Favorite DVC membership perk

[Girlstar30]

We go to DL much more so I’d love if they offered a decent usable Magic Key AP discount. The setup now is stupid that you have to buy it in person and it’s hardly any discount at all.

This year we are going to WDW 3 times so we bought a sorcerers. I don’t see us renewing every year so lounges are currently my favorite perk. (Currently typing this at the DVC lounge escaping the miserable Florida humidity)

Oh I know we had the inspire magic keys and we went about once a month and it totally wasn't worth it.

We are so Cal residents (moving to FL in June!) but they kept coming out with ticket deals that were cheaper than our APs and it was pissing me off.

It's really only good for during the holidays and if you go a lot.

The 3 day ticket sale now is good as well as for the 70th anniversary for so cal residents and then you don't have to worry about all the ridiculous block out days when you're paying near $1800 a pass!

We are going to be pixie dust pass eligible for our trip in June which was another reason why I was like cmon Disney come out with better perks and make me buy direct!

 

[PolyRob]

Sorcerers pass at over $1,000 i think is kind of ridiculous if you don't live in Florida and dont go a lot, but yes I can definitely see it saving money if you plan to go a lot. Especially since sometimes there are ticket deals.

I still think direct dvc should have some kind of discounted ap pass just for being a direct member, especially since most people it requires a plane ride and hotel to go there, its not so easy to just up and go.

Maybe $700 would be more enticing and i think fair.

The ticket prices have increased so much!

A 7-day park hopper this week is over $850 before tax. A Sorcerer Pass is not blocked out like the previous Gold during this week. I can't see an AP with all this access costing less than a 7-day hopper. Not saying the price is right, but the Sorcerer pass compared to date based theme park tickets is still a great "value" if you do two trips in a year or one long trip.

 

[Sandisw]

The ticket prices have increased so much!

A 7-day park hopper this week is over $850 before tax. A Sorcerer Pass is not blocked out like the previous Gold during this week. I can't see an AP with all this access costing less than a 7-day hopper. Not saying the price is right, but the Sorcerer pass compared to date based theme park tickets is still a great "value" if you do two trips in a year or one long trip.

To add, if you are like me who does several 3 to 4 day trips, which tickets cost a lot due to front loading, it pays for itself quickly!

 

[Girlstar30]

The ticket prices have increased so much!

A 7-day park hopper this week is over $850 before tax. A Sorcerer Pass is not blocked out like the previous Gold during this week. I can't see an AP with all this access costing less than a 7-day hopper. Not saying the price is right, but the Sorcerer pass compared to date based theme park tickets is still a great "value" if you do two trips in a year or one long trip.

I think they should offer one with block out dates for DVC members at the $700 price, because if you're on vacation you can go during the weekdays, even Monday to Thursday would be good and then they can have less crowds on the weekend

 

[VGCgroupie]

To add to the “benefit” of perks like sorcerers pass, this trip was my first time ever visiting a park with an AP, it was so nice to park hop and be able to visit on checkout day without feeling the need to get maximum time in parks for my ticket cost.

 

[eticketplease]

I think they should offer one with block out dates for DVC members at the $700 price, because if you're on vacation you can go during the weekdays, even Monday to Thursday would be good and then they can have less crowds on the weekend

The MMB program offers a discount on weekday only 5 day tickets but it is not a straight percentage off. We were one of the lucky ones where the discount was 10% but even so we didn’t buy them as we were only there for a week so wanted to go on the weekend as well.

If DVC were to offer this pass I wonder if they would have to readjust the point charts to accommodate for the possible shift in weekday demand.

 

[Girlstar30]

The MMB program offers a discount on weekday only 5 day tickets but it is not a straight percentage off. We were one of the lucky ones where the discount was 10% but even so we didn’t buy them as we were only there for a week so wanted to go on the weekend as well.

If DVC were to offer this pass I wonder if they would have to readjust the point charts to accommodate for the possible shift in weekday demand.

I would imagine it would be a very popular offering

 

[PolyRob]

I think they should offer one with block out dates for DVC members at the $700 price, because if you're on vacation you can go during the weekdays, even Monday to Thursday would be good and then they can have less crowds on the weekend

Ahh I see what you're saying. Something like a modified Pixie pass for DVC members during weekdays. That would be interesting. I pretty much refuse to ever set foot in MK on a Saturday. I could see that being popular.

