Who'll stand with me...outside the DVC 'member' lounge?

[southerngirl528]

For the love of pete.
Notice when I said "The whole kit and kaboodle (points, being actually considered a member, AP discounts)". I kind of implied all of it as a whole. Obviously I know the points themselves have not changed.

Sorry but I was only going by what you had posted. I had no other means to know what you meant.

I truly hope those that wanted to buy DVC for staying at DVC resorts on points to save money on future vacations will continue as planned with their contracts because I know firsthand how much of a blessing being a DVC Member has been to myself and my brood. We've been able to take many vacations to wonderful places and stay in deluxe accommodations that I would not have been able to do otherwise (like Aulani & GV's for example). If it was the discounts that were the goal, I surely hope you can get out of your contract.

 

[Lyn-CA]

For me it was a somewhat emotional buy. I'm really a hardcore Disney fan but I also was happy (and so was my husband) with staying in a 2 bedroom at Bonnet Creek for a 600/week. As much as I want to think I'm better than that, a big part of the appeal was being in the DVC "c lub". I envisioned us going 2x a year on annual passes (discounted) , going to the new lounge, and owning my piece of the bubble.

No resale guide sold me on anything. I never even asked anything of them. I did all my own research and called a resale company and said "I want to offer X on this contract". I know DVC can change anything. I was running on the hope that what has been offered for the last few years would be what I was receiving. And I really didn't expect them to be so low that they didn't grandfather those in limbo. While the perks that have been around aren't huge, knowing that resales are treated differently now would have probably been enough to let my logical thought process outweigh my emotional one. I was about 60/40 on my decision to buy. Throughout the years though I had gone back and forth between "we need this" and "we can do without".

OMG, how have we never run into each other? I have been doing split stays between Bonnet Creek (2-bed presidential) and DVC resorts (renting points) as well.

As of this Monday, I was one of the biggest Disneyphiles you could ever meet. I have been wanting to be part of the club for years now but my DH was hesitant. I have done my research on DVC and based on this and similar boards, I was convinced that resale was the savvy way to go. I was comforted by DVC owners who sang the praise of DVC and how their only regret was they didn't buy sooner. Now this happens and the truth is trickling out about how DVC is just another timeshare. At least with Wyndham, they have the open reputation of being weasels so you know who you're dealing with. I love the quote I read somewhere that said, "it all started with a mouse, but it's being run by a rat!"

The one good thing that came out of this is that Disney no longer has the same hold on me as it did days ago. I can now objectively see past of Disney and look forward to finding new favorite vacation destinations. I now can revisit the real France, London, etc. And it's a good thing too, because based on this new discriminatory tiered membership and one instance after another of Disney dropping the pretense that we matter and going straight for our wallets, Disney is going downhill and fast and I want to be out of the way.

 

[JimMIA]

Yes, but...DVD isn't the seller! The seller is the owner of the contract, and the buyer is, well, the buyer. How could DVD possible get a cut on the resale market? I could see it if they take it by ROFR, but not otherwise.

Just trust me, Doc. I don't make this stuff up.

DVD is a Florida-licensed real estate broker, regulated by the Timeshare Division of the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. They have to be to sell timeshares in Florida. As the timeshare developer, they have many opportunities to refer resale listings to other brokers and they don't do that for nothing. DVD gives one broker an exclusive to their referrals and charges them half the commission. If the broker doesn't want to pay half, they switch to another broker.

DVD scrupulously obeys Florida law and there is absolutely nothing either unusual or improper about splitting commissions. It is common everyday practice and happens thousands of times each day.

 

[gr8tdame]

Nope, your transaction still entails the EXACT same things. Benefits that can come and go on a whim. You are getting what you bought.

That is not true, according to the 2015 Florida Statute on incidentals re timeshares.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

DVD receives a percentage of the sales commission. I don't know what the current arrangement is, but with Fidelity they received half the commission. Splitting commissions between realtors is common practice in the industry. If you list your home with one broker and another broker actually makes the sale, they typically split the commission. This is no different.

I had thought it was the extra "admin" fee or whatever they called it that was the finders fee paid to DVD.

 

[DisDadDVC]

That is not true, according to the 2015 Florida Statute on incidentals re timeshares.

Your interpretation of that statute is incorrect. We will have to agree to disagree. Best of luck with whatever you decide to do.

 

[gr8tdame]

OMG, how have we never run into each other? I have been doing split stays between Bonnet Creek (2-bed presidential) and DVC resorts (renting points) as well.

As of this Monday, I was one of the biggest Disneyphiles you could ever meet. I have been wanting to be part of the club for years now but my DH was hesitant. I have done my research on DVC and based on this and similar boards, I was convinced that resale was the savvy way to go. I was comforted by DVC owners who sang the praise of DVC and how their only regret was they didn't buy sooner. Now this happens and the truth is trickling out about how DVC is just another timeshare. At least with Wyndham, they have the open reputation of being weasels so you know who you're dealing with. I love the quote I read somewhere that said, "it all started with a mouse, but it's being run by a rat!"

The one good thing that came out of this is that Disney no longer has the same hold on me as it did days ago. I can now objectively see past of Disney and look forward to finding new favorite vacation destinations. I now can revisit the real France, London, etc. And it's a good thing too, because based on this new discriminatory tiered membership and one instance after another of Disney dropping the pretense that we matter and going straight for our wallets, Disney is going downhill and fast and I want to be out of the way.

Me three! This was not a spur of the moment decision. I was a huge believer in the Disney Product.
Now, even if I am out a couple of grand ...which would have been spent at Disney anyway.... I will now look at maybe traveling and vacationing elsewhere. I have been going to WDW since it opened and have seen many changes. Some changes have been great but one thing I have noticed during the past few trips is that their customer service is declining.
Never wanted to commit to a timeshare....but I thought DVC was not just a timeshare.....I was wrong it was a false illusion.

