Why are refurbishment dates kept secret?

[FionaP]

I will start by saying that I love DVC! We have contracts at both the Polynesian and BWV, and could not be happier with our two home resorts.

My question is why as owners are we not privy to specific information about refurbishment schedules? We are left to guess when project will start by looking at room availability, when it is our dues that pay for these refurbishments! For example, with BWV they could say we are planning to start construction in September 2023. We will start with X type room category. We are projecting that the work will take X amount of months. Will update you along the way. Why is this so difficult? Am I missing something?

 

[RoseGold]

Sometimes it is, sometime it isn't. Sometimes there's art, sometimes there isn't. It's so magical.

 

[crisi]

Because its project management and dates are subject to slip. Disney will pull rooms for when they think they can get the contractors in, but then there is a problem getting materials, and everything gets pushed out. When that happens, they put the rooms back into inventory and take a different approach to the refurbishment (usually pulling out rooms more one by one - which will take longer - which will cause the refurb at another resort to get pushed back).

If they were completely up front about what was going on, then the communications process for the refurb would become completely unmanageable. Imagine being the project manager and pulling rooms for August. And you tell the membership "hey, we are pulling a floor of BCV in August for refurb" - then you have to push it back because the carpet hasn't arrived. So you open up the rooms for booking and have to let the membership know "oops, can't do it in August, no carpet." And suddenly 300 members are calling to complain that you have ruined their trip.

As a former project manager...yes, it really is that difficult. Keep your communication list small. Information gives your customers a point to argue with you ("well, get different carpet!" or "have the carpet before you pull the rooms!" or "you need to keep a list of people who wanted those rooms in case you open them up again when the refurb gets pushed!" or "you said that the refurb would be done by my January trip, and now you will be in the middle of it while I'm there and that will RUIN MY VACATION," and of course "really, this isn't that hard!" Disney doesn't need those headaches.

 

[DonMacGregor]

As a former project manager...yes, it really is that difficult. Keep your communication list small. Information gives your customers a point to argue with you ("well, get different carpet!" or "have the carpet before you pull the rooms!" or "you need to keep a list of people who wanted those rooms in case you open them up again when the refurb gets pushed!" or "you said that the refurb would be done by my January trip, and now you will be in the middle of it while I'm there and that will RUIN MY VACATION," and of course "really, this isn't that hard!" Disney doesn't need those headaches.

For years and years before everybody and their brother became COVID experts on supply chain management, those of us in the construction industry had long been intimately familiar with long lead-time material challenges. Heck, at times basic construction materials like lumber, concrete, and structural steel can be scarce and at a premium, when we're usually more concerned with cabinets, textiles, and other finish materials. Sometimes, you even have to wait because short-term material and labor costs due to shortages have exceeded budgetary constraints (after the really big wild fires a couple of years ago in NorCal, concrete was at such a premium that prices increased 300%, and you literally couldn't find skilled labor). Work couldn't be completed within the funds provided through insurance settlements.

In California, because a contractor can not ask for a deposit of more than $1,000 or 10% of the total cost of the job, whichever is LESS, we'd often hold off even on long lead-time material orders until as late as possible so as not to overextend or risk the client defaulting.

 

[crisi]

I will add one other thing - from an investment and stock perspective, too much communication to the public - and we are the public - isn't a good thing. Disney isn't interested in letting the world know when they have supply chain issues - that sort of thing makes it to the Street and then impacts stock prices.