Free Disney Dining Package for DVC Members?

[lugnut33]

Personally I'd just like to see them add more restaurant discounts for both lunch and dinner. Honestly, would a 10 or 15 percent discount for DVC members at dinner really eat into the bottom line? Last time at Disney I used discounts for a pontoon rental, a spa treatment, Les Chefs, and La Noube.

 

[kimberh]

This is why you need to email "Contact" on the DVC site. DVC makes up a large portion of Disney's wealth and we have every right to speak up if we feel we are not getting our money's worth. You all might not agree with me but that's why we live in "America", freedom of speach! Hope you do email DVC and I'm sure they will call you like they did with me. Not promising anything will happen but at least it makes you feel a little better!

Last year, DVC let us know about the Animals on Sunset Savanna. This year I really did expect more. Maybe that was my fault. The only reason I brought it up was because I did not see any construction on my end. Could have been some on The Kidani end. I will contact DVC once I see how Kidani reports start coming in or later this fall. The way I understand it, There aren't any new animals coming until the money is available. But that was a guide that takes care of the animals talking to me a DVC owner. I am going to give Concierge a rest for a few years or a year anyway. I own at 4 properties. Time to stay at one of them now. You do have a right to voice your opinion, now what it gets you is another thing. We really don't earn Free Dining... That is Disney way of Trying to get rid of empty hotel rooms at top dollar, at the peak of Hurricane Season. It is ungodly hot in Florida that time of year. If you have never been, it is dangling a carrot in front of the mule to get it to move. We went once, but honestly it was not worth it! We even came home early. We just could not take the heat. We are from the South, too.

 

[famgel]

Personally I'd just like to see them add more restaurant discounts for both lunch and dinner. Honestly, would a 10 or 15 percent discount for DVC members at dinner really eat into the bottom line? Last time at Disney I used discounts for a pontoon rental, a spa treatment, Les Chefs, and La Noube.

That's all I'm looking for, Disney should re-evaluate DVC Perks every year.

 

[dianeschlicht]

You are getting a great deal because you are among the many who choose to buy AP's and the TIW cards. I don't go to Disney every year, therefore it doesn't pay for us to purchase AP's & TIW cards. My family chooses to take advantage of the whole DVC package. For example the Concierge collection, and most recently the RCI timeshare part, there's more to DVC then just "WDW". There's a whole world out there besides Orlando, FL!

So are you saying you expect them to give you "free dining" at those other places too??? No way can they give you that for exchanges. It's not part of the "plan".

 

[famgel]

So are you saying you expect them to give you "free dining" at those other places too??? No way can they give you that for exchanges. It's not part of the "plan".

No, of course not, I'm letting you know that not all DVC members buy AP's and TIW cards because we don't just go to WDW on vacation. Reevaluating DVC Perks would be nice, extend 10% discount to dinner, not just lunch; extend discount to more restaurants in parks, etc.

 

[Chuck S]

They do re-evaluate and change perks from time to time. But remember, it isn't just up to DVC, it is also up to Disney and the individual restaurants as many are not Disney operated.

If any of the private restaurants felt it was to their advantage to add aditional discounts to encourage DVC Members to dine there, they could, and would. Fulton's does from time to time. They occasionally have a 30% lunch discount for DVC.

 

[crisi]

No, of course not, I'm letting you know that not all DVC members buy AP's and TIW cards because we don't just go to WDW on vacation. Reevaluating DVC Perks would be nice, extend 10% discount to dinner, not just lunch; extend discount to more restaurants in parks, etc.

All those things would be nice. But that doesn't mean Disney is going to do them.

DVC really works best for a certain kind of Disney guest. You actually have a couple strikes against you in being someone who is going to be thrilled with DVC - you want to use the whole program (there are plenty of cheaper timeshares in the RCI system) and you like getting bargains. Which doesn't mean you can't make it work, it just means that you are unlikely to be as thrilled with the program as someone like Diane.

For a lot of DVCers, DVC works really well as billed - they go often enough to take advantage of the Annual Pass and TiW card. Or they really need more than a studio anyway. For those people, promotions generally don't work well.

(For us, DVC is actually somewhat of a marginal value. We like two rooms. We don't go often enough to take advantage of APs. But we also have a relatively small investment in DVC.)

Disney cannot create a program that is going to give everyone what they want (and still be a good deal for Disney). A good example is the Dining Plan - a great deal even when you pay for it for a bunch of folks. Not a good deal for those that just don't eat that much at Disney. Or dine in signature restaurants. Or eat in their rooms. Or expect more from their food than what the Dining Plan has wrought.

