Would you support a point "tax" for staying at other resorts?

[Mississippian]

Just curious. Would you support a small tax of say a 10 percent surcharge to stay at a resort other than your home resort?

One of the biggest complaints members have is not being able to book their home resort because it is booked up by visitors from other resorts. As the number of resorts grows this problem will get worse.

A small surcharge on staying away from home won't stop anyone, including me, from trying out other resorts. But it will tend to make people choose their home resort in case of a tie. And the revenue from the points received from a room tax can be used to lower member dues, which can help compensate members who are shut out of their home resort.

We all try to buy where we want to stay, and there is nothing more disappointing than to find out that our only option for a last minute trip is either to not go or to stay at a resort that doesn't appeal to us. It just seems that a small surcharge on staying away from "home" would make it more likely for all of us to find vacancies at the homes we've chosen, without having to resort to ever more meticulous planning.

Any thoughts?

 

[Mr. Disney 652]

Nope, that would just p-off a lot of people. One of the biggest selling points by DVC originally was the ability to use your points at a variety of hotels...then to take that away or charge more, no way!

 

[LadyKay]

No. Kind of beats the "flexibility" purpose of DVC. Besides I think the 11 month advantage is enough. I like that all non- home resort members are on the same playing (booking) field with the 7 month window. To ensure you get what you want, plan and book early whether it be at 11 or 7 month window!

 

[JimC]

A material selling point of the program is that all points are equal after the home resort booking advantage. I would not be in favor of changing that.

 

[dpuck1998]

Umm...no thats not what I signed up for, if they changed the rules I would demand a refund.

 

[marynvince]

Just curious. Would you support a small tax of say a 10 percent surcharge to stay at a resort other than your home resort?

One of the biggest complaints members have is not being able to book their home resort because it is booked up by visitors from other resorts. As the number of resorts grows this problem will get worse.

A small surcharge on staying away from home won't stop anyone, including me, from trying out other resorts. But it will tend to make people choose their home resort in case of a tie. And the revenue from the points received from a room tax can be used to lower member dues, which can help compensate members who are shut out of their home resort.

We all try to buy where we want to stay, and there is nothing more disappointing than to find out that our only option for a last minute trip is either to not go or to stay at a resort that doesn't appeal to us. It just seems that a small surcharge on staying away from "home" would make it more likely for all of us to find vacancies at the homes we've chosen, without having to resort to ever more meticulous planning.

Any thoughts?

Really makes no sense at all. And how would this help last minute trips?

 

[Mississippian]

Umm...no thats not what I signed up for, if they changed the rules I would demand a refund.

I understand where you're coming from. Of course, some folks may feel that they didn't sign up for being unable to book their home resort without meticulous planning because all the rooms are snapped up at seven months, when at one time that wasn't the case. Obviously their quality of life has gone down.

 

[Lynn5700]

I don't get what the OP is saying??? I'm so confused!

 

[TisBit]

Nope....as others have posted already, there is already a booking advantage...if you are booking within 7 months you have given up your advantage.

Poor Vero/HHI and other non-WDW resorts soon to open, they wouldn't even be able to book without a charge. It is one thing to have a $95 fee to go outside of DVC, but we all bought in with the understanding that we can stay where we want.

Not to mention I could imagine the threads of all the BLT owners feeling punished for having to put out premium points for MK views or pay this "tax".

 

[CraftyMouse]

I understand where you're coming from. Of course, some folks may feel that they didn't sign up for being unable to book their home resort without meticulous planning because all the rooms are snapped up at seven months, when at one time that wasn't the case. Obviously their quality of life has gone down.

Their quality of life? Seriously? I guess I don't see how not being able to book a stay at your home resort could possibly affect your quality of life.

FWIW, I would not support a tax to use my points at non-home resorts. There is already a "tax". It's called the booking windows. Members have 4 months where they cannot book rooms at a resort if it is not their home.

I don't think that it requires meticulous planning to use your points at your home resort. It does take a bit of advance thought, but not much more. And it's always been that way. We bought in '97 and there were times, even back then, when I couldn't get a room at OKW or HH (our homes) within the 7-month window. Sure, there are more members now, but there are also more rooms from which to choose.

 

[Mississippian]

Really makes no sense at all. And how would this help last minute trips?

It would help last minute trips by causing people to be slightly more likely to book at their home resort, thus leaving more rooms available at all of the resorts.

There tends to be last-minute availability, but it is mostly at SSR, where many people don't want to stay. This is because lots of people bought there even though they didn't want to stay there. (Let me make the point, though, that for many SSR is heaven on earth. There's just a terrible imbalance).

As I mentioned, as more resorts are added this problem is going to get worse.

The important thing is to keep the system FLEXIBLE, which means making it where people can do as they did several years ago and call three or four months out and get their home resort. Putting a small surchage on non-home stays makes the system more flexible for everyone, and ought to result in more open rooms for the members at their home resort or resorts.

 

[Lynn5700]

I would be happy if the only place left to stay was SSR!!! We loved it there. I think if you book at the 11 month mark you are MOST LIKELY UNLESS IT IS HOLIDAY SEASON gauranteed a room at your home resort.

 

[mjy]

Absolutely not. Nope. Uh uh. No way.

 

[Blahnde]

I think if you book at the 11 month mark you are guaranteed a room at your home resort.

No, you're not! The only guarantee is that IF there is availability, you may book. There are plenty of stories on this board about people calling at the 11 month mark and there being nothing available. Not just that what they WANT is not available (AKV Club/Concierge, for example), but that NOTHING at all is available at their home resort. Yes, this is usually for a holiday period, but it does happen.

Blahnde

 

[mytwoboys]

No. Kind of beats the "flexibility" purpose of DVC. Besides I think the 11 month advantage is enough. I like that all non- home resort members are on the same playing (booking) field with the 7 month window. To ensure you get what you want, plan and book early whether it be at 11 or 7 month window!

Also, No. LadyKay, I agree - sometimes even La Quintas do not have last minute availability - I think the 11/7 month windows are enough

 

[threegoofys]

That would be a big NO, for us. Like everyone else has said, that was one of the selling points for joining DVC, getting to try out other resorts. I don't want to be penalized to stay at other resorts, nor do I want other DVC members to be penalized to stay at my home resort. Personally, if I didn't take advantage of the 11 month window at my home resort and it's booked later on, then it's my own fault. I know HH is hard to get into during the summer, that's why I take advantage of my 11 month window.

 

[Lynn5700]

No, you're not! The only guarantee is that IF there is availability, you may book. There are plenty of stories on this board about people calling at the 11 month mark and there being nothing available. Not just that what they WANT is not available (AKV Club/Concierge, for example), but that NOTHING at all is available at their home resort. Yes, this is usually for a holiday period, but it does happen.

Blahnde

Sorry should have reworded my comment...I knew I would be corrected....If it is holiday season you may not get a room...yeah I get it.

 

[SunnieRN]

I would be happy if the only place left to stay was SSR!!! We loved it there. I think if you book at the 11 month mark you are gauranteed a room at your home resort.

I don't think they guarantee a stay, but I think it would be hard to not find a room at any resort at the eleven month window. I feel sorry for the folks that bought at a resort they didn't like with the idea of always staying somewhere else though, as I bet that doesn"t always work out!

 

[PEANUT1]

um let me think NO

was that clear enough

 

[Lynn5700]

Edited my comment..should have known better lol.