Disney's Long Term DVC Strategy

[Girlstar30]

Cake Bake Shop on the BW takes a 10% Disney Visa discount!

I will definitely be needing that!

 

[eticketplease]

I found that CMs ask to see the DVC status in the profile section on MDE. It doesn’t specify whether a member is DVC-Y or not, and so a discount is always given based on that. Haven’t been recently so don’t know whether that has changed or not.

Yes that is what they did our last trip but we also were instructed to show the wallet.

Still have never had anyone scan the QR code

 

[Girlstar30]

I typically set my wallet to the "blue card" as the icon. If you are not a member with direct benefits, are you able to select the "blue card" on your wallet?

I also find it interesting that they will not accept physical AP cards - they want verification through the app every time I have tried to show them a physical card.

Disney seems to have something against physical cards in general though - I find it tough to get a room key every time we stay on property. DCL is another story...

Do you mean this? Mine is set to that

 

[PolyRob]

I will definitely be needing that!

The Birnbaum's 2025 Walt Disney World Guide actually has a 20% coupon if you plan on buying a lot! It's on sale right now so it's a pretty good deal. There's a ton of coupons in there.

 

[Girlstar30]

The Birnbaum's 2025 Walt Disney World Guide actually has a 20% coupon if you plan on buying a lot! It's on sale right now so it's pretty good deal. There's a ton of coupons in there.

Is it unlimited

 

[Sandisw]

I found that CMs ask to see the DVC status in the profile section on MDE. It doesn’t specify whether a member is DVC-Y or not, and so a discount is always given based on that. Haven’t been recently so don’t know whether that has changed or not.

I have always been asked to show it from my wallet..never MDE…

 

[eticketplease]

I have always been asked to show it from my wallet..never MDE…

That’s why I was surprised when they did this past trip at HS. I was always using the wallet previously

 

[Cfabar1]

Eating recently at Wailulu I found myself thinking if DVC was serious about using the discount program to differentiate between direct and resale, they would have found a way to offer the DVC discount (even if they didn't offer AP) at Wailulu... At least while it is in active sales...

How awkward for a guide to be selling the tower and talking about discounts and have to say "well, not at the restaurant in the building you're buying"....

 

[Girlstar30]

Eating recently at Wailulu I found myself thinking if DVC was serious about using the discount program to differentiate between direct and resale, they would have found a way to offer the DVC discount (even if they didn't offer AP) at Wailulu... At least while it is in active sales...

How awkward for a guide to be selling the tower and talking about discounts and have to say "well, not at the restaurant in the building you're buying"....

Why dont they offer it there?

 

[Cfabar1]

Why dont they offer it there?

Good question... I suspect on some level they feel it is not necessary to do so.

 

[PolyRob]

Why dont they offer it there?

WDW tends to restrict discounts on new restaurants until the pixie dust wears off. Same thing happened with Roundup Rodeo in DHS. It added AP and DVC discounts about a year after it opened.

Wailulu is also very much an elevated lounge like Geyser Point so who knows if it will ever happen. No discount has worked on alcohol since Tables in Wonderland so it may just be easier to restrict these "bar and grills."

 

[Cfabar1]

WDW tends to restrict discounts on new restaurants until the pixie dust wears off. Same thing happened with Roundup Rodeo in DHS. It added AP and DVC discounts about a year after it opened.

Wailulu is also very much an elevated lounge like Geyser Point so who knows if it will ever happen. No discount has worked on alcohol since Tables in Wonderland so it may just be easier to restrict these "bar and grills."

Yes, I get that's how Disney is branding Wailulu... but in essence it is more of a restaurant than Geyser Point which is an outdoor, non-air conditioned venue which serves (excellent) bar food. Wailulu serves something closer to a standard menu, in a more formal setting.

Food at both is very good, but very different experiences...

 

[Girlstar30]

WDW tends to restrict discounts on new restaurants until the pixie dust wears off. Same thing happened with Roundup Rodeo in DHS. It added AP and DVC discounts about a year after it opened.

