Perk Pirate!

[normr]

Another member came up with the great term "Perk Pirate" as a term for the thing's that DVC has taken away from us. I love it, it expresses it exactly. The thing I'm curious about is can everyone come up with a list of all the things that the DVC Perk Pirate has plundered from us?

I'll start,

1. free valet parking

 

[Dean]

Another member came up with the great term "Perk Pirate" as a term for the thing's that DVC has taken away from us. I love it, it expresses it exactly. The thing I'm curious about is can everyone come up with a list of all the things that the DVC Perk Pirate has plundered from us?

I'll start,

1. free valet parking

Perks come and go. Free Valet parking as a perk was only available a relatively short period of time (time after valet went pay to play at non DVC resorts until it was removed for DVC). Free Internet has been added as has access to the DDP and the AP/PAP discount. Restaurants come and go and are likely around the average they've been over time currently. One of the other few losses is the restriction on Pool Hopping. IMO, holding DVC as a culprit in removing valet parking is short sighted and narrow focused. Given the option of paying full price and removing the perk, there was only ONE choice and my info says that WAS the choice.

 

[sam_001]

2. free theme park tickets (before i bought dvc)

 

[CarolMN]

Perks come and go. Free Valet parking as a perk was only available a relatively short period of time (time after valet went pay to play at non DVC resorts until it was removed for DVC). Free Internet has been added as has access to the DDP and the AP/PAP discount. Restaurants come and go and are likely around the average they've been over time currently. One of the other few losses is the restriction on Pool Hopping. IMO, holding DVC as a culprit in removing valet parking is short sighted and narrow focused. Given the option of paying full price and removing the perk, there was only ONE choice and my info says that WAS the choice.

I agree.

Perks come. Perks go. I don't consider them "taken" when they are no longer offered. I enjoy them while I can and hope my favorites continue to be offered.

 

[DVCconvert]

I look at perks like network tv shows....


...they only cancel the good ones!

 

[castleri]

agree with Dean and CarolMN. Am thankful to have any extra perks that may be offered especially the AP but certainly did not take them into account when I purchased. We purchased in 1997 and would have loved to have had the free passes but didn't qualify as they had quit giving them shortly before that.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Most of the time, when they remove a perk, there might be another added. Might not be similar to what was removed, but it might be a good one.

 

[tjkraz]

I'll be curious to see where this thread goes. There seems to be a common perception that DVC is removing perks left and right. Although aside from the valet parking (which wasn't DVC's decision) and the loss of discounts on length of stay tickets, I can never think of anything specific.

What else has been taken away???

Restaurant discounts have been rotated over the years but the number of locations which offer some sort of perk are pretty much the same.

And although it's been said seemingly hundreds of times, the free park passes were not a member perk--they were a sales incentive offered to those who bought into Old Key West in the first year or two of the program.

 

[sean-1966]

Discounts at the World of Disney store...

 

[Chuck S]

2. free theme park tickets (before i bought dvc)

We often hear this mentioned. But in reality, this was never a true perk. The limited park admission program was in fact a purchase incentive. Those of use that received it did not receive any of the current sales incentives, like free cruises, etc. And it was contractually limited under our purchase for use only when stay at OKW on points. The end date of the incentive was also clearly stated in the paperwork.

 

[Dean]

Discounts at the World of Disney store...

Which you can easily get with a yearly pass or the Disney CC last I saw. And they've added discounts at a lot of other stores in DD that were not present historically. I think you'll see this one back though, at least off and on.

 

[DebbieB]

How about the "perk fairy"?

New since I bought:

Discounts on annual passes
Free internet

 

[CarolAnnC]

I'll be curious to see where this thread goes. There seems to be a common perception that DVC is removing perks left and right. Although aside from the valet parking (which wasn't DVC's decision) and the loss of discounts on length of stay tickets, I can never think of anything specific.

What else has been taken away???

Restaurant discounts have been rotated over the years but the number of locations which offer some sort of perk are pretty much the same.

And although it's been said seemingly hundreds of times, the free park passes were not a member perk--they were a sales incentive offered to those who bought into Old Key West in the first year or two of the program.

