EDITED TITLE: Should DVC Owners get more Perks?

[Sammie]

Members that focus on what they can get more than what they bought, are going to always stay in a constant state of disappointment. Best to accept what you bought and be thankful if you get more.

Oh and nothing at Disney is free.

 

[New Mouse]

Members that focus on what they can get more than what they bought, are going to always stay in a constant state of disappointment. Best to be accept what you bought and be thankful if you get more.

Members that focus on what they can get more than what they bought, are going to always stay in a constant state of disappointment. Best to be accept what you bought and be thankful if you get more.

Oh and nothing at Disney is free.

I'd disagree. While perks have certainly changed over the years, I am not as accepting of the futs in service, quality and the drastic raising of prices when it comes to food and tickets.

While I understand your general point, remaining silent will just allow it to continue.

When I bought in at $70 a point, I didn't have this amazing job that paid me well. Back then it was actually easier to afford a trip to Disney. Now with a much better job and career, it's actually harder to afford a trip to Disney.

 

[J-Dog]

Members that focus on what they can get more than what they bought, are going to always stay in a constant state of disappointment. Best to be accept what you bought and be thankful if you get more.

Oh and nothing at Disney is free.

This is an opinion. I'm plenty old enough to have my own pre-established values and opinions. Thanks.

I'd disagree. While perks have certainly changed over the years, I am not as accepting of the futs in service, quality and the drastic raising of prices when it comes to food and tickets.

While I understand your general point, remaining silent will just allow it to continue.

When I bought in at $70 a point, I didn't have this amazing job that paid me well. Back then it was actually easier to afford a trip to Disney. Now with a much better job and career, it's actually harder to afford a trip to Disney.

Yes. I agree. I haven't owned DVC nearly as long as you, but there is a big difference between being "disappointed" that I'm not getting some arbitrary potential perk, and hoping to save a little bit of money while on an expensive WDW vacation.

 

[lpereira]

Charging for parking might have been the lowest blow Disney has ever taken. They were on a money grabbing spree and chose to piss off guests even more. Imagine Target coming out and saying if you want to shop at our store and use our parking lot, you have to pay. That would go over real well. It’s just sad to see the path Disney has chosen. Maybe Iger is here to right a lot of the wrongs of Bob Paycheck.

Iger. Iger is righting the wrongs of Iger. He was at the helm for parking fees and paid fastpass. The memory of a Disney fan is apparently only slightly less short than the average dementia patient.

 

[tjkraz]

If people want to ask for more, fine. Most will be perpetually disappointed, and I think it's a mistake to inflict that misery upon oneself.

Disney prices have gone up. DVC members have access to discounts on basically every component of the vacation experience: lodging, dining, shopping, recreation, tours, etc. I've recently documented the perks which were added in the last 7-8 years. But to some, it's not enough and there will never be enough.

Specific to this thread, the idea that "someone else got a perk so we deserve something too" is asinine.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

hoping to save a little bit of money while on an expensive WDW vacation.

Isn't that what DVC really is all about at the core--that you're getting discounted lodging? I think that's what other posters have been saying about expecting other perks and buying into the program as other things come and go.

It's a very valid point that the cost of getting into DVC has gone up as has the cost of a WDW vacation but the DVC program itself still would be netting you a discounted lodging in comparison to the rates over time.

 

[New Mouse]

Isn't that what DVC really is all about at the core--that you're getting discounted lodging? I think that's what other posters have been saying about expecting other perks and buying into the program as other things come and go.

It's a very valid point that the cost of getting into DVC has gone up as has the cost of a WDW vacation but the DVC program itself still would be netting you a discounted lodging in comparison to the rates over time.

What happens when they start to water down that lodging that you purchased?

 

[Sandisw]

What happens when they start to water down that lodging that you purchased?

In what way?

 

[davidhr]

I also wonder how they can water it down.

I guess they can cut things at the resort and related to parks, but that will also affect other guests. If we get to that point, it means WDW is having serious financial problems.

