Deals on Disney

[Jeanine3kids]

With all of the new deals going on you would think DVC members would get some kind of deal on meal plans or tickets I always felt like DVC was a really good deal I am not so sure anymore.

Jeanine

 

[craiggers]

What are the deals?

 

[Jeanine3kids]

stay 3 days and get 3 days free plus free park tickets. Just to name one of the deals every sunday I open the paper and there are some crazy cheap deal for disney. They don't offer us anything, you would think in this economy they would lower the annual pass price for us or do a deal buy one and get one free so they lock us into coming back again. Or do some discounts on the dining

 

[vicki_c]

Deals are offered to get people to stay on site and spend more money in the parks. And to get people who might not come to Disney, to come to Disney.

DVCers don't really fall in that category and we're obviously already staying on -site.

Your first "deal" is getting to stay at a nice Disney resort for a very long time (40-50 years) for basically current prices + your maintenance fees (of course, once you hit your breakeven on the purchase).

And of course, DVC members do get quite a few other discounts that others don't - restaurants, spa discounts, and the great AP discount.

 

[iloveokw]

There is a $100 discount on AP's offered to DVC members, plus many dining and other discounts.

 

[Muushka]

We got a great deal from DVC. We get to pay 20 more points a week for our vacations!!

So, what does that mean to Disney? It means we will stay off site this April instead of DVC and go to Universal instead. Great move bean counters.

 

[Deb & Bill]

With all of the new deals going on you would think DVC members would get some kind of deal on meal plans or tickets I always felt like DVC was a really good deal I am not so sure anymore.

Jeanine

I think you are mistaken about Disney being generous. They are trying to fill vacant rooms. They already have your money. They don't need to offer you anything more.

 

[abk96]

The discount on AP's is nice but I would love to see a discount on regular tickets as well.

We bought AP's last year and used them 3 times. It was a great savings. But in this economy I don't see us being able to do Disney more than once a year now for a while. And AP's would be a waste if you only use them for one trip. JMHO

 

[CheapMom]

stay 3 days and get 3 days free plus free park tickets. Just to name one of the deals every sunday I open the paper and there are some crazy cheap deal for disney...

That doesn't sound right- are you sure?

 

[fireman17]

This subject is always brought up when Disney runs all kinds of deals to entice people who may never get to Disney World to spend the money and come to Disney World and once they get there the hope is they'll return again.
Now, for me being a DVC member I have my deals/ We have five children so my first deal is I have a home away from home that will sleep everybody I don't have to make reservations for multiple rooms so that everyone has a place to sleep. Secondly, I have a place where we can all sit down and eat a meal whether it be breakfast, lunch or dinner and we can do so in the comfort of our home and not be rushed.
Finally, I have my home for 50 years and I know my children will have our home away from home long after I'm gone.
So for us being DVC members we have our deals.

 

[eeyoresmom]

I agree, but Disney could still offer DVC members enticements. I bought DVC 4 years ago and have been offered nothing over the $100 discount on the AP. Don't get me wrong, I take advatage of that perk every year but Disney has made FAR more money off of it than I have. Of course they know that if I have APs I'm far more likely to return throughout the year and spend lots of money on food, souveniers, etc. The past 4 years we have done 3-5 trips per year. With the new point structure, we will be forced to go once a year and will buy only base tickets. I don't like the changes, but the bright side is it will definately end up saving ME money.

 

[oakmanner]

fireman17 I agree... Whenever Disney offers incentives to fill hotel rooms some DVC members always think they are getting hosed.

As you said we already got our deal, and I think it's a good one at that. Deals come and go but our prepaid vacations will continue for 50 years or so!

 

[Chellymouse]

I agree that we feel hosed when Disney starts making all of these awesome deals and the DVC folks don't get much. However, with the economy as bad as it is, I've read countless posts on how many DVC members are going less this year and banking and borrowing points. One would think that in order to entice us members to try and come more frequently that SOMETHING extra would be offered to us. I'm trying to convince DH to take a second trip this year in Oct. and he's balking (please mr. accountant do well for us this year) because that's going to be a deciding factor if we take a second trip.

 

[DebbieB]

The 4 for 3 deal is pay FULL PRICE for 4 days and get 3 free days for the room. When you look at DVC over the long term, we are getting rooms at a huge discount. The ticket part of it sounds great but in reality it's only about $3 for each extra day over 4.

