I just joined DVC! But now thinking of canceling :(

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Joined: 06/19/2012
Posts: 15
I just joined DVC! But now thinking of canceling :(

I just signed my documents this week and soon could officially be a member of the Disney Vacation Club family. This is a decision I thought out and in the end the decision was emotional for me and comforted me knowing that I would have Disney in my life forever. I am engaged to be married this fall and my fiance and I got engaged at Disney last year and the DVC membership is a gift for her for our wedding as we start our lives together.

Today, I saw a news story that really troubled me and made me question if Disney shares my values and is still the premier place to bring a family. Some may think this is completely unrelated and will say my concerns aren't valid however this is something I think is worth sharing. A concerned mother shared a story about how she was watching Good Morning America earlier this week with her 8 year old son when a commercial for the ABC series "Betrayal" came on her television set. The promo for the show showed a very graphic image of a NAKED couple in a sexual position. Now I have never had an issue with television pushing the limits and trying to be on the cutting edge, but graphic images like this should not be on television at 8:00 in the morning on a DISNEY OWNED NETWORK ABC!!! Read the complete story and see the disturbing image on her blog post here: http://rebecaseitz.wordpress.com/2013/08/08/morning-sex/

I am planning on calling Disney tomorrow to express my concerns. Disney and ABC has always had the reputation as being the family network and I cannot endorse a company with an ownership interest if my values are not being represented on the major national network owned by Disney. My future wife and children don't deserve being exposed to this and Disney should be standing up to ensure their company is represented properly and a family network.

I don't know what I will get as a response from Disney but I truly hope they don't let me down. Disney has always held a special place in my heart and my heart has been smiling knowing through DVC I would have the opportunity to share this with my future family.

Just wanted to share, sorry for a slight rant on my end Smile

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Joined: 03/14/2010
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Hi nish,

Rant away, we have all had our moments where we need to get things off our chest! I have to say though I don't think I would be making a life changing decision based on one advert though. Maybe take a few days to think about it seriously, and then see how you feel Smile

Xxxx

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The one with all the birthdays Oct 14 4 Big Birthdays and a Vow Renewal thrown in
The OMG trip June 14 30th Birthday present from the hubs
Girly trip March 14 A last min cheapy week
September 13 our first all DVC stay
TR May 2013 the last min bargain trip offsite
Oct 2012 TR with a cruise!big family trip featuring the beach club, AKL, the dream and a villa offsite
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Joined: 11/15/2012
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Agree with Robyn think about it for a few days don't do anything hasty. I read her blog and I think it was wrong to show it early. Certainly before the watershed!

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Joined: 07/19/2013
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If you cancel your DVC because of this, you are the one that loses. The ad still runs and you don't get to enjoy Disney World. I wouldn't let this interfere with my vacation plans.

Kristen K.'s picture
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Joined: 09/01/2011
Posts: 23803

I must admit that when Miley Cyrus was on Good Morning America last month, I was VERY upset and sent a couple of nasty letters to the ABC network. Her show was not appropriate for morning TV. I think that there must have been some recent television standards changes, because lately they have been dancing very close to the line.

However please understand that even though ABC and DVC are both owned by Disney on a grand scale - they do not have anything to do with each other on an operational level. I've worked closely with different departments in the Walt Disney Company for several years now, and the business models are not intertwined. You are not going to get the same mission statement from the different businesses, and punishing one because you don't like the other doesn't make sense or do any good. On a purely business level it is as different as if you stopped staying at Hilton because you didn't like a TV commercial run on NBC.

There is totally a way to handle this, and that's to direct your concern to the network - not to DVC. The network needs to know how upset you are. And if you believe that this is tarnishing the overall Disney brand then the Board of Directors needs to know as well. The board of directors is the only real connection between the two companies.

I understand that something someone told you about Disney upset you, I get it, but your outrage should be directed at the proper place. That place is not DVC.

Okay - all that being said - don't try and get out of your DVC contract. DVC has changed my family's life so much for the better. It's given us years a family vacations together and priceless memories. Without a doubt it is the best thing that we have ever done for ourselves. Don't take those wonderful memories away from your family because of a single TV commercial.