 

[PEANUT1]

Originally I thought this way about free dining but after thinking about it I realized it made no sense for disney to give DVC members free dining because they are giving dining away to fill the resorts.

I really like the perks that we do get...big discounts on anual passes, discounts on golf for my husband etc...I am happy that we are able to purchase the meal plan now without having to purchase park tickets.

I'd rather save my complaining for something else

 

[kimberh]

I am happy that we are able to purchase the meal plan now without having to purchase park tickets.

I think this is a big perk also. I remember when we weren't able to purchase the DDP at all, then when we were able to, without a purchase of Park Tickets, that is a huge plus.

 

[culli]

Originally I thought this way about free dining but after thinking about it I realized it made no sense for disney to give DVC members free dining because they are giving dining away to fill the resorts.

I really like the perks that we do get...big discounts on anual passes, discounts on golf for my husband etc...I am happy that we are able to purchase the meal plan now without having to purchase park tickets.

I'd rather save my complaining for something else

I agree.....the only thing they owe me is what is in the contract, that is what I bought in for, the rest is gravy! Will I be disappointed if they stop the AP discount - ABSOLUTLY!!!!!!!!!!!! This saves me $500 a year (family of 5) but I will be disappointed that I will have to revaluate the AP, we love our APs. However I won't feel like I got shorted by DVC, just bummed I don't get my gravy!

 

[MEK]

I am a big fan of free dining. I love it because I enjoy traveling in late August and September. However, I knew that when I joined DVC I would be giving that (and other promotions) up. The trade off was I got nicer accomodations and the flexibility to travel more than once a year if I desired. Personally, I got tired of stalking the boards and waiting for the next promotion to appear.

I hope free dining exists for many years to come, because i intend to make use of it in the early fall and parlay it into a DVC stay. That way I do get my cake and eat it too.

 

[GuySmiley]

It seems to me that it doesn't make sense for Disney to offer it either. But I still want it. There's some suit at Disney who makes big bucks to decide what makes sense for them to do and what doesn't, and he knows a lot more about it than I do. I don't see the harm in asking for DDP discounts. It's Disney people!! Dare to dream!! (insert song about dreaming here) (but don't hold your breath)

 

[M5ward]

I recently email DVC by clicking on the "Contact", located on DVC site and expressed how dissapointed I am that DVC members are not getting a fair shake with all these promotional offers. Such as, stay 4 nights and get 5th free, and the now the popular, Free Dining Package. DVC office called me yesterday to discuss, and we did. They did admit that there are a lot of members voicing their feelings of being "left out" of these offers. I pointed out how we, as DVC members, do not have many discounts. Except for the normal 10%, most of the time, only lunch, and most of the restaurants that participate are at the resorts, which are not very easy to get to unless you're staying there. To make a long story, short, PLEASE, PLEASE, COMPLAIN to DVC by emailing them thru the site after clicking on "contact". The more of us that complain maybe we will finally get some nice offers. I'm not looking for "free" but a nice discount on resort stays or on the Dining Plan would be nice.

I don't expect free dining...I feel I get a great deal by being a DVC member. I would like, however, to be able to make my ADRs earlier than non-DVC guests. I liked the 180 day time frame which makes sense for DVC members because we are usually booking at 11 or 7 months. Something like this would cost Disney NOTHING! Well, maybe they'd have to tweak their reservation system, but members could all book through Member Services rather than WDW-DINE. I take advantage of the AP discount (since we go twice a year) which enables us to get a TiW card (which also discounts alcoholic beverages which aren't eligible on the DDP.)
Something like free dining which would actually cost Disney money would probably raise out yearly fees. I'd rather not have that happen!

 

[crisi]

I don't expect free dining...I feel I get a great deal by being a DVC member. I would like, however, to be able to make my ADRs earlier than non-DVC guests. I liked the 180 day time frame which makes sense for DVC members because we are usually booking at 11 or 7 months. Something like this would cost Disney NOTHING! Well, maybe they'd have to tweak their reservation system, but members could all book through Member Services rather than WDW-DINE. I take advantage of the AP discount (since we go twice a year) which enables us to get a TiW card (which also discounts alcoholic beverages which aren't eligible on the DDP.)
Something like free dining which would actually cost Disney money would probably raise out yearly fees. I'd rather not have that happen!

Can I ask why you think we deserve that? Plenty of Disney CRO guests make their reservations more than a year out.

 

[wishicouldgomoreofte]

It certainly would be a nice "perk" to get a discount on the dining plan (like we do for the AP) on occasion, but IMO, we are already getting way better discounts than the general public is being offered with the buy 4, get 3 or free dining.

