Membership Magic Beyond

[Sandisw]

How is getting benefits for a fee better than getting benefits without a fee? For anyone

Who ever said that? O course, free is always nicer.

But, we are talking about DVc adding enhanced benefits and charging for them.

For $99 in 2025, we get access to things we don’t have access to now that have real value for some of us in exchange for having to wait a little longer on a potential waitlist for lounges?

So, yes, I am happy to see DVD doing something new as part of membership extras, even if there is a small fee for it because it works for me as an owner.

My point about shifting down the road to all fee based is something one should expect might happen.

I simply do not concern myself with decisions businesses make as bad or good for other people. I base it on my experience and expectations when and if changes happen.

I went into this knowing the perks are extra and if I get them great and if not, it’s nothing to be mad about. Certainly am happy they thought outside the box and doing something I think is a good value.

It’s fine that others don’t see the value but I think it’s a nice program Rand its cost is reasonable, for me.

 

[BeachClub2014]

I feel like if they had left out the lounge access priority this would have been much much less controversial. Everything else is new, lounge is an existing benefit and they should've just left it alone or added it next year when the shock of a new program wears off.

I understand and empathize with this position. That said, I don't see this much differently from LL and Genie+ in the parks. Everyone in the park can access the attraction via the standby line or shell out extra bucks to get more "front of the line" access. It sometimes sucks to be in the standby line, and sometimes you can walk right on.

 

[Brian Noble]

some of the angst expressed here, including by me, is really an indication of the strong emotional connection that Disney and Disney Parks has historically made with people.

I write about this every six months or so, and you're not wrong.

https://www.disboards.com/threads/c...advanced-lightning-lane.3933691/post-65144727

 

[Sandisw]

Maybe I don't know the true definition of the word "perk" but to me that's an added benefit for something I already paid for. It's always been made clear to me that "perks" can come and go at any time but never has my guide informed me that this perk could go away unless you purchase it back from DVC???? AP discounts were a common practice when I bought in to DVC, now if I want a 5 day weekday park pass at a discount I need to pay a fee.

If DVC wants to eat up member points by offering AP purchases then that's great, allow that flexibility but why charge for it, priority access to lounge, what' s next priority access to moonlight magic parties?

Maybe a fee to pay if you want a 12 month booking priority, or perhaps, pay a fee to be able to book longer then 7 days out?

I'm sorry I don't see this as adding anything but frustration to already increasingly confusing product. I hope I am wrong with negativity but I don't see the Disney corporation of today offering anything to anyone that is not making them more money then they appear to be offering to save us in the end.

I'm afraid this introductory product is the tip of the ice berg.

They can’t have priority booking for owners and I am still interested to see how this trade points for Sorcerer pass plays out.

But…membership extras have always been incidental benefits and why they are not something that is guaranteed by the contract…FL timeshare law prohibits that.

While I get what you are saying when I joined, things were not as good as they are today…and as I posted, what they are allowing us to purchase, gives us something back….

I am just never going to be upset to have the option for more, if I want to spend the money to buy it. Id love to do a VIP tour some day but simply haven’t had a situation where I can justify its cost….but, I certainly don’t begrudge anyone who does, or Disney for offering it to those who want it.

Same here…knew things can come and go and right now, I see nothing that has been taken away…that doesn’t exist now.

Here is the big takeaway for me….if they do ever make membership extras a fully paid experience, and it begins to impact direct sales in a way they care about it, we would see things amended.

I mean people have been wanting discounts on passes….yes, they wanted it free…but if the discount ends up saving people, even with that fee, I just don’t see how it is a bad thing.

 

[broncofan]

I write about this every six months or so, and you're not wrong.

https://www.disboards.com/threads/confirmed-g-changes-to-advanced-lightning-lane.3933691/post-6514472

No question that the longer you've been going to Disney World, the more often you go per year, and the more of a Disney 'fan' you are, the more you're going to notice and probably dislike the changes where everything moves behind a pay wall. Specifically because of what Disney World used to be - there simply was no comparison for us of Disney to other theme parks - the complete immersion, attention to detail, meticulous theming, and the service, friendliness, and perks that you got back then compared to today is night and day. It might almost be more acceptable if some of those old perks and benefits simply went away in changing times, but somehow it's more disappointing to see that those things are still there, but require additional spending to access them. When ticket prices and stays have already gone up well past inflation on their own, AND things that used to be included with that price no longer are, it sticks in our craw a little more. Ironically, it's not about the actual money - it really is more on principle. I could afford all of the paywall perks, but somehow I just can't justify in my mind paying extra when those things would have been free in Disney of yesteryear.

