Will DVC ever get rid of VB??????

[prncssjas]

I have read many posts about VB and how is doesn't sell as quickly, is most expensive in dues, there are many re-sales, etc...which make me wonder--do you think that DVC will ever give up on VB completely and simply cut off its existing owners? Is that even something I need to worry about? DH and I own some points at VB and we love it there. I would HATE to think that it won't be there for our full 40 some years (and we could lose our shares! ) Thoughts anyone????

 

[spiceycat]

I don't think so - Disney is still new in the timeshare market - but Disney built VB. It is a beautiful resort. I don't like the area it is in - I love the resort.

 

[RobDoc]

No, I don't think there is any danger of VB owners being stranded.

The original plans have been drastically cut back (no expansion to the land across the road), but the existing resort is a viable component of the DVC program.

 

[vbfamily]

spiceycat,

Just curious, what don't you like about the area VB is in?

 

[Richyams]

You signed papers, as we all did, stating that your resort may one day no longer be a DVC resort.

I think the chances are remote that they would cut off VB.

BUT, if changes had to be made, VB would be first in line to go.

VB is a beautiful resort, one of the finest that the world has ever seen. It was also a brutal failure for Disney. So brutal that Disney sold one piece of property that was publically announced as a DVC resort and possibly one or two other pieces of property.

It was so dismal in its sales that Disney will never again build an off property DVC resort.

Sorry, but the beauty of the resort does nothing to change how brutal and devestating a failure VB has been.

 

[Richyams]

But I am still happy to have it as an option.

I just think its silly to own there with plans to use most of your points at WDW.

 

[spiceycat]

I live in Alabama - the closest beaches here are the Gulf beaches - so I learned to love the white soft sand - so the first time I saw the Atlantic beaches it was a shock - they are brown/beige have rocks on them - Jacksonville/St Augustine/Dayton beaches are worst - but still compared to the Panhandle the Atlantic beaches aren't as pretty.

Also the waves coming in can be scarely - I like to walk along the shores in and out of the water - the water is generally pretty calm along the Gulf (expect when there is a storm) - so you have no problem - along the ocean - it sometime felt like it was trying to pull you in. I am not a great swimmer - not enough good and all the talk about rip tides is scarely.

So I really don't like the location of VB - although the resort itself is lovely!!!

 

[spiceycat]

Rich I still think a time will come when in the summer if you don't own at VB - you will have no way to get their 3-bedroom - the Beach Cottages and they are worth staying at. If you like that area.

 

[vbfamily]

spiceycat,

You do have a point about the beaches. We vacation over at Clearwater Beach and the beaches are totally different than in VB. Huge, white sand. Have you ever been to that area?

If you go to beachsand.com (it's the website for the hotel we were married at) look at the beach. Is it more like the beaches you like? It's huge. That's why it's so difficult to decide between the two.

I told my DS we might go to Sand Key (Clearwater Beach) in the fall for the bigger beach and he said "Mom, you have to walk a mile just to get to the water". Go figure.

 

[CarolMN]

Originally posted by prncssjas
I have read many posts about VB and how is doesn't sell as quickly, is most expensive in dues, there are many re-sales, etc...which make me wonder--do you think that DVC will ever give up on VB completely and simply cut off its existing owners? Is that even something I need to worry about? DH and I own some points at VB and we love it there. I would HATE to think that it won't be there for our full 40 some years (and we could lose our shares! ) Thoughts anyone????

Even if Disney/DVC did "give up on VB" (and I don't think they will), you will not lose your "ownership" interest/right to stay there. If you own points at VB, Disney cannot "sell away" your interest. The only possible thing you may lose is the ability to stay at other DVC resorts or the non-DVC options - i.e., membership in the DVC. The "club" benefits are not contractual for any of us, no matter which resort we own.

IMHO, this is something that is not worth worrying about - it is very unlikley to ever come about, and we owners have no control over it anyway.

 

[KNWVIKING]

I have stayed at HH and VB. If I had to chose one to get rid of HH would be my first choice simply because I feel ocean front in Fl is more preferable to mid-island in SC. Sales wise I think both resorts were equally slow. Just curious why you think VB would be the first to go ?

