DVC Planning Board

[WebmasterDoc]

Please note the name change for this forum. Hopefully, this change will better reflect the real intent of the board.

The DVC Board will remain as the appropriate forum to post questions/comments about joining DVC and making the purchase - either direct from Disney or thru a resale broker. Questions and discussion about renting DVC reservations from a member are appropriate for the DVC Board as are any discussion about DVC programs and policies. Questions and comments about annual fees, purchase incentives, DVC resorts and rooms are also best posed on the DVC Forum.

The DVC Rent/Trade Board is the proper place to post offers to rent or requests to rent. Think of that board as a "classified ad" area for the site. Discussion is not appropriate there and will be removed. Rental discussion is appropriate on the DVC Forum.

The DVC Planning Board is the place for posts involved with planning a DVC vacation. This will include Trip Reports, grocery questions, meal planning in villas, comparison of ticket media, rumors and speculation about possible new DVC resorts, congratulations for DVC purchases and add-on, countdowns for upcoming trips, ME, opinions regarding best resort, best decor, pool hopping, views, speculation/discussion about systems used by DVC and MS and many other similar DVC related-topics. If a discussion involves most any component of planning a trip to a DVC resort or option.

We will allow limited leeway for non-DVC topics and will try to move some discussion to more appropriate locations on the DIS. Questions about restaurants may end up on the DIS Restaurant Forum, questions about tramsportation may be moved to the DIS Transportation Board and topics not fitting any of the Disney related forums may wind up on the DIS Community Board (even if it has indicated a desire to include the opinion of DVC members).

The real intent of this board is to compliment the DVC Forum by augmenting the variety of questions and comments unique to the DVC experience. Here, members may share their experiences with the reservation system, resort experiences and tips to assist others enjoy their next DVC stay. The spirit of community is certainly welcome here and should be an integral component of mutual sharing of experiences. The DIS also supports a Community Board for the site, where discussion of non-Disney topics is welcome. We encourage the utilization of that board for posts off-topic for this forum or any of our other Disney related boards.

 

[WebmasterDoc]

Since there has been an outcry for information about recent changes and my two former attempts at providing that information have apparently been the fuel for heated comments, name calling and insults, I will make a final attempt to explain the reasons for the name change on this board.

I have read thru the misinformation and incomplete quotes attributed to myself and other moderators and would like to address those comments first.

I don't know if you read the whole thread or not here, but when this board was set up, it was set up as a "fluff" board. Even the original posts from Webmaster Doc say so. It was for posting about DVC things that are not "factual" or "the mechanics" to borrow wording from a PP. It was also to seperate out the "welcome homes" and "dance with me" posts. FINALLY, it was also about a place for the DVC members to come and just hang out. Doc's own words (several times over they have been quoted - more than one quote).

My original post from 10/31/04 never said anything about "fluff" and I don’t believe I have ever used that term in a post on the DIS. (I’m sure someone will correct me if I’m wrong and will invite the correction.)

Rather than depend on someone else to "quote" "Doc’s own words", why not take a look at my post yourself ... in my own words:

We are pleased to announce DVC Community Board..

Please enjoy this new forum for DVC trip reports, announcing add-ons, happy-dances, congratulating new members, roll calls, where-are-you-from posts, etc.

Questions and discussion about the DVC program (points, policies, banking, borrowing, villa and resort amenities, etc) are still appropriate for the DVC Forum. Offers and requests to rent are should still be posted on the DVC Rent/Trade Board.

Non-DVC posts will still be moved to more appropriate boards, just as before.

Enjoy!

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=673342

No mention of anything except DVC topics and even the comment about still moving posts to more appropriate boards was included in the original post – but failed to be included in the quotes attributed to me in this thread.

" Suddenly and without warning, they changed the rules." "A good "friend" would at a minimum acknowledge our phone calls. We have gotten nothing (except from Kathy - who by her own admission is not representing the board)."

WOW! "Suddenly and without warning" … I had to re-read the post I made at the top of the board, but even now, the purpose of the Planning Board seems to be clearly outlined in that post. Compare that with my post (also quoted in this thread) of 12/27/04:

"This thread is about AP rates at non-DVC resorts and, while it may be interesting to some DVC members (as are most threads on the DVC Community Board), it is still not a DVC topic.

The other thread currently on the first page of the DVC Board is an analysis of the breakeven point for AP's using the DVC new discount versus other ticket options. Since it is a direct discussion of a DVC perk, it is appropriate for the DVC Board.

