Does anyone think there should be "home resort" member benefits?

[ScubaCat]

This could be tricky because when you book at a different resort, it's really a trade. So, the cost to cover something like allowing use of common spaces when not staying as a guest would probably have to come from DVD which they'd obviously not want or feel the need to cover. I could be wrong on the legality, but that's a theory, at least

 

[bwvBound]

Those are week long though right?

Issue is DVC has to work with what rooms come up for availability. They could do some stack ranking though but you might be surprised how many are home resort members.

FWIW, Worldmark the Club, a points system timeshare, offers similar: Priority for the best units, best views for any given check-in based on how far out you booked the reservation.

 

[bobbiwoz]

I was there when a BCV owner insisted he could swim at SAB even though he was staying at OKW and it wasn’t pretty!

If I could always swim at SAB because I own BCV I sure would at least some time during every warm weather stay.

It would totally make SAB too crowded.

 

[sethschroeder]

Honestly Disney should just give you a list to choose from. Opens 7 nights prior for home resort and 3 nights prior for others. If you don't choose they go based on your preference.

 

[Pooh12863]

I always wondered why DVC didn't make a bigger deal about expanding members benefits at their home resort. For instance, it seems that you should ALWAYS be able to pool hop at your home resort regardless of where you're staying on property. It's your "home", and you're paying for that pool in dues! Or, if you're a member at BLT, you get access to a TOTWL first for special nights (like the 4th), even if you're not staying there. There's lots of exclusive things they could come up with for "home" members. They could even add your "homes" to your member card in the form of initials on the front or back (which I think would be cool in and of itself.)

If you want home resort “benefits” you could always stay at your home resort.

 

[tjkraz]

Honestly Disney should just give you a list to choose from. Opens 7 nights prior for home resort and 3 nights prior for others. If you don't choose they go based on your preference.

You mean like an actual room list? It's too complicated. People stay at the resort for a little as 1 night. If you start mapping out the logistics of it, there isn't enough time for people to make their own decisions before moving on to the next guests who need to enter their selection periods. And that's not even taking into consideration things like late cancellations, late bookings, maintenance issues, etc.

It works on a cruise ship where everyone arrives and departs at the same time. At a hotel it's a giant puzzle.

It would be nice if they gave some preference based upon booking date. But that would also create higher expectations which may be difficult to live up to.

 

[GoingSince1990]

Not really. That's kind of like saying when you own a vacation home somewhere, you should be able to pop in and use things there even when while you have rented it out to someone else.

 

[TiggerBouncy]

I am of 2 minds. specific ideas aside, I kinda like the idea of increasing the value of staying at your home resort. I am not sure HOW to do that and every ideas has it's cons and a bunch of them violate the agreements. However, it would be nice if there was some incentive to entice members to choose their resort.

On the other hand, I also like to explore different resorts. It was a major selling point to me.

 

[Grumpy by Birth]

Not really. That's kind of like saying when you own a vacation home somewhere, you should be able to pop in and use things there even when while you have rented it out to someone else.

Wait... are you saying you CAN'T do that????

 

[sethschroeder]

Wait... are you saying you CAN'T do that????

Except you can if its clearly defined upfront that that is how it will work.

With DVC though it might not be legal to restrict others or maybe its no issue. I think the goal of the thread is to come up with ideas.

 

[Sandisw]

Except you can if its clearly defined upfront that that is how it will work.

With DVC though it might not be legal to restrict others or maybe its no issue. I think the goal of the thread is to come up with ideas.

If they were to ever do it, it could only be when using the membership...staying on points,

But, I am just not sure what it could be. Pool hopping has always been based on occupancy so the fact they have restricted pools as they built leads me to believe that isn’t something they want to keep.

 

[sethschroeder]

If they were to ever do it, it could only be when using the membership...staying on points,

But, I am just not sure what it could be. Pool hopping has always been based on occupancy so the fact they have restricted pools as they built leads me to believe that isn’t something they want to keep.

Do pools that allow pool hopping get money from other resorts? If not personally I think it should just completely be removed.

