DVC Slap In The Face

[disneynutz]

I feel like DVC just slapped me in the face. We wanted to use points for our up coming trip but there was no room at SSR. We ended up using our AP rate and booked at SSR through CRO of course they had room.

Today we received in the mail a very pretty, 3 part custom printed very colorful vacation tip pamphlet. It welcomes us to SSR and is signed by Sonya the SSR GM.

I find it interesting that we get this beautiful mailing when paying cash, but nothing when staying on points. In fact, until I got this mailing, I never knew who the GM was and we have stayed at SSR several times. Seems like the separate company dividing line between DVC and CRO is getting smaller every day.

 

[tfc3rid]

That's because they know they have us... We've pre-paid...

 

[IndianaMouseLover]

Do you feel a slap because of the pretty mailer or not being able to get you ressie on points?

Sorry for asking.

 

[disneynutz]

Do you feel a slap because of the pretty mailer or not being able to get you ressie on points?

Sorry for asking.

Both.

 

[spiceycat]

the wdw resorts have always send out something.

DVC is your home.

say the days that you wanted, when and where (SSR right)

sometimes with MS you get a new one. there first respond is tell you nothing is available. then just hang up and call again. You want someone who has been there for 10 years or more.

if your reservation was in less than 60 days - then they are surpose to call CRO - not just tell you nothing. Experience really counts with a MS.

 

[El Nebuloso]

I wouldn't take it as a slap in the face. As a matter of fact, I would prefer not to have my dues paying for expensive mailings.

Just hope you enjoy your trip

Just my .02

 

[disneynutz]

the wdw resorts have always send out something.

DVC is your home.

say the days that you wanted, when and where (SSR right)

sometimes with MS you get a new one. there first respond is tell you nothing is available. then just hang up and call again. You want someone who has been there for 10 years or more.

if your reservation was in less than 60 days - then they are surpose to call CRO - not just tell you nothing. Experience really counts with a MS.

.

Thanks Spicycat

Is that what we're paying for?

Hang up and call again until we get the answer we want?

Interview the MS Adviser to determine their qualifications?

I don't remember seeing that slide during the DVC sales presentation.

 

[Budahman]

This don't have to do with dvc, but I have noticed that on 3 different occasions for me personally, I have called CRO and tried to get POP during the free dining period-but was told they were sold out. Each of the 3 times i have been told pop wasnt available I called back immediately to CRO and asked the next person I spoke with....and guess what...all 3 times I got in POP on the 2nd call back.

It is weird to me, but it has worked each time. Some people must have more info than others or are able to look more into things i guess>???

 

[Chuck S]

Remember that DVC availability changes minute by minute, and in fact, I've had a room show available, but lost it in the time the CM took to book it.

As far as the mailings, I'm with the previous poster that saidI don't need my dues paying for a pretty mailing to familiarize myself with DVC resorts.

Remember that CRO often shows availability when DVC does not. Many times it is due to DVC members trading to other Disney locations, and the room being turned over to CRO to help offset that cost. Only rooms designated by DVC as turned over to CRO because of non-booking at 60 days are reclaimable by DVC. Those turned over because of member trades, or because Disney retained ownership (or unsold inventory in newly completed buildings) can not be used by DVC.

 

[gkrykewy]

I don't remember seeing that slide during the DVC sales presentation.

Man, some of you guys are really pissed off lately. Maybe a time out? I suggest getting back to flame wars about which resort is best. I'll start! The biggest surprise in this thread is that there was NOT availability at SSR!

 

[tjkraz]

I feel like DVC just slapped me in the face. We wanted to use points for our up coming trip but there was no room at SSR. We ended up using our AP rate and booked at SSR through CRO of course they had room.

Today we received in the mail a very pretty, 3 part custom printed very colorful vacation tip pamphlet. It welcomes us to SSR and is signed by Sonya the SSR GM.

I find it interesting that we get this beautiful mailing when paying cash, but nothing when staying on points. In fact, until I got this mailing, I never knew who the GM was and we have stayed at SSR several times. Seems like the separate company dividing line between DVC and CRO is getting smaller every day.

I can certainly appreciate how that was a welcome mailing. We booked AKL thru CRO earlier this year and didn't get a thing. However, some added information would have been nice.

But in fairness, a couple years ago DVC started sending similar information via email. A couple weeks before each of our recent trips we've received an email notice customized for our trip. It includes links to nearby discounts we may be able to use, web-based resort information, current activies at the parks, phone number to call for dining reservations, etc.

I think email is a more logical alternative for distributing that sort of feel-good trip preparation info.

 

[doconeill]

Man, some of you guys are really pissed off lately. Maybe a time out? I suggest getting back to flame wars about which resort is best. I'll start! The biggest surprise in this thread is that there was NOT availability at SSR!

Because CRO oversold free DDP, and DVC said, "Sure, we've got plenty of rooms at SSR - take'em all! All our members are waitlisted at BCV and BWV anyways..."

 

[pcparamedics01]

I feel like DVC just slapped me in the face. We wanted to use points for our up coming trip but there was no room at SSR. We ended up using our AP rate and booked at SSR through CRO of course they had room.

Today we received in the mail a very pretty, 3 part custom printed very colorful vacation tip pamphlet. It welcomes us to SSR and is signed by Sonya the SSR GM.

