DVC Problems?: Chicago/NYC Sales Office to Close

[DVCOwner]

Oh, I didn't realize they were charging more on BLT because of the points left. I just figured they were selling it at that price point because of the location demand.

How do you get the price discounted? I've always been told "the price is what it is."

All I know is that when I purchased DVC at BWV in 2002 I got a discount below the orginial price. My best friend purchased BLT the first few months it was open and also got a discount. The last time I check the price was $165.00 for BLT and $135.00 for AKL and Aulani. With Aulani (and maybe AK) you also get additional free points for every 100 you buy. I know at time to time they offer other discounts, right now NYC firefighters and police are getting a discount (why I don't know). Check the DVCNews.com for current discount before talking with the sales people.

Also, always consider the resale market, I purchased 100 points that way.

 

[EOD K9]

As a DVC member, I can see why they would want focus on people actually in the "magic" when they try selling them the timeshare, worked on us!
But all honesty, as a DVC member, there are only a few perks like saving on an annual pass and such, but we never can get the free dining plan or reduced park tickets(unless it's an annual pass). The plus side is we can stay in a 1 or 2 bedroom if we want to save money and make some of our own meals and a quick taxi ride to Winn Dixie grocery store.
All in all I am pretty happy with DVC, but they could throw a few more perks our way, knowing that we likely will be visiting at least once a year for the next 30 something years.

I'm at SSR and I enjoy my DVC very much. I purchased it back in 2005 and by now I'm ahead with all the times the points have been utilized. However, Disney already gives us certain discounts. What other perks would they want to give us, knowing full well that we are in it for the long haul. They already have our money. I can't see them doing much more than APs and some other discounts. A free fast pass or two per visit and maybe a free meal would be nice. Its just not going to happen. They already hooked us, no need to give us more. Thats their thinking....not mine.

 

[bunnyman]

What does the breakeven become when points are $160-$200 per point? Even if I'm staying a 7-8 nights a year on property at Deluxe Resorts for an average of $225-$250 a night, I don't know if I would ever break even.

I for one am glad i didn't buy in now that we've gotten through our WDW Withdraws. 18 months since we've been to WDW and there are so many cool places we're now planning vacations for...Disneyland, Eastern Caribbean Disney Cruise, California National Parks, Alaska, Banff National Park. I would be kicking myself now if we would have bought 3 years ago...

Love the comments. I know many who were original buyers, back when you got the free park passes until 1999 or 2000 (or something like that). Every time we looked at buying in, we talked ourselves out of it for any number of reasons. Mainly, coming from the Northeast we didn’t want to be locked into a vacation destination that you had to fly to when the prices for airline tickets are all over the place. Plus, we vary our stays at WDW from cheapie, quickly planned long-weekend trips staying at All Star to well planned long weeks at the Poly. We always found that just the cost of the annual “dues” were often more in cost than what we’d pay for our shorter trips.
Like you said, we like the vacation flexibility of other destinations, and although we realize you can trade out of Disney, in looking at the places available they weren’t usually conducive to our other trips. More honestly than not, it seems that the many people I know that bought DVC have to spend far too much time planning their trips to get the times and locations they want, and most never trade for the DCL as they feel it is not worth it.
Maybe many years down the road we’ll say we should have done it, but I really hate the concept of forking over my $$ today (i.e. “Opportunity cost”) to basically subsidize Disney’s construction costs for new properties. But, of course, it's just an opinion.

 

[steve2wdw]

I'll admit, I'm going to be very tempted by GF. However, my guess is, by opening, it will be upwards of $200 per point. My guess is Disney is assuming DVC sales there will be based on the same clientele they're already selling regular rooms to. Although, we have stayed there twice, and we're far from wealthy. To quote Ward Cleaver, "No Beaver, we're not rich. We're what you'd call, comfortable."

Actually, I'm not even sure we're comfortable.

Is the GF clientele going to want to make their own beds and keep their own bathrooms clean? I don't see them as "that" type of clientele. Adding full housekeeping to their stay adds $'s to a stay....but then, maybe the GF guests have enough discretionary income to justify it.

