News Disney Vacation Club Announces Expansion at The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

[CaptainAmerica]

And, with respect, people book everything. You can’t find a room anywhere a month out. There’s no issue filling rooms.

Again, I'm not talking about what's good or bad business, or how to best logistically fill all the rooms.

I'm saying Disney is *contractually obligated* to balance demand. It *cannot* be the case that a Value Studio at AKV requires you to walk your reservation at 11 months out but a 1 BR Savanna View is easily bookable at 5 months. I'll try to find the exactly language but they're REQUIRED to adjust the pricing when demand is severely imbalanced.

 

[RobbinsDad]

They had more deluxe rooms than people were booking. Why keep rooms they need to discount to 35% (I once got 40%!)? Not when there are $25k contracts to be sold.

I know two families that were automatically upgraded from Caribbean Beach to Grand Floridian in March. Selling the ultra-deluxe resort rooms must be a problem.

 

[ToTBellHop]

In any event, the fact that this is 200 studios suggests Disney is well aware that people want studios more than other room types, and is leaning into this. The super wealthy will get their 1000-point contracts for a bungalow but they are trying to appeal to the upper middle class, more, including couples with no children. It’s easier to find 15000 families or couples with $25k to blow for “memories” than it is to find 1500 millionaires. Millionaires don’t even stay onsite at Disney anymore.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Going back to the Grand... what, if anything, do we read into the fact that they're treating this as an expansion of VGF and not some new property a la Copper Creek versus Boulder Ridge?

Seems like they could have had the opportunity to call this the "Mary Poppins Villas at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa" or some such and sold the points with the same resale restrictions as Riviera.

 

[ToTBellHop]

Again, I'm not talking about what's good or bad business, or how to best logistically fill all the rooms.

I'm saying Disney is *contractually obligated* to balance demand. It *cannot* be the case that a Value Studio at AKV requires you to walk your reservation at 11 months out but a 1 BR Savanna View is easily bookable at 5 months. I'll try to find the exactly language but they're REQUIRED to adjust the pricing when demand is severely imbalanced.

That is really subjective and impossible to truly litigate given that Disney has made changes to “fix” this problem, which is all anyone could ask for. Changes have always been incremental. People flipped out over the recent changes that impacted my nightly rates by a point. Much ado about nothing.

I never have an issue getting any room at my home resort at 11 months. I even got a Beach Club studio and Grand Californian studio at 7 months this year. And demand is sky high due to the backlog. I must have the magic touch?

 

[ToTBellHop]

Going back to the Grand... what, if anything, do we read into the fact that they're treating this as an expansion of VGF and not some new property a la Copper Creek versus Boulder Ridge?

Seems like they could have had the opportunity to call this the "Mary Poppins Villas at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa" or some such and sold the points with the same resale restrictions as Riviera.

I imagine that would take longer to get approved. They want this ASAP. Post-Covid demand is here and they want something to sell people who haven’t used their vacation money for over a year.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I like to cook breakfast. It saves me a ton of time in the morning and I make better eggs than Disney does. But even paying cash, I would never book a one bedroom. We'd do standard rooms, FW cabins, or bring my parents along and jump to a 2BR.

If you was how much butter and sugar go into that egg mixture...you wouldn’t honestly believe this

I know two families that were automatically upgraded from Caribbean Beach to Grand Floridian in March. Selling the ultra-deluxe resort rooms must be a problem.

March 2021? But if an unusual situation...me thinks? Moderate demand is always higher than “deluxe”...all things being equal.

Going back to the Grand... what, if anything, do we read into the fact that they're treating this as an expansion of VGF and not some new property a la Copper Creek versus Boulder Ridge?

Seems like they could have had the opportunity to call this the "Mary Poppins Villas at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa" or some such and sold the points with the same resale restrictions as Riviera.

I read it as: “can’t believe the fools fell for this one time...best not push it and hope they’re money drunk enough t

 

[pdude81]

They say they will balance demand using the point charts, which is wholly separate from chopping up hotel rooms because studios are more popular.

However, it's in their best interests to manage demand on this one as you would have more guests per square foot in a studio than in a 1BR while the point costs track closer to room size.

Now there are a lot of people who complain about poly not having one bedrooms and refuse to stay there, while I love that they have larger 1BR. So this may off some people from that perspective. For them, balance meaning roughly equal allocation of units between room types. Different strokes I guess.

IMO this is a solid move for Disney as there is always a ton of demand for direct VGF points and they likely needed a refurb at that building anyway. Might as well have DVC pay for it and guarantee the revenue for 40+ more years.

And I'll bet these cost more points per night than the already very high VGF rooms in the other building.

 

[RobbinsDad]

If you was how much butter and sugar go into that egg mixture...you wouldn’t honestly believe this



March 2021? But if an unusual situation...me thinks? Moderate demand is always higher than “deluxe”...all things being equal.



I read it as: “can’t believe the fools fell for this one time...best not push it and hope they’re money drunk enough t

I know it's anecdotal, but hearing this news about GF made me think about it. We all know each other but they weren't traveling together - at the time they thought, "What are the odds!" Turns out the odds might have been better than any of us realized.

 

[Nmoody1]

In any event, the fact that this is 200 studios suggests Disney is well aware that people want studios more than other room types, and is leaning into this. The super wealthy will get their 1000-point contracts for a bungalow but they are trying to appeal to the upper middle class, more, including couples with no children. It’s easier to find 15000 families or couples with $25k to blow for “memories” than it is to find 1500 millionaires. Millionaires don’t even stay onsite at Disney anymore.

And why would they when you have the Four Seasons - an actual 5 star property vs a Disney hotel like the Grand Floridian that certainly is not 5 star.

