DVC Website

[correcaminos]

I thought that a studio that's part of a lockoff 2BR is essentially excluded from that calculation, and that the "total points cost" of a resort for a given year only applies to 2BR units.

Disney can't increase the total points at the resort, but if a 2BR is 30, a studio is 15, and a 1BR is 25, the total points cost at that resort is 30, not 40.

You'd be surprised how many dedicated studios there are. So it's not as simplistic as you think. Plus you have to do it across the board at all resorts unless you want total imbalances.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Pretty sure all resorts have some dedicated studios and 1-beds.

You'd be surprised how many dedicated studios there are. So it's not as simplistic as you think. Plus you have to do it across the board at all resorts unless you want total imbalances.

Ah that's the part I didn't realize. I thought pretty much all of the studios and 1 beds were part of lockoff 2BRs.

 

[correcaminos]

We would certainly tend towards that group. We don’t cook entirely in the room but we almost always have breakfast (bacon, eggs, sausages, toast, cereal) in the room and try to do at least every other dinner in the room.
But we love the lounges and spend quite a few evenings in them.

Not sure why you would group the U.K. visitors in with DVC.
Our ticket deals are still good, despite a couple of sneaky changes as of November. Date based pricing, albeit that it’s really only Christmas and New Year that is an extra $100 per person over the rest of the year. And it seems that the water parks now count as a “park day” - although it’s ambiguous and I’m trying to get confirmation. But per day it’s still good value compared with the US tickets.


Correct on the lockoffs only counting as 2-beds, but the total points cost includes all room types - dedicated studios, dedicated 1-beds, 2-beds and GFVs. Pretty sure all resorts have some dedicated studios and 1-beds. If they increased the cost of studios then it has to be offset somewhere else. They started doing that but back-tracked part way…. they’ll almost certainly make another shift soon.

And if they do that then those members who were permitted to buy just 50 points direct will have a valid grievance.

The shift created such an issue too that is why they backtracked. The adjustments they made after were more balanced.

From your description you sound average to me for DVC owners as a whole. Some are way more budgeting and others are the other direction. We have all types for DVC. Some do more cooking too because after a few days, Disney only food is too much in terms of fat/richness/portions etc too.

 

[correcaminos]

Ah that's the part I didn't realize. I thought pretty much all of the studios and 1 beds were part of lockoff 2BRs.

When I have more time to double check, I'll put a list together of all the rooms and breakdowns.

 

[nickys]

Undoubtedly…points are a terrible deal.

but even cash is 2x the competitors…the “gap”…If there is one…isn’t anywhere close to that

I can agree with you on this. I’ve mulled over a DCL cruise but in addition to not being totally sold on the idea of a cruise in the first place I see little reason to try it on a cruise line that costs double anyone else for the same itinerary. Especially having read trip reports from people on other cruise lines.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I can agree with you on this. I’ve mulled over a DCL cruise but in addition to not being totally sold on the idea of a cruise in the first place I see little reason to try it on a cruise line that costs double anyone else for the same itinerary. Especially having read trip reports from people on other cruise lines.

Woah! The rare ( “but appreciated” ) agreement

I like dcl…I like the setup and the quality…but it doesn’t Equate to good value. I can’t bring myself to pick it over RCCL or celebrity after starting to compare them.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Not sure why you would group the U.K. visitors in with DVC.
Our ticket deals are still good, despite a couple of sneaky changes as of November. Date based pricing, albeit that it’s really only Christmas and New Year that is an extra $100 per person over the rest of the year. And it seems that the water parks now count as a “park day” - although it’s ambiguous and I’m trying to get confirmation. But per day it’s still good value compared with the US tickets.

you have a better deal - no doubt…

my question is how long before they let it stay that way?
The management now has no sense of “enough” …unless there’s a correction it’s only a matter of time before the UK travel packages start getting mentioned in that dreaded Iger category of “bad deal”…just as they set up domestic APs here several years ago.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

But you’re not buying “your week”. The point is that you have flexibility to choose what week to go or whether to split it into three shorter stays. That is breaking the model.

No way could we afford flights to the US every year. The DVC model allowed us to use the on site timeshare but use it once every 3 years, by which time we’d have saved enough to fly over there.

Equally even if you only have enough points for one week, you can book in May one year and April the next and get value out of an AP.

There is more than one way to use DVC. There is no such thing as “the correct way”.

Granted…your circumstances are different. The DVC membership was 90% US when last I checked? But it’s been a long time.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

It has put an incredible burden on the studio bookings. It's why they tried to do studios mostly at PVB and why the VGF expansion is studios only. The balance of booking types shifted during this time to a mix to more studio heavy. Helps most of the time when you are a 1 and 2 bedroom dweller but as a whole there is a massive imbalance.

