1 00:00:00,360 --> 00:00:03,800 I don't know about anyone else, but 2025 has felt like the 2 00:00:03,800 --> 00:00:07,160 longest year and the shortest year all wrapped up into one. 3 00:00:07,160 --> 00:00:08,760 Nice. Package. 4 00:00:08,840 --> 00:00:11,760 No, it was so short. That was the same number of days 5 00:00:11,800 --> 00:00:14,560 I. Just woke up on New Year's Day 6 00:00:14,560 --> 00:00:16,239 in 2024. Yeah. 7 00:00:16,239 --> 00:00:18,080 What did it feels like? What did you eat for breakfast 8 00:00:18,080 --> 00:00:18,400 that day? Oh. 9 00:00:18,840 --> 00:00:22,520 Probably sauerkraut, because that's all you make on New 10 00:00:22,600 --> 00:00:24,880 Year's Day makes. Sauerkraut for breakfast on New 11 00:00:24,880 --> 00:00:26,840 Year's Day. Do you guys do any, do you guys 12 00:00:26,840 --> 00:00:29,240 have like have any New Year's like traditions, whether it's 13 00:00:29,240 --> 00:00:32,000 like food or like something that's like that you do special? 14 00:00:33,040 --> 00:00:35,400 Honestly I would like to say I have something but I'm usually 15 00:00:35,400 --> 00:00:38,440 just sleeping off the hangover. Well, that's something. 16 00:00:38,440 --> 00:00:41,040 True or worse, not been, said Lauren. 17 00:00:41,040 --> 00:00:44,200 Anything special you do or? No real tradition there. 18 00:00:44,280 --> 00:00:50,440 No. I just do what do what I can to 19 00:00:50,440 --> 00:00:54,200 avoid waking up in someone's house that serves me sauerkraut. 20 00:00:56,400 --> 00:01:01,240 You guys OK, Let us know. In the comments if you make 21 00:01:01,240 --> 00:01:06,600 something particular on New Year's Day, we always did so my 22 00:01:06,600 --> 00:01:09,720 mom, my grandma always did like a pork roast in sauerkraut and 23 00:01:09,720 --> 00:01:12,640 you do you like Kabasi and sauerkraut Sauerkraut supposed 24 00:01:12,640 --> 00:01:13,760 to be for good luck on New Year's. 25 00:01:14,000 --> 00:01:18,200 My aunt does Black Eyed Peas. They're they're from Virginia. 26 00:01:18,720 --> 00:01:21,360 They were a little more S than we were growing up. 27 00:01:21,760 --> 00:01:24,000 So I feel like there's, you know, you're supposed to eat 28 00:01:24,000 --> 00:01:28,240 something for good luck. And then we also, we put pennies 29 00:01:28,240 --> 00:01:30,440 in our window sill every New Year's Day. 30 00:01:30,440 --> 00:01:33,040 Does anyone else do that? Yeah. 31 00:01:33,280 --> 00:01:35,160 Nope, we're just the weird ones over here. 32 00:01:35,360 --> 00:01:37,640 It's. Supposed to bring you like good 33 00:01:37,640 --> 00:01:40,400 good financial health for the year. 34 00:01:40,560 --> 00:01:43,320 Happy 2026. Jeff, Jeff's going to go dig up 35 00:01:43,320 --> 00:01:45,480 some pennies. He's going to be like mine in 36 00:01:45,480 --> 00:01:48,000 his every window with him. No, I just I know how many 37 00:01:48,000 --> 00:01:50,920 windows you have at your house and I need a new car so. 38 00:01:51,560 --> 00:01:55,600 We, we just do 1 penny in one window and we use the same 39 00:01:55,600 --> 00:02:00,000 window every year. And so somebody at our old house 40 00:02:00,000 --> 00:02:05,400 in Wheeling is gonna open up a window and see like 20 because 41 00:02:05,400 --> 00:02:08,720 we were there 10 years to, we each did a penny, 20 years of 42 00:02:08,720 --> 00:02:11,800 like rusty pennies because they, you know, they're like on the 43 00:02:11,800 --> 00:02:13,280 other side of the screen. So they're getting. 44 00:02:13,880 --> 00:02:15,840 They just stopped making glad. What are we gonna do in the 45 00:02:15,840 --> 00:02:16,640 future? We'll have to. 46 00:02:16,720 --> 00:02:19,120 We'll have to suck it up and do nickels. 47 00:02:20,280 --> 00:02:23,280 I guess we can afford it now. Then you can get that new car, 48 00:02:23,280 --> 00:02:23,600 Jeff. Hey 49 00:02:34,400 --> 00:02:37,800 everybody, and welcome to this week's episode of The DVC Show. 50 00:02:37,800 --> 00:02:41,120 I am your host, Paul Krieger, joined as always by my lovely 51 00:02:41,120 --> 00:02:44,520 wife, Amy Krieger. We've got Senior Sales associate 52 00:02:44,520 --> 00:02:47,200 for the DVC resale market, Derek Deborne, The House. 53 00:02:47,440 --> 00:02:49,880 Hey now. Happy Monday everybody. 54 00:02:49,880 --> 00:02:52,520 Hey now. The Honorable Jeff Haslam. 55 00:02:53,240 --> 00:02:56,880 Hey everybody. And I, I thought I was thinking 56 00:02:56,880 --> 00:02:59,520 through so many different titles for the next person, but like, 57 00:02:59,520 --> 00:03:02,120 she's Jack of all trades. She's a contributor, she's a 58 00:03:02,120 --> 00:03:03,760 moderator. CBC fan She's. 59 00:03:04,080 --> 00:03:06,160 Extraordinaire Lauren De la Cruz. 60 00:03:06,160 --> 00:03:08,960 How you doing, Lauren? Happy to be here. 61 00:03:10,200 --> 00:03:12,000 And I don't know if people realize this, but Lauren has 62 00:03:12,320 --> 00:03:15,360 been here since pretty much the beginning as as long as I 63 00:03:15,360 --> 00:03:16,920 remember. So yeah. 64 00:03:17,520 --> 00:03:20,880 Basically, as long as we've been schluffing use timeshare with 65 00:03:20,880 --> 00:03:24,680 Derek Lauren's been been in the background writing blogs and 66 00:03:25,080 --> 00:03:27,640 keeping keeping our group in line and all that kind of fun 67 00:03:27,640 --> 00:03:29,960 stuff. So, Lauren, good to have you. 68 00:03:30,760 --> 00:03:34,440 And you could barely smell the sauerkraut from Lauren's house. 69 00:03:36,960 --> 00:03:39,840 Lauren lives right down the street from us, so yeah, come on 70 00:03:39,840 --> 00:03:41,400 over on me. She's not far. 71 00:03:41,840 --> 00:03:43,760 No one's going to pick me up on that invitation. 72 00:03:43,760 --> 00:03:46,120 It is the best New Year's meal, I'm telling you. 73 00:03:46,120 --> 00:03:47,480 It's not. It's really not. 74 00:03:47,680 --> 00:03:48,960 Kabasi. I. 75 00:03:48,960 --> 00:03:51,440 Started making the kabasi the way you like it too. 76 00:03:51,440 --> 00:03:53,240 I used to just boil the crap out. 77 00:03:53,240 --> 00:03:55,120 Of it, it's true. Now. 78 00:03:55,560 --> 00:03:57,320 I was like, we can't do this anymore. 79 00:03:57,400 --> 00:03:58,800 Now at least I put it on a grill. 80 00:03:58,800 --> 00:04:01,520 Nobody likes Kabasi sauerkraut slop. 81 00:04:02,240 --> 00:04:04,640 All right, yes, I do. It's the German. 82 00:04:04,840 --> 00:04:06,480 It's the German man in me. So do. 83 00:04:06,800 --> 00:04:10,800 You do you do you make that for for lunch then, or is it legit 84 00:04:11,080 --> 00:04:13,240 like you wake up and that's the first thing you? 85 00:04:15,120 --> 00:04:17,959 I put it no. I start getting it ready in the 86 00:04:17,959 --> 00:04:21,720 morning but we don't eat it. All day long it's the smell of 87 00:04:21,720 --> 00:04:23,880 crock pot smell. That lingers for the month of 88 00:04:23,880 --> 00:04:26,440 January in the House. But it's dinner, yeah. 89 00:04:27,480 --> 00:04:30,480 Well, happy new year everyone. This is coming out I think a 90 00:04:30,480 --> 00:04:35,360 couple days before 2026 kicks off and it'll be our last show 91 00:04:35,360 --> 00:04:38,080 of the year. And we thought, why not end the 92 00:04:38,080 --> 00:04:41,440 year by talking about all of the fun filled things that have 93 00:04:41,440 --> 00:04:44,680 happened in the Disney Vacation Club space over the course of 94 00:04:44,680 --> 00:04:46,640 2025. Lauren, you've been putting 95 00:04:46,640 --> 00:04:49,760 together this blog for what you know, 25 years now. 96 00:04:49,760 --> 00:04:50,400 What? What's it been? 97 00:04:52,120 --> 00:04:53,760 The last five or so. Years. 98 00:04:53,920 --> 00:04:55,120 Maybe, yeah. Yeah. 99 00:04:55,200 --> 00:04:57,640 So Lauren. That's my New Year's tradition, 100 00:04:57,680 --> 00:05:00,320 I guess, right? That is your New Year's 101 00:05:00,360 --> 00:05:03,840 tradition is putting together an amazing blog for us over on 102 00:05:03,840 --> 00:05:07,920 dvcfan.com that just summarizes kind of everything that we've 103 00:05:07,920 --> 00:05:11,080 seen over the course of the past year, all the fun things that 104 00:05:11,080 --> 00:05:13,240 have happened. And we thought, hey, why not 105 00:05:13,240 --> 00:05:16,680 chat through them all, see if we have any new perspectives to 106 00:05:16,680 --> 00:05:19,440 look back on as as the year comes to a close. 107 00:05:19,440 --> 00:05:24,000 Get Lawrence thoughts on some of these things and and then kick 108 00:05:24,000 --> 00:05:27,800 off 2026 with maybe some some of our predictions for the future. 109 00:05:28,440 --> 00:05:31,760 Before we go any further though, this and all of our content is 110 00:05:31,760 --> 00:05:35,360 brought to you as always by Key Holder vacations and the world 111 00:05:35,360 --> 00:05:39,880 of DVCDVC resale market. If you're looking to buy or sell 112 00:05:39,880 --> 00:05:42,520 a Disney Vacation Club contract, they can help. 113 00:05:42,840 --> 00:05:46,440 Monera Financial can assist in financing that DVC resale 114 00:05:46,440 --> 00:05:49,080 contract. Purchase the DVC rental store 115 00:05:49,080 --> 00:05:51,960 where you can try before you buy, rent some points, start 116 00:05:51,960 --> 00:05:56,040 booking that 2026 vacation or get some money for those annual 117 00:05:56,040 --> 00:05:58,960 dues because as of this show going up, they're going to be 118 00:05:58,960 --> 00:06:01,000 due in less than 20 days I'm pretty sure. 119 00:06:01,600 --> 00:06:05,720 So DVC rental store And last but not least, Unlock Magic. 120 00:06:05,720 --> 00:06:09,520 Unlock magic.com/DVC fan where you can get discounted. 121 00:06:09,840 --> 00:06:16,280 Walt Disney World Universal and Disneyland Park tickets are now 122 00:06:16,280 --> 00:06:20,240 live on Unlocked Magic. So head over there and take 123 00:06:20,240 --> 00:06:25,680 advantage of that for your 2026 vacations coming up for air now. 124 00:06:27,200 --> 00:06:29,080 I love when she just smiles at me. 125 00:06:30,600 --> 00:06:33,720 I I'm not trying to call anybody out, but someone told me that I 126 00:06:33,720 --> 00:06:36,320 interrupted you a lot. And I think they don't realize 127 00:06:36,320 --> 00:06:38,720 that you're look, they were also an audio listener. 128 00:06:38,720 --> 00:06:40,800 And I don't think they realize how much he looks to me like, 129 00:06:40,800 --> 00:06:42,160 OK, say something now. Yeah. 130 00:06:42,320 --> 00:06:45,560 Let me take a breathe. Let me take, let me take a 131 00:06:45,880 --> 00:06:49,080 respite. Wait, wait, wait, wait. 132 00:06:49,480 --> 00:06:52,480 They think that you interrupt Paul, but they never talk about 133 00:06:52,480 --> 00:06:55,600 Derek interrupting me. No, it never came up. 134 00:06:56,680 --> 00:06:59,920 They look forward to that part. I guess, I guess that's, I guess 135 00:06:59,920 --> 00:07:03,080 that's welcome behavior. That's welcome behavior. 136 00:07:03,280 --> 00:07:06,440 That's where we get the most amount of super chats is what I 137 00:07:06,560 --> 00:07:09,800 hang. Lauren, I apologize in advance 138 00:07:09,800 --> 00:07:12,560 for all of our behavior for for bringing you into this. 139 00:07:13,360 --> 00:07:16,480 Again, as I mentioned at the top of the show, if you want a full 140 00:07:16,480 --> 00:07:19,520 rundown of all of the year in review topics that we are 141 00:07:19,520 --> 00:07:22,320 discussing today, head over to dvcfan.com. 142 00:07:22,320 --> 00:07:25,560 Read Lauren's amazing article and also in the comments of this 143 00:07:25,560 --> 00:07:28,240 video and in the comments of that blog, share your thoughts 144 00:07:28,240 --> 00:07:31,440 about kind of, you know, what you thought of 2025 and what 145 00:07:31,440 --> 00:07:34,120 you're looking forward to in 2026. 146 00:07:34,280 --> 00:07:38,280 And all I have to say to get started here is as much as we 147 00:07:38,280 --> 00:07:41,640 said that apparently you just woke up and it was 2025 148 00:07:41,640 --> 00:07:44,840 yesterday. I I look back at this list and I 149 00:07:44,840 --> 00:07:47,680 go, this was this year. Oh yeah, because Mile House 150 00:07:47,720 --> 00:07:50,760 opened like five years. Yeah, so kicking off the, you 151 00:07:50,920 --> 00:07:54,680 know, the 2025 year in review, the opening of Mckim's Mile 152 00:07:54,680 --> 00:07:58,040 House, the new member lounge at Disney's Magic Kingdom. 153 00:07:58,840 --> 00:08:01,840 And yeah, that that's crazy that that was this year. 154 00:08:03,000 --> 00:08:05,680 But yeah, it opened on March 18th, which was actually a 155 00:08:05,680 --> 00:08:07,600 little bit ahead of schedule, I think it was Lauren. 156 00:08:07,600 --> 00:08:10,600 It was supposed to originally open in the summer, correct? 157 00:08:10,920 --> 00:08:12,240 Yeah. And you've been there. 158 00:08:12,240 --> 00:08:14,680 Now give us you know what do What do you think of this new 159 00:08:14,680 --> 00:08:17,000 addition to the lounge repertoire? 160 00:08:17,840 --> 00:08:21,240 Yeah, I, I mean, I welcome it. It's great to have another theme 161 00:08:21,240 --> 00:08:22,960 park lounge. I think everyone was looking 162 00:08:22,960 --> 00:08:25,000 forward to that. And I gotta say, if you're 163 00:08:25,000 --> 00:08:29,760 comparing to the Epcot Lounge, the Imagine Atrium, Mckim's Mile 164 00:08:29,760 --> 00:08:32,720 House has much better theming. It really blends in with 165 00:08:32,720 --> 00:08:35,840 Frontierland. And I really love the details. 166 00:08:35,840 --> 00:08:39,679 Like I actually reviewing this article again, I went back, 167 00:08:39,960 --> 00:08:44,000 looked at that details We dig video that DVC puts out and 168 00:08:44,000 --> 00:08:46,400 there's so many fun little Easter eggs, especially on that 169 00:08:46,400 --> 00:08:52,160 kind of fake 2nd floor that they have even some fun things like a 170 00:08:52,160 --> 00:08:55,760 letter from was it Harrison Hightower to the president of 171 00:08:55,760 --> 00:09:01,400 Big Thunder Mining Company. There's actual sketches from Sam 172 00:09:01,400 --> 00:09:04,640 Mckim who the the lounge is actually named after. 