Summer 2024 Direct Incentives

[DonkeyHoTay]

Plus it might have stopped the ocean at Lighthouse Point from claiming my husband’s magic band.

The lighthouse point ocean can do whatever it wants - perks of being amazing. From our visit on the Magic the week before you:

 

[HyperspaceMountainPilot]

The lighthouse point ocean can do whatever it wants - perks of being amazing. From our visit on the Magic the week before you:

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We were not sold on Lighthouse Point the first hour or two there (logistics are still suboptimal) but the adult beach was amazing—the ocean truly spectacular (and I’ve been to most of the ritziest beach destinations around the globe), and then after we picked up the kids from the club, we picked a spot much closer to the adult beach and loved it as well.

Is that a Serenity Bay cabana I spy in your photo?

 

[tidefan]

We were not sold on Lighthouse Point the first hour or two there (logistics are still suboptimal) but the adult beach was amazing—the ocean truly spectacular (and I’ve been to most of the ritziest beach destinations around the globe), and then after we picked up the kids from the club, we picked a spot much closer to the adult beach and loved it as well.

Is that a Serenity Bay cabana I spy in your photo?

We loved Lookout Cay as well after also having some logistical challenges in getting off the ship that day.

BTW, we may have been in those cabanas too

 

[DonkeyHoTay]

We were not sold on Lighthouse Point the first hour or two there (logistics are still suboptimal) but the adult beach was amazing—the ocean truly spectacular (and I’ve been to most of the ritziest beach destinations around the globe), and then after we picked up the kids from the club, we picked a spot much closer to the adult beach and loved it as well.

Is that a Serenity Bay cabana I spy in your photo?

Yes! The Serenity Bay cabanas are just incredible. We have 3 more cruises coming up in the next 6 months and I refuse to get off the boat unless we have cabanas lined up in advance. Disney is not messing around with restricting access to Serenity Bay adults area - saw more than a few families with kids intercepted by CMs doing their job.

 

[HyperspaceMountainPilot]

We loved Lookout Cay as well after also having some logistical challenges in getting off the ship that day.

BTW, we may have been in those cabanas too

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Oh man, now I really regret that we didn’t meet up during the member event so I could crash your cabana. It looks huge— even bigger than the family cabanas we’ve had on Castaway Cay— is there some sort of grand SB cabana or is that standard with dining for 8?

@DonkeyHoTay — any chance you are sailing around Thanksgiving and interested in a couple of stowaways? Our concierge request for a cabana didn’t come through.

 

[tidefan]

Oh man, now I really regret that we didn’t meet up during the member event so I could crash your cabana. It looks huge— even bigger than the family cabanas we’ve had on Castaway Cay— is there some sort of grand SB cabana or is that standard with dining for 8?

@DonkeyHoTay — any chance you are sailing around Thanksgiving and interested in a couple of stowaways? Our concierge request for a cabana didn’t come through.

It's one of the Grand Cabanas. We were fortunate enough to join in with another family that had already booked the Cabana (thanks again if you are reading!). It was amazing.

What was interesting is that the Cabana host was everywhere (both on LC and CC) and even took us directly back to the ship on CC (as our friends were in Concierge). We had got a Cabana on Castaway a few years ago via DW's Pearl status, but were not concierge (this was on the Magic before they added more Concierge rooms), and never saw the attendant one time. I always wondered why people said you needed to tip. What a difference this trip made. I think that maybe they don't do service if you are not concierge???

 

[DonkeyHoTay]

@DonkeyHoTay — any chance you are sailing around Thanksgiving and interested in a couple of stowaways? Our concierge request for a cabana didn’t come through.

Stowaways are welcome, as long as you're into 80s music.

Actually we are sailing on the Dream in November 9-14 for our anniversary! But that boat goes to Castaway not Lookout, so on the fence about getting (trying to get) a cabana on that trip.

 

[MonkeyKnifeFight]

Considering adding on with the current promotions. So is the pro move to have a call and have a “tour” on the 27th or so and go with summer or fall incentives based on what’s better?

 

[Sandisw]

Considering adding on with the current promotions. So is the pro move to have a call and have a “tour” on the 27th or so and go with summer or fall incentives based on what’s better?

