Membership Magic Beyond

[havoc315]

Maybe I have low expectations, but I never thought the park ticket discount would be very substantial given the once-per-year fee of $99. If I buy 4 tickets in a year and receive an added $25 each of savings and/or value, I'm break even. The Disneyland ticket discount is MUCH better than I anticipated.

But most discounts are designed to increase revenue for Disney in the big picture.
The “savings” don’t actually decrease Disney’s revenue, depending how it’s designed.
Most discounts are really disguised upsells.

Shifting a guest from a crowded weekend to a less crowded weekday actually helps Disney’s bottom line.

Discounts that encourage people to take more trips, or add days to their ticket, increase revenues and profits.

Imagine they offered for MMB, $25 off park hoppers. That would not cost Disney $25 per person — The guest would feel like they are saving $25 per person. But it would increase the number of people buying park hoppers— and if priced correctly, round increase revenues and profits.

Essentially, discounts that are really an opportunity for Disney to sell you more things.

Disney routinely does “special ticket” types along these lines. A significant perceived savings, based on a very specifically restricted ticket.

Sure DVC could have tried to blow our doors off with some great first year perk and lose a bunch of money on MMB. But that doesn't mean a whole lot in the long run if years 2, 3 and beyond see progressively worse discounts and progressively higher prices.

 

[Sandisw]

Definitely not saying that the "deal" doesn't benefit anyone.
If you already were planning on a Sunday to Saturday trip, were already planning on doing waterparks on the weekend days -- Then you now save 1%-10%.

But I dare say the majority of guests were not planning exactly that. For most guests, they would need to change their plans in order to take advantage of this ticket offer. Either add days or take fewer days, adjust weekends/weekdays, etc.

So if you have to contort your plans in order to take advantage of the "deal" -- It's hard to rationalize contorting your plans to save 1%. I'd have trouble rationalizing contorting my plans to save 5%. Even 10% is borderline.

When I heard a new specially priced ticket -- I was expecting a much bigger discount, because this ticket is specifically designed to benefit Disney, even at a much bigger discount. It steers guests from weekends to weekdays, thereby spreading out crowds. It requires a 5 day ticket. So with enough incentive, you'd have people who were only planning on a 3 day ticket deciding to get the 5 day ticket.

I get that Disney is a for-profit corporation. My problem isn't that Disney was "stingy." It's that this is a poorly thought out product. There are a whole host of ways they could have designed this program (and ticket offers), that increase profits for Disney AND increase perceived value for guests.
A flat 20% discount on tickets over 4 days, for example. Or let MMB members purchase Disney Pirate Pass.
Offer MMB members to buy the Disney Dining Plan at 10% off. (that would definitely increase profits for Disney, it would lead to a lot more dining revenue from DVC members). Refillable soda mugs at 50% off for MMB members when staying on-site.
10% off the price of Premier Pass, subject to availability, for MMB members.

Each of these things would probably actually increase revenue and profits for Disney, while creating a lot of perceived value for MMB members.

No question they could have offered a lot of alternatives for members.

But, the $99 buys you the Memeroy Make product that costs $210 if you don’t join this program.

So, for any DVC member who does not have an AP, that is a straight up over 50% savings…and this has nothing to do with whether Disney should charge that much for it to begin with…but they do.

That’s why I think that alone provides a nice value for an owner who wants that product. And, there could be owners out there who don’t buy it now because $210 is too high will when it is $99.

Thst leaves the other aspects as a bonus. I can’t say I agree that the program is not a good one. I think it offers owners a lot of options that can save them money or give them little extras they see as special…extended lounge hours, character meet and greets

I guess I see the glass half full part of this vs the glass half empty.

 

[Sandisw]

I’ve never used OTUP. Can any one explain how it works? My understanding is that you have to book with all you buy at one time for an upcoming stay. If you cancel, they go into holding. One question I have is can you buy them, even though you have enough points to make the reservation w/o them and just keep your regular points for another stay? Or do you have to need them to complete a stay?

You can buy OTU points when making a reservation 7 months or less. You don’t get home resort priority with them.