173 00:09:05,320 --> 00:09:07,880 And there's some little details where you could see, like the 174 00:09:07,880 --> 00:09:10,480 back story of what this Mile House is. 175 00:09:11,120 --> 00:09:14,600 That's so cool. I remember when when we went for 176 00:09:14,600 --> 00:09:17,760 the first day, the opening day, they had a cast member in there 177 00:09:17,760 --> 00:09:21,000 that was kind of walking people around the lounge and like 178 00:09:21,120 --> 00:09:23,760 showing them all of those little highlights and all of those 179 00:09:23,760 --> 00:09:25,200 little Easter eggs and everything. 180 00:09:25,200 --> 00:09:28,320 And I don't know if they still do that, but that would just be 181 00:09:28,320 --> 00:09:31,520 cool if like the cast members working in there just constantly 182 00:09:31,520 --> 00:09:34,040 kind of we're we're sharing that information. 183 00:09:34,040 --> 00:09:36,040 Maybe they do, I don't know. I listened. 184 00:09:36,080 --> 00:09:39,120 I the the fact that Lauren just told us all those things. 185 00:09:39,120 --> 00:09:42,040 They were in that lounge and I'm over here going. 186 00:09:42,040 --> 00:09:43,680 They've got Apple chips like that's. 187 00:09:43,920 --> 00:09:46,920 I didn't even know they had those. 188 00:09:48,240 --> 00:09:50,160 Those little Easter eggs were there. 189 00:09:51,400 --> 00:09:54,120 Lauren saying all these amazing fun facts. 190 00:09:54,120 --> 00:09:57,760 Amy's focused on the food and and I'm saying, you know what, 191 00:09:57,760 --> 00:09:59,960 I'm going to try to make it there for the first time in 192 00:09:59,960 --> 00:10:03,000 2026. That's my goal. 193 00:10:03,280 --> 00:10:05,160 Yeah, that means we have to take you. 194 00:10:05,320 --> 00:10:07,760 That means Amy has to hold your hand and get you into the park, 195 00:10:07,760 --> 00:10:08,880 and then we have to take you there. 196 00:10:08,880 --> 00:10:12,080 So Jeff, have you made it over? You've made it over to Mckim's, 197 00:10:12,080 --> 00:10:13,400 haven't you? Yeah, I did. 198 00:10:13,400 --> 00:10:16,080 It was a couple, a couple three months after it opened. 199 00:10:16,080 --> 00:10:18,880 I wasn't in a big hurry. It's no secret that I'm not 200 00:10:19,440 --> 00:10:22,080 really a lounge guy. I mean, I go when it's 201 00:10:22,080 --> 00:10:24,320 convenient. I do like the location of this 202 00:10:24,320 --> 00:10:25,920 one. It is much easier to get to. 203 00:10:25,960 --> 00:10:29,680 It seems like as far as Epcot goes, I'm never over there. 204 00:10:29,800 --> 00:10:33,440 So I never ever, unless I'm trying to show off to some 205 00:10:33,440 --> 00:10:35,640 friends that are in town. I'm like, look at this secret 206 00:10:35,640 --> 00:10:41,480 club. I don't ever like figments and 207 00:10:41,480 --> 00:10:43,720 abomination. And so I don't ever even go in 208 00:10:43,720 --> 00:10:45,040 that building unless it's for that. 209 00:10:45,400 --> 00:10:49,880 But the, the Mile High club or whatever it's called is much 210 00:10:49,880 --> 00:10:53,120 more convenient to getting to. And so I've, I've actually been 211 00:10:53,120 --> 00:10:56,480 a couple of times this year and it's nice again, I don't go out 212 00:10:56,480 --> 00:11:01,800 of my way to do it. A lounge to me says alcohol and 213 00:11:01,800 --> 00:11:06,280 there is none. That's magic. 214 00:11:06,280 --> 00:11:07,280 Kingdom. That's what Jeff noticed. 215 00:11:07,280 --> 00:11:11,400 There's no poops in this place. I will, I will say I love the 216 00:11:11,400 --> 00:11:13,960 perspective theming too. That second story that Lauren 217 00:11:13,960 --> 00:11:17,080 was talking about, I want to walk up those stairs because I 218 00:11:17,080 --> 00:11:20,280 guarantee you the doors up there probably barely come up to my 219 00:11:20,280 --> 00:11:23,360 hips because that's just like the perspective that like 220 00:11:23,360 --> 00:11:25,400 they're they're shooting for because that building doesn't 221 00:11:25,400 --> 00:11:28,320 actually have a second story. I'm pretty sure like right. 222 00:11:28,800 --> 00:11:32,280 So, but yeah, no, it's, it's been a big win. 223 00:11:32,280 --> 00:11:35,200 I think a lot of people have loved just having that kind of 224 00:11:35,200 --> 00:11:37,840 quick stop. And as we look forward for Magic 225 00:11:37,840 --> 00:11:41,400 Kingdom, like it's going, it's perfectly positioned as we get 226 00:11:41,400 --> 00:11:43,600 the car's frontier land expansion. 227 00:11:43,800 --> 00:11:46,800 You know, in 20 years or so when we're talking about that. 228 00:11:46,800 --> 00:11:52,920 So whatever. Next up kind of lounge adjacent 229 00:11:52,920 --> 00:11:58,000 I would say was the ever popular new welcome Home center that was 230 00:11:58,000 --> 00:12:04,720 added to the Canadian Pavilion at Epcot, which is Derek's, I'm 231 00:12:04,720 --> 00:12:08,200 pretty sure most favorite part of 2025. 232 00:12:08,240 --> 00:12:11,720 I think you you sent me the most messages the moment that 233 00:12:11,720 --> 00:12:15,760 launched. Some Some people like to rope 234 00:12:15,760 --> 00:12:19,000 drop test tracks, some people like to rope drop guardians. 235 00:12:19,080 --> 00:12:21,440 I'm making a beeline in that Canadian sales center. 236 00:12:21,520 --> 00:12:23,240 That's what I'm doing when Epcot opens. 237 00:12:23,640 --> 00:12:24,960 Yeah. It's, it's just silly. 238 00:12:25,120 --> 00:12:29,040 It's such a missed opportunity. And, you know, we've talked 239 00:12:29,040 --> 00:12:33,240 about it at length, but I just feel like if your goal, again, 240 00:12:33,240 --> 00:12:37,040 is to get as many people, you know, exposed to Disney Vacation 241 00:12:37,040 --> 00:12:42,200 Club, you know, putting bouncers in front of that fellow that, 242 00:12:42,200 --> 00:12:45,840 like, scare people from walking up or walking near it or looking 243 00:12:45,840 --> 00:12:48,480 in the windows. It's just a it's just a weird, a 244 00:12:48,480 --> 00:12:50,480 weird flex. But what do I have? 245 00:12:50,800 --> 00:12:53,280 I know, 100% agree. We felt the same way when we 246 00:12:53,280 --> 00:12:55,920 went and and that was probably the only time we'd ever go in 247 00:12:55,920 --> 00:12:58,160 there because they don't let you in without. 248 00:12:58,160 --> 00:12:59,800 Yeah, I was going to without an. Appointment we're. 249 00:12:59,800 --> 00:13:02,880 Like Lauren, have you made it inside? 250 00:13:03,600 --> 00:13:06,920 No, I mean, I think I was there like the day before it actually 251 00:13:06,920 --> 00:13:09,760 opened and I took some pictures from outside and it was really 252 00:13:10,200 --> 00:13:11,920 so discreet. Like you could totally walk by 253 00:13:11,920 --> 00:13:13,720 if you didn't know it was even there. 254 00:13:13,760 --> 00:13:16,280 I think there were at the time, there was no podium either. 255 00:13:16,280 --> 00:13:21,280 Like it just blended in. I've never tried to go, but I 256 00:13:21,280 --> 00:13:23,640 know based on your experience it's not the most accessible. 257 00:13:23,640 --> 00:13:26,560 And then it's weird that the actual layout of those model 258 00:13:26,560 --> 00:13:29,760 rooms is a little off because. It's completely. 259 00:13:29,760 --> 00:13:33,200 Completely, yeah, that the circle that they use the circle 260 00:13:33,200 --> 00:13:35,320 room as. And it's like, oh, this is a 261 00:13:35,320 --> 00:13:36,840 cool room. It's like, yeah, this doesn't 262 00:13:36,840 --> 00:13:39,280 actually exist in the Polly Tower. 263 00:13:41,280 --> 00:13:42,800 Yeah. Oh, it feels like I'm in a 264 00:13:42,800 --> 00:13:43,520 castle. Yeah. 265 00:13:43,520 --> 00:13:45,440 It's not going to be what the Polly Tower feels like. 266 00:13:45,440 --> 00:13:49,000 I'm sorry, it's just going to feel like a Holiday Inn Express, 267 00:13:49,360 --> 00:13:55,240 but I was really surprised when I was actually at Epcot recently 268 00:13:55,240 --> 00:13:57,800 for Festival of the Holidays for the first time. 269 00:13:57,800 --> 00:14:01,760 I saw at one of the little DVC booths throughout the park, 270 00:14:01,920 --> 00:14:06,760 there was a little placard that said something like won a tour a 271 00:14:06,760 --> 00:14:08,920 Polynesian room and not leave the park. 272 00:14:09,160 --> 00:14:11,480 Sign up here. And so I did. 273 00:14:11,480 --> 00:14:14,880 For the first time, they're actually advertising it as Don't 274 00:14:14,880 --> 00:14:17,080 leave the park, Come on over here and. 275 00:14:17,320 --> 00:14:19,840 Maybe they realized nobody would come in if you didn't welcome 276 00:14:19,840 --> 00:14:23,400 them in. I don't, I, I just, it, it, it 277 00:14:23,400 --> 00:14:28,880 still is a head scratcher for me from the perspective of the cost 278 00:14:28,880 --> 00:14:32,280 of a daily park ticket is so high these days. 279 00:14:32,520 --> 00:14:35,640 To imagine that a family is going to take 4 hours out of 280 00:14:35,640 --> 00:14:40,920 that park day to then go into that lounge or, and, you know, 281 00:14:40,920 --> 00:14:43,440 sit down with a guide for an extended period of time. 282 00:14:43,440 --> 00:14:46,880 Like I would reserve that for, you know, the, the resort day, 283 00:14:46,880 --> 00:14:49,960 the day that I'm not in the parks trying to, you know, ride 284 00:14:49,960 --> 00:14:53,760 figment. I would just be using that to 285 00:14:53,760 --> 00:14:58,400 just try to touch as many people as you possibly can on a park 286 00:14:58,400 --> 00:15:01,160 day where you don't have to tell them, OK, it's going to be about 287 00:15:01,160 --> 00:15:03,560 an hour and a half or two hours because you lose them. 288 00:15:03,840 --> 00:15:07,320 But if you say, listen, we've got a really cool 5 minute 289 00:15:07,320 --> 00:15:10,480 movie, you know, they just cover you with Pixie dust and a great 290 00:15:10,480 --> 00:15:13,200 little movie and then walk you through to go see the models. 291 00:15:13,320 --> 00:15:15,960 And then hey, on your way out, if you'd like some more 292 00:15:15,960 --> 00:15:18,920 information, give us your name and your info and someone will 293 00:15:18,920 --> 00:15:20,920 contact you. Now go have a magical park day. 294 00:15:21,320 --> 00:15:24,280 Like, I feel like they need to not look at it like we're going 295 00:15:24,280 --> 00:15:28,520 to sell people at Epcot, like as opposed to I think just pure 296 00:15:28,840 --> 00:15:33,240 lead generation of getting, you know, thousands of people that 297 00:15:33,240 --> 00:15:37,400 are at least kind of interested versus how many people just walk 298 00:15:37,400 --> 00:15:39,240 away, you know, and. Just probably a lot. 299 00:15:39,480 --> 00:15:40,960 Yeah. Yeah. 300 00:15:40,960 --> 00:15:45,160 And then they have member hours, like member open house hours and 301 00:15:45,160 --> 00:15:46,920 they're like first thing in the morning. 302 00:15:47,480 --> 00:15:51,800 So you were joking about rope dropping, but that's completely 303 00:15:51,800 --> 00:15:54,120 what you have to do. If you remember that just wants 304 00:15:54,120 --> 00:15:57,080 to be able to walk in without making an appointment and see 305 00:15:57,440 --> 00:16:00,360 the model, you have to go to the early mornings. 306 00:16:01,040 --> 00:16:03,800 If I'm rope dropping, If I'm there that early, I'm rope 307 00:16:03,800 --> 00:16:09,760 dropping croissants and yeah. Jeff, have you made it? 308 00:16:10,320 --> 00:16:11,320 Have you made it to the lounge? I've. 309 00:16:11,320 --> 00:16:12,560 Never. I've never been inside. 310 00:16:12,560 --> 00:16:15,720 When Amy and I went to eat to the beat the other night, we, we 311 00:16:15,720 --> 00:16:18,400 walked past it because I, I hadn't even really seen where it 312 00:16:18,400 --> 00:16:20,960 was. And it gives, it gives the 313 00:16:20,960 --> 00:16:23,760 feeling of being a Speakeasy without the speak or the easy, 314 00:16:23,960 --> 00:16:26,040 like there's no way to get inside. 315 00:16:26,400 --> 00:16:29,640 It would have worked better as if they had a lobby and then 316 00:16:29,640 --> 00:16:31,960 once they had you in there, it was like a magic store that just 317 00:16:31,960 --> 00:16:34,920 spun you around and now you're in a DVC presentation and you 318 00:16:34,920 --> 00:16:37,520 can't leave. I just, I don't understand it 319 00:16:37,520 --> 00:16:39,480 and I don't understand. We've talked about this before, 320 00:16:39,480 --> 00:16:42,880 but Derek, you and I both know we've both been in sales. 321 00:16:42,880 --> 00:16:44,160 I think everybody's been in sales. 322 00:16:44,920 --> 00:16:47,040 It's much easier to sell the people that are coming to you 323 00:16:47,040 --> 00:16:49,000 rather than the ones that you have to go and find. 324 00:16:49,480 --> 00:16:52,520 And so if people are showing up and wanting to see it, you 325 00:16:52,520 --> 00:16:54,280 should never, ever, ever turn them away. 326 00:16:54,800 --> 00:16:57,560 Yeah. Yeah, it also goes back to that 327 00:16:57,560 --> 00:17:00,360 eye contact thing. They walk by the booth and they 328 00:17:00,360 --> 00:17:03,160 look, make eye contact, say hello. 329 00:17:03,400 --> 00:17:06,440 There should be someone out there may eye eye contact 330 00:17:06,440 --> 00:17:09,480 inviting the people in that are walking by that you know, 331 00:17:09,480 --> 00:17:12,800 looking in that direction. It's not hard to train someone 332 00:17:12,800 --> 00:17:16,560 on like 5 to 10 icebreaker questions just to ask the random 333 00:17:16,560 --> 00:17:19,000 person that walks. Right, We, we did this trade 334 00:17:19,000 --> 00:17:23,960 show one time with, with our friends that own like a pet, a 335 00:17:23,960 --> 00:17:28,200 pet camp and literally we just handed out those for their new 336 00:17:28,200 --> 00:17:29,880 location and they were just friends of ours. 337 00:17:29,880 --> 00:17:31,520 So we were just helping and we didn't work there. 