Membership Magic Beyond

[lowlight]

Everyone loves a tiered system when they are in the higher tiers, nobody loves being in the lower tiers. The point at which it becomes disagreeable to all is the exact moment they can no longer afford to stay in the upper tiers. DVC said to make it to the higher tier, you buy direct from us to X point threshold (150 now). Now they are Billy Mays’ing us. But wait, there’s more! For just 1 yearly payment of 199 159 99, you can be part of the super ultimate elite squirrel club tier. What’s that get you? Nothing*, but it sounds super cool!


* (For a limited time only nothing includes getting into the lounge while everyone else sweats. While supplies last. Not valid in Canadia. Or Europe. Or anywhere outside the USA. No implied guarantee of pretzel bags. We reserve the right to create a new tier at any time and limit access to the restroom to the new tier.).

 

[Genie+]

Resale doesn’t do much for DVD. They are all about selling new contracts. That’s where the bread gets buttered.

Somebody buys 400 SSR points resale for $30k. The original owner already had 15 years of perks and getting money back for unused contract years. The resale buyer is saving $10k or whatever. DVD is getting nothing. That fact that the original owner is getting $30k back is pretty significant. Everybody’s getting something here except DVD.

I had to explain this to my own husband. He felt slighted that BLT reopened just after we became new resale owners. Boom, something we thought might be open to us removed. But our resale purchase gave the original owners a good chunk of money for the unused portion of their contract and the resale broker commission. DVD got nothing. We got a good deal to stay at Boardwalk.

If DVD came out with an even higher tier of paid perks for 500+ point direct owners. Cool. Has nothing to do with me unless/until I start considering whether or not to add on to get my point total up to 500.

Resale enthusiasts love pointing out how perks can be taken away and that’s only half the story. Perks can be changed, improved or added too. This was part of why we decided to buy direct. We weighed everything - the room and dues were most important, potential perks and future resorts held some value too. People argued with me when I said that added value - but it did to me. At that point in time my options were resale with nothing or direct with perks and full booking privileges. Didn’t matter what people got in the past. If I bought resale years earlier we would’ve been grandfathered. If I bought 25pts direct years earlier we’d be grandfathered. If my grandmother had wheels she’d be a bicycle

 

[Sprinkles&Sprints]

Resale doesn’t do much for DVD. They are all about selling new contracts. That’s where the bread gets buttered.

Somebody buys 400 SSR points resale for $30k. The original owner already had 15 years of perks and getting money back for unused contract years. The resale buyer is saving $10k or whatever. DVD is getting nothing. That fact that the original owner is getting $30k back is pretty significant. Everybody’s getting something here except DVD.

I had to explain this to my own husband. He felt slighted that BLT reopened just after we became new resale owners. Boom, something we thought might be open to us removed. But our resale purchase gave the original owners a good chunk of money for the unused portion of their contract and the resale broker commission. DVD got nothing. We got a good deal to stay at Boardwalk.

If DVD came out with an even higher tier of paid perks for 500+ point direct owners. Cool. Has nothing to do with me unless/until I start considering whether or not to add on to get my point total up to 500.

Resale enthusiasts love pointing out how perks can be taken away and that’s only half the story. Perks can be changed, improved or added too. This was part of why we decided to buy direct. We weighed everything - the room and dues were most important, potential perks and future resorts held some value too. People argued with me when I said that added value - but it did to me. At that point in time my options were resale with nothing or direct with perks and full booking privileges. Didn’t matter what people got in the past. If I bought resale years earlier we would’ve been grandfathered. If I bought 25pts direct years earlier we’d be grandfathered. If my grandmother had wheels she’d be a bicycle

LOVE the last line

 

[Disneybuckeye]

Except that previously, all DVC-Y members were on equal lounge footing. A waitlist was made based on when you checked in.
Under this new program, a DVC-YB member will leapfrog you to the front of the line.

The point is that you will be forced to pay for DVC-YB to maintain your equal footing. In what are sure to be ever increasing amounts.

And with the characters people will spend more time up there in line to meet them. This will lengthen the time for the plebes to gain access.

What if you buy it to use for OTU points and then can’t get what you want with them? Never used them so not sure how that works.

 

[xdan0920]

And, I would be perfectly fine if we end up in a situation where all benefits require a fee.

And there we have it.

 

[CarolynFH]

What if you buy it to use for OTU points and then can’t get was at you want with them? Never used them so not sure how that works.

You can buy OTUP only when in the process of booking a reservation at the 7-month window, and you have to call MS to buy them. So there has to be availability for that reservation at that moment.

(Some owners buy them for a dummy reservation which they cancel in order to hold the OTUP for a later hard to get 7 month reservation, and that’s where they’d be taking a chance on availability.)

 

[Sandisw]

And with the characters people will spend more time up there in line to meet them. This will lengthen the time for the plebes to gain access.

What if you buy it to use for OTU points and then can’t get was at you want with them? Never used them so not sure how that works.

You can only buy OTU points when making a reservation so you can’t buy except when booking.

And, yes, the special characters might give some owners a reason to stay longer but we don’t have any details on how that will actually work.

