DVC- Frustration

[dumbomydumbo]

Why be an DVC member if you cannot use your points. We want to get a Deluxe studio at Poly in Sept but no DVC rooms available in the DVC section however if I wanted to pay cash there are plenty of rooms open. Actually there is a current promo for Disney Visa cardholders for 35% off. This does not seem fair or at least misleading. Is anyone else upset?

[VWL Mom]

The rooms that are cash are not in DVC inventory. Last I read less than 40% of the DVC studios have been declared into DVC inventory. I believe they don't release them until the points are purchased and evidently they're not selling as quickly as expected. As sales pick up more will be declared but honestly Poly may be tough to get at 7 months let alone 2 months. IMO, last minute trips using DVC in general are getting tougher and tougher unless you book SSR.

[CanadianWDWFan]

Honestly I have not ever had any issues getting rooms on short notice, except at in demand resorts. This is what I think you are experiencing here. Everyone wants to stay at the Poly since it is new.

There are last minute rooms available, I was able to get a deluxe studio last week at OKW for next month.

[ThanxForNoticin]

Honestly I have not ever had any issues getting rooms on short notice, except at in demand resorts. This is what I think you are experiencing here. Everyone wants to stay at the Poly since it is new.

There are last minute rooms available, I was able to get a deluxe studio last week at OKW for next month.

I know what you are saying - but just yesterday I was looking for a couple nights in a studio at OKW, and was told no availability in mid-October. YET, the membership advisor told me I could get that same studio room paying cash.... I agree with the original poster. If you're a DVC member and have the points, point reservations should come first - unless this is an ongoing process I wasn't aware of to bring money into the resorts..... Maybe if they didn't do this, my dues would be higher - not sure! But it seems pretty stupid if they turn me down for a room on points, and then the room ends up empty because they don't fill it with a cash customer. Those rooms are NOT cheap.

[Priority Four]

But it seems pretty stupid if they turn me down for a room on points, and then the room ends up empty because they don't fill it with a cash customer. Those rooms are NOT cheap.

Two months out, they are going to gamble that it gets filled with cash.

[Checkers]

I know what you are saying - but just yesterday I was looking for a couple nights in a studio at OKW, and was told no availability in mid-October. YET, the membership advisor told me I could get that same studio room paying cash.... I agree with the original poster. If you're a DVC member and have the points, point reservations should come first - unless this is an ongoing process I wasn't aware of to bring money into the resorts..... Maybe if they didn't do this, my dues would be higher - not sure! But it seems pretty stupid if they turn me down for a room on points, and then the room ends up empty because they don't fill it with a cash customer. Those rooms are NOT cheap.

It is FL law that so much inventory has to be reserved for the cash paying public. Someone correct me if this has changed or I am wrong. I know that's the way it was explained to me awhile back.

[Fangorn]

It is FL law that so much inventory has to be reserved for the cash paying public. Someone correct me if this has changed or I am wrong. I know that's the way it was explained to me awhile back.

I am by no means an expert here, but based on my research and the 16 pounds of dead tree that DVC provides to it's members, this is one of the factors involved here - but not the most important one. Most of the factors are regulated by State laws, though.

Timeshare developers are required to have some units (2-5%) held in reserve for maintenance/refurb/etc. Those units can be rented for cash if they're not needed for that purpose at a given time. They cannot be rented on points as they are not "declared" inventory in the condominium association.

Developers cannot declare all the units as part of the condominium association - only a percentage based on the number of units sold to date. So for the Poly, since not all the points have been sold yet, not all of the rooms are technically yet part of DVC. Those rooms that are "undeclared" are owned by Disney and they cannot rent them as DVC units - only as cash rentals. Only "declared" inventory can be booked with points.

At the 60 day mark, any unsold DVC units can be turned over to Central Reservations for cash sales.

Any points that Disney buys back via ROFR or acquires via foreclosure belong to Disney as a member, not to DVC's inventory. Disney can rent those points for cash just like any other DVC member can.

Anytime a DVC member uses their points for something outside of DVC (cruise, non-DVC property, Adventures by Disney, etc. it reduces the number of DVC rooms. Technically, when this happens, DVC inventory is being used to pay for that non-DVC trip. DVC sells the inventory for cash to pay DCL, Adventures by Disney, or whomever. That inventory cannot be booked with points, since it technically already has been. Exchanges happen a lot and apparently is the primary source of cash DVC rooms for Disney.

I may well have some of this not quite right, but you get the idea. There's a lot going on here. It's not that Disney is taking advantage of DVC members, it's the way the system has to work. If Disney couldn't sell rooms for cash, prices and dues would be even higher than they are.

In the specific case here, we're dealing with the hottest property in terms of demand (Poly) and the time of the year (Fall) when DVC is used the most (fewer points needed, nice weather and lots to do). No real surprise there are no DVC rooms available. (BTW, there is availability at PVB for Jan and Feb right now.)

