Points for tickets

[Mert]

Recently I posted a thread about exchanging points for the theme park ticktes and I received alot of great responses giving me different points of view on the matter. Once again I'm aware that in many cases these suggestions fall on deaf ears. However as a DVC member for over 10 years, and a member of a family of five I've found that when folks like myself go to Disney "which we love" we're watching spending and one of the first things to go is the Theme Park Tickets because we're going outside the parks. I just dont see Disney making enough of an effort to keep the money on the property. Discounts, credits or other programs should be offered. T.y. for taking the time to read.

 

[moredisneyplease]

i think that since we're DVC owners we get used to the "free" stay so tickets are hard on the pocket book. i wish they offered spectacular discounts on tickets for us, but i do have to say that the AP discount is heft.....but they need to stop raising the general price!!!

 

[dianeschlicht]

As I said on the earlier thread....I do NOT want to pay points for theme park tickets. It would cost way more to do it that way than it would to use the very good AP discount we now get.

In recent years we have cut our trips back from 3-2 and occasionally skip a year to save on that AP. Our usual is to buy an AP for our December trip, use it for our March trip and another Dec. trip that coincides with the last use of our APs. Then after that, we will take a year off and not return to WDW until the following December, when we start the process over again.

 

[323sarg]

As I said on the earlier thread....I do NOT want to pay points for theme park tickets. It would cost way more to do it that way than it would to use the very good AP discount we now get.

In recent years we have cut our trips back from 3-2 and occasionally skip a year to save on that AP. Our usual is to buy an AP for our December trip, use it for our March trip and another Dec. trip that coincides with the last use of our APs. Then after that, we will take a year off and not return to WDW until the following December, when we start the process over again.

I think points for tickets would be a great idea and makes business since for Disney.

DVC members could have the OPTION to redeem. If they did that would free rooms up for Disney who could inturn put those rooms back into rotation and possibly get a higher price.

This would also allow DVC members to spent that money used for tickets on food, souviners, etc... So it would be a win, win. Disney would not lose money and it would make DVC members feel like we are getting a deal.

Now all the internal controls on how to convert, I have no idea but given Disney's background, I am sure it is possible.

 

[jekjones1558]

We use and like the discounted APs. However, discounted hopper tickets would also be a great perk. We often buy tickets for our guests and occasionally we need a hopper for ourselves. I would not want to use points unless it were cost effective to do so. Since dues are paid for every point, it is hard to imagine a scenario where using points for tickets would be a good deal.

 

[DebbieB]

In order for that to work, more rooms would have to go to CRO to rent for cash to pay for the tickets. DVC already is having difficulty with the cash rooms that are used for exchanges, they are not being filled. Then there would be more complaints regarding why are rooms available for cash and not for points.

I don't think legally they could do it because there is a clause in the contract that says points can only be used for accomodations.

 

[Muushka]

Depending on what they charged in points for tickets (which knowing Disney, it would probably not be a deal for the member), I would be all for it. We have an excess of points and would like to use them for something that would save us money.

 

[BirdsOfPreyDave]

My parents own several weeks with Marriott. With they way Marriott has recently changed their program, they can exchange their weeks for Marriott reward points. (I don't profess to be an expert on how it all works.) Because they'd accummulated more points than they can use in the near term, they decided to use some of them to get a new flat screen TV. There's a whole catelog of merchandise their points can be used toward.

 

[disneychic]

Personally, I'd never exchange points for tickets or any other type of merchandise. JMHO

 

[bwvBound]

FWIW, many years back I could "buy" Disneyland park passes using my Worldmark points. Sometime after that, I could "buy" WDW passes using RCI points. Don't know if either are still offered.

 

[twinklebug]

As I said on the earlier thread....I do NOT want to pay points for theme park tickets. It would cost way more to do it that way than it would to use the very good AP discount we now get.

In recent years we have cut our trips back from 3-2 and occasionally skip a year to save on that AP. Our usual is to buy an AP for our December trip, use it for our March trip and another Dec. trip that coincides with the last use of our APs. Then after that, we will take a year off and not return to WDW until the following December, when we start the process over again.

I agree I've started usign the APs this way too.

Want to add that I believe the bookkeeping for DVC to allow exchange of points for anything of value outside of accommodations would be a nightmare I don't want to think about.

 

[dianeschlicht]

I think points for tickets would be a great idea and makes business since for Disney.

DVC members could have the OPTION to redeem. If they did that would free rooms up for Disney who could inturn put those rooms back into rotation and possibly get a higher price.

This would also allow DVC members to spent that money used for tickets on food, souviners, etc... So it would be a win, win. Disney would not lose money and it would make DVC members feel like we are getting a deal.

Now all the internal controls on how to convert, I have no idea but given Disney's background, I am sure it is possible.

So how many "extra" points do you think it would take to buy just one pass? I'm going to guess somewhere in the neighborhood of a couple hundred. I'm not willing to give up a whole extra trip just to buy ONE pass!

 

[hakepb]

So how many "extra" points do you think it would take to buy just one pass? I'm going to guess somewhere in the neighborhood of a couple hundred. I'm not willing to give up a whole extra trip just to buy ONE pass!

