IMO, many are looking for conspiracies where there are none whether it be the valet or the reallocation. I doubt DVC even considered the other factors beyond usage imbalances, costs and work of the reallocation. The reallocation should have been done about every few years starting somewhere around 2001 or so (Following 1996) and it likely would have been if DVC had not been so worried about people complaining. I also realize there is cost involved in doing so. I think the better approach would have been to make minor changes along both to avoid the larger changes later AND to let members know that it could and would happen instead of being some nebulous threat sitting in the POS. To say that DVC made this change in response to non utilization issues is grasping for straws, IMO.
To clarify my statement earlier, I think DVC should look at POSSIBLY making changes about every 4-5 years. They should then only make changes if utilization is off enough to justify the same and there's a trend to suggest it's not a short term problem. I also realize that there is considerable expense, work and aggravation in making adjustments and that there is no perfect system. Also, the requirement to even things out is quite a deterrent though I don't think the requirement is that it be to 3 decimal places like some wanted to put forth during the big discussions on this topic. There are other ways they could approach this to not give the impression the points would never change. They could put a prominent disclaimer on the website and in the Disney files magazine saying effectively they are looking at this issue ongoing and WILL make changes if they are necessary. It may be that this change will put things in balance enough that it's not worth changing again unless there is a drift over time, it also may be they'll need to make another change in a year or 2 since they were up against the 20% limit for some of the options. Regardless, it will take time for the changes to settle out and for members to declare their use patterns based on the changes.
Limited and delayed communication seems to be an ingrained timeshare thing. My guess is it's purposeful and falls along the line of "it's easier to ask forgiveness than permission" though I personally disagree with that approach to a degree. It is my opinion that one can give appropriate and timely communication (but not too much in advance) and everyone would be happier.
It's also a TWDC thing---the Company is not well known for providing unfettered access to information, across all of its businesses.
The one that I've always wondered about is late July and early August. The Deluxe and DVC properties are in Value Season on CRO's calendar then, and to have the DVC charts in Magic Season just seems odd, as the value proposition for Members is thin. For example, our upcoming late July stay would have required 352 points, but the rack rate for the same room is about $5200, including tax. If you value points at $10, that's a discount to the Member of only about 32%---very modest even in better economic times, and the 7-for-4 deal last summer offered an even bigger discount to cash guests. Granted, I don't expect 7-for-4 to last much longer (and we may have already seen the last of it) but still.
Let me expand. There are similarities to the stock market if you set a total value and everything flows to that total. The problem with a given period of time is if it changes, it's unlikely to be up and down and the change is likely to be somewhat permanent. I do see why such companies including Disney do it this way. All you have to do is look at the valet parking, re-allocation and reservation system changes threads to see how members react irrationally, calling to complain over things that they should have know could happen. No reason to drag out such a change too much, you just expand the number and length of times for complaints. Still, I feel that Disney could minimize the damage by more timely and appropriate communications though I do feel that doing so too much in advance is not good from their standpoint. All they need to do is simply be more in control. They already have a section of the Disney Files mag that deals with more technical issues, why not use that to control and alert members. For example, a one a year reminder that states essentially they are looking at usage and if things are too far out of balance, they WILL rebalance them. Another that states a list of perks and a reminder they could change or be eliminated. Of course the first time they did this they'd get a lot of calls from those assuming it was going to happen but I think it'd be better in the long run. OTOH, members should understand the product they are putting their money into, if they truly did, those 3 thread's I referenced would have been very short. And lastly, there's really no way to please a subset of people. The "I knew it could happen but assumed it never would and I'm upset" crowd and the "I assumed it was Disney and didn't think I had to actually learn the actual risks" crowd will never be satisfied no matter what Disney does or does not do, say, prepare, etc.
