Disney Vacation Club Introduces Membership Magic

[JJSWDW]

We often try to do 10 day trips to WDW so the AP cost isn't that much higher than MYW+PH in this situation we get the annual passes just in case we happen to go back within 12 months. Between the APs and DVC it makes adding trips a no brainer during that time. I live near Chicago and got 4 trips out of the last annual pass. The last trip was with my middle child for 4 nights and I had points from the Disney CC so my cost for that trip was about $700 which included airfare.

I agree with the PPs who split trips across AP years like going in November one year and October the next. This is often a better strategy for some than renewing the AP at the discount when you aren't going to use it soon.

 

[dbs1228]

The past couple years we have decided to get the AP passes and take at least 2 trips in a AP year then skip a year. We will be going in 2 weeks for 8 nights whole family including mom and dad, 1 week in Oct with DSIL and DBIL, then 8 nights over NYE with DD's and they will each bring a friend (DD's are older teen/early 20's) We are opting for larger villa's lots of room and just enjoying our stays then we will wait until mid to end of 2015 or possibly Feb of 2016 to go back. This works well for us since we like to do non disney vacations on off years.

 

[staceymay00]

APs with the DVC discount make sense even for those who only go once a year IF the trips can be scheduled just under 12 months apart. I just priced 5 day MYW tix (no parkhopping) for my family of five (one child under 9) at $1439.75. The cost of five APs with the DVC discount is $2470.80. Split that between two trips and the cost is less than 5 day MYW tickets, plus we get to park hop and take advantage of the AP discount. We have been getting APs every other year, but may cut back to APs every third year so we have two years in a row with a Disney trip and then a year off.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[boxer]

We do what a couple other people have already said--we buy the PAP on our first trip, then schedule our vacation the following year (10) days before the expiration of that pass--so we basically get (2) trips per pass. We are traveling this year from 11/6 to 11/15, then will schedule our 2015 trip from around 10/27 until 11/6. You can't beat that savings of (2) trips, and around (20) days in the park on a single PAP pass.

Also, we took a trip to Wildwood a couple years ago for (3) days, and it cost almost $2000!!! With everything you get from Disney, and the fact that we are now DVC members, it is actually cheaper for us to take the big vacations we do. We use credit card points for Southwest flights, cut back on souveniers, intend to get the TIW card, and don't splurge on unnecessary things.

 

[Meriweather]

We live in AZ and buy APs every other year and go 2-3 times in that year. (alternate years we got to DLR with an AP there)
It works for us. We have non rushed trips and really enjoy them.

 

[Skrutti]

We live in Sweden and buy annual pass every other year! I'm really thankful for the discount. It saves us alot of money! We stay 3-4 weeks a year. We did not join to get cheap vacations but we can now afford to stay at the deluxe resorts wich we would not afford otherwise.

 

[Coach81]

Our second trip on our annual passes is coming up in 20 days or so.. then our third trip will be this May....

We really enjoy our APs..

 

[crisi]

We only go every other year, and for a week or less, so APs make no sense at all. But we didn't buy DVC for the ticket discount, we bought it because it was a cost effective way to have the kids sleep in a different room at Disney.

Would I take a ticket discount off of ordinary hoppers - sure. Do I think I'm owed one - nope. If Disney tickets are no longer worth the cost for our family, we'll sell our points or rent them out.

Its beginning to feel like retirement is something we can see at the end of the tunnel. Maybe when its two of us, we will get annual passes and stay in a studio in January for three weeks. Or maybe not.

 

[SandyinMonterey]

I didn't see much of anything new for discounts/Member Perks. Disappointed but not surprised. We too considered selling our DVC. When the economy went bust Disney had all these great offers out. We live in California and if we were to use any of our points in would be in California then because we couldn't afford the trip to WDW. I was really frustrated because I couldn't get a reservation anywhere in Disneyland. I tried different dates...I tried everything. Called DVC and complained. Well, I guess my complaint went pretty far because I kept getting phone calls and eventually someone high up in DVC called me. Basically what I was told was the buying into DVC is more about a long term investment and shouldn't be about the perks. I agree to a certain extent but throw us a bone once in a while. It's the same old, same old....10% off dining and certain merchandise. Don't just give us an AP discount but tickets in general. Team up with rental car agencies for a discount code....something....anything. The perk or discount doesn't have to be forever either.

 

[chalee94]

...buying into DVC is more about a long term investment and shouldn't be about the perks. I agree to a certain extent but throw us a bone once in a while.

throw us a bone for what?

i bought into DVC to save on onsite accommodations. DVC gets the upfront money, i get discounted villas. that was the deal.

the posters here try to explain to people that they shouldn't buy into DVC thinking that mickey will love them for being his very best customers...that is the fantasy that causes blowups at cast members that sound like "i paid thousands of dollars for DVC and i deserve better than simply getting what i agreed to..."