- Joined
- Jun 6, 2005
- Messages
- 1,888
- Reaction score
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- Points
- 443
- Location
- NC
- Resorts Owned
- Club Wyndham Points
Each developer that has had staying power in the timeshare industry has succeeding in their respective niche markets. Hyatt, Marriott, Intrawest, and to some degree, Hilton, have developed high end resort properties with deluxe interiors in upscale destinations, including beachfront and ski resorts. Disney has heavily themed resorts with the most success selling those within walking/boating/monorail distance of their theme parks. Wyndham, Bluegreen, WorldMark, and a few others have created large internal exchange systems of nice resorts in diverse locations - relative consistency of resort experience with a great variety of travel locations, including access to prime season travel reservations without the added costs or hassle of exchange companies. This flexibility is key for the points-based system market.
Every one of these developers offers something of real value to their respective niche markets which is not available with non-franchise timeshare ownership. Over the last (nearly 20) years, we've thoroughly enjoyed having so many resorts within a day's drive for short stays, most of them with indoor swimming pools, minigolf, walk out to the ocean, even a few with mini-waterparks. These features have been very high priority for us but if they weren't, the resorts could seem much less special to others. Likewise, we enjoy availability of resort-to-park transportation and the lovely grounds of the DVC properties but it's often not the highest priority for us when we vacation in Florida and we sometimes top out after seeing the Disney icons, hearing Disney music, and paying Disney prices for everything onsite. DVC also has its own niche market.
To me, a big question is, now that Disney has developed (or is developing) timeshare space at all "deluxe" WDW properties (except Yacht Club), what next? Whenever they add DVC villas to a deluxe hotel, most of the infrastructure and resort staff are already in place. It just amounts to adding rooms, a quiet pool, and maybe a community hall. Low investment, huge return. Establishing free-standing resorts, both on WDW property and in their 3 coastal locations, has required a higher cost of development and a MUCH longer, slower sales process to reach sell-out.
So what do you think they'll do next? Convert part of Yacht Club? Create something freestanding at Fort Wilderness or on undeveloped WDW land? Select a non-theme-park location? Try a DVC at a moderate resort? Or lay low and cap off new DVC development for a while?
Every one of these developers offers something of real value to their respective niche markets which is not available with non-franchise timeshare ownership. Over the last (nearly 20) years, we've thoroughly enjoyed having so many resorts within a day's drive for short stays, most of them with indoor swimming pools, minigolf, walk out to the ocean, even a few with mini-waterparks. These features have been very high priority for us but if they weren't, the resorts could seem much less special to others. Likewise, we enjoy availability of resort-to-park transportation and the lovely grounds of the DVC properties but it's often not the highest priority for us when we vacation in Florida and we sometimes top out after seeing the Disney icons, hearing Disney music, and paying Disney prices for everything onsite. DVC also has its own niche market.
Actually, I think they market their contracts as RTU purposely because they've not wanted to sell the underlying deeds. Why would they when they can (due to location and onsite transportation) make a profit by selling just the leaseholds? The Members pay dues to further update and maintain DVC properties, then hand them back over to Disney. Pretty sweet deal for Disney.DVC knows their market VERY well. They market their contracts as RTU purposely because they understand that a lifetime of Disney is a tougher sell.
I would suspect that the only reason Disney does not pull this access from Starwood's hotels is because, realistically, they can't. People would just walk next door and take the buses and boats.Not only does DVC have a 100% monopoly over the timeshare market, but the Starwood Swan and Dolphin resorts are literally the only non-Disney lodging options that offer this access.
To me, a big question is, now that Disney has developed (or is developing) timeshare space at all "deluxe" WDW properties (except Yacht Club), what next? Whenever they add DVC villas to a deluxe hotel, most of the infrastructure and resort staff are already in place. It just amounts to adding rooms, a quiet pool, and maybe a community hall. Low investment, huge return. Establishing free-standing resorts, both on WDW property and in their 3 coastal locations, has required a higher cost of development and a MUCH longer, slower sales process to reach sell-out.
So what do you think they'll do next? Convert part of Yacht Club? Create something freestanding at Fort Wilderness or on undeveloped WDW land? Select a non-theme-park location? Try a DVC at a moderate resort? Or lay low and cap off new DVC development for a while?
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