Hmm. Is Disney going to start courting DVC renters?

[starbox]

I got this email from Disney Movie Rewards:
http://dvd.disneyemailcenter.com/fu...311585&mlid=83298&siteid=13493&uid=3e2905d77e

Notice one of the prizes for the Instant Win game is a "DVC SamplEAR" - which is described as a 3 year trial DVC membership. I wonder if DVC is going to start offering the SamplEAR to everyone as a way to court people who want to try DVC out, but are not ready to commit to a long-term purchase. I know other timeshares have discovery programs like this.

Hmmmmm.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Actually, many timeshare sales folks are offerning samplers these days. It's like a mini membership for a year.

 

[starbox]

Actually, many timeshare sales folks are offerning samplers these days. It's like a mini membership for a year.

We did the Fairfield trial membership before we purchased DVC. I almost everyone one. I'm just wondering if DVC is gearing up to offer a trial program.
If so, it would be a nice way for people to try points without the risks of renting.

 

[mikesmom]

This is in the same vein as all the "will they give us: free admission, money, discounts, free stay, etc". They won't because they don't have to. DVC sells through plenty fast without much in the way of enticements to get people in the door. The SamplEar the OP is referring to is a prize. They aren't giving away bunches of them.

 

[Dean]

They targeted guests at times along the way but never aggressively. But when it comes to tapping current members and guests of members to buy, DVC is a boy among men so to speak. And while I know many people enjoy that DVC is that low key, it has cost us planned off site DVC resorts in the past.

 

[crisi]

This is in the same vein as all the "will they give us: free admission, money, discounts, free stay, etc". They won't because they don't have to. DVC sells through plenty fast without much in the way of enticements to get people in the door. The SamplEar the OP is referring to is a prize. They aren't giving away bunches of them.

No, but they may SELL them.

DVC SamplEAR - three years of membership for $XX a point, no dues for three years.

 

[TenThousandVolts]

I think that selling a trial membership is great idea- and it may be another option for DVC as far as what they can do with excess points bought back through ROFR during slow periods in the market.

 

[DVCconvert]

DVC is a boy among men so to speak

"Things" maybe 'growing'.

 

[starbox]

No, but they may SELL them.

DVC SamplEAR - three years of membership for $XX a point, no dues for three years.

This is what I am thinking. "SamplEAR" just sounds like a name that came from too much marketing research to just be used for a prize.

(BTW - I don't think any current DVC members could be eligible for SamplEARs if it is offered - so it's not a perk)

What if DVC is planning to offer a trail program - "SampleEARS". Lets say - 25$ per point for a three year trial membership with no dues. Banking and borrowing would be allowed. At the end of the trial period, the amount of the trial could be rolled into the downpayment for full membership.

Yes, DVC is selling fine - but renting is undercutting their profits. This could be the nail in the rental coffin. If DVC can't legally stop renting, they can offer a trial program that is much more attractive than renting AND gives people the option of working towards ownership.

Of course, it could just be a single, random prize with a cute name. But.... I'm just sayin........

 

[wildernessDad]

I don't know that I like the idea. It would make points for add-ons less available to members, I think.

 

[Dean]

I don't know that I like the idea. It would make points for add-ons less available to members, I think.

Doubtful as they would likely only use currently selling resorts. They're not dumb enough to sell a package for 3 years when they could sell it for the entire lenth of the contract.

 

[CarolMN]

I got this email from Disney Movie Rewards:
http://dvd.disneyemailcenter.com/fu...311585&mlid=83298&siteid=13493&uid=3e2905d77e

Notice one of the prizes for the Instant Win game is a "DVC SamplEAR" - which is described as a 3 year trial DVC membership. I wonder if DVC is going to start offering the SamplEAR to everyone as a way to court people who want to try DVC out, but are not ready to commit to a long-term purchase. I know other timeshares have discovery programs like this.

Hmmmmm.

I don't read the prize description as a 3 year "trial DVC membership". The actual wording is -

3-Year Disney Vacation Club Getaways SamplEAR with 500 destination choices

I think they are giving away II exchanges. All of the other promotional material I've seen that mentions "Getaways" refers to II exchanges. JMHO. YMMV.

 

[starbox]

Doubtful as they would likely only use currently selling resorts. They're not dumb enough to sell a package for 3 years when they could sell it for the entire lenth of the contract.

It would definitely only apply to currently selling resorts. The more I think about it, the more it seems to make sense for Disney - they'd be rolling in cash. They already know that a large percentage of people add-on within the first three years - so I bet they are pretty confident that a SamplEAR would hook most buyers.