Steve

[Laughin' place]

Maybe a little off topic
But my DVC frustration comes from the utter lack of rooms at Disneyland !
I am surprised there isn't more of a backlash for this issue, especially with all the improvements at DL and the 60th Anniversary drawing such interest.
I had really hoped to use my points to go to DL this year, but was genuinely shocked to find out how few rooms there were at Grand Californian. Something REALLY needs to be done to allow more DVC units to be made available at Disneyland !

[WeLuvBuzz]

Maybe a little off topic
But my DVC frustration comes from the utter lack of rooms at Disneyland !
I am surprised there isn't more of a backlash for this issue, especially with all the improvements at DL and the 60th Anniversary drawing such interest.
I had really hoped to use my points to go to DL this year, but was genuinely shocked to find out how few rooms there were at Grand Californian. Something REALLY needs to be done to allow more DVC units to be made available at Disneyland !

There are a minimal number of DVC rooms at Disneyland. I believe about the same number as VWL at DW. It is extremely difficult to book rooms there at seven months. Supposedly Disney has been buying land around DL. It would be great to add more DVC rooms there

On the bright side you can easily rent your DW DVS points and make enough money for an offsite room at DL. There are many nice hotels in walking distance and some are closer than Paradise Pier and the Disneyland Hotel to the parks.

[DizneyRox]

I am by no means an expert here, but based on my research and the 16 pounds of dead tree that DVC provides to it's members, this is one of the factors involved here - but not the most important one. Most of the factors are regulated by State laws, though.

Timeshare developers are required to have some units (2-5%) held in reserve for maintenance/refurb/etc. Those units can be rented for cash if they're not needed for that purpose at a given time. They cannot be rented on points as they are not "declared" inventory in the condominium association.

Developers cannot declare all the units as part of the condominium association - only a percentage based on the number of units sold to date. So for the Poly, since not all the points have been sold yet, not all of the rooms are technically yet part of DVC. Those rooms that are "undeclared" are owned by Disney and they cannot rent them as DVC units - only as cash rentals. Only "declared" inventory can be booked with points.

At the 60 day mark, any unsold DVC units can be turned over to Central Reservations for cash sales.

Any points that Disney buys back via ROFR or acquires via foreclosure belong to Disney as a member, not to DVC's inventory. Disney can rent those points for cash just like any other DVC member can.

Anytime a DVC member uses their points for something outside of DVC (cruise, non-DVC property, Adventures by Disney, etc. it reduces the number of DVC rooms. Technically, when this happens, DVC inventory is being used to pay for that non-DVC trip. DVC sells the inventory for cash to pay DCL, Adventures by Disney, or whomever. That inventory cannot be booked with points, since it technically already has been. Exchanges happen a lot and apparently is the primary source of cash DVC rooms for Disney.

I may well have some of this not quite right, but you get the idea. There's a lot going on here. It's not that Disney is taking advantage of DVC members, it's the way the system has to work. If Disney couldn't sell rooms for cash, prices and dues would be even higher than they are.

In the specific case here, we're dealing with the hottest property in terms of demand (Poly) and the time of the year (Fall) when DVC is used the most (fewer points needed, nice weather and lots to do). No real surprise there are no DVC rooms available. (BTW, there is availability at PVB for Jan and Feb right now.)

Steve

I believe this to be true... At this point, for September, any unbooked DVC rooms should have been made available for cash. This helps keep member dues down. DVC has never guaranteed the room you want, the resort you want, nor the time you want it.

[NJGIRL]

Why be an DVC member if you cannot use your points. We want to get a Deluxe studio at Poly in Sept but no DVC rooms available in the DVC section however if I wanted to pay cash there are plenty of rooms open. Actually there is a current promo for Disney Visa cardholders for 35% off. This does not seem fair or at least misleading. Is anyone else upset?

This is a standard operating procedure for timeshare sales....and the Disney timeshare company is no different than the rest of them.

[Yensid77]

If there is a flood on a upper floor DVC room and they are not able to honor the reservation they are in breach of contract. If you pay cash for a room they are obligated to give you a room which can be at any resort even if not on disney property. Read your contract.

[lightyearfan]

Why be an DVC member if you cannot use your points. We want to get a Deluxe studio at Poly in Sept but no DVC rooms available in the DVC section however if I wanted to pay cash there are plenty of rooms open. Actually there is a current promo for Disney Visa cardholders for 35% off. This does not seem fair or at least misleading. Is anyone else upset?

i guess it can be frustrating but do keep in mind this is a new DVC Resort and people are gonna wanna stay there to experience it, me and dw love the Poly Resort and spend some time there utilizing their resturants and just think its 1 of beautiful resorts that Disney have, that being said keep trying cancellations do happen were going in Sept and had resv for SSR which is our home resort (imho nothing wrong if you wanted to stay here) and we wanted to change to Bay Lake, and nothing was available, then overnight it happened, the room became available and we changed, just to experience a new DVC resort, so keep trying you never know.

VIctor