I agree that increasing profit is the ultimate motivation to every decision that they make. I think that the root cause is the flexibility that is built into the system. The flexibility is part of the reason (besides cost) that we bought into DVC. If we had to stay at the same resort the same week every year, we would not have bought in. As long as there are certain times of the year and locations that remain much more desirable, there is going to be an issue with availability. Every resort that opens adds to the problem. Having rooms with point requirements so high that very few people can actually utilize them add to the problem. Having small contracts that can typically only utilize studios also contribute to the problem.
If they had stuck with the original model of a higher minimum contract size, this would have been alleviated somewhat. I get that not everyone can afford 160 points (especially at todays point price), but if I bought a smaller contract with the expectation that I would use it for a studio and I could not get into a studio I would be upset.
I would love to see a member friendly solution to the problem, I just struggle to find a solution that doesn't negatively affect members.
Do you honestly think the resale restriction is a solution at all?? I agree that booking non-home resorts at the 7-month window is becoming more and more challenging, but the resale restriction does NOTHING to fix that. Let's go through a few simplified scenarios here.
1. DRR is a home run & all owners (direct & resale) only stay there. Guess what? None of the L14 owners can stay there because no one is trading out. How does that alleviate the 7-month window for the L14 owners??
2. DRR is another SSR (apology to current SSR owners) & all direct owners book else where while the resale owners are confined there. Since the direct owners will try to scour the L14 resorts (can you imagine someone preferring SSR over DRR? An extreme example, I know) for any available villa, competition at those resorts becomes more intense as a result.
3. DRR is somewhere in between. Since the resale owners can only book there, they have no where to go, which decreases availability there for L14 owners. As the percentage of DRR resale owners increases, the 7-month availability further decreases for L14 owners. While this scenario doesn't put new stress on the L14 resorts, it doesn't really improve it, though.
Can you think of a scenario where the 7-month window would be improved with this restriction? Let's not forget that as DVD/DD continues to sell smaller contracts to accommodate those who are mostly interested in the Tower studios, the pressure on studios at ALL resorts will only increase.
As for what member-friendly policies that might improve this relatively bleak picture, how about improving the experience at the currently "less" desirable resorts? Perhaps increase amenities there to enhance the stay? I don't think a downward adjustment of point structure would hurt either. Since many current members often try to stretch their points by booking the lower point cost, but often less desirable villas (ie: no view), may be they would be willing to stay at one of the less desirable resorts if it means staying an extra day or two?
IMHO, the new resale restriction is an attack on the core of DVC, which is the flexibility that members (you and I included) have come to enjoy and value, which I am not sure it's intentional or not.
LAX