Extra DVC points - Wonder if DVC would ever allow them to be used to buy passes?

[littlestar]

Someone over on the tug board asked this question the other day. They wanted to know if they had leftover DVC points if they could be used to buy Disney passes? Anyone wonder if having this option would be a benefit to members or would possibly cut down on point renting for cash?

 

[jarestel]

It's an interesting idea. Though I would suppose the points returned to Disney in payment for the tickets would then be used by Disney to rent out DVC rooms. So it might actually have the effect of adding more non-members staying at DVC by replacing the rentals from members with the rentals by Disney. Especially if the number of members who took advantage of the tickets for points option was significantly higher than the number of members who would have rented their extra points. I don't know how feasible it is, but it is intriguing.

Add-ons to pay for park tickets anyone?

 

[drusba]

They once gave away free passes as part of the purchase (OKW buyers in the 1990s) and apparently regretted that royally. Then, with members begging for a discount, they offerred some feeble discount on 5-day passes and it was discontinued mainly because no one was buying it. Members pressed for other discounts for years, particularly for AP, and got nothing until they finally broke down and gave the AP discount but you kind of got the sense that it pained Disney greatly to break down and do something like that. Seriously doubt they will ever do points for tickets. To get any ticket discount, or an exchange for points program, out of Disney for DVC members seems to require that you first amass a huge number of supporters and then have all of them beg on their knees for at least 6 years. So if you want any chance of getting it to happen, you need to start a movement first.

 

[bwvBound]

I think this would be a great perk!

Related examples:

• Worldmark the Club has, on occasion, offered owners tickets to various SoCal parks for their credits (aka points). Worldmark credits are frequently touted as a "vacation currency" accepted for travel options, events, tours, and merchandise offered by the Club.
• The RCI Points Partners Program allows member's RCI Points to be exchanged for a variety of travel services and, yes, even park admission media (tickets).

Hmm ... and add-on for tickets? What a thought!

 

[keishashadow]

; even ability to use for water parks would be nice

 

[mikesmom]

I don't think they will ever do it, but I for one would love it! I tend to agree that it might cut down on the renting. We've rented out 4 different times and EVERY time was because family/friends bailed on a reservation within the 30 day window or because of family illness and we just couldn't go. If we could have just put the points toward the next AP I would have done it in a heartbeat!

 

[Shenandoah Mickey]

I think it would be a great idea also. I have had several people ask me if park admission is included in my DVC reservations. I also think it's a deal-breaker for many considering purchasing a DVC membership.

 

[cobbler]

Even better, maybe we can lock in on AP prices today for the rest of our contract. We have to buy them but they will only be $XXX for the rest of the contract

I don't think I would want to use points for AP's, I think the trade off would be kind of high. Like one night in a GV high.

 

[DisDaydreamer]

And so... how would you put a value on a point>? Same as the going rental market rate? 1 pt = $10 towards purchase of Disney product maybe. The points would be turned over to Disney to be put in the CRO pool. It could work. Disney could make a little profit on cash ressies and it would be a whole lot easier than renting out.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

And so... how would you put a value on a point>? Same as the going rental market rate? 1 pt = $10 towards purchase of Disney product maybe. The points would be turned over to Disney to be put in the CRO pool. It could work. Disney could make a little profit on cash ressies and it would be a whole lot easier than renting out.

The problem is that DVC points put into the CRO pool (for example, for Concierge Collection) seem to yield far less than $10 per point. With WDW tickets, it would be easy to calculate the exact yield -- and it's likely that DVC members would be appalled.

 

[hellerjw]

Just my 2 cents ....

I think something like this, either points-for-perks or so many free tickets with certain bookings (2 free tickets for 1 week at a 2BR, etc) would be a huge incentive, both to DVC prospects and existing members.

Honestly, the one thing that really held me back from joining DVC for so long was the fact that I would still be paying for park tickets. If it was part of the "package" I would have joined 10 years ago.

