Why Do So Many Hate DVC

[DVCOwner]

I was just reading a thread on the Fantasyland expansion and several people are blaming money spent on building DVC for Disney not providing even more expansion in the parks.

Here is what I do not understand, why are there so many on this bulletin board hate DVC. People on this site complain every time a new DVC is opened and blame every problem at WDW on DVC. I am the first one to say that DVC is not for everyone, but than no one is forced to join.

All that I can see that DVC does is bring more and more money into the Disney coffers. DVC guarantees WDW year after year the return of thousands of quest to send money on tickets, food and souvenirs; and at no cost (actually a large profit) to Disney to build or operate (it is paid for by the purchase of points and annual fees). Millions of dollars have been returned to Disney from DVC and it is not the member’s fault how Disney spends its money.

 

[Pioneer Hall]

I feel there can be a number of reasons for why this happens. I believe that some of it is clear misinformation. A lot of people believe that a DVC resort takes money away from other projects, when that is clearly not the case. Since DVC resorts pay for themselves with very little interference from Disney it is a no brainer to use them as a catalyst for capital to actually fund their projects.

I believe part of it, like a number of other things in the world can stem from jealousy. I think that at some point we all bad mouth something because we are excluded from it, when deep down inside we really wish we had it. This would of course be an exception, rather that the rule...but I am sure there are a few people who fit into this category.

I think another part of it could be the feeling towards owners who believe they have some sort of entitlement. There are some DVC owners that feel that they deserve more because of their purchase and walk around with their noses in the air. While there aren't many, I can see people getting annoyed when you hear someone brag about their DVC and claim how expensive and exlcusive it is.

My only caveat about DVC is how it went from a very soft-sell program, to very in your face. While the guides still don't pressure you quite like other companies do, the kiosks and signs are everywhere now. What used to be one or two in a park has expanded leaps and bounds in order to get people to sign up. Other than that, I did a lot of research and realized that DVC was a good purchase for me and would allow me to enjoy Disney vacations for a long time. It will also keep me filling the mouse's pockets with cash for just as long.

 

[Master Yoda]

DisneyInsider hit the nail on the head. Most of it is born out of ignorance. People see Disney pouring a bagillion dollars into a new DVC resort while park expansion projects get shelved or their budgets slashed and instantly point to DVC as the villain. The reality is that even though the parks and DVC are part of Disney they operate for all intents and purposes operate as two completely separate companies. If anything DVC is better for the parks as they commit more people to traveling to WDW, increase attendance and make park expansion necessary.

 

[captainkidd]

DisneyInsider hit the nail on the head. Most of it is born out of ignorance. People see Disney pouring a bagillion dollars into a new DVC resort while park expansion projects get shelved or their budgets slashed and instantly point to DVC as the villain. The reality is that even though the parks and DVC are part of Disney they operate for all intents and purposes operate as two completely separate companies. If anything DVC is better for the parks as they commit more people to traveling to WDW, increase attendance and make park expansion necessary.

Agreed, but how many times have we seen park expansion compared to more DVC units being opened up?

My only issue with DVC is them putting it in certain places. I think the idea of DVC at the GF is a terrible and tacky idea.

 

[Master Yoda]

Agreed, but how many times have we seen park expansion compared to more DVC units being opened up?

My only issue with DVC is them putting it in certain places. I think the idea of DVC at the GF is a terrible and tacky idea.

DVC expansion will always out pace park expansion for one simple reason....DVC makes money almost instantly.

 

[BeachClubNut]

People tend to hate what they really want if they cant have / obtain it. Example, we were talking to some people walking on the Boardwalk who said they love the Boardwalk area but could never afford to stay there, the next sentence was I hate the DVC we stay at PC its so much cheaper. I then told her we are BCV members, and again she said "its overpriced etc, then her son asked if they could go to The beach Club pool" (I told her its for people staying there only) I wanted to say its for members only but you hate it??????

I was ready to do the cost comparison if you stay at Deluxe resorts vs Value, but somehow I feel I would be wasting my breath, hating something you cant have tends to lessen the pain........

