annual pass sales??

[BeachClub2014]

Nobody is expecting free AP's, at least I hope not. We all know we aren't guaranteed the perks. We all know that technically DVC guarantee's you a place to rest your head, nothing else. Nuance means a lot though. Like @WilsonFlyer said, nobody would have bought DVC if it were in Grand Rapids, Michigan (no offense Grand Rapids). If tomorrow the parks closed up, but you could still go stay at your DVC villa, Disney would be even steven with you contractually, but I'm pretty sure most people would be pretty ticked off.

Totally agree with this. I imagine that geographic proximity and access to the parks are the draws for most DVC owners and Disney certainly knows this. Isn't that why they stopped building luxury resorts outside the parks? I don't think it is an unreasonable expectation to continue to have access to a ticket structure that has been around for eons, whether contractually entitled or not.

 

[mlayton14]

Entitled? No and don't believe I said that, deserved yes, just like I feel I deserve a better deal than a new customer from the cable company I have been with for years. Different perspective is ok

well that is unfortunate , don’t you feel like you are already getting a better deal on rooms ? Should a person paying cash for rooms each and every year also get discounted tickets , food, and exclusive themed nights at parks?

 

[momof2gr8kids]

lol my wife fishes too. . . so for both of us. lol. no more points for us. we got our 3 weeks a week and its perfect especially with how things are going. im glad we passed on another contract a couple years ago.

I do too, and actually it was me that said we needed to upgrade. Didn't feel safe in the water with a 14 footer. So it went from getting a 16' with a tiller to a 17.5 fish and ski with a larger motor, etc. So yes, we all enjoy it.

 

[eandt]

well that is unfortunate , don’t you feel like you are already getting a better deal on rooms ? Should a person paying cash for rooms each and every year also get discounted tickets , food, and exclusive themed nights at parks?

If people are willing to shell out 10's of 1000's of dollars PLUS pay yearly fees to get a deal on rooms decades from now then yes they deserve some rewards for doing that. Frankly most people with half a brain that pay cash do in fact get discounts on rooms, tickets, and food.

 

[Sandisw]

Would you have bought DVC if those 4 major gates didn't exist?

"DVC is only guaranteed to provide you a room." is one of the great myths so instilled over so many years by veterans on boards like this one, that people believe it because it's been brow-beaten into them over those same years. Horse crap. DVC would be the most worthless TS in the entire world (and that covers some ground) if it weren't for those gates. I wish people would stop separating the two. DVC and those gates are as inseparable as earth and her moon.

It is true that DVC is successful because of the parks..no question. And being disappointed that the benefits we are offered in terms of discounts and products beyond our DVC is valid.

But, I also think owners should at least be willing to accept the reality that TWDC is a big company, with many divisions, and that we are no more or less important guests when they make decisions as business.

I have said many times I choose to accept what it is, monitor and adjust and enjoy my time there because in the end, I bought for a reason.

Until there are no parks, it’s a wonderful and happy place to go. I have done a few trips now where the parks were not part of it and we still enjoyed all the resorts. So, it’s definitely possible to enjoy the area without parks.

 

[mlayton14]

If people are willing to shell out 10's of 1000's of dollars PLUS pay yearly fees to get a deal on rooms decades from now then yes they deserve some rewards for doing that. Frankly most people with half a brain that pay cash do in fact get discounts on rooms, tickets, and food.

So … you are not saving money on your rooms without the park discounts ? Why don’t you just sell (while getting much equity back on original purchase or dare I say a profit?) and be one of those cash guests that get all the discounts?

 

[Brian Noble]

I'm reminded of this scene from PoC:

The only rules that really matter are these: what a man can do and what a man can't do. For instance, you can accept that your father was a pirate and a good man, or you can't. But pirate is in your blood, boy, so you'll have to square with that some day. And me, for example, I can let you drown, but I can't bring this ship into Tortuga all by me onesies, savvy? So, can you sail under the command of a pirate, or can you not?
-- Jack Sparrow

There isn't much point in arguing about whether or not DVC owners are repeat customers*, and whether or not such repeat customers should or should not be given discounts on admission---or, for that matter, whether Disney should or should not offer fixed-cost annual admission to the parks to anyone at all.

The only question is: Do you want to use your DVC points under the current framework for your vacations, or don't you? If you don't, there are plenty of other people who want to go to the World and will give you a nice pile of US currency for the privilege of a DVC stay. That money can buy you a very nice vacation somewhere else.

And who knows? You might discover that you like some of those other vacations as much or more as you enjoy going to WDW.

-----------

*: As it happens, I don't view DVC owners as repeat customers, but rather a captive audience.

 

[Disney mac]

I think we’ve decided to use DVC but purchase AP at Universal instead this year. Disney isn’t the only game in town and we all have options in life.

