DVC Needs Fee-Free High-Speed Internet

[Horace Horsecollar]

Once the contract with the current high-speed Internet provider runs out, I'd like to see high-speed Internet without the current approx. $10-per-24-hours fee.

More and more, throughout the lodging industry (including timeshares), fee-free high-speed Internet is becoming the norm. For the most part, the only hotels that still charge for high-speed Internet are full-service hotels that cater to business travelers on expense accounts (such as full-service Marriott and Hyatt hotels).

Marriott Vacation Club provides high-speed Internet without a fee at all properties that I've stayed at in recent years. And hotel brands that cater primarily to guests who are paying their own bills typically offer high-speed Internet without a fee.

High-speed Internet is becoming a basic expectation, just like television and indoor plumbing.

I realize that all DVC operational expenses are ultimately paid through DVC member dues, but that not all members would use high-speed Internet. My response to that is that the actual operational cost is likely to be only pennies per room per day once the infrastructure for high-speed Internet is in place. Not all members use swimming pools, water slides, exercise facilities, children's activities, free movie rentals, automobile parking, WDW Transportation, or satellite/cable television channels, but these are included because they're expected. And many DVC members who don't travel with a laptop computer or other Internet-attached device today probably will within a few years.

As a DVC member in the 21st Century, I expect high-speed Internet -- without having to spend another $70 or so (to a third-party company) during a one-week stay.

 

[sheryl0521]

Seeing as DVC has become one of the more profitable segments of WDW overall, I agree that they can assume the cost of free high speed interent for all DVC resorts.

You have my support.

 

[JimMIA]

I disagree. The other items you've mentioned are basics of any resort. Broadband internet access is too. But FREE broadband internet is not.

I don't go to WDW to work, or to play on the Internet. In fact, I welcome the fact that I don't have internet access!

If someone REALLY needs to contact me, they can call my cell. And if I REALLY need internet, I can pay the $10.

 

[jarestel]

I believe as more new technology items become available, DVC will eventually incorporate them as "standard" features. But let's face it, DVC is not exactly an early adopter and does in fact tend to lag behind the pack when it comes to implementing new technologies. For example, how long did it take for DVD players to become "standard" equipment?

I expect at some point DVC will make high-speed internet a standard feature of the rooms. I don't know how long that will take, but as JimMIA points out, at least it is available right now for those who feel they need it.

 

[katallo]

I agree, but what they really need to upgrade are the televisions that are
19". They are no larger than a computer screen.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Seeing as DVC has become one of the more profitable segments of WDW overall, I agree that they can assume the cost of free high speed interent for all DVC resorts.

Just remember that "they" is really us.

All indications are that Disney Vacation Development (the Disney entity that develops and markets DVC resorts) is a very profitable operation. And the Walt Disney World Company (the Disney entity that operates WDW) derives additional financial benefits from spending by DVC members.

However, neither Disney Vacation Development nor Walt Disney World Company would "assume the cost of free high speed interent for all DVC resorts." That's not how timeshare resorts work. Our dues pay for all operating costs, including water, cable TV, electricity, housekeeping, maintenance, security, exercise rooms, pools, transportation, parking lots, resort operations, landscaping, and so on, plus a management fee (profit) for the Disney entity that runs the DVC resorts.

It may sound like I'm arguing against high-speed Internet with my points above. That's not my intention. I just want to be realistic about who pays for any operational costs, and thus who would pay for fee-free high-speed Internet. The answer, again, is us.

My point is that in 2007, fee-free high-speed Internet is a reasonable guest expectation.

I disagree. The other items you've mentioned are basics of any resort. Broadband internet access is too. But FREE broadband internet is not.

We disagree with each other.

Most lodging operators that cater to vacation guests and price-sensitive guests now consider fee-free high-speed Internet to be one of the "basics." The percentage of travelers with laptops continues to increase. And the actual cost of providing Internet continues to decrease (due to lower bandwidth costs and lower hardware costs).

