Has DVC Stalled the Parks and Created Complacency in TDO?

[MickeyPeace]

I can't help but feel lately with DVC sprouting all over WDW property that it is part of the reason why progress in the parks is impeded.

Not just because of the money that is funneled into them (although that's part of it) but because once Disney has so many hundreds of thousands or millions of people locked in to vacationing there for the next 50 years, they don't have to keep it as fresh and exciting to entice guests. They already have your money and commitment.

Sure competition then becomes the driving force. But do you think if there wasn't DVC we would be seeing some spectacular advances in the parks? Would TDO feel less satisfied with the state of things and more aware of the deficiencies in the parks?

 

[ChrisFL]

I don't know the number of DVC guests vs. regular guests but i'm sure its still a very low percentage.

I think TDO has been complacent LONG before DVCs started to get popular

 

[tampabrad]

If that is the case...hopefully more and more DVC members will start using their points to travel places other than WDW. May be then TDO will notice they need to make some changes if their "locked in" guests are spending their $$$ elsewhere.

 

[bgraham34]

If that is the case...hopefully more and more DVC members will start using their points to travel places other than WDW. May be then TDO will notice they need to make some changes if their "locked in" guests are spending their $$$ elsewhere.

That won't really do anything to help the matter. The problem is that other timeshares come in as well and rent DVC units, so in essence DVC is always full.

 

[captainkidd]

It's a good question. Personally, I've started to view DVC as Disney's personal 401k program. Let's get as much money socked away for the future as possible, so when we're older, we can do as little as possible.

 

[Computer Magic]

It's a good question. Personally, I've started to view DVC as Disney's personal 401k program. Let's get as much money socked away for the future as possible, so when we're older, we can do as little as possible.

sad but true. I totally agree. Also using DVC to other areas is not cost effective at this time. You are truly locked in.

 

[copcarguyp71]

I never really looked at it that way but it brings up a very good question/point. If they have guaranteed income then why try harder on satisfaction. They do definitely put a LOT of effort into marketing and getting every opportunity to bend your ear on the subject while you are on property. I know we did sit down and listen to the sales pitch once and they really did not want you to leave the room without making a commitment. They have answers for every reason why you might not be interested and spin things in creative ways. I realize it works great for some folks just not for us.

Now I am sad because all of this had not occurred to me...

 

[bubbles1812]

but because once Disney has so many hundreds of thousands or millions of people locked in to vacationing there for the next 50 years, they don't have to keep it as fresh and exciting to entice guests. They already have your money and commitment.

You really have to commit for 50 years time? I understand them wanting a long commitment but half a century? Really?

 

[NormC]

You really have to commit for 50 years time? I understand them wanting a long commitment but half a century? Really?

You don't commit to the time. That is how long your lease lasts. You can sell it if you do not want it any longer.

 

[njDizFan]

I don't know the number of DVC guests vs. regular guests but i'm sure its still a very low percentage.

I think TDO has been complacent LONG before DVCs started to get popular

Doing a very rough estimate of daily attendance divided by number of DVC rooms...I came up with about 10% of daily attendance is booked through a DVC room. Which is definately a decent percentage. And when the proposed new DVCs are actually built the DVC crowd will be very significant.

 

[captainkidd]

You don't commit to the time. That is how long your lease lasts. You can sell it if you do not want it any longer.

Not that easy to do, but yes, you can sell it.

 

[captainkidd]

Doing a very rough estimate of daily attendance divided by number of DVC rooms...I came up with about 10% of daily attendance is booked through a DVC room. Which is definately a decent percentage. And when the proposed new DVCs are actually built the DVC crowd will be very significant.

My guess is, if DVC continues to sell well, existing Deluxe Resorts will in time start to lose more of their nightly rooms in favor of DVC units.

 

[jakeman]

No more so than the building of extra cruise ships or upgrading DCA.

They are all just different tabs on the Parks and Resort spreadsheet.

 

[epcotisbest]

Doing a very rough estimate of daily attendance divided by number of DVC rooms...I came up with about 10% of daily attendance is booked through a DVC room. Which is definately a decent percentage. And when the proposed new DVCs are actually built the DVC crowd will be very significant.

Might want to check those numbers again.

 

[Master Yoda]

Quite ironically I think success is what has stalled progress. Why continue to put money into your 4 parks when one has a strangle hold on the #1 spot and the rest are in the top 8? It seems has management has adopted a policy of squeezing the most profit out of the parks vs improving them to try and increase attendance.

 

[njDizFan]

Might want to check those numbers again.

Like I said it's a rough estimate...what numbers do you have?

Here's the breakdown:

45 million visitors annually...although its hard to estimate how many are park hoppers.
That's 123K per day but subtract for hoppers...an even 100K sound ok?

Disney Vacation Club Properties
Hotel and Number of Rooms:
• Disney’s Old Key West Resort – 531 units / 761 rooms
• Disney’s BoardWalk Villas – 383 units / 532 rooms
• The Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge – 136 units / 181 rooms
• Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa – 828 units / 1,255 rooms
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge Villas – 458* units / 708 rooms
* BLT - 428 rooms

That's 3865 rooms..how many people per room? 2? 4? Let's estimate 3

That's 11595 people staying at a DVC room per day...with 100% occupancy. so let's cut alittle occupancy and round it off to 10000 per day staying in a DVC room. Or at 2 people per room that's still over 6000.

So rough estimate of 6-10%??

I don't know it sounds about right

 

[epcotisbest]

Like I said it's a rough estimate...what numbers do you have?

Here's the breakdown:

45 million visitors annually...although its hard to estimate how many are park hoppers.
That's 123K per day but subtract for hoppers...an even 100K sound ok?

Disney Vacation Club Properties
Hotel and Number of Rooms:
• Disney’s Old Key West Resort – 531 units / 761 rooms
• Disney’s BoardWalk Villas – 383 units / 532 rooms
• The Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge – 136 units / 181 rooms
• Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa – 828 units / 1,255 rooms
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge Villas – 458* units / 708 rooms
* BLT - 428 rooms

That's 3865 rooms..how many people per room? 2? 4? Let's estimate 3

That's 11595 people staying at a DVC room per day...with 100% occupancy. so let's cut alittle occupancy and round it off to 10000 per day staying in a DVC room. Or at 2 people per room that's still over 6000.

So rough estimate of 6-10%??

I don't know it sounds about right

6 percent rough estimate is closer and occupancy rates average closer to 80 percent. Still a significant number. :wave:

 

[montyz81]

They got complacent on December 15, 1966

 

[ThreeCircles]

They got complacent on December 15, 1966

That's an odd argument to make. Walt Disney World, and the whole of The Walt Disney Co. for that matter, has grown by leaps and bounds since that date.

Is everything perfection? Of course not and it never will be. That's not how businesses operate.

 

[epcotisbest]

They got complacent on December 15, 1966

TDO did not even exist when Walt died.