Speculation on point requirement increase for direct benefits

[zavandor]

I think MMB goes against the implementation of tiered benefits. in MMB there are quite a few perks would nicely fit in an higher tier of membership.
I think they might have evaluated both and went with a paid improved perks system.

Or they could combine the two. You have MM at 150 points but you qualify for purchasing MMB at 300.

 

[pzw90]

I also wonder if the recent change in the minimum add-on at some resorts going to 25 might be a signal of an increase and making it more palatable to buy a smaller amount. But that would be a smaller group they are targeting, those who were 1-49pts away from direct benefits.

 

[eticketplease]

A little in a different direction, but I wouldn't be surprised to see them roll out a "just bought" benefits where new direct purchases over a certain amount come with perks for a limited time (6m-1y). Which wouldn't be out of their wheel house, they've done it before with the free tickets in the 90's, and do it now with the Welcome Home booking. Some ideas for perks which vary from minimal to some cost to DVC:

• one guaranteed Midnight Magic entrance
• one tier view upgrade on one stay up to x amount of nights
• additional discounts for merch/food
• a couple free LL passes
• discount on Minnie vans
• discounted park tickets
• ADR booking further out

Get people used to some of the perks and wanting to keep purchasing in order to keep.

That is a great idea.

I just don't know how they could guarantee the new member the view upgrade as there is limited availability already.
Perhaps a 12 month booking window like fixed weeks provides?

 

[Brian Noble]

I'm sure if you did this, especially at any rate of rapidity, or without exemptions for grandfathered contracts, you'd see an incredible devaluation of resale contracts

Disney clearly does not care about resale value. If they did, RIV (and later resorts) would not be restricted.

What's more, resale value of a timeshare is not entirely predicated on "what it is worth to own," and that's because timeshare is a product that is sold, not bought. Very few people understand the inherent value of owning one, so there are few "organic" prospective buyers. But, there are many many people own them. Some of those many many people will want to divest themselves at any particular point, and become sellers. So, even though owning has positive value, selling might not be, simply because there are not enough people who recognize the value proposition (and hence not enough prospective buyers) relative to the number of sellers in the market.

This is what makes Wyndham an incredible value purchased resale---particularly when you add in the arbitrage opportunities presented by the major exchanges.

 

[eticketplease]

I also wonder if the recent change in the minimum add-on at some resorts going to 25 might be a signal of an increase and making it more palatable to buy a smaller amount. But that would be a smaller group they are targeting, those who were 1-49pts away from direct benefits.

I think it is just to be along the lines with the other resorts. It is mostly for people who need just a few more points to grab an extra night here or there or stretch to a 1 br from there current point allotment rather than having the member resort to resale.

 

[airjay75]

I got a taste when I booked our first direct stay for my niece while I had a split stay on rented and resale points. We wanted Wicked Wind Down to see the MK Christmas fireworks but my stay didn’t qualify even though we were finally blue card. Only because my niece had room occupancy left on her reservation to put us was I able to book.

So, is it the case that you can only book Wicked Wind Down if you are on a stay with your direct points? Or were you on a split stay with two different memberships, one direct and one resale and happen to be on the resale membership leg? I was just looking at all the fine print for the Top of the World Lounge:

"Eligible Disney Vacation Club Members with access to Membership Extras may enjoy this exclusive space just outside Magic Kingdom park when using their Membership to stay at a Disney-owned-and-operated hotel at Walt Disney World Resort (whether they booked with Vacation Points or cash)."

Seems to me that if you have a single membership with both direct and resale points, it wouldn't matter which points you were using. Of course, more to the point of this thread, even if so, this could easily be changed at some point.

 

[Brian Noble]

is it the case that you can only book Wicked Wind Down if you are on a stay with your direct points?

The problem is that leg of the stay was rented and so not booked "using their Membership".

 

[pzw90]

That is a great idea.

I just don't know how they could guarantee the new member the view upgrade as there is limited availability already.
Perhaps a 12 month booking window like fixed weeks provides?

