Member lounge experience now that Membership Magic Beyond is in place?

[mamaofsix]

We were not able to purchase Membership Magic Beyond because we do not live in the U.S. I am curious of others experiences with the Epcot lounge lately. If you don't have Membership Magic Beyond: has the wait to use the lounge been longer than usual for you? If so, how long was the wait?

We have always been able to go right up to the lounge. Worried this will not be our experience going forward since we won't have the MMB benefits.

 

[muppets3d]

I was there two weeks ago, had a wait one day due to rain but it was minimal. Like less than 5 minutes. I don't think MMB is having much of an effect yet. And it may never - depending on how many people buy it. I hope it fails, personally.

 

[JAM9842]

Today the Lounge did not have a wait at all.

 

[Judique]

I was there two weeks ago, had a wait one day due to rain but it was minimal. Like less than 5 minutes. I don't think MMB is having much of an effect yet. And it may never - depending on how many people buy it. I hope it fails, personally.

I bought it because the points perk and the memory maker will work for me this year. I do use the lounge especially when it gets warmer, but the evening characters hold no appeal for me. I didn't have a clue about them; now I know one looks like a rabbit and one like a fox? So I won't be running over there for that. No kids with me on my next two trips. I usually don't have any problem getting into the lounge on my trips so I doubt it's going to suddenly 'get better' for me.

It may stay or go away, don't really know yet til it happens. Next year may have a different set of perks. I'll look at it again when it comes around.

 

[mamaofsix]

I was there two weeks ago, had a wait one day due to rain but it was minimal. Like less than 5 minutes. I don't think MMB is having much of an effect yet. And it may never - depending on how many people buy it. I hope it fails, personally.

Thank you! That is good news.

Worried that once the MK lounge opens, it will be swamped and hard to get into without MMB. I hope not.

 

[muppets3d]

Thank you! That is good news.

Worried that once the MK lounge opens, it will be swamped and hard to get into without MMB. I hope not.

“If everybody has priority then nobody has priority”

 

[Chuck S]

I was there two weeks ago, had a wait one day due to rain but it was minimal. Like less than 5 minutes. I don't think MMB is having much of an effect yet. And it may never - depending on how many people buy it. I hope it fails, personally.

I went ahead and got it, just in case I wanted to use points for my AP Renewal.

 

[RichVIII]

Thank you! That is good news.

Worried that once the MK lounge opens, it will be swamped and hard to get into without MMB. I hope not.

I am more worried about the size of it. I also think with MK being a little more kid heavy, it will be used more. That said, too much to do in MK to sit around for some free soda and AC for too long.

 

[Chuck S]

I am more worried about the size of it. I also think with MK being a little more kid heavy, it will be used more. That said, too much to do in MK to sit around for some free soda and AC for too long.

Well, we really don't know how large it will be at this point. You don't know how much room behind the viewable shooting gallery was dedicated to the electronic controls, or even office space,

 

[Greg36]

We were not able to purchase Membership Magic Beyond because we do not live in the U.S. I am curious of others experiences with the Epcot lounge lately. If you don't have Membership Magic Beyond: has the wait to use the lounge been longer than usual for you? If so, how long was the wait?

We have always been able to go right up to the lounge. Worried this will not be our experience going forward since we won't have the MMB benefits.

We were there a few times between Jan 23 to Jan 30. Parks were very busy at times but we did not have any wait at all for the lounge.

 

[SL6827]

“If everybody has priority then nobody has priority”

Until they add more and more tiers of membership, at higher and higher prices!

 

[Cyberc1978]

We normally visit the lounge to relax and recharge.

With the meet and greet we might reschedule to go during those times - But honestly the Zootopia characters dont do anything for us, so unless they change we might go as usual - when we feel we need it.

Maybe if the characters change the potential crowds during normal hours will change to the later hours too.

As one of the maybe few non U.S citizens that was able to get MMB, I didnt get it for the characters but for the bogo and subsequently for the memory maker.

 

[muppets3d]

We normally visit the lounge to relax and recharge.

With the meet and greet we might reschedule to go during those times - But honestly the Zootopia characters dont do anything for us, so unless they change we might go as usual - when we feel we need it.

Maybe if the characters change the potential crowds during normal hours will change to the later hours too.

As one of the maybe few non U.S citizens that was able to get MMB, I didnt get it for the characters but for the bogo and subsequently for the memory maker.

The characters aren't going to change, at least not any time soon.

 

[WDW Traveler]

We didn't purchase MMB because at this time the only value to us would be the OTUP, but we have never needed those.

