VGC owners cheated of booking advantage

[Disney_Villain]

It looks like us VGC owners are not going to get a separate booking date in advance of non-VGC owners:

VGC Bookings Begin June 7: No Early Advantage for Owners

Disney Vacation Club has established June 7, 2009 as the day when it will begin accepting reservations for the Villas at Disney's Grand Californian Hotel. Unfortunately it appears that owners will have no Home resort booking advantage for the first seven weeks of its existence.

If anyone of you VGC owners are hoping to book VGC for December 2009 or January 2010, I hope you have a big stroke of luck with calling Member Services on June 7th 2009 - as all members can book VGC at the 7-month window for these months.

 

[amyup]

Oh heck no! They better change that!

 

[karrit2000]

I guess that was to be expected since Non-Founding Current DVC Members didn't get the chance to purchase before the general public either. I prpbably won't be using my points until next May or June anyway so I will still get the 11 month window when I book.

 

[dcfromva]

Maybe they are moving up the date for owners to book?

 

[Laurabearz]

Oooh I might have to see if I can snag something up! Thanks for the heads up!

 

[Disney_Villain]

Maybe they are moving up the date for owners to book?

No. The plan is to have no separate booking dates for owners vs. non-owners.

 

[Disney_Villain]

I guess that was to be expected since Non-Founding Current DVC Members didn't get the chance to purchase before the general public either.

BLT owners got to book BLT two weeks before non-owners could. The same applied to THV with SSR owners.

 

[The Red Head]

That is not cool for the people that purchased there should be some sort of advance booking.

 

[JimMIA]

No. The plan is to have no separate booking dates for owners vs. non-owners.

I don't own at VCG, but this stinks. I wonder what their rationale is???

Why would they NOT give owners preference? Frankly, it sounds like a bone-headed decision.

 

[kerickson]

Why would they make this exception for the month of Dec, one of the highest demand periods for DVC? Doesn't make any sense and I don't think it will stand.

Our contract states:
"...in no event shall the home resort priority period be for less than a period of one (1) month prior to the period during which the other club members have a right to reserve that vacation home during that use day."

The above language should cover us when an opening date is within the 7mo period.

Anyone know TJKRAZ's source? Has this officially been communicated by DVC yet?

 

[CarolMN]

Two thoughts n-

1. Where are you getting this info? Either you haven't copied it exactly or it isn't official. Can't believe Disney would ever publish someth8ing using those words.


2. What's in the VGC POS?

My understanding was that owners are guananteed at least a 1 month booking advantage. Is there language in the POS for VGC that says that doesn't apply for some period when the resort first opens?

 

[Dean]

Actually the problem is that they did allow a priority for recent resorts when the rules of the club did not allow it since they all opened within 7 months of taking reservations. Hopefully they are rectifying that situation going forward.

 

[JimMIA]

Two thoughts n-

1. Where are you getting this info? Either you haven't copied it exactly or it isn't official. Can't believe Disney would ever publish someth8ing using those words.

If I understand OP's post, they are not quoting DVC -- they are quoting an article on DVC News by Tim. Tim -- not DVC -- was saying it's "...unfortunate" and I agree with him.

 

[toocherie]

Actually the problem is that they did allow a priority for recent resorts when the rules of the club did not allow it since they all opened within 7 months of taking reservations. Hopefully they are rectifying that situation going forward.

Dean--just curious as to your rationale for this. Assuming the post above is correct, how do you juxtapose the language that an owner will get a one-month priority with the booking opening less than 7 months prior to resort opening? If anything, I would interpret that to mean that BLT/Kidani owners got cheated out of two weeks of booking priority by only have two weeks priority.

 

[dwelty]

Anyone know TJKRAZ's source? Has this officially been communicated by DVC yet?

I work with Tim over at DVCNews.com His source was a high level spokesperson for DVC.

 

[Dean]

Dean--just curious as to your rationale for this. Assuming the post above is correct, how do you juxtapose the language that an owner will get a one-month priority with the booking opening less than 7 months prior to resort opening? If anything, I would interpret that to mean that BLT/Kidani owners got cheated out of two weeks of booking priority by only have two weeks priority.

The rules say that within 7 months all members are able to book. That owners can book at 11 months up to 7 months without other competition. The way I interpret the POS, they'd have to start taking reservations prior to 7 months out to satisfy the letter of the rules.
I do understand the competing issue of getting a home resort priority vs this issue but as I said, see no way to justify an arbitrary home resort priority within the 7 months window.

 

[ACDSNY]

Not a happy camper!!!

 

[dwelty]

The rules say that within 7 months all members are able to book. That owners can book at 11 months up to 7 months without other competition. The way I interpret the POS, they'd have to start taking reservations prior to 7 months out to satisfy the letter of the rules.
I do understand the competing issue of getting a home resort priority vs this issue but as I said, see no way to justify an arbitrary home resort priority within the 7 months window.

"In no event shall the home resort priority period be for less than a period of one (1) month prior to the period during which the other club members have a right to reserve that vacation home during that use day."

Dean I just see no way around the "in no event" statement. This is very strongly worded. I see no equally strongly worded statement in the document that that guarentees the same for booking at another resort within the 7 month period. I take that statement to mean "no matter what" which would trump any other booking policy. I would not call it arbitrary, since "in no event" is not used when referring to the 7 month window.

Personally this policy does not affect me, I am not booking until late June 2010. But I could see how others might have a problem with it.

 

[drewmisha]

When did bookings for BLT start for the owners? Was it early feb/09? If that was the case, that booking period should be within 7 months since BLT opens early august/09.

Maybe we should email DVC member satifaction about this....

The rules say that within 7 months all members are able to book. That owners can book at 11 months up to 7 months without other competition. The way I interpret the POS, they'd have to start taking reservations prior to 7 months out to satisfy the letter of the rules.
I do understand the competing issue of getting a home resort priority vs this issue but as I said, see no way to justify an arbitrary home resort priority within the 7 months window.

 

[Dean]

"In no event shall the home resort priority period be for less than a period of one (1) month prior to the period during which the other club members have a right to reserve that vacation home during that use day."

Dean I just see no way around the "in no event" statement. This is very strongly worded. I see no equally strongly worded statement in the document that that guarentees the same for booking at another resort within the 7 month period. I take that statement to mean "no matter what" which would trump any other booking policy. I would not call it arbitrary, since "in no event" is not used when referring to the 7 month window.

Personally this policy does not affect me, I am not booking until late June 2010. But I could see how others might have a problem with it.

YMMV. My reading suggests to me that this is a long term statement that would not necessarily apply to opening. As I noted, I realize there is conflict within the POS in this circumstance. Even for the resorts that had a reservation priority, it was never 1 month on opening. I don't believe HH, VB or BWV had any priority.

Members who wish to reserve Vacation Homes at other DVC Resorts may begin requesting reservations seven (7) months in advance of their desired check in day, plus up to seven (7) consecutive days after the desired check in day. During this period, all Club Members will be able to request reservations at all DVC Resorts.

The way I read it is any member would be able to reserve at 7 months out and the 11/10 priority is a long term statement. I do not read it as guaranteeing a 1 month priority no matter when the timing starts. I do not believe this comes under the Pre-opening rules, if it did, DVC/DVD could essentially do anything they wanted to.