Opinion: Poly Bungalows and CCV Cabins Good Idea?

[Eastcoast02]

I was noticing just how tight 7 month booking is this year for October and yet there is pretty much year round wide open availability for the Bungalows and Cabins.

So my question is do you think they were a good idea? Or do you think the amount of points sold against these accommodations is putting a strain on bookings?

The point requirements for the cabins seem much more reasonable than the bungalows so I'm surprised those aren't booking a little better.

Thought this would make for a good topic of discussion.

 

[Dean]

I was noticing just how tight 7 month booking is this year for October and yet there is pretty much year round wide open availability for the Bungalows and Cabins.

So my question is do you think they were a good idea? Or do you think the amount of points sold against these accommodations is putting a strain on bookings?

The point requirements for the cabins seem much more reasonable than the bungalows so I'm surprised those aren't booking a little better.

Thought this would make for a good topic of discussion.

Yes and Yes. If they sell the points, it's a good idea for DVD but I do feel the demand at the cost is enough less to affect usage at those 2 resorts. IMO a reallocation is inevitable at some point.

 

[jarestel]

It's doubtful that a lot of members purchased enough points to stay regularly in cabins or bungalows. It's a novelty stay for a couple of nights and then I imagine most people move to less point gobbling accommodations. Looking at the RAT, cabins and bungalows are pretty wide open for booking even when other accommodations are gone. IMO, it's a nice option for members even though most won't use it but a better option for Disney who will use the empty cabins and bungalows as cash rentals. Maybe a reallocation will occur, but it's hard to imagine any kind of points shifting that will make any significant difference in the overall points requirements.

 

[drusba]

Poly and CCV appear to be the modern DVC resort idea to give Disney another way to make more money while creating a disadvantage for DVC members. You build a lot of very high point cost bungalows or cabins which the vast majority of DVC purchasers will likely never use, but sell all those extra points in the bungalows or cabins to purchasers who will normally get only studios through 2BRs (and in the case of Poly just studios). The result: (a) Disney makes huge amounts of money selling all those extra points; (b) Disney gets to make another bundle renting the units because, for many times of the year, some or most will be open at 60 days out, the breakage period when Disney can rent the units to non-members; (c) the DVC owners of the resort get to support that new profit center at 60 days out by being the ones that pay for all the maintenance and upkeep of the bungalows or cabins through dues, and thus the rentals of the bungalows and cabins are pure profit for Disney; (d) Disney also gets to use those picturesque bungalows and cabins as advertising material for WDW; and finally (e) the members have to deal with that legal oversell of the other rooms where the demand for them will necessarily outstrip the availability.

 

[BillPA]

Staying in the cabins is like staying in a fish bowl. No privacy, smaller units and WAY over priced. That is why the tend to be available all the time.

 

[bobbiwoz]

OMG YES! Our family and friends LOVE the cabins!!

If you go to DVC presentation onboard DCL, they often talk about ending your WDW stay in a cabin or a bungalow. We like to put a cabin stay at beginning or end of an important or significant trip.

 

[Matty B13]

Poly and CCV appear to be the modern DVC resort idea to give Disney another way to make more money while creating a disadvantage for DVC members. You build a lot of very high point cost bungalows or cabins which the vast majority of DVC purchasers will likely never use, but sell all those extra points in the bungalows or cabins to purchasers who will normally get only studios through 2BRs (and in the case of Poly just studios). The result: (a) Disney makes huge amounts of money selling all those extra points; (b) Disney gets to make another bundle renting the units because, for many times of the year, some or most will be open at 60 days out, the breakage period when Disney can rent the units to non-members; (c) the DVC owners of the resort get to support that new profit center at 60 days out by being the ones that pay for all the maintenance and upkeep of the bungalows or cabins through dues, and thus the rentals of the bungalows and cabins are pure profit for Disney; (d) Disney also gets to use those picturesque bungalows and cabins as advertising material for WDW; and finally (e) the members have to deal with that legal oversell of the other rooms where the demand for them will necessarily outstrip the availability.