Disney have a LONG way to go to improve thier hotel business... but they don't need to. They have plenty of tricks up thier sleeves and plenty of people willing to pay just because its Disney. I'd love to take some of these people to a true 5 star property and show them.the cost vs thier Disney vacation

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I know it's anecdotal, but hearing this news about GF made me think about it. We all know each other but they weren't traveling together - at the time they thought, "What are the odds!" Turns out the odds might have been better than any of us realized.

I know we’re getting reports to the contrary...and it’s hard to gauge the 2020 effect...

but they have had significant problems filling “deluxe” rooms for 10 years and more in some cases. And this is during “boom economy”

the wilderness lodge example is the most obvious...but the others are similar.

they are just too expensive while they’ve put the squeeze on all the prices for the other stuff and cut corners at the same Time. It’s a simple 1+1=2 equation.
Can’t maintain the sales.

remember now that conventions are shot...which takes a nice chunk out of 5 of these “palaces”

i wouldn’t be surprised if this announcement had a lot to do with that

 

[ToTBellHop]

And why would they when you have the Four Seasons - an actual 5 star property vs a Disney hotel like the Grand Floridian that certainly is not 5 star.

Disney have a LONG way to go to improve thier hotel business... but they don't need to. They have plenty of tricks up thier sleeves and plenty of people willing to pay just because its Disney. I'd love to take some of these people to a true 5 star property and show them.the cost vs thier Disney vacation

They’d rather expand the timeshare and get the money right now based upon the Disney brand (“the Grand is fancy because we say so”) than have to fight to be viewed as luxurious every week in perpetuity. Plus, wealthy people like exclusive clubs. Especially people who want to be viewed as wealthy—the folks making like $100k/year. Not filthy rich but they’ll gladly show off the DVC magnet as they drive the RAV4 To taekwondo. That’s what DVC is supposed to be. That’s why we are harassed with signs about the Best Kept Secret everywhere.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

And why would they when you have the Four Seasons - an actual 5 star property vs a Disney hotel like the Grand Floridian that certainly is not 5 star.

Disney have a LONG way to go to improve thier hotel business... but they don't need to. They have plenty of tricks up thier sleeves and plenty of people willing to pay just because its Disney. I'd love to take some of these people to a true 5 star property and show them.the cost vs thier Disney vacation

disney has no intention of “competing” with the four seasons. None. That’s why they allowed it to be built.

the white and red place is run on the level with $200 hotels in most cities...On a GOOD day.

you’d be amazed at how the machine works

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

They’d rather expand the timeshare and get the money right now based upon the Disney brand (“the Grand is fancy because we say so”) than have to fight to be viewed as luxurious every week in perpetuity. Plus, wealthy people like exclusive clubs. That’s what DVC is supposed to be. That’s why we are harassed with signs about the Best Kept Secret everywhere.

...the 4 “club 33s” didn’t tip everyone off...I guess?

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Jeeze can we stop with the Four Seasons comparisons? Yeah, it's way nicer than the Grand. It's also *waaaaaay* more expensive.

(The Grand is outrageously priced, you'll get no argument from me whatsoever.)

 

[ToTBellHop]

...the 4 “club 33s” didn’t tip everyone off...I guess?

Did they all even open? A bit too exclusive and ostensibly fancy for me. I like the guarantee of a studio because, at the end of the day, I like the theme and location of the deluxes but can’t stomach the rates. But, I’m in the parks in a t-shirt and shorts, sipping soda and eating a corn dog. Most people at DVCs seem similar. It’s not the country club atmosphere they pretend it is.

It was the Disney Cruise, actually, where I thought, “my goodness, these people are wealthy.” It was subtle, but the designer handbags and brands of clothing on the 7-year olds (think $50 kids t-shirts) were striking. I felt a bit self-conscious dressing the kids in shirts from Target...

 

[LuvtheGoof]

And why would they when you have the Four Seasons - an actual 5 star property vs a Disney hotel like the Grand Floridian that certainly is not 5 star.

Disney have a LONG way to go to improve thier hotel business... but they don't need to. They have plenty of tricks up thier sleeves and plenty of people willing to pay just because its Disney. I'd love to take some of these people to a true 5 star property and show them.the cost vs thier Disney vacation

The GF has never been rated more than 4 stars.

 

[pdude81]

Did they all even open? A bit too exclusive and ostensibly fancy for me. I like the guarantee of a studio because, at the end of the day, I like the theme and location of the deluded but can’t stomach the rates. But, at the end of the day, I’m in the parks in a t-shirt and shorts, sipping soda and eating a corn dog. Most people at DVCs seem similar. It’s not the country club atmosphere they pretend it is.

It was the Disney Cruise, actually, where I thought, “my goodness, these people are wealthy.” It was subtle, but the designer handbags and brands of clothing on the 7-year olds (think $50 kids t-shirts) were striking. I felt a bit self-conscious dressing the kids in shirts from Target...

I think I saw people in the DAK one last month (window), so I expect they are all open now.

 

[flutas]

The resale prices for Saratoga are absurd right now compared to direct on a certain resale site but the price can still be right if you know where to look (note the broker logos on the left for the lowest and highest priced contracts on the market in the photos below). In any case there’s over 60 SSR contracts on the market now so watch for prices to fall

Lowest:

Highest:

Side note, what site is that? Surprised anyone is getting away with that much scraping on a public site without getting yelled at by some of the DVC companies.

 

[dreday3]

I never understood why they never made Yacht/Beach their Flagship Resort instead of Grand Floridian.

In my opinion they are lightyears better than the Grand.