Some ideas to ponder as Robert A. Iger. Tom Staggs and George Kalogridis (no, he's not deserving to be placed with the other two as he's retail all the way, but thought I'd give him a shoutout!) continue to take massive hits off the crystal meth ... I mean timeshare pipe. Disney is like an addict in that meth house ...they can't stop the quick hit profits of timeshares, regardless of the long term negative effect to WDW.
Perspective:
In 1990, WDW was heading toward its crest/zenith in both quality and value and resort offerings. It had NO presence of timeshare on property at all. WDW existed for two decades and had opened three theme parks, two water parks and DD (then the LBV Shopping Village) all with NO timeshare at all.
In 1995, WDW had reached its high point and was starting to become bloated and overbuilt. But it still didn't have ONE Deluxe Resort with a timeshare component. None.
In 2000, WDW was starting a massive crash in quality (albeit still slow to see in many ways). It had a timeshare presence at exactly ONE Deluxe Resort. That was the BW, which was constructed specifically to have both hotel rooms and villas from the start. VWL would open very late in the year.
In 2005, WDW was already in massive decline --although still had some major new large-scale attractions either opened or about to (Soarin, Mission Space, EE) as Michael Eisner ended his run as CEO. By that point, Disney had THREE Deluxe resorts with timeshare, but one (BW) was designed that way. WL and BC added DVC between 2000-2005. WLV were carefully designed and beyond putting a strain on transportation and the QSR, fit in beautifully. The BCV were placed on a piece of land never intended for development, looked out of place and immediately lowered the standards of the 4-star BC. DVC also had stand alone resorts in the original -- OKW -- and the newly built SS, which replaced the Disney Institute, which had replaced a group of villas (some dating back to 1975) and vacation homes known at the LBV Resort.
Anyone see where this is going?
In between 2005-2010, WDW began DVC'ing the entire property. First, finishing SS. Then, destroying Contemporary North to replace it with the poorly built and designed BLT to have timeshares within walking distance of the MK. Disney also added Kidani Village to DAK Lodge, but also took away hundreds of deluxe rooms at the Lodge and turned them into timeshare. Oh, and they added more to SS, by taking back the old Treehouse Villas (that had been used as housing for IPers) and rebuilding them.
It was also during this era, early in Bob Iger's tenure, that plans were made to add DVC to every Deluxe Resort on the monorail.
Hence, between 2010-2015, the two pricest (supposedly most upscale) WDW resorts in the Grand Flo and Poly both had DVC added. At the latter, rooms were removed and beach views disappeared.
During this period, plans were looked at and debated to add literally thousands of more DVC units across property. From existing Deluxe Resort inventory to replacing moderate resort rooms to adding them to 'unconventional' locations like the EPCOT parking lot and the old River Country site.
There is not a Deluxe Resort at WDW ( here comes the YC 'excuse' even though it is largely operated as one resort with the BC) in 2015 that doesn't have timeshare. Whether you think this is a good thing or not really doesn't matter much (although it isn't).
This quick hit profit model has allowed WDW to keep its parks stale and stagnant and has helped keep profits churning (
@ParentsOf4 has written way too much on the subject).
While we don't know what Walt had in mind for the Florida Project, it's safe to say when he said ''We have enough land here for all the ideas we can possibly imagine'' that he didn't plan on Disney being The Timeshare Kingdom of the World.
That's what it is. And it's only going to get worse. Much, much worse.
