JHM: DVC is California

[Terry S]

We just returned from DL today and basically we were told that they are not at liberty to say anything, but did mention that we should remember that BCV and VWL were add on to existing resorts and it should be easy enough to find space at GC.

 

[ramkam]

The parking lot adjcent to DCA will be the location of a new ride similar to Test Track to be built in the next couple years. Currently the talk is that the ride will themed to the new Pixar Film "Cars."

Prior to DCA, the plans were to build Westcot. These plans included several new hotels. When the plans were scaled back to DCA only the Grand Californian was built. There is plenty of Disney owned land adjacent to the resort where a free standing DVC resort could be built. For example, next to the Paradise Pier Hotel or between the Disneyland Hotel and the Parking Structure.

Right now, the DVC reps at DLR have no info on future developement that they are sharing. On our trips to DL there are never many people at the DVC stands. DVC claims lots of interest. However, they have a problem in that vistors to DLR are not the capitive audience that you get at WDW so many people sign up for the DVC presentation but do not come back.

 

[tjkraz]

The parking lot adjcent to DCA will be the location of a new ride similar to Test Track to be built in the next couple years. Currently the talk is that the ride will themed to the new Pixar Film "Cars."

I'll believe that when I see it.

Test Track may well be the most unreliable ride under the Disney umbrella. It closes down for ANY inclemnent weather and has daily mechanical problems.

And then you've got 'Cars' which has already had its release date pushed back 6 mos due to story problems.

Disney gets pretty conservative when it comes to $100 million dollar ride investments. I'll be surprised if a risky proposition like that makes it through all of the decision-making layers.

 

[LeftCoaster]

Right now, the DVC reps at DLR have no info on future developement that they are sharing. On our trips to DL there are never many people at the DVC stands. DVC claims lots of interest. However, they have a problem in that vistors to DLR are not the capitive audience that you get at WDW so many people sign up for the DVC presentation but do not come back.

While they have been having problems with people following up with the tours, they have been selling much more points than the average WDW customer. If I remember correctly, I was told that the average contract sold at DL was over 300 points.

 

[JeanJoe]

While they have been having problems with people following up with the tours, they have been selling much more points than the average WDW customer. If I remember correctly, I was told that the average contract sold at DL was over 300 points.

Are they still doing virtual tours? There were rumors a while back that they would construct model SSR rooms.

If they were serious about S. Calif DVC, perhaps attached to GC, I wonder why Disney would remain so secretive about it? An announcement could only drive up interest and DVC sales, on either coast. It's not as if they would need to worry about competition, like, for example, a Villas at the Contemporary Resort biting into SSR interest or sales.

...still keeping an ear open to rumors, as I have multiple family members who would buy-in in an instant if an Anaheim DVC opened...

 

[deerh]

I hope DVC DL does NOT happen. I cannot see the support of DVC'ers to Calif.

Let's review....
MOST DVC'ers live in the east (EST), NY, Mass,etc, etc. Would the majority of these people spend a lot of airfare to fly out to see a VERY URBAN DL (like visiting a city), NOT like WDW and spread out???? Also a Jr. DTD, smaller parks,etc??

I just do not see the draw! I would like to go, but not to see DL in particular, I would like to see LA, Jay Leno Show, Las Vegas (prob. to far from Anaheim), etc.
I would use DL DVC as a base to see other things, but least of all DL.

Where do I back up these opinions?? I have talked to a TON of people at WDW, from Calif, and they ALL say it stinks, it is too small, too urban, etc. I cannot get over how many people fly 3000 miles just to come to WDW when they have DL in their own backyard..

Again, not my opinion, just Calif. opinons...
I do not see what all the DL hype is about, JMHO....

DeerH

 

[gppnj]

We returned from DL 2 weeks ago. A CM at a DVC kiosk told us they were putting in DVC and it would be connected to the GC.

I adore the Grand Californian, but is there any room to add on to it?

 

[tjkraz]

I hope DVC DL does NOT happen. I cannot see the support of DVC'ers to Calif.

I can.

