I am not sure I agree with your line of thinking regarding the negative publicity. Where is the buzz really coming from? Disboards and other public boards? Yes, but in the grand scheme of Disney visitors/buyers, we are a relatively small community.
Many of the rumors seem to originate with WDW Cast Members like the one 'holcomb-mania' spoke to. Personally I think word of the DVC CR has grown to urban legend proportions at this point--CMs and guests are just repeating what they hear from other CMs or read on the Internet and accept it as fact. Whether there is any real truth to thr rumors remains to be seen.
I can say that for me, the where to add on thinking is exactly the oppisite of what you are referring to. With the possibility of Contemporary, I am actually not adding on anywhere until I know what the building is.
I'm sure there are others in a similar boat. But consider these two classes of people:
1. Current members who follow sites like this, are looking to add-on, and are waiting to hear about the CR before taking the plunge.
2. Prospective members who have toured SSR / AKV, like what they see, don't have any concept of booking non-home resorts at 7 months, and hear rumors that CR may eventually join the lineup of properties at which they can use their points.
Which group is larger? My money is on #2.
If it does turn out to be totally non DVC, I will move on to add on at AKV or my current BWV.
So they've got you either way.
You're still buying points...it's just a question of when and where. And if prices happen to go up a couple more dollars before you buy, why golly that doesn't hurt Disney one bit.
I don't think anyone is buying AKV strictly for staying at the Contemporary if/when it is built. I am not sure if that's what you were alluding to, if so, I don't think there are many at all thinking that way.
No...just that it's one more reason TO buy into DVC. Icing on the cake, so to speak.
Hey, I never said it was the most compelling argument ever made. But someone asked why they wouldn't announce construction of cash rooms and I think there's some logic to this approach.
In many ways it astounds me the amount of conflicting information that Disney has let slip thru the cracks. We've got permits that use both the terms "Villas" and "Suites." We've got signage on the construction site. We've got model room doors (supposedly) left unlocked.
All this from the company that once bought tens-of-thousands of acres of land anonymously.
The popular line of thinking is that it's a DVC facility but Disney isn't ready to announce it yet. If I were a betting man, I'd still have to put my money on that option. But consider the opposite for a moment. As long as Disney (including DVC salespeople) doesn't give any actual yea or nay, they can just let people considering DVC soak up the rumors and draw their own conclusions. If it turns out to be non-DVC: "well, we never said it was going to be a DVC facility!"
Time will tell...