338 00:17:31,760 --> 00:17:35,000 And it was like a home and garden show and, and just 339 00:17:35,000 --> 00:17:37,000 everyone, they walked by, you made eye contact with them. 340 00:17:37,000 --> 00:17:38,200 You're like, hi, do you have a dog? 341 00:17:38,400 --> 00:17:40,440 And and that was it. And everybody wanted to tell you 342 00:17:40,440 --> 00:17:42,480 about their dog. And so we, you know, we talked 343 00:17:42,480 --> 00:17:45,720 to so many people and like, I'm not even a salesperson and I 344 00:17:45,720 --> 00:17:48,320 feel like that is so easy to do like it. 345 00:17:48,360 --> 00:17:53,360 Was it was a 2 day event too? And there was a group of Amish 346 00:17:53,360 --> 00:17:57,000 gentlemen selling cabinetry next to us in the in the booth next 347 00:17:57,000 --> 00:17:59,520 to us. And halfway through day one, 348 00:17:59,880 --> 00:18:01,360 they started going really loudly. 349 00:18:01,520 --> 00:18:05,320 Do you have a kitchen? They were really funny. 350 00:18:05,480 --> 00:18:08,000 They were they were hilarious to interact with, but it was just 351 00:18:08,000 --> 00:18:10,960 like that, that fun like, but again, like it worked like that 352 00:18:10,960 --> 00:18:13,920 that perfect little like yeah, do you have a kitchen like well, 353 00:18:14,040 --> 00:18:15,480 it. Makes fun and really quick. 354 00:18:15,560 --> 00:18:17,960 To Derek's point, you know, again, taking time out of your 355 00:18:17,960 --> 00:18:20,480 park day, especially people that are there that aren't already 356 00:18:20,480 --> 00:18:22,800 owners, they're not going to take time out of their Epcot 357 00:18:22,800 --> 00:18:24,040 day. It's already hard enough to get 358 00:18:24,040 --> 00:18:26,160 around Epcot in a day without being exhausted. 359 00:18:26,640 --> 00:18:30,800 They should have a DVC room in every Disney hotel. 360 00:18:30,880 --> 00:18:33,240 Pop Century, All Star music, all of them. 361 00:18:33,400 --> 00:18:35,600 Yeah. And leave it out of the parks 362 00:18:35,600 --> 00:18:39,360 all together, because if you're staying there and if you're at 363 00:18:39,360 --> 00:18:42,440 Pop Century and you're like, I wanna see how the other people 364 00:18:42,440 --> 00:18:45,080 live, you know what I mean? And like, you walk in the door 365 00:18:45,080 --> 00:18:47,480 and you have this beautiful room and it costs the same amount. 366 00:18:48,560 --> 00:18:50,840 You know what I mean? Like I don't know, I'll I'll 367 00:18:50,840 --> 00:18:53,440 shut up so I don't rant but. No, that is brilliant. 368 00:18:54,000 --> 00:18:57,240 The whole thing is weird, where they put it, why they use it, 369 00:18:57,240 --> 00:18:59,040 how they use it, it's just bizarre to me. 370 00:18:59,240 --> 00:19:02,440 Lauren, I'm. Just mad because there were 371 00:19:02,440 --> 00:19:05,880 talks I think that of what they were going to put in there. 372 00:19:05,880 --> 00:19:09,120 And I think at one point I had heard that maybe it was going to 373 00:19:09,120 --> 00:19:12,480 be like a brewery and they sell Beaver tails. 374 00:19:12,560 --> 00:19:16,560 And I'm like, Oh my God, we lost a brewery and Beaver tails over 375 00:19:16,560 --> 00:19:21,520 a sales center That makes me. Exactly. 376 00:19:21,520 --> 00:19:25,000 Lauren, I, I don't know that I ever asked you this question, 377 00:19:25,000 --> 00:19:28,120 but it when you first bought, did you do like a direct tour? 378 00:19:28,120 --> 00:19:30,400 Was it a like, did you do like one of those sales tours? 379 00:19:31,200 --> 00:19:35,240 I did actually, I I forgot where we started whether, but whatever 380 00:19:35,240 --> 00:19:37,640 it was, we did the tour of it was Copper Creek at the time was 381 00:19:37,640 --> 00:19:40,360 actively selling. So we saw, you know, the moms 382 00:19:40,360 --> 00:19:42,400 there and obviously the tick goes to the cab and it's like. 383 00:19:43,760 --> 00:19:48,000 Of course, Yeah, yeah. Definitely a resort day, Like we 384 00:19:48,000 --> 00:19:49,520 weren't trying to go to the parks. 385 00:19:49,520 --> 00:19:52,400 Like it was kind of a relaxing day. 386 00:19:52,560 --> 00:19:56,800 I couldn't see like if this were this Epcot one were around at 387 00:19:56,800 --> 00:20:00,520 the time, I don't think I would have spent our Epcot day trying 388 00:20:00,520 --> 00:20:03,520 to research more about DVC, even though we were actively like 389 00:20:03,840 --> 00:20:06,200 trying to learn more about DVC at that point. 390 00:20:06,480 --> 00:20:09,400 Yeah, Yeah. Well, not to fully derail us 391 00:20:09,400 --> 00:20:11,480 from that thought, but like, they did it. 392 00:20:11,560 --> 00:20:14,320 They they've done it correctly in the past with Copper Creek 393 00:20:14,320 --> 00:20:16,880 and Riviera. But then, Jeff, I mean, you've 394 00:20:16,880 --> 00:20:19,200 told the story before about your experience of going to Fort 395 00:20:19,200 --> 00:20:21,240 Wilderness. And like, here, here are warm 396 00:20:21,240 --> 00:20:24,880 bodies ready to walk through and maybe sit down with a guide. 397 00:20:25,360 --> 00:20:27,760 And you know, they were like, come back another day. 398 00:20:28,480 --> 00:20:31,040 Yeah, it wasn't even come back later that day or it wasn't 399 00:20:31,040 --> 00:20:34,240 like, go over, here's a gift card, go have lunch and a beer 400 00:20:34,240 --> 00:20:37,000 at Trails End and we'll get you back in an hour. 401 00:20:37,480 --> 00:20:40,320 This was Saturday and they're like the earliest appointment we 402 00:20:40,320 --> 00:20:44,520 have is Thursday. Like, and I'm not exaggerating. 403 00:20:44,520 --> 00:20:45,760 That is honestly what they told us. 404 00:20:45,760 --> 00:20:48,320 And I was just like, I'm not going to be here. 405 00:20:48,320 --> 00:20:50,320 And I don't. Think they're selling that hard. 406 00:20:50,320 --> 00:20:54,760 I, I just think that it's, they just don't have as much, like 407 00:20:54,760 --> 00:20:57,840 they don't put as much into their schedule for that as they 408 00:20:57,840 --> 00:20:59,440 need to. I I don't know, I mean I'm just 409 00:20:59,440 --> 00:21:01,800 guessing This is why they don't like. 410 00:21:02,240 --> 00:21:02,680 Us. Yeah. 411 00:21:02,680 --> 00:21:05,440 Well, that that and a million other reasons, but oh. 412 00:21:06,080 --> 00:21:09,320 That's why. Been wondering, scratching my 413 00:21:09,320 --> 00:21:13,360 head all this time. Fast forwarding to I think it 414 00:21:13,360 --> 00:21:16,600 was June 1st and that will be a day that has always etched in my 415 00:21:16,600 --> 00:21:19,400 mind because it ruined a day at Epic Universe for me. 416 00:21:19,400 --> 00:21:21,160 Which I guess is Disney's ultimate plan. 417 00:21:21,160 --> 00:21:26,640 Some days is we had a new, basically a new check box come 418 00:21:26,640 --> 00:21:31,600 up on the booking section of when you're actually completing 419 00:21:31,600 --> 00:21:33,680 a reservation with Disney Vacation Club. 420 00:21:33,680 --> 00:21:36,200 And it had you agree to their terms and conditions. 421 00:21:36,600 --> 00:21:39,160 And basically they rolled out what we're calling the new 422 00:21:39,160 --> 00:21:42,760 updates to rental rolls, which basically says that this 423 00:21:42,760 --> 00:21:45,160 reservation is for personal use only. 424 00:21:46,280 --> 00:21:49,080 And we've unpacked that since then. 425 00:21:49,080 --> 00:21:52,160 There's a great show that I did kind of really deep diving into 426 00:21:52,160 --> 00:21:55,440 what all of this means. And ultimately personal use does 427 00:21:55,440 --> 00:21:58,720 include the occasional rental of your DVC points. 428 00:21:59,360 --> 00:22:02,320 If you, if you type in renting in the search box on the Disney 429 00:22:02,320 --> 00:22:05,560 Vacation Club website, it'll directly tell you right there 430 00:22:05,560 --> 00:22:07,960 that you are allowed to rent your points. 431 00:22:08,680 --> 00:22:11,440 And as we said back then and as we continue to say today, this 432 00:22:11,440 --> 00:22:15,120 was really geared to those, you know, commercial renters, those 433 00:22:15,120 --> 00:22:19,360 people that are on, you know, Facebook groups where you see 434 00:22:19,360 --> 00:22:23,080 the long, long list of, you know, 30 to 40 reservations that 435 00:22:23,080 --> 00:22:26,880 they have for sale all at once. Because they've booked all of 436 00:22:26,880 --> 00:22:30,000 these, you know, reservations and they're trying to sell them 437 00:22:30,000 --> 00:22:34,160 at these premium prices at obviously that the rooms that 438 00:22:34,480 --> 00:22:37,760 you can never get like the value studios at Animal Kingdom, which 439 00:22:37,760 --> 00:22:39,280 will come back to that in a little bit. 440 00:22:40,080 --> 00:22:44,040 But really I, I believe that a lot of this was, was geared 441 00:22:44,040 --> 00:22:47,240 towards them. And as we sit here today, you 442 00:22:47,240 --> 00:22:51,320 know, no further updates really to report on these rental rules. 443 00:22:51,920 --> 00:22:54,000 I don't know that we've ever actually formally do. 444 00:22:54,160 --> 00:22:56,400 Do we ever actually formally talking about it in a news show 445 00:22:56,400 --> 00:22:58,760 or something? Maybe a little bit, but I we've 446 00:22:58,760 --> 00:23:00,560 definitely talked about it, yeah. 447 00:23:01,040 --> 00:23:03,360 Yeah. So Lauren, any thoughts on this? 448 00:23:03,720 --> 00:23:06,640 You know, as I know we've not gotten your opinion on on the 449 00:23:06,640 --> 00:23:08,240 new rules that roll that rolled out. 450 00:23:08,720 --> 00:23:12,000 I mean, I think it's a good move if it's cracking down on these 451 00:23:12,160 --> 00:23:15,720 heavily commercial renters, not your everyday like once a year 452 00:23:15,720 --> 00:23:19,080 type renters. But I think I, I'm wondering if 453 00:23:19,080 --> 00:23:21,320 it actually having that check box when you're making a 454 00:23:21,320 --> 00:23:23,080 reservation. Now I'm wondering if people who 455 00:23:23,080 --> 00:23:25,400 don't really understand what these new terms mean really 456 00:23:25,400 --> 00:23:27,000 think that, Oh, you can't rent at all. 457 00:23:27,000 --> 00:23:29,000 I feel like that question can pop. 458 00:23:30,040 --> 00:23:33,640 Oh, yeah, I mean, I, I get asked every single day. 459 00:23:33,840 --> 00:23:37,600 Every single day someone will ask me and say, hey, I'm, I'm a 460 00:23:37,600 --> 00:23:38,760 member. So I saw this. 461 00:23:38,760 --> 00:23:41,000 Am I still able to rent out my points? 462 00:23:41,000 --> 00:23:44,520 Because I don't do it a lot, but I did it last year or I did it 463 00:23:44,520 --> 00:23:47,680 two years ago and it was so seamless and was so easy. 464 00:23:47,680 --> 00:23:50,880 Will I still be able to do that? So yeah, people see that they 465 00:23:50,880 --> 00:23:54,800 get like a little oh God, oh God, what if I'm not the one 466 00:23:54,800 --> 00:23:56,440 checking in? Or what if I want to send a 467 00:23:56,440 --> 00:23:59,160 friend or a family member at the end? 468 00:23:59,160 --> 00:24:03,160 I've never had one person tell me guess wise that that they've 469 00:24:03,160 --> 00:24:06,400 had any issues or problems whatsoever with renting their 470 00:24:06,400 --> 00:24:08,200 points or anything like that at all. 471 00:24:09,040 --> 00:24:12,000 Yeah, I mean, I've, I've heard the horror stories from, you 472 00:24:12,000 --> 00:24:16,960 know, you know, over the years, you know, maybe there's a member 473 00:24:16,960 --> 00:24:20,000 out there that owns thousands upon thousands of points and 474 00:24:20,000 --> 00:24:24,360 had, you know, 506070 reservations that they were 475 00:24:24,360 --> 00:24:26,200 renting out. And those people have been 476 00:24:26,200 --> 00:24:29,280 cracked down on before, but that's really kind of what 477 00:24:29,280 --> 00:24:32,640 they're. Derek is pointing to Jeff right 478 00:24:32,640 --> 00:24:35,160 now, which is why I laughed for you audio viewers out there. 479 00:24:37,080 --> 00:24:38,960 Yeah. That is, he owns over half of 480 00:24:38,960 --> 00:24:40,680 Old Key West. He's just been renting it 481 00:24:40,680 --> 00:24:43,160 constantly. He has, you know, 75 different 482 00:24:43,160 --> 00:24:45,200 names that he owns points in or something like that. 483 00:24:45,200 --> 00:24:48,600 But. But no, like, like, there's been 484 00:24:48,600 --> 00:24:51,160 occasional cases like that. And, you know. 485 00:24:51,200 --> 00:24:54,360 Yeah, that goes directly against the point of having Disney 486 00:24:54,360 --> 00:24:56,480 Vacation Club. You should never own it for that 487 00:24:56,480 --> 00:24:59,600 sole reason of thinking about it as a financial venture or 488 00:24:59,600 --> 00:25:02,560 anything like that. But the ability to continue to 489 00:25:02,560 --> 00:25:05,240 rent your points because hey, I'm deciding to take a cruise 490 00:25:05,240 --> 00:25:07,760 this year instead. Or you know what, we're a little 491 00:25:07,760 --> 00:25:10,840 bit low on cash for the holidays and I need some money or I need 492 00:25:10,840 --> 00:25:13,320 money to pay my annual dues. Like all that. 493 00:25:13,320 --> 00:25:17,400 Renting remains to be allowable, will continue to be allowable. 494 00:25:18,240 --> 00:25:20,520 And if anything changes here, we'll definitely you'll, you'll 495 00:25:20,520 --> 00:25:26,240 hear it here first for sure. So, yeah, moving on to the next 496 00:25:26,240 --> 00:25:31,840 topic, another reason why DVC hates us is because we've been 497 00:25:31,840 --> 00:25:35,520 very critical over the Grand Californian refurbishment. 