Anyone else get the DVC survey re: DVC 'elite' club?

[tjkraz]

Ok, how are we treated better, I must have missed that line and got in the wrong one.

I beg to differ on that one. I don't think because we own DVC points that we are treated any differently by WDW employees than people who just pay for their rooms/villas with cash. I think people of all walks of life whether they are DVC member or nonmembers have the same treatment. There are plenty of people who make CRO ressies to stay at DVC resorts and I am sure they are greeted and treated the same.

Reading the various posts, I think we're seeing multiple interpretations of the concept of members being "treated" differently. Disney, of all companies, isn't going to introduce a system in which employees interact differently with guests depending upon their status or classification. Frankly I can't think of a company that does. Perhaps there are some, but not within the circles I travel.

This entire thread has been about perks granted to one group over another...similar to an airline miles program, rental car club or grocery store rewards card. And if I'm interpreting disneynutz correctly, he is quite correct in stating that DVC members are already within the upper echelons among WDW guests. We get significant discounts on annual passes which the general public does not receive. We get free valet parking, pool hopping, dining discounts, merchandise discounts, golf programs, free Internet, access to attraction previews, and so on.

To the average non-DVC, non-AP, non-FL resident, non-D23, non-celebrity Walt Disney World guest, we already are in and exclusive club and receive many perks & benefits which are not available to cash guests.

they can get upgrades, free dining, full mousekeeping, members cant unless they pay. yeah we all get treated the same

And DVC members can spend 10 nights in a Studio at the Bay Lake Tower for less than $600 in dues. Apples and oranges, my friend.

We all knew (or should have known) the trade-offs to ownership before going in. I'm sure there are plenty of WDW guests who think they make out better by following "free dining" promotions and hoping for room upgrades. Of course, in doing so they sacrifice the long-term financial benefit of DVC and nearly all flexibility (you don't get to choose when Disney decides to offer "free dining".) And you lose access to all of the perks I listed above.

Do you REALLY think those cash guests are making out better than DVC members?

 

[edk35]

they can get upgrades, free dining, full mousekeeping, members cant unless they pay. yeah we all get treated the same

I was referring to this post.......................Quote:
Originally Posted by disneynutz
But DVC is a club and you are treated better than the general public at Disney because you have the money to buy your membership.

when I wrote.............................Originally Posted by edk35
I beg to differ on that one. I don't think because we own DVC points that we are treated any differently by WDW employees than people who just pay for their rooms/villas with cash. I think people of all walks of life whether they are DVC member or nonmembers have the same treatment. There are plenty of people who make CRO ressies to stay at DVC resorts and I am sure they are greeted and treated the same.

This person made it sound like because we are DVC members "we get special treatment" because we plunked down a lot of money to become members. Well I disagreed with that statement and still do. However I do agree that we do get the perks listed above by tjkraz but the red carpet is not rolled out for us when we step foot on DISNEY SOIL because we are DVC members.

 

[disneynutz]

This person made it sound like because we are DVC members "we get special treatment" because we plunked down a lot of money to become members. Well I disagreed with that statement and still do. However I do agree that we do get the perks listed above by tjkraz but the red carpet is not rolled out for us when we step foot on DISNEY SOIL because we are DVC members.

My statement in post 196 was a response to Anal Annie saying that they don't like clubs when DVC is a club. AA goes on to say that they don't like people being treated special just because they are rich. Some folks would consider DVC Members rich because they could never afford to buy a membership. DVC Members are treated special for the reasons post by tjkraz in post 201.

 

[edk35]

My statement in post 196 was a response to Anal Annie saying that they don't like clubs when DVC is a club. AA goes on to say that they don't like people being treated special just because they are rich. Some folks would consider DVC Members rich because they could never afford to buy a membership. DVC Members are treated special for the reasons post by tjkraz in post 201.

Well I guess every one will have a different perception of what RICH Is so let's not go there. That will become another controversial topic on here. However a part of having a DVC membership is that basically we have prepaid our accomodations for a very longgggggggggg time as far as Disney vacations go. It is not the only part but a big part of being a DVC member. I still don't feel because we are DVC members that we are in this special elite club and get special treatment. Sure we get some PERKS but after plunking down all that money for our memberships....I think that is okay. Still it isn't like we are getting TONS. Trust me we are not. The AP discount is very good but a lot of the others are small discounts. It does not mean we are treated like Disney Royalty and get special treatment when we visit Disney.