25$ per point for 3 years, 160 points = 4,000 cash for Disney

If the trial person decides not to purchase later - Disney just made 4,000 off 3 years of point usage - money that likely would have gone towards a rental without the program.

If the trial person buys in, it's probable that they'll not only buy in, but actually increase their points since the downpayment is already taken care of - allowing Disney to essentially accumulate a large base of "pre-sell" customers three years in advance and step up the building of new resorts (hmmmm Contemporary anyone????)

Obviously Disney has realized that there is a HUGE market for point rentals - lots of people are anxious to try out the value and accomodations of DVC but don't want to (or can't afford to) buy in. And I think it's clear that Disney would like to stop commercial renting, but are bound by the legality and can't be as restrictive as they'd like to be.

If there was a SamplEAR that allowed banking and borrowing, a potential renter would choose between:

1. Paying 10-14$ per point to a stranger, getting one trip worth of points, having no control over the reservation, having no DVC member perks, having no ability to cancel/reschedule.

OR

2. Joining Disney SamplEARS - paying 25$-30$ per point BUT, getting the points for THREE years (allowing either three consecutive vacations, or allowing the "purchase" of 1/3 less points thantehy would need to rent since they could bank and borrow), having full control over the points and reservations, getting all member perks, AND having to option to apply all the money spend on the trial towards full membership in 3 years.

Which would people choose? It just seems like a program that would make Disney a lot of money whether people used the trial for 3 years or bought a full contract. I may very well be wrong, but if I were Disney and had a cute name and offer like SamplEARS, I'd be using it for more than a little internet instant win game.

 

[starbox]

I don't read the prize description as a 3 year "trial DVC membership". The actual wording is -

3-Year Disney Vacation Club Getaways SamplEAR with 500 destination choices

I think they are giving away II exchanges. All of the other promotional material I've seen that mentions "Getaways" refers to II exchanges. JMHO. YMMV.

But, could they give away a II exchange to a non-member with no points? They always seem to market/explain DVC to potential owners as having over 500 destinations, even on the DVD.

BTW - I the Disney Movie Rewards instant win games - I play them each morning with my coffe and I've won something small (a Disney Adventures subscription, and an Enchanted Call) each time. They do a great job with the whole thing. When you win, they automatically send your prize to your registered address.

 

[Dean]

It would definitely only apply to currently selling resorts. The more I think about it, the more it seems to make sense for Disney - they'd be rolling in cash. They already know that a large percentage of people add-on within the first three years - so I bet they are pretty confident that a SamplEAR would hook most buyers.

25$ per point for 3 years, 160 points = 4,000 cash for Disney

If the trial person decides not to purchase later - Disney just made 4,000 off 3 years of point usage - money that likely would have gone towards a rental without the program.

If the trial person buys in, it's probable that they'll not only buy in, but actually increase their points since the downpayment is already taken care of - allowing Disney to essentially accumulate a large base of "pre-sell" customers three years in advance and step up the building of new resorts (hmmmm Contemporary anyone????)

Obviously Disney has realized that there is a HUGE market for point rentals - lots of people are anxious to try out the value and accomodations of DVC but don't want to (or can't afford to) buy in. And I think it's clear that Disney would like to stop commercial renting, but are bound by the legality and can't be as restrictive as they'd like to be.

If there was a SamplEAR that allowed banking and borrowing, a potential renter would choose between:

1. Paying 10-14$ per point to a stranger, getting one trip worth of points, having no control over the reservation, having no DVC member perks, having no ability to cancel/reschedule.

OR

2. Joining Disney SamplEARS - paying 25$-30$ per point BUT, getting the points for THREE years (allowing either three consecutive vacations, or allowing the "purchase" of 1/3 less points thantehy would need to rent since they could bank and borrow), having full control over the points and reservations, getting all member perks, AND having to option to apply all the money spend on the trial towards full membership in 3 years.

Which would people choose? It just seems like a program that would make Disney a lot of money whether people used the trial for 3 years or bought a full contract. I may very well be wrong, but if I were Disney and had a cute name and offer like SamplEARS, I'd be using it for more than a little internet instant win game.

Given the way other points systems do these type of sampler packages, I'd say $25 per point is a little high. I'd put it more in the $20-21 per point range including fees. Remember the goal is to get them hooked to apply the purchase price toward a long term membership, there really is no other benefit to DVD. And it would likely reduce rental prices to a degree. As for the rentals having a significant effect on DVD and Disney profits, I doubt that's the case at all. Expect the minimum purchase to stay the same if they were to do this. They might not allow banking and borrowing. All the systems I know of that do this only do so for one year and I'd expect DVC to go that route if they actually sold this type of temp membership.