498 00:25:35,520 --> 00:25:39,040 I, I struggle to actually use the word refurbishment when we 499 00:25:39,040 --> 00:25:42,160 actually put that in there but mixed it. 500 00:25:42,480 --> 00:25:46,000 As the year progressed, we kind of just saw different like parts 501 00:25:46,000 --> 00:25:48,600 of the Grand Count refurbishment get finished. 502 00:25:48,600 --> 00:25:51,920 And then there was like this whole question of like, are they 503 00:25:52,480 --> 00:25:53,960 are they done? They can't be done yet? 504 00:25:54,320 --> 00:25:56,920 Are they done yet? No, no way that they're done 505 00:25:56,920 --> 00:25:58,920 yet. And then of course it did come 506 00:25:58,920 --> 00:26:01,960 out that they were finished with the refurbishment of and this 507 00:26:01,960 --> 00:26:04,600 was a full refurbishment. So we're talking about a full 508 00:26:04,600 --> 00:26:08,160 hard goods everything done, you know, you think hard goods 509 00:26:08,160 --> 00:26:10,560 refurbishment. I think, you know, the the 510 00:26:10,560 --> 00:26:13,760 recent examples have been like Boulder Ridge has set the bar, 511 00:26:14,480 --> 00:26:16,240 you know, Boardwalk has set the bar. 512 00:26:16,240 --> 00:26:19,080 You know, there's there's been Saratoga, Saratoga when they 513 00:26:19,320 --> 00:26:22,040 when they did that one, that was that was just a huge 514 00:26:22,040 --> 00:26:25,960 transformation of those resorts. And what do we get? 515 00:26:26,720 --> 00:26:27,880 A bed and a carpet? Yeah. 516 00:26:28,200 --> 00:26:32,800 We stayed, we stayed at Grand Cal this year, August and it is 517 00:26:32,800 --> 00:26:36,120 one of our home resorts. So, you know, we do care about 518 00:26:36,920 --> 00:26:38,520 like getting the love it deserves. 519 00:26:38,520 --> 00:26:43,360 And it is a small, it is one of the smaller DVC properties. 520 00:26:44,120 --> 00:26:47,320 But you know, when you think about it, Grand Californian 521 00:26:47,320 --> 00:26:52,720 itself is like the premier hotel at Disneyland Resort. 522 00:26:52,920 --> 00:26:57,400 And so the fact that on the hotel side was there mushrooms 523 00:26:57,400 --> 00:27:00,200 growing out of the wall? There was a. 524 00:27:00,240 --> 00:27:01,280 Yeah, there was a. Video. 525 00:27:01,280 --> 00:27:03,560 That's the survey. I think that was on the hotel 526 00:27:03,560 --> 00:27:05,080 side though, but still disturbing. 527 00:27:06,920 --> 00:27:10,920 The things that they did not do that were very surprising that 528 00:27:10,920 --> 00:27:15,320 are typically always part of a hard goods refurbishment. 529 00:27:15,320 --> 00:27:18,240 In our experience with all the hard goods refurbishments that 530 00:27:18,240 --> 00:27:22,040 we've seen and covered through the years, the last, you know, 5 531 00:27:22,040 --> 00:27:25,040 or however many years we've been doing this that they didn't do a 532 00:27:25,040 --> 00:27:30,160 Grand Cow was they did not renovate the bathroom. 533 00:27:30,400 --> 00:27:35,240 So the bathroom tile it, I don't even think the tub, the 534 00:27:35,240 --> 00:27:38,520 fixtures, it was all the same stuff from before. 535 00:27:39,320 --> 00:27:41,840 And we had stayed to Grand Cow not too long before that, you 536 00:27:41,840 --> 00:27:44,160 know, like before the refurb. So, you know, we had that 537 00:27:44,160 --> 00:27:47,880 comparison and I actually went back, we did a video for both. 538 00:27:47,880 --> 00:27:50,640 And so I was able to go back and rewatch that video we did and 539 00:27:50,640 --> 00:27:57,120 and double check the kitchenette was the same the, you know. 540 00:27:57,120 --> 00:27:59,680 Even the even the microwave in the fridge, we noticed that. 541 00:27:59,760 --> 00:28:03,160 Like still. The logo was so faded on on the 542 00:28:03,160 --> 00:28:06,000 microwave that yeah, they. Knew it's been there replace 543 00:28:06,000 --> 00:28:09,600 those appliances and and for a kitchenette those are minor 544 00:28:09,600 --> 00:28:11,440 appliances. You know, it's a mini fridge in 545 00:28:11,440 --> 00:28:14,480 a small microwave, less than 500 bucks probably. 546 00:28:14,480 --> 00:28:17,880 Yeah, So and, and the tile and the cabinets in the kitchenette 547 00:28:17,880 --> 00:28:19,480 and stuff were, were still the same. 548 00:28:20,400 --> 00:28:25,240 So basically, yeah, we pretty much had, you know, floor, a 549 00:28:25,240 --> 00:28:28,360 rug, the Murphy bed and the Murphy bed, they didn't even put 550 00:28:28,360 --> 00:28:32,800 artwork on it, which is uncharacteristic of DVC in 551 00:28:32,800 --> 00:28:37,440 general. Just very plain looking And, and 552 00:28:37,440 --> 00:28:39,160 yeah, just a few other small things. 553 00:28:39,160 --> 00:28:44,120 But you know, the the the big, like hard items that that are 554 00:28:44,120 --> 00:28:46,360 normally done like the bathroom in the kitchenette, you know, I 555 00:28:46,360 --> 00:28:48,280 was really surprised. And that's just in a studio. 556 00:28:48,480 --> 00:28:53,120 So in a two-bedroom, 3 bedroom, you know, whatever one bedroom, 557 00:28:53,200 --> 00:28:56,000 you know, we're looking at a whole big kitchen that maybe 558 00:28:56,000 --> 00:28:57,800 they didn't replace. We didn't really get to see 559 00:28:57,800 --> 00:29:01,000 those, but I'm assuming it's much the same and and the 560 00:29:01,000 --> 00:29:03,120 community is is not happy about it. 561 00:29:03,120 --> 00:29:05,520 Yeah, we're hoping we can see a 2 bedroom next year at some 562 00:29:05,520 --> 00:29:08,240 point. But my personal favorite of the 563 00:29:08,240 --> 00:29:11,320 refurbishment was a company that I didn't think was in business 564 00:29:11,320 --> 00:29:15,520 anymore called ihome because we always look for, we always look 565 00:29:15,520 --> 00:29:18,480 for additional charging when we go to these refurbishments. 566 00:29:18,480 --> 00:29:21,560 And what did they do? They put in an ihome clock radio 567 00:29:22,000 --> 00:29:25,040 that has a couple charging ports on it and sat it on the on the 568 00:29:25,360 --> 00:29:26,960 on. The I was like, Paul, we had one 569 00:29:26,960 --> 00:29:29,640 of these in our first apartment and we're talking. 570 00:29:30,400 --> 00:29:31,760 We're old. We're talking. 571 00:29:31,800 --> 00:29:35,680 Yeah, like 15 years ago, Lauren. When you saw these photos come 572 00:29:35,680 --> 00:29:37,640 through the refurbishment, what were your first thoughts? 573 00:29:38,960 --> 00:29:41,240 I don't even own at Grand Cal and I feel sad for you. 574 00:29:41,240 --> 00:29:45,840 It's not even close to what Boulder Ridge got. 575 00:29:46,360 --> 00:29:49,240 Bay Lake Tower got this really beautiful refurbishment. 576 00:29:49,240 --> 00:29:52,240 Like they. Did like completely revamped, 577 00:29:52,520 --> 00:29:56,640 great colors, great updates. It's it's really puzzling. 578 00:29:56,720 --> 00:29:59,680 I know that there is also that notification that there is more 579 00:29:59,680 --> 00:30:03,920 refurbishment coming out for Grand Cow and I really hope that 580 00:30:03,920 --> 00:30:07,240 somewhat related to the rooms, but it sounds like it could just 581 00:30:07,240 --> 00:30:09,680 be the common areas. Yeah, Yeah. 582 00:30:09,680 --> 00:30:11,960 I feel like it's a long shot that they go back into the 583 00:30:11,960 --> 00:30:13,680 rooms. And I, I should preface this 584 00:30:13,680 --> 00:30:16,520 show by saying that we are recording this actually the day 585 00:30:16,520 --> 00:30:20,400 before the condo association meetings that are occurring. 586 00:30:20,400 --> 00:30:24,120 So if there's been any significant updates, I maybe 587 00:30:24,320 --> 00:30:27,520 will pop in a little segment right here just to kind of 588 00:30:27,520 --> 00:30:32,160 update what maybe they said about the refurbishment, because 589 00:30:32,160 --> 00:30:35,480 I would highly, highly anticipate that members are 590 00:30:35,480 --> 00:30:38,240 going to have asked a lot of questions about this from a 591 00:30:38,240 --> 00:30:41,680 budgetary standpoint. Just how did we spend? 592 00:30:42,320 --> 00:30:43,600 You know, correct me if I'm wrong, Lauren. 593 00:30:43,880 --> 00:30:46,320 Like 100 and. 50,000 per room average. 594 00:30:46,320 --> 00:30:48,320 You ran the numbers. Yeah, yeah, yeah. 595 00:30:49,640 --> 00:30:52,160 Derek's like that's an expensive clock radio. 596 00:30:52,840 --> 00:30:56,560 That's expensive clock, right? But apparently it's the nicest 597 00:30:56,560 --> 00:30:58,760 laserdisc player that you can possibly. 598 00:31:00,640 --> 00:31:02,720 They had to seek them all out on eBay, so yeah. 599 00:31:04,200 --> 00:31:08,960 I think out of all of the news stories that sorry that. 600 00:31:08,960 --> 00:31:11,040 Was my doubt. They're very opinionated about 601 00:31:11,040 --> 00:31:14,160 the Grand Cow refurbished. They are, they're they own 602 00:31:14,160 --> 00:31:19,360 points there so. Out of all of the stories this 603 00:31:19,360 --> 00:31:24,240 year, this one is the biggest in my mind because first of all of 604 00:31:24,240 --> 00:31:28,600 the outcry and second of all of the fact that we had just stayed 605 00:31:28,600 --> 00:31:33,240 at the Disneyland Hotel and there were already problems that 606 00:31:33,240 --> 00:31:36,080 we saw in our room from a fairly new resort. 607 00:31:36,480 --> 00:31:38,480 Just kind of goes back to what we said when we first talked 608 00:31:38,480 --> 00:31:42,040 about this is, I don't understand, maybe DVC on the 609 00:31:42,040 --> 00:31:45,200 West Coast doesn't really know what they're doing. 610 00:31:45,480 --> 00:31:49,240 It's just such, it's a different world out there than than Disney 611 00:31:49,240 --> 00:31:51,520 World and even the the beach resorts. 612 00:31:51,520 --> 00:31:54,400 It's just Disneyland hotels already falling apart, or at 613 00:31:54,400 --> 00:31:56,800 least our room was. And we had some other issues 614 00:31:56,800 --> 00:32:01,000 that are just unheard of in DVC. Now this I just, it's, I don't 615 00:32:01,000 --> 00:32:02,840 know, it seems like a West Coast problem to me. 616 00:32:03,320 --> 00:32:07,560 Yeah. Moving forward in time, the 617 00:32:08,480 --> 00:32:11,360 other thing that happened this year, I think it was Midsummer 618 00:32:11,360 --> 00:32:14,280 in July, there was new legislation passed by the state 619 00:32:14,280 --> 00:32:17,440 of Florida that reverted our condo association meetings back 620 00:32:17,440 --> 00:32:20,320 to a yearly meeting, which has been the norm. 621 00:32:20,440 --> 00:32:22,920 You know, if you've been a Disney Vacation Club member for 622 00:32:22,920 --> 00:32:26,280 years, you've always expected that December meeting to happen 623 00:32:26,520 --> 00:32:30,040 in which she had the big, it actually used to be a big condo 624 00:32:30,040 --> 00:32:32,800 association meeting every, all the different resorts met at the 625 00:32:32,800 --> 00:32:35,200 same time. And then they also kind of had 626 00:32:35,240 --> 00:32:38,720 a, you know, member gathering event where they would maybe 627 00:32:38,720 --> 00:32:42,800 tell you some new and exciting things that were going on at the 628 00:32:42,800 --> 00:32:46,080 resorts. The quarterly meetings were very 629 00:32:46,080 --> 00:32:48,960 well attended. I'm pretty sure Jeff Haslam was 630 00:32:48,960 --> 00:32:52,200 the only person in attendance multiple times because we sent 631 00:32:52,200 --> 00:32:54,520 him to cover these meetings. And they were riveting, weren't 632 00:32:54,520 --> 00:32:57,280 they, Jeff? So riveting that the first one 633 00:32:57,280 --> 00:33:01,080 was really good and everyone since then was a total waste of 634 00:33:01,080 --> 00:33:03,520 time. Yeah, it, it was a little 635 00:33:03,520 --> 00:33:05,640 overkill from the quarterly perspective. 636 00:33:05,640 --> 00:33:08,400 And I, I, I believe that, you know, obviously from a state 637 00:33:08,400 --> 00:33:10,640 perspective, you know, we're talking about timeshare in 638 00:33:10,640 --> 00:33:12,720 general. So they're trying to legislate 639 00:33:12,720 --> 00:33:16,800 that entire thing. But I, I, I think this is a good 640 00:33:16,800 --> 00:33:18,160 move. Them going back to the, the 641 00:33:18,160 --> 00:33:21,320 yearly meetings. Also the fact that they kept the 642 00:33:21,320 --> 00:33:24,880 yearly meetings being separate individual meetings for each 643 00:33:24,880 --> 00:33:28,200 resort so that those owners of those resorts could really talk 644 00:33:28,200 --> 00:33:29,720 about, you know, what's going on there. 645 00:33:29,720 --> 00:33:34,080 As we just mentioned, grand cow owners can talk about so on and 646 00:33:34,080 --> 00:33:37,160 so forth. The the myths in my opinion is 647 00:33:37,160 --> 00:33:40,640 the fact that they have axed the member gathering this year. 648 00:33:40,640 --> 00:33:45,360 So any opportunity to generate excitement or to generate and 649 00:33:45,360 --> 00:33:48,080 and it's it's really the biggest visibility event that like 650 00:33:48,080 --> 00:33:52,240 members come to every year an opportunity to sell them add on. 651 00:33:52,240 --> 00:33:55,640 Contracts well attended. Yeah, last year it was in a a 652 00:33:55,640 --> 00:33:59,240 giant ballroom and yeah. So I mean, there's hundreds of 653 00:33:59,240 --> 00:34:01,480 members in attendance and you have to imagine some of them 654 00:34:01,480 --> 00:34:02,800 might want to add on some points. 