Membership Magic Beyond

[MICKIMINI]

We buy them often to add a night or two as we have several contracts. It can extend a stay with some extra points.

 

[Hubalorian]

How many people are actually buying the OTU points? I’m too crazy to not have a reservation booked 11 months out even if I hope to switch 7 months out so we’ve never bought them.

I would buy OTUP at BOGO instead of borrowing from future years if I had an option

 

[MartyParty]

I think there's potentially a little bit of something for most people, but hardly anyone will benefit from every perk.

Using points to pay for an AP, or discounted tickets for those who dont buy AP's. Extra OTU for those who need just a little extra points each year. People who also pay for LL so they dont want to wait in line for the lounge either. Or even for those who actually like Interval International they can save that $95 fee.

Agree.

I bought one time use points this year for our Aulani trip. Needed just a bit more to book one more night. At $20/pt this buy one get one free would have more than paid for the $99 membership.

Also bought the photo pass on three separate occasions: Aulani, Cruise, and DL. Not sure how that would all play out being able to use for all three locations but even worst case at least on photo pass fee would have been covered.

We visit the parks once or twice a year, so the AP options doesn't really work for us. We do usually visit through the week arriving on a Sunday so as to avoid the crowds and use less points. Curious to see what the DVC members pricing will be for park tickets. Another plus for us.

I think this is a good faith effort by DVD. That's been one of the complaints for a while that in the beginning there was something extra in the way of AP or tickets for visiting the parks. For many years now there's been nothing except for the room via the points you bought. Yeah yeah, yeah I know nothing is promised, guaranteed, etc. but geez given the expense of buying points and dues glad to see something coming back our way for more than just a room stay.

Last thought I have; the Disney divisions are all separate companies. If a lot of members were to take full benefit of the $99 membership, Disney loses money. Gotta think this is an internally DVD budgeted item to give more benefits to DVC members. The offset of delta in costs will be covered by DVD reimbursing the parks. The $99 annual fee ensures a member is a) serious about using the benefits and b) a bit of offset costs to pay the parks for these benefits.

DW has already informed me to mark the calendar and sign up come Dec 3rd. And that's what we'll do.

 

[SleeplessInTO]

I’ve never bought OTU points before but at BOGO free, I might start! Especially since I’ve got an orphaned point that I don’t know what else to do with. Obviously to save that one point we will need to book a 1-2 night stay using OTU (at 50% off…) lol

How many people are actually buying the OTU points? I’m too crazy to not have a reservation booked 11 months out even if I hope to switch 7 months out so we’ve never bought them.

Oh wait I just remembered I’m not a US resident so I can’t. Nevermind. Back to no OTU points for me.

 

[J-Dog]

So, as a one-per-year, non-AP DVC owner, I could potentially make use of the 5-day/weekday tickets.

But since we are not resort-only type of people, I would guess that I would need to buy separate 2-day tickets for the weekends, so that will eat into the discount - since 2-day tickets are more than 5-day tickets on a per-day basis, the discount would have to off-set that cost vs a non-discounted 7-day ticket, PLUS the $99 charge.

We'll see how that math works out...

 

[PrincessNelly]

Every time Disney inches the carrot farther away, I expect blowback and am absolutely dumbfounded when instead, I look around and see everyone around me undoing their purse strings with a smile on their face.

I’m waiting for them to make LLMP a prepaid yearly add on. Sure, this is optional, but it should be included. The video game industry has been ruined by microtransactions, pay to skip the line, etc. and Disney is jumping right into that same mess. You used to play a game and be on the same level as everyone else, or go to Disney and be on the same level, but they are using terrible psychological trickery of FOMO and eliteness into squeezing more out of everyone “only $99” at a time. “Ultimate limited collector’s edition, skip the line and play 3 days ahead of launch!” At least you used to get a junky plastic figurine with those game editions.

For me, I often buy one time use points. This would give me a discount on those points. So its a no brainer!
The other benefits will be nice but not the reason I buy it.

 

[MICKIMINI]

Agree.

I bought one time use points this year for our Aulani trip. Needed just a bit more to book one more night. At $20/pt this buy one get one free would have more than paid for the $99 membership.

Also bought the photo pass on three separate occasions: Aulani, Cruise, and DL. Not sure how that would all play out being able to use for all three locations but even worst case at least on photo pass fee would have been covered.

We visit the parks once or twice a year, so the AP options doesn't really work for us. We do usually visit through the week arriving on a Sunday so as to avoid the crowds and use less points. Curious to see what the DVC members pricing will be for park tickets. Another plus for us.

I think this is a good faith effort by DVD. That's been one of the complaints for a while that in the beginning there was something extra in the way of AP or tickets for visiting the parks. For many years now there's been nothing except for the room via the points you bought. Yeah yeah, yeah I know nothing is promised, guaranteed, etc. but geez given the expense of buying points and dues glad to see something coming back our way for more than just a room stay.

Last thought I have; the Disney divisions are all separate companies. If a lot of members were to take full benefit of the $99 membership, Disney loses money. Gotta think this is an internally DVD budgeted item to give more benefits to DVC members. The offset of delta in costs will be covered by DVD reimbursing the parks. The $99 annual fee ensures a member is a) serious about using the benefits and b) a bit of offset costs to pay the parks for these benefits.

DW has already informed me to mark the calendar and sign up come Dec 3rd. And that's what we'll do.

THANK DW PLEASE! I just marked my calendar LOL!

