Let's hear it for blue card owners!

[Chuck S]

A reminder to everyone that attacking other posters is not allowed on the DISBoards. The OP has not said anything to infer that resale purchasers are "less than" or that direct purchasers are "superior." Only that the OP is enjoying the benefits of having enough direct points to be eligible for the benefits.

From the site guidelines:

3. NO FIGHTING/SARCASM: While we'd like to think that a Disney fan site is always lighthearted, there are times when there are disagreements. Let's face it, there are certain topics that can transform any of us into a raging "Donald Duck." When you sense this is happening, we ask that you step away from the discussion before it escalates into a fight. Just like Mom always said about fighting, we don't care who started the argument and we don't want it on the DIS. (Okay, she didn't say the part about the DIS, but you know what we mean.) No attacking others and no sarcasm please. Either will result in an infraction.

 

[sndral]

The purple ring is a neat trick. I just wish it was more consistent. But then, maybe it would lose it's magic. MK seems pretty consistent for me, the other parks, not so much.

I seem to get purple mostly at AK - maybe because I own @ AKV? I also own VGF - but I rarely get purple @ MK, so who knows.

 

[keishashadow]

OT Re seeing purple at the turnstyles.

Over multiple trips my mr didn’t ‘get it’. It became a bit of a thing we joked about...me being the chosen one.

Thru another thread here took advice to log into his MDE account. Typically, I manage all travel etc. There I added his affiliations, DVC & APH. Didn’t say anything to him, wanted to see if it worked.

Next trip shoo’d him thru first. Hadn’t seen him with such a big smile in ages. It was obvious that it made his day. Often, it is those sorts of little, intangible things that equate to keeping loyal, long-time customers in the fold.

 

[Lumpy1106]

Maybe this thread is just poorly titled (maybe "post your Blue Card Direct Perks here" would be a better title?), but what I do find useful is the posting where people have actually quantified just what perks they have been able to take advantage of. Personally;

• I only intend to go every year or every other year, but average about 5 park days per year regardless, so buying any AP makes no sense.
• The BC member parties happen so rarely and you are given so little advanced notice that I can't see ever going to one.
• The special tours I could see enjoying but those are also super hard to get.
• The store and dining discounts have some value but not enough to ever make that pay off.
• Cruises ABD and OTD make no sense to use points on as has been well documented.

I dunno - maybe some day there will be a perk that I can see justifying the direct minimum for but FOR ME, right now, I don't see it. It took me quite a lot of research before I was even convinced that resale made any sense.

 

[kboo]

OT Re seeing purple at the turnstyles.

Over multiple trips my mr didn’t ‘get it’. It became a bit of a thing we joked about...me being the chosen one.

Thru another thread here took advice to log into his MDE account. Typically, I manage all travel etc. There I added his affiliations, DVC & APH. Didn’t say anything to him, wanted to see if it worked.

Next trip shoo’d him thru first. Hadn’t seen him with such a big smile in ages. It was obvious that it made his day. Often, it is those sorts of little, intangible things that equate to keeping loyal, long-time customers in the fold.

That is really sweet. My DH is always green because he never signed up on MDE. Maybe I should create one for him so he can be surprised.

Blue Card Direct Perks I have used (only a 25-pt member until Riviera and the Most Expensive Backpack Ever):

• That Plat+ Pass for the price of gold AP hit at the perfect time for us. We bought 2 years' worth for 3 people: (6 x $550 = difference between gold price and nondiscounted PPAP = $3300)
• 1 discounted PPAP for the 3yo = ($220)
• 3 PPAP renewals ($900 - we'd actually missed the renewal date and they made a 1x exception for us)
• 1 Epcot Lounge visit ($10?)
• DVC discount on MNSSHP for 3 ($75?)
• DVC discount on HS After Hours ($50?)

Total savings (estimated) ~ $4500
$4625 for our 25 direct points

As others have said, for cost savings reasons only, it only makes sense if you plan on buying APs, and a LOT of APs. That deal 2 years ago was by far the best deal. If we'd been only using DVC discount for passes going forward, it would have taken a lot longer.

The merch and TiW would could have gotten because of our APs, so I am not counting those - we used TiW when we had APs *before* DVC.


I'd like to try MM sometime, as well as pay cash for a member cruise because I've heard they're a lot of fun, but I must not care that much about them because I haven't tried to book them yet.

 

[CanadaDisney05]

Total savings (estimated) ~ $4500
$4625 for our 25 direct points

Those 25 points are still points and could have been bought on the resale market. The real cost of the Blue Card was the difference between Direct & Resale on those 25 points. So lets say you could have gotten the 25 points $60 cheaper resale, the real cost of the perks was 25 x 60 = $1,500. Sounds like you got more than your fair share of value!

 

[kboo]

Those 25 points are still points and could have been bought on the resale market. The real cost of the Blue Card was the difference between Direct & Resale on those 25 points. So lets say you could have gotten the 25 points $60 cheaper resale, the real cost of the perks was 25 x 60 = $1,500. Sounds like you got more than your fair share of value!

Yes, then we had to go and muck it all up by buying more points at Riviera... But that backpack was so worth it!!!

 

[Chuck S]

Yes, then we had to go and muck it all up by buying more points at Riviera... But that backpack was so worth it!!!

So, off topic, but question I've been wanting to ask of those buying Riviera...did something draw you to Riviera specifically...or were you ready to buy and Riviera is the resort that they are selling right now?

