Thoughts about new waitlist policy for ad ons...

[lenshanem]

tjkraz, picking on me?

OK, if I were new, just looking to buy into DVC I'd probably opt for SSR just because of the longer contract date. Saying I hadn't been around on the DVC board and if I didn't know any better I would totally fall for the you can stay at any of the other resort w/o any problems sales pitch. Although this is true to some extent, you are adding a TON of new members into the pool, many wanting to stay at the other resorts. Shoot, maybe a few don't want to stay at SSR at all, but they think it is the only way to get in and that longer contract date is appealing. (Didn't people do this with VB?)

I understand about inventory, but if more members are added into the pool wanting to get VWL or BCV, the smaller resorts, all calling around the seven month window your chances then become much smaller. After a few unsuccessful tries trying to book closer in I'm sure many will wise up, thus making VWL and BCV hard to get. I love BW, I think it should be easier to get then BCV, but I can probably forget about a BW view again in the future.

 

[tjkraz]

Originally posted by LIFERBABE
Why have it "on hand" when they have ROFR? ROFR is like their very own golden goose laying golden eggs on demand.

If they rely on ROFR, there may not be a particularly attractive contract that meets the desired criteria currently waiting on ROFR. When a member calls, they would then have to either ask him/her to wait, or exercise ROFR on a particularly unappealing contract. And the contract isn't signed, sealed and delivered until closing. So, even if they grab some points for a prospective member, DVC may be stuck holding the points anyway if the sale does not go through.

I can't see DVC needing to keep more than 300-400 pts for a handful of Use Years at each resort. Maintenance wouldn't be too incredibly high on the few thousand points they'd be holding, and they could always use the points to sell cash stays.

 

[tjkraz]

Originally posted by lenshanem
I understand about inventory, but if more members are added into the pool wanting to get VWL or BCV, the smaller resorts, all calling around the seven month window your chances then become much smaller. After a few unsuccessful tries trying to book closer in I'm sure many will wise up, thus making VWL and BCV hard to get. I love BW, I think it should be easier to get then BCV, but I can probably forget about a BW view again in the future.

I just don't believe that it will ever come to that. Personally, I just don't envision a time when every single room at a resort, even BCV or VWL, is booked solid within hours or days of the 7 month window opening.

And even when resorts book up faster, I'm a firm believer that the longer people try to plan ahead, the greater chance that plans will change as the travel date approaches. Thus there will be a lot more waitlist success.

While I think it's more than fair to warn prospective members of the impact of the 11/7 months and the potential difficulty booking in the future, I also think it is over-emphasized at times. There have been pleanty of posts in the past from people who have said "I've been a member for 5 years and have never had a problem booking another resort under 7 months."

If you love BWV and want that boardwalk view, then it might make sense to add-on there.

Personally, I think all of the resort have their own upside, and I rarely envision myself being disappointed with our options. Given a choice between adding SSR points for 49 years at $85 each, vs. another resort with 38 years left at $89 each, I'd take SSR every time.

Others will certainly disagree and want the comfort of the 11 month window. To me, it just isn't a big deal.

Besides, as soon as the Contemporary Villas open, demand will change all throughout the program.