 

[Cyberc1978]

Just off chat with them,,,they said its because of legalities are different in other countries. ??? I asked what is wrong with paying for services,,,she was just a chat official and had no answer but to provide me with an email address to send the question to.
Fresh news but everything not ironed out yet. This happened with something else recently with Canadians, but quickly was turned around. Hope this is the same case.
Not that I need it, but we should all have access to the same system if we are all paying into it......except those non Ys..lol...kidding....maybe

That sounds like a load of B….. when they know nothing about nothing.

 

[BeachClub2014]

The devil is always in the details. I can't wait to see how many points it will take to swap for a Sorcerer Pass.

Purchase of WALT DISNEY WORLD® Resort Disney Sorcerer Passes with Vacation Points: From time to time, Members enrolled in the Optional Benefit Program are granted the ability to use their Vacation Points to purchase the WALT DISNEY WORLD® Resort Disney Sorcerer Passes (“Pass” or “Passes”) in accordance with the following terms.

• The number of Vacation Points required to purchase a Pass is determined by DVD. Price as expressed in the requisite number of Vacation Points includes any applicable sales tax, and may be adjusted at any time without notice, in DVD’s discretion.

 

[CarolynFH]

Gotta think this is an internally DVD budgeted item to give more benefits to DVC members.

Of course it is, which is why it's limited to DVC-Y members - the costs come out of DVD's Marketing budget, just like all the other DVC-Y benefits/perks including operating expenses for the member lounges.

The number of Vacation Points required to purchase a Pass is determined by DVD. Price as expressed in the requisite number of Vacation Points includes any applicable sales tax, and may be adjusted at any time without notice, in DVD’s discretion.

DVD is undoubtedly paying something to Parks & Resorts division for the APs, and this allows P&R to adjust the price they charge DVD and for DVD to pass that on to us.

I can hardly wait to find out the "exchange rate" for Sorcerer APs - will it be $8 a point, like it is for cruises?

 

[tx911]

I can hardly wait to find out the "exchange rate" for Sorcerer APs - will it be $8 a point, like it is for cruises?

Is it weird that this just makes me want to buy more points?

 

[elgerber]

The devil is always in the details. I can't wait to see how many points it will take to swap for a Sorcerer Pass.

Purchase of WALT DISNEY WORLD® Resort Disney Sorcerer Passes with Vacation Points: From time to time, Members enrolled in the Optional Benefit Program are granted the ability to use their Vacation Points to purchase the WALT DISNEY WORLD® Resort Disney Sorcerer Passes (“Pass” or “Passes”) in accordance with the following terms.

• The number of Vacation Points required to purchase a Pass is determined by DVD. Price as expressed in the requisite number of Vacation Points includes any applicable sales tax, and may be adjusted at any time without notice, in DVD’s discretion.

I would love to know how they are going to price this.

 

[MICKIMINI]

It's nothing to wonder, because it cannot be done:

"A WDW Ticket is eligible for an upgrade to an available annual pass, excluding a WALT DISNEY WORLD® Resort Disney Sorcerer Pass being purchased with Vacation Points. "

My vision may not be good, but this is what is on the front page of the email:

Experience More Flexibility
Use your Points to purchase the Disney Sorcerer Pass to enjoy Walt Disney World Resort Theme Parks.

Get one bonus One-Time-Use Point for each One-Time-Use Point purchased! Members can purchase up to 12 Points for a total of 24 One-Time-Use Points in a Use Year. Excludes bookings offered through the hotel exchange program.

Enjoy having your $95 transaction fee waived when booking Disney Collection Resorts and experiences, including Adventures by Disney, Disney Cruise Line and National Geographic Expeditions experiences.

 

[BeachClub2014]

I can hardly wait to find out the "exchange rate" for Sorcerer APs - will it be $8 a point, like it is for cruises?

I hope it's more than this. A reasonable exchange rate could make this an attractive benefit.

 

[lilsonicfan]

So is this all a way for DVC members to contribute directly to the DVD marketing budget?

 

[MICKIMINI]

I hope it's more than this. A reasonable exchange rate could make this an attractive benefit.

Yes, especially if you have a MF friendly like a SSR contract and lots of extra points. Would soon to be expiring points be included? Your points are in holding, are they still eligible - probably not? May be better than dealing with a renter and/or paying income tax on the rental? I can see where this might be worthwhile in certain cases, but of course, you have to buy it in advance. $99 is not too big of a gamble.

 

[KCMA]

So I plan on buying 9 one time use points for an August trip next year . So I would get 9 points to use on another trip.. how long would I have to use those 9 points?

 

[MartyParty]

So I plan on buying 9 one time use points for an August trip next year . So I would get 9 points to use on another trip.. how long would I have to use those 9 points?

Why not buy 5, get 5 free, and save yourself $80 for not buying the additional 4?

 

[BeachClub2014]

Yes, especially if you have a MF friendly like a SSR contract and lots of extra points. Would soon to be expiring points be included? Your points are in holding, are they still eligible - probably not? May be better than dealing with a renter and/or paying income tax on the rental? I can see where this might be worthwhile in certain cases, but of course, you have to buy it in advance. $99 is not too big of a gamble.

This is my thinking. If the exchange rate is reasonable, I would rather swap points for an AP then having to rent extra points to generate cash. All depends on the delta between those routes.

 

[KCMA]

Why not buy 5, get 5 free, and save yourself $80 for not buying the additional 4?

I am glad there are smarter people here then me… I did not even think about using them like that .. thanks!