Glad we didn't make the emotional decision to buy Poly Direct when it first came out, just because we loved the Poly and didn't know that much about the ins and outs of DVC. I don't think most newbies or even some veterans of DVC would have thought about how the bungalows would have affected their need to book a studio. If they had 2 bedrooms there we probably would have, but if they did that might have made the point issue not as substantial. I guess we will see what happens at CCV.

If a point reallocation does happen, will it only be a few points a night in each category, or will they hit the low point seasons with higher points?

 

[disneynutz]

Disney does what's good for Disney while telling you that it's good for you. Yes the cabins, bungalows, VB, HH, Aulani, and VGC add to the 7 month competition for availability.

Bill

 

[keaster]

We hope to do a stay in the cabins one day, for some reason they appeal to me more than the bungalows (I think because of the screened in porch).

Also it would've been nice if they could've configured them (both the cabins and bungalows) with 2 beds in the 2nd bedroom just so that fewer people have to sleep in the living area.

 

[TinkerBellLiz]

Firstly, I am a novice but learning when it comes to the ends and outs of DVC operations. It’s my understanding that the bungalow breakage income goes back to the Association, hopefully lowering Member dues. If and as long as that happens, I’m ok with things as they are. With 11 month booking and date flexibility, I’ll be able to plan vacations.

Since Poly number of points per night is the highest (equal to VGF) I can’t see how a reallocation would work. But like I said, I’m a novice!

 

[Matty B13]

Firstly, I am a novice but learning when it comes to the ends and outs of DVC operations. It’s my understanding that the bungalow breakage income goes back to the Association, hopefully lowering Member dues. If and as long as that happens, I’m ok with things as they are. With 11 month booking and date flexibility, I’ll be able to plan vacations.

Since Poly number of points per night is the highest (equal to VGF) I can’t see how a reallocation would work. But like I said, I’m a novice!

Lower dues would be nice, but if you can't book your studio at the 11 month mark does it really matter?

For us we would need to book 2 studios to accommodate our family, and since they won't guarantee connecting rooms, we really can't stay their with children.

 

[TinkerBellLiz]

Lower dues would be nice, but if you can't book your studio at the 11 month mark does it really matter?

For us we would need to book 2 studios to accommodate our family, and since they won't guarantee connecting rooms, we really can't stay their with children.

I haven’t had issues booking at the 11 month mark, even in the coveted first and second week in December. It’s just the 2 of us so the studio is perfect. I just released our 11 month November reservation for a VGF 2 bedroom early this week (I’m sure someone stalking/waitlisting was thrilled) since we invited extended family. Even at the 7 month mark, 2 bedroom choices were numerous. Studios not so much at 7 months in the fall!

 

[drusba]

Firstly, I am a novice but learning when it comes to the ends and outs of DVC operations. It’s my understanding that the bungalow breakage income goes back to the Association, hopefully lowering Member dues. If and as long as that happens, I’m ok with things as they are. With 11 month booking and date flexibility, I’ll be able to plan vacations.

Since Poly number of points per night is the highest (equal to VGF) I can’t see how a reallocation would work. But like I said, I’m a novice!

You are only slightly right as to breakage income. The breakage income for the Poly (or any other DVC resort) is split as follows: (a) an amount up to a maximum of 2.5% of the annual budget (excluding certain items including taxes) is returned to the association to offset dues; (b) the sums above that amount then go to the Disney entity, BVTC, that is responsible for trade-outs to cover all its costs plus a 5% profit; (c) all the rest of the breakage income above that goes to DVCMC, the Disney company that manages the resorts, to keep as profit. The amount of breakage income for any resort has always been sufficient to meet that 2.5% dues set-off, and although Disney does not discuss it much, I was once informed by a DVC official, in relation to DVC even before Disney invented the new cash cow of bungalows and cabins, that the amount of annual breakage income is a lot and significantly exceeds the 2.5% set off to dues.

 

[hakepb]

In theory, it would be great if extra cash for trade outs resulted in better trade value for cruises, etc.