And the funny thing is that Disney really is losing a lot of good money from some real devoted long term fans and just trying to make it up from newbies and one-time visitors. It might pay off in the short term, but really seems it will hurt them in the long term. Some of those 1-big-trip folks might never be back, or not for many years - someone like me, if you restored all those free perks i used to get, and kept me happy, would be there 4, 5, even 6 trips a year, spending for DVC, AP, and $100+ per person dinners, cocktails, behind the scenes tours, boat and cart rentals, and so on - probably upwards of $7-8K per year PER PERSON. The less I enjoy my time in the parks, the more I tend to walk around a few hours, mostly skip the too-long lines, head back to my room, drink and eat my own food I brought with me, ride some free transportation around to wander through some resorts, drop down to 1 or 2 nice dinners instead of 4 or 5, and go home. I spend far less when I don't have nice long enjoyable days in the parks. Over-1-hour standby lines and waitlists to get into a DVC lounge will definitely reduce my time in the parks! No free valet impacts me wanting to drive over to a nice restaurant. And I'm constantly wondering what will go behind a paywall next...pay $100 a year to have the privilege to make ADRs sooner than everyone else? Pay $100 a year to have the privilege to get a 10% discount on meals or shopping? $100 a year for free resort parking? $50 a year to send you a free DVC magnet?

This is very true - I was in line on a recent trip and someone stopped nearby, clearly talking to a friend or relative. They were clearly a first time visitor, and they went on at length about how amazing and magical everything was. It's absolutely true that compared to what I experienced on my first visit in the early 2000s compared to now - everything you mention I would second.

I'd just add one thing - it's also the economic concept of marginal utility. I think it was magical for that first timer partly because the feeling you get from the fireworks the first time you see them, or your first dinner in the castle, or just the first time walking down main street really is amazing. But it's just natural that the 40th time isn't going to be the same. So on top of feeling like what you get has declined while the pricing has escalated far beyond inflation, you also have that marginal utility problem to deal with.

 

[J-Dog]

I'm also in the don't offer at all camp. Save the money spent developing and running this for something worthwhile.

I definitely agree that, especially when it comes to tiered entry to the lounges, it's much better to have no perks at all than this.

 

[DeeCee735]

MF go up every year. We still love going but we will pass on laying out more money for priority access to lounges. We never took advantage of the OTU points so that's not something that would entice us.

My take is that these "special" things offered to members should just be covered in the MF, and the increases on those MF should make sure to do so. And...they should be offered to any and all members that pay the MF's. I think they tend to add these great little places like the lounges, but they build them in small spaces or not enough of them. This increases demand so that eventually they can justify charging DVC members to comfortably access them. Not worth a coke and a bag of pretzels to me.

It feels too much like taking advantage of those who have committed to DVC, pay the MF's and make it their priority vacations for many many years. Yes, $99 a year is not a lot to many of us, but for me, that's not the point. I feel like this is Disney dipping their toe into how they can make more money on their DVC members. I don't agree with it or appreciate it. Next year it will be $129, then $139, then $199. There is no ceiling once they see people will pay. I don't see us using this option. One must take into consideration how many days in a year they are actually in a park to access the lounges. Or how often in a location where a lounge may be built in the future. For me, it's $25 a pop just on the off chance the lounge would have a wait list on a day I might be in close enough proximity to use it. I'm out.

JMHO

Dee

 

[BeachClub2014]

Help me understand why tiered access to member lounges is a horrible thing. I get that it's new for the lounges, but it isn't an unknown concept for wdw.

For example, you can pay an up charge for preferred parking at theme parks, the extra magic hours at parks aren't open to everyone with a ticket, the entire LL/Genie+ program sells tiered access to rides and attractions.

I'm sure there are other examples, so why is tiered lounge access so onerous?

 

[J-Dog]

Help me understand why tiered access to member lounges is a horrible thing. I get that it's new for the lounges, but it isn't an unknown concept for wdw.

For example, you can pay an up charge for preferred parking at theme parks, the extra magic hours at parks aren't open to everyone with a ticket, the entire LL/Genie+ program sells tiered access to rides and attractions.

I'm sure there are other examples, so why is tiered lounge access so onerous?

There's precedent for WDW for paying for perks that put you ahead of others, but until now there's no precedent for that for DVC-Y members.

While this particular perk may be somewhat innocuous, it just seems like a slippery slope for more in the future. What's next? Paying extra for priority room requests? Paying extra for separate check-in lines?

 

[nightwing12]

hopefully they adjust the thing so Canadians can participate. they had the same restriction for purchasing LL in advance at first and then before it launched, they rectified it and Canadians could buy it. if not its not the worst, but I need to buy some OTU points next year and id rather pay less..

 

[BeachClub2014]

There's precedent for WDW for paying for perks that put you ahead of others, but until now there's no precedent for that for DVC-Y members.

While this particular perk may be somewhat innocuous, it just seems like a slippery slope for more in the future. What's next? Paying extra for priority room requests? Paying extra for separate check-in lines?

Fair point that it is new for DVC. I get that. Maybe DVC decided to include this priority access option as part of the package because of feedback from members who complain about having to wait to access lounges? That is not an infrequent complaint here on DIS. Solution to waiting: pay for priority access.

I have no idea if that was part of the thought process, but it seems like a logical response to complaints.