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

DVC = Disney has your money whether you show up or not, guaranteed income without investment in the parks, its not that big a jump.

Im only going this year cause accommodation is paid for so makes the cost of a stay on par with a European break and I can get better value as a paying guest at DL in Sep.

 

[wm49rs]

Tower envy? :shrug:

 

[slappy magoo]

I wouldn't be so bold as to say everyone who has strong negative feelings towards Disney all have the exact same reason. There may be an element of jealousy for some people (which would make me think that jealousy would also be evident for deluxe resorts in general, but what do I know). For others a leeriness towards time shares in general (I know I've always heard that timeshares are nothing but money traps growing up). The argument that the money is better invested elsewhere has some persuasion, assuming of course, people who use that money to buy into DVC do so for financial reasons. But then you're also getting into reasons why people spend money on anything they want, from the house/condo/apartment they call home (was that really the best deal) to the things inside the home (do you need a TV that big, clothes that expensive) as well as outside (did you need THAT nice of a car to get to work and back? Why do you need a boat, isn't that money better off in a retirement plan?) and even vacations in general (why go to WDW? Aren't there cheaper places to go?) At what point are you allowed to buy something you want to have, as long as you can afford it, even if it's something as intangible as a DVC time share? Hell, people spend money to name stars after their pets.

The one argument I think has merit nowadays is that money spent on developing DVC is money that could be spent on the parks. At this point, they all need TLC - even beyond the planned improvements - to say nothing of there always being a demand for more attractions. I get that the money spent on developing DVC is a cash cow, and not necessarily money that would've been spent in the parks, different departments of the same giant corporation with their own overhead and profit margins and business goals to please their masters and all that. But it doesn't change the possibility that WDW is facing a "killing the goose that laid the golden egg" scenario. DVD sells so well because everyone loves to go to WDW, and many people plan on doing so multiple times in their lives. But if WDW doesn't continue to build in other ways, most notably, the theme parks that are the major reasons most people flock to Orlando, fewer people will want to make those numbers of repeat trips, and that risks hurting DVC. I can better understand the desire to create more villas in other parts of the world before either building a new resort in WDW or extending a piece of existing resorts. But money being spent in Orlando is better spent making WDW as good as it oughta be to justify people wanting to spend the money on DVC.

 

[captainkidd]

DVC expansion will always out pace park expansion for one simple reason....DVC makes money almost instantly.

And there's a big reason people don't like it. Not saying it's right or wrong, but as we so often read on these boards, some people knew Walt better than he knew himself.

 

[s8film40]

DVC is essentially pre-selling disney vacations. I think many people accurately assume that this gives Disney the confidence in knowing that future vacations are already paid for regardless of what if any improvements they decide to make to the resort. It affects their incentive to innovate, the past few years have certainly been evidence to that.

 

[tjkraz]

Agree with "DisneyInsider."

As for DVC being the reason that for slow construction in the parks....puhleeze. :dazzle: At best, DVC accommodations represent 10% of the Disney-operated rooms on property. There are just under 3000 DVC villas in all of Walt Disney World. Pop Century alone is just as large.

When you take locals and off-site guests into account, the percentage of DVC members in the parks on any given day is a smaller percentage yet.

I won't claim to know the reasons behind Disney's lackluster theme park development, but to think that it has anything to do with DVC members just doesn't add up.

 

[captainkidd]

I won't claim to know the reasons behind Disney's lackluster theme park development, but to think that it has anything to do with DVC members just doesn't add up.

I don't know. I think it's a reasonable assumption. As Master Yoda said, DVC is a quick money maker for Disney. It's the whole style over substance philosophy. Look how quick they got Bay Lake Towers up. That's a fraction of the time it would take to get a new theme park up and running, which would cost billions up front, and wouldn't start showing money back until the doors opened.

 

[Master Yoda]

I don't know. I think it's a reasonable assumption. As Master Yoda said, DVC is a quick money maker for Disney. It's the whole style over substance philosophy. Look how quick they got Bay Lake Towers up. That's a fraction of the time it would take to get a new theme park up and running, which would cost billions up front, and wouldn't start showing money back until the doors opened.