 

[Dean]

It's doubtful that a lot of members purchased enough points to stay regularly in cabins or bungalows. It's a novelty stay for a couple of nights and then I imagine most people move to less point gobbling accommodations. Looking at the RAT, cabins and bungalows are pretty wide open for booking even when other accommodations are gone. IMO, it's a nice option for members even though most won't use it but a better option for Disney who will use the empty cabins and bungalows as cash rentals. Maybe a reallocation will occur, but it's hard to imagine any kind of points shifting that will make any significant difference in the overall points requirements.

Given the relative number of cabins/bungalows to the other units (studios at Poly being my focus), an increase of even a single point for every studio all seasons would result in a large change for the bungalows. It's be somewhere in the range of 100 pts a week rough numbers. Of course there are lots of option how to do this if they decide to. They could also link studios to do 2 as a unit and could make them cheaper if they wanted but they'd have to increase somewhere else to do so.

 

[John-DVC]

Yes and Yes. If they sell the points, it's a good idea for DVD but I do feel the demand at the cost is enough less to affect usage at those 2 resorts. IMO a reallocation is inevitable at some point.

I hope they do reallocate. A price in between a 2 BR and Grand Villa would be nice. It doesn’t even make sense as is imo.

 

[nolanboys]

I personally think they hurt. Both of those accomadations only sleep 8 and yet they are more then double a 2 bdrm Villa. They are both beautiful accommodations but the point cost just isn’t justified. I find it interesting that when I look at last minute booking availability (60 days on the DVC website), the Poly bungalows are always available. I imag He the same to be true for the CCV cabins soon. I understand splurging on nicer accommodations, but those two are over valued.

 

[Dean]

I hope they do reallocate. A price in between a 2 BR and Grand Villa would be nice. It doesn’t even make sense as is imo.

Obviously there are 2 or more sides to any reallocation. But at the end of the day DVC is required to reallocate if the usage is too far off over a sufficient period to demonstrate there is a clear need. From a system standpoint that a given person bought exactly the points they needed prior and now don't have enough is really irrelevant no matter what a salesperson might have said.

 

[rkstocke5609]

I’ve contended since conception that the Poly Bungalows were going to help ensure near full occupancy year round at Saratoga, OKW, & AKL Jambo & Kidani. All those points represented by Bungalows but actually purchased by folks only intending to stay in a Studio would have to be absorbed elsewhere in the DVC system. I also theorized that eventually it would actually become difficult for Poly owners to book their Studios at the 11 month mark but so far I haven’t heard of any Poly owners complaining — but, that could be caused by new Poly owners just checking out other resorts happily and not really recognizing the issue YET. Full disclosure, I have never liked the look of the Poly Bungalows. We stayed in a lake view Studio when the resort first opened and what we got was a Bungalow view. The whole time I just thought, so why would a high point roller, or even someone booking for cash want to parade themselves out on those docks for the whole world to see them. Most folks that could afford those rates are typically looking for less exposure and discretion.

As a VWL owner, I now see the same thing with cabins at the CCV lodge conversion. I can say I much prefer the cabins with their hot tubs and thick landscaping — far more private than the Bungalows. And, with the fact that CCV has a traditional mix of Studios, 1BR, 2BR, GV (and Cabins) hopefully the average contract will have a higher point average as folks purchasing have expectations that are beyond a simple Studio. Even with that though I personally think they are expensive and will likely be a cash cow for Disney subsidized with maintenance fees of others — although I have heard that Disney has to take part of that and put towards the maintenance fees when they rent a room for cash.

Only time will tell...

 

[DougEMG]

I was noticing just how tight 7 month booking is this year for October and yet there is pretty much year round wide open availability for the Bungalows and Cabins.

So my question is do you think they were a good idea? Or do you think the amount of points sold against these accommodations is putting a strain on bookings?

The point requirements for the cabins seem much more reasonable than the bungalows so I'm surprised those aren't booking a little better.

Thought this would make for a good topic of discussion.

I think they were an excellent money making idea for Disney and a ****ty idea for all DVC owners.