Really just a random idea, but also like hotels and their status, would be a "best effort" to accommodate. Or when they book they see the next tier up with same cost as lower, so they see whats available just discounted. Again, doubt it would happen but more so an idea of possible perks, sure this board could come up with a laundry list of options. But I'm going off track from increasing the current minimum

 

[airjay75]

I think MMB goes against the implementation of tiered benefits. in MMB there are quite a few perks would nicely fit in an higher tier of membership.
I think they might have evaluated both and went with a paid improved perks system.

Or they could combine the two. You have MM at 150 points but you qualify for purchasing MMB at 300.

Or, you can buy MMB if you own 150 points, and it's free or 50% discounted if you own 300 points. All sorts of ways they could incorporate MMB into a tiered system.

 

[airjay75]

The problem is that leg of the stay was rented and so not booked "using their Membership".

Ok, got it. That makes more sense now.

 

[eticketplease]

The problem is that leg of the stay was rented and so not booked "using their Membership".

Previously it would just state booked on points or cash so it didn't matter as much. With the word "they" thrown in it certainly makes me believe it does have to be the members own points.

 

[eticketplease]

Or, you can buy MMB if you own 150 points, and it's free or 50% discounted if you own 300 points. All sorts of ways they could incorporate MMB into a tiered system.

The problem with implementing the tiered system with MMB is that it is only offered to US owners at the moment.
If they could offer all of the perks of MMB that would work for the international buyers as well that would certainly open some doors.

 

[PolyRob]

I think MMB goes against the implementation of tiered benefits. in MMB there are quite a few perks would nicely fit in an higher tier of membership.
I think they might have evaluated both and went with a paid improved perks system.

Or they could combine the two. You have MM at 150 points but you qualify for purchasing MMB at 300.

Or, you can buy MMB if you own 150 points, and it's free or 50% discounted if you own 300 points. All sorts of ways they could incorporate MMB into a tiered system.

This is what I was thinking. MMB is already reserved for members eligible for Membership Extras so the tiering could occur there?

 

[Genie+]

So, is it the case that you can only book Wicked Wind Down if you are on a stay with your direct points? Or were you on a split stay with two different memberships, one direct and one resale and happen to be on the resale membership leg? I was just looking at all the fine print for the Top of the World Lounge:

"Eligible Disney Vacation Club Members with access to Membership Extras may enjoy this exclusive space just outside Magic Kingdom park when using their Membership to stay at a Disney-owned-and-operated hotel at Walt Disney World Resort (whether they booked with Vacation Points or cash)."

Seems to me that if you have a single membership with both direct and resale points, it wouldn't matter which points you were using. Of course, more to the point of this thread, even if so, this could easily be changed at some point.

Since I was the blue card member, I needed to be staying in a room using my own DVC points on that ADR date. The first 5 nights I had rented Poly from another owner and this was the part of the trip my niece joined, I booked her at SSR with my own new direct points. I could not qualify from my Poly rental, I needed to be part of her reservation at SSR because that was using my points.

Interestingly, WWD was new so not much grumbling about the stricter qualifiers, but the existing perk Moonlight Magic later updated to the same thing. Originally any onsite stay qualified for early registration of a blue card holder. Then it changed to the Wicked Wind Down terms where a member must be staying and using their own DVC points/membership.

To be clear, I would’ve qualified the second half of my stay which I was listed as using my resale points. That still qualified/qualifies. But my niece would be gone and I wanted her to join us! If she hadn’t had extra occupancy left in her SSR room, there would’ve been no way for me to book WWD. And if the same scenario played out today with Moonlight Magic, the results would’ve been exactly the same.

It is a taste of no longer necessarily qualifying. Rental used to be allowed - no more. All cash reservations used to be allowed - no more. Now the only cash reservations allowed are those using your membership to book, which is deluxe rooms only for what inventory Member Services has available.

The shrinking of the pool has begun. My bounceback offer or great rental deal now shuts me out, when they didn’t always. It was gentle gradual enough not to cause a huge backlash. As this becomes the new normal, the next step could very well be resale bookings for date based booking perks. Actually I think we’ve already seen that with BW trick-or-treating. And already exists in other areas, like using points toward AP, etc.

 

[AstroBlasters]

I’m going to go with an increase to 175 for new members to get membership magic.

They already have a tiered program with MMB+.

Many have said they already have a point washing program… it’s called ROFR. Let’s see how aggressive they get with RIV ROFR once it goes off incentives.