655 00:34:03,080 --> 00:34:06,840 And so I, I don't know why they act that. 656 00:34:06,840 --> 00:34:10,639 I mean, they are building this monstrosity across the lake from 657 00:34:10,840 --> 00:34:12,520 the contemporary where this is going to be. 658 00:34:12,520 --> 00:34:15,440 We will be able to see it when we are at the condo association 659 00:34:15,440 --> 00:34:18,480 meeting. So you know a tidbit, a slide, 660 00:34:18,719 --> 00:34:21,639 you know one picture. All I'm asking for is 1 picture. 661 00:34:21,679 --> 00:34:25,360 Even if you show the old concept art yet again of reflection just 662 00:34:25,360 --> 00:34:28,040 so that we can a. 100% know. If that's what you're going 663 00:34:28,040 --> 00:34:31,320 with, you haven't changed a thing in over 10 years. 664 00:34:31,320 --> 00:34:35,639 But Lauren, any thoughts on the on the on the condo meetings? 665 00:34:36,400 --> 00:34:39,480 Yeah, I was kind of disappointed that we won't have that kind of 666 00:34:39,480 --> 00:34:43,080 overall meeting just because it was the highlights and also that 667 00:34:43,080 --> 00:34:45,199 the refurbishment timeline, I thought that was. 668 00:34:45,239 --> 00:34:46,880 Something that we. Yeah, well. 669 00:34:47,360 --> 00:34:49,600 I don't know where that would land now that there's just 670 00:34:49,600 --> 00:34:52,159 individual meetings. They're done with refurbishment 671 00:34:52,159 --> 00:34:53,639 so I've heard they're never doing 1. 672 00:34:53,679 --> 00:34:57,200 Again, probably each individual resort is going to have to find 673 00:34:57,200 --> 00:34:59,600 out, you know, if they're on it. And yeah, you're right, that was 674 00:34:59,600 --> 00:35:02,360 one of my favorite parts was getting that slide with all the 675 00:35:02,360 --> 00:35:04,760 refurbishment upcoming dates. Yeah. 676 00:35:05,560 --> 00:35:09,160 Well, and, and more than that, it was it was that sense of 677 00:35:09,160 --> 00:35:10,800 membership, that sense of ownership. 678 00:35:10,800 --> 00:35:13,920 You were in a room with like minded people, almost kind of 679 00:35:13,920 --> 00:35:16,480 like a networking event where you could learn about other 680 00:35:16,480 --> 00:35:18,400 members and get your free cookie. 681 00:35:18,400 --> 00:35:22,840 But you know, they usually had Mickey show up or the lady come 682 00:35:22,840 --> 00:35:25,600 out and sing the song or like it was, it was just something that 683 00:35:25,600 --> 00:35:28,480 made you feel like you belonged to something pretty cool. 684 00:35:28,960 --> 00:35:30,120 And it just, I see what you did there. 685 00:35:31,920 --> 00:35:33,680 I knew as soon as he said that you were thinking of that song. 686 00:35:34,160 --> 00:35:38,040 Right where we belong. Yeah, it just feels like a 687 00:35:38,040 --> 00:35:42,120 slight to me that it didn't cost him any money to do that event. 688 00:35:42,520 --> 00:35:45,680 Cookies are cheap. Yep, Yep, I've heard. 689 00:35:45,680 --> 00:35:48,400 Amy Craig Roll make them. Yeah, yeah, I left. 690 00:35:48,440 --> 00:35:49,600 I left for a meeting today. I came. 691 00:35:49,600 --> 00:35:51,520 Back I showed you a photo of my cookies. 692 00:35:51,520 --> 00:35:55,320 They're so sad like this. I have no skills just like 693 00:35:55,320 --> 00:35:59,440 slather all this icing on them. Hey, it's a cookie. 694 00:35:59,880 --> 00:36:02,720 Doesn't doesn't take a lot to impress me with a cookie, you 695 00:36:02,720 --> 00:36:04,960 know, just cookie and coffee and I'm a happy guy. 696 00:36:05,080 --> 00:36:07,800 So, Derek, are you going to say yeah and sauerkraut? 697 00:36:07,800 --> 00:36:08,920 Yeah. Were you going to say something 698 00:36:08,920 --> 00:36:09,960 there, Derek, in the middle of that? 699 00:36:10,440 --> 00:36:13,720 Well, I was going to say, wasn't it last year when you guys went 700 00:36:13,720 --> 00:36:16,600 that they did kind of a little surprise and delight and they 701 00:36:16,640 --> 00:36:20,200 took you over to the new? Yes, yes, yeah. 702 00:36:20,640 --> 00:36:22,760 Like, that's crazy. We got to put our cell phones in 703 00:36:22,800 --> 00:36:25,320 these little cellophane Baggies. I know. 704 00:36:25,600 --> 00:36:29,120 I'm in bags. But I mean, the amount of buzz 705 00:36:29,480 --> 00:36:34,040 that they generated from doing that was so big. 706 00:36:34,040 --> 00:36:36,200 It was. And again, they're just printing 707 00:36:36,560 --> 00:36:40,000 money, you know, by taking these people that love this product, 708 00:36:40,000 --> 00:36:42,200 just like Jeff said, you're here. 709 00:36:42,560 --> 00:36:44,960 These are people that love Disney Vacation Club. 710 00:36:45,520 --> 00:36:48,800 Give them something and they will try to give you money. 711 00:36:48,800 --> 00:36:52,560 If if, if they could do something for Lakeside, 712 00:36:52,560 --> 00:36:55,760 Lakeshore, what whatever it's called, anything. 713 00:36:55,880 --> 00:36:59,240 I mean they would have a wait list of of people ready to buy. 714 00:36:59,240 --> 00:37:03,120 Points like just. Get them excited about it, you 715 00:37:03,120 --> 00:37:06,000 know, in some way, shape or form versus just OK, here's the 716 00:37:06,000 --> 00:37:09,320 operating reserves, here's the this and this is and this so 717 00:37:09,320 --> 00:37:12,000 done. I mean, yeah, it's just sad, you 718 00:37:12,000 --> 00:37:12,560 know? It's sad. 719 00:37:12,880 --> 00:37:14,960 It's the, it's the missed connection that I've never 720 00:37:14,960 --> 00:37:18,720 understood because I was at a meeting earlier today with a 721 00:37:18,720 --> 00:37:22,400 different travel company, so not the Disney company. 722 00:37:22,600 --> 00:37:26,760 And they use Disney Vacation Club as an example because of 723 00:37:26,760 --> 00:37:31,280 the fact the fact that they have identified that that brand is 724 00:37:31,280 --> 00:37:34,360 obviously one of Disney's highest affinity groups. 725 00:37:34,760 --> 00:37:38,520 You know we have bought in, we are second to maybe what a 726 00:37:38,600 --> 00:37:42,040 Golden Oak, you know home purchaser when you actually 727 00:37:42,040 --> 00:37:44,040 like. Probably after Club 33. 728 00:37:44,680 --> 00:37:47,880 Yeah, I mean. Golden Oak Club 33 not in ABC. 729 00:37:48,040 --> 00:37:51,320 But still, like you're, you're in this very exclusive. 730 00:37:51,720 --> 00:37:55,520 Group you own you own the real estate interests, Yes. 731 00:37:55,520 --> 00:37:57,880 And it's expensive Group. Yeah, you come a lot. 732 00:37:58,000 --> 00:38:00,280 Yeah, so. You know, they're dedicated 733 00:38:00,280 --> 00:38:02,760 people that really love the brand that you've created. 734 00:38:02,760 --> 00:38:06,600 So, you know, just foster that community like we have here at 735 00:38:06,600 --> 00:38:10,480 DVC Fan and they will do pretty much anything. 736 00:38:10,720 --> 00:38:15,000 Add more points, you know, eat cookies, whatever it is. 737 00:38:15,720 --> 00:38:19,160 Next up on our year in review that Lauren put together, our 738 00:38:19,160 --> 00:38:22,760 member Magic Beyond was confirmed for 2026. 739 00:38:22,760 --> 00:38:26,720 So this is that paid perks program that Disney Vacation 740 00:38:26,720 --> 00:38:32,240 Club rolled out in 2020. Five, $99.00 for the year for 741 00:38:32,240 --> 00:38:37,080 2026, a lot of the perks are basically remaining the same. 742 00:38:37,080 --> 00:38:40,480 Nothing too significant that was changing with the perks package. 743 00:38:40,760 --> 00:38:43,080 I know there was like a new photo that they're doing out at 744 00:38:43,080 --> 00:38:45,480 Alani. A couple other things I think 745 00:38:45,480 --> 00:38:47,880 what what was most surprising to most most people was that the 746 00:38:47,880 --> 00:38:52,200 price didn't go up, that they kept it at that $99 price point. 747 00:38:52,360 --> 00:38:54,000 Lauren, did you buy Magic Beyond? 748 00:38:54,000 --> 00:38:55,760 Was was it something that you ever added on I. 749 00:38:56,400 --> 00:38:59,440 Think it was something that I just felt like wasn't really 750 00:38:59,480 --> 00:39:01,200 relevant. I feel like I fall into that 751 00:39:01,200 --> 00:39:05,520 pool of locals who you know, you have your annual pass and it 752 00:39:05,640 --> 00:39:09,840 already has memory maker. Then you know, if you don't use 753 00:39:09,840 --> 00:39:12,560 one time use points. But like some of the biggest 754 00:39:12,560 --> 00:39:16,680 perks of joining and it just while I was kind of hoping 755 00:39:16,680 --> 00:39:21,040 they'd throw in some new benefits for 2026, it looks like 756 00:39:21,040 --> 00:39:22,200 I'll be opting out again this year. 757 00:39:22,440 --> 00:39:25,880 What would be like the top two or three that you would love to 758 00:39:25,880 --> 00:39:27,840 see added as like a future benefit? 759 00:39:28,800 --> 00:39:31,200 Probably any kind of dining discounts would. 760 00:39:31,200 --> 00:39:31,840 Really. Yeah. 761 00:39:32,480 --> 00:39:34,680 Mm hmm. Yep, like I had a list at one 762 00:39:34,680 --> 00:39:36,560 point from another article. But it was like. 763 00:39:37,720 --> 00:39:41,120 Stuff if or like a Tables in Wonderland type discount. 764 00:39:41,160 --> 00:39:43,560 Yeah. And if the buy in was higher 765 00:39:43,560 --> 00:39:46,560 than that $99.00, I bet you in the long run it would be worth 766 00:39:46,560 --> 00:39:49,360 it. Those are the kinds of things 767 00:39:49,360 --> 00:39:51,480 that I feel like are missing, and I think there were some 768 00:39:51,480 --> 00:39:56,040 other ideas like more wait lists or, I don't know, some things 769 00:39:56,040 --> 00:39:58,240 that might not cost a whole lot for DVC. 770 00:39:58,800 --> 00:40:02,160 Yeah, I struggle with seeing like with with rolling it out 771 00:40:02,160 --> 00:40:05,840 for a second year, I struggle with seeing the wow factor for 772 00:40:05,840 --> 00:40:08,040 year 2. And when you look at any 773 00:40:08,040 --> 00:40:11,400 subscription based product, it's always like how do you keep that 774 00:40:11,400 --> 00:40:13,480 subscriber? How do you get that person to 775 00:40:13,480 --> 00:40:17,160 sign up for their next year? And I think that's kind of the 776 00:40:17,160 --> 00:40:20,760 struggle is, you know, if you didn't maybe utilize all of the 777 00:40:20,760 --> 00:40:24,520 benefits this year or maybe like even the ones that are so well 778 00:40:24,520 --> 00:40:27,360 talked about, like the one time use points, the buy one, get 779 00:40:27,360 --> 00:40:29,840 one. Essentially that's offered, you 780 00:40:29,840 --> 00:40:32,680 know, that might have been needed for your vacation last 781 00:40:32,680 --> 00:40:35,080 year, but is it needed for your vacation this year? 782 00:40:35,080 --> 00:40:36,920 Do you actually need the extra points? 783 00:40:37,240 --> 00:40:41,960 So I, I, you know, they, they talk about churn in the 784 00:40:41,960 --> 00:40:45,800 subscription industry. I wonder what Year 2's churn is 785 00:40:45,800 --> 00:40:48,480 going to be because nothing has changed. 786 00:40:49,520 --> 00:40:52,200 Yeah, so how many people that had it are gonna are? 787 00:40:52,240 --> 00:40:54,920 Gonna not opt in, yeah, for the new year, because I don't. 788 00:40:54,920 --> 00:40:58,600 Kind of reminds me a little bit of of the D-23 members, because 789 00:40:58,600 --> 00:41:01,600 I was a charter member. I was all in on D23I love the, 790 00:41:01,720 --> 00:41:05,680 you know, the newsletters that come in, the big books and stuff 791 00:41:05,680 --> 00:41:08,080 like that. But the annual gift that you 792 00:41:08,080 --> 00:41:10,080 got, it was like a roller coaster. 793 00:41:10,080 --> 00:41:13,000 Sometimes it was a really cool pin collection, then sometimes 794 00:41:13,280 --> 00:41:14,800 it was a watch that never worked. 795 00:41:14,840 --> 00:41:16,920 You know what I mean? Like, and I finally gave up my 796 00:41:16,920 --> 00:41:19,600 membership a couple years ago because it just wasn't worth it 797 00:41:19,600 --> 00:41:21,920 to me anymore. And I kind of feel like if you, 798 00:41:22,000 --> 00:41:25,280 if you're not consistent, you're, you're going to have 799 00:41:25,280 --> 00:41:29,160 people continue to drop off. Yep, Yep, for sure. 800 00:41:30,480 --> 00:41:32,520 Yeah. And I think, and I think they 801 00:41:32,520 --> 00:41:34,960 know that they're going to have people drop off and that's why 802 00:41:34,960 --> 00:41:38,600 they said, hey, let's start charging people $500 on January. 803 00:41:38,600 --> 00:41:42,480 1st, you're skipping ahead, Derek. 804 00:41:42,920 --> 00:41:45,240 Don't, don't don't spoil the ending of this show. 805 00:41:45,680 --> 00:41:46,800 Yeah, because. Nobody knows. 806 00:41:47,240 --> 00:41:49,480 Nobody knows. Nobody's seen our shows where 807 00:41:49,480 --> 00:41:51,680 we've talked about it already 12 times. 808 00:41:52,240 --> 00:41:57,800 But hey, Derek, I know you missed the the the bar that was 809 00:41:57,800 --> 00:42:00,320 supposed to come to the Canada Pavilion with your Beaver, 810 00:42:00,360 --> 00:42:03,520 Beaver tails, which I think half the audience is wondering what a 811 00:42:03,520 --> 00:42:06,720 Beaver tail is, but. Guess what? 812 00:42:06,720 --> 00:42:09,680 It's like a elephant ear. It's like a elephant ear, Yeah. 813 00:42:10,000 --> 00:42:11,920 The other half of the audience is now wondering what an 814 00:42:11,920 --> 00:42:14,080 elephant ear is. A tiger. 815 00:42:14,240 --> 00:42:16,880 Paw It was like a cinnamon sugar pastry. 816 00:42:16,920 --> 00:42:19,440 They used to have a nap time. Thank you, Lauren for saving us. 817 00:42:22,720 --> 00:42:25,480 Is it like a funnel cake or no? Remember they. 818 00:42:25,640 --> 00:42:26,960 Used to have them on the Jersey boardwalk. 819 00:42:26,960 --> 00:42:29,320 It's. Like a the Beaver tails. 