Membership Magic Beyond

[The Jackal]

They are using the BOGOF version of OTUP available within this program, pay for 12 points get 24 points. $240+$99 $339/24= $14pp

However I don’t think you can value 95 points in that way though as it should be opportunity cost of what they could realise

Transfer/Renting could get you a net of $17pp after tax so using that it’s a min of $1,615

But you can only buy 24 OTUP, not 80 or 95. So that math is way off. You also cannot use OTUP to pay for the pass, you could buy them to replace your points you use. So $1,900 for the pass and $1,600 for the renewal are the more correct numbers to use.

 

[Ruttangel]

But you can only buy 24 OTUP, not 80 or 95. So that math is way off. You also cannot use OTUP to pay for the pass, you could buy them to replace your points you use. So $1,900 for the pass and $1,600 for the renewal are the more correct numbers to use.

It wasn’t my math, I am agreeing with you

 

[lowlight]

You don’t need to pay to access the lounge. You only need to pay if you want ”priority” access. We have no idea what priority means though. Does that mean they just hold a few tables empty on the off chance someone with this add-on walks up? Probably that’s all it means.

It doesn’t take a lot to imagine a scenario where on a busy lounge day, you’re effectively blocked from using it in reasonable time frame. Will it happen to every member every time they go? No. Will it happen periodically? I’d bet money on it.

The points for AP’s is an example of a great benefit. It doesn’t harm anyone, and it’s useful for some. I personally think it’s a terrible waste of points, but if I had a thousand OKW points from 1995 that I bought for 40 a point, I’d imagine it’s the most amazing thing possible. Having almost 500 points from places that sold for 200+ a point makes that math a non starter. With that said, there was no reason to hide this benefit behind a 100 dollar a year package, except greed. They charge you money to take your points and make more money off them.

 

[tx911]

The points for AP’s is an example of a great benefit. It doesn’t harm anyone, and it’s useful for some. I personally think it’s a terrible waste of points, but if I had a thousand OKW points from 1995 that I bought for 40 a point, I’d imagine it’s the most amazing thing possible. Having almost 500 points from places that sold for 200+ a point makes that math a non starter. With that said, there was no reason to hide this benefit behind a 100 dollar a year package, except greed. They charge you money to take your points and make more money off them.

Good point. There's no reason not to let all members use points for annual passes.

 

[Sandisw]

I don’t quite follow, are you saying you’d buy MMB as it includes Memory Maker?
The MMB expires 30 days after activation and if you travel more than once a year you now wouldn’t have it for one of the trips

Correct. I currently by the unlimited one for $99 to add on to my AP because it costs less than the other options that Disney sells, which range from $185 to $210 to cover one trip.

But I don’t need actually need an unlimited Memory Maker and can’t say I always use it for each trip.

So, in my case, having it for one trip a year…a trip that is with my family vs me alone, makes perfect sense.

That is why I see this as DVc offering those owners who don’t use an AP the $210 product for $99. Even if none of the other parts were offered as part of MMB, that is quite a big DVC discount off their MM product.

Yes, I am personally giving up unlimited MM in exchange for BoGO free OTU points, discount on 5 day ticket..which works for others in my family….and most importantly turning my points I don’t need in 2025 to cover my 2025 AP.

 

[Sandisw]

What I was referring to is if they are charging a fee for a room with a better view this money should not be going to Disney or DVD. We all bought into DVC and the rooms with a better view cost more points and we knew that was the process. If DVD starts giving you a "better" room in those sub categories for an additional fee then that is wrong and those funds should be used towards the owners MFs.

This program doesn’t include priority requests within a category though.

It came up only because I was asked if I would care if they did that and I said I would personally not, because view doesn’t matter that much to me.

If I look at the dumpster or the lake, it isn’t enough to matter to me to care if someone wants to pay. That was simply my opinion

 

[walt34]

Yes, I am giving you unlimited MM in exchange for BoGO free OTU points, discount on 5 day ticket..which works for others in my family….and most importantly turning my points I don’t need in 2025 to cover my 2025 AP.

I understand your argument but the scenario in which this is a good deal seems somewhat specific and limited to me.

