What happens when AKV starts preselling?

[starbox]

I don't know what happened with SSR, but if AKV starts selling in March, I am assuming that they will offer buyers some sort of immediate point-usage deal, which will let them start making reservations before there is an AKV for them to stay in.

For those of you pre-SSR, how did this effect availability? It seems like it would flood capacity at other resorts until AKV is fully opened.

As SSR has started to book at or near-capacity, has availibility at the otehr resorts gotten better?

Here's a second question:

Clearly, there was quite a bit of hosility about SSR in the early days. It seems to be evening out now that the resort is nearing completion and people can experience the whole resort as it was intended to be experienced. I think the "first impressions" were probably especially bad with SSR because it was a stand-alone resort. VWL, BCV, BWV already had existing deluxe resort infastructures, so the dining/pool/grounds/etc. part of the resort was (for the most part) ready to go right away.

So - what do you predict for AKV? Will the connection with AKL and it's pool/dining/savannah even-out the first response we have to the villas?

 

[Boston5602]

Here's a second question:

Clearly, there was quite a bit of hosility about SSR in the early days. It seems to be evening out now that the resort is nearing completion and people can experience the whole resort as it was intended to be experienced. I think the "first impressions" were probably especially bad with SSR because it was a stand-alone resort. VWL, BCV, BWV already had existing deluxe resort infastructures, so the dining/pool/grounds/etc. part of the resort was (for the most part) ready to go right away.

So - what do you predict for AKV? Will the connection with AKL and it's pool/dining/savannah even-out the first response we have to the villas?

I just want to say for newer members that BWV was built in conjunction with BWI , not after the fact.

 

[CarolA]

That assumption may not be true.

In the past they have offered a "buy your first year" points deal when they didn't have a resort done. So the price is $100 a point and they give you a credit of $10 a point for your first year. (All numbers are mythical!)

I am 100% sure that at soon as VALK opens however the DIS DVC boards will have multiple threads covering topics like:

1. It's too big
2. The pool's too small
3. The rooms are ugly/dark/etc.
4. It's too far away
5. Those VALK buyers are taking up all the valuable space at BCV/BWV/WVL, OKW/SSR
6. You name it, Disney did it wrong.

This is the DVC Board history. The newest resort is the one that everyone spends all their time looking for ways to trash. (BCV was TOO small, rooms were TOO small, all kinds of problems... all of which seemed to get much less space here after the opening of SSR!)

So all of you SSR owners HANG ON. Relief is coming. Soon you will not be owners of the "Worst DVC Resort ever" LOL!

 

[phorsenuf]

That assumption may not be true.

In the past they have offered a "buy your first year" points deal when they didn't have a resort done. So the price is $100 a point and they give you a credit of $10 a point for your first year. (All numbers are mythical!)

I am 100% sure that at soon as VALK opens however the DIS DVC boards will have multiple threads covering topics like:

1. It's too big
2. The pool's too small
3. The rooms are ugly/dark/etc.
4. It's too far away
5. Those VALK buyers are taking up all the valuable space at BCV/BWV/WVL, OKW/SSR
6. You name it, Disney did it wrong.

This is the DVC Board history. The newest resort is the one that everyone spends all their time looking for ways to trash. (BCV was TOO small, rooms were TOO small, all kinds of problems... all of which seemed to get much less space here after the opening of SSR!)

So all of you SSR owners HANG ON. Relief is coming. Soon you will not be owners of the "Worst DVC Resort ever" LOL!

LOL As funny as that is, unfortunately you are right!

 

[dumbo71]

I can't agree with the OP when it comes to "immediate point usage".

When they pre-sold SSR you weren't getting to use those points until June of 2004 I believe even though the resort actually opened earlier than that. Wait, that was confusing. They stated June of 2004 but when the resort opened earlier you could book then. You Could NOT use points from SSR to stay elsewhere.

I added on there in October of 2003 for $84 pp but couldn't use the points until June of 2204 which changed slighly to May 2004.

I expect that wil be the same at AKV, no points used until a phase or two is open. It probably is illegal actually to do it any other way.

Unfortunantely I agree with CarolA as well. AKV will certainly take over as the bad review resort for the foreseeable future.

 

[Muushka]

I have a question.

When we bought at VWL, we had to wait to buy points even though at least a portion of the resort was complete. In fact, we had to rent a 1 BR in Dec 2000 and were not able to buy until (if I remember correctly) Jan 2001.

What changed in the laws that they are able to pre-sell? No big deal for us really because we just signed all the paperwork while we were there in Dec and they waited to file it. Just curious.

 

[starbox]

I have a question.