820 00:42:29,320 --> 00:42:31,080 Yeah, on the Jersey board. I do remember that. 821 00:42:31,080 --> 00:42:35,040 And Wildwood, but I never had one because I don't like fried 822 00:42:35,040 --> 00:42:38,160 dough. Well, anyhow, Derek, you lost 823 00:42:38,160 --> 00:42:40,600 the Canadian bar, but guess what, you got one at the Grand 824 00:42:40,600 --> 00:42:43,880 Floridian because a lot of changes have happened at the 825 00:42:43,880 --> 00:42:46,720 Grand Floridian lobby over the course of the past year. 826 00:42:46,720 --> 00:42:49,560 A new check in desk, new furniture, carpeting. 827 00:42:49,560 --> 00:42:53,840 And then in November here we had the opening of the Perch, which 828 00:42:53,840 --> 00:42:58,760 is the new lobby bar that is down in the Grand Floridian 829 00:42:58,760 --> 00:43:05,400 Lobby and a very limited menu, I would say of of cocktails and 830 00:43:05,400 --> 00:43:06,040 drinks. Lauren, have you? 831 00:43:06,120 --> 00:43:07,320 Have you made it over to check it out yet? 832 00:43:08,040 --> 00:43:10,320 I haven't. I was actually at the Grand 833 00:43:10,320 --> 00:43:12,560 Floridian like right before this all happened. 834 00:43:12,560 --> 00:43:14,800 I got to see some of the refurbishment was like the lobby 835 00:43:14,800 --> 00:43:17,480 being redone but the the bar itself was still work in 836 00:43:17,480 --> 00:43:18,920 progress. I haven't tried it yet. 837 00:43:19,160 --> 00:43:22,960 Are you it without trying it, Are you a fan of it or are you 838 00:43:22,960 --> 00:43:25,840 kind of like not sure that they should have put it in there? 839 00:43:26,720 --> 00:43:29,040 I mean, originally when I first heard the concept, it was like, 840 00:43:29,600 --> 00:43:30,920 I don't know if this is kind of weird. 841 00:43:30,920 --> 00:43:33,440 We already have Enchanted Rose on the 2nd floor or do you 842 00:43:33,440 --> 00:43:36,560 really need another bar? But it from what I saw of it in 843 00:43:36,560 --> 00:43:39,240 person, it didn't seem so intrusive. 844 00:43:39,840 --> 00:43:43,520 And I know, Jeff, you had been there and and reported that it 845 00:43:43,520 --> 00:43:47,240 wasn't as big a presence as some people might have feared. 846 00:43:47,880 --> 00:43:51,800 Yeah, yeah, it's, it's not near as big as they made it out to 847 00:43:51,800 --> 00:43:53,440 be. The concept art, I kind of felt 848 00:43:53,440 --> 00:43:57,200 like it was halfway into the lobby and almost don't even 849 00:43:57,200 --> 00:43:59,200 notice that it's there. If I'm being honest. 850 00:43:59,400 --> 00:44:01,760 I, I think their biggest miss, and Paul kind of already alluded 851 00:44:01,760 --> 00:44:04,880 to that is when we're talking a limited menu. 852 00:44:04,880 --> 00:44:11,480 Like it is a limited menu, 2 cocktails, 4 wines, 3 beers and 853 00:44:11,480 --> 00:44:13,680 one mocktail. Like there's nothing to it. 854 00:44:13,680 --> 00:44:17,520 And from everything that we were told when Grayson and I went was 855 00:44:18,280 --> 00:44:21,480 that's it. There's no plans to do anything 856 00:44:21,480 --> 00:44:23,760 more. And so I don't know it, it's 857 00:44:23,760 --> 00:44:28,320 just my thing about it is, is, and we go into way more detail 858 00:44:28,320 --> 00:44:29,920 in our video. If you want to go find it, I'm 859 00:44:29,920 --> 00:44:31,680 sure Paul will link in the notes to it. 860 00:44:31,680 --> 00:44:37,440 But it's, it's just a very weird feeling because while you're not 861 00:44:37,440 --> 00:44:38,960 at the bar, you're still in the lobby. 862 00:44:38,960 --> 00:44:41,160 There is a bar, but you don't have to go to the bar because 863 00:44:41,160 --> 00:44:42,800 the servers will still come and bring it to you. 864 00:44:43,320 --> 00:44:47,600 But also it's a bar that doesn't serve anything. 865 00:44:47,600 --> 00:44:50,400 It's just the whole concept is just kind of strange to me. 866 00:44:51,960 --> 00:44:55,040 So is it still normal to sit in the lobby and not be? 867 00:44:55,040 --> 00:44:58,280 Yeah, I mean it's. Normal, they haven't like taken 868 00:44:58,280 --> 00:45:01,160 out tables, taken out chairs or anything like that, but the 869 00:45:01,160 --> 00:45:03,760 servers still come up to you if you're sitting there and offer 870 00:45:03,760 --> 00:45:05,600 to get you one of the six drinks that they have. 871 00:45:05,680 --> 00:45:10,440 Yeah, so and it's just, it's a very, it's a very strange 872 00:45:10,440 --> 00:45:12,560 concept. I'm not sure how popular it's 873 00:45:12,560 --> 00:45:16,000 going to be now if they do some cool things like if the 874 00:45:16,000 --> 00:45:18,000 gingerbread house comes back next year or if they do 875 00:45:18,000 --> 00:45:19,640 something. Holiday. 876 00:45:19,880 --> 00:45:22,320 Themed for the. Drinks like gingerbread martini 877 00:45:22,320 --> 00:45:24,360 or stuff like that, that would be really cool. 878 00:45:25,040 --> 00:45:27,640 Something like that. But as it stands right now, 879 00:45:28,480 --> 00:45:31,040 nobody's going out of their way to go over there. 880 00:45:32,200 --> 00:45:34,280 I will see. The only excitement that's come 881 00:45:34,280 --> 00:45:38,840 out of all of this is the fact that they are renovating the tea 882 00:45:38,840 --> 00:45:43,960 room at the Grand Floridian and that is the experience that I 883 00:45:43,960 --> 00:45:47,400 had wanted to do like pre pandemic and everything that we 884 00:45:47,400 --> 00:45:50,640 never got around to doing, like having the afternoon tea 885 00:45:50,640 --> 00:45:54,280 experience. I know that they over it, as 886 00:45:54,280 --> 00:45:56,240 Derek calls it, Cakey Bakey shop. 887 00:45:57,160 --> 00:46:00,800 They they'll charge you like $700.00 for it, but I'm hoping 888 00:46:00,800 --> 00:46:03,080 that Grand Floridian is a little bit more accessible. 889 00:46:03,320 --> 00:46:05,360 But I, you know, I would love to do that event. 890 00:46:05,360 --> 00:46:09,040 Have you ever has any of you ever done that experience or. 891 00:46:09,400 --> 00:46:12,160 Went a long time ago. I must have been like a teenager 892 00:46:12,160 --> 00:46:14,920 when I last went with my mom and it was a cute mother daughter 893 00:46:14,920 --> 00:46:17,320 kind of outing. And I don't even totally 894 00:46:17,320 --> 00:46:20,200 remember what I ended up eating there, but we I just remember 895 00:46:20,480 --> 00:46:23,160 the cast members were incredible there. 896 00:46:24,560 --> 00:46:27,360 And I'm excited too with this reopening. 897 00:46:27,360 --> 00:46:29,640 I saw the description online said something about like 898 00:46:29,640 --> 00:46:32,800 whimsical Disney touches. And all I'm hoping is maybe 899 00:46:32,800 --> 00:46:35,760 it'll be anything like Tokyo Disneyland where they have like 900 00:46:35,760 --> 00:46:39,280 the really cute themed like pastries and whatnot. 901 00:46:39,280 --> 00:46:42,480 Like it. It'd be so it could be great. 902 00:46:42,480 --> 00:46:43,800 I don't know maybe my expectations. 903 00:46:43,800 --> 00:46:46,880 Yeah, you could if you would, if you would just go all in with 904 00:46:46,880 --> 00:46:48,640 like Alice in Wonderland or something. 905 00:46:49,080 --> 00:46:52,040 I think it would be so cool. And that room I think has some 906 00:46:52,040 --> 00:46:55,680 of the best views of like the grounds of the Grand Floridian. 907 00:46:56,320 --> 00:46:58,920 So it'll be cool to just be able to sit there and take that in. 908 00:46:58,920 --> 00:47:02,640 So excited for that as we head into 2026. 909 00:47:03,440 --> 00:47:06,120 A big win for DVC over the course of the past year, and I 910 00:47:06,120 --> 00:47:09,520 think we've we've kind of said this multiple times, is that 911 00:47:09,520 --> 00:47:12,640 they've been doing a better job of attraction previews, you 912 00:47:12,640 --> 00:47:15,960 know, the, the special meat and treat events, those magical 913 00:47:15,960 --> 00:47:19,040 extras that have been like just peppered in throughout the year 914 00:47:19,040 --> 00:47:21,320 in additional the moonlight magic events. 915 00:47:22,080 --> 00:47:25,920 So we had the test track preview and they did the Zootopia better 916 00:47:25,920 --> 00:47:29,080 zoogether. They also sent emails to like 917 00:47:29,080 --> 00:47:32,280 Florida locals that were Disney Vacation Club members providing 918 00:47:32,280 --> 00:47:37,480 them with preview opportunities. So Lauren, any thoughts here? 919 00:47:37,520 --> 00:47:41,400 Like, I think it's just been a big win overall for Yeah I. 920 00:47:41,720 --> 00:47:45,000 Mean it's a big win overall I think some of us as locals love 921 00:47:45,000 --> 00:47:47,880 that they extended invitations beyond just those with resort 922 00:47:47,880 --> 00:47:51,640 stays and if they're really trying to make that distinction 923 00:47:51,640 --> 00:47:54,480 between you know direct and resale and trying to push those 924 00:47:54,480 --> 00:47:58,920 membership extras like this was a great way to do it I mean I. 925 00:47:59,120 --> 00:48:01,800 Think. I don't know if we'd ever get to 926 00:48:01,800 --> 00:48:05,040 the point where maybe they'd include us in like previews of 927 00:48:05,040 --> 00:48:06,760 the new lands when they finally open. 928 00:48:06,760 --> 00:48:09,440 Like America? And like that would be really 929 00:48:09,440 --> 00:48:11,760 cool. Yeah, but that is, that is such 930 00:48:11,760 --> 00:48:14,520 a great point because, you know, they want to distinguish 931 00:48:14,520 --> 00:48:17,680 themselves away from resale. They want the perks to be 932 00:48:17,680 --> 00:48:19,920 enticing. But then for so long it was 933 00:48:19,920 --> 00:48:23,400 like, well, we've got these perks and you buy resale, but 934 00:48:23,400 --> 00:48:26,120 you have to be staying here and you have to be on using your 935 00:48:26,120 --> 00:48:27,360 points. You have to be, you know what I 936 00:48:27,360 --> 00:48:29,000 mean? And a lot of us locals like we 937 00:48:29,320 --> 00:48:31,120 we do like a few nights here and there. 938 00:48:31,120 --> 00:48:33,680 So it's less likely that a trip lines up, but we have more 939 00:48:33,680 --> 00:48:36,240 flexibility. So the fact that they literally 940 00:48:36,240 --> 00:48:40,760 like emailed everyone who lived with an X amount of radius of 941 00:48:41,120 --> 00:48:45,120 Disney, you know, that offer, we didn't even get to go, but that 942 00:48:45,120 --> 00:48:46,600 was really cool. So. 943 00:48:46,920 --> 00:48:50,880 Yep, and I heard that from a resale perspective that Derek is 944 00:48:50,880 --> 00:48:54,680 throwing a pool party moonlight magic at his house next year. 945 00:48:54,680 --> 00:48:57,960 Yeah. Exactly, exactly. 946 00:48:57,960 --> 00:49:00,160 I don't think he uses the pool. I've been to a top. 947 00:49:00,320 --> 00:49:05,800 Several It's just a showpiece. You, you just haven't been on 948 00:49:05,800 --> 00:49:07,560 the right day. There's nothing better than 949 00:49:08,480 --> 00:49:11,480 floating in my pool eating a Beaver tail with sauerkraut. 950 00:49:11,920 --> 00:49:15,120 It's heaven. Oh my gosh. 951 00:49:15,560 --> 00:49:17,840 Just really quick on these previews because this is the 952 00:49:17,840 --> 00:49:20,960 first time that, you know, we just moved down here recently. 953 00:49:20,960 --> 00:49:24,160 So from a local's point of view, we got to do both of them, Test 954 00:49:24,160 --> 00:49:28,440 Track and Zootopia. We saw Lauren at Test Track we 955 00:49:28,440 --> 00:49:30,640 covered. Zootopia test track you said we 956 00:49:30,640 --> 00:49:31,320 didn't. What's that? 957 00:49:31,440 --> 00:49:32,960 Did we go to DVC or the annual house? 958 00:49:32,960 --> 00:49:34,600 I think we did go to DVC that time. 959 00:49:34,600 --> 00:49:36,440 I think we OK. I'm sorry I lied it I was 960 00:49:36,440 --> 00:49:37,840 thinking it's. Been a year, folks. 961 00:49:39,840 --> 00:49:43,800 I just love that not only are they offering these things and 962 00:49:43,800 --> 00:49:47,200 and I guess again, making us feel special that we're members, 963 00:49:47,600 --> 00:49:49,560 but they're starting to bring stuff back like the tea room 964 00:49:49,560 --> 00:49:53,280 that we just talked about. Like it's been so much talk over 965 00:49:53,280 --> 00:49:58,120 the last couple years of guess what's coming and now stuff is 966 00:49:58,120 --> 00:50:01,320 finally getting here. You know, Monsters Inc and rock 967 00:50:01,320 --> 00:50:02,960 and roller coaster. Those kinds of things are not 968 00:50:02,960 --> 00:50:05,160 too far down the road. We got our Zootopia. 969 00:50:05,320 --> 00:50:08,040 I know a lot of people hated on it, but I freaking loved it. 970 00:50:08,200 --> 00:50:11,720 And I thought the test track was a really, really nice overlay. 971 00:50:11,720 --> 00:50:15,520 It's just nice that construction walls are starting to come down. 972 00:50:15,520 --> 00:50:19,920 I know they're going up other places, but it feels like we're 973 00:50:19,920 --> 00:50:22,360 getting. More, Yeah, yeah, definite 974 00:50:22,360 --> 00:50:25,280 progress moving forward. Rounding things out for our 975 00:50:25,280 --> 00:50:27,680 discussion tonight of everything that's happened. 976 00:50:28,080 --> 00:50:31,760 Again, just want to preface, if there was any groundbreaking 977 00:50:31,760 --> 00:50:34,720 news that came out of the condo association meeting, I'm sure 978 00:50:34,720 --> 00:50:37,680 Lauren has updated this article with it before it went out. 979 00:50:37,680 --> 00:50:41,520 But you know, we're, we're recording this the day before 980 00:50:41,520 --> 00:50:43,960 those happening. I, I honestly am not expecting 981 00:50:43,960 --> 00:50:46,600 anything out of those meetings. So I'd be surprised if future 982 00:50:46,600 --> 00:50:49,760 ball comes in and tells, tells you that I was completely wrong. 983 00:50:49,760 --> 00:50:51,520 But maybe he will. You'll never know. 984 00:50:52,000 --> 00:50:54,920 But to round out the year, the the big things that we always 985 00:50:54,920 --> 00:50:58,280 expect, you know, our point charts. 