Rumor by agent - Blue Card min. going up

[Where'sPiglet?]

I think a lot of people are thinking the same as you. With all those studios how many buyers are going to want 125+ points?

Exactly.
Also, there's all those cheap off-site places for DVC to compete with.
The maximum number of days on a park ticket at Disneyland is currently 5.
There's very little to do outside the parks at Disneyland compared to Disney World, while still staying within the bubble.
Traffic in LA is unpleasant, so if I'm planning to do other activities in the area, I will change hotels as needed.

On top of all that, I don't really NEED more points. I have enough, and 100 is already pushing it as an add-on.
Fortunately for me, I have two small contracts, so I could sell one while keeping the other to help balance things out.

 

[Where'sPiglet?]

Do we expect them to announce official plans of an increase in minimum points for Member Extras? I've been talking with a guide who has stated that the minimum will "increase soon", but stopped short of giving me a deadline. The existing discounts/promos expire September 16th, so my guess is that any increase would coincide with the promotional expiration. Anyone know how this has been handled in the past?

There was some amount of warning - maybe two weeks?

 

[EYL]

Really confused on the logic behind increasing the direct minimum to 125. With the number of sales decreasing, do they really think the direct benefits they’re offering will justify the increase?

When Disney raised the Blue Card point minimum from 75 to 100 last year, I wonder if they saw a sales boost from White Card members. Maybe Disney thinks that the news of raising the minimum to 125 will boost sales by enticing white card members? Not sure of the logic, but you'd have to think that they'd make policies in the interest of Disney...

 

[sethschroeder]

I think a lot of people are thinking the same as you. With all those studios how many buyers are going to want 125+ points?

Studios for a week are going to be 170-180 points and the Pods will likely be in the 150-160 range. I don't see an issue with that buy-in.

Also there is really no direct perk for Disneyland other than a couple discounts and a $20 AP discount? So direct membership is directly targeted at WDW visitors which at RIV you are looking at 129 for the cheapest season for a Preferred Studio View (70ish % of the resort). By pushing 125 they are actually doing the RIV membership a solid IMO.

 

[Spinster Travel]

So for those following this thread.....do you have the Blue Card or no? For those without, do you feel like you are missing out?????

 

[sethschroeder]

When Disney raised the Blue Card point minimum from 75 to 100 last year, I wonder if they saw a sales boost from White Card members. Maybe Disney thinks that the news of raising the minimum to 125 will boost sales by enticing white card members? Not sure of the logic, but you'd have to think that they'd make policies in the interest of Disney...

They didn't really allow much time, people ended up on wait lists, but I am not sure what the month vs month looked like or YOY.

https://dvcfan.com/2019/09/13/disney-confirms-direct-minimum-points-increase-for-dvc-perks/
This is when it was confirmed.

 

[sethschroeder]

So for those following this thread.....do you have the Blue Card or no? For those without, do you feel like you are missing out?????

I don't have a blue card.

I only care about the AP discount everything else is pointless. If I could get the DVC AP for an extra $100 I would do that instead but Premium now is like $1100 vs DVC around $700ish?

My real issue is I probably would easily have bought all my points direct if BWV didn't have only 20 years left. There is so much lost value and why I keep kicking around CCV, RIV, BLT, OKW, SSR.....

 

[jlb727]

So for those following this thread.....do you have the Blue Card or no? For those without, do you feel like you are missing out?????

No and no. The price difference between RIV and SSR resale erased any FOMO I might have had from not having a blue card. MS has always been great. It doesn’t seem like that big of a deal.

 

[Where'sPiglet?]

So for those following this thread.....do you have the Blue Card or no?

No

For those without, do you feel like you are missing out?????

Yes, but it's not a totally tangible thing. I would like to take advantage of the AP and other discounts as well as the access to things like the lounge and special events.

 

[Where'sPiglet?]

They didn't really allow much time, people ended up on wait lists, but I am not sure what the month vs month looked like or YOY.

https://dvcfan.com/2019/09/13/disney-confirms-direct-minimum-points-increase-for-dvc-perks/
This is when it was confirmed.

I thought it was two weeks, but I guess it was 4 days.

Also, September 2019 feels like a REALLY LONG TIME AGO.

 

[sethschroeder]

I thought it was two weeks, but I guess it was 4 days.

Also, September 2019 feels like a REALLY LONG TIME AGO.

Rumor of the date was like 1-2 weeks but the actual Disney announcement was just a couple days (I think and based on that article).

Be interesting to see how the rumbles are out of the guides/member services.

 

[Where'sPiglet?]

Studios for a week are going to be 170-180 points and the Pods will likely be in the 150-160 range. I don't see an issue with that buy-in.

Also there is really no direct perk for Disneyland other than a couple discounts and a $20 AP discount? So direct membership is directly targeted at WDW visitors which at RIV you are looking at 129 for the cheapest season for a Preferred Studio View (70ish % of the resort). By pushing 125 they are actually doing the RIV membership a solid IMO.

While this is likely to be true, if the minimum goes up by 25 points annually in September, then the minimum could be 150-200 by the time DLH is for sale.

Rumor of the date was like 1-2 weeks but the actual Disney announcement was just a couple days (I think and based on that article).

Be interesting to see how the rumbles are out of the guides/member services.

Ah, okay. That fits better with how I remember it. I remember considering buying 75 points and it seemed like my Waffling Duration was longer than 4 days.

