The "Famous" Member Survey

[PamOKW]

In another thread today Dean mentioned the member survey. There was a survey conducted more recently on general DVC but the one where OKW members were asked about the pool was done in 1999.

Since we often refer to this survey, I'll paraphrase the results as they appear in the Vol. 9 No. 1 2000 VM

In the fall of 1999 surveys were sent to 7,500 DVC members. They reached a representative sample of Members based on home resort, length of membership, domestic vs. international and Vacation Point package size. 1/3 were completed and returned.

Overall satisfaction with DVC membership was 93% rating either excellent or very good.

When asked: In the Studio do you prefer two queen beds or one queen bed plus a sleeper sofa, the tabulations were Two Queen Beds - 52%; Queen Bed plus sofa -- 30%; No preference/other -- 18%.

Members who hold a real estate interest in OKW were asked opinion on adding 2 motorcoach routes to & from Disney MGM and Epcot at an estimated rate of $.03 per point (1999 dollars). 41% would support; 59% would not.

OKW real estate holders were also asked their opnion on adding a slide at OKW. There would be a one-time cost of approximately $.05 per point plus an estimated $.02 (1999 dollars) per vacation point for lifeguards required with the slide. Of those responding, 42% would support; 58% would not.

The closing paragraph may be of interest:

While no immediate action is planned based on the results of the survey, the feedback provided by the survey will be used as one more source of information to be considered when decisions are made about the Disney Vacation Club program and Resorts. Even if you were not included in this survey, we encourage all Members to contact us at any time and share your thoughts regarding your membership. Simply write to DVC Member Services, 200 Celebration Place, Celebration, FL 34747.

 

[PamOKW]

By the way, what happened to the DIS Survey thread?

 

[AZKathy]

Thank you for the information!

 

[KNWVIKING]

What I find interesting are the stat's. In the many pool slide threads on the boards,the No Slide members always refered back to this survey stating the vote was 2 thirds against. 58-to-42 is significantly closer then 67-to-33. On the recent sofa thread, the Keep The Queens members again refered to this survey and again stated the vote was 2-1 in their favor. Actually only 52% wanted to keep it as is,48% either wanted change or didn't care. It doesn't make anyones opinions more right or wrong but I do find it encouraging that more then just one third of the membership thinks like I do. The stat I'm most amazed at though is the bus routes. People are always complaining about the buses at OKW but apparently 59% don't want to spend a dime to improve it. Maybe those are the 59% that always have a car and don't use buses,but I doubt it.
.

 

[DebbieB]

On the recent sofa thread, the Keep The Queens members again refered to this survey and again stated the vote was 2-1 in their favor. Actually only 52% wanted to keep it as is,48% either wanted change or didn't care.

Original Survey Question:

When asked: In the Studio do you prefer two queen beds or one queen bed plus a sleeper sofa, the tabulations were Two Queen Beds - 52%; Queen Bed plus sofa -- 30%; No preference/other -- 18%.

I think the intent of the question was for input on designing future resorts, not changing current ones. They did not limit the question to OKW members, so it wasn't specifically directed to them like the pool slide & bus questions. So it wasn't a "keep or change" question. You could also turn the numbers around and say 70% preferred two queens or no preference, only 30% wanted the queen bed plus sofa.

 

[KNWVIKING]

Debbie, I don't think you can turn the numbers around to 70-30 when applied to the sofa thread. The thread was basically a "change or not to change" debate. Only 52 said NO CHANGE so you can't add the DON'T CARES to their tally. It's unimportant regardless since apparently it was a DVC question rather then a OKW questions. What's a little strange about the question though is if it didn't specifically apply to OKW,then why ask ? By the time the survey came out BWV was complete & I pretty sure VWL was too and DVC had already made the decided the answer without asking.

 

[DebbieB]

As I said, I think they were looking for input for future resorts. Maybe BWV members were not happy with their arrangement. Since BWV is all lockoffs, maybe members were not happy with the 1 queen/1 sofabed arrangement in the second bedroom if they had the max 8 people. This maybe reflected in the fact that VWL and BCV have 2 queens in the dedicated 2 bedrooms.

I was kind of playing "devils advocate" when I said 70/30, but you also can't turn them into 52/48. Leave them as is - 52/30/18. I think if the question was worded "keep or change" (based on resort) many of the "no preference" would have voted one way or the other. If someone truely had no preference, I think they would be more likely to vote as is rather than to change things.

 

[PamOKW]

The stat I'm most amazed at though is the bus routes.

As I recall, this question did not make sense to me the way it was phrased. The wording suggested that OKW currently had one bus that went to both MGM and Epcot and did members want to pay more to have two bus routes. Since there had always been two bus routes the question didn't make sense to me. It sounded as if they wanted members to pay for something they already had. (Having been through the "pay for towels" change, I thought it was another way to nickel & dime members.)

