Completely Outraged!!!!!

[Disneyworldfan_In_CT]

Has everyone seen the article below? This morning was the first I heard of it and I am completely outraged!!!!!

Fans Incensed Over Closure of Disney Club

Entertainment: Firm plans to replace discount program with a credit card. Members say it won't be the same.

By RICHARD VERRIER, TIMES STAFF WRITER

Die-hard Disney fans say they are being shortchanged by the company's decision Monday to shut down a discount club inspired by the company's founder.

The latest dispute between fans and Walt Disney Co.'s corporate managers centers on the Burbank entertainment company's decision to close the Disney Club by next year. The club, which at its peak a year ago had half a million members, gives 10% to 20% discounts off merchandise bought at the Disney Stores, theme park admissions, car rentals and hotel packages at Walt Disney World and Disneyland. Members also get privileges including a subscription to Disney Magazine and advance screenings of movies.

Disney said Monday it would replace the Disney Club with a "co-branded" Disney/Visa credit card with which customers will be able to accumulate points that can be redeemed toward discounts on Disney merchandise and vacations. Although Disney would not comment on the financial terms, such corporate alliances are lucrative and important for Disney as it seeks to shore up its bottom line.

Even so, the decision has incensed the typically passionate Disney fans, who believe the company is relentlessly pursuing the bottom line at their expense.

For them, the club carries special significance because it was a successor to the original Magic Kingdom Club, the storied group Walt Disney created in 1958 to promote Disneyland to Southern California businesses and their employees. And they're still smarting over Disney's decision two years ago to shut down the Magic Kingdom Club and replace it with a similar discount service charging a $39.95 annual subscription fee.

"It's just one more thing they are taking away from guests," said Arlen Miller of Orlando, noting the company's recent decision to raise admission prices at its Walt Disney World theme parks. Although Disney wouldn't discuss details of the planned card, customers will get more and better services and discounts, said company spokesman Gary Foster. Disney does not expect to charge an annual fee for the card, which it will introduce next year. Points will be accumulated based on general credit card purchases.

"We have not forgotten these club members," Foster said. "We do feel like we're developing a program that is going to be much better than the Disney Club."

Disney informed club members that the club will be disbanded Dec. 31 of next year. The company will stop taking memberships by year's end.

 

[alde]

Not certain if this is the place to vent such a thing (as the discussion here is mainly about accomdations, etc) .... but I am by no means a fan of the Disney cooperation. Ok, admittiedly I don't have a clue what it costs to operate the vast empire known as "Disney World" as compared with Universal Studios, but a person would need to take out a second mortage to do all the parks at Disney for a week, which I think is absurd. Ok, so again, perhaps it's not a fair comparison, but to pay nearly $200 to get into one park for one day at Disney is quite expensive. For a few more dollars, the 4 of us (2 adults / 2 children) enjoyed 5 consecutive days at US / IOA. Again, I wish to repeat... I am not comparing the two facilites, but in terms of entertainment .. there was no camparison as far as my wallet was concerned.

 

[luvindisneyworld]

where did you get it was 200.00 dollars to get into disney for one day. we just came back from disney and got our tickets at the disney store and a 4 day hopper pass was only 196.10 to go to all 4 parks as many times as you want to for those 4 days.
misty

 

[CPM]

I'm sure this thread will probably be moved but my opinion is that all Disney does is TAKE< TAKE< TAKE from the consumer. All I ever hear from Disney is cut backs. It doesn't seem to be getting them anywhere! Maybe they should start giving us some great deals for a change, make it worth staying onsite and so on.
I haven't been to Disney in over two years and used to go at least twice a month.

 

[doubletrouble_vb]

I think he meant $200 for a party of 4.

And...Im not that upset about it. I think a number of people have been "non-renewing" their DC cards because the benefits have been tailing off. Its at a point where its only worth it if you are getting a hotel room.

 

[manning]

Don't you love it, ME screws up again!!

 

[WDSearcher]

Originally posted by alde
Ok, so again, perhaps it's not a fair comparison, but to pay nearly $200 to get into one park for one day at Disney is quite expensive. For a few more dollars, the 4 of us (2 adults / 2 children) enjoyed 5 consecutive days at US / IOA. Again, I wish to repeat... I am not comparing the two facilites, but in terms of entertainment .. there was no camparison as far as my wallet was concerned.

Trying to do the math here, so bear with me!

Two adults and two children, four day hopper at Disney = $210 per adult; $169 per kid = $758

Two adult Universal "bonus passes" and two child "bonus passes" = $90 per adult; $77 per kid = $334

So ... yeah. Half price. For a limited time. (Which is what the Universal deal is ... a limited time special.) You also have to use the days consecutively, and it includes two parks, not four. If you decide to go to Universal for two days, go to the beach, and then IOA for two days, you don't get that middle day back. If you go to USF for three days and the next two days are filled with torrential rains, you don't get those two days back. Having been to both USF and IOA, I don't know that I could find five consecutive days of things to do there! (But that's just me ... after the roller coasters, I don't find the Universal parks that applealing. I could certainly spend five days over the course of a year, but not five days in a row. They don't have enough live entertainment.)

So ... there you go. Yup, you can save money at Universal during their "Bonus Pass" promotion. But if Universal's rides and attractions aren't your cup of tea, or if you have young children who won't meet the height requirements for the USF thrill rides, it won't really matter.

Value is in the eyes of the beholder.

 

[luv2nascar]

Oh this was a long time coming
Can anyone say good bye american express and disney club
hello VISA

 

[RoutemanDan]

Originally posted by doubletrouble_vb


And...Im not that upset about it. I think a number of people have been "non-renewing" their DC cards because the benefits have been tailing off. Its at a point where its only worth it if you are getting a hotel room.

