What the Hell is Wrong with DVC?

[pkrieger2287]

https://dvcfan.com/2020/04/04/what-the-hell-is-wrong-with-dvc/

 

[McCrae]

I think the OP needs to rethink their priorities. All of our focus should be on our loved ones and coming together to defeat this Virus. In the grand scheme of things using DVC is not that important. DVC have said once they have a better idea of the final impact of the disease they will review options to support owners. This is likely to be a long time away. I dont think you can ask for anymore. I think their is nothing wrong with DVC and I remain very happy with my ownership.

 

[Brian Noble]

The problem is there is no solution that can possibly make every owner happy. That's because 20% of an entire year's inventory, system-wide, is not available for use. But the resorts run at essentially full occupancy year-round, and each of those nights is represented by points that someone owns. That means that 20% of a year's worth of points, system-wide, can never be used for lodging.

Some of that can be absorbed by folks who let points expire because they are no longer able to spend the time or money traveling to a DVC resort even though the lodging is already paid for. But probably not one in five.

 

[Sandisw]

I agree that no answer will be acceptable for all members because whether it’s now or later, people will lose use of points, if for no other reason than there are no rooms, but cabins and bungalows rooms book,

 

[bookwormde]

I think that is it often forgotten that DVC is a separate legal entity from DIsney, and in practical sense is a non profit trust in benefit of the members with its only regular net source of income being from the members.

DVC is essentially at the whim of Disney as to if they want to provide any "free" support to DVC, and in reality this will only happen if it is needed to benefit the timeshare development division and future sales and profits.

My guess is that is where DVC is now and DIsney is not likely to make decision until they see what bookings and attendance look like when reopening time frame is more clear

Making this more muddy is that the relationship between DVC and DIsney has always been a black box and much more intertwined than other timeshares

 

[Steve&Kelly]

What if they extend everyone’s contract end date a year without dues? I would enjoy that.

 

[SpaceMountain77]

I have 54 banked vacation points that must be used before the end of August. Originally, these points were used to reserve 10-nights, from May 1st - 10th, in a studio standard at VGF for our honeymoon. Our wedding has been rescheduled, from April 18th to August 1st, and I have been checking resort availability daily to cobble together a reservation.

I, too, participate in several online discussion boards and Facebook groups. The anger and, in some posts, rage that is being expressed toward the Walt Disney Company and DVC, to me, is incomprehensible.

 

[chicagodisneyguy]

For people who are losing points due to this, could DVC spread the banking of said points over a greater amount of time? Instead of allowing someone who is set to lose 200 points due to using banked points, could they allow them to spread those points out over the next 10 years? Essentially for the next 10 years they have an extra 20 points to use per year? I'm guessing this would be a huge headache for DVC administration to execute as it would have to be a manual process. But at least affected members wouldn't lose points. Spreading it out over 10 years would also help the inventory issue and wouldn't create a huge excess of points in the near term.

A similar option that would probably be easier to implement would to allow affected members to choose one year in the future 10 years to bank their points to. So my example above, that person could bank their 200 points to their 2024 use year and would act as banked points in their 2024 use year. DVC could figure out the total number of points each of the next years could accommodate and give each affected member the option on a first come first serve. Sure, it stinks if you are last and have extra points in 2029. But it is 100% better than losing them.

This is probably way to complicated to actually implement, but I hate to see people lose their points. I hope DVC finds a way to allow people to use their expiring points while not putting too much stress on the entire system.

 

[bookwormde]

For people who are losing points due to this, could DVC spread the banking of said points over a greater amount of time? Instead of allowing someone who is set to lose 200 points due to using banked points, could they allow them to spread those points out over the next 10 years? Essentially for the next 10 years they have an extra 20 points to use per year? I'm guessing this would be a huge headache for DVC administration to execute as it would have to be a manual process. But at least affected members wouldn't lose points. Spreading it out over 10 years would also help the inventory issue and wouldn't create a huge excess of points in the near term.

A similar option that would probably be easier to implement would to allow affected members to choose one year in the future 10 years to bank their points to. So my example above, that person could bank their 200 points to their 2024 use year and would act as banked points in their 2024 use year. DVC could figure out the total number of points each of the next years could accommodate and give each affected member the option on a first come first serve. Sure, it stinks if you are last and have extra points in 2029. But it is 100% better than losing them.

The problem is that DVC runs at such a high occupancy rate that no matter when these points are used they will overload the system

 

[Gary Carter]

So the financial planner in me understands that we buy at our own risk and that Disney is within their rights to expect to share the results of an unexpected tragedy with us... We are in fact owners of real estate.

The human in me thinks that reduced dues for members who have lost points through no fault of their own would go a long way with goodwill.

For context, I don't expect to lose any of my own points during this. I have an October use year and wont have current year points until then.

 

[SpaceMountain77]

I have no expertise in timeshare law, however, to me, the easiest accommodation would be to wave the Disney Collection fee and help affected members with reduced point rates at collection resorts.