 

[Genie+]

Looking at all the adjustments WDW has made in 2024, they are trying to improve the value proposition in many areas. They are doing it with some precision though. People buying room packages are getting hopper added during MK party season so they don’t have to choose between the pain of hopper expense or working their trip around MK hours. People booking onsite are getting a free waterpark day to help ease the pain of ticket prices on travel day. People buying multiLL are getting now better access to rides. There’s more options that avoid the pain of buying Memory Maker multiple times in a year. They didn’t double dip again on Epcot for EEH during the holidays. I think they’re trying to address some of the most common valid gripes. RIV direct buyers have a valid gripe about the way restrictions ending up different than most suspected, so this Beyond Perk might help them feel better about the value of their direct purchase.

 

[Genie+]

I feel like if they had left out the lounge access priority this would have been much much less controversial. Everything else is new, lounge is an existing benefit and they should've just left it alone or added it next year when the shock of a new program wears off.

For sure.

I’m trying to see this from the business side too. When BLT lounge moved into a tiered perk, it made sense. Over a decade plenty of people had already gotten great use. After a while it became more of drain on resources than a benefit to DVD for sales. So they changed the model. It became a direct only perk and guaranteed tables were behind $60 paywall.

It’s hard to keep rewarding the same benefits across the membership. They have to make sure there’s enough left in the marketing budget that makes a meaningful difference to areas that best improve satisfaction where they profit the7 most.

I’d love if Direct came with free park tickets and free cruises again! They could go ahead and charge me $1000 for access

 

[J-Dog]

Fair point that it is new for DVC. I get that. Maybe DVC decided to include this priority access option as part of the package because of feedback from members who complain about having to wait to access lounges? That is not an infrequent complaint here on DIS. Solution to waiting: pay for priority access.

I have no idea if that was part of the thought process, but it seems like a logical response to complaints.

Yeah, I guess it makes sense for DVD to do this, on their part.

But I just envision a DVC owner, that bought direct and therefore gave Disney tens of thousands of dollars already, standing in the lounge line while a CM is ushering the new, "elite-level" DVC owner right past them in the lounge line.

Again, not really a big deal when it's $99, but pretty much everyone thinks that this charge will eventually be $200, $300, or more...

 

[MICKIMINI]

How is getting benefits for a fee better than getting benefits without a fee? For anyone

Sure, but this is what we are offered, so we take it at $99 or leave it $0.

 

[Sprinkles&Sprints]

Yeah, I guess it makes sense for DVD to do this, on their part.

But I just envision a DVC owner, that bought direct and therefore gave Disney tens of thousands of dollars already, standing in the lounge line while a CM is ushering the new, "elite-level" DVC owner right past them in the lounge line.

Again, not really a big deal when it's $99, but pretty much everyone thinks that this charge will eventually be $200, $300, or more...

I do wonder if folks would feel differently if perks were tiered based on the # of direct points a member has (and I say this as someone who surely would not qualify for said perks).

With the current situation you have loads of DVC members who already spend significantly more than other members, and that ‘loyalty’ seemingly doesn’t count for anything. Allowing everyone equal access to pay $99 ‘resets’ the hierarchy to some extent - at least for these new benefits.

In comparing it to other loyalty programs, it feels less contentious. Example: I don’t stay at Marriott properties enough to qualify for Titanium status and the perks that come with it, but don’t begrudge guests who do.

 

[MerlinandtheMouse]

It’s hard to keep rewarding the same benefits across the membership. They have to make sure there’s enough left in the marketing budget that makes a meaningful difference to areas that best improve satisfaction where they profit the7 most.

This is something I’ve been thinking about too. And also, I’m hoping that the extra money garnered from this maybe actually benefit all if their budget goes up and they can have more moonlight magic events or Welcome Home Weeks type of things. I won’t hold my breath but I could see that happening.

 

[VGCgroupie]

For sure.

I’m trying to see this from the business side too. When BLT lounge moved into a tiered perk, it made sense. Over a decade plenty of people had already gotten great use. After a while it became more of drain on resources than a benefit to DVD for sales. So they changed the model. It became a direct only perk and guaranteed tables were behind $60 paywall.

It’s hard to keep rewarding the same benefits across the membership. They have to make sure there’s enough left in the marketing budget that makes a meaningful difference to areas that best improve satisfaction where they profit the7 most.

I’d love if Direct came with free park tickets and free cruises again! They could go ahead and charge me $1000 for access

sold!

 

[New Mouse]

Someone that likes this please explain to me how it's a good thing that Disney intentionally built lounges that are too small to meet demand and are now charging for people to skip the lime that they created.

If you don't think moonlight magic is next you're kidding yourself.

We have too many people interested in attending, but for the privilege of $100 per event ticket you can skip that ticket sale.

 

[J-Dog]

With the current situation you have loads of DVC members who already spend significantly more than other members, and that ‘loyalty’ seemingly doesn’t count for anything. Allowing everyone equal access to pay $99 ‘resets’ the hierarchy to some extent - at least for these new benefits.

I guess I disagree with this. Owning more points get you more days/bigger rooms/more flexibility, so having more points absolutely does count for something.

The difference is that more points is not something that is potentially "taken away" from other members - if someone gets to cut the lounge line in front of me, then that is being taken away from me.