Just for the heck of it, I priced it out and for me to stay my 5 nights in 1 bedroom at BLT, with free dining, it would cost me about $2600.00.

As a DVC member, given my initial buy in cost and yearly MF's and paying for the dining plan, it will cost me $1800. The way I see it, I am still $800 ahead of the game being a DVC member. And, I don't have to hope that Disney comes out with a deal...I know I will be saving it every year for the next 50 years!!!

$1800 includes initial buy in, and yearly MF and pay for the dining plan?
Boy, would I like to see the math you used on that one.
I bought 150 points at SSR for $13075. (Initial buy in) I expect to use it for 22 years, and then sell or give to my daughter if she wants, as I will be 76, and ready to give it up, So annual fees for 22 years about $24,325, with buy in equals $37,400 divided by 22 years comes to $1700 for each years 150 points. $40 dining cost per day times 5 days is another $200. So you are close.
Was your buy in less? Surely your MF must be higher if you are figuring 40 years or so. Would like to hear the math you used.

 

[Chuck S]

$1800 includes initial buy in, and yearly MF and pay for the dining plan?
Boy, would I like to see the math you used on that one.
I bought 150 points at SSR for $13075. (Initial buy in) I expect to use it for 22 years, and then sell or give to my daughter if she wants, as I will be 76, and ready to give it up, So annual fees for 22 years about $24,325, with buy in equals $37,400 divided by 22 years comes to $1700 for each years 150 points. $40 dining cost per day times 5 days is another $200. So you are close.
Was your buy in less? Surely your MF must be higher if you are figuring 40 years or so. Would like to hear the math you used.

Actually, your math seems a little off. Just because you personally intend to use your points for only 22 years, doesn't mean that you should't divide it by the actual length of the contract, because we would assume there would still be resale value left after 22 years...even though you choose to give your membership to your daughter, you can not ignore that potential resale value when figuring actual cost of points.

Figuring $5 point dues, and initial buy in of ($13075/150)/45 = <$2 per point. So figure $7 per point * number of points needed for the reservation, then add the cost of the dining plan.

 

[culli]

Actually, your math seems a little off. Just because you personally intend to use your points for only 22 years, doesn't mean that you should't divide it by the actual length of the contract, because we would assume there would still be resale value left after 22 years...even though you choose to give your membership to your daughter, you can not ignore that potential resale value when figuring actual cost of points.

Figuring $5 point dues, and initial buy in of ($13075/150)/45 = <$2 per point. So figure $7 per point * number of points needed for the reservation, then add the cost of the dining plan.

Plus if you use the math you also have to figure in or offset the resale of the asset at time you intend to sell..........and of course TVM comes into play. I don't look at DVC as an investment or even saving money. I look at it as a way I WANT to experience my vacation time at a cost that I believe is reasonable. Sorry hard to come up with a math formula for that one. However, if I wanted to pay "retail" for the way we choose to experience our Disney vacations.........well lets just say DVC is easily the cost effective way to do it.

 

[wishicouldgomoreofte]

Actually, your math seems a little off. Just because you personally intend to use your points for only 22 years, doesn't mean that you should't divide it by the actual length of the contract, because we would assume there would still be resale value left after 22 years...even though you choose to give your membership to your daughter, you can not ignore that potential resale value when figuring actual cost of points.

Figuring $5 point dues, and initial buy in of ($13075/150)/45 = <$2 per point. So figure $7 per point * number of points needed for the reservation, then add the cost of the dining plan.

OK, 45 year of MF about$100,850 plus 13075 = $113,925 divided by 45 years comes to $2532 for my 150 points each year.

 

[Chuck S]

OK, 45 year of MF about$100,850 plus 13075 = $113,925 divided by 45 years comes to $2532 for my 150 points each year.

I think you are over estimating maintenance fees. If you are comparing current (2009) free dining room rates, you need to figure current (2009) dues per point plus your amortized buy in. If you are using (100,850/150)/45, you are assuming nearly $15 per point for dues.

Your buy in of 13075/45 years/150 points = $1.94 per point per year. Current SSR dues are $4.34 for a total of $6.28 per point.

150 points*6.28= $942 for your 150 points for 2009, not $2532.

 

[TDC Nala]

Disney should offer DVC members a little more incentives to visit WDW resorts.

I bought the points to visit WDW resorts. Don't really need more incentive once I did that. It also took awhile for us to be able to actually buy the dining plan and they didn't do that because DVC members wouldn't come if they couldn't get the dining plan.

Also can't imagine complaining because AKL takes the animals into the barns in the mornings. They've always done that. They have to go to the barns sometime when the keepers are there to tend to them.