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Joined: 11/22/2012
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KenJ wrote:
If you cancel your DVC because of this, you are the one that loses. The ad still runs and you don't get to enjoy Disney World. I wouldn't let this interfere with my vacation plans.

I agree with Ken. Plus, you have to separate Disney World Parks from ABC. Even though they fall under the same mother company, they are different. So it the company that presides over Disney Cruise Line. Completely separate from the parks. I have to admit that if people were to boycott Disney World over everything that seemed offensive, then no one would be going. I think about it like this: (This does not represent MY views, just playing devils advocate)

Gay days/weekend celebration at WDW. Whether or not Disney supports this, it still happens. If you are against homosexuality, would you boycott?

Disney DOES sponsor the Christian weekend. I can't remember what it is called, but famous Christian singers sing and celebrate at Disney AND they charge extra for it! haha If you are a Muslim, Buddhist, Atheist, Jew, etc, would you boycott?

I guess where I am going with this is that they will never and can never please everyone. What is offensive to you may not be offensive to someone else. That TV ad does not offend me in the least bit because I have control over what I watch on TV and what my future kids will watch. There are also some sexual innuendos in Disney movies...but that is another topic!

You have every right to be upset, but I would think hard about it before making a final decision.

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Joined: 07/19/2013
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All good points!

I should also add that personally, I'm not offended by the ad either. There's technically no nudity. Besides, kids see much "worse" stuff than that in real life. Here is a statue that you can typically see in many places. Does this offend? Should kids be shielded from this? This was at an island family resort we stayed at a couple of months ago.

For some reason, North America seems to be very uptight about this type of thing. I'll bet nobody would blink an eye at that ad in Europe.

RobynPrincess's picture
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Joined: 03/14/2010
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As someone in Europe, nope I wouldn't bat an eyelid Wink

__________________

Our Very Merry 24 nighter Nov/Dec 15
Watson's go West May 15
The one with all the birthdays Oct 14 4 Big Birthdays and a Vow Renewal thrown in
The OMG trip June 14 30th Birthday present from the hubs
Girly trip March 14 A last min cheapy week
September 13 our first all DVC stay
TR May 2013 the last min bargain trip offsite
Oct 2012 TR with a cruise!big family trip featuring the beach club, AKL, the dream and a villa offsite
TR on a budget May - June 2011offsite condo
TR Sept - Oct 2010 big family trip in an offsite villa

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Heck from someone in PA, I wouldn't bat an eyelid either! One mans art is another mans porn and vice versa.

And Nish, everyone is entitled to a rant now and then as long as you are not engaging in personal attacks against other members . We all get peeved over something now and then. Oh and your only aloud one good rant every 6 months, so make sure it's a good one! (that last part is not really in the rules).

Kristen K.'s picture
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mrhub wrote:

And Nish, everyone is entitled to a rant now and then as long as you are not engaging in personal attacks against other members . We all get peeved over something now and then.

awesome

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Joined: 06/19/2012
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Thanks for letting me rant guys and I would never rant towards another member. However, I hope people can understand my perspective weather or not you agree. Personally that ad didn't particular offend me either, we have all seen a lot worse on television. I was offended by the fact that my future children could be exposed to something like that while watching the news with their parents in the morning on a Disney owned network. As far as boycotts, I'm not a fan of widespread boycotts and would never suggest or endorse them, however there are certain things I would choose not to expose my family to and we all have the right to do so. I never called DVC instead wrote a letter to the Disney board of directors. Most companies I wouldn't expect a response but I hope Disney won't let me down. As far as my DVC membership that is still yet to be determined, I still don't close for another 10 days mickey

Mandy's picture
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Joined: 06/18/2013
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If it's any help, I've been told that Disney replies to every letter they get at the parks and resorts in Florida. I surely hope that they would do the same for the board of directors.

Allie's picture
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Joined: 06/26/2012
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I don't necessarily agree with your stance, but I can respect and understand it. I do agree with the others though that dropping your DVC does not punish ABC for the ad and will deprive you of years of memories with your family so I really don't think it's the best way to go about making your point. Contacting the board or ABC directly is the best move you can make to have your voice heard, IMO.