What would you change about DVC if you could?

[snarfieca]

I've enjoyed reading everyone's posts

I would not want daily maid service - the Trash & Towel day was nice but not required.

We don't need a Roaring Forks in VWL - after being in the last roon in one of the back building at the All Stars - the walk to Roaring Forks is nothing to complain about.

My wish list:
#1 - points discounts for staying 7+ consecutive days at one resort. Those weekend days sure eat up the points. Next time we go we're planning on going elsewhere for the weekend. A points discount would have us staying for a full week at our resort.
Or maybe extra perks for members staying 7+ days
Plusses for DVC - Less CM time at the check-in & room cleaning.

#2 - On-line Member Services would be nice - it is do-able - sign in with member # & a password.
Even if just to see our points & make room reservations & bank points.
Plusses for DVC - less MS time

#3 - Better dining discounts. I would eat out more if I got a discount.
Plusses for WDW - more money spent there.

Brenda
from Manitoba

 

[jade1]

FOTL access for members staying on property. Same as you show your room key for pool hopping-it shows you are a member and are staying onsite that day. Just show your card to the attendant and you can go in the fast pass line.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Pleeeeeeeze --- lets not turn this thread into the tired old worn out debate about room occupancy. Comments like this do not address the original posters question and intent of this thread. No sense in this thread ending up as closed, there are some great ideas listed. Can we please move on with additional ideas for improvement?

Posting what I did was NOT intended to make this one of "those" worn out debates, trust me.

 

[CaptainMidnight]

Let's move on.... what other ideas do people have for improvement?

 

[ReneeQ]

I have a few more:

1. Make smoking or non-smoking GUARANTEED. No more giving non-smoking rooms for smoking requests and just handing them a ashtray. This is ridiculous. When a smoking or non-smoking room is gone for the date you want, it's gone, pick another date to go.

2. This might be impossible, but make only certain rooms at each resort available to renters. I could be wrong, but from what I've read before it seems us owners take better care of our resorts than renters do because it is our "home." I know we take care of the villas we stay in just as if we were at home.

 

[CaptainMidnight]

2. This might be impossible, but make only certain rooms at each resort available to renters. I could be wrong, but from what I've read before it seems us owners take better care of our resorts than renters do because it is our "home." I know we take care of the villas we stay in just as if we were at home.

Hmm that would certainly be an interesting experiment to test the theory. We may confirm or be pleasantly surprised and find no difference. It does seem like the long term economic incentives would impact behavior, but this would be one way to find out. Sorry, in the research mode.

An oldie but I think still a goodie is a greater selection of Membership items for purchase including clothing items, and a catalogue sent out to members. Saw a great list in another thread recently of items people would like to see.

 

[nezy]

A picture is worth a thousand words!

Great thread-keep it going!
My original post in this thread included on-line account access, discount on passes. I would like to add lower weekend points.

This could be done by a more even distribution across the week. What is the benefit to DVC by having such high weekend points? Do they really get alot of "renters" or "cash cutomers"?

 

[CaptainMidnight]

What is the benefit to DVC by having such high weekend points? Do they really get alot of "renters" or "cash cutomers"?

My understanding is that the benefit is that if weekend points were lowered, local Floridians would grab up all the weekends, leaving only weekdays free. Thus, those of us from out of state who desire longer stays than just a five day stay would only have sun-thurs stays available. The points are high based on demand to try to encourage people to leave by thursday or start thier vacation on a sunday to even out demand and room availability throughout the entire week. If you think about it, each weekend probably has twice the demand of a weekday since people desire to arrive on Friday and leave on Sunday. Thus the number of points for a 7 day stay may not seem too unreasonable. But some people who want to maximize thier points may choose to stay somewhere else on the weekends, or schedule thier stay to reduce high point weekend usage, thus evening out demand.

You asked the question, so I thought I would respond. Lowering weekend points may have a very detremental affect on availability for out of state members. Personally, I would't be in favor of such a move. Floridians would love it. But it would probably negatively impact and sub-optimize overall resort usage if the lack of weekend availability cause rooms to sit vacant for 5 days during the week.

But I liked the idea of a discount for 7day + stays, as well as many of the other suggestions.

How about blenders available in the rooms for frothy drinks?

Posting the resort activities and kids programs on the website for places like BWV, VB, and HH would be nice so parents could plan ahead a little for an unbirthday party, etc.

 

[Richyams]

I know that if the weekend points were lower, we would do many weekend only stays.....in fact, even with weekend points so high, my last two trips were three and four night weekend trips. If weekend points were lower, reserving full week trips would be very difficult.

As a matter of fact, our docs do contain the 'formal policy', asking for one is moot, there already is one concerning occupancy limits.

We will leave the discussion of the enforcement of that policy for the debate board.

I don't want daily maid service.

I do think it would be in everyone's best interest to have a DVC pass discount. THe one they came up with two years ago was a joke.

I think that their policy of returning less value per point spent at the new resorts has to stop. One could argue, though I don't agree, that a point spent at BWV returns the same value as a point spent at OKW. The location of BWV making up for the tiny units.

VWL may be the favorite of some, but it doesn't have the location of BWV, and it does have the same tiny units. A point spent at BWV returns more value than a point spent at VWL.