I guess Disney could get creative and completely block out popular low points seasons like beginning of December and holidays where kids are off to push people to the higher tier AP. Maybe make it eligible if you purchase a Favorite Week contract. Who knows.

 

[Girlstar30]

Ahh I see what you're saying. Something like a modified Pixie pass for DVC members during weekdays. That would be interesting. I pretty much refuse to ever set foot in MK on a Saturday. I could see that being popular.

I guess Disney could get creative and completely block out popular low points seasons like beginning of December and holidays where kids are off to push people to the higher tier AP. Maybe make it eligible if you purchase a Favorite Week contract. Who knows.

That would be the pass for me if I wasn't pixie dust eligible because I don't like going on weekends either, more crowded and expensive

 

[MerlinandtheMouse]

To add to the “benefit” of perks like sorcerers pass, this trip was my first time ever visiting a park with an AP, it was so nice to park hop and be able to visit on checkout day without feeling the need to get maximum time in parks for my ticket cost.

The most underrated perk of having an AP. I feel like we get so much value out of our passes without the stress to maximize, like you say. Even on our non-park days, I can’t help myself and usually want to go mooch and catch some vibes (or ride Cosmic Rewind…) in a park and don’t feel confined in anyway, nor feel wasteful. We purposefully book later flights home now to get some last minute park time too. Truly changes the way we do Disney in the best way.

 

[sethschroeder]

It actually doesn’t. We don’t get tickets for every day. Annual pass is more money than what we pay for tickets.

So you go to WDW twice a year for 1-3 days? Do you live fairly close to be able to just drive?

Sorcerers pass at over $1,000 i think is kind of ridiculous if you don't live in Florida and dont go a lot, but yes I can definitely see it saving money if you plan to go a lot. Especially since sometimes there are ticket deals.

I still think direct dvc should have some kind of discounted ap pass just for being a direct member, especially since most people it requires a plane ride and hotel to go there, its not so easy to just up and go.

Maybe $700 would be more enticing and i think fair.

You are breaking even on two trips of 4 days each or 11+ days in a single trip (unless you take the 14 day UK ticket loophole). What I think you are asking for is really a discount on the current ticket offerings as a 10 day ticket with hopper is $850 roughly by itself.

 

[tx911]

The most underrated perk of having an AP. I feel like we get so much value out of our passes without the stress to maximize, like you say. Even on our non-park days, I can’t help myself and usually want to go mooch and catch some vibes (or ride Cosmic Rewind…) in a park and don’t feel confined in anyway, nor feel wasteful. We purposefully book later flights home now to get some last minute park time too. Truly changes the way we do Disney in the best way.

Yep. The ease of going into parks on a whim is incomparable. I love being able to go to a park on the arrival day, which I wouldn't do if I had to buy a full-day ticket. I also end up in Orlando for meetings now and again, and it's beautiful to be able to just Uber over and hop into a park. I don't foresee ever going without an AP as long as I'm a DVC member.

 

[VGCgroupie]

The most underrated perk of having an AP. I feel like we get so much value out of our passes without the stress to maximize, like you say. Even on our non-park days, I can’t help myself and usually want to go mooch and catch some vibes (or ride Cosmic Rewind…) in a park and don’t feel confined in anyway, nor feel wasteful. We purposefully book later flights home now to get some last minute park time too. Truly changes the way we do Disney in the best way.

Yeah one day I was like we should just pop into Epcot for some food real quick. Amazing. I’m cheap so I have never bought a park hopper ticket.

 

[Girlstar30]

So you go to WDW twice a year for 1-3 days? Do you live fairly close to be able to just drive?



You are breaking even on two trips of 4 days each or 11+ days in a single trip (unless you take the 14 day UK ticket loophole). What I think you are asking for is really a discount on the current ticket offerings as a 10 day ticket with hopper is $850 roughly by itself.

When we go we only go to the parks for four days, 1 park each day and then we're good. And we don't really care for animal kingdom right now so it wouldn't be worth it for us if I was even direct because I don't forsee us going there again this year.

There should be a pass for people who go less is all I'm saying there's some direct members that only own 150 points and don't go that often as well. Or I guess discounted ticket deals without park hopper passes cuz what they offer now is too much park for some people too, we never park hop.