 

[BlakeNJ]

As far as I am concerned, 4 nights at rack rate at a value resort (aprox. $130/night) is a little less than what I pay in dues each year to stay in a 1br villa with full kitchen for 6 nights. A much more comfortable deal IMHO.

In two non-DVC trips to WDW, we payed over $6000 (staying in a moderate each time), half of what we payed for our DVC. Too bad we didn't know "The Best Kept Secret" sooner.

 

[Muushka]

The 4 for 3 deal is pay FULL PRICE for 4 days and get 3 free days for the room. When you look at DVC over the long term, we are getting rooms at a huge discount. The ticket part of it sounds great but in reality it's only about $3 for each extra day over 4.

The tickets are a good deal if you get them non-expiring. They pay for the extra days with the non-exp which is pretty costly. If we took advantage, that is how we would do it. But we use the non-expiring ones anyway.

 

[suemom2kay]

The discount on AP's is nice but I would love to see a discount on regular tickets as well.

We bought AP's last year and used them 3 times. It was a great savings. But in this economy I don't see us being able to do Disney more than once a year now for a while. And AP's would be a waste if you only use them for one trip. JMHO

An AP can still be worth it even if you go once a year. You just need to go a week or so earlier in the second year and your AP will still be good. That's what we're doing with DH's AP as he will NOT be going to our all girl - 3 generation trip in September.

 

[suemom2kay]

stay 3 days and get 3 days free plus free park tickets. Just to name one of the deals every sunday I open the paper and there are some crazy cheap deal for disney. They don't offer us anything, you would think in this economy they would lower the annual pass price for us or do a deal buy one and get one free so they lock us into coming back again. Or do some discounts on the dining

It's buy 4 get 3 "free." Tickets are not free. You must pay for a 3 day park ticket and as PP stated the additional days are just a few dollars.

I am a non-owner and cancelled my buy 4 get 3 deal and rented points. I'm now staying at Old Key West with a Waitlist for AKV (oh please, please, please come through) for about the same that we would have spent at a mod with the 4/3 deal.

Hopefully, by the end of this year, we'll be able to buy in to DVC. I'm going to try for a 25 or 50 point re-sale because I don't think financing is worth it.

So my point is to echo others... DVC is already a HUGE discount. I'm staying September on RENTED points which are significantly more than owned points for a hair more than the value resorts. I'll be at the Beach Club Villas. I can't wait to be a DVC member. Wish I had the cash right now!

Don't feel jealous, feel good. You've got a great deal.

 

[JimMIA]

I guess the part I have a problem understanding is how DVC owners somehow feel excluded from various promotions.

We're not. We can take advantage of all those promotions, just like any other person who doesn't own DVC.

Want free dining? Go to WDW during the free dining period, meet the promotion's requirements, and you will get free dining. And you'll be in great company -- many DVC owners stay at other Disney resorts to get free dining.

Like the 4 + 3 promotion (or whatever it is)? Great -- go for it! We have the same access to that as anyone else. Book it! I'm sure many DVC owners will.

We get a lot of good perks, but DVC perks are not always the best perks available.

DDE (now TiW) is a good example. For years, we've gotten restaurant discounts -- typically 10%, but higher for some restaurants for some meals. TiW offers 20% off both food and beverage, including adult beverages. Unfair to DVC? Nah...fully available to DVC owners who meet the other requirements. Like it? Get it.

Annual passes. News Flash! We buy an annual pass every year, but we don't use the DVC discount. Why? Disney has a better deal for Florida residents with some significant blackout dates. But the blackout dates don't hurt us, so we buy the Florida Seasonal Pass and save $100+ per pass over the DVC discounted AP. Is that a ripoff for DVC owners? No, there's just another deal that's better for our family this year.

The right mindset to have for DVC perks is a) anything can always be improved upon, but b) the DVC perks are in addition to the perks available to anyone off the street who meets the requirements of a particular promotion...including us.

 

[Tara]

As a DVC member, I can still take advantage of ANY deal Disney offers (except for Florida resident specials, I guess). I don't feel cheated or slighted because Disney offers deals that don't add up to a good deal for me.

As far as I'm concerned, Disney can keep offering deals - I want people to keep coming to the parks and filling those hotel rooms and spending their money so Disney makes it through these lean times with as few cuts as possible! (My belief is that once they make cutbacks, the things that are cut don't return when times are better.)