- Joined
- Dec 11, 2006
They didn't have to, all they had to do was raise the dues over a few years so everyone was the same or even do a special assessment.
My understanding is that it's a 50 year subsidy on the original contracts.
Bill
They didn't have to, all they had to do was raise the dues over a few years so everyone was the same or even do a special assessment.
We don't know if the dues subsidy was part of a plea deal or if they didn't want to buy back the contracts for reasons that we don't know about.
Bill
They did offer to buy back contracts and some people did that. And they didn't have to reimburse for having used points from them. What I imagine they couldn't do was force people to sell back.
True but offer some free passes and a free Disney dining plan if they sell and my bet is not many would hold out.
Bill
That's my understanding also. My point was there was no requirement for them to do this since the members are required to pay for the cost of the resort no matter what it is.My understanding is that it's a 50 year subsidy on the original contracts.
Bill
IMO this is to their detriment. IMO if they were more proactive and up front, their lives and ours would be far better off. For the views, just offer a disclaimer up front in the POS and otherwise including on the reservation pages, problem solved, less complaints, no more rewarding squeaky wheels. Simply a different label, something like preferred view, would have been far better. As smart as they are and as much info as they have on some of these issues, you sometimes just wonder what were they thinking. Sometimes it seems they just hide their heads in the sand and hope that predictable issues/complaints don't occur. I can think of several refurbishment move situations and the valet parking implementation in addition to this area, that could have easily been avoided or minimized by simply doing "damage control" up front and then being consistent in the aftermath. When you take a group that tends to be entitled (and DVC members are definitely that), you can't be indecisive when you make changes or have predictable issues.
And that's good, now they just have to grow a backbone and be consistentActually, DVD has been proactive on describing the view categories at Aulani. The Aulani point chart has this disclaimer about the views:
Standard View includes either a view of the conference center, parking lot or parking garage from the room or balcony. Island Gardens View includes at least a partial view of the mountains, spa or landscaping from the room or balcony. Poolside Gardens View includes at least a partial view of the pool, courtyards, water features, or landscaping from the room or balcony. Ocean View includes at least a partial view of the ocean from the room or balcony.
The Aulani POS is even more specific about qualifying the different view categories.
Do these proactive steps prevent members from complaining about the views at Aulani? Or stop some members from demanding compensation if the views don't match their expectations? Not at all. I remember someone posting that he was disappointed that he couldn't see the ocean from his room but had to step out on the balcony to see it. Yet, that is exactly what DVC said could happen with some villas.
I began to wonder if the requests not being guaranteed applied only to us because Disney apparently decided they could not move anyone else to accommodate our request.
For timeshares, categories with view type labels are more location than specific views. IIRC, the ocean front Marriott's where I've seen the legal paperwork offer a disclaimer that view from an individual unit cannot be guaranteed due to vegetation and the like. Marriott's view categories are Ocean Front, Ocean Side and Ocean View in that order from highest to lowest (there are others as well). In all cases I know of, OS was more expensive than OV but in some cases they are the same cost when using points.
Marriott is very consistent and they do put forth effort in this area. Their core list is Owners at that resort using their weeks there, Marriott exchangers even at a resort they own at (including trust/points owners), cash then other exchangers. Multiple units or weeks trumps singles and you get the view type reserved with extremely limited exceptions like the resort is wide open. A couple of resorts ad a wrinkles or 2 including giving owners at that resort some additional priority if staying other than on the weeks they own. Some have some additional little quirks. Grande Ocean alternates higher vs lower floor for owners which normally translates to 3rd floor off year and 4th or 5th floor on other yeas. I'd say Bluegreen and Wyndham put more effort than DVC by far as well but are more variable than Marriott.
There is still some variability with Marriott but less so, esp if using weeks owned rather than exchanged. I've seen complaints about views and assignments with Marriott as well. However, Marriott tends to approach it as I've said here I think should be done. Put effort in up front but if you've done that, professionally stick to your guns after that though there is likely to be some variability there as well.I own two Oceanside MVCI properties. They are both a better location then the Oceanview. Ocean Front have to be facing the Ocean directly where Ocean sid has a more sideways view. But that is why I love Marriott - I know what my view is going to be every time!
Marriott is not the only company that works to fulfill requests in my experience. The other area I see other companies do far better than DVC is for minor issues/villa inventory. With DVC if you call for something you'll get it in 1-2 hrs if you're lucky, with Marriott or Bluegreen, I'll likely have the item in 15 minutes and a have had a phone call to check to see if it was OK within 30 min. They're also far more likely to have the inventory present that's supposed to be there. I don't think a single villa I've been in with DVC has had everything for at least the last 10 yrs. The shame is that where DVC falls down is all in discretionary areas including maintenance, housekeeping, advanced planning including assignments and attention to detail. If you go on Marriott's website, there will be a pop up on the resort page if there is construction or similar with dates and if you have a reservation there, you'll likely get an email about it months in advance.Marriott works much harder to keep their members happy. I do worry about their new change to a points based system, I worry that they will also begin a downward spiral. Their point costs are outrageous for a brand new owner. For us the perks being taken away and the horrid room assignments pretty much ended our DVC experience.
The shame is that where DVC falls down is all in discretionary areas including maintenance, housekeeping, advanced planning including assignments and attention to detail. If you go on Marriott's website, there will be a pop up on the resort page if there is construction or similar with dates and if you have a reservation there, you'll likely get an email about it months in advance.
OMG when was this??Disney and other resorts tend to over state their views. While staying in a room at WL, CM's asked if they could enter our room, they went to the balcony, took some notes and started to leave. I asked what they were doing and they said that they were going to change our view category to a lake view. I said that you can't see the lake from inside the room, they said that you can from the balcony if you turn sideways.
Bill
There are no views categories at VWL, so this must have been on the hotel side.OMG when was this??
There are no views categories at VWL, so this must have been on the hotel side.