Membership Magic Beyond

[tx911]

DVC-BY T-shirts, buttons, pins, hats, lounge fly ... maybe a wristband .... you might catch them doing their secret handshake ... mostly likely they will tell you.

Lol.

Q: How do you know someone is a DVC-BY member?
A: They'll tell you

 

[erionm]

Now that they have increased the prices for annual passes, I am wondering if I should pay this $99 and get the discounted 5-day tickets first, then upgrade them to the annual passes? Would you still “keep the discount” when you upgrade to annual passes or do you just pay the price differences (so also pay the discount as well)?

More than likely, they will only credit you what you actually paid for that 5-day ticket since it's a special ticket. So I don't think you would see any additional savings by upgrading from that 5-day ticket.

 

[Sandisw]

Now that they have increased the prices for annual passes, I am wondering if I should pay this $99 and get the discounted 5-day tickets first, then upgrade them to the annual passes? Would you still “keep the discount” when you upgrade to annual passes or do you just pay the price differences (so also pay the discount as well)?

Not something we know yet. We know you can upgrade them to any cash based AP, just not one you want to buy with points.

But, no pricing on how much the discount will be and I don’t think there will be bridging allowed…

 

[Brian Noble]

Would you still “keep the discount” when you upgrade to annual passes or do you just pay the price differences (so also pay the discount as well)?

If you buy something directly from Disney, usually you get credit for exactly what you paid.

 

[Sandisw]

Agree to disagree. And quite frankly, I think Disney is counting on me being right. I think this will become just another "tax" on owning DVC. Many, if not most, owners will simply pay the fee and maybe they use some benefits that save them money, or maybe not. But we will all just pay the $99 for the chance to maybe use them. After all, it's only a hundred bucks.

I am sure I will see "value" in it as an individual. I mean, I never use Memory Maker, but now I'll get it for "free" so boom, value.

I just see this for what, I believe, it really is. The ability to hide all meaningful DVC perks behind a paywall.

Oh, there is no question DVD is doing this because it benefits them or it wouldn’t happen…I am not stupid or naive to think rules of the game for membership extras can’t change. We are told that upfront. They have been changing the rules since 2016…this is not new.

But, you hit the exact point and that is the outcome to us as individual owners.

For 2025, and for however long this lasts at a price that makes it worth it, we are being given some things that have real value…that we don’t have today...and my guess is that there will be many owners who will buy it because of the savings it offers them based on their personal situation.

 

[Judique]

Not something we know yet. We know you can upgrade them to any cash based AP, just not one you want to buy with points.

But, no pricing on how much the discount will be and I don’t think there will be bridging allowed…

Not certain but I think bridging is pretty much a thing of the past.

 

[VGCgroupie]

I stopped following this thread, but has anyone gotten an inkling as to when more specifics will be announced? I just saw that Magic Key is going on sale again 11/06 and Id really like to know what the DL ticket discounts will be so I can make a choice on MK or not.

 

[Sandisw]

I stopped following this thread, but has anyone gotten an inkling as to when more specifics will be announced? I just saw that Magic Key is going on sale again 11/06 and Id really like to know what the DL ticket discounts will be so I can make a choice on MK or not.

Not yet. I was going to call today to see if we could get any idea but it’s the opening day for booking Disney Destiny so figured it could wait until tomorrow.

It goes on sale December 3rd? So, it has to be before then.

 

[VGCgroupie]

Not yet. I was going to call today to see if we could get any idea but it’s the opening day for booking Disney Destiny so figured it could wait until tomorrow.

It goes on sale December 3rd? So, it has to be before then.

Got my fingers crossed by Nov 5th!

 

[J-Dog]

"DVC is creating tiered membership through DVC-YB"

• The tiered membership sailed a long time ago, folks. There are tiers within the tiers, and creating this new MMB is just another tier. There is nothing new here.

Serious question about this, for my knowledge, not just for argument's sake:

We definitely have current tiers in DVC, but has there ever been a tier like this created after-the-fact?

When a resale contract is bought, you know going in that you won't have access to all the perks (or aren't supposed to at least), and when things like minimum points for perks change, then people prior to that are grandfathered in.

So isn't this the first time that a tier system is introduced to everyone, AFTER they have bought in? Or am I wrong?

 

[muppets3d]

Serious question about this, for my knowledge, not just for argument's sake:

We definitely have current tiers in DVC, but has there ever been a tier like this created after-the-fact?

When a resale contract is bought, you know going in that you won't have access to all the perks (or aren't supposed to at least), and when things like minimum points for perks change, then people prior to that are grandfathered in.