I made the point at the top of this thread that not everyone will use high-speed Internet, just not everyone uses some of the other services available to DVC members. But the time has come for DVC to offer a product that's not inferior to Marriott Vacation Club and other timeshares when it comes to Internet.

It's now 2007, not 1997.

 

[I'mNoPrince]

I like it the way it is .

Let people that need it pay a small fee for it.

And those with it free look at their prices before and after and you will see you are still paying for it but now forced to by paying higher prices for your stay.


Someone will have to pay for it ,it's never free and that will be us in our dues.

 

[CarolMN]

Myunderstanding is that after the installation costs are recovered, DVC will consider making the internet service "free". I think we just have to wait awhile for it to happen.

 

[JimMIA]

But the time has come for DVC to offer a product that's not inferior to Marriott Vacation Club and other timeshares when it comes to Internet.

Marriott Vacation Club and other timeshares will be superior to DVC when they offer onsite lodging, Disney transportation, the ability to get DDP, annual pass discounts, DME, pool-hopping, free valet parking, free theme park parking, etc, etc, etc. Internet access is only one benefit lodging companies offer in order to make their product attractive to potential customers -- and not even a very important benefit. I'll happily accept all of the above and more in exchange for free internet access...although I'll agree with Carol that we'll get it sooner or later.

I'd rather see those proposed expenses applied to other areas -- like rooms that are clean on checkin, for example.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Someone will have to pay for it ,it's never free and that will be us in our dues.

I agree that if DVC moves to fee-free Internet, it would become one of the components of our annual dues.

So the real questions are how much it would cost, and whether fee-free Internet is now one of the basics that many (but not all) DVC members would use.

Clearly it would not cost $10 per day per room. That's the current, ridiculously high "retail" price of the service. My guess is that the underlying cost is pennies per day per room, after the cabling and equipment are in place. But I have no way of proving this (nor any basis for saying how many pennies per day).

Mu understanding is that after the installation costs are recovered, DVC will consider making the internet service "free". I think we just have to wait awhile for it to happen.

That would make sense. And that's exactly what I'm suggesting at the top of this thread.

The current high-speed Internet service is provided by a third party, so, presumably, there is a contract in pace for some period of time. When the contract ends, or the contract is renegotiated, it would be unconscionable for DVC management to agree to a continuation of a $10 per day fee.

 

[JimMIA]

Clearly it would not cost $10 per day per room. That's the current, ridiculously high "retail" price of the service. My guess is that the underlying cost is pennies per day per room, after the cabling and equipment are in place. But I have no way of proving this (nor any basis for saying how many pennies per day).

I think you're right about the cost. Once the infrastructure is paid off, it wouldn't cost much. I don't have any real idea how much it would cost, but I'd guess less than a dollar a day per room. The thing I don't know is whether DVC owns the infrastucture currently in place, or whether the provider installed and owns that.

When the contract ends, or the contract is renegotiated, it would be unconscionable for DVC management to agree to a continuation of a $10 per day fee.

Not necessarily. They might choose to continue to charge and use those revenues to offset other costs and thereby offset some of our dues. It would be a business decision, not a question of conscience.

[ETA: The above example would be very similar to what they offer now with housekeeping. They provide a certain level of service at no extra charge. If you want more than T&T, you can get full housekeeping whenever you want it...for a fee.]

 

[dvc_john]

FWIW, the DVC HH resort DOES have free internet! It's not necessarily available in all rooms, but is available in Big Murgie's Den, at the pool, and at the beach house. I was in a 1-br in Live Oak Lodge, and was able to get it in my room.

I'll just add that free internet does seem to be the standard with higher end timeshares. All the Hilton's and Marriott's I've stayed at, and most the Hyatt's, all have free internet. (Even the Marriott timeshare in Paris and the Hilton timeshares in Hawaii had free internet!)

 

[wildernessDad]

Personally, I am not very interested in bringing my laptop to WDW. My vacation is an attempt to get away from it all, not bring it with me. I want to immerse myself in the Disney experience. Having a laptop implies that I will spend some time actually using it and not engaging in my vacation plans. I have enough memory on my camera to store my pictures. I do not need a laptop to download them. My friends and family can call me if they need me. My work can call as well.