986 00:50:58,280 --> 00:51:03,160 And so we had our 2027 point charts came out about a week ago 987 00:51:03,160 --> 00:51:06,040 as a filming this. Lauren, you put together a great 988 00:51:06,040 --> 00:51:09,600 article that kind of summarized, you know, the, the bigger 989 00:51:09,600 --> 00:51:11,320 changes that that happened in those. 990 00:51:11,320 --> 00:51:13,000 Why don't you walk us through those just a smidge? 991 00:51:13,760 --> 00:51:16,680 Laura, I think the the big highlights reel is really with 992 00:51:16,720 --> 00:51:19,240 Animal Kingdom Lodge, specifically the Jumbo House 993 00:51:19,240 --> 00:51:22,920 rooms and Polynesians. So starting with Animal Kingdom 994 00:51:22,920 --> 00:51:28,960 Lodge, we saw a shift where some of the harder to book rooms, the 995 00:51:28,960 --> 00:51:32,920 value rooms, the concierge ones, they were actually increased in 996 00:51:32,920 --> 00:51:36,680 point value and kind of balanced out by some of the Savannah View 997 00:51:36,680 --> 00:51:39,760 rooms. Hopefully that'll help with 998 00:51:39,760 --> 00:51:41,560 balancing demand. I don't know. 999 00:51:41,920 --> 00:51:46,520 With Sophia rooms, I'm sure the impact won't be significant, but 1000 00:51:46,520 --> 00:51:49,520 it is a shift in the right direction I think in terms of 1001 00:51:49,520 --> 00:51:53,280 trying to balance demand. The Poly side was actually more 1002 00:51:53,280 --> 00:51:55,160 interesting with the points chart because if you looked at 1003 00:51:55,160 --> 00:51:58,400 just the chart alone, it looked like the first two travel 1004 00:51:58,400 --> 00:52:01,880 periods had all these increases and you're looking at the chart 1005 00:52:01,880 --> 00:52:05,280 trying to figure out, OK, so where's the kind of balancing 1006 00:52:05,280 --> 00:52:07,720 decrease and it's nowhere to be seen. 1007 00:52:08,120 --> 00:52:12,840 But it sounds like DVC may be reallocating some of the theme 1008 00:52:12,840 --> 00:52:17,520 park view rooms and making them either preferred some of the 1009 00:52:17,520 --> 00:52:20,240 ones that are less than optimal theme park views. 1010 00:52:20,240 --> 00:52:23,200 Maybe that first floor where clearly there are some 1011 00:52:23,200 --> 00:52:27,680 obstructive views that maybe not worth that full theme park view 1012 00:52:27,840 --> 00:52:30,520 price. And that's something that we 1013 00:52:30,520 --> 00:52:32,960 have yet to confirm though. So hopefully after this gets 1014 00:52:32,960 --> 00:52:35,960 recorded, we might learn something more about this and 1015 00:52:35,960 --> 00:52:39,280 what's going on at the Poly. Yeah, there's, there's huge 1016 00:52:39,280 --> 00:52:41,800 chatter about it. I know online just about, you 1017 00:52:41,800 --> 00:52:44,760 know, trying to, to get more clarity about that. 1018 00:52:44,760 --> 00:52:47,640 And as I said before, when we, Amy and I talked about this on a 1019 00:52:47,640 --> 00:52:51,800 live stream a few weeks back, but just, you know, 1020 00:52:51,800 --> 00:52:55,000 communication is key here. You know, this is now, now we're 1021 00:52:55,000 --> 00:52:59,560 having this giant online debate about an issue that has come up 1022 00:52:59,560 --> 00:53:03,160 in Disney Vacation Club in the past where they've tried to 1023 00:53:03,160 --> 00:53:06,520 rebalance point charts. And, you know, basically the 1024 00:53:06,520 --> 00:53:09,920 community community has come back and said, hey, you didn't 1025 00:53:09,920 --> 00:53:12,080 do this right? Like you didn't do this within 1026 00:53:12,080 --> 00:53:14,640 the guidelines that you've set. And they've actually had to 1027 00:53:14,640 --> 00:53:16,640 reissue point charts as a result. 1028 00:53:17,200 --> 00:53:20,040 Now, I don't expect that to be the case this year, Lauren, as 1029 00:53:20,040 --> 00:53:23,120 you said, I think that, you know, I think we are seeing just 1030 00:53:23,120 --> 00:53:26,640 rebalancing between, you know, a theme park view and a preferred 1031 00:53:26,640 --> 00:53:29,000 view by the time this goes up. Hopefully we've gotten that 1032 00:53:29,000 --> 00:53:31,120 clarification out of the condo association meeting because I 1033 00:53:31,120 --> 00:53:33,560 can tell you there's dozens of people just waiting to ask these 1034 00:53:33,560 --> 00:53:37,120 questions. But that that single line, you 1035 00:53:37,120 --> 00:53:41,200 know, a single line or paragraph with the Polynesian. 1036 00:53:41,200 --> 00:53:46,160 Like like X amount of rooms were were, you know, switched from 1037 00:53:46,200 --> 00:53:49,880 the park designation to blank designation based on member 1038 00:53:49,880 --> 00:53:51,240 feedback of, you know what I mean? 1039 00:53:51,240 --> 00:53:53,400 Like anything like that, If that's because we're just 1040 00:53:53,400 --> 00:53:56,000 guessing, we're just guessing. We don't know if that's even 1041 00:53:56,120 --> 00:53:58,440 what happened. Same thing. 1042 00:53:58,560 --> 00:54:01,400 Same thing with explaining, you know, the, the animal Kingdom 1043 00:54:01,400 --> 00:54:03,680 jumbo house changes. You know, for a lot of people, 1044 00:54:03,680 --> 00:54:05,280 they're still scratching their heads about that. 1045 00:54:05,280 --> 00:54:08,040 They don't, you know, view the charts as much as we do to like, 1046 00:54:08,040 --> 00:54:11,720 understand that they moved to Savannah viewpoints to kind of 1047 00:54:11,760 --> 00:54:16,040 compensate for that. But yeah, I, I, I don't know, 1048 00:54:16,040 --> 00:54:18,440 that's just my theme here. As we kind of are rounding out 1049 00:54:18,440 --> 00:54:22,840 the end of the year is just a just a lack of communication on, 1050 00:54:22,840 --> 00:54:25,240 you know, you're, you're getting the member base upset about 1051 00:54:25,240 --> 00:54:28,000 things that, you know, they could just be like, oh, OK, 1052 00:54:28,680 --> 00:54:31,840 because you explained it. Pretty, pretty simple process. 1053 00:54:32,520 --> 00:54:34,880 You know, I have to. I asked Derek to explain himself 1054 00:54:34,880 --> 00:54:36,680 when he sends us random text messages all the time. 1055 00:54:36,680 --> 00:54:42,640 He's gotten better at that too. So like the other thing that 1056 00:54:42,640 --> 00:54:44,680 kind of rolled out with the point charts at the end of the 1057 00:54:44,680 --> 00:54:49,560 year was again, a communication thing, but it was the $500 1058 00:54:49,560 --> 00:54:54,600 resale contract admin fee that was added to Closings that are 1059 00:54:54,600 --> 00:54:58,240 occurring beginning January 1st or I guess contracts that are 1060 00:54:58,240 --> 00:55:03,600 occurring beginning January 1st. Derek, I, I know it's kind of 1061 00:55:03,640 --> 00:55:07,080 there's just been some turmoil here getting clear 1062 00:55:07,080 --> 00:55:10,240 communication, I guess over the course of the past week or so, 1063 00:55:10,240 --> 00:55:12,280 because we're right, we're right in the middle of it now. 1064 00:55:12,280 --> 00:55:14,280 It'll be old news by the time this goes up. 1065 00:55:14,280 --> 00:55:18,520 But yeah, it's it's been kind of a a new craziness in the resale 1066 00:55:18,520 --> 00:55:20,680 world. It is, yeah. 1067 00:55:20,680 --> 00:55:23,200 And I was actually at the Boulder Ridge. 1068 00:55:23,200 --> 00:55:27,000 So we were at Wilderness Lodge, my wife and I, when that news 1069 00:55:27,000 --> 00:55:29,640 came out. And, you know, we got emails 1070 00:55:29,640 --> 00:55:32,720 from our company president saying we're still trying to get 1071 00:55:32,720 --> 00:55:35,480 clarification, We're still trying to get all the details. 1072 00:55:35,480 --> 00:55:38,200 And of course, it hits, you know, the World Wide Web that 1073 00:55:38,200 --> 00:55:40,640 the kids love to go on. And then it's everywhere. 1074 00:55:40,640 --> 00:55:43,080 Like everybody's asking us, you know, what's the 500? 1075 00:55:43,080 --> 00:55:46,680 When does it start? If I have a contract in Roe for, 1076 00:55:46,680 --> 00:55:48,720 you know, right now, do I have to pay the 500? 1077 00:55:48,720 --> 00:55:51,840 Is it only for people, you know, joining after January 1st? 1078 00:55:52,120 --> 00:55:55,720 So I think honest to God, I think Disney didn't mean for 1079 00:55:55,720 --> 00:55:58,480 that to to be posted on their side. 1080 00:55:58,560 --> 00:56:02,680 So I think somehow something went awry where it wound up and 1081 00:56:02,680 --> 00:56:05,720 they weren't fully prepared for it because it took us several, 1082 00:56:05,720 --> 00:56:10,000 several days to finally get a hold of people at Disney to just 1083 00:56:10,240 --> 00:56:12,360 get the most basic clarification. 1084 00:56:12,360 --> 00:56:15,720 Because again, my thing about this, this is, and again, we'll 1085 00:56:15,840 --> 00:56:18,920 talk about it on, you know, I'm sure another show, but it's, 1086 00:56:18,960 --> 00:56:23,160 it's a very, very common thing when it comes to, you know, in 1087 00:56:23,160 --> 00:56:26,600 the world of timeshare, you know, doing this transfer fee, 1088 00:56:26,600 --> 00:56:29,240 doing an administrative fee, what not. 1089 00:56:29,680 --> 00:56:32,960 I think what took people off guard was that a, there was no 1090 00:56:33,080 --> 00:56:34,960 announcement, there was no warning. 1091 00:56:35,360 --> 00:56:38,400 And I mean, I'm sorry, they went from like zero to 60. 1092 00:56:38,520 --> 00:56:41,400 Like, you know, it wasn't like, hey, we're going to implement 1093 00:56:41,400 --> 00:56:45,280 $100 or it's going to be 150. It was just like, I don't know 1094 00:56:45,280 --> 00:56:47,080 if they're just throwing darts and they're like, I don't know, 1095 00:56:47,320 --> 00:56:51,800 500, OK, let's make it 500. So we have people now. 1096 00:56:51,800 --> 00:56:54,840 And of course now it is news that if you're thinking about it 1097 00:56:54,840 --> 00:56:58,560 or you're on the fence and you want to save $500, do it before 1098 00:56:58,560 --> 00:57:01,320 January 1st. So make sure that you do that 1099 00:57:01,320 --> 00:57:05,080 before because it will start and it's 500 and no one knows you 1100 00:57:05,080 --> 00:57:07,000 know what it's going to be like next year. 1101 00:57:07,040 --> 00:57:10,080 Does it start at 500? Stay at 500. 1102 00:57:10,080 --> 00:57:13,560 It's always just kind of been a, you know, kind of a gentleman 1103 00:57:13,600 --> 00:57:15,800 agreement that, you know, I think that we've had with 1104 00:57:15,800 --> 00:57:18,400 Disney, you know, doing, you know, 10s of thousands of 1105 00:57:18,400 --> 00:57:20,960 contracts with them over the years. 1106 00:57:20,960 --> 00:57:25,640 This was always a possibility. It was always there, you know, 1107 00:57:25,680 --> 00:57:29,040 in writing, you know, almost like one of those, you know, in 1108 00:57:29,040 --> 00:57:32,400 case of emergency break glass, you know, here's like a, you 1109 00:57:32,400 --> 00:57:35,560 know, a special drawer like, hey, do you know, we can get a 1110 00:57:35,560 --> 00:57:38,960 couple 1,000,000 bucks if we just implement a $500 fee. 1111 00:57:39,880 --> 00:57:43,400 I'm not sure what made them do it, but it's always been a 1112 00:57:43,400 --> 00:57:46,360 possibility that they could have done it just because we've 1113 00:57:46,360 --> 00:57:48,880 always, you know, said, listen, there's no upfront fees. 1114 00:57:49,000 --> 00:57:52,160 DVC resale market, other companies charge you, you know, 1115 00:57:52,440 --> 00:57:56,480 clerical fees, administrative fees, everything else. 1116 00:57:57,000 --> 00:57:59,720 We don't you know, we don't have any hidden fees. 1117 00:57:59,720 --> 00:58:03,120 So that's what we just wanted to be fully transparent. 1118 00:58:03,120 --> 00:58:06,520 So that's always what we don't like is when news comes out and 1119 00:58:06,520 --> 00:58:09,440 Disney's not able to answer our questions and we're like, we 1120 00:58:09,440 --> 00:58:12,320 just want to tell these people, yes, you're safe. 1121 00:58:12,320 --> 00:58:15,480 You don't have to pay the 500. So how we finally have? 1122 00:58:15,520 --> 00:58:17,520 We just, we just want to educate. 1123 00:58:17,520 --> 00:58:20,320 We just want to tell our base what what the heck is going on. 1124 00:58:20,880 --> 00:58:25,320 Yeah, it's like you said, you know, we could get into a thing 1125 00:58:25,320 --> 00:58:27,240 about like, oh, should they be doing it? 1126 00:58:27,320 --> 00:58:29,680 Is it, you know, right for Disney to do it? 1127 00:58:29,680 --> 00:58:32,760 Is it just a cash grab? Again, almost every other 1128 00:58:32,760 --> 00:58:35,800 timeshare company has this, so that's not the thing. 1129 00:58:36,440 --> 00:58:39,360 I think for us it was just just be transparent about it. 1130 00:58:39,400 --> 00:58:43,440 You know, don't just throw it on your website at like 12 O one on 1131 00:58:43,440 --> 00:58:47,160 a random Monday only to have people discover it. 1132 00:58:47,160 --> 00:58:49,480 You know, put out a press release and again, like you 1133 00:58:49,480 --> 00:58:54,480 said, here's why we're doing it. Here's why, because guys, we're 1134 00:58:54,480 --> 00:58:56,640 going to get you through roefer faster. 1135 00:58:56,640 --> 00:58:59,360 We're going to be able to transfer those points from your 1136 00:58:59,360 --> 00:59:01,360 contract closing because of this. 1137 00:59:01,600 --> 00:59:06,160 This is going to allow us to hire more people so we could get 1138 00:59:06,160 --> 00:59:08,560 your contract and transfer your points faster. 1139 00:59:08,800 --> 00:59:10,960 Just give us the give us the why. 1140 00:59:11,360 --> 00:59:15,240 Why are you doing it? I've, I've said for years, if 1141 00:59:15,240 --> 00:59:19,320 Disney Vacation Club's listing, you know, info@dvcfan.com, we 1142 00:59:19,320 --> 00:59:21,840 will publish any news you want us to put out there. 