Irritating Situation

[Ian]

Well I do think you raise one interesting point ... how does Disney determine that the THV's are all booked up??

I mean I am 100% CERTAIN that there is availability at SSR. In fact, I know for a fact that there were 2BR's available because I booked one.

So why was I able to book a 2BR but not a THV? That makes no sense. I can see that they have to reserve a certain number of rooms for cash guests, but do they have to reserve a certain type of room? Why couldn't they make 2BR's available for cash guest and leave the THV's to the members? It's not like the THV's are a different DVC resort. They're just a room category at SSR.

That I don't get and, honestly, doesn't really pass the smell test. I still think Disney set aside the THV's for cash guests knowing they'd be wildly popular and they could milk as WAY more cash out of them than they could the standard 2BR's at SSR.

Now I'm mad again.

[hlkeck]

You know, I was following DVC Mike and thinking, yeah, it has to be that way - I'm okay with it - until you brought up the point that you actually did book at SSR - and your cousin booked a THV...

I'm a little mad for you. They purposefully held back the property that would make them the most money at the expense of a DVC member.

You should be upset - did your guide ever call you back? I know they read these boards...my old guide told me he did!

[Ian]

- did your guide ever call you back? I know they read these boards...my old guide told me he did!

No. This is three emails I've sent him now and not one response.

And you know the thing is I have a good relationship with my guide. I even went as far to write a letter of commendation for him to DVC management. I'm more than a tad peeved that he hasn't gotten back to me.

[lockedoutlogic]

Ian....

Are you putting me on?

Seriously.....i can't believe you don't know that DVC rooms are sold as cash at all times....regardless of demand and supply.

In fact....they are the FIRST rooms allocated...not the last.....they don't even exist in the system as available inventory...but rather are sold through CRO like every other room without a kitchenette....

There is debate about why this is....and maybe someday if i'm bored (really bored)...i might attempt to get ahold of the statutes, codes, or court cases that make up the law in this case....but it is mandatory that timeshares sell a portion to the public at all times in Florida....mandatory....and even the rat can't get around this one. It is a version of what we here in the Northeast might refer to as 'home rule"...those living near the timeshares get some....if small and almost meaningless....concessions from their ever so attentive and useful state government.

[hubbyofadisneyholic]

Well I do think you raise one interesting point ... how does Disney determine that the THV's are all booked up??

I mean I am 100% CERTAIN that there is availability at SSR. In fact, I know for a fact that there were 2BR's available because I booked one.

So why was I able to book a 2BR but not a THV? That makes no sense. I can see that they have to reserve a certain number of rooms for cash guests, but do they have to reserve a certain type of room? Why couldn't they make 2BR's available for cash guest and leave the THV's to the members? It's not like the THV's are a different DVC resort. They're just a room category at SSR.

That I don't get and, honestly, doesn't really pass the smell test. I still think Disney set aside the THV's for cash guests knowing they'd be wildly popular and they could milk as WAY more cash out of them than they could the standard 2BR's at SSR.

Now I'm mad again.

Wow...that really does stink!
If anything it serves as a perfect reminder that while we may have paid big $$ to become "members" the Mouse holds all the cards and calls all the shots.

[Ian]

Ian....

Are you putting me on?

Seriously.....i can't believe you don't know that DVC rooms are sold as cash at all times....regardless of demand and supply.

In fact....they are the FIRST rooms allocated...not the last.....they don't even exist in the system as available inventory...but rather are sold through CRO like every other room without a kitchenette....

There is debate about why this is....and maybe someday if i'm bored (really bored)...i might attempt to get ahold of the statutes, codes, or court cases that make up the law in this case....but it is mandatory that timeshares sell a portion to the public at all times in Florida....mandatory....and even the rat can't get around this one. It is a version of what we here in the Northeast might refer to as 'home rule"...those living near the timeshares get some....if small and almost meaningless....concessions from their ever so attentive and useful state government.

No, I mean I absolutely knew that some portion of inventory was held back for cash.

What I'm asking is, how do they determine what kind of room(s) is/are held back??

Why are all the THV's booked for DVC members when I know for a fact there are other rooms available?

[Aurora]

Undeclared: These are the units that have been built by the developer that has not yet been declared into the condominium association. Since DVD controls these units, they may be rented out for cash reservations.

I'm guessing that the THV units that are being rented for cash right now are undeclared, since they don't fall under any other category mentioned earlier by DVC Mike. They definitely wouldn't be considered breakage points because it's not even close to the 60-day mark (if that is indeed when DVC considers the "breakage" point).

So at what date is Disney required to declare these units into the condo association, or are they part of the elusive "certain percentage" of rooms held by DVC for cash? There has to be some legal time limit between when the units are finished and when they have to be declared. Otherwise Disney can keep DVC units "undeclared" undefinitely and keep making money on the cash rentals. Hmmm.....

