Spring Direct Incentives 2/9-4/27

[AstroBlasters]

My theory remains that the refurbs for every resort will come with a big dues increase afterwards. The amortization for refurbs would have began on pre-covid pricing. When the bill comes due for the post-covid refurb, the dues will adjust accordingly. At a minimum, I think a little bit of "catch up" is unavoidable.

Maybe the bean counters have the good sense to increase the budget for the refurb based on inflation levels AND making up for the years they collected at pre-covid levels.

There is definitely logic to your thought process. I would prefer that they have the dues set at the replacement cost of the standard of amenities and appliances when the resort was new and not to downgrade them overtime.

 

[Cfabar1]

There is definitely logic to your thought process. I would prefer that they have the dues set at the replacement cost of the standard of amenities and appliances when the resort was new and not to downgrade them overtime.

Exactly.... at a minimum...

Look at what they did at VGF in the 2022 refurb....

TVs in bathroom... gone
Paneling on Refrigerator... gone...

Murphy Bed style shrunk from original renderings...

all are cost cutting moves...

How about maintaining (or exceeding) the type of standard we were promised with the refurbs...

The BWV refurbs I think could have been much more a step up than they were...

Some have been a tremendous success though like Boulder Ridge... and a newer resort, Bay Lake Tower... Animal Kingdom was mostly solid, though removing the lamps and shrinking the tub is a bit of a slap in the face...

 

[Girlstar30]

Exactly.... at a minimum...

Look at what they did at VGF in the 2022 refurb....

TVs in bathroom... gone
Paneling on Refrigerator... gone...

Murphy Bed style shrunk from original renderings...

all are cost cutting moves...

How about maintaining (or exceeding) the type of standard we were promised with the refurbs...

The BWV refurbs I think could have been much more a step up than they were...

Some have been a tremendous success though like Boulder Ridge... and a newer resort, Bay Lake Tower... Animal Kingdom was mostly solid, though removing the lamps and shrinking the tub is a bit of a slap in the face...

Couldn't agree more to all of this...

 

[Add-On-Itis]

Exactly.... at a minimum...

Look at what they did at VGF in the 2022 refurb....

TVs in bathroom... gone
Paneling on Refrigerator... gone...

Murphy Bed style shrunk from original renderings...

all are cost cutting moves...

How about maintaining (or exceeding) the type of standard we were promised with the refurbs...

The BWV refurbs I think could have been much more a step up than they were...

Some have been a tremendous success though like Boulder Ridge... and a newer resort, Bay Lake Tower... Animal Kingdom was mostly solid, though removing the lamps and shrinking the tub is a bit of a slap in the face...

One theory I have. They need to make the sold out resorts less attractive to make the active one more attractive.

 

[Disney.dad]

The total cumulative points chart per room definitively has a major impact on the dues. VGF high points chart but relative low dues. Cabins very high dues but low points chart for an almost 1 bedroom. Lakeshore is going to have a points chart somewhere in the Riviera/ Poly realm and I am sure it will get some help with the large scale to hold dues down unless it is combined with the cabins. Polynesian and copper creek are both helped a ton lower by all the bungalows and Cascade Cabins but copper creek availability is hurt by it drastically for other room types.

 

[camm2015]

As we get closer to the end of the incentive period, I'm debating adding 100pts direct at Poly. We don't need the points until 2027 so in no rush, but we all know the prices just go up. I have an August UY, so waiting until next incentive period can save me some 2026 dues while still getting points for Magical Beginnings. Anyone have insight on how the summer incentives usually stack up against the spring ones?

 

[VGCgroupie]

As we get closer to the end of the incentive period, I'm debating adding 100pts direct at Poly. We don't need the points until 2027 so in no rush, but we all know the prices just go up. I have an August UY, so waiting until next incentive period can save me some 2026 dues while still getting points for Magical Beginnings. Anyone have insight on how the summer incentives usually stack up against the spring ones?

Waiting even if incentives are lower now seems smarter

 

[atthebeachclub]

As we get closer to the end of the incentive period, I'm debating adding 100pts direct at Poly. We don't need the points until 2027 so in no rush, but we all know the prices just go up. I have an August UY, so waiting until next incentive period can save me some 2026 dues while still getting points for Magical Beginnings. Anyone have insight on how the summer incentives usually stack up against the spring ones?

I think the minimum for Magical Beginnings is 150 points. Can you do that?

Incentive prediction is hard. I’m wrong as often as I’m right!

 

[camm2015]

I think the minimum for Magical Beginnings is 150 points. Can you do that?

Incentive prediction is hard. I’m wrong as often as I’m right!

So many wrinkles with all this, I didn't even know this. Thanks for the insight. I would probably bank the 2025 points into 2026 and try to shuffle around our Sept trip's point allocation since it was made under 7 months, then bank those points into 2027.

 

[Add-On-Itis]

I think the minimum for Magical Beginnings is 150 points. Can you do that?