When we bought at VWL, we had to wait to buy points even though at least a portion of the resort was complete. In fact, we had to rent a 1 BR in Dec 2000 and were not able to buy until (if I remember correctly) Jan 2001.

What changed in the laws that they are able to pre-sell? No big deal for us really because we just signed all the paperwork while we were there in Dec and they waited to file it. Just curious.

It is very possible I am remembering incorrectly, but I thought that when we initially toured SSR (and it was something like one open section, a construction site, and a parking lot - thought it was way beyond uuuugly), we were offered a contract for an unbuilt section scheduled to be completed in about a year. We would have had points right away to use, but they were some sort of extra point thing just until the unit we purchased was open???

Just wondering how it will work with VAKL/AKV (I keep forgetting which is the official name). I'm really interested in adding on there, but there are so many unknowns.

I do agree that the resort will probably get bashed quite a bit - especially if it does not at least partially share the lobby/dining/pool with the existing lodge.

 

[Dean]

I don't know what happened with SSR, but if AKV starts selling in March, I am assuming that they will offer buyers some sort of immediate point-usage deal, which will let them start making reservations before there is an AKV for them to stay in.

SSR was different in some ways than anything before. In some cases members got the previous use year points even though the resorts was not open for much of the time those points were usable. They also offered a bonus points package of ?100 pts which you could use at other resorts prior to SSR opening. Also a first with SSR, they offered the chance to borrow points for reservations prior to actually closing on your contract. Realize that traditionally there have been many times when a new buyer couldn't use points for several months after buying.

For those of you pre-SSR, how did this effect availability? It seems like it would flood capacity at other resorts until AKV is fully opened.

As SSR has started to book at or near-capacity, has availibility at the otehr resorts gotten better?

It is usual that when a resort starts taking reservations you are already inside the 7 month window. Any time a new resort opens you get a large percentage of new owners there plus current owners who want to stay there. After that initial newness things settle down there is a significant portion of people have "been there done that" and a smaller group deciding this is their favorite resort. People are more likely to latch on to their OWN resort partly because some buy there knowing it'll be their favorite and partly because those that own there have their decision colored by the emotions of what they own, much like many are about their college football team. So expect that after everyone has tried it and those that own there have stayed there a couple of times, usage will settle down and it is extremely likely that SSR will be the easiest resort to reserve for the life of DVC. The reason that it will be even easier than OKW is in part size but also the points differential.

For AKL I think you can parallel the current demand for the current deluxe resort itself. Long term likely less demand than BCV and BWV and about the same demand as VWL. The difference between VWL and AKL though will be the size, about 3 times as large. Of course the fact it's the only Deluxe location selling from DVC directly and the later expiration will shift demand from a sales standpoint with more people wanting to buy there than stay there. Look at my situation. I plan to downsize significantly and buying a smaller contract at AKL to have as my only remaining ownership makes the most economical sense due to the future resale value prospects compared to the others.

Here's a second question:

Clearly, there was quite a bit of hosility about SSR in the early days. It seems to be evening out now that the resort is nearing completion and people can experience the whole resort as it was intended to be experienced. I think the "first impressions" were probably especially bad with SSR because it was a stand-alone resort. VWL, BCV, BWV already had existing deluxe resort infastructures, so the dining/pool/grounds/etc. part of the resort was (for the most part) ready to go right away.

So - what do you predict for AKV? Will the connection with AKL and it's pool/dining/savannah even-out the first response we have to the villas?

First, I don't accept your premise that there was hostility toward SSR itself. I think there was hostility toward DVD for the tactic and situation of buy at SSR and use elsewhere. And I think there was, and still are, a number of people who had reservations about the resort including many that feel the locations is not as good as some of the other on property resorts and that the points structure is an issue compared to OKW of which is it most alike in many ways. And I think the resort is a complaint looking to happen in that there is a significant disparity in the demand and desirability in terms of view and location from some areas to others, more so than any other resort that you can't affect by your reservation itself.

For AKL I think it's pretty easy to know what will happen barring any major changes in economics that will affect all owners and resorts.

• There will be those who want to buy there because it is already their favorite location.
• There will be those who never want to buy there because it is already their least favorite location.
• Many will buy because it's what DVD is selling.
• Some will buy because of the expiration date, many more will likely add on for this reason.
• If they come up with special room types, some will go straight for those choices.