 

[MerlinandtheMouse]

Yep. The ease of going into parks on a whim is incomparable. I love being able to go to a park on the arrival day, which I wouldn't do if I had to buy a full-day ticket. I also end up in Orlando for meetings now and again, and it's beautiful to be able to just Uber over and hop into a park. I don't foresee ever going without an AP as long as I'm a DVC member.

Yesss every time we get a short, on a whim park moment I wouldn’t normally do, like on check-in/check-out days, I feel like my AP pays for itself. Same about having a pass permanently. Though I’m contemplating letting our passes expire in a couple weeks and just buy new ones before our Wine&Dine weekend trip at the end of Oct but I might want to take a quickie trip which in July, which I won’t do without the pass…decisions…

Yeah one day I was like we should just pop into Epcot for some food real quick. Amazing. I’m cheap so I have never bought a park hopper ticket.

It’s just makes the trip so much more effortless and fun. I just got a Magic Key for DLR and I won’t lie, I do not like how difficult it is to get park reservations, it’s really tainting the experience for me tbh. WDW is pretty much open all the time.

 

[Sandisw]

When we go we only go to the parks for four days, 1 park each day and then we're good. And we don't really care for animal kingdom right now so it wouldn't be worth it for us if I was even direct because I don't forsee us going there again this year.

There should be a pass for people who go less is all I'm saying there's some direct members that only own 150 points and don't go that often as well. Or I guess discounted ticket deals without park hopper passes cuz what they offer now is too much park for some people too, we never park hop.

There is nothing from preventing Parks and Resorts for agreeing to offer DVC owners other passes than the Sorcerer one.

My guess is they don’t because it opens it up to too many people in addition to already giving the discounts to FL residents.

And, any ticket deals is an agreement between DVD and that division so who knows how those agreements are arranged.

I look at the difference between the cost of the Incredi pass and Sorcerer Pass and the savings is pretty decent.

Of course, it’s always nice to have extras and I think better deals on tickets would serve more DVC owners than more AP options.

The current ticket deal for WDW pass is weekday only and im not sure how popular it is for the savings it offers.

 

[Brian Noble]

I don't like going on weekends either, more crowded and expensive

In general, this is less of a thing in Orlando than it is in Anaheim. A much larger percentage of guests are flying and taking time off work vs. the local-to-Disneyland market, so the big swings between mid-week and weekend don't really happen in the East.

The most underrated perk of having an AP.

Absolutely. I am a huge amusement park fan. When I am visiting a new-to-me park, if a pass is within spitting distance to the cost of regular tickets, I will buy the pass. I do that specifically so I can just pop in if I feel like it on arrival day, or on departure day to duck in for one lap on one coaster before we take off. For instance, when I visit Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge/Sevierville, I am usually there for a week, and I always get the Dollywood gold pass.

It costs more than, say, a three-day ticket. But, instead of packing three days in the park, and doing other things on other days, I can spend the morning hiking in GSMNP, and then pop in in the evening for dinner and a show, or a few laps on Lightning Rod, or whatever. Parking and admission is covered. So instead of planning my days around how my tickets work, I can let my day unfold however it unfolds.

On top of that, the 15% merch discount can really add up if you do some shopping in Craftsman's Valley!

There should be a pass for people who go less is all I'm sayin

In general, passes are not meant as discounts for casual visitors, but are upsells for return visits. WDW is not particularly interested in discounting shorter visits. The exception is with tickets that limit or exclude the Magic Kingdom.

 

[byurick]

I think @Brian Noble is spot on, it may not make the most financial sense for my family to buy the AP but wow is it so much less stressful just knowing I can pop in and out whenever we feel like it. That alone is worth the cost and makes my vacations so much more relaxing.

 

[tx911]

I think @Brian Noble is spot on, it may not make the most financial sense for my family to buy the AP but wow is it so much less stressful just knowing I can pop in and out whenever we feel like it. That alone is worth the cost and makes my vacations so much more relaxing.

I agree, the AP has value above and beyond the dollars and cents equation.

 

[VGCgroupie]

I agree, the AP has value above and beyond the dollars and cents equation.

I used to always just do dollars to dollars to compare. I now know how much more valuable it is. I also used to be the person who thought park hopping wasted so much time. I am now in love with park hopping.