We went to the lounge twice the week of 1/20, once on a rainy, raw day and the other on a cool day, but it wasn't raining. Both times we waited less than 5 minutes.

In the years we have been going, I think the most we waited was when we had a larger group, maybe 10 people, and the wait was about 20 minutes.

 

[Chuck S]

I went ahead and got it, just in case I wanted to use points for my AP Renewal.

Well, I think a LOT of members will try it the first year just to see if it works for them, like me. We may see membership taper off if people see no real advantage. As I said, I purchased it to try and see if using points for an AP is something I'll want to do on a regular basis.

 

[Mle8308]

Was at Epcot on 1/31 and had no wait to get up to the Lounge around 12:30pm and it was not crowded, plenty of seating. Went back at night for the Membership Magic, we were the only people in the Lounge for most of the time we were there (at about 7pm). It was the Zootopia characters.

 

[vdangelo239]

I bought MMB for the OTU benefit to save $$ there.

Last night my daughter and I were in Epcot and…it was after 6pm and I said let’s check out the lounge (I am a direct Riv owner)

I did a last minute one night trip for her bday and we stayed at all star due to no DVC availability and a cheap AP discount.

I was informed since I wasn’t staying at a DVC I didn’t qualify for the lounge - even though I have MMB.

The nice cast member let me up as a one time courtesy - but this did bother me. So many fine details / print.

 

[supercarrie]

I bought MMB for the OTU benefit to save $$ there.

Last night my daughter and I were in Epcot and…it was after 6pm and I said let’s check out the lounge (I am a direct Riv owner)

I did a last minute one night trip for her bday and we stayed at all star due to no DVC availability and a cheap AP discount.

I was informed since I wasn’t staying at a DVC I didn’t qualify for the lounge - even though I have MMB.

The nice cast member let me up as a one time courtesy - but this did bother me. So many fine details / print.

Interesting - so they deferred to the character experience rules, even if you weren't going to use that specific experience and just wanted to access the lounge. (Since it runs from 6-9.) That makes sense, I suppose, but could be more clearly explained. I didn't put two and two together until I confirmed the character experience hours. The DVC website just refers to "extended hours of operation for those enrolled in Membership Magic Beyond."

Character experience:

• Character Experience Benefit is valid for one (1)-time entry during a time when the Member has a valid resort stay reservation at WALT DISNEY WORLD® Resort or Disney’s Vero Beach Resort booked using their Disney Vacation Club Membership and theme park admission to EPCOT; theme park admission is not included in the Character Experience Benefit and must be purchased separately."

Priority lounge access:

• The Priority Lounge Waitlist Benefit can only be used for one-time admission once per day. Members enrolled in the Optional Benefit Program must have a theme park admission at WALT DISNEY WORLD® Resort or Disneyland® Resort, as applicable; theme park admission is not included in the Priority Lounge Waitlist Benefit and must be purchased separately.

https://disneyvacationclub.disney.go.com/membership-magic-beyond-terms-and-conditions

 

[vdangelo239]

Interesting - so they deferred to the character experience rules, even if you weren't going to use that specific experience and just wanted to access the lounge. (Since it runs from 6-9.) That makes sense, I suppose, but could be more clearly explained. I didn't put two and two together until I confirmed the character experience hours. The DVC website just refers to "extended hours of operation for those enrolled in Membership Magic Beyond."

Character experience:

• Character Experience Benefit is valid for one (1)-time entry during a time when the Member has a valid resort stay reservation at WALT DISNEY WORLD® Resort or Disney’s Vero Beach Resort booked using their Disney Vacation Club Membership and theme park admission to EPCOT; theme park admission is not included in the Character Experience Benefit and must be purchased separately."

Priority lounge access:

• The Priority Lounge Waitlist Benefit can only be used for one-time admission once per day. Members enrolled in the Optional Benefit Program must have a theme park admission at WALT DISNEY WORLD® Resort or Disneyland® Resort, as applicable; theme park admission is not included in the Priority Lounge Waitlist Benefit and must be purchased separately.

https://disneyvacationclub.disney.go.com/membership-magic-beyond-terms-and-conditions

Not sure. I am going to call Member Services to try to get some clarity.

I know characters are up there after hours. But it is essentially just the lounge being open plus characters. It isn’t that different and that’s totally fine.

Wasn’t a huge deal - I was just surprised by this rule.

 

[Chuck S]

Prior to the character thing, did the lounge normally close at 6pm? If so, I can see this as being considered differently from just lounge access.