I know people don’t like it, but the phrase is accurate. At the end of the day, we just purchased a room.

 

[J-Dog]

Isn't that what DVC really is all about at the core--that you're getting discounted lodging? I think that's what other posters have been saying about expecting other perks and buying into the program as other things come and go.

It's a very valid point that the cost of getting into DVC has gone up as has the cost of a WDW vacation but the DVC program itself still would be netting you a discounted lodging in comparison to the rates over time.

Okay. But why would it matter to me that other people think that discounted lodging is "enough"? That's simply an opinion.

Just because other people are "happy" with what they have doesn't mean that I can't wonder about new perks.

Did I violate some unwritten rule on these forums that I don't know about? So far in this thread, I've been accused of unnecessarily being upset about something, been told to sell my timeshare, been accused of being selfish for asking about new perks, and of being disappointed in my DVC purchase (which I never said or implied).

 

[john7994]

Just because other people are "happy" with what they have doesn't mean that I can't wonder about new perks.

Did I violate some unwritten rule on these forums that I don't know about? So far in this thread, I've been accused of unnecessarily being upset about something, been told to sell my timeshare, been accused of being selfish for asking about new perks, and of being disappointed in my DVC purchase (which I never said or implied).

Yes, you clearly have a hidden agenda about Pizzarizzo ... come clean and all will be forgiven

 

[Sandisw]

Okay. But why would it matter to me that other people think that discounted lodging is "enough"? That's simply an opinion.

Just because other people are "happy" with what they have doesn't mean that I can't wonder about new perks.

Did I violate some unwritten rule on these forums that I don't know about? So far in this thread, I've been accused of unnecessarily being upset about something, been told to sell my timeshare, been accused of being selfish for asking about new perks, and of being disappointed in my DVC purchase (which I never said or implied).

Everyone can definitely have their own opinion about what they hope for in terms of DVC ownership.

You certainly were not the only owner who was not aware of why DVC owners couldn’t be charged by Disney for parking, like hotel guests were.

Same thing happened when they made TOTWL a membership extras experience. Lots of people always thought the dues funded it and therefore, should be someplace all owners had access to during visits.


IMO, the hard part is adjusting to being a DVC owner vs WDW hotel guest.

There will be differences in what we can and can not expect because we are owners. Disney will come out with specials and deals that won’t apply to us.
.
Many of the things people are disappointed about or want to see added require DVD/DVC to negotiate with others and why it’s not as simple to do. Or they are things related to WDW that impact all guests which has nothing to do with DVC....ie: dining plan, magical express, APs, etc.

It’s definitely okay to hope for better benefits for being DVC but it’s also okay that others, like me, find what we are currently getting as extras is comprehensive and much better than years ago when we joined.

As much as we would love to think we are the most important and loyal guests..because we invested in DVC..in reality, we are a small subset of guests in a much larger set who all want to have things to make our WDW experience more enjoyable and less expensive.

 

[Brian Noble]

the hard part is adjusting to being a DVC owner vs WDW hotel guest.

I think this is exactly right, because...

As much as we would love to think we are the most important and loyal guests..because we invested in DVC..in reality, we are a small subset of guests in a much larger set who all want to have things to make our WDW experience more enjoyable and less expensive.

...reality is maybe even a bit less pleasant.

The value proposition for DVC, from Disney's perspective, is twofold. First, they get a return on investment for developing a new resort much earlier than they otherwise would, allowing a recycling of that development capital more quickly. But the second might be more important: A DVC Member is part of a captive audience. They are much more likely to return to Disney without the need for marketing. And make no mistake: marketing is expensive. That's partly why Disney is willing to discount lodging--they are saving marketing costs on that guest for the next many years.

So, in at least some ways, it's not that a DVC Member isn't more important than a "regular" guest--instead, a DVC Member is less important.

 

[J-Dog]

I think this is exactly right, because...

...reality is maybe even a bit less pleasant.