AKL will be a larger resort but it is actually going to be two resort in one. We'll see what the points structure ends up being and if there are any specialty rooms that will affect buying and/or usage options as well. Given the totally separateness of the two sides, one will have to be able to know on booking which of those areas you'll be in. While there have always been concerns from certain people from new resorts, I feel the idea that all new resorts are picked on to be wrong. I do think that people are more likely to discuss their views pro and con early on but that's not to say most people feel differently now, they're just less likely to post such and those that like a resort are FAR more likely to say so than the reverse. For VWL is was decor and location compared to BWV. For BCV it was room view and points compared to BWV, none of these issues have changed at all.

 

[Muushka]

It is very possible I am remembering incorrectly, but I thought that when we initially toured SSR (and it was something like one open section, a construction site, and a parking lot - thought it was way beyond uuuugly), we were offered a contract for an unbuilt section scheduled to be completed in about a year. We would have had points right away to use, but they were some sort of extra point thing just until the unit we purchased was open???
Just wondering how it will work with VAKL/AKV (I keep forgetting which is the official name). I'm really interested in adding on there, but there are so many unknowns.

I do agree that the resort will probably get bashed quite a bit - especially if it does not at least partially share the lobby/dining/pool with the existing lodge.

That is the part that is puzzling to me. We could not even buy the contract even though enough of VWL was completed that we even stayed there. I wonder what laws changed?

 

[Inkmahm]

That assumption may not be true.

In the past they have offered a "buy your first year" points deal when they didn't have a resort done. So the price is $100 a point and they give you a credit of $10 a point for your first year. (All numbers are mythical!)

I am 100% sure that at soon as VALK opens however the DIS DVC boards will have multiple threads covering topics like:

1. It's too big
2. The pool's too small
3. The rooms are ugly/dark/etc.
4. It's too far away
5. Those VALK buyers are taking up all the valuable space at BCV/BWV/WVL, OKW/SSR
6. You name it, Disney did it wrong.

This is the DVC Board history. The newest resort is the one that everyone spends all their time looking for ways to trash. (BCV was TOO small, rooms were TOO small, all kinds of problems... all of which seemed to get much less space here after the opening of SSR!)

So all of you SSR owners HANG ON. Relief is coming. Soon you will not be owners of the "Worst DVC Resort ever" LOL!

Thanks for the history lesson! We've only been DVC members for about a year now so I missed all of that. But I can guarantee I'll be buying AKLV as soon as I can and I will love it. AKL is our very favorite Disney Hotel and the reason we didn't buy DVC sooner, we didn't want to give up staying at AKL.

 

[RobDoc]

It is very possible I am remembering incorrectly, but I thought that when we initially toured SSR (and it was something like one open section, a construction site, and a parking lot - thought it was way beyond uuuugly), we were offered a contract for an unbuilt section scheduled to be completed in about a year. We would have had points right away to use, but they were some sort of extra point thing just until the unit we purchased was open??? ...

That is the part that is puzzling to me. We could not even buy the contract even though enough of VWL was completed that we even stayed there. I wonder what laws changed?

One of the early pre-construction incentives for SSR was an option to accept "Developer Points" which could be used immediately even though the building being purchased was not yet open and closing had not yet taken place. These "Developer Points" were not SSR points, but were points held by DVD from other resorts (points acquired thru foreclosure or ROFR).

When VWL opened, it did not open in phases (same for BCV). The entire resort was completed and all villas were available at once - HOWEVER - VWL was open to guests for a few months before DVC point reservations were allowed. (Memory suggests that the resort opened in November and DVC stays began in January - but that may be off a bit.)

Depending on the opening of the 1st phase at AKV, SSR sellout/AKV sales start there may be similar incentives offered as those at SSR. These incentives have certainly varied over the years - from the pask admission program at OKW and VB, to Magical Beginnings, to free APs, developer points, F&F incentives, etc. Time will tell - we should know something in the coming months.

Stay Tuned !

 

[PamOKW]

That is the part that is puzzling to me. We could not even buy the contract even though enough of VWL was completed that we even stayed there. I wonder what laws changed?

I'm not sure what changed either. In the "old" days they couldn't even actually say that a resort would be DVC until all the i's were dotted and t's were crossed. Guides could only "hint" that BW would be part of DVC even though it's obvious that it was planned from Day 1 of construction.

I'm a little fuzzy on detail but weren't pre-sell purchasers given the option to book at Disney resorts rather than DVC accomodations?

It's funny how everyone worries that the new resort will destroy DVC. Remember how our good and missed friend Richyams would rant about how DVC was selling Vero and HHI to people who would never stay there but would use up all the Disney based resorts? I'm not sure what program DVC uses but, so far, they seem to have a good balance of usage. I'm guessing that large scale renting was starting to throw things off balance and they are now moving to rectify that problem.