 

[tjkraz]

I still don't feel because we are DVC members that we are in this special elite club and get special treatment. Sure we get some PERKS but after plunking down all that money for our memberships....I think that is okay. Still it isn't like we are getting TONS. Trust me we are not. The AP discount is very good but a lot of the others are small discounts. It does not mean we are treated like Disney Royalty and get special treatment when we visit Disney.

Nobody ever said we were treated like Disney Royalty, but all of the little perks add up. A family of 4 can save $400-500 on a set of Annual Passes. Internet service normally runs $12 per day. Valet parking is something like $10 per day.

It may not seem like a lot but you're easily talking about hundreds of dollars per year in savings for the typical DVC member.

Consider something like an attraction preview. How do you think the average Disney day guest feels upon hearing that a soft opening of Hall of Presidents or Toy Story Mania is only available to DVC members and Annual Passholders?

There are many people who spend $4000-5000 for a once-in-a-lifetime trip to the Poly or Grand Floridian. That's a pretty steep investment, too. They probably feel that they should be rewarded for spending so much money for a single trip.

Go on the resorts board and ask non-DVC folks how they feel about having to pay for daily Internet....pay for valet parking....pay full price for their meals and rounds of golf. I bet you'll get a much different perspective on those "small discounts."

 

[edk35]

Nobody ever said we were treated like Disney Royalty, but all of the little perks add up. A family of 4 can save $400-500 on a set of Annual Passes. Internet service normally runs $12 per day. Valet parking is something like $10 per day.

It may not seem like a lot but you're easily talking about hundreds of dollars per year in savings for the typical DVC member.

Consider something like an attraction preview. How do you think the average Disney day guest feels upon hearing that a soft opening of Hall of Presidents or Toy Story Mania is only available to DVC members and Annual Passholders?

There are many people who spend $4000-5000 for a once-in-a-lifetime trip to the Poly or Grand Floridian. That's a pretty steep investment, too. They probably feel that they should be rewarded for spending so much money for a single trip.

Go on the resorts board and ask non-DVC folks how they feel about having to pay for daily Internet....pay for valet parking....pay full price for their meals and rounds of golf. I bet you'll get a much different perspective on those "small discounts."

Okay first of all we all paid for these little discounted items when we paid thousands and thousands of dollars for our pre paid vacations. We do pay full price for our meals too unless we happen to eat lunch at a TS restaurant that is ON THE LIST. That list is very limited. We also pay for the Tables of Wonderland card and that too is JUST NOT FOR DVC members. So if you want to say DVC members are treated differently becauase we paid BIG BUCKS to get into a special club then I see it very differently. We didn't pay big bucks for the AP discounts or small discounts we can get at various restaurants. IT was not a deal breaker for us to become members if there weren't any special perks. We would have still joined without any special perks. This could go on and on. I surely don't want for people to think we are these DVC snobs who get so much more at Disney because it is not TRUE. We paid a lot for our memberships but people who are not DVC members get awesome deals throughout the years on free dining, upgrades, daily maid service, special packages with free nights. It is not like DVC members are the ONLY people on DISNEY earth that get the specials. Let's not make this about DVC folks one upping the people who are not DVC folks. I surely think everyone can go to WDW and have a wonderful time and be treated special regardless of where they stay or if they carry a DVC membership card. I am sure there are people that feel slighted when they visit Disney one year and they think they got a great deal and then BAM the next year some awesome package is released....there is always going to be a good deal for someone..... that someone else is not going to get. That is the way the cookie crumbles. It is kinda like how we as DVC owners get certain "deals" when we purchase our points". One year they match points with developer points and then another year they do something different.

You can't make everyone happy about their DVC memberships or their packages they buy for their trips. IF NON DVC people feel slighted....well unfortunately that is part of life. I would love to go on DVC trips 4 times a year like people I know but I can't. I would love to own a bazillion points like DVC Mike but I can't. I don't feel slighted because I own 400 and not 4000. Our friends and neighbors get new stuff or a really good discount on something are we supposed to feel slighted. I don't think so.

