Does Disney care less about DVC members now?

[nalabear]

UStudios certainly is closing the gap with its offerings of both onsite and growing attractions that could fill several days now and be 'in a bubble'.

This does reflect last year's closing of the attendance visit gap between WDW and US parks -- but that IS during a partial shutdown still and revenge travel summer --- so really 2023 will give a lot of information on competition level and pricing premiums associated between WDW and US.

WDW clearly believes in trying to optimize the type of visitor and per capita spending without increasing the gate prices further -- Iger said that. So the levers he can pull is gating APs and a la carte charges. It is curious that he did away with parking fees at the resort hotels as they are captured audiences to fleece. Guess to balance the loss of MCE.

 

[LPnerd]

I have been a member since 1999. In the last couple years I have seen and read things about Disney targeting first time visitors at the expense of long time fans. I have to say that I agree with these statements as of late. I love our stays at DVC resorts but have little interest in going to the parks or spending so much at Disney anymore. I feel my membership has lost the magic it once had. I wish I could get that feeling back.

With the theme being removed from so many of the Disney and DVC resorts during refurbs, the constant money grabs and being required to constantly be looking at a smartphone for planning and navigating a trip to a park, it seems like you have to spend so much and work so hard and plan so much to just visit a park both before you go and while you are there. I remember the days when I could use my phone to take pictures and tuck it back in my pocket. It wasn't required that I have to live my vacation through my phone.

What has happened?
Does anyone else feel this way? What have you done to get the magic back in your Disney vacations?

WE feel exactly the same! well said.

 

[Chuck S]

I think "before you go" planning is about the same, just a shorter timeframe for dining. Before COVID, most people still, sort of, made park reservations...not like now, but we still had to plan dining and FP+, so we still had to pick which park(s) which day.

What I really don't like is the getting up so darned early to get on the virtual queue, and then not really knowing if your time will pop up during your dining reservation. Let us book some rides in advance, even if it is just 3 per day, like the old FP+ system...even if we have to pay a little extra to do it.

 

[New Mouse]

After my last visit I'd say Disney cares less about its customers as a whole now. It's like the company has completely lost its direction.

 

[SandyinMonterey]

We have been DVC Members since 2002. Got married at WDW. Disney Visa holder (only for help paying dues) and my husband has been a stock holder for nearly 40 years. Planning a WDW vacation is just too much hassle, too much work, too many hoops to jump through. I was feeling this even before Covid. I didn't like all the planning and having to know where I was going to be and where I was going to eat so far in advance. I certainly don't want to be up at 6 am trying to get rides. But I think as a DVC Member "they" already have me as a captive audience. We've paid our contract in full very early on and pay our yearly dues, so they got our money that way. But going forward, I can see us renting out our points more often. When we do go to WDW, it will be very different. Less park time, no park hopping, more time at resort and off property adventures and definitely go to Universal. My husband and were talking about Disney, DVC, Universal, etc. and I thought that if DVC Members were going to Universal more often, wouldn't it grab their attention if hotel lobbies were full of DVC Members (and guests in general) with Harry Potter robes and wands.

 

[DavidRoss]

We have been DVC Members since 2002. Got married at WDW. Disney Visa holder (only for help paying dues) and my husband has been a stock holder for nearly 40 years. Planning a WDW vacation is just too much hassle, too much work, too many hoops to jump through. I was feeling this even before Covid. I didn't like all the planning and having to know where I was going to be and where I was going to eat so far in advance. I certainly don't want to be up at 6 am trying to get rides. But I think as a DVC Member "they" already have me as a captive audience. We've paid our contract in full very early on and pay our yearly dues, so they got our money that way. But going forward, I can see us renting out our points more often. When we do go to WDW, it will be very different. Less park time, no park hopping, more time at resort and off property adventures and definitely go to Universal. My husband and were talking about Disney, DVC, Universal, etc. and I thought that if DVC Members were going to Universal more often, wouldn't it grab their attention if hotel lobbies were full of DVC Members (and guests in general) with Harry Potter robes and wands.

I had thought about visiting other non-Disney parks and venues. But I hadn't thought about wearing and displaying all the merch from those places. It is sort of way to advertise that Disney isn't taking care of their members in the same way as before. I would be totally ok wearing my DVC hat but have shirts and other merch from Universal at the same time not. In the past, I might have felt funny or uneasy about wearing a competitor's apparel at Disney or vice versa. I think now, that feeling has long passed.