New rules for TheClub

[Schooner Member Find all posts View Profile Close Schooner]

Sign on to DRI's website and check under the accounts section for a letter from Sarah Hulme, VP Global Club Operations for new rules including a more constrained cancellation period, the possibility of cancellation and no show fees, $35 fee for guest certificates, etc.

I have just started to read the lengthy new rules and it seems like there are more fees in the offing as well as more rules to protect DRI's interests at the expense of owners.

I would be interested in the analysis of others once they have had a chance to give these rules a close read!

[timeos2 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close timeos2]

The rule changes & fees don't look too bad compared to some others BUT how do they figure $235 for the annual fee is only 5% more than last year? Maybe if you include the screwing we got in 2008 for $75 out of the blue and for nothing - the "Gold" II is WORTHLESS and nothing I would ever choose to pay for nor are any of the so-called enhancements of real value. $235 is really steep and may cause us to reconsider if we wish to stay in the system. It's not a bargain as it has been prior to the Diamond takeover and heavy handed, very costly management style.

[PeelBoy Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close PeelBoy]

Haven't finished reading the letter, though it is only 3 page long.

Noticed DRI has added a few destinations in Asia: Thailand, India and Indonesia. Searched but could not find any available at all. Does anyone know their points requirements (Thailand and Indoensia only) and availability? It may be too early to tell, but I am planning a trip to these two countries in 2009. Thought I would use either DAE or Redweek or even II, but would like to see whether DRI may provide a good deal.

Thanks alot.

[Schooner Member Find all posts View Profile Close Schooner]

The new rules for The Club clearly apply restrictions such as a new $35 fee for guests, a reduced window of opportunity to cancel reservations without penalty (91 days now instead of 60), the possibility of cancellation or a fee for late arrivals on top of loosing your points, etc. These do not however seem to cover anything outside of TheClub.

As such, an interesting question arises. Assuming you could be satisfied with the US Collection will people who quit or decline joining TheClub and stick with the SV1 US Collection ownership type as opposed to TheClub avoid these changes? My bet woud be that any advantage for non Club members will be short lived. DRI will simply amend the instruments governing the SV1 membership type using their stacked Board to impose the same restrictions on the SV1 members. This notwithstanding my contract when I bought the SV1 US Collection last year gave me the 60 day cancellation without penalty, no mention of guest certificates etc.

[Carolinian Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Carolinian]

You might also want to look at the announcement over at Street Talk about the new marketing agreement with a major internet outlet, which appears to be at least partly for rental of DRI inventory to the general public. With a points based organization, management can in effect rent anything it wants to. Granted they do have developer inventory that they can legitimately rent out, the problem is if they push too much of the best inventory there, it diminishes what is availible to members.

[dwmantz Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dwmantz]

There are cancellation fees already!

A guest fee would be new. Its totally free right now. Recently, they even started to allow us to add our own guests online. They also say they reserve the right to limit the number of guest certificates a member can get every year.

Anyone see anything about when these new guest fees are supposed to begin?

[dougp26364 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dougp26364]

There are cancellation fees already!

A guest fee would be new. Its totally free right now. Recently, they even started to allow us to add our own guests online. They also say they reserve the right to limit the number of guest certificates a member can get every year.

Anyone see anything about when these new guest fees are supposed to begin?

The fee's will begin Jan. 1st.

As to the cancelation fee's, it's not that they didn't exist, it's that they've become more restrictive. Fee's begin at 90 days rather than 60 days.

I've said it before, I'll say it again. Owners have NO SAY in which direction DRI will go. Owners are just along for the ride and, you'd better like the direction DRI is going.

Sure they'll put out a survey or two but, what they don't ask in that survey is the important questions of cost. If members had been asked if I'd enjoy having Interval Gold, I'm sure many would reply yes. If they ask about additional enhancements to THE Club I'm sure they'd say yes. What owners keep forgeting is that it's the OWNERS who will pay for all these "enhancements."

If DRI had asked, would you enjoy having Inveval Gold if we increased you club dues from $150 to $225/year, I'm certain there would have been a resounding NO shouted from the member base. I have absoluletly NO USE for Interval Gold membership but I would like to have that 50% increase in Club Dues back and I certainly can't see why they're increasing club dues another 5% this year.

The only thing DRI is a leader in the industry in is overinflated charges to it's owners while providing worthless enhancements that will only increase the value of what they're trying to sell but not actually encrease the value to the majority of it's owners.

I should have known better. I've dealt with DRI since 1998. Still, I fell for the dog and poney show and now I'll have to pay for it.......literally.

[winger Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close winger]

the 60 to 90 days cancellation period is a bummer. less flexibility.