 

[mynameisnobody]

Hopefully this is the last update on this issue:


DVC Resale Market

IMPORTANT UPDATE:
In a letter from Disney e-mailed late this afternoon:

This note is to inform you that anyone with a contract that was received by Disney Vacation Club by the end of the day on April 3, will be grandfathered in to have the same access to Membership Extras that are available to others who have purchased DVC memberships from sources other than Disney since March 21, 2011. (Note: Those members who purchased from sources other than DVC after March 21, 2011 may not use their points for the “Disney Collection” (select Disney Resort Hotels, Disney Cruise Line and Adventures by Disney) and the “Concierge Collection” resorts. As a reminder, the Membership Extras are incidental benefits offered by DVC and are subject to change.)

 

[JimMIA]

I had thought it was the extra "admin" fee or whatever they called it that was the finders fee paid to DVD.

No. I don't know what that was for, but I know for a fact that they were splitting the commission 50-50 with Fidelity.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

No. I don't know what that was for, but I know for a fact that they were splitting the commission 50-50 with Fidelity.

I knew they were getting something so it was a bit more than I thought.

 

[JimMIA]

Hopefully this is the last update on this issue:


DVC Resale Market

IMPORTANT UPDATE:
In a letter from Disney e-mailed late this afternoon:

This note is to inform you that anyone with a contract that was received by Disney Vacation Club by the end of the day on April 3, will be grandfathered in to have the same access to Membership Extras that are available to others who have purchased DVC memberships from sources other than Disney since March 21, 2011. (Note: Those members who purchased from sources other than DVC after March 21, 2011 may not use their points for the “Disney Collection” (select Disney Resort Hotels, Disney Cruise Line and Adventures by Disney) and the “Concierge Collection” resorts. As a reminder, the Membership Extras are incidental benefits offered by DVC and are subject to change.)

Now if we can only learn what "...received by Disney Vacation Club" means! ROFR received, closing papers executed, deed recorded, recorded deed received, someone retrieving it from their in basket..? Who knows.

I certainly hope it's all those folks whose contracts were submitted for ROFR. That's what they used in 2011 (although with a LOT of advanced notice) and it seems like a sensible cutoff point to me.

 

[linzjane88]

OMG, how have we never run into each other? I have been doing split stays between Bonnet Creek (2-bed presidential) and DVC resorts (renting points) as well.

As of this Monday, I was one of the biggest Disneyphiles you could ever meet. I have been wanting to be part of the club for years now but my DH was hesitant. I have done my research on DVC and based on this and similar boards, I was convinced that resale was the savvy way to go. I was comforted by DVC owners who sang the praise of DVC and how their only regret was they didn't buy sooner. Now this happens and the truth is trickling out about how DVC is just another timeshare. At least with Wyndham, they have the open reputation of being weasels so you know who you're dealing with. I love the quote I read somewhere that said, "it all started with a mouse, but it's being run by a rat!"

The one good thing that came out of this is that Disney no longer has the same hold on me as it did days ago. I can now objectively see past of Disney and look forward to finding new favorite vacation destinations. I now can revisit the real France, London, etc. And it's a good thing too, because based on this new discriminatory tiered membership and one instance after another of Disney dropping the pretense that we matter and going straight for our wallets, Disney is going downhill and fast and I want to be out of the way.

Lyn-CA! Quick! Let's put our rose colored Mickey Mouse ears back on. DVC is doing the right thing after all.

 

[gr8tdame]

DVD... Must know I am causing waves... They have now asked me to sign an addendum agrreing to their changes....
Which I said I will not. Let's see if they send the contract back.

 

[linzjane88]

Now if we can only learn what "...received by Disney Vacation Club" means! ROFR received, closing papers executed, deed recorded, recorded deed received, someone retrieving it from their in basket..? Who knows.

I certainly hope it's all those folks whose contracts were submitted for ROFR. That's what they used in 2011 (although with a LOT of advanced notice) and it seems like a sensible cutoff point to me.

Yep, and really, that's 100% the beef I had. A very poorly executed and communicated huge change that have a handful of us no options to decide if we still wanted to go thru with it.
But I Bay have turned my frown upside down... Once I get my member card.

 

[JimMIA]

These numerous incomprehensible restatements of what they think they meant to say are a pretty good indication that they never really thought this through. Reminds me so much of the OKW extension fiasco. Bush league.

 

[linzjane88]

DVD... Must know I am causing waves... They have now asked me to sign an addendum agrreing to their changes....
Which I said I will not. Let's see if they send the contract back.

Wait, what? When did you pass ROFR?

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

These numerous incomprehensible restatements of what they think they meant to say are a pretty good indication that they never really thought this through. Reminds me so much of the OKW extension fiasco. Bush league.

I was thinking that too. They have these things that really are poorly executed and little considered about the details and then they respond with some heavy handedness. Then they start to give it all more reasonable consideration.

 

[JimMIA]

DVD... Must know I am causing waves... They have now asked me to sign an addendum agrreing to their changes....
Which I said I will not. Let's see if they send the contract back.

WHAT??? This just keeps getting weirder and weirder!

 

[freediverdude]

Wow, they're sending out addendums? But they just issued that statement. This is bizarre.

 

[linzjane88]

Wow, they're sending out addendums? But they just issued that statement. This is bizarre.

I need details STAT.
Everyone should just give up on the day like I have and not shower, or do the dishes and hit refresh every 49 seconds to check for alerts. Clearly.