Poll: Would you buy Riviera direct from Disney if the resale restrictions were removed?

[ray3127]

While Riviera is being sold direct DVD will not ROFR the resort if they follow their past history. They dont ROFR Aulani or CCV now so i expect Riviera will also not be bought back unless resale prices are extremely low (Like $50 a Point).

Right, I'm talking in a few years once it's sold out.

 

[Drewferin]

Looks like the rough percentage of alienated DVC owners whom would have bought direct with the restrictions is still around 60%. DVD are you listening (Your shareholders dont want money left at the table). You are feeding addons via the resale market...

 

[Bing Showei]

Looks like the rough percentage of alienated DVC owners whom would have bought direct with the restrictions is still around 60%. DVD are you listening (Your shareholders dont want money left at the table). You are feeding addons via the resale market...

Dear Drewferin,

We are listening. We just don't buy it. Most of the people who say they would buy if the restrictions were lifted (spoiler alert: they won't be) will eventually buy in even when they're not lifted as soon as the Skyliner is fired up. We'll of course raise the prices first, so we're ok with that.

These boards are cute, by the way. We enjoy them and share the messages around the office frequently. There's a pool as to who the most vocal opponents are who will be first to buy in (yes we know who you all are in the real world). Our money is on Bing. It's always the loudest ones.

Take care. We look forward to welcoming you home.

Love,
Disney Vacation Club

 

[mustinjourney]

Well obviously they are different. But good luck finding a Holiday Inn that looks at all similar to the Polynesian. I was just asked to find something, and did the best I could at doing it.

You can definitely find another Grand Floridian though...

Meet the Hotel Del Coronado

 

[mustinjourney]

I'm upset that they seem to be trying to change the rules as they are written, rules that they aren't "legally" allowed to change.

My assumption was that they would of had to start up a new DVC2 structure with a new trading agreement between DVC1 and DVC2. While the outcome would have been the same, I think the are breaking the contracts that are in place and just counting on not being challenged.

I'm with you. A new DVC2 structure with trading rules with existing DVC1 would have annoyed me -- but I wouldn't be too mad about since DVC2 didn't exist when I bought in, so it wouldn't be like I was actually losing anything.

I am not a fan of retroactively changing the terms of a contract.

 

[mustinjourney]

Dear Drewferin,

We are listening. We just don't buy it. Most of the people who say they would buy if the restrictions were lifted (spoiler alert: they won't be) will eventually buy in even when they're not lifted as soon as the Skyliner is fired up. We'll of course raise the prices first, so we're ok with that.

These boards are cute, by the way. We enjoy them and share the messages around the office frequently. There's a pool as to who the most vocal opponents are who will be first to buy in (yes we know who you all are in the real world). Our money is on Bing. It's always the loudest ones.

Take care. We look forward to welcoming you home.

Have a magical day,

Disney Vacation Club

FIFY

 

[Drewferin]

Lol, thank you for the clarification and for hearing my complaint.

Dear Drewferin,

We are listening. We just don't buy it. Most of the people who say they would buy if the restrictions were lifted (spoiler alert: they won't be) will eventually buy in even when they're not lifted as soon as the Skyliner is fired up. We'll of course raise the prices first, so we're ok with that.

These boards are cute, by the way. We enjoy them and share the messages around the office frequently. There's a pool as to who the most vocal opponents are who will be first to buy in (yes we know who you all are in the real world). Our money is on Bing. It's always the loudest ones.

Take care. We look forward to welcoming you home.

Love,
Disney Vacation Club

 

[Mumof4mice]

Dear Drewferin,

We are listening. We just don't buy it. Most of the people who say they would buy if the restrictions were lifted (spoiler alert: they won't be) will eventually buy in even when they're not lifted as soon as the Skyliner is fired up. We'll of course raise the prices first, so we're ok with that.

These boards are cute, by the way. We enjoy them and share the messages around the office frequently. There's a pool as to who the most vocal opponents are who will be first to buy in (yes we know who you all are in the real world). Our money is on Bing. It's always the loudest ones.

Take care. We look forward to welcoming you home.

Love,
Disney Vacation Club

Too funny.

Everyone here old enough to remember the Seinfeld episode "The Contest"?

 

[RamblinWreck]

Too funny.

Everyone here old enough to remember the Seinfeld episode "The Contest"?

https://media.giphy.com/media/NTjVvG5rktX3y/giphy.gif

 

[mrsg00fy]

I don't think we would buy period. Even if they changed the rules, the points per room per night seem high considering there is no ability to walk to a park. Maybe we are just spoiled owning at Boardwalk.

 

[LAX]

Looks like the rough percentage of alienated DVC owners whom would have bought direct with the restrictions is still around 60%. DVD are you listening (Your shareholders dont want money left at the table). You are feeding addons via the resale market...