The value proposition for DVC, from Disney's perspective, is twofold. First, they get a return on investment for developing a new resort much earlier than they otherwise would, allowing a recycling of that development capital more quickly. But the second might be more important: A DVC Member is part of a captive audience. They are much more likely to return to Disney without the need for marketing. And make no mistake: marketing is expensive. That's partly why Disney is willing to discount lodging--they are saving marketing costs on that guest for the next many years.

So, in at least some ways, it's not that a DVC Member isn't more important than a "regular" guest--instead, a DVC Member is less important.

Yes, I agree with this.

However, I think that the return of Moonlight Magic and the Pizzarizzo thing are evidence that DVD and/or TWDC do care enough to be marketing to DVC to some extent.

Maybe that marketing is fairly cheap compared to marketing to "regular" WDW patrons (or maybe not, I have no idea what the costs are), but if they didn't care to market to us at all, there would be no reason to initiate new "perks".

 

[Brian Noble]

The point of membership extras is to support new sales, not reward existing customers.

 

[J-Dog]

The point of membership extras is to support new sales, not reward existing customers.

Huh? What's the difference?

Marketing is marketing. Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't know of any membership extras that only apply to new applicants but don't apply to blue card holders - are there any?

 

[Brian Noble]

What's the difference?

The difference is important.

For example, Membership Extras only need to look useful to a prospective buyer in order to serve their purpose. They don't really need to be useful to existing owners. What fraction of the Membership can go to the various Moonlight Magic offerings? There are what, ten of them a year across both resorts? How fast do they sell out? How often do we hear that Members who are eligible and have resort stays during the dates are shut out? How many Members don't even have resort stays during the dates in question?

It looks awesome. A free night in the theme parks just for Members! What's not to love? And the people who get to do them love them.

That's not to say that Membership Extras have no value, or can't be important to existing Members. They might be. But that's a happy accident, and not Disney's goal.

This all gets back to one of the things I work hard to remember whenever I deal with the Mouse: Disney makes money by selling happiness. That's not the same as "Disney wants me, personally, to be happy." The distinction is subtle, but keeping it in mind helps me sleep at night.

 

[J-Dog]

The difference is important.

For example, Membership Extras only need to look useful to a prospective buyer in order to serve their purpose. They don't really need to be useful to existing owners. What fraction of the Membership can go to the various Moonlight Magic offerings? There are what, ten of them a year across both resorts? How fast do they sell out? How often do we hear that Members who are eligible and have resort stays during the dates are shut out? How many Members don't even have resort stays during the dates in question?

It looks awesome. A free night in the theme parks just for Members! What's not to love? And the people who get to do them love them.

That's not to say that Membership Extras have no value, or can't be important to existing Members. They might be. But that's a happy accident, and not Disney's goal.

This all gets back to one of the things I work hard to remember whenever I deal with the Mouse: Disney makes money by selling happiness. That's not the same as "Disney wants me, personally, to be happy." The distinction is subtle, but keeping it in mind helps me sleep at night.

Okay. But that seems like semantics to me. Based on the scope of my original question (i.e I made no comment about it needing to be a specific or "useful" benefit), if it's a new Membership Extra that I am able to take advantage of, why would I care if DVD is marketing to me or to new members?

 

[New Mouse]

In what way?

When your deluxe resort that you bought into is no longer deluxe.

There is a complete conflict of interest at mixed dvc/Disney resorts and it is in Disney's best interest to cut labor and offerings to trim costs, but it is in DVCs best interest to maintain if not ramp up these same things.

That's a major piece that was never even considered when advertising 30 years ago.

Will Disney completely eliminate the things that make the resorts "magical"? Probably not, but it is in their best interest to do so if it doesn't hurt the bottom line.

 

[MarkinMA]

I'd like them to add the perk of allowing DVC members to park at resorts without needing to have a dining reservation or the like. I enjoy the resorts and the different bars and lounges, but having to 'con' my way into a parking lot to give Disney MORE money from over priced drinks? Allow me to show my DVC card or the like and "welcome home."