping they come up with a formula that works for HI because if they don't, I fear there will be NO more off property resorts. Past failures (HH & VB) have already cost us AT LEAST 3 off property resorts I wish we had.

I don't think Aulani will be a good barometer at all. The majority of DVC owners including myself live East of the Mississippi river.

I suspect the majority of US owners for HI also live in the east.

 

[disney1474]

I'm excited about Hawaii but probably won't ever get out there. Living in Connecticut, the price for airfare is ridiculous and it's a long flight for my two girls (4 and 6). I hope Disney will build a resort in the carribean so it will make alot of east coast members happy Anyone else agree?

 

[jerseygal]

Your kids will one day be "big kids" who can manage the long flight...Or maybe you'll be like us and want to go to Hawaii one day by yourselves without kids! Why would you fly from Bradley International? You'd probably get a much better deal from Newark, JFK, or Laguardia!

We're looking forward to Ko Olina to celebrate our 30 yr anniversary, once our youngest "baby" is tucked safely away at college!!

KO OLINA LOOKS AWESOME! CAN'T WAIT TILL OUR 30TH ANNIVERSARY TO KICK UP OUR HEELS AND CELEBRATE!

Trust me, by the time your youngest "baby" reaches college, its time to CELEBRATE!!!

CAN'T WAIT TILL WE SEE MORE PICS OF KO OLINA AS TIME PASSES!

 

[Paulie656]

Has anyone else seen the new news on Screamscape this morning?

"???? - New DVC Resort - Rumor - (6/5/10) While I haven’t heard anything more about that rumored new DVC resort project across from the Coronado, other sources have confirmed that Disney is currently attempting to finalize plans to create a DVC add-on to the Grand Floridian. "

What do we think?

 

[dianeschlicht]

Instead of building a new resort they should go on an existing points buying spree and snap up all the resales sitting out there. Then they could just resell the points at the new higher price.

It does DVC no good to have lots of unsold memberships out there. It devalues the product, and it means less dues coming in, so less upkeep potential on the resorts.

 

[Dean]

It does DVC no good to have lots of unsold memberships out there. It devalues the product, and it means less dues coming in, so less upkeep potential on the resorts.

Diane, while there are negatives to the system, technically someone does own the points and pay the dues on ROFR points. However, there is a LOT less to no profit in the ROFR points overall than in new sales.

 

[dizfan]

Has anyone else seen the new news on Screamscape this morning?

"???? - New DVC Resort - Rumor - (6/5/10) While I haven’t heard anything more about that rumored new DVC resort project across from the Coronado, other sources have confirmed that Disney is currently attempting to finalize plans to create a DVC add-on to the Grand Floridian. "

What do we think?

Love the idea of GF DVC. With the MK expansion in progress, it makes sense for them to do something here.

 

[TLPL]

Magic Kingdom is not expanding, it will be the same size as they'va always been. They are just removing toontown fair and expanding Fantasyland. The park capacity aren't going to increase.

 

[ransom]

Magic Kingdom is not expanding, it will be the same size as they'va always been. They are just removing toontown fair and expanding Fantasyland. The park capacity aren't going to increase.

Don't you think ride & restaurant capacity will increase?

 

[Chuck S]

Don't you think ride & restaurant capacity will increase?

Probably not enough to have any significant overall impact. Mickey's Star Land housed a large theater, and the meet and greets in ToonTown were pretty popular.

Remember that they are also losing the capacity of what was there before.

 

[Brian Noble]

Magic Kingdom is not expanding, it will be the same size as they'va always been. They are just removing toontown fair and expanding Fantasyland. The park capacity aren't going to increase.

Yes and no.

The Fantasy Forest plot is going to take up all of the old 20K plot/showbuilding (only a small corner of this was used for the Pooh area), *plus* the ToonTown plot. The new meet&greet areas easily take the place of the County Fair, plus the Little Mermaid attraction is (I think) an omni-mover, and those are people eaters on the order of 2K/hour. Gaston's/Be Our Guest is a pure addition; there isn't really any food service in Toontown other that that fruit stand.

That's all still within the current bounds of the railroad, so it's not "expanding" in terms of borders, but it is a significant increase in area.

WDW Magic has some details:
http://www.wdwmagic.com/Attractions/Fantasyland.htm

 

[El&Asmom]

Has anyone else seen the new news on Screamscape this morning?

"???? - New DVC Resort - Rumor - (6/5/10) While I haven’t heard anything more about that rumored new DVC resort project across from the Coronado, other sources have confirmed that Disney is currently attempting to finalize plans to create a DVC add-on to the Grand Floridian. "

What do we think?

I'd have no interest in a DVC at the GF. It's too stuffy for our taste. Poly would be a different story though, but I think they are able to sell rooms at the Poly easily, so why bother converting a portion to DVC?

 

[Simba's Mom]

I'd have no interest in a DVC at the GF. It's too stuffy for our taste.

I feel the same way. Somehow when I walk into GF, I'm waiting for someone to come up and say "Sorry, you don't belong here" and escort me out.