If DVC were to build a resort of roughly 200-300 rooms at DL, it would represent about 8-10% of the total rooms in the entire program. And that proportion would shrink as DVC builds units elsewhere.

Comparisons between WDW and DL notwithstanding, I think that demand would be at least adequate to fill such a small number of rooms. Sure many CA owners would use their points in FL. But the opposite would be true as well. The average DVCer would need to use his/her points for DL only once every 10-11 years to consistently fill the resort.

We'd love to visit DL someday, but it certainly won't be on our DVC points with the Disney Collection values being where they are today.

My big question would be whether DVC is interested in such small properties anymore...

 

[deerh]

I guess we will agree to disagree on this one. I don't see avg east coast DVC'ers spending $400 airfare (us x4)=$1600 to visit a "lesser" Disneyworld....

Again, JMHO......

DeerH

In addition, I don't see Californians spending their points on DL either, they know what it is like!!!

DeerH

 

[Simba's Mom]

I also just returned from DL, and just wanted to add that I, too, hardly ever saw anyone at the DVC kiosks. There's one right at the end of Main Street that never even had a representative there. Saturday afternoon, it was being used as "vertical space" for the CMs from somewhere else to put their papers on. The other kiosks I noticed were at GC and DTD. At GC, the Cm was on the phone the whole time I watched (no one approached-perhaps I should have!). Then, when I returned from a restroom trip, she was gone. Once at DTD, someone was talking about their respective trips to Europe with the CM (didn't hear any DVC tie-in), the other two times I went by, it was unmanned (umm, I mean un-CMed). And I'm afraid I have to agree with the people who said they felt it was too small, urban, etc. DS is a performer there for the summer, so I had a wonderful time seeing his performances. Otherwise, I would have disliked it. I miss Epcot!

 

[grimgrinnin]

Let's review....
MOST DVC'ers live in the east (EST), NY, Mass,etc, etc. Would the majority of these people spend a lot of airfare to fly out to see a VERY URBAN DL (like visiting a city)

Your assumption is that DVD would build a DVC resort on the West Coast so East Coasters would have another place to use their points, or to add on at DL, which is not the case at all. They would build it get more of the Western US market to buy into DVC. They want to sell to people like my Sister, who makes the 5 hour drive (well, 4 hours with my brother-in-law driving) at least once a year to go to Disneyland, but has never been to WDW. Just because someone in NY isn't going to want to buy at DL doesn't mean the rest of the World isn't going to.

Where do I back up these opinions?? I have talked to a TON of people at WDW, from Calif, and they ALL say it stinks, it is too small, too urban, etc. I cannot get over how many people fly 3000 miles just to come to WDW when they have DL in their own backyard..

lol - how many is a ton? I assure you, the 80K guests I stood in DL with on July 17th, 2005 with smiles on their faces and tears in their eyes, most of whom were from California, do not share the opinion that DL stinks.

I do not see what all the DL hype is about, JMHO....

Have you ever been there? I would take DL over the MK hands down. It's a wonderful park. Of course, all of WDW beats all of DLR - but like you alluded to - why would someone spend a lot on airfare (around $1,000 for my Sister's family of 5 if they're lucky) to go to WDW when they can drive the whole family to DL for $100?

DL DVC makes perfect sense - you're just looking at it from an East Coast perspective.

If they build it, they will come.



grim

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

I guess we will agree to disagree on this one. I don't see avg east coast DVC'ers spending $400 airfare (us x4)=$1600 to visit a "lesser" Disneyworld....

DeerH

They won't have to...there's enough of us "west coasters" to keep a DVC at DL hopping!

I would love to see this happen as we alternate between WDW and DL. However, we don't use our points to stay @ DL because it just takes too many. If they do give any projects @ DL the green light, I hope the point structures are similar to those @ WDW.

 

[LeftCoaster]

Are they still doing virtual tours? There were rumors a while back that they would construct model SSR rooms.

