Effective 2/25/2018, you need at least 75 direct points to qualify for Membership Extras

[justme0729]

What are the membership perks currently? Is there a list somewhere?

 

[4luv2cdisney]

What are the membership perks currently? Is there a list somewhere?

https://disneyvacationclub.disney.go.com/discounts-perks-offers/

 

[Henwen88]

I have 3 contracts over 2UYs. Having contracts in different accounts is workable.

It’s a hassle but has a few advantages.

1. Two sets of waitlist.

2. The ability to buy one time use points in both accounts means access to 48 of them per year.

3. I discovered this trick because I have two accounts and frequently book like 3 nights in one account and 2 in the other for the same trip:

If I book the smaller number of days first, 2 then 3 days and book the deluxe dining plan for the 2 days only, there are enough credits to stretch them to 3 days (good the whole day of the switch to new room). Then I front load sit downs early. I have a drink cup the whole trip and effectively 3 dining plan days for the price of two.

You can do this in one UY, but if they see your reservation split, they can combine them into one. They can’t do that across contracts.

My point is different UYs isn’t the end of the world. If that’s what it takes to lock down perks, my advice is:

DO IT.

I have 4 contracts/2 use years - June and December... Wouldn't have it any other way It's like built in travel insurance - book early trips with Dec use year and late trips with June. And I find it very easy to navigate on the website.

 

[The Jackal]

DVC has now done this twice, causing a buying frenzy in just over 2 months. Lots of increased direct sales although small add up fast. First it was the price increase and now the direct buy in increase for perks. I wonder what they will do next?

 

[TexasChick123]

DVC has now done this twice, causing a buying frenzy in just over 2 months. Lots of increased direct sales although small add up fast. First it was the price increase and now the direct buy in increase for perks. I wonder what they will do next?

I heard it will be a new kitten or puppy with every direct purchase. Buyer’s choice!

 

[The Jackal]

I have 4 contracts/2 use years - June and December... Wouldn't have it any other way It's like built in travel insurance - book early trips with Dec use year and late trips with June. And I find it very easy to navigate on the website.

I might have to do this. We go twice a year once in April and once in September/October. I already have the June use year, guess I should look for a December one.

 

[Callie]

If my mom were to re-do her deed, she bought the points resale in 2009, would we still get cards?

 

[Ben E N]

If my mom were to re-do her deed, she bought the points resale in 2009, would we still get cards?

You should have the cards already, and as long as she does not sell that deed they should still remain with it.

 

[justme0729]

Can you go to top of the world lounge or get discounted tickets/ annual passes if you’re not direct?

 

[JETSDAD]

Can you go to top of the world lounge or get discounted tickets/ annual passes if you’re not direct?

Top of the World Lounge, yes. Discounts and most other things, no.

 

[Bing Showei]

The membership extras themselves are always subject to change or to go away completely. The eligibility based on when you bought has already been decided for prior purchasers and is a COMPLETELY SEPARATE ISSUE! When you start introducing new restrictions for current owners, you run into legal trouble as they bought under specific, laid out circumstances. Again, what those perks are can always change. Whether or not you receive them gets messy if you try to exclude prior purchasers, thus the grandfathering. There is a lot of law written regarding timeshares, and I don’t presume to be an expert in that area, but they are held accountable to what’s in our deed. My docs specifically state that any membership extras can change, go away, should not be replied upon, etc., but I am eligible for them, when offered, according to my documents. To change that eligibility retroactively isn’t allowed. Membership extras themselves can always change. Who is eligible has already been decided for prior purchasers. They can change it all going forward if they want for new purchasers.

While perks are not guaranteed, the fact of the matter is that they are "not guaranteed" for entire classes of membership. Meaning, if they take perks away, they need to take them away from the entire class. Right now there are different classes that included direct purchasers and resale purchasers together, depending on when the resale buyers purchased their contracts. Bifurcating those groups is problematic and potentially illegal. Said another way, I think it's highly likely that Moonlight Magic events cease to exist at some point in the future. I think it's highly unlikely that they exist going forward only for direct purchasers while excluding resale buyers who purchased before the second set of exclusions.

What if it was indeed a new category? "Membership Extras" as we all know them stay the same. Those grandfathered in still get them. Except they no longer offer AP discounts, lounge access, Moonlight Magic, etc. Those "perks" would just go the way of the valet parking dodo. You could of course still rent DVDs and pool hop, though. TOTWL is also yours to enjoy.

Instead, they introduce the all-new "Disney's Friends with More Benefits" Program. It's this whole other thing. Sure you can go to TOTWL, get your DVDs with your "Membership Extras" but now you also get to attend Starlight Specials, an after hour events available to Disney Vacation Club members with "Disney Friends with More Benefits" and their peasant guests (not to be confused with the now non-existent Moonlight Magic - it's a totally different thing), Forever Magic Living (FML) passes (they sound like annual passes, but totally different), etc.

Now included with all Disney Vacation Memberships when you purchase your real estate interest directly through Disney Vacation Development, Inc.