 

[jerry557]

Cheap motels even have free Wi-Fi these days.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

I'll just add that free internet does seem to be the standard with higher end timeshares. All the Hilton's and Marriott's I've stayed at, and most the Hyatt's, all have free internet. (Even the Marriott timeshare in Paris and the Hilton timeshares in Hawaii had free internet!)

Thank you for confirming that fee-free Internet is becoming an expectation of many guests, based on industry trends.

I think it's just a matter of time before DVC joins the list.

Personally, I am not very interested in bringing my laptop to WDW. My vacation is an attempt to get away from it all, not bring it with me. I want to immerse myself in the Disney experience.

I agree that fee-free high-speed Internet will not appeal to everyone -- just as many DVC guests choose not to use exercise rooms and various other features and services at DVC resorts. I tend not to watch television at WDW.

I'm not saying that all guests should be required to bring laptops.

I'm only commenting that Internet is joining electricity, running water, air conditioning, and cable TV as basic services that many guests reasonably expect to find included in a resort room.

 

[TDC Nala]

I couldn't care less if they have free internet or not.

You can't live too well without electricity or running water or AC in Florida but you can sure live without the internet for a while. And if you really need it you can pay for it.

I don't think they really need cable TV either. They don't even have any decent channels.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

You can't live too well without electricity or running water or AC in Florida but you can sure live without the internet for a while.

DVC resorts provide all sorts of features and services that you can "sure live without," but that some subset of DVC members enjoy or need -- and that some other DVC members could not care less about.

I've thought about this a little more since I started this thread.

I think fee-free Internet is inevitable, but the timing won't be based on what any of on this thread think (either way). And it won't even be a DVC decision. It will be an overall WDW Resorts decision. It will happen when they can't wait any longer due to competitive pressure, guest satisfaction issues, and general industry trends.

That's what happened with the 100% smoke-free room policy.

 

[JimMIA]

I think fee-free Internet is inevitable, but the timing won't be based on what any of on this thread think (either way). And it won't even be a DVC decision. It will be an overall WDW Resorts decision. It will happen when they can't wait any longer due to competitive pressure, guest satisfaction issues, and general industry trends.

Even though I can do fine without it, and won't use it when we get it, I think you are right that it will eventually happen. I don't think Disney will ever be under sufficient competitive pressure or industry trends to make them do anything. Until competitors can offer all of the other benefits of staying onsite (and they can't), Disney will still hold the upper hand.

I would not be surprised to see Disney offer free broadband in some places (YC, CSR, etc, because of their convention business at those resorts), but not at others as a first step.

That's what happened with the 100% moke-free room policy.

I don't think Disney switched to smoke-free because of competitive pressures or industry trends. I think they switched because of employee health, insurance cost, cleaning cost, and guest satisfaction issues...mostly the monetary costs.

 

[TDC Nala]

Although I don't care about it, I also think it's an inevitability. But not in the rooms, most likely it will be available in the common areas, like the fee-based system.

Unless I am mistaken, the Swolphin doesn't offer it free either...and they do lots of convention business.

 

[BroganMc]

I think they'll go to free service within a few years both because of industry (and therefore guest) demand and available infrastructure. That's the way all the hotel industry is going. Pretty embarrassing when the cheaper motels off World Drive or Hotel Plaza Blvd offer free internet and shuttle service to Disney, but Disney who prides itself on being the best doesn't. Especially if Disney can't do the basic things such as provide clean rooms and timely check-in. (Don't even get me started on the lack of common living space in the rooms.)

Now I do bring my laptop with me when I travel. I need it to download my photos and videos as well as stay in touch with home or work. But it's a nice little laptop that fits inside a travel DVD player bag and my backpack. Pre-free internet offerings at Marriott, I'd almost never bring it. Now it makes it possible for me to travel and still be available to my clients.

That's the thing about providing the internet free. It encourages people like me to travel more as long as they know they can log on before bed.