It is something that is always a surprise to "outsiders" who ask about our reasons for joining DVC. It is almost always their first assumption, that you get park tickets as part of the deal.

I realize DVC isn't hurting for new members, but it would make the whole prospecting experience a slam dunk. I can rent out unused points and get the same result but I would prefer to have some kind of "in network" option to make it more seamless.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

I think something like this, either points-for-perks or so many free tickets with certain bookings (2 free tickets for 1 week at a 2BR, etc) would be a huge incentive, both to DVC prospects and existing members.

Somebody has to pay for any "free" WDW tickets.

In the early 1990s, Disney Vacation Development (DVD) paid for the WDW park tickets that early DVC buyers received through 1999 for MK, Epcot, and D-MGM. Those tickets were a business expense, just like construction costs, marketing costs, and salaries for DVC Guides. It was an incentive to get people to buy into DVC. The folks at DVD discovered it wasn't necessary. They didn't offer the free ticket incentive at BWV; people bought anyway; so they dropped it at OKW. DVD's cost structure went down, but the price of OKW points didn't. More profit for DVD!

DVD isn't going to pay for free tickets, so that would mean that any "free" tickets need to be paid for by the DVC members in some way.

I wouldn't object if Disney Vacation Club offered a points-for-tickets plan -- in which the points go into the CRO pool to pay for the tickets, just as points go into the CRO pool to pay for Concierge Collection accommodations. I wouldn't use it, but I would have no reason to object.

I would object strongly if Disney Vacation Club bought and gave away WDW tickets through the resort operating budget -- which would be the only way to fund hellerjw's idea of "so many free tickets with certain bookings." That would mean that the DVC members who receive the tickets would be subsidized by those who don't.

 

[DebbieB]

There is a clause in the contract that points are only to be used to secure accomodations.

Considering that the points used would have to be turned over to CRO to rent rooms, I don't think they would be economical. Just look at the number of points needed to get rooms at non-DVC resorts. Plus that would take rooms out of the DVC room inventory, making it harder to get rooms on points.

 

[CarolMN]

I agree with Horace and Debbie - due to the need to send DVC rooms to CRO to pay for the passes, the number of points required to get a pass would far exceed what most everyone here would be willing to pay.

Most here already think that using points to cruise or stay at one of the non-DVC WDW resorts is a poor economic value. It would be no different if using points for passes were an option.

I'm glad the POS precludes this - anyway, who has leftover points?????? So it's a moot point for many reasons, LOL!

 

[hellerjw]

I obviously should have worded my previous post more carefully

What I was referring to was having the ability to pay extra points onto a booking so the tickets would be included. So for example, if a 1BR at OKW runs 160pts for a week in August, you would have the option of adding APs or other tickets for X number of points per guest, and having everything bundled. More along the lines of "vacation dollars" that another poster referred to.

I know this isn't how the memberships are currently structured, but it would be a nice change that I would like to see.

 

[mikeandkarla]

I agree with you heller. You would still be paying for AP (using points). Just to know that would decrease your out of pocket expense for your vacation. Just another reason for an add on.

 

[DebbieB]

It sounds like a great idea in principle for the member (assuming they are economical, which I have my doubts), but keep in mind how DVC would have to pay for those passes. They would have to rent DVC rooms through CRO. If enough members took "advantage" of this, room availability could be severely limited. DVC's main purpose is to provide accomodations on points. I want there to be points availability when I want to go, not have many rooms turned over to CRO to pay for members passes. Then there would be more squawking over why does CRO have rooms and not member services.

 

[Mtnman44]

Just curious, if I use my points to reserve a DVC unit OR if I trade my points in for something and DVC turns them over to CRO, How will one affect availability for YOU differently from the other?

They would have to rent DVC rooms through CRO. If enough members took "advantage" of this, room availability could be severely limited. DVC's main purpose is to provide accomodations on points. I want there to be points availability when I want to go, not have many rooms turned over to CRO to pay for members passes. Then there would be more squawking over why does CRO have rooms and not member services.