After yet another price increase on Disney World park tickets, I find it necessary to voice my concerns as a longtime DVC Member. I find it interesting that when I purchased into the Disney Vacation Club over ten years ago, one of the main selling points was that by becoming a member it would be much more affordable to visit Disney year after year. This was also stressed with the cost comparison of how becoming a DVC Member “pays” for itself after only six or seven trips. Well I am sad to say that becoming a DVC member, whether it was today or ten years ago is no longer financially a great value.
It is a sad day to see something that was originally introduced as a way to get loyal Disney customers coming back year after year at a more economical price by purchasing a piece of the “World”, but now is nothing more than an exploited money machine that has hijacked the vacation futures of thousands of members. It is unimaginable that a family of four now has to pay over $2,100.00 for a set of four regular Disney World Annual Passes. Throw in the cost of four airline tickets which are typically between $300 and $400 a person and you are looking at another $1,600.00. But wait, if you were thinking of adding the meal plan to your reservation, be ready to pony up the $60.04 per adult and $19.23 for each child under 9 per night. If you factor in your annual dues of roughly $1,000 on a modestly sized contract of 200 points, then the average family of four could pay as much as $6,000.00 a year for a one week stay.
That is absolutely absurd considering that a non DVC Member can book a one week Disney Vacation with both park passes and meal plan for the entire stay in a regular garden view room for $6,200.00 before air fare. Obviously that price is even cheaper if you are staying at a value resort. So I ask you, “What is the real economic advantage of being a DVC Member anymore?” I just don’t understand how they can honestly look themselves in the mirror when they create a new resort and not only charge incredibly high amounts on a per point basis, but also require the per point charges to be so unbelievably high that families are required to purchase 500 or 600 hundred points for a one week trip to Disney that with annual dues will cost a family of four close to $7,000.00 every single year. Not to mention the initial cost of buying into the membership, which currently at $165 a point would make a 600 point purchase cost $99,000.00!
I am sorry, but $100,000.00 to have the “privilege” of being a Disney Vacation Member is just not worth it. As Disney Vacation Members, you would think that we are Disney’s most important customers. After all, we have invested in the company and are committed to vacationing there year after year. Our park passes should have been included with our memberships as they were when the program was originally created. It seems that DVC members are constantly losing more and more privileges and are significantly undervalued because Disney feels that they have us over a barrel and we are locked in by a contract and are therefore obligated to pay the dues and the loans. DVC Members will continue to go to Disney for that very reason because they have so much money invested in the program.
If you think I am mistaken, then I ask this one simple question. With the most recent price increase over the weekend, why was the price of a Non-Member Annual Pass raised only $25 whereas the price of the Disney Vacation Club Annual Pass raised $44? This most recent price increase comes after Disney experienced a 7% increase of park attendance in 2014 so Disney cannot complain that they are struggling. No they are becoming a greedy, exploitive company that goes against everything that Walt Disney created Disneyland and Disney World for in the first place. I have to imagine that Walt would be rolling over in his grave if he realized what has become of his dream and I find it extremely sad that this is what the Disney Vacation Club has become. I could not imagine buying into the membership today and as the prices continue to climb, I constantly wonder if I have made a huge mistake. If you do the math, you can certainly see that the “value” of the DVC is no longer there. As a member, I can only wish that if enough of us complain and voice our unhappiness with the direction of the company that maybe just maybe it will make a difference.
Member since 2004 Deeded at Saratoga Springs
It is a sad day to see something that was originally introduced as a way to get loyal Disney customers coming back year after year at a more economical price by purchasing a piece of the “World”, but now is nothing more than an exploited money machine that has hijacked the vacation futures of thousands of members. It is unimaginable that a family of four now has to pay over $2,100.00 for a set of four regular Disney World Annual Passes. Throw in the cost of four airline tickets which are typically between $300 and $400 a person and you are looking at another $1,600.00. But wait, if you were thinking of adding the meal plan to your reservation, be ready to pony up the $60.04 per adult and $19.23 for each child under 9 per night. If you factor in your annual dues of roughly $1,000 on a modestly sized contract of 200 points, then the average family of four could pay as much as $6,000.00 a year for a one week stay.
That is absolutely absurd considering that a non DVC Member can book a one week Disney Vacation with both park passes and meal plan for the entire stay in a regular garden view room for $6,200.00 before air fare. Obviously that price is even cheaper if you are staying at a value resort. So I ask you, “What is the real economic advantage of being a DVC Member anymore?” I just don’t understand how they can honestly look themselves in the mirror when they create a new resort and not only charge incredibly high amounts on a per point basis, but also require the per point charges to be so unbelievably high that families are required to purchase 500 or 600 hundred points for a one week trip to Disney that with annual dues will cost a family of four close to $7,000.00 every single year. Not to mention the initial cost of buying into the membership, which currently at $165 a point would make a 600 point purchase cost $99,000.00!
I am sorry, but $100,000.00 to have the “privilege” of being a Disney Vacation Member is just not worth it. As Disney Vacation Members, you would think that we are Disney’s most important customers. After all, we have invested in the company and are committed to vacationing there year after year. Our park passes should have been included with our memberships as they were when the program was originally created. It seems that DVC members are constantly losing more and more privileges and are significantly undervalued because Disney feels that they have us over a barrel and we are locked in by a contract and are therefore obligated to pay the dues and the loans. DVC Members will continue to go to Disney for that very reason because they have so much money invested in the program.
If you think I am mistaken, then I ask this one simple question. With the most recent price increase over the weekend, why was the price of a Non-Member Annual Pass raised only $25 whereas the price of the Disney Vacation Club Annual Pass raised $44? This most recent price increase comes after Disney experienced a 7% increase of park attendance in 2014 so Disney cannot complain that they are struggling. No they are becoming a greedy, exploitive company that goes against everything that Walt Disney created Disneyland and Disney World for in the first place. I have to imagine that Walt would be rolling over in his grave if he realized what has become of his dream and I find it extremely sad that this is what the Disney Vacation Club has become. I could not imagine buying into the membership today and as the prices continue to climb, I constantly wonder if I have made a huge mistake. If you do the math, you can certainly see that the “value” of the DVC is no longer there. As a member, I can only wish that if enough of us complain and voice our unhappiness with the direction of the company that maybe just maybe it will make a difference.
Member since 2004 Deeded at Saratoga Springs