For now they are. I'm not sure how soon it's supposed to be done but, DVC is apaprently taking over the Plaza Pavilion at the end of Main Street. right now, that is where the kiosk is but, apparently, soon, the whole building will fall into the hands of DVC.
I've heard that one of the problems that they've had with people not actually going on the tours is that many don't want to have to leave the park and go to the current preview center. Lazy I know, but believeable.

 

[deerh]

By GrimG:Your assumption is that DVD would build a DVC resort on the West Coast so East Coasters would have another place to use their points, or to add on at DL, which is not the case at all. They would build it get more of the Western US market to buy into DVC. They want to sell to people like my Sister, who makes the 5 hour drive (well, 4 hours with my brother-in-law driving) at least once a year to go to Disneyland, but has never been to WDW. Just because someone in NY isn't going to want to buy at DL doesn't mean the rest of the World isn't going to.

Ok, let's look at west coast side: Say I live in LA or Las Vegas. I buy $30000 worth of pts at DL. I can go (as you say) 1 time or 2/year. But I am "STUCK" on West coast!!! I CAN spend $1500-2000 to fly to the other DVC (HHI, BWV,BCV,etc). So, are YOU (as a west coaster) ready to spend that money for 1 resort????? I cannot see it.

As for a ton, I have talked to 30 people or more on my many trips to WDW, and they ALL say the same thing! *That is 100% saying that DL is too urban, not spread out, nothing like WDW, etc, etc... So, NO, I have not talked to 80000 people, but the small sampling was an eye opener to say the least..

Never been to DL, but would like to go once, just to say I have been.

But, maybe West Coasters would like to spend money on 1 resort, maybe I am wrong.....

Again, not my opinion, it is the "few" Significant sampling (not a ton) Californians turning me off of DL....

DeerH

 

[Laurajean1014]

Interesting....

 

[TW1]

As a proud and very satisfied owner of HHI I always find it interesting to hear that, in terms of DVC's business operations, HHI was/is a tremendous failure.

From our point of view it is a fabuolous resort. Yes it is quite different from their other locations, not really cut from the same mold at all. But as far as a quality resort, it is first rate. We stayed at and/or toured several DVC locations, even spent a week at VB, but didn't buy until we stayed at HHI - and have never regretted it.

I guess we just have to hope it always remains part of DVC!

BTW, great thread, hats off to the OP.

 

[Shawn]

So, are YOU (as a west coaster) ready to spend that money for 1 resort????? I cannot see it.

Yes.

Here's the perspective of a West Coast guy (Oregon) with respect to this conversation.

Not having a resort on the West Coast has been one of the major stumbling blocks for my wife. If they had a DVC resort at DL she would have been sold in a heart beat.

I grew up a Disney kid and am raising my kids the same way. I plan on visiting DL or WDW at least once a year. I would absolutely *love* to be able to take 5-day trips twice a year, which we could do with the DVC if they had a DL resort. With just the WDW resorts, we would take a longer 10-day trip once a year.

The reason for only one trip a year to WDW from Oregon are

* Time. It takes 2 hour 20 mins to fly to LAX. It takes 7 hours minimum (+ 3 hours lost from time zone changes). Which means, we can leave for DL on Sunday morning, and be enjoying the Park by 2:00 pm. The Oregon-Florida trip I imagine will just be exhausting for my wife (who doesn't fly too well).

* Expense. At least 50% more dollars to fly to Florida than California.

* Ticket Expense. AP Park-Hopper passes for DL are quite a bit less than AP Park-Hoppers for WDW.

With the above all said, we are still going to buy into SSR *soon*. We have never been to WDW, but are so looking forward to it. We hope to make our first trip next year sometime (We will be at DL this December).

But one of my topics of conversations with my guide has been on the possibility of a DL DVC resort. I've told her that what I would like to do is get on a waiting list for any future resort. Then if one does magically happen, I'll sell my SSR points and use that money to help repurchase and make my home resort out here.

If a DL resort does happen, I predict it will sell like hotcakes, and point reservations will go fast. Having the 11 month window would be a tremendous help in actually using the resort.