Actually it is not. DVC does not pull from the construction or maintenance budgets of the parks. The two are operated as separate companies.

 

[DVCOwner]

Just remember that all construction cost is covered by the purchase cost of points and that all maintenance is covered by the annual dues. The owners also pay property tax to help Disney pay for roads, fire protection, EMS, etc.

 

[DisneyJoe]

Now if we could just talk guests into purchasing time-share interest in a theme park, for 40-50 years upfront, and pay yearly dues....

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

Actually it is not. DVC does not pull from the construction or maintenance budgets of the parks. The two are operated as separate companies.

Its just the under performing part that gains from the body count that the other part pulls in.

It may not be empirical, but I certainly dont feel like a valued customer.

I should say that its also how I felt when booking this forth coming stay at Universal resort, it seems high occupancy generates a FU attitude regardless of operator.

 

[tjkraz]

Its just the under performing part that gains from the body count that the other part pulls in.

The parks may gain from DVC's mere existence, but what I was saying in my prior post is that I disagree with the idea that Disney isn't building up the parks because DVC is a captive audience. Even after 20 years, DVC members are still just a small fraction of the daily theme park guests. With 90+ percent of daily park guests being non-DVC, Disney obviously cannot afford to ignore that audience.

As for why things have been so stagnant in the last couple of years, your guess is as good as mine. But it just doesn't add up to think that the captive DVC audience is leading Disney to ignore the parks. DVC members can't sustain park profits--not even close.

 

[s8film40]

The parks may gain from DVC's mere existence, but what I was saying in my prior post is that I disagree with the idea that Disney isn't building up the parks because DVC is a captive audience. Even after 20 years, DVC members are still just a small fraction of the daily theme park guests. With 90+ percent of daily park guests being non-DVC, Disney obviously cannot afford to ignore that audience.

As for why things have been so stagnant in the last couple of years, your guess is as good as mine. But it just doesn't add up to think that the captive DVC audience is leading Disney to ignore the parks. DVC members can't sustain park profits--not even close.

Yes, but DVC memberships are paid all at once up front. So one DVC member = about 50 guests.

 

[Computer Magic]

I feel there can be a number of reasons for why this happens. I believe that some of it is clear misinformation. A lot of people believe that a DVC resort takes money away from other projects, when that is clearly not the case. Since DVC resorts pay for themselves with very little interference from Disney it is a no brainer to use them as a catalyst for capital to actually fund their projects.

I have heard this a few times by different DVC owners. Can you show me the facts that DVC doesn't take money away from other ventures? I work for a company that has several tax IDs which protects them if a certain organization needs to be sold or fails. There is always money "profits" being moved around to assist, grow or help other sub organizations.

I think another part of it could be the feeling towards owners who believe they have some sort of entitlement. There are some DVC owners that feel that they deserve more because of their purchase and walk around with their noses in the air. While there aren't many, I can see people getting annoyed when you hear someone brag about their DVC and claim how expensive and exlcusive it is.

Have you read some of the post in this thread. That is exactly how some of the DVC owners act.

I stated in another post, I never blamed people from being a DVC member. That is their right. It is my right to not want to be part of DVC for whatever reason. The following is one reason I don't own a DVC

DVC = Disney has your money whether you show up or not, guaranteed income without investment in the parks, its not that big a jump.

I want Disney to earn my money from year to year, I don't want to be tied to DVC for 50 years. If Disney doesn't produce, they don't get my money. Pretty simple.

I keep my stance from post in FL expansion. If there is solid proof that the parks aren't affected by DVC, I could change my stance. BUt Pumas Nakasak is spot on. The best point I read is only a small % of WDW is DVC, but I'm sure Disney wants a higher % of DVC being their revenue. This day of age, businesses want a guarantee yearly revenue stream and DVC is the way to acheive that. I don't see that good for future park investment, whether DVC takes away money from the parks or not