So isn't this the first time that a tier system is introduced to everyone, AFTER they have bought in? Or am I wrong?

For goodness sakes are we back to this FUD? What do you not have access to unless you buy this package? Answer: Absolutely Nothing. Move on.

 

[J-Dog]

For goodness sakes are we back to this FUD? What do you not have access to unless you buy this package? Answer: Absolutely Nothing. Move on.

Seriously? Are you the moderator?

Once again, your opinion on the importance of this issue is irrelevant.

I'm asking a question, feel free to ignore it.

 

[CarolynFH]

Many, if not most, owners will simply pay the fee and maybe they use some benefits that save them money, or maybe not.

You don't think members will wait until they have use for one or more of the benefits and purchase it then? I may have missed it, but I didn't see anything that made me think we'd be required to buy it at the start of the year. MMB won't be useful for us in 2025 as our plans stand now, but if our plans change and the $99 would save us more than $99, that's when we'd buy.

 

[Sandisw]

Serious question about this, for my knowledge, not just for argument's sake:

We definitely have current tiers in DVC, but has there ever been a tier like this created after-the-fact?

When a resale contract is bought, you know going in that you won't have access to all the perks (or aren't supposed to at least), and when things like minimum points for perks change, then people prior to that are grandfathered in.

So isn't this the first time that a tier system is introduced to everyone, AFTER they have bought in? Or am I wrong?

This is where people may be differing in thoughts as I don’t see to is a different tier of membership.

We have members who are either eligible or not. There were and are different thresholds out there, but once it was met, everyone was the same.

But, is this really a threshold or simply a new product they are selling us that comes with other products at a discount?

For example, we can buy a water park pass for $49 (which did not exist when I first bought) or we can buy a Sorcerer Pass, or we can pay $95 to trade our points for cruises, etc.

All of us have access to purchase those things, but we are not required to get them.

However, any owner who actually does purchase has unlocked that “perk”, haven’t they? If you don’t pay $49, you aren’t getting into the water park, right?

It is why I view this the same way in practice, even if it is structured differently.

We pay $99 for a product called Membership Magic Beyond…and it comes with what it comes with.

Now, if this had only been offered to those with XYZ direct points, then I’d see it as a tiered benefit.

This is, however, the first time they offered us a product to purchase that encompasses more than one benefit for a set fee.

I mean, if they had just added to the benefits page “DVC Y owners can now purchase Memory Maker for $99” would people have seen that as pay for play?

Now, I get the concern that this is being marketed that you pay to simply unlock other benefits, vs a single product and could lead to changes down the road.

But, not sure we can say this is another tier because it’s something you buy that comes with real products, one..the Memory Maker.. that doesn’t require you to spend anything else.

ETA: I wonder if they had marketed it like this “DVC Y owners can purchase Memory Maker Plus for $99” which includes 30 day product, special meet and greets, discount on tickets, BOGO free OTU points and waiving of the $95 fee for the Disney collection and a priority waitlist for lounge” if it would change perception of anyone?

 

[J-Dog]

This is where people may be differing in thoughts as I don’t see to is a different tier of membership.

We have members who are either eligible or not. There were and are different thresholds out there, but once it was met, everyone was the same.

But, is this really a threshold or simply a new product they are selling us that comes with other products at a discount?

For example, we can buy a water park pass for $49 (which did not exist when I first bought) or we can buy a Sorcerer Pass, or thacan pay $95 to trade our points for cruises, etc.

All of us have access to purchase those things, but we are not required to get them. However, any owner who does purchase now has that “perk” to use.

I really see this the same way in practice, even if it is structured differently.

We pay $99 for a product called Membership Magic Beyond…and it comes with what it comes with.

Now, if this had only been offered to those with XYZ direct points, then I’d see it as a tiered benefit.

This is, however, the first time they offered us a product to purchase that encompasses more than one thing for just one fee.

I mean, if they had just added to the benefits page “DVC Y owners can now purchase Memory Maker for $99” would people have seen that as pay for play?

Now, I get the concern that this is being marketed as pay a few to simply unlock other benefits, vs a single product and could lead to changes down the road.

But, not sure we can say this is another tier because it’s something you buy that comes with one real product that doesn’t cost you more.

Again, I completely agree with you. Paying for discounts is simply a matter of determining whether or not the math pencils-out to make those discounts worth it. And, really, no other DVC member is affected or will even know that you got those discounts unless you tell them.

As far as "tiers" go, if someone was previously a "second-class" DVC owner (i.e. white-card owner), they made the conscious decision to be that way before they ever laid down a dime.