Unsold: These are the points that have not yet been sold by DVD to members. Since DVD owns the points, they can rent them out, just like we can rent out the points we own. I would guess there are a lot of unsold THV points right now.

There aren't any THV points; there are SSR points whose total increased when THV was built. So like Ian said, it doesn't make sense that they are in some sort of other resort class since they are supposed to be part of the SSR resort.

[Alligirl]

So DW was like, "Well you obviously didn't wait very long since they were only available to most DVC members to book for about 60 seconds when we called." and the woman was like, "Well you wouldn't want us to be unfair to the poor people who aren't members would you?"

Oh My Goodness!!!! This whole thing makes me so very upset that they treat us like second class citizens, since they already have us, our money and our vacation time, but to say something so STUPID and insulting to your wife!?! For crying out loud "the poor people who arent members"?! I am so impressed that she didnt climb through the phone to tell them how wrong that statement was!!
I agree wholeheartedly with you, how do they classify THV different for cash but not points! Sheesh! Good luck!

[DVC Mike]

So at what date is Disney required to declare these units into the condo association, or are they part of the elusive "certain percentage" of rooms held by DVC for cash? There has to be some legal time limit between when the units are finished and when they have to be declared. Otherwise Disney can keep DVC units "undeclared" undefinitely and keep making money on the cash rentals. Hmmm.....

There aren't any THV points; there are SSR points whose total increased when THV was built. So like Ian said, it doesn't make sense that they are in some sort of other resort class since they are supposed to be part of the SSR resort.

DVD typically declares units just to keep enough points in inventory for sales. Those undeclared units may be rented out for cash by DVD.

There are probably a lot of unsold SSR points. They can be rented out just like we can rent out our points.

[Ian]

Right, but "points" does not equate to a certain room category.

I just don't see how there can be, specifically, THV's available for cash and none for members. Make the cash people stay in a 2 BR, which was available!

[Maleficent's Dad]

I just don't see how there can be, specifically, THV's available for cash and none for members. Make the cash people stay in a 2 BR, which was available!

Ahhh, now I definitely see your point, Ian. Why would DVC differentiate between "Treehouse" accomodations and Villa accomodations? Would it not be a certain percentage of points or of the resort?
I knew about Disney holding a percentage of rooms back for non-DVC use, but I wasn't aware that they could "pick and choose" which ACTUAL rooms they could do this with.
Wow, this is confusing...

[Ian]

Exactly.

Basically, they know that a THV will sell for cash better than a regular 2BR, so I got stuck in a 2BR and my cousin got a THV for $6,500.

[DVC Mike]

Right, but "points" does not equate to a certain room category.

I just don't see how there can be, specifically, THV's available for cash and none for members. Make the cash people stay in a 2 BR, which was available!

The SSR units were all declared into the condo association and "sold out" quite some time ago, whereas they've only declared a small portion of the THV units into the condo association.

There are few THV units available for booking by points. THV is a separate booking category.

[Ian]

So, essentially what you're saying is they're selling more SSR points because of the addition of the THV's and, since they're not sold out, a lot of them haven't yet been declared into the association.

Okay so that makes sense, I guess. Although I didn't really think the original SSR was sold out yet, but whatever.

[Mushu11756]

Hearing all this does sound like Disney is using all the Tree houses for that cash percentage! I guess the only way we will find out is if any dvc members actually get a ressie there! So until we get a post from a member I guess it's safe to assume the Tree House Villas are off limits to DVC members!

[Aurora]

DVD typically declares units just to keep enough points in inventory for sales. Those undeclared units may be rented out for cash by DVD.

So if the current number of SSR points available for sale are just sitting there with no one buying them, those THV units can remain undeclared and rented for cash indefinitely? That's what it sounds like you're saying. And if that's true, I can see a real problem here.

[DizneyRox]

According to my guide, SSR was sold out sometimes in the september/October timeframe, 2008.

[Ian]

Right, but presumably with the addition of the THV's they've added new points to the inventory. So I guess it's not sold out now.

[DizneyFreak2002]

Hearing all this does sound like Disney is using all the Tree houses for that cash percentage! I guess the only way we will find out is if any dvc members actually get a ressie there! So until we get a post from a member I guess it's safe to assume the Tree House Villas are off limits to DVC members!

I am a DVC member... I own 140 points in SSR and 100 in BLT... On opening day for reservations, I was able to book a tree house villa for October 11-16, no problems what so ever... I ran into problems with BLT though... I had to borrow points from 2010 even though I had enough points left over from 2009 to cover BLT... The only problem was, I didn't have the total amount of points purchased in BLT that the reservation cost...

[DizneyFreak2002]

Right, but presumably with the addition of the THV's they've added new points to the inventory. So I guess it's not sold out now.

From what I understood, more points were allocated to SSR because of the tree houses... WHen you speak to DVC, they are now only selling AKL and BLT... I guess we can assume that SSR is now sold out...