 

[Genie+]

I don’t feel tricked, fooled or like DVC misrepresented perks.

Right now it’s still a pretty considerable complimentary package. Adding Beyond does not change that. DVD cannot just limitlessly expand existing perks. They are going to evolve over time. Not even guaranteed - just that access to them comes with buying Direct or being grandfathered. It’s a marketing tool. The bones they choose to throw us just have to satisfy at some level and attract new interest. That’s it, that’s the game. In no way is x, y and z ever promised. There’s some bonus stuff we can get. The same things aren’t going to stick around in their current form forever while new things get added.

 

[Sandisw]

It doesn’t take a lot to imagine a scenario where on a busy lounge day, you’re effectively blocked from using it in reasonable time frame. Will it happen to every member every time they go? No. Will it happen periodically? I’d bet money on it.

The points for AP’s is an example of a great benefit. It doesn’t harm anyone, and it’s useful for some. I personally think it’s a terrible waste of points, but if I had a thousand OKW points from 1995 that I bought for 40 a point, I’d imagine it’s the most amazing thing possible. Having almost 500 points from places that sold for 200+ a point makes that math a non starter. With that said, there was no reason to hide this benefit behind a 100 dollar a year package, except greed. They charge you money to take your points and make more money off them.

Curiously. If they had said “DVC Y owners can now purchase the $210 MM product for $99” with nothing more, wouldn’t that be a brand new discount for any owner who doesn’t buy an AP and wants MM for a trip??

Forget about the other features…isn’t this program a big discount off MM for DVC owners?

 

[Sandisw]

I understand your argument but the scenario in which this is a good deal seems somewhat specific and limited to me.

No question that the benefits will not work for everyone but no program benefits do.

However, it does offer a lot to owners who have an interest in the features of OtU points, AP, MM and discounted tickets discounts off those products.

I agree one is not going to buy if it doesn’t save someone money, but as I just posted, for any DVC Y owner who purchases MM every year for a trip, and doesn’t have an AP to get the unlimited $99 one, they currently have to pay $210 for it

Now it’s $99….even if they don’t take advantage of any other feature. And if you are DVC ND, you are still paying $210 if you want it.

 

[Brian Noble]

Forget about the other features…isn’t this program a big discount off MM for DVC owners?

That's how I read this: It is a way to incentivize Membership for once-a-year visitors.

 

[Ruttangel]

No question that the benefits will work for everyone but no program benefits do.

However, it does offer a lot to owners who have an interest in the features of OtU points, AP, MM and discounted tickets.

I agree one is not going to buy if it doesn’t save someone money, but as I just posted, for any DVC Y owner who purchases MM every year for a trip, and don’t have an AP, they currently pay $210 for it.

Now it’s $99….even if they don’t take advantage of any other feature.

If you don’t have AP and travel once a year you would be better off just buying the U.K. tickets that include MM and Water Parks already bundled in.

 

[New Mouse]

I don’t feel tricked, fooled or like DVC misrepresented perks.

Right now it’s still a pretty considerable complimentary package. Adding Beyond does not change that. DVD cannot just limitlessly expand existing perks. They are going to evolve over time. Not even guaranteed - just that access to them comes with buying Direct or being grandfathered. It’s a marketing tool. The bones they choose to throw us just have to satisfy at some level and attract new interest. That’s it, that’s the game. In no way is x, y and z ever promised. There’s some bonus stuff we can get. The same things aren’t going to stick around in their current form forever while new things get added.

I think the bigger question here is what perks could/should have been offered without the pay wall?

I'd have to ask why there's a pay wall for
1.) 5 day ticket discounts
2.) OTUP
3.) Annual pass for points
4.) Exchange fee

All of these drive sales and generate revenue. The annual pass and exchange fee drive sales to a product that Disney is recouping a higher cost than paying cash.

I can understand why there's a paywall for
1.)memory maker
2.) Lounge access priority/character meets

I feel like someone was told to come up with a perks program and no one in the room had any real ideas.

I'd bet you a billion dollars moonlight magic was definitely up on the white board.

 

[I Run Long]

If you don’t have AP and travel once a year you would be better off just buying the U.K. tickets that include MM and Water Parks already bundled in.