Wailulu is also very much an elevated lounge like Geyser Point so who knows if it will ever happen. No discount has worked on alcohol since Tables in Wonderland so it may just be easier to restrict these "bar and grills."

There's no discount at geyser?

 

[Cfabar1]

There's no discount at geyser?

Nope.

 

[havoc315]

With growth in the resale market, they have felt the need to protect direct sales. It’s simply a supply issue.
In the 1990’s, there wasn’t a massive re-sale market as there just weren’t as many points sold, and people hadn’t yet outlived the effective use of their contracts.

Now, lots of contracts are 20-30 years old, so many original buyers (and even 2nd and 3rd generation) have no use for their contracts so sell them.

So to protect direct sales, Disney had to start creating real distinctions between direct and resale. And preferably, distinctions that don’t actually cost Disney any money.

Membership Magic Beyond makes money for Disney, they don’t lose a penny on it.
The lounges have some costs but they have 2 values: As you said, a distinction that benefits direct sales. Also their presence is basically a sales ad in the park.

You have the various dining and shopping discounts. Those perks aren’t big enough to drive people to direct over resale. They also don’t generally cost Disney anything — they encourage DVC owners to eat in restaurants more, to buy more. Instead of just using their DVC kitchens.

They eventually came to resale restrictions. A true major distinction, that doesn’t cost Disney anything.

In 10-15 years, the resale restrictions will heavily impact all prospective resale buyers. From that point, Disney won’t need any other perks to protect direct sales. Some perks may stay— as they actually make money for Disney. But those perks will be meaningless in terms of protecting direct sales.

 

[AstroBlasters]

Hot Take: If you know you are not entitled to a direct discount because you chose to buy resale then it is unethical to “play dumb” about why they are asking if you are DVC with the hope that the cast member is not properly trained.

 

[CVG]

Hot Take: If you know you are not entitled to a direct discount because you chose to buy resale then it is unethical to “play dumb” about why they are asking if you are DVC with the hope that the cast member is not properly trained.

Bingo

 

[eticketplease]

Hot Take: If you know you are not entitled to a direct discount because you chose to buy resale then it is unethical to “play dumb” about why they are asking if you are DVC with the hope that the cast member is not properly trained.

This doesn't apply to me but if I was asked if I was DVC then I would simply state yes.
There is no playing dumb I'm just answering their question and if a discount was or wasn't granted I would know that I answered the question. There is no need to add on to the conversation to explain resale or direct status.

Now if I am stating to the cast member I'm DVC expecting to receive a discount when I know it should not be granted that is a different story.

 

[JackosinDIS]

Hot Take: If you know you are not entitled to a direct discount because you chose to buy resale then it is unethical to “play dumb” about why they are asking if you are DVC with the hope that the cast member is not properly trained.

Also doesn’t apply to me, as I’m DVC-Y, but the mobile check-out for merch doesn’t even give resale members a choice… the 20% discount is applied regardless! If it were me, I’m not going to go and specifically ask for them to charge full price!
Agree it is questionable as to the ‘playing dumb’ when asked whether you are DVC, but really it is for the CMs to ask the right questions, I.e. do you have membership extras?

 

[Patmcpsu]

Disney does a moderately good job on their website to describe who is entitled to what, but this thread of highly-informed DVC members makes it obvious that the system is still too confusing. Also, Disney has the issue of its credit card pushing DVC buyers from direct to resale.

I could see DVC making the line in the sand:

• DVC-N: Room only
• DVC-Y: 10-15% discount on all dining (all restaurants in all US locations, quick service or sit down) plus everything else as it stands.
• Credit Card: Refresh the card to either make its dining discount 5% less than what DVC Direct offers, or ditch the benefit altogether and make the card more of a cashback proposition that's only redeemable at Disney.
• Annual Pass: Ditch the dining discount altogether, and make the passes ~$50/yr cheaper to offset.

I'm pretty sure the DVC-N benefits are already pretty close to "room only" already, but they would axe whatever marginal perks still exist "to better streamline the customer experience".