You can buy them even if you have your own points left.

Rules for cancellation are no different than regular points…cancel more than 31 days out and they go back into the UY of the canceled trip.

The only restriction is that these points expire at the end of the UY they are in…no banking or borrowing them.

If you cancel less than 31 days, then these points will also have the holding status which limits you to using them for a trip 60 days or less from check in

You are allowed up to 24 per UY. You can purchase them as many times as you want to make reservations until you reach 24. So, you could buy 5 today and two months from now buy another 10, etc.

For this program, you are now getting two for the price of one. So, if you need or want 10, you only pay for 5.

I have rarely bought them but I could see buying a few instead of borrowing if I were making a 7 month or less reservation to save my own points for future home resort access.

 

[VGCgroupie]

You can buy OTU points when making a reservation 7 months or less. You don’t get home resort priority with them.

You can buy them even if you have your own points left.

Rules for cancellation are no different than regular points…cancel more than 31 days out and they go back into the UY of the canceled trip.

The only restriction is that these points expire at the end of the UY they are in…no banking or borrowing them.

If you cancel less than 31 days, then these points will also have the holding status which limits you to using them for a trip 60 days or less from check in

You are allowed up to 24 per UY. You can purchase them as many times as you want to make reservations until you reach 24. So, you could be 5 today and two months from now buy another 10, etc.

For this program, you are now getting two for the price of one. So, if you need or want 10, you only pay for 5.

I have rarely bought them but I could see buying a few instead of borrowing if I were making a 7 month or less reservation to save my own points for future home resort access.

This could actually solve my problem of needing more WDW points. My husband will be thrilled if I come to that conclusion rather than buying another contract. I just need to learn how to juggle all my points better

 

[Dfoerch]

You wouldn’t take advantage if you book prior to the 7 month window.

For me — for most trips, the rooms I want are gone by 7 months. (2 bedroom standard lock off during Christmas week, is my most common room type).

It does seem if you’re book at 7 months, as long as you have no expiring points you need to use, you may as well get OTUP.

Thanks, it’s nice to bounce ideas off of another member. It’s just my wife and I (both retired for the most part), so a studio during some of the ‘off-season dates’ is all we usually need.

 

[TCRAIG]

I guess I’m thinking too much of my own situation. We go 3-4 times a year. So at least one, if not two, are 7 months. Sounds like I’d be able to take advantage of them each year.

That’s the perfect scenario for OTU points…

 

[Dfoerch]

You can buy OTU points when making a reservation 7 months or less. You don’t get home resort priority with them.

You can buy them even if you have your own points left.

Rules for cancellation are no different than regular points…cancel more than 31 days out and they go back into the UY of the canceled trip.

The only restriction is that these points expire at the end of the UY they are in…no banking or borrowing them.

If you cancel less than 31 days, then these points will also have the holding status which limits you to using them for a trip 60 days or less from check in

You are allowed up to 24 per UY. You can purchase them as many times as you want to make reservations until you reach 24. So, you could buy 5 today and two months from now buy another 10, etc.

For this program, you are now getting two for the price of one. So, if you need or want 10, you only pay for 5.

I have rarely bought them but I could see buying a few instead of borrowing if I were making a 7 month or less reservation to save my own points for future home resort access.

Thank you-that clears up several questions.

 

[AstroBlasters]

Now real world— my Trip is Thursday to Tuesday. Family of 4. Was planning a 4 day ticket.

Which will cost me $622 per ticket, and include weekends.

Now, if there had been a truly great 5-day weekday ticket, I would have considering buying it and just using 4 out of the 5 days, avoiding the parks on the weekend.

But… the meager 1% discount only works if you need exactly a 5 day ticket (no more, no less), and if you have zero desire to be in the parks on a weekend. (Really worth changing your weekend plans to save 1%?)







I think the included waterpark also has to be used on a weekday but I’m not sure.

are you comparing a 4-day non-discounted ticket to the 5-day MB ticket?!?

I’m looking at a 4-day ticket direct from Disney for $774 and $738 from a discount site based on when we are going in March. That’s vs a 5-day MB ticket for $725….