I am apparently belaboring the point according to some posters, but this is first time that you can become a "second-class" DVC owner, when you were once a "first-class" DVC owner, by not doing anything. And that second-class status seems like it will be obvious when people are happily cutting in front of you in the lounge line.

 

[Sandisw]

Again, I completely agree with you. Paying for discounts is simply a matter of determining whether or not the math pencils-out to make those discounts worth it. And, really, no other DVC member is affected or will even know that you got those discounts unless you tell them.

As far as "tiers" go, if someone was previously a "second-class" DVC owner (i.e. white-card owner), they made the conscious decision to be that way before they ever laid down a dime.

I am apparently belaboring the point according to some posters, but this is first time that you can become a "second-class" DVC owner, when you were once a "first-class" DVC owner, by not doing anything. And that second-class status seems like it will be obvious when people are happily cutting in front of you in the lounge line.

I just have a hard time seeing this program as dividing members when they are selling you something that is a real product.

Do you think owners who don’t buy the Sorcerer Pass as second class? Or those that don’t, as I said, buy the water park pass? When others do?

I am not saying that there are not ways to tier DVC Y owners that might been seen that way….ie: giving this to direct members who have 500 points but charging those with less $99.

But since this is available for purchase to all and it’s a choice to buy or not, I think it does keep all DVC Y owners in the same level.

ETA. Which is why I can’t even use the second class analogy for the lounge because there was no such thing as a priorty waitlists before this program. All we had was lounge access with a regular waitlist and we still have lounge access with a regular waitlist.

 

[BeachClub2014]

Serious question about this, for my knowledge, not just for argument's sake:

We definitely have current tiers in DVC, but has there ever been a tier like this created after-the-fact?

When a resale contract is bought, you know going in that you won't have access to all the perks (or aren't supposed to at least), and when things like minimum points for perks change, then people prior to that are grandfathered in.

So isn't this the first time that a tier system is introduced to everyone, AFTER they have bought in? Or am I wrong?

I think this question is fair, and I appreciate your asking it. The comment I made in my post about "Tiers" was in reaction to the oft-remarked perception in this thread that DVC was creating this new "Tier" within the club. My point is that that ship had sailed long ago with the creation of distinctions between owners of directly purchased points, resale points, those who own enough direct points to be eligible for member benefits, and those who do not. All of that meets my (emphasis on my) definition of different tiers. Others may disagree.

I do see that this new DVC-YB option is another "tier" within the DVC structure, but "tiering" (and perhaps "tearing") is nothing new to DVC.

When these changes occurred in the past, owners continued to enjoy the same access to "stuff" as they previously enjoyed, but the new requirements would apply moving forward. IMHO, DVC remained consistent with the lounge access. If you had access before, you still have access in 2025.

 

[VGCgroupie]

I just have a hard time seeing this program as dividing members when they are selling you something that is a real product.

Do you think owners who don’t buy the Sorcerer Pass as second class? Or those that don’t, as I said, buy the water park pass? When others do?

I am not saying that there are not ways to tier DVC Y owners that might been seen that way….ie: giving this to direct members who have 500 points but charging those with less $99.

But since this is available for purchase to all and it’s a choice to buy or not, I think it does keep all DVC Y owners in the same level.

Im going back to my stance of the only dividing thing there is the lounge priority access. All else is a new perk you may want to pay to have or may not. DVD really should have just left the lounge out of the deal and still charged $99 and I think there would be much less backlash. You'd think they would have been smart enough to know that it would make the masses angry.

Ive not gotten into how Disney pays for things like this or MM etc. But I bet if it were raise dues by $99 a year and give everyone these perks people would lose their minds because why should they have to pay for something they didnt want.

 

[Sandisw]

Im going back to my stance of the only dividing thing there is the lounge priority access. All else is a new perk you may want to pay to have or may not. DVD really should have just left the lounge out of the deal and still charged $99 and I think there would be much less backlash. You'd think they would have been smart enough to know that it would make the masses angry.

Ive not gotten into how Disney pays for things like this or MM etc. But I bet if it were raise dues by $99 a year and give everyone these perks people would lose their minds because why should they have to pay for something they didnt want.

To clarify, it’s not priority access..it’s being given priority on the waitlist…no waitlist and you wait your turn in line to go up like we always have.

And a priority waitlist is something that is new. . The benefits themselves have not changed…we have lounge access, just like before.

Now, the impact of the new benefit…especially the special meet and greets…could change things for people in how often they have to wait…but isn’t that different element?

 

[kilik64]

Dang so I'm now a third class dvc member?