 

[Matty B13]

I would think at least a refund of the operational dues, not the property taxes part of the dues, would smooth things out a little bit. I know this would increase dues on other owners. But in my case, some of my dues would go down on 1 contract, but would go up on my other contracts.

 

[Brian Noble]

I have no expertise in timeshare law, however, to me, the easiest accommodation would be to wave the Disney Collection fee and help affected members with reduced point rates at collection resorts.

Those stays are "paid for" by renting out DVC rooms for cash to non-owners. The rental proceeds accrue to the hotel division. If there are no room-nights to rent (because you've lost 20% of system-wide inventory) it doesn't work.

(This is how cruise bookings work, too.)

 

[MICKIMINI]

Our son and DIL will enjoy that...we'll be ancient. As a member since 1996 I really don't expect "anything" other than better and more clear direction going forward. There is still much we don't know medically and economically I get that, but I think DVC has to be honest and open with us as this journey continues. Please.

 

[Sandisw]

For people who are losing points due to this, could DVC spread the banking of said points over a greater amount of time? Instead of allowing someone who is set to lose 200 points due to using banked points, could they allow them to spread those points out over the next 10 years? Essentially for the next 10 years they have an extra 20 points to use per year? I'm guessing this would be a huge headache for DVC administration to execute as it would have to be a manual process. But at least affected members wouldn't lose points. Spreading it out over 10 years would also help the inventory issue and wouldn't create a huge excess of points in the near term.

A similar option that would probably be easier to implement would to allow affected members to choose one year in the future 10 years to bank their points to. So my example above, that person could bank their 200 points to their 2024 use year and would act as banked points in their 2024 use year. DVC could figure out the total number of points each of the next years could accommodate and give each affected member the option on a first come first serve. Sure, it stinks if you are last and have extra points in 2029. But it is 100% better than losing them.

This is probably way to complicated to actually implement, but I hate to see people lose their points. I hope DVC finds a way to allow people to use their expiring points while not putting too much stress on the entire system.

Some of these lost points were booked with a few days left on them,,ie: expired March 31st.

The question is should an owner expect DVC to add more life to those points than they had, even if they are given them back when it opens,

If points lost had 15 days left on them, shouldn’t the fix be they’d be eligible for use within a 15 day period once resort opens? But, the you have availability so it might be a useless fix,,

This is an Aspect I think they have to figure out, especially when people have said they need to be made “whole”.

It is way more complicated because so many variable for so many different types of points.

 

[Sandisw]

Those stays are "paid for" by renting out DVC rooms for cash to non-owners. The rental proceeds accrue to the hotel division. If there are no room-nights to rent (because you've lost 20% of system-wide inventory) it doesn't work.

(This is how cruise bookings work, too.)

To add, the only way that could happen without DVC turning over rooms would be the hotel division agreeing to give the rooms to DVC for free, That can’t happen without them agreeing to do that..which, I don’t think is likely..but certainly not without it being a lengthy negotiation.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Banked points that expired or will soon expire already had nearly two years of possible use time. So now the owners want three? That's not how this works.

 

[bookwormde]

To add, the only way that could happen without DVC turning over rooms would be the hotel division agreeing to give the rooms to DVC for free, That can’t happen without them agreeing to do that..which, I don’t think is likely..but certainly not without it being a lengthy negotiation.

Yes and I would not expect any chance of this until and unless the hotel division knows that they have rooms that will not be reserved to cash.

 

[GAN]

I would think at least a refund of the operational dues, not the property taxes part of the dues, would smooth things out a little bit. I know this would increase dues on other owners. But in my case, some of my dues would go down on 1 contract, but would go up on my other contracts.

I would say that and the actual cost of the points "lost". That can be figured out based on the purchase price of the specific contract. The question would be what legal ability they have to do something like this ..there are limitations I'm sure.

 

[GAN]

For people who are losing points due to this, could DVC spread the banking of said points over a greater amount of time? Instead of allowing someone who is set to lose 200 points due to using banked points, could they allow them to spread those points out over the next 10 years? Essentially for the next 10 years they have an extra 20 points to use per year? I'm guessing this would be a huge headache for DVC administration to execute as it would have to be a manual process. But at least affected members wouldn't lose points. Spreading it out over 10 years would also help the inventory issue and wouldn't create a huge excess of points in the near term.

A similar option that would probably be easier to implement would to allow affected members to choose one year in the future 10 years to bank their points to. So my example above, that person could bank their 200 points to their 2024 use year and would act as banked points in their 2024 use year. DVC could figure out the total number of points each of the next years could accommodate and give each affected member the option on a first come first serve. Sure, it stinks if you are last and have extra points in 2029. But it is 100% better than losing them.

This is probably way to complicated to actually implement, but I hate to see people lose their points. I hope DVC finds a way to allow people to use their expiring points while not putting too much stress on the entire system.

I thought of this as well. Spreading them out would lessen the burden over time ....if they decide to go this route at all. Moving them into the coming Use Year makes absolutely zero sense -that would be a disaster.