 

[DisneyWalker44]

Disney, of all companies, isn't going to introduce a system in which employees interact differently with guests depending upon their status or classification.

You should hand on in the cruise forums. Lots of people with Gold or Platinum status want to make sure their status is very viable so CM's know to treat them better.

Now I don't know if CM's actually treat them better or not. But there is sure is an expectation of better treatment.

 

[DisneyWalker44]

I don't understand why some will hate it? As long as the cost or expense of running the club does not affect the DVC Members, why would anyone care.

Some of us buy into the notion that DVC isn't just a business, it's a home. That's been one of the big selling features of DVC from day 1. You don't treat people like second class citizens in their home.

There's a lot Disney could do for such a club. Give them a magazine, access to member-only pins. And I'd have no problem with them getting extra discounts, or something special at the parks.

But I think it would be a huge mistake to treat people differently within the resorts themselves. No special lines, extra services, etc. As I said, this is my home, don't treat me like a second class citizen.

And if they dare give the club members something that actually harms the rest of us (early booking windows for instance), those left behind are going to be mad as heck.

 

[RLRDA]

When the topic of "perks" has come up in the past the tone of the thread usually comes down to "DVC is a prepaid vacation plan, you should not have bought in with the notion that it is anything else". Posters have gotten lashed for being disappointed that a dining discount has been taken away but some on here see no problem with adding tiers to DVC and that some members might get special perks based on how much money they've spent on their membership.

The "perk" of owning mega points is that you get to enjoy Disney vacations more often (or in larger accomodations) than those that own fewer points. Any other discounts, specials, etc. are available to all members. Why single out a sub-population now?

 

[Dean]

When the topic of "perks" has come up in the past the tone of the thread usually comes down to "DVC is a prepaid vacation plan, you should not have bought in with the notion that it is anything else". Posters have gotten lashed for being disappointed that a dining discount has been taken away but some on here see no problem with adding tiers to DVC and that some members might get special perks based on how much money they've spent on their membership.

The "perk" of owning mega points is that you get to enjoy Disney vacations more often (or in larger accomodations) than those that own fewer points. Any other discounts, specials, etc. are available to all members. Why single out a sub-population now?

It would be a poor choice to buy for perks you are referring too in MOST cases and one should know they are ancillary. The exception might be the AP discount for some people. The same would be true for a given rewards type membership. However, if DVC were to institute a tiered membership, it's likely that would take on a more permanent and somewhat contractual position as well as returning more substantual benefits such as an advance booking window, more liberal transer and banking/borrowing to name a few possibilities. These "perks" would likely to be more meaningful and valuable. Take my situation for Marriott's Grande Ocean. I bought a week there around the time Marriott instituted the rule that you could reserve multiple weeks 13 months out. That meant as a single week owner, many people could reserve the best weeks before I could at the same resort. Rather than get upset, I went and got a second week so I could be in the better position.

If you're saying the two positions are schizophrenic, I do not believe that is true the way I look at the two issues. Of course one has to look at each situation to be certain though I don't mean how the buyer feels but rather the actual facts of the case.

 

[DisneyWalker44]

Take my situation for Marriott's Grande Ocean. I bought a week there around the time Marriott instituted the rule that you could reserve multiple weeks 13 months out. That meant as a single week owner, many people could reserve the best weeks before I could at the same resort. Rather than get upset, I went and got a second week so I could be in the better position.

Fortunately, you weren't hurt by the change. But the majority of members - who lacked either the need or means for a second week - saw themselves put in a significantly worse place by the change.

Let's hope DVC never does that to us.

 

[tjkraz]

Okay first of all we all paid for these little discounted items when we paid thousands and thousands of dollars for our pre paid vacations.

So if you want to say DVC members are treated differently becauase we paid BIG BUCKS to get into a special club then I see it very differently. We didn't pay big bucks for the AP discounts or small discounts we can get at various restaurants.

Aren't you contradicting yourself with these two statements?

After reading this, honestly I'm not even sure what your position is on this so-called "elite club."

