Originally Posted By SuperDry I wonder if a lack of a US credit history would really be a problem in buying a US-based timeshare? I hadn't thought of this before, but consider the number of Europeans and Latin Americans that visit WDW - it would probably be quite nice to sell them DVC memberships, but none of those visitors are going to have US-based credit histories. Also, consider that Disney offers financing themselves, and it's my understanding that the majority of them are sold that way (with the second most common being an all-cash transaction, and borrowing from a third party such as your own bank a distant third). Since Disney runs DVC, there's really not a whole lot of risk in extending credit to someone without a credit history. After all, if you fall far enough behind on your payments, they can just suspend your membership, and at some later point, foreclose on it and just resell your points to someone else. They may not want to sell to a US-based individual with a bad credit record, but it would not surprise me that as a foreign resident, you could walk in to any US-based DVC sales center and walk out as a brand new member with a payment plan.
Originally Posted By Mr X Hadn't really given it that much thought, but I suppose you're right. I just figured they went through banks for the financing (assuming one didn't have 15-30 grand or whatever it is in cash to pay outright).
Originally Posted By SuperDry <<< I just figured they went through banks for the financing (assuming one didn't have 15-30 grand or whatever it is in cash to pay outright). >>> The reason I know the answer is that I tracked down the details back when the banking system was at near-collapse and banks essentially stopped lending. I wondered how this was going to affect DVC sales since most of them are financed. The answer appears that the lending that goes on is between the customer and Disney. So, Disney is making the lending decisions. Prior to the collapse, Disney was securitizing these loans and then selling them to get the cash up front. Although the securities were backed by the amounts receivable on the loans, my understanding was that the money the purchaser owed was still owed to Disney, and the fact that Disney securitized them to get the cash up front was hidden from the purchaser. With the banking system problems, especially what happened to securitized mortgages, suddenly Disney stopped being able to sell the loans. But, that didn't stop them from selling DVC memberships. Now, instead of getting all of the money up front through securitization, they just get the ongoing payment stream from the member. I would imagine that at some point, they'll be able to securitize them once again (if they haven't already). But in any event, apparently for DVC memberships purchased directly from Disney, there is and never was a bank involved in making lending decisions - it's all done by Disney. There's probably someone reading this that knows more details than I do (you know who you are ) and hopefully can correct anything I got wrong.
Originally Posted By Malin The DVC in Ikspiari is opened. DVC kiosk can also be located inside the DisneySea themepark. Check Deep Disney for pictures.
Originally Posted By Mr X Nah, I think I'll just stroll down to Ikspiari this afternoon and see for myself.
Originally Posted By barboy2 I have a another theory as to why Japanese dig on Hawaii(aside from it being tropical and fairly readily accessible): they are still hung over from some homeland firebombs and a couple of big booms. They LOVE Hawaii because they know that they as a nation gave the US its biggest ass-whipping ever on US soil---- even bigger than England's Washington DC ransacking during the Madison days.
Originally Posted By Mr X I don't think so. Most Japanese people I talk to know very little about history nor do they care, and if/when I bring up Pearl Harbor it isn't even always something they're familiar with (certainly not in detail). I think it's remembered by America far more, but for the Japanese it was just another aspect of the war (some people I've talked to didn't even know that it was Japan who "started it" with America).
Originally Posted By MagicalNezumi Very often it's cheaper for Japanese to take a vacation to Hawaii/Guam/Saipan than it is to go to Okinawa. -- MagicalNezumi
Originally Posted By SuperDry <<< Very often it's cheaper for Japanese to take a vacation to Hawaii/Guam/Saipan than it is to go to Okinawa >>> You mean like now, with the yen at 88 to the dollar? Ug.
Originally Posted By Malin *** They LOVE Hawaii because they know that they as a nation gave the US its biggest ass-whipping ever on US soil---- even bigger than England's Washington DC ransacking during the Madison days. *** I some how doubt the Japanese are that anti American. Maybe deep down there is some resentment from some people over the various events of the war. But that would also go for American's and all other nationalities that suffered casualty's during the events of World War II. Some people unfortunately will never be able to drop what happened during that time. I feel most people in Japan would prefer however if the subject was dropped and dusted over. I feel the last thing on the minds of tourist from Japan is to visit the site of where the bombing of Pearl Harbour happened. In a tasteless way of rubbing it in to the yank's faces. Having recently come back from Hiroshima it was rather interesting to see they take on events. No real pointing the finger of blame at anyone. The museum inside Peace Park does a good job of paying tribute to the victims of the bomb and illustrating just how evil nuclear weapons can be when used in war. And calls for all countries holding nuclear weapons to disarm them. They do try and downplay Japan's own actions in the war, but do comment briefly on it too. A further indication that Japan would prefer to erase its actions from the history books.
Originally Posted By Mr X That's the way I see it too, Malin. I hardly thing there are large groups of Japanese tourists saying (or even thinking), "okay, let's decide to visit Hawaii, since we kicked so much ass there back in the war!", (collective) "hai, banzai!!!". No. I don't think so. Barboy does have an interesting imagination though. I dig it.