I mean, it looks like a lovely resort, don't get me wrong, but is there something special that drew you to it?

 

[Gary Carter]

So, off topic, but question I've been wanting to ask of those buying Riviera...did something draw you to Riviera specifically...or were you ready to buy and Riviera is the resort that they are selling right now?

I mean, it looks like a lovely resort, don't get me wrong, but is there something special that drew you to it?

I haven't been to Disney in a few months and haven't seen the Riviera resort, but my brother went and sent me pictures. I almost hate to say it (because I wont buy points there on principle until/unless the resale restriction is lifted) but the outside of the resort is beautiful.

 

[Akck]

So, off topic, but question I've been wanting to ask of those buying Riviera...did something draw you to Riviera specifically...or were you ready to buy and Riviera is the resort that they are selling right now?

I mean, it looks like a lovely resort, don't get me wrong, but is there something special that drew you to it?

We were drawn to Riviera mainly because of room size and layout that we saw on YouTube walkthroughs. When we visited in October, the Skyliner access sold it. Copper Creek was still a possibility, but after our tour the Riviera rooms outshined CC. While the resale restrictions are a limitation, I feel it’s a comparable limitation to 2042 resorts.

 

[Brianstl]

Let's hear it for the boy

 

[kboo]

Let's hear it for the boy

I have had that song stuck in my head since this thread started!

 

[kboo]

So, off topic, but question I've been wanting to ask of those buying Riviera...did something draw you to Riviera specifically...or were you ready to buy and Riviera is the resort that they are selling right now?

I mean, it looks like a lovely resort, don't get me wrong, but is there something special that drew you to it?

We wanted a home resort in the EP/HS area, we have BLT and VGF both largely resale. (25 points direct BLT). We've always liked BCV and BWV and had made offers on contracts at both resorts in the past, but for one reason or another they never worked out, and we weren't in love with the 2042 end date. We thought about adding on to BLT this year to be able to stay in bigger units there, but realized for about $5000 more we got (the incentives we got in April were still the best they've offered at our # of points):

1. EP/HS home resort for 50 years
2. we really liked the rooms - layout, storage, finishes; the murphy bed instead of a pullout and the split bath layouts especially work for our family.
3. no ROFR, full points, no restrictions, and we broke up our points into 2 smaller contracts (if we'd added on at BLT we wouldn't have been able to use those points for RIV or REF)
4. ice cream
5. fast passes
6. backpack

I'm joking about 4-6, of course. We booked our New Year's stay in April, a few days after we signed the papers.

The thing is, if you want a home resort in the EP/HS area, at a certain points size, RIV is a better $ deal than BCV/BWV. OF COURSE I'd prefer to walk to the parks, but I also don't want to fight with studio bookings in order to get 1br (BWV) and also don't want a 2042 end date. The price per point would have to be a LOT lower for me to consider a 2042 end date, and I think that FriendShip sailed long ago...

 

[Brianstl]

I have had that song stuck in my head since this thread started!

I'm glad I wasn't the only one.

 

[Chuck S]

Great, thanks. I may do a sales tour for an add on then,

 

[Spark65]

So, off topic, but question I've been wanting to ask of those buying Riviera...did something draw you to Riviera specifically...or were you ready to buy and Riviera is the resort that they are selling right now?

I mean, it looks like a lovely resort, don't get me wrong, but is there something special that drew you to it?

I bought for:

Larger rooms-which we need
Proximity to Epcot with Gondola option
Length of deeded rights
Cheaper than buying additional points at the Poly-and we needed more points as our family expands
Resale will never affect me
There are other reason as well these are the top ones

I think I have only seen a cost comparison once for the cost of a resort to the length of the contract left. It showed Riviera to be the better buy.

I like having the blue card already had one from our Poly purchase and I think those buying resale and getting a white card know that going in. I really don't see why white card owners pop up once and a while with second rate treatment threads wanting more. White cards threads are allowed but blue card threads get attacked hmmnn?

 

[Capang]

I’m glad we have a blue card. For us, buying direct was a good thing. We bought into our very favorite resort and have no regrets. I’ve seen RIV outside and the model rooms. They are nice. However, I’m holding out for Reflections, or whatever they are calling it. The only part of that resort that turns me off is the way it impedes the campground.

 

[Grumpy by Birth]

I really don't see why white card owners pop up once and a while with second rate treatment threads wanting more. White cards threads are allowed but blue card threads get attacked hmmnn?

As a "white card" resale owner, I bought knowing that I wouldn't receive those "perks" (determined that they were of little value to me and using the money to purchase more points was). I have no animosity toward "blue card" owners. They paid for those perks by buying direct.

I'm not sure why any resale owner would expect that we should get the same perks. We all bought knowing that we would not receive them. Those are the terms of buying resale. If you want the perks, buy direct. If you want lower price with no perks, buy resale. It's pretty straightforward to me.

To buy resale and then complain that you're not getting the direct perks or to feel that not getting them is "second class citizen" treatment seems like a case of wanting to have your cake (or ice cream perhaps?) and eat it too.

 

[Chuck S]

To buy resale and then complain that you're not getting the direct perks or to feel that not getting them is "second class citizen" treatment seems like a case of wanting to have your cake (or ice cream perhaps?) and eat it too.

I think you mean Dole Whip!

 

[Christiney]

We are happy with our white card—-VERY HAPPY!
Glad you are loving your blue card!!