 

[awesomeinabox]

I know that the one in Chicago (at Woodfield Mall) was giving away $50 mall (amex) gift cards to each person that went on the "tour" as of a month or two ago. I found it incredibly awkward, it being in the mall and all, but pretty informative as they had the rooms all set up and I could judge the sizes. Having gone on both of the sales tours I was more apt to buy based on the one that was in WDW. I didn't buy either pitch, but every time I walk by the store (or the kiosk) I think about it and plan my next trip to the world.

 

[captainkidd]

Is the GF clientele going to want to make their own beds and keep their own bathrooms clean? I don't see them as "that" type of clientele. Adding full housekeeping to their stay adds $'s to a stay....but then, maybe the GF guests have enough discretionary income to justify it.

I started an entire thread about that EXACT same thing when GF DVC was first announced, and pretty much everybody told me I was crazy.

 

[googilycub]

Living near the one in Chicago, I can tell you that one never made sense to me. It's a store front in a mall, and I never saw anyone in there. They also had a kiosk in the center court of the mall. Always left me scratching my head.

I have purchased both of my memberships at the Woodfield location, and every time I have been there, there has been several people in the back talking to agents. Considering you can see very little from the outside of the store, I do not think you should base your opinion on what you see from there.

 

[jt04]

More collateral damge from the worse economic recovery since the depression. Nothing to see here. Literally.

 

[cspencer96]

I just think this means they will focus more on marketing to people mid-vacation and through other, non-shopping mall means. Getting into DVC while at WDW after taking a ride on the magical red van to the mystical world of Saratoga Springs' Preview Center is a little different than at a shopping mall...and I can only assume it has more success. After all, what is magical and enticing about a storefront in a shopping mall with an overly-bubbly staff trying to tell you about the wonderful things you can do once you drop thirty grand? Not much when you compare it to what they do with the tours at the actual properties. I have read many times that DVC and the original Disney Vacation Club Resort (now Old Key West) were originally intended for the usual "timeshare folk" (retirees, wealthier families with other timeshares, etc.), and that demographic greatly shifted over the years to what it is today - normal, middle and upper middle class families who love to vacation at Disney entities.

 

[cspencer96]

That wasn't my quote.

However, I will respond. You can do those things with DVC, but it's ridonkulously expensive. The Disney Cruise is a joke with DVC points. Not sure about other trips, but the cruise is a big laugher.

I agree - almost any other property that is not in DVC inventory is a joke to pay for with points, even the moderate resorts at WDW. And it really works the other way, too. Reserving a Studio direct from Disney at Saratoga with cash and you're not a member? Around $500/night. It's crazy, but it's how they do it. So when we cruise, we just rent our points out to our friends at $13 a point and put that money toward the cruise fare - and we do the same if we want to stay at a non-DVC Disney resort. It just makes more sense that way.

 

[WDW1974]

Just skimmed this ... don't know what, if anything, can be read into it.

Disney has HUGE plans for DVC, but mostly at WDW.

Aulani can be booked by CMs at 70% off until just before Christmas (if they can book that for friends, I may make a late fall trip to the islands!)

I don't care how much Disney can get for BLT points or soon GFV points. I don't see how they can't see a huge problem with their REAL ESTATE business when DVC points at OKW and Vero, just to name two, are going for as little as $35 on the resale market. That's like being in a 'hood with relatively stable home prices, and you put your house on the market for $400,000 ... and then see neighbors selling very similar homes for $180,000. It takes most of your value and tosses it away.

And away is just where I am going ... but first, I'd also point out that there are folks who literally can't give timeshares in Orlando (non-DVC) away for free. Just looking for someone to pick up maintaining the place and there are no buyers.

Anyway, see you all a little later.

 

[mgf]

I understand that pitching at WDW is likely more effective, but the closure could (seems to?) indicate some lack of enthusiasm outside of repeat or "in-the know" visitors.

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

They had 2 in Woodfield mall. One was a standard Kiosk like you see in the parks and then the big store space..

And the first time I went there I at first assumed it was a new Disney Travel Co center to reserve trips for Disney..I was really excited about it but, then the CM Started going on and on about DVC and I was only there to see if I could book for another trip which never happend....During the other times I've passed it never seemed to have anyone going in it...Granted the area they put it was in an area that many people never went down..But if you look at the store..Doesn't not Scream "BOOK A TRIP TO WALT DISNEY WORLD!!"

