LaughingPlace.com columnist Greg Maletic takes a look at what he considers to be some of the biggest mistakes Disney has made in its theme park operations. Among his criticisms: too much marketing, flat theme park pricing and...the Disney Vacation Club.
Greg's criticims levied toward DVC are actually two-fold: The existence of the Vacation Club itself and the manner in which Disney markets its timeshare operation.
The marketing gripe is pretty self-explanatory; it has become impossible to spend more than a few hours at Walt Disney World without being innundated by the DVC kiosks, brochures and video presentations. Disney has certainly reached a point where its "best kept secret" marketing slogan could not possibly seem more hollow to guests.
But was the creation of the Disney Vacation Club itself a mistake? Greg seems to think so:
I question the result of letting people both 1) feel like they do own the place, and 2) the resultant loss of quality that comes from any vacation plan where your money is taken in advance, the proprietor doesn't have to work for it, and in effect, is really hoping that you won't even show up.
The Disney Vacation Club was founded in 1991 and currently consists of eight resorts located at Walt Disney World, Vero Beach, FL and Hilton Head, SC. Additional locations are being constructed at Disneland Resort in Anaheim, CA and on the Island of Oahu in Hawaii.
Read the complete article at LaughingPlace.com.