Personally I think they need to redesign resort based restaurant reservations. If they held back a small percentage of reservations for members that would be great. It could then be open to both home resort members staying on points elsewhere as well as people staying at that resort. Possibly bookable only after you arrived or possibly only same day.

I have brought it up before I think it would be great if for BWV they held aside 2 or 3 reservations each night to be able to grab. It would still be limited but give you a fall back more spur of the moment option possibly.

 

[Sandisw]

Do pools that allow pool hopping get money from other resorts? If not personally I think it should just completely be removed.

Personally I think they need to redesign resort based restaurant reservations. If they held back a small percentage of reservations for members that would be great. It could then be open to both home resort members staying on points elsewhere as well as people staying at that resort. Possibly bookable only after you arrived or possibly only same day.

I have brought it up before I think it would be great if for BWV they held aside 2 or 3 reservations each night to be able to grab. It would still be limited but give you a fall back more spur of the moment option possibly.

Pool hopping is a perk so I don’t think it is funded by anyone other than owners of the resorts....I believe it will not come back...this was the perfect way to end it.

Do you mean holding back rooms? I don’t think that fits with the whole first come, first serve piece of our system.. It could very well leave rooms vacant last minute if no home resort owners want to pick something up.

Parking at home resort, if staying on property without a limit might be the only thing I can think of that could possibly be done...subject to availability of course.

 

[sethschroeder]

Do you mean holding back rooms?

Not rooms but restaurant reservations.

Example holding back 1 or 2 reservations for Toppolino's for RIV owners or guests.

 

[Sandisw]

Not rooms but restaurant reservations.

Example holding back 1 or 2 reservations for Toppolino's for RIV owners or guests.

Got it! Wonder if could that work at places that are shared resorts?

 

[tjkraz]

Not rooms but restaurant reservations.

Example holding back 1 or 2 reservations for Toppolino's for RIV owners or guests.

Any time you're dealing with a finite resource--hotel rooms, restaurant tables--there are going to be people who cannot be accomodated. I'm not a fan of creating rules and exceptions to assist those who don't wish to operate under the existing framework. Restaurant capacity should not be taken away from those who are willing to schedule weeks in advance in order to pacify those who choose not to plan.

 

[sethschroeder]

Any time you're dealing with a finite resource--hotel rooms, restaurant tables--there are going to be people who cannot be accomodated. I'm not a fan of creating rules and exceptions to assist those who don't wish to operate under the existing framework. Restaurant capacity should not be taken away from those who are willing to schedule weeks in advance in order to pacify those who choose not to plan.

So lets open up the pools to everyone, if I am staying at BWV I should be able to book time at Stormalong Bay.

My point is the restaurant is attached to the hotel and thus should give some benefit to staying at that hotel.

 

[sethschroeder]

Got it! Wonder if could that work at places that are shared resorts?

There is no requirement to have space just a small pool of tables for the evening. They would just have to align which resorts get which restaurants. No different than how they divide up any other resort specific benefits.

 

[tjkraz]

So lets open up the pools to everyone, if I am staying at BWV I should be able to book time at Stormalong Bay.

We weren't discussing pools and I never suggested that all resort amenities should be subject to identical rules.

My point is the restaurant is attached to the hotel and thus should give some benefit to staying at that hotel.

Those who are booked at a hotel have every opportunity to make a dining reservation. I still don't agree with the concept of taking capacity away from the planners to reward the non-planners.

 

[sethschroeder]

We weren't discussing pools and I never suggested that all resort amenities should be subject to identical rules.



Those who are booked at a hotel have every opportunity to make a dining reservation. I still don't agree with the concept of taking capacity away from the planners to reward the non-planners.

Then you give the resort owners and stayers to book prior to everyone else at 67 days vs 60 days right now. Again giving the advantage.

I bring up last minute reservations because that honestly is something Disney should be giving to those staying at resorts. You should not be needing to book a restaurant in your own hotel 180+days before your trip. Luckily its down to 60 days right now and hopefully that is a permanent change if not dropping it to 30 days or even 14 days.