Magic Key Renewals Start 8/18

I wonder if the 'surprise' in the magnet is RFID reader for parking to scan car instead of pass (for Inspire pass.) Noticed they've installed antennas at Mickey & Friends pointing at cars.

Picture could still come up on screen for CM to verify, but now that I think about it- probably not due to theft of magnet itself.
Don't think so. Every time we park my daughter's key shows up first so I use her's and they always make me roll the window down so they can see her. You could pass that magnet around and Disney would lose those precious dollars they need from you.
 
We are in a similar situation… we have the week before New Year’s booked at VGC and now we’ll need to buy tickets. We’re still going because our vacations are scheduled around school, but I need to calculate whether it’s worth it to still buy MKs and pay over $2K each for “Dream Key” level coverage, or just reduce our trips and buy tickets instead.
My husband and I were talking about it today while waiting in the lines at Disneyland (ironically). I think what we've decided to do is not renew our MK (expires 9/3) and buy tickets for our Christmas stay. If Magic Keys are available at that point (at the end of our Christmas trip), we'll take the value of the tickets and apply it to a new MK. If they aren't available, I guess we just do tickets going forward and go when we want. One thing that really annoyed me was that with our Magic Key passes we couldn't book reservations at the 4 month mark even though we had hotel (VGC) reservations. You only get to book park reservations 160 days out if you have regular tickets. This is different than at WDW where annual pass holders can book the same day as ticket holders when they have a hotel reservation. I know this is probably only a theoretical annoyance as there doesn't seem to be a problem securing reservations at 120 days for hotel guests (and even well under that), but it just kind of reinforces the second class citizens of APs and VGC in general. We (VGC owners) never got the perks they did at WDW (we've been AP holders at WDW for 5 years or so as well). We'll see how my FMO works tomorrow when I walk by the lines to renew, LOL.
 
My husband and I were talking about it today while waiting in the lines at Disneyland (ironically). I think what we've decided to do is not renew our MK (expires 9/3) and buy tickets for our Christmas stay. If Magic Keys are available at that point (at the end of our Christmas trip), we'll take the value of the tickets and apply it to a new MK. If they aren't available, I guess we just do tickets going forward and go when we want. One thing that really annoyed me was that with our Magic Key passes we couldn't book reservations at the 4 month mark even though we had hotel (VGC) reservations. You only get to book park reservations 160 days out if you have regular tickets. This is different than at WDW where annual pass holders can book the same day as ticket holders when they have a hotel reservation. I know this is probably only a theoretical annoyance as there doesn't seem to be a problem securing reservations at 120 days for hotel guests (and even well under that), but it just kind of reinforces the second class citizens of APs and VGC in general. We (VGC owners) never got the perks they did at WDW (we've been AP holders at WDW for 5 years or so as well). We'll see how my FMO works tomorrow when I walk by the lines to renew, LOL.
At WDW, you could also book park reservations for your entire length of stay, in addition to your limited number of reservations. You could also make ADRs for your entire stay starting at 60 days. I wish DLR adopted some of this stuff from WDW.
 
At WDW, you could also book park reservations for your entire length of stay, in addition to your limited number of reservations. You could also make ADRs for your entire stay starting at 60 days. I wish DLR adopted some of this stuff from WDW.
Totally agree! It's very weird how they don't give us the same benefits, especially when there are so few of us. Although maybe that's the problem.
 
My husband and I were talking about it today while waiting in the lines at Disneyland (ironically). I think what we've decided to do is not renew our MK (expires 9/3) and buy tickets for our Christmas stay. If Magic Keys are available at that point (at the end of our Christmas trip), we'll take the value of the tickets and apply it to a new MK. If they aren't available, I guess we just do tickets going forward and go when we want. One thing that really annoyed me was that with our Magic Key passes we couldn't book reservations at the 4 month mark even though we had hotel (VGC) reservations. You only get to book park reservations 160 days out if you have regular tickets. This is different than at WDW where annual pass holders can book the same day as ticket holders when they have a hotel reservation. I know this is probably only a theoretical annoyance as there doesn't seem to be a problem securing reservations at 120 days for hotel guests (and even well under that), but it just kind of reinforces the second class citizens of APs and VGC in general. We (VGC owners) never got the perks they did at WDW (we've been AP holders at WDW for 5 years or so as well). We'll see how my FMO works tomorrow when I walk by the lines to renew, LOL.
As a DVC (and new VGC!) owner I completely agree. I'm cautiously optimistic it will all change with VDH opening. For all the MK uproar, I'm far more annoyed that DVC owners (who buy in at 10s of thousands and up) don't have options for APs at EITHER resort right now unless they are already passholders. It's bad enough there's no MM, lounges, or even little touches like "welcome home" at the parks...to be shut out of APs when most of us bought into DVC primarily to go to WDW and/or DLR is beyond offensive.
 
As a DVC (and new VGC!) owner I completely agree. I'm cautiously optimistic it will all change with VDH opening. For all the MK uproar, I'm far more annoyed that DVC owners (who buy in at 10s of thousands and up) don't have options for APs at EITHER resort right now unless they are already passholders. It's bad enough there's no MM, lounges, or even little touches like "welcome home" at the parks...to be shut out of APs when most of us bought into DVC primarily to go to WDW and/or DLR is beyond offensive.
I feel your pain but you’d be hard pressed to find sympathy from DLR fans who have little knowledge and can care less about an obscure Orlando timeshare program. In Anaheim, it’s all about Magic Key benefits. It’s frustrating
 
I feel your pain but you’d be hard pressed to find sympathy from DLR fans who have little knowledge and can care less about an obscure Orlando timeshare program. In Anaheim, it’s all about Magic Key benefits. It’s frustrating
My family is fortunate enough to have MKs, I'm more annoyed on behalf fellow DVC members. I place far more value on that membership than the being an MK holder. I think (hope?) it'll all change with VDH.
 
So ... will DVC owners received their $20 discount on select passes when we go to renew? I'll assume we can only hope to receive the DVC discount if renewing in person at a ticket booth rather than online ... (another minor point of frustration). (FWIW, we just left VGC this morning ... one day short of renewing in person during the visit. Such is our luck and timing.)
 
I wonder if the 'surprise' in the magnet is RFID reader for parking to scan car instead of pass (for Inspire pass.) Noticed they've installed antennas at Mickey & Friends pointing at cars.

Picture could still come up on screen for CM to verify, but now that I think about it- probably not due to theft of magnet itself.
I'm totally guessing, but I'd bet that the "surprise" with the magnet is that they're importing the "augmented reality" that WDW has used with their more-recent AP magnets.

(Second place guess: some kind of fanciness - eg, reflective coating, lenticulation.)
 
One would hope but it’s Disneyland. It’s bursting at the seams crowded without much incentives. I don’t see why they would feel obligated to provide incentives at DLR when demand far surpasses supply. I don’t think much will change with VDH
True, but chapek and company have stressed pushing real estate as one of their pillars going forward, and DVC is a huge part of that. They may not need incentives to get people in the park, but they sure could use them to help sell the idea of DVC to Californians. I'm optimistic we may get a TOTW style lounge at VDH and the debut of MM in the months after it opens.

My pipe dream is an in-park lounge, but just don't see it happening.
 
Does anyone else also not have the renew button next to their keys. I'm slightly concerned that mine disappeared a few days ago. I probably didn't make the cut for renewal.
 

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