I find it interesting that we get this beautiful mailing when paying cash, but nothing when staying on points. In fact, until I got this mailing, I never knew who the GM was and we have stayed at SSR several times. Seems like the separate company dividing line between DVC and CRO is getting smaller every day.

In all fairness things change minute by minute. I saw that at HH.when I was making a ressie. MS put me on hold for she said she thinks she may have a room but had to put me on hold to confirm that. She actually probably grabbed the rerservation as it came in. Perhaps someone cancelling right at that time. I agree with the pamphlets though!

 

[NemoMOm]

When is your trip? Unfortunately, during the busy season you have to book early. From what I have learned on the boards is that the devl'pr keeps inventory which helps offset our annual dues. This inventory belongs to the devlp'r and not DVC. Therefore they almost always have inventory. Although from what I have read on allearsnet they are trying to market the inventory more to non-DVC guests.

So, don't look at it as a slap in the face. There are alot of threads that talk about some of the busier DVC times. I know Easter, F&W, Thanksgiving, and Christmas are some of these times and I think the times in between. Just be sure to book at your 11 mos window. I find that people say SSR is always avail have not tried booking there lately.

Once you go home it will be worth it and congrats on your new purchase.

 

[disneynutz]

In all fairness things change minute by minute. I saw that at HH.when I was making a ressie. MS put me on hold for she said she thinks she may have a room but had to put me on hold to confirm that. She actually probably grabbed the rerservation as it came in. Perhaps someone cancelling right at that time. I agree with the pamphlets though!

I guess that part of my irritation is that SSR is a non shared DVC property as is OKW. As a DVC Member we have never been greeted by the SSR GM, but non members get a personalized mailing welcoming them to SSR. It almost seems like they care about cash customers more than DVC Members, even at a DVC resort.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Members already know about SSR and the other DVC resorts. Other guests may have never heard about it, were looking for a place to stay and decided to stay there. Or they got the upgrade from All Stars and don't know anything about it.

And by mailing this out to the non-members (CRO cash reservations), they just might get a member out of it.

I know that whenever we book a non-DVC reservation through CRO, we usually get something in the mail welcoming us to that resort.

Like spicycat said, at 60 days out, all unsold points inventory gets transferred to CRO to try to sell. And that may be where they even got some of the upgrade inventory from. You can't just wait until the last minute and expect to get a DVC points reservation.

 

[pcparamedics01]

I guess that part of my irritation is that SSR is a non shared DVC property as is OKW. As a DVC Member we have never been greeted by the SSR GM, but non members get a personalized mailing welcoming them to SSR. It almost seems like they care about cash customers more than DVC Members, even at a DVC resort.

I agree with you, however if we didn't have the cash customers that pay rack rates our dues would probably go up to the max per year. According to my guide the dues have never gone to the maximum percentage. I think I remember them saying that 10% of the room are rented to non DVC. If anyone is out there is this right? How far out did you try to book that you could not get a room?

 

[TreesyB]

I wouldn't want the mailing either. I have a hard enough time accepting the folder package a second time when I am going from one resort to the other in a single trip. Save a tree!

 

[pcparamedics01]

I wouldn't want the mailing either. I have a hard enough time accepting the folder package a second time when I am going from one resort to the other in a single trip. Save a tree!

I have to agree with saving a tree, but if the packets are going out to non DVC owners at DVC member's expense I would have to complain.

 

[tjkraz]

I agree with you, however if we didn't have the cash customers that pay rack rates our dues would probably go up to the max per year. According to my guide the dues have never gone to the maximum percentage. I think I remember them saying that 10% of the room are rented to non DVC. If anyone is out there is this right? How far out did you try to book that you could not get a room?

I think you're wrong about the impact on member dues. Most of the rooms rented to cash guests via CRO are facilitated by members using their points to book outside of DVC.

It's a little difficult to explan, but here's the gist:

1. Member uses points to book a Disney Cruise.
2. DVC transfers cash cash equivalent to DCL (they expect to get paid for the cabin being given to a DVC member.)
3. DVC takes member's points and uses them to block-off DVC villa(s) earmarked for cash guests.
4. If (and that's a big "if") CRO is able to rent those villas to cash guests, DVC recoups the money it originally paid to DCL. If they get more than what was paid for the member's cruise, chalk it up as profit to DVC. But given other discussions here about the new $95 fee being imposed on all Disney Collection bookings, rumor is that DVC is actually losing money on these transactions.

Regardless of the bottom-line, NONE of these dollars go toward member dues.

DVC can also use the points it is holding (like the thousands of unsold points at AKV and SSR) and use them to set aside rooms for cash guests. Again, since Disney owns the points, they keep the money. No benefit to member due.

The ONLY source of revenue that would go toward offsetting member dues is via a rule that states 60-days prior to any given date, all unbooked DVC rooms are made available to CRO. Starting today, cash guests can book all vacant DVC rooms for nights between now and October 27th (60 days from now.) The funds received from those bookings, less admin fees applied by DVC and CRO, would go down as a credit toward dues.

But we're not talking about big dollars here. In the current SSR budget this revenue stream amounted to $.08 per point. If it disappeared tomorrow, 2008 dues may see a one-time bump of $.08 per point (which is less than 2% of dues), but in subsequent years the increases would be back in the historical 3-4% neighborhood.

These packets sent to cash guests SHOULDN'T be paid for by member dues.