If the question was, would you pay $.03 more for additional bus service, my answer would have been yes.

I remember seeing the questions but I'm not sure whether I actually received a survey....brain cells are going fast.

 

[PKS44]

The other interesting thing to note is that this is information that is/was applicable 3 years ago...it may not breakdown the same way now...I know of an issue around this part of the country that I won't specify because the thread could go off on a tangent about that issue, but the issue was voted down once...people kept bringing it back up and by the third time it was well supported and has become now a complete nonissue, with only a few diehards still complaining about the change in the local laws pertaining to this issue....the point is that old survey results may be outdated---and the issue may not go away (and with the end of SAB hopping it may be more relevant than ever). I would not be the least surprised if another survey is taken....I would be surprised if the results were significantly different.

Also, as I understand it, the cost of a new pool area would be a one time fee for the average OKW person of a one time charge of about $12-$13 and a yearly added cost of $4 or $5? Surely the issue was not decided on money if that is the case. So when OKW members say it is not about money I think you have to believe that. There should be no more talk that this is an issue of costs, if these numbers are correct.

 

[CaptainMidnight]

I thought this thread was going to be about a survey of famous members. My wife thought she saw John Lovitz at Vero in May. Any other famous DVC members?

 

[Richyams]

59% don't want to spend a dime to improve it. Maybe those are the 59% that always have a car and don't use buses,but I doubt it.

I could make just as silly of a statement:

I Can't believe that 41% of DVC members are so poor that they can't afford a rental car, what's worse is that they want other members to help with their poverty by forcing them to pay for bus service.



This statement is just as valid as yours, except mine was in jest, you weren't serious either, were you?

Obviously, I am very well aware that some people just don't want to drive, some even have a rentel car that sits parked all week, thats why my statement is so silly. Personally, I have never gotten on a bas even once, I detest being at the mercy of something else, like a bus, I always have a car, I have actually never been to WDW without a car and I think the vast majority of Members are similar, this actually makes your statement more silly than mine and also more insulting than mine.

How come just about every trip report that mentions bus service from OKW, says that they had no problem with the service and the busses were running great?

The one comment that WE DO SEE VERY OFTEN is about the noise from the busses, anyone think there is a chance that already good service and noise is a reason for the 2/3 vote against added busses? (59% is closer to two thirds than it is to 1/2) if you really want to get nit picky, we can say 3/5, but for accuaracys sake, 2/3 is plenty close enough.

I agree with Debbie, I think the reason for the survey and what the results showed was that people weren't happy with BWV. I think this is proven by the fact that the new resorts all have a mix or room setups....even though both the newer resorts are much smaller than BWV.

 

[KNWVIKING]

We saw Dom Deluise his family eating in Morracco.

 

[Richyams]

If you willnotice, so far the poll about hving a car at WDW is higher than 70%.

Your insulting statement will look real bad if those numbers keep up.

 

[KNWVIKING]

..isn't the only studio option at BCV a bed/sofa ? On the DVC site,if you bring up BCV studio's, they only show that arrangement. If that is the case,and the survey question was meant for unhappy BWV owners,didn't DVC totally ignore the results of the poll ?

 

[KNWVIKING]

You were insulted by my comment ? I know you have thicker skin then that.

I guess I've never read a thread where the topic was the great bus service at OKW. I have read others defend it though.

 

[PamOKW]

While I didn't see her, I was told Katie Couric had stayed with her family in a beach cottage at Vero. A variety of celebrities have stayed at OKW, especially when they used to do some filming at Disney Studios.

 

[PamOKW]

I agree that it might be time to re-survey DVC members on a variety of issues. The membership has grown significantly in the last few years and the impact of eliminating SAB hopping might influence some folks decision.

Just a reminder, you don't necessarily have to wait for a survey. Whenever you have an idea or comment, let DVC know. They take all input into consideration.

 

[Richyams]

You are insinuating that OKW people are too cheap to vote for more busses. I, and many others, believe that there is no need for more busses.

Personally, I think they should cut the number they now use, but I do understand the need to have them at all.

The reason has nothing to do with cost.

The reason I am against changing the pools has nothing to do with cost either.

 

[KNWVIKING]

... there was no insult or insinuation in my comment. I posted my explanation on your Poll thread. Why would I insinuate OKW'ers are cheap ? I am one.

For the record,I don't post insults. I also don't post all those little smiley things. Any sarcasim I post is clearly interpreted as a joke, obvious to all.

 

[erikthewise]

I'm just glad OKW doesn't vote on school levies! Y'All are a tough sell.

I just assumed that studios don't have 2 queens to encourage families of 4 to go for the 1BR suites. Personally I'd love for BCV to have put 2 queens in the studios, and surely a queen bed isn't more expensive than a sleeper sofa? Or is it?