Currently a DVC member? No problem! You can apply to have the new "Disney Friends with More Benefits" membership applied to your current membership. Upon DVD review, membership to the new program may be granted to current members.

"Disney Friends with More Benefits" come get ****ed.

No one should be cheering these changes. Even if you bought direct and feel this makes things more "equitable," as the resale market value proposition erodes, your timeshare continues to be devalued and DVC starts looking more and more like your typical timeshare.

 

[iheartglaciers]

DVC has now done this twice, causing a buying frenzy in just over 2 months. Lots of increased direct sales although small add up fast. First it was the price increase and now the direct buy in increase for perks. I wonder what they will do next?

It’s been a tricky time to become a member!! I missed being able to add on at Poly before the price increase by 2-3 weeks (I was waiting for my contract to close and membership number to be created). I didn’t get on the WL for the add on right away... did it today, but not optimistic it’ll come through.

 

[TexasChick123]

No one should be cheering these changes. Even if you bought direct and feel this makes things more "equitable," as the resale market value proposition erodes, your timeshare continues to be devalued and DVC starts looking more and more like your typical timeshare.

I completely agree. Not a good change. It’s not like my pre-April 2016 contract or someone’s direct contract is more valuable on the resale market now than it was before. The perks don’t transfer with it if I sell it to someone else. It’s a kick in the teeth to the resale market which devalues all ownership, direct and otherwise. How big of a kick? Only time will tell.

 

[Kim Gillihan]

well,I am likely to never be a direct owner... I am running the numbers thinking of adding on to my akv before the change, if there are points available that is.. and I am not sure if its worth it at even 25 points, so for sure won't be at 75! The biggest savings seem the AP and I dont see us needing that very often...

 

[Wakey]

Disney will have modelled and believe they'll make more cash overall compared to losing (I imagine) many 25 point addoners.

What about the poor guy who has been saving for his 50 point direct contract to get him into DVC for the first time? **** you dust rather than pixie dust for that person, because that person is just collateral damage in DVDs quest for ever more greenbacks.

 

[Ben E N]

No one should be cheering these changes. Even if you bought direct and feel this makes things more "equitable," as the resale market value proposition erodes, your timeshare continues to be devalued and DVC starts looking more and more like your typical timeshare.

The people I feel bad for is those who were planning to do a 25 point add on with their current resale contracts and are now suddenly having the rules changed on them. I get why Disney is doing it, but it must be very frustrating for them. I am glad to hear that same guides are doing their best to help some of these people out.
As for those who have not yet started the resale process, all that this does is change the equation in Disney's favor a bit more. I personally think it is a more fair than not change once all the dust settles.
I got in at 25 points this past summer. Those direct points cost me about $1700 more than buying them resale would have. I then immediately bought 4 platinum plus tickets at a discount, saving me close $1000 off of that purchase price. Within 3 years, I will already be ahead. Yes, Disney wins as well because they got me to buy an annual pass, but many people who consider DVC are the types to get those anyway.
If I were starting the process this summer, I would go into knowing that I could go one of two routes - all resale or a hybrid route. People looking for smaller contracts could also go all direct. Taking 175 points at BLT as an example, I could either go all resale at about $135 a point for just under $24,000, or buy 100 points at $140 a point at 75 direct at $191 a point. That would come out to about $5000 more. It puts a little more money in Disney's pocket, and would have kept a little less in mine, but does not completely destroy the DVC system as we know it. Once the current buyers get things settled, I think business will continue as normal.

 

[Ben E N]

It’s a kick in the teeth to the resale market which devalues all ownership, direct and otherwise. How big of a kick? Only time will tell.

I am sure it will have some effect, but it might not be as extreme as many might think. What it will do is reduce the premium people are willing to pay for smaller contracts, and increase the discounts sellers tend to offer on larger ones. I would imagine both of these changes would be in the $5 per point or so range. Everything else just shifts. If I was looking to buy 200 resale +25 direct, I now start looking for 150-160 point resale contracts. There will also be those who are driven away from direct purchasing at all and will look to go all resale.

 

[ziravan]

I am sure it will have some effect, but it might not be as extreme as many might think. What it will do is reduce the premium people are willing to pay for smaller contracts, and increase the discounts sellers tend to offer on larger ones. I would imagine both of these changes would be in the $5 per point or so range. Everything else just shifts. If I was looking to buy 200 resale +25 direct, I now start looking for 150-160 point resale contracts. There will also be those who are driven away from direct purchasing at all and will look to go all resale.

That works if you’re looking for 200 plus points overall.

If you’re looking for 100 or less, you’re stuck with direct for all of them, if you want perks.

But those in between 100 and 200 (where most people should be starting out)?:

It’s too many points to justify buying all direct for perks.

It’s too few points to split them up and find a reasonable 50-125 point resale to match the 75 direct.

For the average 100-200 point need, the math no longer works for perks. These people are going to have to decide between no perks or no DVC at all.

 

[Wakey]

25 point resales will become more expensive, not less.

 

[disneynutz]

Disney/DVC greed is getting to be over the top. Increasing vacation cost while not maintaining the system is a chump move. So sad.

Bill