That works!

 

[AstroBlasters]

Considering adding on with the current promotions. So is the pro move to have a call and have a “tour” on the 27th or so and go with summer or fall incentives based on what’s better?

I would put that in the “pro move” category

 

[sarahlord]

That works!

How does it work if you’ve already gotten the welcome home credit on a recent purchase, do you get another telephonic “tour”?

 

[Sandisw]

How does it work if you’ve already gotten the welcome home credit on a recent purchase, do you get another telephonic “tour”?

You have to contact your guide to find out all the discounts and programs you might be eligible for since you are already an owner.

But you can still agree to a purchase before the deals expire and see if new ones are better.

 

[tx911]

Are we thinking the Riviera incentives will be worse come October? To avoid detracting from the Poly Tower? Or will they stay about where they are?

 

[Sandisw]

Are we thinking the Riviera incentives will be worse come October? To avoid detracting from the Poly Tower? Or will they stay about where they are?

I think they will decide based on how sales for August went. July was pretty good.

But, I believe RIV will remain less expensive and that initial PVB tower prices won’t be great.

 

[WeIcomeHome]

I don't see RIV incentives being much better next round and fully expect them to be worse.
1. They have the data showing the current RIV incentive level the past two cycles are moving points.
2. Riviera cash rooms are being filled so no rush.
3. Island Tower sales are going to make lots of money this next incentive period without needing to lower the price.

 

[Jimmy Geppetto]

I don't see RIV incentives being much better next round and fully expect them to be worse.
1. They have the data showing the current RIV incentive level the past two cycles are moving points.
2. Riviera cash rooms are being filled so no rush.
3. Island Tower sales are going to make lots of money this next incentive period without needing to lower the price.

I also guess they use the cash sales/bookings (that are currently being offered) to help them determine the level of incentives they will offer at the onset. It’s a very strategic move on their part to offer cash bookings first.

 

[CastAStone]

Are we thinking the Riviera incentives will be worse come October? To avoid detracting from the Poly Tower? Or will they stay about where they are?

I would be somewhat surprised if they are meaningfully better.

They’ve been strong 2 cycles in a row now on absolute $ terms.

But the fact is that they need to fully unload this thing eventually. They’re about to add another couple percent to the total cash room Deluxe capacity at WDW with Poly IT (even if only temporarily). And even if Riviera cash inventory is booking okay (I don’t know how we would know that), we know writ large, they’re not selling out the cash rooms they have now, and we know historically, deluxes have been the last category to book up.

Moving more Riviera to DVC will help Fix that. And doing that faster would require better incentives.

 

[Mikey15]

And even if Riviera cash inventory is booking okay (I don’t know how we would know that),

We can see what’s available vs booked-up on cash side at Disney for dates that are close out. When I opened up the cash-side booking site it had a Saturday in December cached for me (I was looking at adding on a day to bookend my trip), and the only cash category left is 2bd Preferred.

Looking at dates in less-busy September, Fri-Sun this weekend is completely unavailable. Mon-Fri next week? There’s 1bd or 2bd Preferreds. Studios and standards are booking up like they do on points.

At this point outside of breakage, Disney only has ~20% of Riv available on the cash side.

 

[poohbear158]

Haven't been following the direct incentives too much as we were thinking of buying resale for AKV since we are existing blue card members. My guide called and left a message that there is an AKV direct incentive until the end of September. From what I'm seeing, it would be $160 per point for 300 points... any other incentives that I'm not aware of?

Since my brain is now in "buy direct mode", I'm also considering RIV or BLT, but it looks like those incentives were better last round, but maybe I'm wrong.

 

[VGCgroupie]

Haven't been following the direct incentives too much as we were thinking of buying resale for AKV since we are existing blue card members. My guide called and left a message that there is an AKV direct incentive until the end of September. From what I'm seeing, it would be $160 per point for 300 points... any other incentives that I'm not aware of?

Since my brain is now in "buy direct mode", I'm also considering RIV or BLT, but it looks like those incentives were better last round, but maybe I'm wrong.

Yes the OKW incentives were much better. Yes $160 for 300 pts. Only addition to this I am aware of is MB