I've said several times that I do not believe DVC members deserve to be treated any differently. We aren't entitled to more polite interactions or larger smiles from CMs. We shouldn't be allowed to board buses first or ride in the front of the monorail just because we are DVC members.

But perks are a separate issue from guest treatment. DVC members DO receive perks to which other groups are not entitled. That much is undeniable. Regardless of how limited the dining discount list may be, that 10-20% off at certain locations is a discount that is not offered to Joe Average booking his family trip through AAA. The free valet parking and Internet is a benefit that would save a member over $150 per week compared to a cash guest staying at the same resort.

The member perks aren't magnanimous gestures to thank members for spending $20,000 to buy. Disney has specific business reasons for offering the discounts that members currently receive. Some are designed to encourage more frequent trips--which in turn could lead to point-addons (AP discount.) Some perks are designed just to make DVC a bit more appealing to first-time buyers (pool hopping, attraction previews, free valet.) Some perks are just a way to increase traffic at restaurants during otherwise slow periods.

If they decide to go forward with an "elite club", they would have similar business reasons for doing so. Depending upon the perks offered, a tiered club could certainly encourage larger / more frequent add-ons. If only direct purchases apply toward club membership, it would make resale buys a little less appealing. If referrals count toward membership (which the initial post claimed), it could get members more active in touting the benefits of DVC to their friends and family.

One could certainly argue that DVC members "deserve" perks due to the substantial up-front investment. But if true, doesn't it stand to reason that someone who invests $100,000 in DVC points deserves MORE perks that someone who only invests $15,000?

I understand that not all members have the means to spend $100K on DVC points. It is also true that there are many Disney guests who can't even afford the $15-16K minimum purchase. But I don't think I've ever heard a DVC member claiming that our member perks were unfair because they alienated the day guest who can't afford a DVC purchase.

I'm not sure how one can brand the $15,000 club as being fair and just, while a higher-tier $100,000 club is unfair.

 

[DVC Mike]

One could certainly argue that DVC members "deserve" perks due to the substantial up-front investment. But if true, doesn't it stand to reason that someone who invests $100,000 in DVC points deserves MORE perks that someone who only invests $15,000?

Sounds reasonable to me!

 

[Anal Annie]

But DVC is a club and you are treated better than the general public at Disney because you have the money to buy your membership.

OK, OK, OK....you pulled out a teeeny eeeny weeny leetle bit of my post to twist on. No where did I say we as DVC members should be treated better than Mr. CRO over at the Pop and I disagree with your statement. If you read my orig. post again I think the gist of what I SAID really was that I am against dividing DVC into tiers like they have done with the Castaway Cay Club. THAT DCL thing pissed me off because those of us who are only silver members are getting screwed over on the latest itinerary bookings...but that's a Cruise board thread....

I feel like my measley little 250 points should not get me treated any differently than DVC Mike's 3 bazillion points. (Nothing personal here Mike - good for you.) I should not be punished within our leeetle DVC "Club" just because I don't make $500,000 a year or whatever and can't afford to buy another 750 points. My membership should count within DVC just as much as the next guy. Nor do I WANT to be treated "any better than" someone who only owns 100 points. That would be like discriminating between people who bought direct and people who bought resale. Do you think the people who bought resale contracts would want to have any less benefits than those who bought direct? I mean, seriously. Think about it. Just "what if" DVC said OK folks. You can have the AP discount if you bought direct. But if you bought resale you can't have the discount. (Just "what if" here OK?!) I'm saying to have tiers & classes WITHIN DVC would just be WRONG.

We all own a piece of the mouse. And I think that ownership is a unique privilege in of itself and we should all play nice together and be grateful we have what we have and stop this nonsense that someone who owns points at every resort is any better than anybody else. Nobody told them to go do that. They did it on their own "just because they COULD". Big deal. Bully for them. That shouldn't get them treated any differently within our "club". My goal is not to be the snooty one here. I like knowing that if I am checking in at the same time as you at the same resort that I am going to get the same "welcome home Mrs. XYZ" as you get.

 

[Anal Annie]

One could certainly argue that DVC members "deserve" perks due to the substantial up-front investment. But if true, doesn't it stand to reason that someone who invests $100,000 in DVC points deserves MORE perks that someone who only invests $15,000?

