Saw a DVC Informercial this morning on TV

[jschrots]

Crazy...at 7am there it was on TV. Hosted by the same girl that hosts when you stay at a Disney Hotel on the DVC channel. Are Disney DVC sales suffering?

 

[Jason@dvcstore]

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/os-state-of-time-share-industry-20110329,0,883153.story

In case you don't read the whole article:
__________
"We survived, we're beginning to thrive," said Jim Lewis, president of Celebration-based Disney Vacation Club and the time-share association's outgoing chairman. "We might not be there yet — we're clearly not all the way there — but there are some encouraging signs."

The time-share business, largely based in Central Florida, is climbing out of a deep hole. The industry fell from a high of more than $10 billion in sales in 2007 to $6.3 billion in 2009. Final numbers have not yet been released for 2010, but sales are expected to be on par with or slightly higher than those of the previous year.
___________

Jason

 

[Metsoskil]

I saw it, too. At 5:30 AM here.

Not a coincidence that the infomercial stresses heavily the ability to "travel to exotic destinations all over the world" right after the March 20 changes.

 

[Joey7295]

I want to see this infomercial. Is it shown often?

 

[Metsoskil]

I want to see this infomercial. Is it shown often?

Every half hour at every Disney Resort.

 

[shonadamson]

I think it is on the Travel Channel every morning. It is called Disney Storybook .

 

[mjc2003]

So funny that this thread started, b/c I just returned hours ago from a trip to Captiva and Naples and on our last night in Captiva, I saw the informercial. My wife and I ended up watching the whole thing. I didn't know if it was only showing in Florida, I guess not.
I thought it was poorly done.
Firstly, they stress the ability to travel abroad with the running disclaimer that "Adventure and Concierge Collections are only available when buying direct from Disney", but it appears they are using RCI exchanges as an example, and at one point they even say that there are "over 500 locations to choose from". They highlight 4 families in 4 different stages of their lives, and two of the four are shown in England, and Hawaii respectively. Is this really how you sell people on Disney? By showing a family in England? Also, they don't once show any DVC resorts except for AKV (briefly) and BLT.
It was all very ambiguous, as if travel outside of Disney was how many DVC members use their points; there was little clarity about where in Disney the points could be used.

I understand the AK and BLT push, but the layperson would assume these are the two resorts where you can use your points.
There was a rendering of the new Hawaii DVC, but they showed a family vacationing elsewhere in Hawaii....huh? Are they selling on using RCI in Hawaii when they are about to open their own resort? Didn't make much sense.

I just thought it was foolish to focus 50% of the commercial on travel outside of Disney, and foolish to exclude the diverse options all the DVC resorts have to offer.

 

[ChiSoxKeith]

I saw it, too. At 5:30 AM here.

Not a coincidence that the infomercial stresses heavily the ability to "travel to exotic destinations all over the world" right after the March 20 changes.

coincidence?

The infomercial is for buying direct......

 

[Lewisc]

The commercial has been airing in ABC Family (HD). It shows up in the program guide.

Posters are suggesting BLT is close to selling out. The infomercial may be intended to help sales in Hawaii as much as WDW.

Disney is rumored to be considering DVC in National Harbor. Might be trying to build up interest.

 

[Brian Noble]

Not a coincidence that the infomercial stresses heavily the ability to "travel to exotic destinations all over the world" right after the March 20 changes.

Most of those "exotic" destinations are via RCI, for which post-3/20 resales are still eligible.

 

[jngwright]

The final family in the infomercial are DISer's. There is a thread somewhere on here that documents their experience.

A little personal side note. We have thought about DVC for years, but have never done a tour or talked to a guide. When I saw the infomercial last fall, it gave me the nudge to call. They sent the Dream info, assigned me a guide, and we are now owners. So, the informercial worked..for us at least

 

[sschneid]

I was hoping for more in this commercial - I was surprised they didn't highlight the new development in TMK or the potential new DVC that is rumored to be in the works...

 

[NancyDVC]

This infomercial has been running for 2-3 months. It has shown up on several different cable channels in my area at all different times from overnight to midday.

 

[Metsoskil]

Most of those "exotic" destinations are via RCI, for which post-3/20 resales are still eligible.

Yes. That was my point.