It seems that I've read many posts on these boards about DVC members who would love to visit DL, but don't because of the point cost to stay at the GC or DLH. If there was a resort with point structure similar to VWL, the place would be packed.

Regarding the 'Urban" setting. That's never been an issue. We go to DLR to go to DLR. When staying at the DLH, or GC, or PP, it's just a few minutes walk to Downtown Disney, the Monorail, and DL. You can take the Monorail into the back of the park -- which is my favorite way to enter the park. It's a bit longer walk to DCA from the hotels, but it doesn't sound any further than from SSR to DD over there. We usually don't even rent a car. We spend the entire time on site, in the parks, and in the pools, and at the end of our stay, wish we could stay longer.

Others have made the point that the goal of a DL DVC resort wouldn't be to entice the East Coasters out here, but to give us West Coasters a place to call home.

-Shawn

 

[mikesmom]

The other thing we might consider is that the "tremendous failure" of Vero and HHI was nothing more than a timing issue. There is an interesting marketing book out called "The Tipping Point" which discusses how many products suddenly take off in sales because the use of them or even the "buzz" about them reached a critical mass and then "tipped" them over into huge demand. I'm thinking that possibly the number of us that are DVC owners have reached that critical mass. We own DVC, we love the concept and we trust that DVC built outside of the parks are prime vacation destinations for us. There are folks begging for HHI ressies and I often see Vero sold out on some dates in spite of the hurricane problems.

How many of us current owners would get addonitis if there were more rooms built at HHI, or some in Colorado, New Mexico, NYC, the Keys? If they were small and in desirable areas, I can see them going a lot faster than the original offsite DVC.

Think about it. BWV, BCV and WVL sold out at a lot faster rate than the original OKW. Sometimes it takes a little buzz to get things going. JMHO.

 

[tjkraz]

How many of us current owners would get addonitis if there were more rooms built at HHI, or some in Colorado, New Mexico, NYC, the Keys? If they were small and in desirable areas, I can see them going a lot faster than the original offsite DVC.

You may be right, but I still think that DVC will always be primarily associated with DISNEY (and the theme parks.) I still think a DL resort would be a success, but I'm not so certain about other off-site locations. Unless it were somewhere like Hawaii that one might have to own to guarantee a room during peak periods, I still think MOST people would buy points to primarily use them for WDW or DL options.

DVC will probably build off-site again, be it 10-15-20 years from now. But it will be very interesting to see 1) The location they choose, 2) the breadth of the development, and 3) how well it sells in comparison to theme park-based resorts.

If I bought points at an off-site property, I'd always be fearful that some future restructuring at Disney would determine that the offsite resorts were not part of their "core" business, and that they would be farmed-out to another timeshare manager. In my case, it would have to be a pretty compelling destination to even cause me to give it a second thought.

Think about it. BWV, BCV and WVL sold out at a lot faster rate than the original OKW. Sometimes it takes a little buzz to get things going. JMHO.

Yeah, but you also had a much better economy in the mid-to-late 90s than in the early 90s. And, by the time VWL and BCV were introduced, you already had 4 other resorts in the program. Those who bought at OKW had to struggle with the very real possibility that they would ONLY be able to stay at OKW for the next 50 years.

 

[Simba's Mom]

For now they are. I'm not sure how soon it's supposed to be done but, DVC is apaprently taking over the Plaza Pavilion at the end of Main Street. right now, that is where the kiosk is but, apparently, soon, the whole building will fall into the hands of DVC.
I've heard that one of the problems that they've had with people not actually going on the tours is that many don't want to have to leave the park and go to the current preview center. Lazy I know, but believeable.

I'm very surprised to hear that! Yes, they have the kiosk there at the Plaza Pavillion. However, that's the one that I went by numerous times this past weekend, and there was never a DVC rep there. One time, I got my hopes up that maybe finally someone was there, only to see that it was being used as horizontal space for paperwork, I think they were CMs from the pin carts near there. I went over and checked, and they weren't affiliated with DVC. Looked like a pretty unused kiosk on a pretty busy weekend.