Incentive prediction is hard. I’m wrong as often as I’m right!

Straddling between incentive period is a good move.

 

[DVC Gma]

Considering how much time I spend cleaning the kitchen at home, I've always wondered how much time housekeeping spends on the kitchens. Do they clean everything, or only if it looks dirty?

It won't surprise you that I don't use anything in a DVC kitchen without cleaning it myself first.

Last May at BWV 1 bed on cash stay, I kept kitchen mostly clean. Mousekeeping would put the couple of cups in dishwasher and run it again. They cleaned the kitchen everyday, dishes included. We did breakfast in the room and they cleaned later in the day. Like we would be back for naps (I was with DD family with littles) around 1 and we would have to delay them until around 4, sometimes not until 6.
Maybe it depends on each Mousekeeper that does it? Or was it due to cash stay?

edit to add: I didn't expect any level of this service. I clean my own kitchen at home, so I would here too.

 

[PolyRob]

One theory I have. They need to make the sold out resorts less attractive to make the active one more attractive.

VGF was in active sales with the Big Pine Key conversion the same year the OG VGF building completed its refurb.

I think some of @Cfabar1 ’s differences, at least with VGF, comes down to soft goods v hard goods refurb. I’m hoping the future hard goods refurb keeps the same luxe victorian theming.

 

[Cfabar1]

VGF was in active sales with the Big Pine Key conversion the same year the OG VGF building completed its refurb.

I think some of @Cfabar1 ’s differences, at least with VGF, comes down to soft goods v hard goods refurb. I’m hoping the future hard goods refurb keeps the same luxe victorian theming.

My personal theory is a lot of the refurbs I don’t care for - VGF 1.5, BWV, BCV all happened at the same time - under Mr. Bob Chapek’s regime… i think that cost cutting was a huge reason behind the changes personally…

That said, removing the jetted tubs only continues, and while I understand from a labor standpoint… given the fractional ownership model, they could have added the air bubbles, or at a minimum kept the very large size of the tubs… since we pay for the refurbs, i don’t know why they can’t at least keep them as good as possible… we also pay for the labor too, so idk what the issue is…

 

[Girlstar30]

My personal theory is a lot of the refurbs I don’t care for - VGF 1.5, BWV, BCV all happened at the same time - under Mr. Bob Chapek’s regime… i think that cost cutting was a huge reason behind the changes personally…

That said, removing the jetted tubs only continues, and while I understand from a labor standpoint… given the fractional ownership model, they could have added the air bubbles, or at a minimum kept the very large size of the tubs… since we pay for the refurbs, i don’t know why they can’t at least keep them as good as possible… we also pay for the labor too, so idk what the issue is…

All I know is housekeeping was very happy that the akv jacuzzi tubs were gone

 

[Cfabar1]

All I know is housekeeping was very happy that the akv jacuzzi tubs were gone

I have no doubt… and maybe if we keep lowering what the expectation is housekeeping may find not so many of them are needed at all… I recently have come to learn value resorts get cleaned every other day… yet DVC as deluxe we only get cleaned if you’re there over a week!

 

[atthebeachclub]

I’ve heard such stories about the jetted tubs I don’t think I want them! Sounds like maybe they’re a mold and bacteria risk? And it’s already so damp there.

 

[Cfabar1]

I’ve heard such stories about the jetted tubs I don’t think I want them! Sounds like maybe they’re a mold and bacteria risk? And it’s already so damp there.

Can’t they put in big tubs instead of replacing big tubs with small tubs… even if the jets are an issue though?

 

[Brian Noble]

How much smaller are they? It's possible that the actual tub is not all that much smaller, but without the jet infrastructure, it takes much less space.

 

[PolyRob]

My personal theory is a lot of the refurbs I don’t care for - VGF 1.5, BWV, BCV all happened at the same time - under Mr. Bob Chapek’s regime… i think that cost cutting was a huge reason behind the changes personally…

That said, removing the jetted tubs only continues, and while I understand from a labor standpoint… given the fractional ownership model, they could have added the air bubbles, or at a minimum kept the very large size of the tubs… since we pay for the refurbs, i don’t know why they can’t at least keep them as good as possible… we also pay for the labor too, so idk what the issue is…

That could be. I personally dislike the Moana and Incredibles rooms on the cash sides of Poly and CR. Who wants AoA at a deluxe resort? That was 100% Chapek! With that said I do think the Mary Poppins GF cash and Big Pine Key resort studios are tasteful and lobby overall at GF is nice (all probably designed under him too).

We just need to make sure the hards good refurb goes well!

 

[Girlstar30]

I have no doubt… and maybe if we keep lowering what the expectation is housekeeping may find not so many of them are needed at all… I recently have come to learn value resorts get cleaned every other day… yet DVC as deluxe we only get cleaned if you’re there over a week!

Theyre certainly making decent $$$ from what I saw on the dues