Why do DVC members think they are different?

[imgoingtodisney]

LOL Granny

 

[MinnieMe2]

We are comparatively new members, having bought last April. We made our first trip home last summer, but it was our eleventh trip to the World (yep, we should've bought years ago). We bought because we knew ourselves well enough to finally admit that we'll be going back and DVC is a way to budget our stays. I don't feel Disney owes us anything, I'm just delighted that we have a lovely place to call 'home' when we visit. The parks have seen many changes thru the years, rides have come and gone, parades have been repeatedly revamped, heck, there was even that birthday cake/castle thing! At no time did any of these changes make us feel that we should stay away. And now, we're at war. It would be foolish to think things aren't to get worse before they get better. All the more reason to treasure our family time at the World, which we intend to continue, without complaint. In fact, last night DH decided we should add another 50 pts., so we're in the process of doing just that !!!

 

[Snowgod]

Bought DVC so I would have a good reason to spend my vacations at WDW and stay in a room with a big bathroom and a Kitchen.

 

[Aurora2000]

yes Snowgod and a bit more elbow room! Though That kitchen is just a decoration for me!!!!!!!

 

[DVCDAVE]

Quote CHRISSGILL;

"If they for whatever reason have to take perks away, that's just the way it goes. Am I relatively happy about it? Not really... "

I am not happy about it either, I am glad we agree on that. However I believe our difference lies in the fact that I am more tollerant in allowing others to express themselves. For most members the cash committment they made is a major one, not chump change. When things get taken away under the guise of September 11th, yet the parks are full and the lines are long, it kind of makes one wonder about the competance of management (the same management that runs our resorts).

Members have a right to express their opinions, both good and bad about DVC and their Disney experience. MOST of the threads posted on this board are overwhelming positive about both DVC and Disney. Every few months there seems to be a dramatic shift in one policy or another that seems to affect a group and they get vocal. Good for them, hear them out, good for you, if you are perfectly happy !! God help us all, if we are just indefferant sheep.

IMHO we should be concerned about the Park's health, guaranntee or not. It is the reason the DVC resorts are there, it is why we go, and it is a reason directly or indirectly why we bought. If you don't see the connection, then consider this, before the parks were there, your resort was either a swamp or an orange gove.

 

[spruce]

What perks are we talking about here? e-nights, early entry? Every WDW onsite guest lost these things due to a shrinking economy.
I wonder if the DVC Mickey Flag pins could be considered a "perk"
Are we talking white towels instead of peach ones? How about placemats or colored shower curtains, Sea shell knick-knacks or even newspapers? What perks are we talking about?
I still get 5 star resort accomodations on site, I can still pool hop, I get a 10% LOS pass discount, a quarterly magazine, discounts for golf, some resturants and even Disney Quest.
It's not my nature to push and push till I get more, I work for what I have, and am proud that I earned the things that I have. If Disney feels it is in their best interest to give us an AP discount, they will. I got what I paid for and then some.
If the parks close down, then I made a bad investment, but then, a timeshare isn't an investment. It's prepaid condo for x number of days, that's all......spruce

 

[Ed T]

DVCDave I think you are over reacting. Disney is not going anywhere. The entire economy is going through a strange turn of events. The economy has been so good for many years people seem to forget what it was like back in the early 80's. Do you remember when mortgage rates were near 19 and 20%. Disney owes you nothing. YOu viewed the product, you hopefully did your homework about the product, made a very good decision in buying the product and will have many years of enjoyment with the product. Nothing was promised to you beyond that. Perks come and perks go. It's business plain and simple. I'm not sure when you signed up but I can say that since I signed up in 1994 more benefits have come our way then taken away. I'm not just talking DVC but all of Disney.
Selling out is an option? I bet you'll make some money.


Ed

 

[chris1gill]

So eloquently put Ed T!! DVC has lived up to its obligation and far exceeded what they had to give us. This isn't a debate about the parks, it's a debate about DVC, and so far we really haven't lost all that much!!!

 

[Dean]

Originally posted by Granny


Man, that's got to hurt!

Have you seen that street luge commercial? Nough said! LOL.

 

[Dean]

I have something to add and while it doesn't apply that much to to the way this thread is going, it does apply to the original question about DVC members feeling they are different.

DVC members tend to view themselves as a member of a club rather than as timeshare owners. For this reason, DVC members as viewed as outsiders and stuckup by a large segment of the timeshare world. While I'm sure many members on this site are different, I bet if you went to WDW and asked around at one of the DVC resorts, you'd find that more than half of the members don't even think they own a timeshare. I'm sure the EXTRA $95 charge that DVC adds to the exchange costs doesn't help our status with other timeshare owners either.

 

[DVCDAVE]

ED T quote; "DVCDave I think you are over reacting. Disney is not going anywhere."

Quite honestly I am not over reacting, in fact I have far more invested in Disney stock then I do in the 550 points I own in DVC. I have far more concern over the 50% plung in the value of the Disney stock than EE or any perk right now. Fact: the Dow, and S&P HAVEN'T plunged anywhere near 50%, and their credit rating has been downgraded to A- from AA. FACT: a major shareholder, the Bass brothers, dumped the Disney holdings about a month ago, and they held their stock for over 15 years.

My final word on this is, ANY prudent person should be concerned over both the management, and financial condition of their committment in DVC or any Disney holding. One thing I do know is that I will NOT be voting in favor of ANY items on the Disney proxy when it comes around again, Ei$ner and his team must go.

 

[sumessefui]

Before we joined the DVC we always went to WDW on the vacation plan. You would send them your life savings several months in advance, and when you arrived you had a room in the Poly with concierge service and all meals,activities, addmissisions, boats on the lagoon, etc. paid for. Also there were several nice gifts in the room when you arrived. Since it was so expensive we only did it every 3 years. Each time we went the price went up and the perks went down. The room gifts slowly went away, the vouchers for the bellman and valet parking disappeared. Then the concierge service became an extra charge.
So as can be seen, Disney taking things away from their "best" customers is nothing new. That is the reason we joined the vacation club, and we are quite happy. For us things like EE are not important since we joined DVC, but for others I can see their concern. Jerry