Previously, this thread might have been moved to the Resorts Board (since it's NOT a DVC topic), but instead has been moved to the DVC Community Board (since it does seem to be of interest to a few DVC members).

While a few may still long for a single DVC Board (we now have THREE and have had TWO for years), the decision was made to create a DVC Community Board to provide a place for non-DVC discussion (such as this thread) of interest to DVC members."

The "such as this thread" comment was in reference to the question posed last December about why a specific thread was moved from the DVC Board to the new board. I have not been able to find any mention, at least by me, about accepting non-DVC-non-Disney posts. (Again, I’ll invite correction.)

I will agree and admit that the original name used (DVC Community Board) was probably a poor choice and feel that the present name change should remove any doubt about the purpose of this board.

As for "good friend acknowledging phone calls and "we’ve gotten nothing", I have twice posted explanations about the change. Both were sincere attempts to clarify and have been rewarded with insults (comparison references to WWII Germany and "Seig Heil (sp?)") and having my explanation called "smarmy". As much as some refuse to accept it, the other moderators and I are as much a part of this "community" as anyone else. I did briefly post another explanation last night and then quickly removed it to try to refine the concepts presented. Unfortunately, it was seen by a few- one of whom chose to PM me about posting his own "interpretation" of my thoughts. After I declined his offer, I was again berated thru PM. When the local "community" responds to explanations in this fashion, it’s pretty tough to want to offer further comments. I will, however, continue with mine at this time.

" … its not just a name change. The focus of the forum has been changed and 90% of the old posts will no longer be allowed here. Want to ask for special dinner plans for your 25th anniv - will be moved to the restaurant board. Want to see what other are doing during the Food and Wine festival - again...not truly DVC related is it and it is supposed to be moved (under the new rules). How about wanting to know if certain weeks are better or worse than others for going to WDW? Technically...if you asked it correctly, it would stay, but I know just in the last 2 days a thread about New Years was moved. What is going to be left are "would you go for 6 nights or 7?" "woohoo - I'm dancing" and "we are new member" threads. The rest are pretty much going to be hard to justify as being DVC only issues, so they can/will be moved."

I’d sure appreciate the source for those statistics – or were they just created for dramatic effect? I’m not aware of most of those examples being moved and the one about New Years Eve was already sufficiently explained by the moderator who moved it. Please refer again to the post at the top of the board for the topics considered acceptable.

As for the assertion that this has been a close-knit community capable of policing themselves, there have been many posts removed for sexual innuendo and off-color jokes. In each case those directly involved were contacted with the reasoning for the removal. Most agreed with the action, some even posted an apology and some chose to respond with less kind remarks. In the past, we’ve had threads about homeschooling and breastfeeding – each prefaced with "What do DVCers think about …?". While some may consider those appropriate topics for the DVC community, many do not agree (myself included) and they were also removed. Apparently many who posted today did not see those posts and threads either- which is a good thing and means that the mods were doing their job. Apparently there are a few who feel that ANYTHING is appropriate on a Community Board and that is also part of the reason for the name change. The DIS does have a board already for those "anything" posts.

"It might be a moot point to try to let the ownership and higher-ups of this board know that this is very upsetting and WHY, but I tell my sons the same thing - - - If you don't like something that has happened to you, try to work it out with the person that did it first (which some did talk to Doc first) and then go to the person that can help you next."

I have received exactly three contacts by PM (two were about the name change and the other was about my prior short-lived explanation) and a few others that were mass-emailed to all of the Webmasters. I have used quotes from one of those who wrote a general email to illustrate my response tonight. I did respond to Tom Yeary and he has accepted my explanation and encouraged me to post this tonight. The other two PM’s have also received an appropriate response.

I will reiterate that the change is in name only- as evidenced by the posts from last fall and winter about the board at that time. Perhaps the original name was poorly thought out. Perhaps there have been times when moderators should have removed some of the inappropriate threads and didn’t - thus making the error of allowing some to remain and become part of the folklore of the board. That does not change the original stated purpose of the board and does not suggest that there has been any change in the last few days.

Effective now, further discussion of the purpose of the DVC Planning Board will be accepted by email to admin@wdwinfo.com. Individual posts may be brought to our attention using the "Report" feature on each post. Further comment on the board itself will be removed. For those wanting to express their feelings to a higher authority, please contact the owner of the site, Pete Werner.