That’s a problem made worse by the escalating point charts for each “new” (retrofits…since kidani) location opening…

those 1 and 2’s look even less like a good deal that people chose to book…hence more studio crunch.

you know what else caused that problem? I’ll give you a hint: Polynesian and wilderness lodge.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

you know what else caused that problem? I’ll give you a hint: Polynesian and wilderness lodge.

Because nobody bought contracts big enough to regularly stay in bungalows and cabins so you end up with 99.9% studio-level owners but studios make up only 95% of the room nights and an even lower percentage of the points inventory?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I'm not following... what issues do the 50 point owners cause?

In addition to what Helen said…I have one for you:

who would Disney prefer:
Someone who gets High off the dust, walks into Saratoga and plops down $8,000 for 50 points without thinking too much?
Or someone who repeats steps 1 and 2 and plop down $30,000 for 200 points?

sometimes numbers can lie…the second option is worth far more (potentially) to Disney

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Because nobody bought contracts big enough to regularly stay in bungalows and cabins?

Bingo…sorta

the downside of points as opposed to “weeks” is that it floods the pool.

so one of those things are like 700 a week…but there’s a fairly high chance those 700 points sold are used on 4 weeks at a studio (or 2 weeks in a 2 BR) and they never are actually used at a cabin or bungholo…
There’s no division in the pool. Just sell, baby

 

[CaptainAmerica]

In addition to what Helen said…I have one for you:

who would Disney prefer:
Someone who gets High off the dust, walks into Saratoga and plops down $8,000 for 50 points without thinking too much?
Or someone who repeats steps 1 and 2 and plop down $30,000 for 200 points?

sometimes numbers can lie…the second option is worth far more (potentially) to Disney

 

[correcaminos]

That’s a problem made worse by the escalating point charts for each “new” (retrofits…since kidani) location opening…

those 1 and 2’s look even less like a good deal that people chose to book…hence more studio crunch.

you know what else caused that problem? I’ll give you a hint: Polynesian and wilderness lodge.

Uh not this again. People who say this don't realize the studio crunch happened long before PVB existed and I mean by many years. The issue started the drop in requirements and they added all those studios to try to help. They added 360 studios with PVB. The bungalows get booked at about 90% they aren't the problem.

As crazy as it sounds there have been some insnaely large PVB and even VGF or BLT contracts. A lot of businesses do things like that.

 

[correcaminos]

In addition to what Helen said…I have one for you:

who would Disney prefer:
Someone who gets High off the dust, walks into Saratoga and plops down $8,000 for 50 points without thinking too much?
Or someone who repeats steps 1 and 2 and plop down $30,000 for 200 points?

sometimes numbers can lie…the second option is worth far more (potentially) to Disney

It's Helena please, not Helen

It's not just about money down initially since they finance a ton of contracts. They did know the issue they caused with perks and small contracts. Granted I have some small add ons but my main contract is still bigger than most.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Uh not this again. People who say this don't realize the studio crunch happened long before PVB existed and I mean by many years. The issue started the drop in requirements and they added all those studios to try to help. They added 360 studios with PVB. The bungalows get booked at about 90% they aren't the problem.

As crazy as it sounds there have been some insnaely large PVB and even VGF or BLT contracts. A lot of businesses do things like that.

We are just on two different wavelengths

the poly bungalos didn’t “start the fire”…it just poured more gas on it

“it was always burning since the worlds been turning”

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

It's Helena please, not Helen

It's not just about money down initially since they finance a ton of contracts. They did know the issue they caused with perks and small contracts. Granted I have some small add ons but my main contract is still bigger than most.

I thought it was Helen-a-bear…I’ll correct that stance.

just like my buddies used to call me Michael-a-Eisner in high school


define “perk” issue? What kinda perks?
…since I was trained in the initial philosophy…this one could be fun on a revisionist history perspective

And my point in the “money” down is that it’s an indicator of the willingness of the buyer to spend larger sums of frivolous, discretionary cash on ancillary sales…like martinis, Halloween parties and lightsabers.

 

[correcaminos]

I thought it was Helen-a-bear…I’ll correct that stance.

just like my buddies used to call me Michael-a-Eisner in high school


define “perk” issue? What kinda perks?
…since I was trained in the initial philosophy…this one could be fun on a revisionist history perspective

And my point in the “money” down is that it’s an indicator of the willingness of the buyer to spend larger sums of frivolous, discretionary cash on ancillary sales…like martinis, Halloween parties and lightsabers.