BCV has the same location as BWV, the same tiny units, but since it doesn't have std views and has no views comparable to the boardwalk view at BWV, a oint spent at BCV returns considerably less value than a point spent at BWV......SAB does go in the direction of making up for the lack of location, views and std view rooms, but not completely.

SSR ???? We have to wait and see.

 

[nezy]

Cptn. Midnight-Thanks for the explanation. That does make sense, especially for me because I unfortunately do not live in Fla.

I would also like to know about the events at the other resorts while I am staying on property. For example, GF might have children's events, It could be a board in the Lobby of each DVC resort w/ on Property events.

 

[CaptainMidnight]

.....concerning occupancy limits. We will leave the discussion of the enforcement of that policy for the debate board.

That would be appreciated. No need for this to turn into the restricted occupancy debate , or whose home resort is better discussion too many good ideas are listed.

On with listing potential improvements and maybe some real far out dreaming....

How about observation decks on the top of BWV and BCV for DVC members to see the Epcot fireworks?

Or, how about a DVC member only roped off viewing section for the Epcot fireworks or MK parade?

Would bus service to the Epcot monorail station be worthwhile? Then you could ride the monorail to MK. Might not be worth the extra time the transfers would require.

There's always the idea of using light rail transportation to connect the Epcot area resorts to the MK and AK. I know that's much, much bigger than DVC. But if we're dreaming....

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

How about blenders available in the rooms for frothy drinks?

There has always been a blender in every room I have stayed in at OKW, other resorts may be different. Hand mixers, which used to be standard, are now by request.

 

[Pig Pen]

1. Complimentary airport shuttle

2. AP-like discount at other WDW resorts to make up for the high weekend points (we will spend Thurs, Fri, and Sat at another WDW resort then check into DVC on Sunday-Thurs)

3. Access to concierge services (maybe we have this? Not sure)

I can't add much since I've yet to stay at my DVC...but I've been to WDW a lot!

 

[MELSMICE]

I would like to see:

--Discounts on park passes for DVC members, especially now that they will be discontinuing the Disney Club.

--Being able to have 1BR's with an occupancy of 5 or 6 instead of 4 just like the studios. (I am not trying to start a debate, just what I would like to see)

--Having a FastPass privelege, not only because you are DVC member but you are staying on-site - I guess that's a whole different topic though.


Also - I have to say that while some renters aren't concerned about how they leave the room or take care of it while they are there, we really did make an effort to leave it exactly the way we found it when we rented points - to the point of cleaning out the oven before we left!! I felt that the resort was owned by the DVC members & if I had been an owner at the time I would have wanted someone else to take care of it also. Hopefully, somewhere others do the same.

 

[timC]

Let me clarify my previous post.

" 1) A formal policy for additional guests. Perhaps a modest fee per person per night. We're a family of 4, but I appreciate the problem for those with 5."

Yes. There is already a formal policy. Like the speed limit, this one doesn't appear to be very enforceable, through. My idea was to suggest an enhanced policy to accomodate certain group sizes, and perhaps offset any added cost, by imposing a user fee.

Guys. This is not a debate.... just an idea in the spirit of the thread.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Have a real signup sheet at Hank's for Tennis and other sports.
It is a shame to have those lovely tennis courts laying fallow most of the time. Also, kids with nothing to do, could have a game of basketball on that nice basketball court. Finger painting does not cut it for a teenager.
There does not seem to be a lot of inspiration with the Hank's CMs.

 

[JimC]

Listed in no particular order:

1. The on-line improvements to the members' web site, account access and real-time online reservations already mentioned. I believe that this would improve member service and help contain costs as the program grows.

2. A simple Disney-world-wide discount of 5% or 10% on anything, any where, any time -- tickets, hotels, meals, recreation, shopping, cruises. It should be at least as good as the various discount programs given to AAA, the old DC, AP holders, locals (Florida and California). Or include the tickets for length of stay with any point reservation (with no discounts elsewhere).

3. Unlimited fastpass capability.

4. Eliminate trash and towel service, substitute weekly service or at each change of occupants.

5. Improve the quality of towels and add the other amenities that the program used to have (and charge the guests who wish to take such things home with them).

6. Broadband internet access in each room.

7. Preferred check-in and check-out times (say two hours earlier and later respectively than cash guests get).

8. AKL villas

9. A member extension program beyond 2042.

 

[sandieb]

"A member extension program beyond 2042."

I bet we see that as time goes by...who knows what the cost will be? Since I would be 92 years by then, I'll tell my kids or grandkids to start saving. Sandie

 

[sandieb]

Actually they do this already. When we were there in Dec, I was picked to be in just such a group. It was a very interesting and informative experience and extremely professional and well run. It was one of the highlights of my trip! I can't tell what was discussed or give any details because we signed a disclosure--I think that is the proper term, LOL! But as a member I was very happy to see that DVC does want members input/feedback.

DeeP - That is great you were chosen to give feedback, but why would the questions be a secret? I am sort of surprised there isn't a more comprehensive way to get input and ideas. Sandie

 

[CaptainMidnight]

Reading another thread about a ruined vacation stay, probably a worthwhile addition would be a substantial financial penalty for those who smoke in a non-smoking room.