Special Seasons List Discontinued

[TnRobin]

I just got a letter from DVC Mgmt Corp.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Due to low participation over the last few years, we have decided to discontinue the Spercial Seasons Preference List offered at all our Disney Vacation Club Resorts until further notice.

If you plan on traveling during the time period of December 24 through December 31, please remember that the Home Resort Priority Period guidelines will be in effect. From eleven months through and including eight months in advance of your desired check out date, you have exclusive access to reservations at your Home Resort. Reservations will only be accepted by Members using Home Resort Vacation Points for stays at their Home Resorts. If you wish to reserve Vacation Homes at other Disney Vacation Club Resorts, you may begin requesting reservation seven months in advance of the desired check out date. During this period, all Disney Vacation Club members will be able to request reservations at all Disney Vacation Club Resorts.

Please keep in mind that all reservations are on a first-come first-served basis.

[/quote]

I didn't see this posted before, but it may have come up while I was in California.

Disney Vacation Club Board Co-Moderator
DVC and Cruise Chat Hostess
Cruise Board List Mistress

<font size=4 color=blue font face="Comic Sans MS">Robin

[This message was edited by TnRobin on 04-05-01 at 05:21 PM.]

 

[Joeblack]

I am so glad. It always seemed to me like an absurd idea. Let accomodations go as they should: on a first come first served basis.

 

[dvcdudes]

Funny thing is this was the first time I put my name on the list... and it was discontinued. Oh well. I'm just as happy to call at 11 months out.

DVCDUDES
Owner BWV Feb 2000

 

[Lesley]

I haven't received a letter yet, but I'm a bit disappointed....we were planning on doing Christmas at DVC in 2002 and at the 11 month mark we'll be in WDW...I won't want to be hanging around the room until 9 to call MS! And I assume I'd have to call day by day....grrrrrr.

Well, perhaps we'll change our plans...


Lesley


1979 Contemporary
1992 Off-site
1994 Carribean Beach
1999 Fort Wilderness and Coronado Springs
2000 Polynesian and Old Key West
2002 Boardwalk Villas

 

[Dean]

Send an email or call right before you go and explain the situation. They may have other suggestions. Also with an email, It usually takes 1-2 days for them to get to the emails anyway so that will give you a little lee way. You could also designate a friend or family member and add them as an associate member so they could interact with DVC for you then remove them later. Good luck.

Dean

 

[PKK/MJK]

We received that letter today too. I was very surprised as I thought the Special Seasons Preference List was about the only way to get a ressie during the holidays. We put our name on the list a few months ago--the first time we had used it. Frankly, I'm just as glad we can follow the usual 11/7 rules for making reservations.

Phil and Mary Jo

WDW--82,83,85,87,89,93,95,96, 97,98,99,00,01
DVC/OKW

 

[Doctor P]

I guess I am the only one who must be really angry about the change in policy. I am composing my thoughts and will be sending a measured and carefully written letter to DVC to express my displeasure with the change in policy. I thought the SSPL method was exceedingly fair and made a lot of sense. I saw the SSPL as the only chance I would ever have to make a stay at one of the other WDW DVC resorts (especially BWV).

 

[robinb]

I agree, Doctor P. The SSPL really came in handy this year for our 1 bedroom at BWV for NYE. I prefer OKW all other times, but BWV can't be beat for NYE. Oh well.


-- Robin

 

[kem330]

Robin, I posted this two weeks ago when Doc was in WDW. I had called to be on the list and they said it was cancelled. It doesn't affect me as I own at BW but I think I would be upset if I bought at VB as I originally intended or as in Dr. P's case. Well the one good thing is it will make it harder for renters to get the advance space!

 

[Doctor P]

I want to make it clear that I do not think that though I may be disappointed in the decision, I did not buy in with the expectation that I would be guaranteed the ability to stay at the other DVC resorts. It would be nice for a change once in a while, but when we bought we felt that OKW was the best match with our needs and preferences. It is our home resort, we are happy with our decision to buy into DVC, and the opportunity to regularly go to WDW and stay at OKW (even if it is the only resort we ever stay at when we are there) is truly exciting

 

[eva]

Kem probably has a point here. If someone bought at VB or HH and likes to spend Christmas at WDW it may become nearly impossible now. I guess I am not too concerned since I own at OKW and will probably never go over the holidays. But some owners from offsite resorts may be a bit dissappointed.

 

[Beachangel]

First come, first served

"Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the THINKS you can think up, if only you try." Dr. Seuss

 

[JohnG]

I want to add my agreement to the "First Come First Served" sentiment already voiced by others.

I understand that this new policy may make it harder for me to book Wilderness Lodge or Beach Club DVC during the holidays......but shouldn't it be that way? New Members that are buying into those two locations are doing so at HIGHER costs than any of us who already own.....and they are doing that even though OKW seems fairly available on the Resale market, and even Board Walk appears available with a little patience.

To me, people should ALWAYS buy where they prefer to own, and should never have an artificially constructed opportunity to take away other peoples' 11 month advantage at their home resort.

Hope this doesn't offend anyone.

JG

JohnG
Offsite 73,74,75,76,77,79,80, 82
Poly 82,83,85,86
Carribean Beach 87,88,89,90
Beach Club 91,92,93,95,96
Yacht Club 94
ASM 99
BWDVC 97,98,99,2000 (3 Times)2001 (New Year's for the REAL Millenium!)

DLand 74,78,84,88,92,94,95,96,98

 

[ceejay13]

We don't normally travel at Christmas but did put our name on the SSPL for 2002, and thought we would try it. I too got the letter yesterday and have mixed feelings. It will be interesting to see how difficult it gets at 11 months out for the holidays.

 

[Firefighter Mickey]

The whole idea of the SSPL was to give all members the same opportunity during a very narrow time period. I will be sad to see it go.

I'm not convinced about the reasons that DVC gave. It's easy to say "no one used it" - but they sure seemed pretty busy handling SSPL requests at the 14 month window. I think the truth is more likely to be that is was a real pain for them to deal with, and that they were not consistant in how they handled it.

 

[baileybrad]

a negative way. Sorry. But we have always avoided WDW around this time so it will not impact us. The only question I have is doesn't this now give all home resort owners equal footing when making holiday reservations? That is the advantage that home resort rights is suppose to deliver, isn't it?

 

[Firefighter Mickey]

If you are refering to the 11/7 month window, then yes, removal of the SSPL means that the 11/7 window applies equally to all resorts for all time periods.

The whole idea behind the SSPL though was to allow members to "compete" for accomodations during a specific popular time period regardless of home resort. Remember though that the SSPL never took all of the available rooms at a given resort; a certain percentage of rooms were always left available for the typical 11 month home resort advantage.

I suspect that the real problem(s) was that very few members understood the SSPL or how it worked (witness some of the discussions on this board every 14 months prior to the SSPL period); DVC was inconsistant/sloppy with how the SSPL was implemented - for example, people would call in asking to be put on the SSPL and they weren't, or were removed after 1 year rather than 2 (when people were actually planning more than 2 years in advance), and that DVC was finding it to be pain to actually implement (mainly because of the problems that DVC created in the member education and sloppyness areas).