People would buy in go DVC to get access to moonlight magic, AP discounts etc. So after a while of such low buy ins, they started upping minimums. They didn't like having so many getting perks that they barely put money into to earn.

I said it elsewhere on this forum recently, had I known so many would think I was Helen.A.Bear when I created the username, I would've chosen otherwise. Helena like Elena here lol

We are just on two different wavelengths

the poly bungalos didn’t “start the fire”…it just poured more gas on it

“it was always burning since the worlds been turning”

Still not what you think. The PVB studios actually are the problem along with the low buy in. The bungalows are a red herring. Let me explain why. They are booked and booked to average ish capacity usually. The problem was when PVB was sold it was a 50 point buy in. The issue? People who bought at PVB often cannot afford PVB. My short 3 night stay is 75 points in March for a standard view. My 1 night in Nov on a week day was 19 points (last minute trip, was going to stay offsite until I saw it come up). If you have even 100 points that does not get you far.

Throw in SSR and Aulani (aka I bought there only never to stay there) and there is your issue. The bungalows and cabins are nothing in terms of points compared to many buying where they won't want to stay. We're talking 1% of points vs 15-20% (I do not have my numbers for exact breakdown on me). With every resort they add, the numbers for bungalows and cabins diminish.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

People would buy in go DVC to get access to moonlight magic, AP discounts etc. So after a while of such low buy ins, they started upping minimums. They didn't like having so many getting perks that they barely put money into to earn.

I said it elsewhere on this forum recently, had I known so many would think I was Helen.A.Bear when I created the username, I would've chosen otherwise. Helena like Elena here lol


Still not what you think. The PVB studios actually are the problem along with the low buy in. The bungalows are a red herring. Let me explain why. They are booked and booked to average ish capacity usually. The problem was when PVB was sold it was a 50 point buy in. The issue? People who bought at PVB often cannot afford PVB. My short 3 night stay is 75 points in March for a standard view. My 1 night in Nov on a week day was 19 points (last minute trip, was going to stay offsite until I saw it come up). If you have even 100 points that does not get you far.

Throw in SSR and Aulani (aka I bought there only never to stay there) and there is your issue. The bungalows and cabins are nothing in terms of points compared to many buying where they won't want to stay. We're talking 1% of points vs 15-20% (I do not have my numbers for exact breakdown on me). With every resort they add, the numbers for bungalows and cabins diminish.

Interesting…you are changing my thoughts on this a little. I’d still need proof those bungs are booked 52 weeks a year/16…and that those bookings aren’t being being made by people who Hoarded 2000 points from back in the cheap days?

…but the 50 point minimum made no sense…as did when people would buy 200 resell at Saratoga and then 25 add on direct for the perks…and that only ended about 5 ish years ago?

and I’d suggest you change your name to “Helenapooh”

 

[correcaminos]

Interesting…you are changing my thoughts on this a little. I’d still need proof those bungs are booked 52 weeks a year/16…and that those bookings aren’t being being made by people who Hoarded 2000 points from back in the cheap days?

…but the 50 point minimum made no sense…as did when people would buy 200 resell at Saratoga and then 25 add on direct for the perks…and that only ended about 5 ish years ago?

and I’d suggest you change your name to “Helenapooh”

The numbers I have are pre-covid but a source I trust gave them. Since 90-95% booked is not abnormal for some rooms with DVC 1 or 2 bungalows on average were not booked out at times. Oddly when I was looking to blow points, neither the cabin nor bungalows were available when I wanted to book. But right now I cannot say how solid they are both at the moment. Bookings are weird this year I'm sure you know. I have no numbers for recent months. In 2020 bookings for everything were low though and that's the last time I asked.

When we had our bungalow stay, it was booked solid for many months in advance and that was within a year after opening. So no hoarding of points anyway then. Let me add, those who say they never see anyone doesn't understand how the best part of the room is in the back. Put the blackout shades (which they have) down all day for privacy. In the back you cannot see each other but boy did we hear how busy it was. Looking from the hotel side, you'd assume they are empty, but they're just hiding lol

The 25 point add on was the worst. So many bought resale and then added. They should've closed that loophole fast. But I think a recession had them squirrely so to speak but notice that limit is long gone.

I'm sure Helen A Pooh would be worse in the long run. Lol. I made my choice on username decades ago and it stuck. Oh well.

Contemplating a 100 add on at BRV right now. So my itch to add on seems to be high even though my thoughts are lower on Disney at the moment. Ugh.