Bully for them. Big deal. Who cares? I really don't. Bet they drive a yellow car too that screams LOOK AT MEEEE!! Really. I don't think they're any better than the homeless man up on the corner with his "Will Work For Food" sign. Let them give Disney all their money. Good for them. I'm glad they have sooooo much disposable income as I try to figure out new ways to cook Ramen Noodles. I really do not see anyone here as more deserving of anything than the next guy. Get over it. Some of us are rich & some of us are not. Whooopie. The nice thing about DVC has always been that we're all treated equal WITHIN DVC.

 

[edk35]

Aren't you contradicting yourself with these two statements?

After reading this, honestly I'm not even sure what your position is on this so-called "elite club."

I've said several times that I do not believe DVC members deserve to be treated any differently. We aren't entitled to more polite interactions or larger smiles from CMs. We shouldn't be allowed to board buses first or ride in the front of the monorail just because we are DVC members.

But perks are a separate issue from guest treatment. DVC members DO receive perks to which other groups are not entitled. That much is undeniable. Regardless of how limited the dining discount list may be, that 10-20% off at certain locations is a discount that is not offered to Joe Average booking his family trip through AAA. The free valet parking and Internet is a benefit that would save a member over $150 per week compared to a cash guest staying at the same resort.

The member perks aren't magnanimous gestures to thank members for spending $20,000 to buy. Disney has specific business reasons for offering the discounts that members currently receive. Some are designed to encourage more frequent trips--which in turn could lead to point-addons (AP discount.) Some perks are designed just to make DVC a bit more appealing to first-time buyers (pool hopping, attraction previews, free valet.) Some perks are just a way to increase traffic at restaurants during otherwise slow periods.

If they decide to go forward with an "elite club", they would have similar business reasons for doing so. Depending upon the perks offered, a tiered club could certainly encourage larger / more frequent add-ons. If only direct purchases apply toward club membership, it would make resale buys a little less appealing. If referrals count toward membership (which the initial post claimed), it could get members more active in touting the benefits of DVC to their friends and family.

One could certainly argue that DVC members "deserve" perks due to the substantial up-front investment. But if true, doesn't it stand to reason that someone who invests $100,000 in DVC points deserves MORE perks that someone who only invests $15,000?

I understand that not all members have the means to spend $100K on DVC points. It is also true that there are many Disney guests who can't even afford the $15-16K minimum purchase. But I don't think I've ever heard a DVC member claiming that our member perks were unfair because they alienated the day guest who can't afford a DVC purchase.

I'm not sure how one can brand the $15,000 club as being fair and just, while a higher-tier $100,000 club is unfair.

First of all I was saying that DVC MEMBERS DON'T BUY INTO DVC FOR their discounted AP's or discounted lunches. I don't think I know anyone that plunked down 20,000 to 100,000 bucks because they would get a few discounts if they joined DVC. NO..they did it for the points that would allow them to take prepaid vacations. That is what I meant by So if you want to say DVC members are treated differently becauase we paid BIG BUCKS to get into a special club then I see it very differently. We didn't pay big bucks for the AP discounts or small discounts we can get at various restaurants


and when I wrote this: Okay first of all we all paid for these little discounted items when we paid thousands and thousands of dollars for our pre paid vacations. I was just trying to make a point that we all paid big bucks for these memberships..... so if Disney wants to give us perks.....then maybe they did because we paid big bucks for the contracts. People shouldn't think we get a boat load of perks because we are DVC members.

Just like when people book through CRO for packages that give them free dining but they have to book at rack rate. They pay bigger bucks for their rooms for that trip but they get free dining. I don't get bent out of shape when people stay at DVC resorts booked through CRO and get free maid service. Doesn't bug me one little bit. Why do people who aren't DVC members think we get all these wonderful things????


Oh psssssstttt. "There isn't a so called elite club" It is all speculation at this point. I am not sweating it. I don't feel the need to make a stance.

