DVC Survey from Disney Destinations Research

[ljmiii]

I just received (and answered) a survey from Disney Destinations Research. While most of the questions were similar to ones I've received in the past (e.g. how happy are you and how much to you use your points for things other than staying at the resorts), there were a bunch of questions that focused on two new things.

First, there were a bunch of questions about my interest in Club level rooms at a DVC resort. Interestingly enough, while they described and asked about a bunch of potential benefits - a lounge with food and drink, better rooms, 'special' views from lounge and rooms, a concierge - they didn't mention the one thing that would make me pull the trigger - better access to the parks. (They did give a list of potential concierge services and park access wasn't one of them). To me, 90 Day Fastpasses were the big draw before - giving better access to ILLs, Virtual Queues, and Genie+ would be the big draw now.

Second, they asked a lot of questions about my experiences with my Home Resort and other resorts. This culminated in asking if I would be interested in buying DVC points at a resort that didn't have Home Resort priority (or to look at it another way, buying DVC points that allowed me to book at any resort at 11 months). I answered that I "strongly disagreed" and when they asked why I responded that I *like* having Home Resort priority. It's what makes DVC (and HGVC) a pleasure to own compared to MVC/Abound.

 

[rickandcindy23]

Fastpass was our favorite perk of being on property. I liked FP because it was free. One hour early to the parks would be great to get back again as well. 30 minutes isn't much.

 

[elaine]

DVC points at a resort that didn't have Home Resort priority (or to look at it another way, buying DVC points that allowed me to book at any resort at 11 months).

hmm...wouldn't this have to be at a new resort that could not book at any other prior resorts at the home resort priority booking window? Don't the various owners' documents provide for home resort priority? I don't think DVC could unilaterally alter that.

 

[bizaro86]

Fastpass was our favorite perk of being on property. I liked FP because it was free. One hour early to the parks would be great to get back again as well. 30 minutes isn't much.

I like 30 minutes at any park better than 1 hour at one specific park, because it dilutes the crowds. It makes the rest of your morning better because the one park with early entry would be over-crowded.

 

[bizaro86]

hmm...wouldn't this have to be at a new resort that could not book at any other prior resorts at the home resort priority booking window? Don't the various owners' documents provide for home resort priority? I don't think DVC could unilaterally alter that.

They could maybe put points from each resort in a trust and sell "trust points" that have the booking privileges of all the underlying units.

 

[DanCali]

They could maybe put points from each resort in a trust and sell "trust points" that have the booking privileges of all the underlying units.

Worked well for ~10 years for Marriott MVC... until it didn't.

An occasional annual increase of 5.5% in MFs may not be a problem, if offset by lower increases in other years. But an annualized increase of 5.5% ($0.44/pt in 2013 to $0.79/pt in 2024) is probably not sustainable over the long term.

A quick look at VAC stock price history says it all - up 10x in about 10 years, but now about 60% below it's all time high.

DVC may not have all of the same underlying issues, that led to the Marriott situation, but it could be tempting for them to dump a lot of expensive (MF-wise) Vero and Aulani points into a Trust (acquired for cheap via foreclosures or ROFR), and very little from other resorts, and sell those points with the carrot of 11-month access to "sold out" resorts like VGF, BLT, and PVB. And if it's successful, just dump all the foreclosed points (which tend to have higher dues) into the Trust and keep selling them to the next in line...

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

I just received (and answered) a survey from Disney Destinations Research. While most of the questions were similar to ones I've received in the past (e.g. how happy are you and how much to you use your points for things other than staying at the resorts), there were a bunch of questions that focused on two new things.

First, there were a bunch of questions about my interest in Club level rooms at a DVC resort. Interestingly enough, while they described and asked about a bunch of potential benefits - a lounge with food and drink, better rooms, 'special' views from lounge and rooms, a concierge - they didn't mention the one thing that would make me pull the trigger - better access to the parks. (They did give a list of potential concierge services and park access wasn't one of them). To me, 90 Day Fastpasses were the big draw before - giving better access to ILLs, Virtual Queues, and Genie+ would be the big draw now.

Second, they asked a lot of questions about my experiences with my Home Resort and other resorts. This culminated in asking if I would be interested in buying DVC points at a resort that didn't have Home Resort priority (or to look at it another way, buying DVC points that allowed me to book at any resort at 11 months). I answered that I "strongly disagreed" and when they asked why I responded that I *like* having Home Resort priority. It's what makes DVC (and HGVC) a pleasure to own compared to MVC/Abound.

If they structured this like Club Wyndham, where they take a bunch of points from each resort, stick it in a trust, and then sell ownership in the Trust, they could create a product where you have home resort priority at every resort (until those points are exhausted at each resort for the time period) without necessarily hurting people who buy into just one resort for the 11/7 access. It might not be terrible if done like that (and would potentially create a resale market for points that could be used at restricted resorts).

 

[dioxide45]

If anyone else gets this survey, would you mind posting screen shots of the questions?

I am not seeing this survey being discussed in any of the DVC groups I follow or even over on DisBoards.