 

[Eric Smith]

When Disney raised the Blue Card point minimum from 75 to 100 last year, I wonder if they saw a sales boost from White Card members. Maybe Disney thinks that the news of raising the minimum to 125 will boost sales by enticing white card members? Not sure of the logic, but you'd have to think that they'd make policies in the interest of Disney...

I would think that raising the minimum would have the opposite effect. We’re white card members who are planning to buy in with 100 points at the Disneyland Tower. Raising the minimum would make me reconsider that plan. We won’t be staying more than four nights in Disneyland so we won’t need any more than 100 points.

 

[Eric Smith]

So for those following this thread.....do you have the Blue Card or no? For those without, do you feel like you are missing out?????

We don’t have a blue card and we don’t feel like we’re missing out. We wouldn’t ever go to a moonlight magic (if those are ever a thing again after COVId) so the only perk that we might use is the annual pass discount. It would be nice to have the blue card, but it really doesn’t make financial sense. We would only buy direct to be able to stay at Disneyland on points.

 

[sethschroeder]

I would think that raising the minimum would have the opposite effect. We’re white card members who are planning to buy in with 100 points at the Disneyland Tower. Raising the minimum would make me reconsider that plan. We won’t be staying more than four nights in Disneyland so we won’t need any more than 100 points.

Full direct membership is also fairly worthless for DL so possibly not worried. Plus that resort will have high point charts 100 might not get you 4 days if it includes either F/SA.

 

[MICKIMINI]

Did you happen to get any additional definition around timing? Is it when the current offers expire?

"This is set to happen at the end of September." This statement is specific to minimum going to 125 and is part of an email. It's not "official" but I believe it to be true.

Edit: It was a DVC email to me

 

[zavandor]

It is what it is - it doesn't matter that you fail to see the goal of this particular loyalty program.
Like any other loyalty program, it extracts additional money from you beyond what you planned to spend. That's the goal of all loyalty programs. And DVC does that in spades. But I guess you buy into the false theory that DVC saves one money.

And FWIW, there are currently 4 tiers in this program:
1) Blue Cardholders
2) Pre-2019 white card holders
3) Post-2018 L14 white card holders
4) RIV resale white card holders

There is an additional category:

1.a) Blue Cardholders
1.b) Blue Cardholders who cannot use the poor value exchanges (ABD, Cruises...) or book the members cruise
2) Pre-2019 white card holders
3) Post-2018 L14 white card holders
4) RIV resale white card holders

I'm a 1.b but I don't miss being a 1.a.

Not a good example to support your point.

AFAIK, there is nothing in any of the Position Offering Statements for the legacy 14 resorts that would allow DVC to treat owners differently for booking purposes based on how they acquired their points. For booking windows, an owner is an owner is an owner. While I am not a lawyer, I do not believe that is something Disney can unilaterally change.

They could only do something like this with new DVC resorts (and for the new resort only) that have that language included in the resort's POS document

I agree.
I may be mistaken but I think RIV POS has this language (and it's currently the only resort that does). An additional risk for buying resale there.

Just got a DVC survey:

Question: Are you a Disney Vacation Club Blue Card Holder?
Reminder: Blue Card Holders own at least 75 points purchased directly through Disney Vacation Club and are eligible for additional benefits.
Yes
No

First of all, you could have a blue card with no direct points if you are grandfathered. Plus, it’s 100 now for new members.

DVC it's too complicated now, how can we pretend they know their own rules?

 

[EM Lawrence]

The only way an increase to 125 makes any sense in the current economic environment is if it goes hand in hand with significant discounts in price OR coincides with a benefit that is highly sought after. DVC cannot possibly be run by people foolish enough to increase the price of their product in a time of declining demand. I would say the Disneyland DVC tower might be a benefit that is highly sought after enough to justify a direct purchase minimum point increase, but that is several years away right now. If this rumor is true, I put my money on significant price decreases. I don’t think DVC is run by fools, but I’ll let everyone make up their own minds about that.

 

[ldo]

1.b) Blue Cardholders who cannot use the poor value exchanges (ABD, Cruises...) or book the members cruise

which owners does this apply to? I have 35 points from direct add-on in 2011 and have sold my other resale points. I bought annual passes and booked members cruise based upon those 35 direct points. I assume I'm a 1a?

 

[Spinster Travel]

The only way an increase to 125 makes any sense in the current economic environment is if it goes hand in hand with significant discounts in price OR coincides with a benefit that is highly sought after. DVC cannot possibly be run by people foolish enough to increase the price of their product in a time of declining demand. I would say the Disneyland DVC tower might be a benefit that is highly sought after enough to justify a direct purchase minimum point increase, but that is several years away right now. If this rumor is true, I put my money on significant price decreases. I don’t think DVC is run by fools, but I’ll let everyone make up their own minds about that.

@EM Lawrence I agree....the thing that bothers me is not knowing what the "deal" will be come September 16th when the current "specials" (or lack thereof) expire. Assuming that the increase to a minimum of 125 points starts on the 17th of September, I'd want to know now what the trade off is. Wouldn't Disney want me to consider buying more points, even if it meant I held off for a month? I doubt the guides will be given the information until its launch time, but it would still be nice for them to explain the rationale behind the increase in a time when they are making only 6% of their normal sales and existing members are selling contracts at an elevated rate on the resale market.