As mentioned by others already, owners who know about DIS only account for a tiny fraction of the entire DVC membership. Plus, the makeup of owners here are not representative of the general membership (generally more savvy & know more of the "ins & outs"). Thus, even if DVD/DD manages to alienate 100% (obviously not as some have already purchased) of the owners here, they still have a good chance of meeting their sales goals. The key to DVD/DD's ultimate success is to find enough pixie-dusted suckers (I apologize if this term offends anyone) at the parks or on cruises who are willing to drop some serious $$$ on a timeshare without doing any kind of research. Without them, it would actually be difficult to sell out any new DVC resorts. While having existing members buy add on contracts can certainly help accelerate meeting of sales targets, I doubt it's significant enough for DVD/DD to care (not to mention some will eventually cave in).

IMHO, the only way for DVD/DD to even consider lifting the resale restriction is when it is shown to have a negative impact on sales. If sales is strong or even exceeds expectation, you can bet more onerous restrictions will be forthcoming.

LAX

 

[anomamatt]

I might buy anyway, but the resale restrictions are really my ONLY hesitation. I have >500 points now (across a few resorts) and I would have never considered myself a "timeshare person". But the ability to sell and not lose your shirt makes DVC compelling -- and we love everything Disney, so the emotional side is absolutely there. While we don't plan on ever selling, but I'm not fooling enough to realize that life happens and things change. Being able to resell is ESSENTIAL to my willingness to lock myself into DVC's terms and fees, etc.

So I might buy a small contract anyhow. The amount that I'm willing to risk if resale goes to $0 (it won't, but I also don't know what will happen, so safe to plan for $0). But I would buy many more points if the resale restriction was removed.

I mentioned my hesitation to my guide and she was unfazed and said that no resale buyers will care, because "everyone in DVC is going to want to stay at the Riviera and nowhere else." Uh... I'm not drinking that kool-aid....

 

[TexasChick123]

I mentioned my hesitation to my guide and she was unfazed and said that no resale buyers will care, because "everyone in DVC is going to want to stay at the Riviera and nowhere else." Uh... I'm not drinking that kool-aid....

I did purchase RR, and this still made me laugh. Guides are pretty funny in their take on things. Everyone doesn't want to stay at any one resort.

I still love my other resorts that I already own. On a bit of a side note, we stayed in a couple of properties that we do not own in the last year on some of our points we bought for a great price before going back to staying at VGF for a big SB trip. Going back to VGF felt like a breath of fresh air. I am not going to name the resorts we didn't like, but it is true that after staying somewhere you don't like, VGF (for us) was a much better experience. I know some people hate VGF, and that's ok. We love it! It's my family's favorite resort we own.

 

[RamblinWreck]

I mentioned my hesitation to my guide and she was unfazed and said that no resale buyers will care, because "everyone in DVC is going to want to stay at the Riviera and nowhere else." Uh... I'm not drinking that kool-aid....

It would have been great if you had asked very genuinely "Oh no! Does that mean I should sell all of my other DVC contracts before it's too late and buy nothing but Riviera?"

 

[Frederic Civish]

If the incentives were still the same, we'd buy. Really looking forward to riding the gondolas to 2 parks!

ETA: All the recent actions by Disney really put a bad taste in our mouths. If they would at least remove the new resale restrictions (accompanied by a nice apology letter acknowledging how important DVC owners are to Disney), it would go a long way in repairing the damage already done, and most likely result in a significant boost in direct sales!

I voted that I would definitely buy in. If the restrictions were removed, I would more quickly give in to what my heart wants. But I would buy a GW as a measure of protection against Disney. So clearly the bad taste would still be in my mouth, restrictions notwithstanding.

It was a double punch for me (the restrictions and the retracted point charts), and it’s hard to say which was the one that put me on my heels. Like all of you who bought, I like what I see. I just don’t like that I was cold clocked by the guy hocking me the goods just two minutes earlier. But I’m Disney weak.

For those who bought, you’re in a unique position to potentially affect some real change. If every one of you rescinded your buy and told your guide that as much as you love the resort, the restrictions and recent point reallocations have introduced far too much uncertainty, that message would quickly work its way up the chain.

But back to reality, I have zero expectation Disney will reverse course on this one. This is more an issue of bad policy than it is of legally questionable decision making. Plus, it would take a large scale stand against the policies by a lot of principled owners. And I’m one owner who’s not even principled enough to toss that RR brochure into the recycling bin.