Me too!

I think the whole definition of "Perk" is often misconstrued. Perks are not a line item that is guaranteed in our contract. From time to time, DVC collaborates with other entities who offer DVC Members specific "perks". For example, the nice discounts at the Swan and Dolphin restaurants and snack bars. If this were to "disappear" it is likely the result of the vendor (S&D) negating the offer, and not DVC's choice.

So to blame DVC for pirating perks is wrong IMHO.

 

[CarolAnnC]

How about the "perk fairy"?

New since I bought:

Discounts on annual passes
Free internet

Disney Dining Plan (ability to add on to point stays)
Pool Hopping
Swan & Dolphin discounts
the member party offered at Epcot in December
discounted MNSSHP and MVMCP dates

 

[Dean]

Disney Dining Plan (ability to add on to point stays)
Pool Hopping
Swan & Dolphin discounts
the member party offered at Epcot in December
discounted MNSSHP and MVMCP dates

PH has always been a perk available, I'm pretty sure back to the origin. If you have to put it in a category, it'd be a loss due to the blackouts and restrictions. In years past ALL Disney resort guests had PH. I'm not sure when it changed to only DVC but was certainly far before the free valet stopped for all Disney resorts but cont for DVC.

Not really a perk per se but the original restrictions on banking (50%) and home resort priority were different than they are now. Some will likely point out that all of this had changed by the time there was more than 1 resort and that is true, but it is interesting to read the original rules incorporated into the Disney Vacation Club resort the first couple of years and how they have changed.

 

[CarolAnnC]

PH has always been a perk available, I'm pretty sure back to the origin. If you have to put it in a category, it'd be a loss due to the blackouts and restrictions. In years past ALL Disney resort guests had PH. I'm not sure when it changed to only DVC but was certainly far before the free valet stopped for all Disney resorts but cont for DVC.

Pool Hopping is on my list because it is a "perk" that DVC Members STILL have.

 

[BirdsOfPreyDave]

I'm in agreement that there isn't a conspiracy to strip us of all the good perks. They eb and flow, and I'm happy to have access to the ones that are currently offered.

Here are a few gives and takes I haven't seen mentioned, yet...

+ DVC was included when Disney's Magical Express was launched in the 2004/2005 timeframe. This should certainly be considered a perk.

- Free access to SSR Spa locker room, sauna, and steam room. (Admittedly, this was a formal perk that was taken away, it was a change in how access to the facilities were enforced.)

+ Welcome Home Wednesdays

Not perks, so I'm going off topic, but here are some of the other gives and takes (aka "member enhancements") I can remember.

+ Reservation segmenting. (Ok, it has a lot of kinks to be worked out yet, but DVC is the only place that this is available. Call CRO and tell them you want to segment your package reservation because only want the DDP for the middle three days. See what they say.)

- Secondary market restrictions on use of Disney, Adventure, and Concierge collections.

+ Booking changes that changed the reservation window from being based on the check-out day to the check-in day. (Some may consider this one to be a minus instead of a plus.)

- Changes in the way waitlists work. No more call-before-book, day-by-day waitlists, and restrictions on the number of active waitlists.

- Severe restrictions on points transfers.

+/- Banking changes. Remember the old system that had multiple deadlines during the year, and percentages of points you could bank after that date? The policy is much easier to explain and remember, now. We gained 2 extra months of banking 100%, but lost the ability to do some amount of banking closer to the end of the use year.

 

[BirdsOfPreyDave]

+ Availability to purchase make-up points from member services when you're just a few points shy for a reservation.

 

[Dean]

Pool Hopping is on my list because it is a "perk" that DVC Members STILL have.

acknowledged but my point was it was always a perk and has been diminished so if I were doing a pro/con list, I'd put it on the con side because it was always there and has been reduced.

 

[wdrl]

If we are making up a list of perks gained and lost over the years, then perhaps we should list all of the DVC resorts after OKW as a perk, or at least every DVC resort that is not your home resort. Remember, our membership only gives us the right to book our home resort. The ability to book at non-home resorts could technically be considered a "perk" of membership.