Oh my no no no....

 

[Funfy]

Is the GF clientele going to want to make their own beds and keep their own bathrooms clean? I don't see them as "that" type of clientele. Adding full housekeeping to their stay adds $'s to a stay....but then, maybe the GF guests have enough discretionary income to justify it.

I am not sure if DVC expects what people consider the stereotypical GF Clientele, but, it certainly has a location, decor appeal to current DVC members and future DVC members that want that look and feel-and still knowing you go by the regular DVC procedures for everything else.

We have 405 points, and the children are almost out of the house, but we are thinking about adding a few more GF points just to be sure to be able to get in at 11 months if we want to stay there.

 

[yoyoflamingo]

The New York one is actually on Long Island, not New York City, but in an affluent area in the busiest mall on Long Island. I'm sure New York seemed like a prime location for a DVC store, as it always seems we're talking to people who travel to WDW, but after the initial excitement and burst of people wanting to buy, there has to be a limit to the people wanting to purchase at home who aren't actively seeking it out, as opposed to the impulse buying in WDW, as people said.

I feel bad for the staff more than anyone. It's a shame that they are basically cut off from Disney so it's a lot more difficult to transfer to a new post. They're basically left in the lurch.

Our salesperson was great and hopefully Disney has plans for the cast members working there, since those are the ones getting hurt the most by this decision.

I will miss the location though, as we did enjoy walking through the model rooms. Sometimes it was the closest we could get to Disney here in New York.

 

[captainkidd]

Until this thread, I had no idea outside DVC branches even existed.

 

[GoofGoof]

I wouldn't be surprised if DVC sales were beginning to stall, personally. There will come a time when that well will run dry. Those who are interested will have bought; those who have no interest will have passed it up countless times. I think we may be reaching that point. And given the stale nature of the parks in recent years, coupled with the runaway pricing - I think most guests will be increasingly hesitant of commiting themselves to DVC. Just my opinion...

Here's a link to the latest sales numbers through June:
http://dvcnews.com/index.php/dvc-program/financial/dvc-sales-statistics

No sign in the numbers that sales have stalled or even slowed down. Just normal monthly fluctuations. My guess is that they are refocusing the sales resources on people already at WDW or maybe the NY and Chicago locations just weren't selling enough to cover the cost. Either way I am sorry to report that DVC is not going anywhere anytime soon When GFV goes on sale the numbers will probably spike a little.

 

[TomHendricks]

This saddens me to no end, I have made friends with several of the sales people at the Doorway to Dreams here at the Roosevelt Field Mall on Long Island. We bought into Bay Lake Tower here, when Doorway first open and got a great deal on BLT. Often just stop by to talk, we're interested in getting into Grand Floridian and were looking forward to doing it right here. I guess well have to do it on our next trip to WDW.

 

[alissafalco]

The New York one is actually on Long Island, not New York City, but in an affluent area in the busiest mall on Long Island. I'm sure New York seemed like a prime location for a DVC store, as it always seems we're talking to people who travel to WDW, but after the initial excitement and burst of people wanting to buy, there has to be a limit to the people wanting to purchase at home who aren't actively seeking it out, as opposed to the impulse buying in WDW, as people said.

I feel bad for the staff more than anyone. It's a shame that they are basically cut off from Disney so it's a lot more difficult to transfer to a new post. They're basically left in the lurch.

Our salesperson was great and hopefully Disney has plans for the cast members working there, since those are the ones getting hurt the most by this decision.

I will miss the location though, as we did enjoy walking through the model rooms. Sometimes it was the closest we could get to Disney here in New York.

Yes, in Garden City where I am from, at the Roosevelt Field Mall. Just last year I saw an add for a job position to be a DVC sales rep at that location. The job position stated it was salary plus commission.

 

[WDW1974]

I still don't quite grasp why folks would buy from Disney when there are so many great deals on the resale market, but I also would never buy timeshare in my life.

I think it can be a value for some, but very few and far fewer than those who actually buy it.