Maybe the characters will be at the Disney Springs location and not at the Epcot or MK lounge.

Maybe they will open the lounges earlier or stay open later for character meet and greets? There are not yet enough details on that to predict its impact on waits.

We should at least wait and see what the process is.

 

[Sandisw]

And there we have it.

Interesting that you didn’t include the whole quote that explained that statement so I’ll say it here.

I didn’t buy for perks and if they are no longer free, then I have to weigh the cost against what I get and either pay for them or go without and would be perfectly fine with that decision because I am the one who is deciding it.

Just like I don’t do as many sit downs as I used to because the prices are more than I want to pay every day.

The thing is we all get to decide whether we like things or not. People don’t have to like this but not sure why it’s an issue for anyone else for some of us to be excited for it.

 

[Genie+]

Everyone loves a tiered system when they are in the higher tiers, nobody loves being in the lower tiers. The point at which it becomes disagreeable to all is the exact moment they can no longer afford to stay in the upper tiers. DVC said to make it to the higher tier, you buy direct from us to X point threshold (150 now). Now they are Billy Mays’ing us. But wait, there’s more! For just 1 yearly payment of 199 159 99, you can be part of the super ultimate elite squirrel club tier. What’s that get you? Nothing*, but it sounds super cool!


* (For a limited time only nothing includes getting into the lounge while everyone else sweats. While supplies last. Not valid in Canadia. Or Europe. Or anywhere outside the USA. No implied guarantee of pretzel bags. We reserve the right to create a new tier at any time and limit access to the restroom to the new tier.).

Wait. What?!

There’s gonna be a restroom

 

[xdan0920]

Yup, because I have said many times that I didn’t buy for perks and if they are no longer free, then I don’t pay for them and go without unless I think it’s worth the fee

Just like I don’t do as many sit downs as I used to because the prices are more than I want to pay every day.

You bought well after me. I’ve been involved since DVC offered real benefits, at a real value entry price.

 

[tx911]

Wait. What?!

There’s gonna be a restroom

With 2-ply toilet paper for the -YB members only

 

[xdan0920]

Further, this is all just silly.

It’s a new income stream for TWDC. Most members will just pay the extra $99 bc it’s trivial. They won’t use the “perks” and it’ll just pad the bottom line. And when it looks like a good % of members are paying up, they will raise the price and move more “benefits” into the paid tier.

Then it’ll be something else for proud Blue card members to hold over the lowly white card members, and on and on we go.

 

[Sandisw]

You bought well after me. I’ve been involved since DVC offered real benefits, at a real value entry price.

I bought in 2009 so you are right, not sure what was there before I came. I do know that what I have today is a lot more than when I bought in.

 

[xdan0920]

I bought in 2009 so you are right, not sure what was there before I came. I do know that what I have today is a lot more than when I bought in.

“A lot” really?

 

[heynowirv]

I still read it at DW that lounge access is only for those who pay. I do hope I am wrong.

DL is more clear that they receive priority.

I agree with DL

 

[Bo1203]

They should have forgone the yearly fee and said our direct members just got some new free perks. By just tweaking some of the new offerings, like charging just a few dollars more on the park ticket deal for example, they could have still profited. Unless they think more members will pay the $99 and not take advantage of the benefits...

 

[Sandisw]

“A lot” really?

Yes. They didn’t have the type of AP there is now, there were no lounges. Merchandise discount was less and most importantly, there were very few TS restaurants that gave a discount.

No MM magic and no such thing as OTU points. I consider that a lot more than when I joined.

To be clear and I apologize if any have taken my comments that they have to be happy with this just because I am but IMO, this is going to be a nice option for members who see it as a good thing.

And while you don’t like it and have concerns of where this could be headed, I went into DVC with the mindset that things can and will change and I get to decide what I like or don’t about the direction of the program. We all don’t need to be upset with DVCs decisions.

Since I am not entitled to perks, any perk offered is a bonus. I think I have shared plenty and more than I should so I will bow out expect to answer questions people might have.

 

[Sandisw]

I still read it at DW that lounge access is only for those who pay. I do hope I am wrong.

DL is more clear that they receive priority.

It is only a priority access waitlist. All other rules for the lounge have not changed. Here is the specific language.

 

[PalmettoPath]

Everyone loves a tiered system when they are in the higher tiers, nobody loves being in the lower tiers. The point at which it becomes disagreeable to all is the exact moment they can no longer afford to stay in the upper tiers. DVC said to make it to the higher tier, you buy direct from us to X point threshold (150 now). Now they are Billy Mays’ing us. But wait, there’s more! For just 1 yearly payment of 199 159 99, you can be part of the super ultimate elite squirrel club tier. What’s that get you? Nothing*, but it sounds super cool!


* (For a limited time only nothing includes getting into the lounge while everyone else sweats. While supplies last. Not valid in Canadia. Or Europe. Or anywhere outside the USA. No implied guarantee of pretzel bags. We reserve the right to create a new tier at any time and limit access to the restroom to the new tier.).

Nailed it.

 

[New Mouse]

From the initial poll numbers on the other thread, it's not a great idea to polarize half your member base.