1143 00:59:21,880 --> 00:59:24,840 We just want to educate, you know, you know, the people that 1144 00:59:24,840 --> 00:59:27,360 are out there considering this product, whether it is direct 1145 00:59:27,360 --> 00:59:32,480 or, or it is resale, you know, we just want to to do best 1146 00:59:32,480 --> 00:59:36,280 educate those people on what they're buying, what new things 1147 00:59:36,280 --> 00:59:39,000 are coming out, all that. Kind of stuff and prevent panic, 1148 00:59:39,120 --> 00:59:41,280 you know, because that's exactly what happens. 1149 00:59:41,280 --> 00:59:43,320 Like I mean first world problems. 1150 00:59:43,320 --> 00:59:46,640 I understand what we're panicking about, but you know 1151 00:59:46,640 --> 00:59:48,280 that's what happens. You get all these people and 1152 00:59:48,280 --> 00:59:51,040 they're they're coming at, you know, they're coming at Derek 1153 00:59:51,040 --> 00:59:53,640 with all these questions and some there's people still were 1154 00:59:53,640 --> 00:59:56,120 like, I might cancel my contract or you know what I mean? 1155 00:59:56,120 --> 01:00:00,360 And just the the not knowing and not understanding is just 1156 01:00:00,640 --> 01:00:02,160 unnecessary. Yeah. 1157 01:00:04,000 --> 01:00:08,400 To wrap us up for the evening, I did want to take us forward in 1158 01:00:08,400 --> 01:00:15,920 time and be Nostraderik Miss and predict the future of what we 1159 01:00:15,920 --> 01:00:18,840 might see in 2027. Jeff, I'm going to kick things 1160 01:00:18,840 --> 01:00:21,400 off with you. Give us. 2027 I'm. 1161 01:00:21,400 --> 01:00:24,600 Sorry. 2026 I'm already old. OK. 1162 01:00:24,720 --> 01:00:26,240 I had. The sad part is I had to think 1163 01:00:26,240 --> 01:00:28,920 about it for like 1/2 minute. Like, wait a minute. 1164 01:00:28,920 --> 01:00:33,640 No, wait. Jeff, give us one thing for 2026 1165 01:00:33,640 --> 01:00:36,920 that you think might, might make this list for Lauren to write 1166 01:00:36,920 --> 01:00:40,680 about next year. I think you're going to see 1167 01:00:40,760 --> 01:00:46,360 member previews for Big Thunder and Rock and Roller Coaster with 1168 01:00:46,360 --> 01:00:47,960 The Muppets. I think those are the those are 1169 01:00:47,960 --> 01:00:51,040 the two things I'm excited for. Feels like Big Thunder has been 1170 01:00:51,040 --> 01:00:54,480 closed since like 19420. My gosh, right. 1171 01:00:54,640 --> 01:00:56,560 One of Krieger's favorite rides, so I. 1172 01:00:57,000 --> 01:00:59,960 Know. I'm, I'm excited for those to 1173 01:00:59,960 --> 01:01:01,440 reopen. I'm a Muppets fan. 1174 01:01:01,440 --> 01:01:03,080 I'm excited to see what they do with it. 1175 01:01:03,080 --> 01:01:06,360 I hope they don't screw it up. So yeah, I'm, I'm excited for 1176 01:01:06,480 --> 01:01:09,360 for the prospect of that. Amy, what's on your? 1177 01:01:09,800 --> 01:01:12,600 Sorry, I was just imagining how they could screw up The Muppets, 1178 01:01:12,600 --> 01:01:16,040 and I was like seeing just like cardboard cutouts, like with the 1179 01:01:16,040 --> 01:01:21,000 neon, like just asphyxiated to the existing stuff. 1180 01:01:22,400 --> 01:01:24,640 OK. Oh gosh, can you come back to 1181 01:01:24,640 --> 01:01:26,080 me? I need a thing for a minute. 1182 01:01:26,400 --> 01:01:30,880 OK, mine's very simple. Any news whatsoever for 1183 01:01:30,880 --> 01:01:33,200 Lakeshore Lodge? Just anything really. 1184 01:01:33,200 --> 01:01:36,360 Just again, just show us picture reflections and going, hey, 1185 01:01:36,360 --> 01:01:39,080 we're going with this. And then we know that we've got 1186 01:01:39,080 --> 01:01:41,960 95% of the concept art and everything and we know exactly 1187 01:01:41,960 --> 01:01:44,640 what your plan is. Pretty sure that's that is the 1188 01:01:44,640 --> 01:01:47,160 case. But you know, just confirmation 1189 01:01:47,160 --> 01:01:49,960 of that. You know, anything, it's for me, 1190 01:01:49,960 --> 01:01:54,760 it's the most unhidden thing that's going on at Walt Disney 1191 01:01:54,760 --> 01:01:57,160 World right now. And I I feel like they think 1192 01:01:57,160 --> 01:02:00,320 they're being sly about it. And I did say this on a previous 1193 01:02:00,320 --> 01:02:02,120 show. I do understand why they're not 1194 01:02:02,120 --> 01:02:06,440 saying a lot because it could potentially affect current sales 1195 01:02:06,480 --> 01:02:10,360 of, you know, Riviera. And I won't say cabins of Fort 1196 01:02:10,360 --> 01:02:12,600 Wilderness because I don't think anything can make those worse at 1197 01:02:12,600 --> 01:02:16,920 this point in time. Polynesian, the island tower 1198 01:02:16,920 --> 01:02:21,120 also going on right now. But that is one of the reasons 1199 01:02:21,120 --> 01:02:23,560 why I imagine they're not disclosing more information 1200 01:02:23,560 --> 01:02:24,960 because they don't want people to go. 1201 01:02:25,200 --> 01:02:28,720 I'm going to wait and see. That's that's, that's probably 1202 01:02:28,720 --> 01:02:32,720 that not the not the objective here, but still just anything 1203 01:02:32,720 --> 01:02:38,360 like just just like let us know just a little little smidgeable, 1204 01:02:38,480 --> 01:02:40,280 as Amy's mom would normally say. Oh, my goodness. 1205 01:02:40,480 --> 01:02:41,920 All right, I've got it. OK, Go. 1206 01:02:42,240 --> 01:02:43,720 The Animal Kingdom refurbishment. 1207 01:02:43,800 --> 01:02:45,040 That's what I'm looking forward to. 1208 01:02:45,160 --> 01:02:48,160 That is out of all the resorts out there right now, that one 1209 01:02:48,160 --> 01:02:52,080 needs the most love. And that's that's our first, our 1210 01:02:52,080 --> 01:02:54,480 first home resort. So yeah. 1211 01:02:54,480 --> 01:02:57,320 We've got, we've got several Animal Kingdom stays booked. 1212 01:02:58,000 --> 01:03:00,880 Yeah, it is already ongoing. The refurbishment is I'm not 1213 01:03:00,880 --> 01:03:04,400 really seeing any. Yeah, I'm just waiting to see, 1214 01:03:04,400 --> 01:03:06,200 you know, what, what's what are they going to do? 1215 01:03:06,200 --> 01:03:08,120 What's it going to look like? What are they going to change? 1216 01:03:08,120 --> 01:03:09,840 Is the furniture going to you know? 1217 01:03:10,080 --> 01:03:12,360 Hoping this age as well. And we already got a concept art 1218 01:03:12,360 --> 01:03:14,160 photo at the condo association meeting. 1219 01:03:14,320 --> 01:03:16,920 Yeah. So that's that's probably high 1220 01:03:16,920 --> 01:03:20,120 up on my list for 2026. Derek, let me predict. 1221 01:03:21,600 --> 01:03:25,400 Well, I was going to say, like you said, Paul is Lakeshore. 1222 01:03:25,440 --> 01:03:27,720 I mean, I'd love to. I don't need to see like the 1223 01:03:27,720 --> 01:03:32,200 appetizer list or anything that specifically detailed, but show 1224 01:03:32,200 --> 01:03:36,280 me what the inside of one of those like a frame cabins will 1225 01:03:36,280 --> 01:03:38,280 look like. Even if it's of course the 1226 01:03:38,280 --> 01:03:40,320 famous artist rendering, that's fine. 1227 01:03:40,320 --> 01:03:44,000 Just give me a feel for what that, you know, lazy river pool 1228 01:03:44,000 --> 01:03:48,120 is supposed to look like. So I think that can only help 1229 01:03:48,120 --> 01:03:52,320 build excitement. But me personally, I'm hoping 1230 01:03:52,320 --> 01:03:57,320 that 2026 is the year that they finally complete the boardwalk 1231 01:03:57,400 --> 01:04:00,360 and they tell us what is happening with Big River Grill, 1232 01:04:00,600 --> 01:04:03,920 what is happening in the Jelly Roll space, what is happening 1233 01:04:03,920 --> 01:04:08,080 with Atlantic, Like what is going on in that part of the 1234 01:04:08,080 --> 01:04:11,280 boardwalk. So I would love to have exciting 1235 01:04:11,280 --> 01:04:14,960 news and not just like a little trickle like, oh, here's this is 1236 01:04:15,040 --> 01:04:17,800 happening and we're going to replace the carnival, right? 1237 01:04:18,000 --> 01:04:20,920 No, like I'm talking like I want to, I know all of it. 1238 01:04:20,920 --> 01:04:23,320 Like here's the big vision for the boardwalk. 1239 01:04:23,320 --> 01:04:26,720 Here's what we're going to do to Atlantic dance and here's Jelly 1240 01:04:26,720 --> 01:04:28,240 rolls and here's big River grill. 1241 01:04:29,000 --> 01:04:31,000 That that place is just so great. 1242 01:04:31,000 --> 01:04:34,680 And I saw someone post I think in DVC fan this week that like 1243 01:04:34,680 --> 01:04:37,800 was there for their first stay and you know, was just kind of 1244 01:04:37,800 --> 01:04:40,480 like I was walking around at night and I thought this place 1245 01:04:40,480 --> 01:04:44,040 was supposed to be kind of cool. Like it felt kind of like a like 1246 01:04:44,040 --> 01:04:47,280 a ghost town of it. So I want that to be brought 1247 01:04:47,280 --> 01:04:49,880 back to its, you know, former, former glory. 1248 01:04:49,960 --> 01:04:52,080 One of two announcements are going to occur. 1249 01:04:52,080 --> 01:04:54,120 It's either they're going to announce everything that's going 1250 01:04:54,120 --> 01:04:56,560 into all of those places that are now shuttered or they're 1251 01:04:56,560 --> 01:05:00,200 just going to say we're we're calling it a day with the DVC 1252 01:05:00,200 --> 01:05:02,360 side and we're just going to, you know, cancel all your 1253 01:05:02,360 --> 01:05:05,240 contracts effective immediately and shut this side of the resort 1254 01:05:05,240 --> 01:05:08,960 down because it's just a waste of space for us because there's 1255 01:05:08,960 --> 01:05:12,320 just nothing that that side it is, it is kind of walking it's. 1256 01:05:13,360 --> 01:05:16,000 It's and they took out the the art place too, right? 1257 01:05:16,000 --> 01:05:17,520 The art gallery's gone. Yeah. 1258 01:05:17,520 --> 01:05:19,400 So I mean, they've got to be doing something. 1259 01:05:19,400 --> 01:05:21,720 They're closing too many things on that one side. 1260 01:05:21,720 --> 01:05:24,680 You got a coffee shop and muscles and bustles or whatever 1261 01:05:24,680 --> 01:05:28,840 that whatever the gym is called. That is not it. 1262 01:05:29,920 --> 01:05:32,040 Muscles and something. It might be. 1263 01:05:32,600 --> 01:05:36,760 Muscles. Yeah, thanks, Lauren. 1264 01:05:36,760 --> 01:05:39,920 Save us and and and and wrap this show up. 1265 01:05:39,920 --> 01:05:43,040 What are some of your predictions that might make make 1266 01:05:43,040 --> 01:05:47,040 your list for next year? Yeah, I, I kind of forgot about 1267 01:05:47,040 --> 01:05:50,080 it, but we still have the Saratoga tree house 1268 01:05:50,120 --> 01:05:51,840 refurbishment to look forward to. 1269 01:05:51,840 --> 01:05:55,360 Like we haven't anything like the permit was filed in like 1270 01:05:55,720 --> 01:05:58,960 June and I think it just kind of fell off my radar anyway. 1271 01:05:58,960 --> 01:06:00,880 Yeah. We haven't heard anything and I 1272 01:06:00,880 --> 01:06:04,480 don't think anyone's seen any. No, I saw someone complaining 1273 01:06:04,480 --> 01:06:08,960 about them like, very recently. So yeah, I, I I'm excited. 1274 01:06:08,960 --> 01:06:13,720 I hope that that starts soon. Yeah, that's a good one. 1275 01:06:14,720 --> 01:06:17,600 Is due for its soft goods. I feel like it just had its hard 1276 01:06:17,600 --> 01:06:18,640 good to refurbish. I know. 1277 01:06:19,480 --> 01:06:20,840 Well, again. So here we go. 1278 01:06:21,280 --> 01:06:23,880 Back around and making a lot of people nervous, because I know 1279 01:06:23,880 --> 01:06:26,600 we were when we were just there for Oktoberfest, we were kind of 1280 01:06:26,600 --> 01:06:30,320 saying if they try to shove a Murphy bed into those 11 1281 01:06:30,320 --> 01:06:34,000 bedrooms or two bedrooms, I don't think that the member base 1282 01:06:34,000 --> 01:06:35,280 is going to be too pleased about. 1283 01:06:35,280 --> 01:06:37,680 That I don't think they will. I don't think they can. 1284 01:06:37,720 --> 01:06:41,360 I think just the layout of the that resort just doesn't bode 1285 01:06:41,400 --> 01:06:44,600 well to it. So hopefully, hopefully they 1286 01:06:44,600 --> 01:06:46,760 don't try to do that. Just keep the lumpy couch bed. 1287 01:06:46,760 --> 01:06:50,800 We'll we'll survive save the charm of old Key West and put it 1288 01:06:50,800 --> 01:06:53,280 that way. Well, that is going to do it for 1289 01:06:53,280 --> 01:06:57,680 our 2025 year in review show. Lauren, thank you again so much 1290 01:06:57,680 --> 01:07:03,520 for joining us for and for this amazing blog that I hope the 1291 01:07:03,520 --> 01:07:06,640 thousands upon millions of viewers of this show decide to 1292 01:07:06,640 --> 01:07:09,200 go go and read read in its entirety. 1293 01:07:09,200 --> 01:07:13,080 She she definitely puts it better than I've than I've kind 1294 01:07:13,080 --> 01:07:15,440 of talked about it over the course of this show. 1295 01:07:15,440 --> 01:07:19,640 So thank you Lauren again for for everything you've done for 1296 01:07:19,640 --> 01:07:23,760 DVC fan this year. And thank you you guys, Jeff, 1297 01:07:23,760 --> 01:07:27,800 Derek, my lovely life, Amy for being a part of the show this 1298 01:07:27,800 --> 01:07:31,000 year. It has been a wonderful 2025 and 1299 01:07:31,000 --> 01:07:36,200 we can't wait to share all of the fun things that 2026 has to 1300 01:07:36,200 --> 01:07:39,840 bring us with Walt Disney World, Disney Vacation Club and beyond. 1301 01:07:40,280 --> 01:07:41,560 So. Happy New Year. 1302 01:07:41,600 --> 01:07:43,800 Happy new Year. That'll do it for this week's 1303 01:07:43,800 --> 01:07:47,680 episode of the DVC Show. We will see you next Monday in a 1304 01:07:47,680 --> 01:07:51,600 new year. Sauerkraut for everybody.