This is exactly what I do. We usually travel every other year and stay for 2 weeks. Of course, we are from Canada (west coast), so what with being resale, Cdn and travelling from the opposite coast, we would never take advantage of the Beyond pkg. However, truthfully we never use the photo pkg anyway - we take our own pictures and I don't need ride photos from rides I've been on multiple times. Still, the UK ticket pkg is the best deal for us.

 

[Sandisw]

If you don’t have AP and travel once a year you would be better off just buying the U.K. tickets that include MM and Water Parks already bundled in.

Most owners do not buy UK tickets as we are not eligible for them…and yes, I know people say they have gotten away with buying

The point remains that Disney charges $210 for MM, and DVC Y owners can now get it for $99.

 

[Sandisw]

I think the bigger question here is what perks could/should have been offered without the pay wall?

I'd have to ask why there's a pay wall for
1.) 5 day ticket discounts
2.) OTUP
3.) Annual pass for points
4.) Exchange fee

All of these drive sales and generate revenue. The annual pass and exchange fee drive sales to a product that Disney is recouping a higher cost than paying cash.

I can understand why there's a paywall for
1.)memory maker
2.) Lounge access priority/character meets

I feel like someone was told to come up with a perks program and no one in the room had any real ideas.

I'd bet you a billion dollars moonlight magic was definitely up on the white board.

I don’t know if we should consider MM behind a pay wall, should we?

The cost for that is $210 and now it’s $99 for DVc Y owners.

Could look at it as similar to the $49 price for water park tickets DVC owners get.

ETA: Yes, that’s not how it’s being marketed. I get that…but in reality, that is one way to view it.

 

[tidefan]

Most owners do not buy UK tickets as we are not eligible for them…and yes, I know people say they have gotten away with buying

The point remains that Disney charges $210 for MM, and DVC Y owners can now get it for $99.

And now get to wait longer at the Epcot lounge....

We've been to the Epcot lounge maybe 3-4 times over the past year. Never had less than a 30 minute wait. I suppose now, unless you pay, you probably aren't getting lounge access.

Quite honestly, I'd rather have them give something like a free snack credit than even have the lounge, as that is what it basically is.

 

[Sandisw]

And now get to wait longer at the Epcot lounge....

We've been to the Epcot lounge maybe 3-4 times over the past year. Never had less than a 30 minute wait. I suppose now, unless you pay, you probably aren't getting lounge access.

Quite honestly, I'd rather have them give something like a free snack credit than even have the lounge, as that is what it basically is.

Every change will come with its pros and cons. While you care about potentially waiting longer for the lounge, not everyone else will, especially now we will have three in WDW by next year. .

But any offer that Disney comes out with will do that, won’t it? Not sure you’d ever get consensus

I know many DVc owners have been wanting a discount on a multi day pass,.,so let’s see how this priced out!! It might be a good deal!

 

[2010dvcfan]

I think we should all be sure we are not overlooking the true effect of this new product on the membership as a whole. IMO it's not whether this is a good value opportunity to me personally, it's about the message we send to DVC by purchasing member perks at all. It's pure GREED on the part of DVC and I firmly believe this is a test product to gauge interest from the community on purchasing perks.

I am certain their "VISION BOARDS" are filled with future charges to us members if this pilot program is met with high demand.

Resale Restrictions decision was out of our hands, DVC single handedly put in motion one of the biggest blows to overall reputation and value of our contracts. This new program we control the success of it on our own with our wallets.

I personally will pay more for a 5 day park ticket every time then encourage the priority access to anything over my fellow DVC member.

 

[walt34]

And every change will come with its pros and cons. While you care about waiting longer for the lounge, I have never had to wait and it’s not a big deal to me.

Well, you also rarely run into Skyliner downtimes and I have done so at most times of the year. We must travel at different times. Each time I wanted to try the lounge (twice) I had to wait a few minutes. I would assume the Beyond buyers jumping ahead will make this worse. At the same time I won’t get worked up about losing access to a budget airport lounge (even if it is at WDW).

I still find it strange that they would water down the perks for non-buyers of beyond if the package would be strong even without it (taking your word for it).