Based on current value (Poly on points vs rack rate) it looks like Disney thinks our points are only worth $6-$8. But DVC may be getting a discounted room rate and our points are worth less.
Even so it would probably take about 70+ points per annual pass. A 4 day ticket would still take 40+ points.
And if people started using points for tickets, CRO would have more rooms and would end up giving DVC less per point...
Basically, until Disney gets people wanting to spend $400/night on DVC studios, tickets probably will not happen.

 

[Mert]

i appreciate all the responces however the point i'd like to make is that any courrent point value can be converted into what ever the price is for the tickets. All i'm saying is i believe it should be an option. Which means you can choose to use or not. Quite often there are extra points in the bank which theres no immediate plans on using. Even if there was a few dollars added to the dues (option) so the tickets are there when your family's ready to go. One thing for sure disney should be making an effort to keep the money on the property and if a family had disney tickets with them and where watching the money they's tend to stay on the property.

 

[Chuck S]

i appreciate all the responces however the point i'd like to make is that any courrent point value can be converted into what ever the price is for the tickets. All i'm saying is i believe it should be an option. Which means you can choose to use or not. Quite often there are extra points in the bank which theres no immediate plans on using. Even if there was a few dollars added to the dues (option) so the tickets are there when your family's ready to go. One thing for sure disney should be making an effort to keep the money on the property and if a family had disney tickets with them and where watching the money they's tend to stay on the property.

Disney probably realilzes that if people have their own car, they are likely to go offsite for something during their stay, whether it be groceries, dining, or to a competing another theme park. IMO they have already addressed this issue by providing free Magical Express service from the airport to your resort. People are not too likely to rent a car or pay for additinal transportation to/from another theme park if they are traveling on a tight budget. But, if they drove to WDW, and are on a very tight budget, having a park ticket is not going to keep them onsite to dine or grocery shop.

Then consider that the cost of converting points to tickets will not be born by Disney, but by DVC Members, who would be paying the additional accounting costs either through additional dues or with a fee per ticket. Given that trades to non-DVC locations now incur a $95 per trade fee, a similar fee would likely apply to tickets as well. IMO dues should not be increased to all members to cover this cost for the relatively small percentage of members that want to use points for other options.

Then there is the "value" that Disney places on points used for trading. That value appears to be about $5 per point, meaning that one adult 5 day hopper would be about 60 points, plus any processing fee. No thanks.

 

[323sarg]

Disney probably realilzes that if people have their own car, they are likely to go offsite for something during their stay, whether it be groceries, dining, or to a competing another theme park. IMO they have already addressed this issue by providing free Magical Express service from the airport to your resort. People are not too likely to rent a car or pay for additinal transportation to/from another theme park if they are traveling on a tight budget. But, if they drove to WDW, and are on a very tight budget, having a park ticket is not going to keep them onsite to dine or grocery shop.

Then consider that the cost of converting points to tickets will not be born by Disney, but by DVC Members, who would be paying the additional accounting costs either through additional dues or with a fee per ticket. Given that trades to non-DVC locations now incur a $95 per trade fee, a similar fee would likely apply to tickets as well. IMO dues should not be increased to all members to cover this cost for the relatively small percentage of members that want to use points for other options.

Then there is the "value" that Disney places on points used for trading. That value appears to be about $5 per point, meaning that one adult 5 day hopper would be about 60 points, plus any processing fee. No thanks.

I have to disagree with you Chuck. We have driven to DW the last 4 visits some 10hrs away and all I want to do is utilize Disney transportation. I think I have used my SUV to go to dinner 2x and that was to another Disney Resort. What keeps us on property is the DDP and the pain of driving around. I want to relax on vacation. When I go on vacation I go on vacation

As for the $95 trade fee, WE ALL know it was a simple way for Disney to capitalize on the DVC members. Not being malicious but airlines have increased fees on everything from bags to which seat you reserve. Hotels have had additional secret fees for years. Why would Disney be any different? I does not take someone $95 worth of work to covert, track, and re-obligate. We are talking about a few clicks and probably what is known as a cycle, which is all automated.

Now you say a small percentage would like the conversion and that might be true but that is why if it were simply an option, those who utilized it would bare the brunt. For me it would work out, even if it lowered my overall cost be covering one ticket (out of 4) I would make out.

So is it for everyone.... No Could it be a viable OPTION....... Yes

 

[Chuck S]

But there is a cost in converting points to cash. DVC rooms would have to be turned over to cash reservations to offset the cost of park tickets. And the cash market for DVC rooms is usually discounted, or used for upgrades from other resorts, especially during free dining.

In other words, any cost for those tickets not recovered by DVC through cash room rentals, would have to be made up via dues. Indications are that the cash offsets for the current Disney Collections are already very tight. Restricting new resale purchasers not only gave marketing something to trumpet, but also hopefully cut down on people using those cash options.

 

[tjkraz]

I'm sure it COULD be done, but realize that the cost in points would be a total rip-off.

 

[Mert]

A total Rip-Off, perhaps but a choice from money I've already banked vs. money I now have to put out to places I've already ready seen and would like to see again but not my top priority.

 

[Mert]

Once again thank you, but once again I'm still of the opinion that it should be an option. Simply when I go I watch the cash like others I'm sure, and my out of pocket spending is ending up in other places then Disney and that cant be what they want. But I'm not quick to spend huge amounts (5 kids) on the theme parks that they've already seen several times but most certainly would like to see so take it in point that I've already paid for. Just an option, and I know I paid already. But like alot of folks not always that well organized. LOL T.Y