The $35 guest fee...i cannot understand what the letter is saying literally. its a grammar issue i guess. are users allowed one free guest assignment a year and the rest $35?
Posted via Mobile Device

[dougp26364 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dougp26364]

the 60 to 90 days cancellation period is a bummer. less flexibility.

The $35 guest fee...i cannot understand what the letter is saying literally. its a grammar issue i guess. are users allowed one free guest assignment a year and the rest $35?
Posted via Mobile Device

You got it. No more giving your weeks to family or friends unless you cough up another $35 after the first free one.

I guess it's not enough that club dues have gone from $155 to $235 in two short years. DRI is starting to find ways to nickel dime members out of additional fee's.

Double digit increases in MF's at DRI managed resorts, increases in club dues, added benefits that many won't use and extra fee's for benefits members are more likely to use is all part of the master plan DRI has for it's owners. More money, less flexibility, enhancements that aren't really enhancements. The only thing missing now is moving from I.I. to RCI so we can't get decent exchanges for our points.

Oh wait, I'm sure the special assessments will begin to hit owners at DRI managed resorts in the next couple of years. My bet is Polo Towers will see an SA this year or next thanks to the reccurent issue with legioniare's disease in the water system. Lord knows that, despite large MF's in relationship to quality and amenities at the resort, they don't put squat into their reserves. Let's not forget that Polo Towers owners ALREADY paid an SA for a new water treatment system that was suppose to PREVENT a second legionaire's outbreak.

[winger Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close winger]

is this mismanagement's poster child? i am referring to DRI and Polo Towers
Posted via Mobile Device

[dougp26364 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dougp26364]

is this mismanagement's poster child? i am referring to DRI and Polo Towers
Posted via Mobile Device

If Polo Towers isn't the poster child for a mismanaged timeshare resort, I don't know what is. Jockey Club owners were smart when they kicked DRI out of the management role at their resort. Still, even after DRI got the boot, DRI continued to claim Jockey Club as one of it's own.

[winger Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close winger]

Doug. It will really be a truely sad day IF Cloobeck runs Polo Towers (and DRI) 'to the ground' - what I mean is PLT and DRI no longer is an organization we as owners/members can proudly say we belong to - where ownership/membership becomes a drag on our lifestyle instead of a vehicle for taking lifelong family vacations. For a few years there (from approx 2004-2007) we started to doubt our long-term PLT ownership. However with the recent DRI creation we started seeing positive moves to the future and some pride of ownership started taking place, again. Of course, many questions still were unanswered but some positive signs were there. However lately, and your nay-saying has its merits, trust me I know, I am starting to find the 'fence' again.

Time will tell, but I hope Cloobeck and crew do not throw an opportunity of a lifetime down the drain, an opportunity to be a force for positive difference in people's lives - all for what??? but the mighty dollar. Oh, how we as a country have become accustom to this the past decade. And how we as a people have suffered.

Only time will tell, how the Cloobeck legacy will be remembered generations down the road, my grand kids' generation and further.

[djyamyam Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close djyamyam]

The only thing missing now is moving from I.I. to RCI so we can't get decent exchanges for our points.

Don't go giving them ideas!!

Didn't Cloobeck actually post in this forum last year with his direct line and email address? I know Spence edited the info but why doesn't someone drop him a line?

[winger Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close winger]

Don't go giving them ideas!!

Didn't Cloobeck actually post in this forum last year with his direct line and email address? I know Spence edited the info but why doesn't someone drop him a line?

From what I have heard, DRI is responsive - it could be in a positive way or a negative way depending on what your view of an 'issue' is - remember there are always two sides.

I am not sure if people have been sending in /voicing their concerns - but I encourage folks to write to DRI, not necessarily Cloobeck. We are paying customers and DRI should NOT take valid input lightly.

Word-of-mouth is a company's best friend for future business/growth. So a Company is responsive to it's customers, that is a good thing.

[dougp26364 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dougp26364]

Don't go giving them ideas!!

Didn't Cloobeck actually post in this forum last year with his direct line and email address? I know Spence edited the info but why doesn't someone drop him a line?

I have without results.

I did have the director of operations call me after a post on the DRI forums about not getting any responses from the Devbuyback e-mail address and the non-functioning phone number for Devbuyback. I questioned her about the legionaire's outbreak at PT's and she said she was meeting with Troy Magdos that afternoon and would call me back with the results of that converstation. I gave her our cell number as well since we don't hang out by the telephone waiting for DRI employee's to call us. So far there hasn't been a follow up call to let me know what Troy said about the previous SA and the water treatment system that was suppose to be installed and prevent a second episode.

I guess customer service is really just lip service with DRI.