 

[bizaro86]

They could also be considering their options for 2042. If they put all those resorts after expiry into a new trust they could give 11 month priority for a pretty interesting portfolio.

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

They could also be considering their options for 2042. If they put all those resorts after expiry into a new trust they could give 11 month priority for a pretty interesting portfolio.

Boy, I have to believe they plan on dumping Vero & HH in '42, the maintenance on those is getting extreme.

 

[bizaro86]

Boy, I have to believe they plan on dumping Vero & HH in '42, the maintenance on those is getting extreme.

Could do both. A trust that was just Boardwalk/Beach Club/Boulder Ridge/part of Old Key West would sell very well, imo.

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

Could do both. A trust that was just Boardwalk/Beach Club/Boulder Ridge/part of Old Key West would sell very well, imo.

Incredibly well. Do we really think they’re surveying now for 2042 plans though? Maybe it’s sooner.

 

[bizaro86]

Incredibly well. Do we really think they’re surveying now for 2042 plans though? Maybe it’s sooner.

Yeah, would probably make more sense to have it established pre-2042 and then just add the resorts in as they expire.

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

I don’t know, I find it pretty exciting. Resale restrictions are killing the value of resale properties. I don’t see how they can realistically put resale restrictions on trust points, at least as far as restricting resale purchasers from booking resorts within the trust.

 

[montygz]

Perhaps they could add some club-level units that would go for double points. Likely wouldn't work at all the DVCs but it would at some.

 

[ljmiii]

If anyone else gets this survey, would you mind posting screen shots of the questions?

Sorry, I should have. I didn't think of it at the time.

 

[ljmiii]

I am not seeing this survey being discussed in any of the DVC groups I follow or even over on DisBoards.

I just posted on DisBoards and will see what responses I'll get. I joined the 'boards over 15 years ago...I just don't hang there anymore because it is exhausting (kind of like getting a drink of water from a firehose).

 

[ljmiii]

Perhaps they could add some club-level units that would go for double points. Likely wouldn't work at all the DVCs but it would at some.

They asked how many 'extra' points I would be willing to spend to stay in a Club Level villa...but the possible answers didn't make a lot of sense because they were in terms of points ranging from 5 to 50 instead of an additional percentage. Obviously, the number of points would vary significantly between a studio in September and a 3BR during Christmas Week.

 

[ljmiii]

I just posted on DisBoards and will see what responses I'll get. I joined the 'boards over 15 years ago...I just don't hang there anymore because it is exhausting (kind of like getting a drink of water from a firehose).

There were a bunch of other people who got the survey. A bit of incredulousness about the idea and not a whole lot of love (unsurprisingly since the DVC forums on Disboards are populated almost exclusively by current owners).

The problem is that it is almost certain that *someone* who owns a trust point will want a reservation at that hard to get resort at 11 months. As it is now, an owner at VGC (like myself) may want to stay a few months later in the use year or somewhere else entirely. I would imagine that they would be priced somewhere in the middle of current direct prices so anyone buying intending to make and rent reservations would be keen to make 'high value' reservations at hard to get resorts.

And assuming that walking rules would be the same for the trust points, people desperately trying to get value out of them would be strongly incentivized to make reservations for Jan 1 (or the beginning of their trust point use year if trust points have one) and walk until their dates come up. Thus making reservations for current 'one resort' owners that much more annoying to obtain.

 

[bizaro86]

I don’t know, I find it pretty exciting. Resale restrictions are killing the value of resale properties. I don’t see how they can realistically put resale restrictions on trust points, at least as far as restricting resale purchasers from booking resorts within the trust.

If they do this I'd expect resale to only get 7 month booking or something like that.

 

[ljmiii]

I just posted on DisBoards and will see what responses I'll get. I joined the 'boards over 15 years ago...I just don't hang there anymore because it is exhausting (kind of like getting a drink of water from a firehose).

So...the 'boards have performed as expected. We're up to 29 pages of comments with no end in sight.

BUT...this being the DisBoards previously undiscovered nuggets of information have come to light. Articles of Incorporation for the PALMETTO TRUST ASSOCIATION, INC. have been filed with the State of Florida for a Trust Use Plan for Vacation Ownership Interests. With officers comprised of the usual bunch of DVD suspects including Yvonne Chang.

The plot thickens...

 

[dioxide45]

Moving this conversation out of the DVC II exchange thread that is in the Sightings forum. I did hear @bnoble name dropped at the 15:30 mark of that DVC Fan video.

 

[bnoble]

Well, that's....surprising. I'm not sure why anyone thinks I know anything in particular!

 

[dioxide45]

Well, that's....surprising. I'm not sure why anyone thinks I know anything in particular!

I wasn't really sure what it was even in reference to, perhaps DVC doing it to save money.

 

[TheHolleys87]

Well, that's....surprising. I'm not sure why anyone thinks I know anything in particular!

I wasn't really sure what it was even in reference to, perhaps DVC doing it to save money.

Was it in reference to trust ownerships being easier to take back in case of default, as opposed to deeded ownerships? That was a unique idea no one else had presented. (I don’t watch the videos or listen to the podcasts, so I have no idea.)