DVC Premium Pass Deal for 2013

[DaveInCali]

Anyone hear or know if there will be a Premium Pass Special for DVC owners this year? Last year it was $399 and was only available for purchase from October through December. Just trying to figure out our vacations.

 

[erionm]

I wouldn't count on it.

 

[sara mom]

Another thought is that they may offer it again (but no one here knows) as people are planning more frequent trips to get the 'most bang for their buck'. This increase in trips helps Disney= more purchases (food, souvenirs, etc) in the parks helps their revenue.

 

[jrtoastyman]

I'll tell you what, it helped Disney extract the maximum amount of money they could from us in 2013. Rather than doing one trip, we decided to move our January 2014 trip back to December 2013. Oh, and since we already had the passes, we decided to do a trip in May, too. Saved money on park entry, but I've already spent PLENTY of money on other things and I'm pretty sure Disney will come out way ahead on me by the time the year is through -- which, I'm sure, is exactly what they were hoping.

Disney, if you're reading this, your little experiment worked. Offer it again, and I'll probably buy it again, and that results in more cash for you and more trips for me. Total win-win.

 

[holula]

That happened with us too. We added a trip in October to use our APs and are borrowing points for it.

 

[JACKie SPARROW]

We've been members since 2000 and this was the first time we saw a discount like this.

I envy members who went in October and purchased 2 sets of APs... way to go . Wish we could have done the same.

Although another AP deal would be fantastic, I'm not counting on it. We are headed down later in August for 10 nights...plan on another week at the end of March for spring break and then again in early August in 2014!

Haven't been to Disney since 2011 so I am super-excited

 

[twinklebug]

I'm betting that the DVC PAP discount was Claire Bilby's doing. She's amazing with visualizing and making profitable connections between seemingly unrelated areas within the Disney structure while making everyone happy. Was sad to see her move on and only hope the new management (Ken Potrock) has tried to keep her outlook and aggressive no-BS approach to making it all come together. If they have, we may see a similar offer repeated. Too soon to tell.

 

[drusba]

I envy members who went in October and purchased 2 sets of APs... way to go . Wish we could have done the same.

We were one those who bought in Oct shortly before going in October and bought a second one which we won't use until Nov of this year. Earlier this year (I think it was in February or March), we were contacted via email for a survey which asked a number of questions including whether buying the pass for the special rate had caused us to plan more trips to WDW for the year, to which we answered yes. I assumed many others got the same survey and, hopefully, also answered yes. Possibly we will see something again.

 

[Reddog1134]

I read a rumor that said the reason for the discount was because they found too many DVCers were booking stays at a DVC resort and then heading to Universal/Seaworld/ETC.

This was their way of "tricking" us back into the Disney parks.

 

[OKW Lover]

I read a rumor that said the reason for the discount was because they found too many DVCers were booking stays at a DVC resort and then heading to Universal/Seaworld/ETC.

This was their way of "tricking" us back into the Disney parks.

I'm doubting this rumor. (Not doubting that you heard it, just the logic behind it)

DVC members are some of the most loyal Disney fans. I'm guessing that lots of them also have AP's (even before that deal) as well. If it was just a timeshare and they were interested in other parks, they could have bought any of several outside places for much less $ than Disney.

 

[CarolMN]

I read a rumor that said the reason for the discount was because they found too many DVCers were booking stays at a DVC resort and then heading to Universal/Seaworld/ETC.

This was their way of "tricking" us back into the Disney parks.

I'm doubting this rumor. (Not doubting that you heard it, just the logic behind it)

DVC members are some of the most loyal Disney fans. I'm guessing that lots of them also have AP's (even before that deal) as well. If it was just a timeshare and they were interested in other parks, they could have bought any of several outside places for much less $ than Disney.

I tend to believe this rumor. Disney probably saw a trend of DVC members spending less time in the parks - perhaps they are going off site or perhaps just enjoying more non-park days. Either way, it's less revenue than they wanted/expected. If the special DVC PAP reverses that trend, we may see the specially discounted passes return.

 

[Tigger1]

I have read of many DVCers going a couple times last year due to the annual pass.