 

[tjkraz]

Bully for them. Big deal. Who cares? I really don't. Bet they drive a yellow car too that screams LOOK AT MEEEE!! Really. I don't think they're any better than the homeless man up on the corner with his "Will Work For Food" sign. Let them give Disney all their money. Good for them. I'm glad they have sooooo much disposable income as I try to figure out new ways to cook Ramen Noodles. I really do not see anyone here as more deserving of anything than the next guy. Get over it. Some of us are rich & some of us are not. Whooopie. The nice thing about DVC has always been that we're all treated equal WITHIN DVC.

To take your argument one step further, why even offer perks to DVC members? If you subscribe to the "all are equal" line of thinking, shouldn't you be advocating an end to ALL discount programs?

Instead of treating people the same WITHIN DVC, treat all guests identically WITHIN WALT DISNEY WORLD.

 

[Anal Annie]

To take your argument one step further, why even offer perks to DVC members? If you subscribe to the "all are equal" line of thinking, shouldn't you be advocating an end to ALL discount programs?

Instead of treating people the same WITHIN DVC, treat all guests identically WITHIN WALT DISNEY WORLD.

OK, fine. I already own DVC so they know I'll be back, perks or no perks. I'd rather see NO PERKS at all than an "elite" group of perks WITHIN DVC. The perks we have now ARE NOT THAT GREAT. $100 off AP's. Limited restaurants with 10% off entrees only. Big deal. We eat mostly CS meals. $4 off water parks & DQ. WHEEEE!! $4 x 3 of us = $12!!!! So I save $312.

YES, it's nice to have the AP's. And so yes, we come more often. So if we didn't have AP's we'd go to DL instead one trip per year since they don't let us SHARE the coasts with the AP's. The ONLY reason we go to WDW 2x per year is because of the AP. No AP = split trips for us.

 

[Tara]

Bully for them. Big deal. Who cares? I really don't. Bet they drive a yellow car too that screams LOOK AT MEEEE!! Really. I don't think they're any better than the homeless man up on the corner with his "Will Work For Food" sign. Let them give Disney all their money. Good for them. I'm glad they have sooooo much disposable income as I try to figure out new ways to cook Ramen Noodles. I really do not see anyone here as more deserving of anything than the next guy. Get over it. Some of us are rich & some of us are not. Whooopie. The nice thing about DVC has always been that we're all treated equal WITHIN DVC.

First off, in general I don't get the fuss over this as it's merely speculation. That said, don't we all sometimes get perks for one thing or another? Whether it's a better deal or seat because we're a frequent flier with an airline (Airtran $25 email coupons and business class upgrades come to mind - lots of talk of those lately) or extra coupons for a sale at Macy's because we're a card holder...who among us has turned down an upgrade so that we could be treated "equally"? I shop a lot at Sephora and they started a "Beauty Insider" club that allowed members to collect points for purchases and get special offers and giveaways. Now they have a tier within that for people who earn a certain number of points in a year. Those people (hello, I'm one!) get more coupons, better giveaways and it sounds like some special private sale opportunities.

I don't see the need to make this a "big bad rich people vs. poor little guy rubbing two pennies together." Let's face it - as DVC owners, we're not underprivileged. Making disparaging remarks about the presumed wealth or ostentatious display of wealth by people who happen to own more points seems as inappropriate to me as belittling someone for having a small number of points or modest means.

Moreover, DVC already treats people who buy more points differently AND better -- look at the purchase incentives. They are almost always tiered so that the more points you purchase, the better your deal is.

 

[Anal Annie]

I'm just saying I would just hate to see DVC divide us up amongst ourselves between those who have and those who have not. I see no reason for them to make classes or tiers WITHIN DVC. Leave it the ____ alone. Just drop the idea. Period. It would really put a sour taste in my mouth if they did that.

I'm already fed up with DCL. Enough is enough. It is not at all like my bonus card at the grocery store and cannot be compared to shopping at Macys. I consider us equal amongst ourselves just by the sheer fact that we all own DVC. We have that in common. I'm not saying we're any better than the CRO public either. I think "perks" of owning DVC are different. The few that we have are available equally to all of us and that's the way it should be. We all have the same opportunity to buy an AP at a discount. The discount itself is not based on how many points we own. Let's just keep it that way. I like that I can call up on the same day as any other SSR owner to book my little studio and that nobody has a weeks advantage over me JUST BECAUSE they own 50 more points.