That is not a reasonable comparison at all…..

 

[Steelers0854]

You are allowed up to 24 per UY. You can purchase them as many times as you want to make reservations until you reach 24. So, you could buy 5 today and two months from now buy another 10, etc.

Is it per contract, per membership or per person? Just curious what the rule is for these.. Thanks!

 

[havoc315]

are you comparing a 4-day non-discounted ticket to the 5-day MB ticket?!?

I’m looking at a 4-day ticket direct from Disney for $774 and $738 from a discount site based on when we are going in March. That’s vs a 5-day MB ticket for $725….

That is not a reasonable comparison at all…..

Yes and no. I’m looking at both general terms for all trips. And looking at my actual booked trip, where the 5day MB ticket costs about $90 more than a full price 4 day ticket. So obviously, the non-discounted ticket is a much better “deal” than the MB discount.

 

[Sandisw]

Is it per contract, per membership or per person? Just curious what the rule is for these.. Thanks!

You can buy up to 24 per membership. For this program, from the way the T & C are written, each person who joins is entitled to take advantage of this once…

So, if you have more than one membership, you will only be able to get one set of BOGO free OtU points, even though you can buy them on each.

The potential way around that could be having both owners of a contract buy into the program and then each would be entitled to do it on the different memberships.

For example, I buy it and my husband does to. I get the deal on our June UY and he does it on the Dec UY.

It won’t work if they decide not to allow people of the same household to buy into this since it says all are covered once one person buys.

 

[AstroBlasters]

Yes and no. I’m looking at both general terms for all trips. And looking at my actual booked trip, where the 5day MB ticket costs about $90 more than a full price 4 day ticket. So obviously, the non-discounted ticket is a much better “deal” than the MB discount.

I think if you are going during the dates on the left then it makes sense if you are ok with weekday only.

The dates on the right do not make sense if you are willing to use a discount broker. My guess is that this is where your dates fall.

The more people in your travel party, the better the value.

Our spring break, fall break, and winter break all line up with the dates on the left. YMMV

 

[nalababybear]

Because - you can’t use them for any stays at 11 months and you can’t use them on an existing reservation either - it has to be a new reservation made at 7 months or less…
I’ve used them plenty of times…

You can buy and swap from existing 7month reservations. It's tricky, so not for the inexperienced.

 

[Spivey378]

TAKE MY MONEY!

 

[Dfoerch]

You can buy and swap from existing 7month reservations. It's tricky, so not for the inexperienced.

Are you saying, if you already have an existing reservation, you can then buy 24 OTU pts and switch them out for your regular 24 pts? I thought it had to be used on a new reservation.

 

[AstroBlasters]

Are you saying, if you already have an existing reservation, you can then buy 24 OTU pts and switch them out for your regular 24 pts? I thought it had to be used on a new reservation.

As long as the reservation was made without the home resort booking window.

Book a trip with OTUP with MS. Cancel it later. Call MS and have them swap out OTUP and get your bankable points back.

 

[havoc315]

I think if you are going during the dates on the left then it makes sense if you are ok with weekday only.

The dates on the right do not make sense if you are willing to use a discount broker. My guess is that this is where your dates fall.

The more people in your travel party, the better the value.

Our spring break, fall break, and winter break all line up with the dates on the left. YMMV

No, my dates aren’t on the left or right. For my dates, it’s a 1% savings.

 

[Dfoerch]

As long as the reservation was made without the home resort booking window.

Book a trip with OTUP with MS. Cancel it later. Call MS and have them swap out OTUP and get your bankable points back.

So the only risk is losing the reservation between the time you cancel it and then rebook it?

 

[AstroBlasters]

So the only risk is losing the reservation between the time you cancel it and then rebook it?

You do t have to cancel the reservation. You just call MS and ask them to swap out current UY points for the OTUP.

 

[AstroBlasters]

No, my dates aren’t on the left or right. For my dates, it’s a 1% savings.

Ok, but can you concede that there a large number of days where it could be a very valuable benefit to people…. even if those discounted days do not align with your specific trip?