 

[vanstoj]

this is really for the original poster. I don't think they will get rid of Vero. In fact, according to my guide it is probably going to sell out in June or July. She said that there were only 1000 points left in an April use year. We have decided to do a small add on at VB because while we love Disney, we like the idea of the Beach in the summertime. It seems that just about everyone who goes to VB loves it and raves about and it seems that a lot of the people who post negative things about it have never visited it. In fact, after our recent visit to HH we were exclaiming to a friend about how wonderful that was and he cautioned us to wait because as much as we loved HH we would love VB even more.

Also, in response to the person who said that Disney would never build another DVC property offsite, in my guide's opinion, Disney would do it again, and maybe this time in the west.

 

[Richyams]

I thought that the last we heard, VB was 60% sold out. If that is true, then selling out this summer is about as likely as DVC building off site.

I think your guide was participating in optomistic, look good, non-commital speculation. Just buttering your bread. The Dismal performance of HH and VB caused Disney to sell off one property publicly announced as the next DVC resort andrumor has it that there may have been two other properties sold off for the same reason.

I very confidently believe that we will never see another off property DVC resort again.

 

[spiceycat]

You don't think that they will try to built close to DL in California? - there is not enough land to built on site - I haven't been to DL but it would go on the list if DVC built there.

vbfamily - I send you a pm!

 

[Richyams]

I think one of the rumored sold pieces of property or te announced and then sold property was in CA. Its just the land thing that makes me pessimistic about DVC at DL....because of that, I firmly believe that the awful performance of VB and HH will never allow another offsite DVC resort.

 

[crisi]

I think they may, although as long as the resort remains profitable, they probably won't.

40 years is a long time in the life of a corporation.

This isn't about the quality of the resort, but about the profitability of the resort and the committment Disney has to it. It could be a lovely resort, and it could be profitable, but if Disney decides it or Hilton Head are too much bother, they could both be gone. And bother could mean a lot of things - a hard time finding staff.....a lot of upkeep (which VB owners pay for in their dues, but Disney still has to manage)....even a Disney exec that wants to make his mark by making a significant change to DVC.

It is less likely that Disney would divest itself of the on-site resorts - as they are much more tied to Disney's image and therefore "outsourcing" them is much more risky. But they could even do that.

 

[poj7]

Originally posted by Richyams
VB is a beautiful resort, one of the finest that the world has ever seen. It was also a brutal failure for Disney. So brutal that Disney sold one piece of property that was publically announced as a DVC resort and possibly one or two other pieces of property.

It was so dismal in its sales that Disney will never again build an off property DVC resort.

Sorry, but the beauty of the resort does nothing to change how brutal and devestating a failure VB has been.

Just curious, where do you get your information? You present the information with such authority. And also with regard to the "finest that the world has ever seen" opinion, have you traveled much?

Paul

 

[drusba]

Disney Vacation Development Co. (DVD) (the Disney company that sells and controls the DVC resorts) cannot just give up on VB and remove VB from the program. There are only certain events that would allow it to remove VB from the program and bad sales and having a desire to pull out are not among the required events. The events are: (a) the government takes over the property through eminent domain; (b) 60% of the existing members vote to eliminate Disney's management of the resort; (c) the place is destroyed and cannot reasonably be rebuilt (it could someday sink into the sea); (d) the Disney companies go bankrupt; (e) the lease of the land by Disney (the parent company) expires (that happens in 2042) or conditions of the lease are violated voiding the lease (the above described events, or the failure of DVD to collect dues and maintain the property, are the events that could void the lease). In other words expect to see VB around as long as the other resorts.

 

[Richyams]

I have traveled some. Been to Singapore a couple times. Been to England and Scottland.....mor than anything, I say that to show that I am not dissing VB as a resort, only as a business venture.

Umm, its pretty much common knowledge that HH and VB were dissapointments. Its also comon knowledge that DIsney announced, canceled and sold the land for an offsite DVC resort.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

Originally posted by Richyams
I thought that the last we heard, VB was 60% sold out. If that is true, then selling out this summer is about as likely as DVC building off site.

Rich, it is my understanding that VB is roughly 96% sold. As you know, DVD keeps 2% so that leaves 2% left to sell.

It is my opinion that as more and more on-site DVCs are built, VB and HH will get harder and harder to book at the 7 month window.