VGF cheaper than RIV Direct

[Ruttangel]

Even if it's only by $1, may as well take the cheaper resort.

Got to be honest, this would be me, take the cheapest option.
If a guide is presenting finance costs which include dues then at the minute it’s cheaper for both monthly points cost and monthly dues payments

 

[tjkraz]

Ouch. IMO, a natural result of no APs, DVC or otherwise. That's got to be killing guides right now.

Total DVC sales are within a range we would expect at 140-150k per month. The issue here is that Riviera has been outselling Grand Floridian by a significant margin.

It's a pretty big leap to conclude that APs have a significant impact on sales without any evidence to support. Most new buyers are coming in at 150-200 points. You don't need an AP to make 1 visit per year work. And most new buyers are accustomed to using MYW tickets.

 

[RoseGold]

It's a pretty big leap to conclude that APs have a significant impact on sales without any evidence to support.

These boards used to be full of math justifying decades of a three figure AP discount as why to buy direct. APs are pulled and suddenly nobody wanted that anyway, LOL.

I know I wouldn't have touched DVC without APs in play.

Heck, even if DVC offered Pixie Pass and corralled the unfavorables into the cheap seats, but nope.

 

[supersnoop]

Got to be honest, this would be me, take the cheapest option.
If a guide is presenting finance costs which include dues then at the minute it’s cheaper for both monthly points cost and monthly dues payments

How many years are you losing for that $1?

 

[Ruttangel]

How many years are you losing for that $1?

2064 is so far away I just can’t see a new member caring about that

 

[Brian Noble]

How many years are you losing for that $1?

None. I'll be dead by then---and that's even if I get away with the years (decades?) worth of "city miles" I put on the chassis.

 

[tjkraz]

These boards used to be full of math justifying decades of a three figure AP discount as why to buy direct. APs are pulled and suddenly nobody wanted that anyway, LOL.

The people collectively buying 150K points per month clearly don't view it as a critical factor.

Personally I've owned annual passes maybe 15% of the time since we've been DVC owners. Everyone has different travel habits. For one trip per year, MYW tickets cost less than an Annual Pass....in some cases far less.

 

[Sandisw]

These boards used to be full of math justifying decades of a three figure AP discount as why to buy direct. APs are pulled and suddenly nobody wanted that anyway, LOL.

I know I wouldn't have touched DVC without APs in play.

Heck, even if DVC offered Pixie Pass and corralled the unfavorables into the cheap seats, but nope.

Except the lack of AP sales have not had the same impact at RIV as they did for VGF.

So, it possible could be having some impact on sales overall but not sure how it translates to only being import for VGF and not RIV. .

 

[RoseGold]

Parks are packed and the kiosks are all staffed up. They'd love to throw around a whopping $150 whole dollar discount on the AP! WOW!

If APs do come back in the spring, I bet DVC is even to cheap to discount it, like they were a year ago.

 

[pkrieger2287]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1593311787113484289

 

[havoc315]

It's a LITTLE more nuanced than that, IMO.

Unquestionably. But also unquestionable that for some buyers, they will just go with the cheapest. No idea how many.

In my experience, most Guides are pretty fair regarding the 7 month window. Especially if they've got a buyer who has reached the point of weighing RIV vs VGF. Few Guides would steer them to RIV with some sort of false promise that they'll have "no problem booking VGF at 7 months."

I asked my guide this exact question when I bought at Riviera. I got a waffled answer... "it really depends on the time of year.. it's not guaranteed... you usually have options at 7 months"

It was almost like the guide was trained to be afraid of that question.

Anyway.... I think it takes time to fully appreciate the pros and cons of "home resort."

 

[pkrieger2287]

I think Polynesian is the driving factor with the push towards Grand Floridian. They don't want to have Grand Floridian points still selling when the new Polynesian tower launches. I think all indicators are pointing towards it being part of the existing Poly association as well.

 

[Nursemanit]

What gets lost after Dec 1st for RIV is the “ double points” incentive.

I think they want to push out VGF prior to PVB - Or they are just drunk monkeys with dartboards.

 

[supersnoop]

2064 is so far away I just can’t see a new member caring about that

None. I'll be dead by then---and that's even if I get away with the years (decades?) worth of "city miles" I put on the chassis.

If six years of use isn't valuable, then how can anyone believe that a $300 savings on a 150 point contract is leading people to choose one resort over the other?

 

[Brian Noble]

I don't know, I'm just a guy on DISboards. Maybe ask the people in charge of DVC pricing strategy? They seem to believe something like that. Or, maybe it's just some random fluke that the prices crossed and it doesn't mean anything.

 

[Epcot Forever Forever]

Amidst all of the pre-sales predictions, I don't think anyone guessed that it would take 2.5 years to sell just 1.7 million VGF points.

Indeed! I said 19 months and I was crushed for it - they said no way it would take that long Epcot Forever Forever you are a fool!

And I apparently was a fool! But the other way.

 

[Sandisw]

I think Polynesian is the driving factor with the push towards Grand Floridian. They don't want to have Grand Floridian points still selling when the new Polynesian tower launches. I think all indicators are pointing towards it being part of the existing Poly association as well.

Can you expand on why you think this move is related to Poly tower being part of PVB?

 

[The Jackal]

Parks are packed and the kiosks are all staffed up. They'd love to throw around a whopping $150 whole dollar discount on the AP! WOW!

If APs do come back in the spring, I bet DVC is even to cheap to discount it, like they were a year ago.

We were at WDW a few weeks ago. I would say the parks were far from packed. There were several ride times that were way off. 40 minute wait posted and was a walk on. Not sure how that happens. Never saw a line outside for Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railroad when we went to HS. Not saying all rides had no one in them but more than I was expecting.

 

[Duckbug.Ducktales]

I think Polynesian is the driving factor with the push towards Grand Floridian. They don't want to have Grand Floridian points still selling when the new Polynesian tower launches. I think all indicators are pointing towards it being part of the existing Poly association as well.

What indicators?

 

[Frugal Fairy Tales]

So, do we know the October direct sales numbers?