I had always planned on getting into Riviera direct until they came out with this new restriction. With no cabin/bungalow scheme going on there I figured availability was going to be better than CCV. I’ll still probably knuckle under and buy Riviera depending on what happens with the contract I have in ROFR. My plan was to have 300-350 points at 3 different resorts. I want everything to be a June UY so I’m in a weird spot. I almost hope they take the one I am waiting on because if they do I won’t be able to get another one closed before June and I’ll be off the hook on the Riviera decision for another year! If they don’t take it and I get AKV buttoned up before the end of May I don’t have any excuse not to waffle back and forth any more!

As votes continue to get cast, its becoming clear that Disney has alienated 60% of buyers whom are mad about the resale restrictions. I cant believe the benefit of restrictions outweigh sales of Riviera today.

Anyone who has read my previous posts, before the new restrictions, will see that not only was I planning on buying into Riviera, I was a major proponent of it, AND I had over $25,000 saved AS A DOWN PAYMENT. But then Disney decided to make their restrictions. I still want Riviera, very badly. There are some concerns that I have, but I still feel like it is a unique resort in many ways, and the first of the 'Gondola' DVC Resorts. Which I think is quite attractive. (Though I think the gondola will eventually be extended almost everywhere else, so it won't matter.) But the restrictions are still a deal killer.

So, if they removed their restrictions I would buy in a heartbeat. However, I don't like the restrictions. I don't like the attitude from Disney that led to the restrictions. I just don't trust Disney much anymore. Dirty Disney, the sewer rat. So, despite my desire for Riviera, I am very much both attracted and repulsed. Some days I feel like, "That's it. I'm going to call my guide and get the ball rolling," but then other days, most days, it is NO WAY. (The trouble is, it only takes one weak moment to give in, so even though my thoughts in general are No, NO, NOOO!, it is still slightly possible that I might buy. If I do, then it will be within the next 4 weeks. After that there will be no chance I will go for Riviera.) I would love Riviera, but I have no plans to buy, and I can guarantee this would change if they removed the restrictions. High point chart or not.

By the way, if Disney has torpedoed Riviera so badly, and taken what should have been a very attractive resort and turned it into something which is so questionable, then what is that saying about Reflections, and similar resorts going forward. Reflections looks kind of boring to me. Disney has already made resorts on all the best locations. What will be attractive enough about future resorts that it will induce people to buy? Disney may have generated their own tipping point.

 

[anomamatt]

I did purchase RR, and this still made me laugh. Guides are pretty funny in their take on things. Everyone doesn't want to stay at any one resort.

I still love my other resorts that I already own. On a bit of a side note, we stayed in a couple of properties that we do not own in the last year on some of our more economical points before going back to staying at VGF for a big SB trip. Going back to VGF felt like a breath of fresh air. I am not going to name the resorts we didn't like, but it is true that after staying somewhere you don't like, VGF (for us) was a much better experience. I know some people hate VGF, and that's ok. We love it! It's my family's favorite resort we own.

I do think DVC genuinely believes that RVA will be just as popular as VGF. "The VGC of EPCOT/DHS". Who knows if that will happen (I'm a bit skeptical, even if RVA is nice, it won't have the same appeal), but DVC is acting like the gondolas are the new monorail. And the vibe and themeing seems similar. It's probably also true that not too many people are buying VGF resale to stay elsewhere...

 

[Katie L]

(The trouble is, it only takes one weak moment to give in, so even though my thoughts in general are No, NO, NOOO!, it is still slightly possible that I might buy. If I do, then it will be within the next 4 weeks. After that there will be no chance I will go for Riviera.)

I feel like this is what they are counting on and when they read these boards they just see the rest as bluster.

 

[kboo]

I do think DVC genuinely believes that RVA will be just as popular as VGF. "The VGC of EPCOT/DHS". Who knows if that will happen (I'm a bit skeptical, even if RVA is nice, it won't have the same appeal), but DVC is acting like the gondolas are the new monorail. And the vibe and themeing seems similar. It's probably also true that not too many people are buying VGF resale to stay elsewhere...

We own VGF and will probably only ever use our VGF points to stay at VGF. I think gondolas are going to be better than the monorail (I know, blasphemy!) because they will move more people faster and won't break down so much.

 

[TexasChick123]

We own VGF and will probably only ever use our VGF points to stay at VGF. I think gondolas are going to be better than the monorail (I know, blasphemy!) because they will move more people faster and won't break down so much.

I think the gondolas will be better than the monorail too. We had so many issues this last trip with the monorail. I wish they’d order those new trains already!!!

 

[Bing Showei]

I think the gondolas will be better than the monorail too. We had so many issues this last trip with the monorail. I wish they’d order those new trains already!!!

I wish they’d replace them with a walkway across the lake. Or build VGF/PVB/BLT 2.0 and saddle a new gondola system on that resort.