Same here.I had no plans of renewing ours in April.I wish they would never have changed from the MKC to begin with.

 

[RRBB]

Personally, I don't think a Disney Visa card is a "replacement" for the Disney Club card. Sure they have an annual fee for the club card that they say they won't have on the credit card, but with the club card you don't have to spend $$$ to "earn" a future discount. The discount happens when you purchase something now. And how many people that can currently afford the club card will be left out because they won't be able to get a credit card or don't want another one.

 

[OnWithTheShow]

I really don't see all that big a change here. I think for the membership fee involved the Disney Club discounts were all but illusionary. At least with the Visa card you will be earning rewards for buying things you would most likely be getting anyway with a different credit card.

 

[EUROPA]

...where is the comapny line ...oh here it is ..better get back to towing it..

 

[Bob O]

Another major cutback for the disney company and it completes the ending of another legacy left by Walt-The Magic Kingdom Club!!! the spin off is now dead in the name of corporate greed!!!
And the money made will probably be sent off to ABC!!

 

[ohanafamily]

OK,
I'm upset too. I will, however, wait until I find out what benefits this new Visa has before I judge whether it is a good thing or a bad thing.

They could (possibly but not probably) give you 10% off on TDS, TDS Online, Park Admission ETC... when purchased with the card. This doesn't give me my AA or Sky Miles, but might convince me to get the card (TDS Online doesn't accept DVC or AP discounts, but they do accept DC; it is possible they might make the program this way, I have seen some merchants do similar things)

I will say that I am quite upset with the passing of "The Disney Card". I am also intrigued by how they are dealing with the lifetime members (I.E. ending the program with them "S.O.L.")

Not a very Disney Thing To Do.

 

[ohanafamily]

OK, here is the one I was told to send my letters to. I think she is as upset as we are, but she promised me she would make sure the letters got to the right place!

Kitty Comer
Attn: Disney Club
P.O. Box 4489
Anaheim, CA 92803-4489

 

[d-r]

Omwiththeshow,
I'm sorry but I disagree with you on this one.

Remember that what has been talked about for months now has been rewards programs for loyal guests.

This is not a rewards program for loyal guests:

1. it excludes those who do not want to use a credit card, do not want another credit card, or who will not be approved for the credit card

2. It is based upon using the credit card to make purchases (that will profit Disney for licensing the card) anywhere, not on making purchases at Disney or from Disney

3. There were many types of discounts offered through the disney club, as well as other types of promotions (member invitations to special movie screenings, the members only web page, etc.)

4. This isn't about learning your tastes and preferences and making special offers accordingly, on the contrary, it is about pressuring your loyal customers to use a branded visa card that will bring Disney increased profit

I think it is pretty insidious.

DR

 

[ohanafamily]

And I will probably agree with you when I find out the details, but let me restate a few of my points "Blunt Force"

1) We do not know what they are offering yet, but we do know the following:
a. Jan 1,2003.
b. We also know that there will be some type of rewards program, a
c. It will have other benefits that will be “better” for DC/MKC members than the DC/MGC currently offers
2) They could issue a card that is more of a debit card for those people with no credit
3) I am horrified about what they will have to do to the people who will not qualify; what about the little girl who saved her money to be a part of “The Magic Kingdom Club” that is underage. She cannot be pre-qualified, there is no way that they will even give her a debit card.
4) My wife and I have been having a long debate; I want to take them at their word until they break it, she wants to assume the card will not fulfill 1.c.. I don’t want to trash the card yet. Please remember, According the DC/MKC there is no official replacement program for the DC/MKC card, this is all rumor/leaked info.
5) I do agree with you that it is a bad thing to remove the DC/MKC card
6) I think that this is an arrogant affront to all members telling us that we will buy anyway.
7) I think it is especially unwise (with the possible legal problems of a class action suit for specific performance) to discontinue this program to the lifetime members. There would be no money in the lawsuit, but Disney guests are very passionate, and this is a right/wrong issue. I, myself, do not have a lifetime membership, but I know they exist.
8) I agree that I don’t need another credit card, and I prefer AA Miles

 

[Bob O]

It is a major change!!!!! What was once free and was available to EVERYONE and offered excellent benefits(Walts way) was changed to a card everybody could still get but had to be paid for and the benefits were reduced.
Now they will offer a charge card that not everybody will be eligible for and not everybody is going to want to add another charge card as that can affect your credit rating with benefits that are supposedly going to be excellant but as we know disney oftens fails on their promises as of late!!!
This shows the difference between Walts disney company and eisners disney company, and we can all see under which one where the guests are less appreciated and looked at as only a cash cow!!

 

[sandramaac]

What about the people who say have bad or damaged credit who wont be able to get the that new card. There are more of them out there than many would imagine. I would assume many who now hold the DC card won't be able to get that visa.

And frankly, what about the people who simply do not want another credit card. Another credit card has an effect on that whole creidt scoring issue---avaliable credit, number of cards active, amount on credit cards---many people are turned down for credit and mortgages not because they have bad credit, but because of their income/debt ratio's. Imagine getting turned down for a mortgage because that new disney visa just pushed you over the top with that ratio.

It is a money issue. They will make more money when people use that new visa to pay for their passes. Be realistic, if you just came home from vacation, and used that card to buy even say just your passes. Then your other bills for the trip come due. Might you not decide to pay half on the dsney visa now, and say half next month--hence disney making the money back that they would lose with just having the discount card.

 

[KNWVIKING]

.... because it was my understanding that an individual could not be a member unless your employer signed up for it and gave it as a perk to its employees. Switching to the DC opened it up to everyone - such as myself. Was I misinformed by my friend who had a MKC ?