 

[RoseGold]

I think we’ve decided to use DVC but purchase AP at Universal instead this year. Disney isn’t the only game in town and we all have options in life.

Aren't Universal rooms cheaper than Disney's? And they give you whatever their MaxPass is?

 

[CarolynFH]

Aren't Universal rooms cheaper than Disney's? And they give you whatever their MaxPass is?

Yes, the UOR deluxe hotels (Hard Rock, Portofino Bay, and Royal Pacific) are cheaper than Disney's deluxe hotels, and all registered guests get the Unlimited Express Pass, which is basically unlimited LL and ILL$, for the duration of their stay including checkout day. It's such a good deal that twice now we've booked a room for 4 or 5 adults for one night just to get the EPs, even though we weren't sleeping there.

 

[nuhusky123]

Aren't Universal rooms cheaper than Disney's? And they give you whatever their MaxPass is?

Avg rate for their three deluxe resorts is in the $400 range. Some exceptions of course

the cost of max pass unlimited for family of four is easily in the $400 range. So staying on site is a no brainer

bonus - if you have Amex platinum you get an annual $200 credit, portofino bay qualifies. I Do a once a year stay at universal portofino and use my Amex credit getting my nightly rate into $200 range and I still get the free maxpass

im a fan of universal during Christmas especially to do grinch breakfast

 

[sethschroeder]

There’s nothing in the contract about passes or any “extras”. Rooms only.

Actually there is and its all guided by the Membership Extras Disclosure.

We are not guaranteed anything, including an alternative product if AP sales are suspended.

Its already in there that if they remove a benefit they will need to replace it with something of similar value, quality, and reasonably similar. So if APs are gone then ticket discounts need to appear and then it can get in to the weeds as to what is similar.

In the end like previously I think DVC will point to them offering a DVC pass just that APs are not being sold so you can't buy it. At this point I suspect we won't see APs going on sale again until after Spring Break.

 

[gregskellington]

Annual Passes are not a DVC benefit and never have been.

 

[nuhusky123]

Annual Passes are not a DVC benefit and never have been.

They should be a dvc benefit

 

[Sandisw]

Actually there is and its all guided by the Membership Extras Disclosure.

View attachment 648895



Its already in there that if they remove a benefit they will need to replace it with something of similar value, quality, and reasonably similar. So if APs are gone then ticket discounts need to appear and then it can get in to the weeds as to what is similar.

In the end like previously I think DVC will point to them offering a DVC pass just that APs are not being sold so you can't buy it. At this point I suspect we won't see APs going on sale again until after Spring Break.

Here are a few other aspects of that same document:

Membership Extras, such as Disney-branded exchange options, all Concierge Collection options, certain discounts, offers, and special events are incidental benefits. These incidental benefits are subject to change or termination without notice, may require the payment of a fee and cannot be combined with any other offers or promotions. . Membership Extras are also subject to availability and block-out dates may apply, including high periods of demand such as Christmas and New Year’s Day.

At their sole discretion, WALT DISNEY WORLD ® Resort and Disneyland® Resort may suspend offering WDW Passes and DL Passes or impose theme park reservation requirements, which require each entrant to obtain, in addition to valid theme park admission, a valid theme park reservation.

I added the bolding to highlight the key pieces.

There is absolutely no requirement that DVD is obligated to replace them. The line you quote simply simply says they reserve the right to make the substitution, not that they are required to do so.

 

[WilsonFlyer]

Then BLT owners were sold a pig in a poke with regards to TOW lounge. Where's my replacement?

 

[BeachClub2014]

I think many of us can accept that DVC may not have a legal or contractual obligation to offer AP's for sale to DVC members, but those facts do not negate the belief that they should do so. Customer satisfaction and retention just make good corporate sense. DVC members may be a small percentage of the overall customer base, but we are an important constituency and one the company should continue to court.

 

[WilsonFlyer]

I think many of us can accept that DVC may not have a legal or contractual obligation to offer AP's for sale to DVC members, but those facts do not negate the belief that they should do so. Customer satisfaction and retention just make good corporate sense. DVC members may be a small percentage of the overall customer base, but we are an important constituency and one the company should continue to court.

And yet here we is.

 

[BeachClub2014]

And yet here we is.

We "is" now, perhaps, but many have a tipping point. The argument to be made is that DVC members are not held captive, there are other options for our entertainment and vacation dollars. It seems short-sighted to needlessly alienate a portion of your customer base with no visible upside.

 

[sethschroeder]

There is absolutely no requirement that DVD is obligated to replace them. The line you quote simply simply says they reserve the right to make the substitution, not that they are required to do so.

I am not saying they cant choose to not bring back APs. I am simply saying if thats true at a certain point when they remove APs from the membership extras they then need to replace it with something else.

Its two separate things:

1. Can they remove a specific benefit? Yes
2. If they remove a benefit then what? Its required to be replaced with something else similar of similar value, quality, and type.