I had already bought tickets the June before or I would have bought the annual pass. We did not go to Disney until March.

If they do it again this year I will make two trips maybe three. Keeping my fingers crossed.

 

[goofydad99]

We planned to take a year off this year. Instead, we are making a trip at the end of next month, December and June of next year.

We haven't really been in the parks much lately due to the cost of tickets.

 

[brertoad]

We bought APs in Sept., then upgraded to PAP in Oct. for a tiny bit more. And we also bought vouchers last year, so we would have PAPs until 2014. If they do offer another special PAP offer, we will shell out the money for vouchers to carry us into 2015. I sure loved that 20% discount they took away. I'm not buying as many pins as I used to, the 20% definitely made us buy more. Now, not so much.

I know many people upgraded to PAPs and have made more unexpected trips since their tickets are already covered. It is definitely a win/win scenario.

 

[luckyman_apd]

We bought in and have been amazed how it has completely taken over our plans for the next year. Our plan was to bank 2013 points and use them in 2014 for an extended stay. Well then we heard about the pass deal. We had just returned from a November trip and done the MVMCP for the first time. Kids loved it, so the wheels started spinning....bought the PAP, and booked a 3 day weekend in Dec to activate them, do the MVMCP again, and then use them summer of 2014 for slightly less extended trip. Then the in laws started nagging about going this year and seeing the fantasyland expansion. My father in law gets a military discount so we thought why not, and get MORE milage out of the AP. turns out transferring in the points and staying at SSR was the same amount as using his discount for a moderate resort. Then my wife just found out a conference she is planning to attend next May for work is being held at Coronado. So we may get even more milage out of it.

I don't think we will see a repeat of the deal this year. Since they have to be activated BY Dec 31 2013, the full extend on the usage of them won't be fully known till the end of 2014. I could see them doing it again in a few years, but I would highly doubt it becomes a regular thing. It was definitely a Claire thing. The added benefit for disney might disappear to if it became a regular thing.

Many of these "extra trips" we scheduled were because of the AP and we cut out some other things to do the extra trips. It's not really a sustainable thing for us year to year. If they offered it yearly, it would lose that special discount feeling and as many might not jump on it. We did because we feel its a one time thing and we are making the most of it. Actually, it really just helped me justify doing the MVMCP party again since we had the 2014 trip scheduled already and the pass was less than what the tickets for that trip would cost anyway.

 

[DaveInCali]

Bummer. We were hoping for another deal but it seems like it would make sense for them not to offer it this year since buyers have until this year to activate. Well, we'll see. If not the AP is gonna have to do at the member rate.

 

[luckyman_apd]

Bummer. We were hoping for another deal but it seems like it would make sense for them not to offer it this year since buyers have until this year to activate. Well, we'll see. If not the AP is gonna have to do at the member rate.

An annual pass was not something we ever thought we'd use according to our plan when we purchased our DVC, but we've gone off the plan and its really because of the PAP.at the time, an annual pass was only $25 more than the PAP but you don't get the water parks. Honestly I've never been to a disney water park but might have to try one now. Since the price increase I don't know what an AP costs with the DVC discount

 

[LSchrow]

we planned on skipping WDW in 2013 (were contemplating italy, switzerland, and/or austria)....until the PAP special.
while we had APs already, the PAP deal was just too good to pass up - at least, i have another year to research long-lost relatives

 

[keishashadow]

I read a rumor that said the reason for the discount was because they found too many DVCers were booking stays at a DVC resort and then heading to Universal/Seaworld/ETC.

This was their way of "tricking" us back into the Disney parks.

Other than the good will gesture, IMO mgmt likely considered that it might spur add-ons for those who want to sneak in a 3rd or 4th trip within the 12 month period. It's the new DVCer math.

We plan on working the pass and it does have a consideration in my planning next year's travel that falls within our AP period. Won't add on though, moreso enjoying attractive off-site resort deals (ala the $69 rate we received two weeks ago @ the DTD Hilton. Even with the resort fee and parking barely cracked $100/night mark).

 

[Sammie]

I think there is a chance it will happen again.