USA Today?

[notaclue]

We are new DVC owners and will take our first DVC stay next week at Saratoga Springs. Before DVC we always stayed at the Poly and really enjoyed getting the free USA Today paper delivered to our room every morning. Will we still have the luxury of having the paper delivered daily? I'm betting not. TIA

 

[beccasmom]

No, not that I'm aware of. We sometimes buy it at the store or bus stop. But we've never received one free as DVC members.

 

[Presley]

Nope. Never have received one when booking as a DVC member.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Nope, you can buy it at the stores, though.

 

[notaclue]

Well dang. That must be one of those non-perks for us DVC members. Thanks for the info.

 

[Deb & Bill]

You don't get anything free with DVC. You'll pay for everything you got free in the past. Welcome to timesharing.

 

[notaclue]

You don't get anything free with DVC. You'll pay for everything you got free in the past. Welcome to timesharing.

I'm finding that out. These are the little things our sales rep neglected to mention when he was giving us the sales pitch. We're still happy that we bought DVC but there sure were a lot of things left unsaid; our fault for not investigating more before buying, but would probably go ahead and buy even if we knew everything.

Anyone know what the current perks (ha) and restaurant discounts are for May?

 

[Chuck S]

You will receive a current list of discounts upon check-in. Most are in the 10% to 20% range, and are often lunch or weekdays only.

As far as "nothing is free" someone needs to pay for those USA today papers, surely USA Today doesn't supply a few thousand a day to WDW for free. In a timeshare, those costs are reflected in dues. If power costs increase, dues increase, if water costs increase, dues increase, and so on. Why increase dues for all owners, if a relatively small percentage of owners really want the newspaper? I much prefer to pay for it on the days I want to read it, rather than pay for it daily through dues.

For cash hotels, those costs are included in the higher price of the rooms, and those rooms can increase in cost whenever an included service or perk increases. Not so with a timeshare, those costs would mean dues increases for all owners.

 

[bobbiwoz]

In Standard and Value rooms at AKV, I have gotten the daily USA on nearly every stay. The last time was standard studio in December.

In Concierge there's one delivered to your door as well.

Bobbi

 

[Chuck S]

In Standard and Value rooms at AKV, I have gotten the daily USA on nearly every stay. The last time was standard studio in December.

In Concierge there's one delivered to your door as well.

Bobbi

If you are in Jambo House, there is likely still delivering at pre-DVC levels, as the DVC rooms were conversions from cash rooms. AKV is the only DVC where I've heard of the newspaper being delivered with any consistency.

 

[bobbiwoz]

I understand that it's something that could disappear at any time, but it is interesting to me that I have not gotten one when I've stayed in a savannah view at Jambo.

Also, it was great when the Jambo rooms came into the system and we would get a small lotion as well as the usual shower gel, shampoo and conditioner. Now, even Concierge doesn't get the lotion, but in our studio stay CL 2 weeks ago, we got 2 small mouthwashes, 2 toothbrushes with small toothpaste, as well as a sunburn gel. These were besides the usual.

Bobbi

 

[CarolMN]

I remember getting one delivered to our door weekday mornings at the BWV, but it was many years ago. Don't rmember when it stopped.

 

[disneynutz]

I understand that it's something that could disappear at any time, but it is interesting to me that I have not gotten one when I've stayed in a savannah view at Jambo.

Also, it was great when the Jambo rooms came into the system and we would get a small lotion as well as the usual shower gel, shampoo and conditioner. Now, even Concierge doesn't get the lotion, but in our studio stay CL 2 weeks ago, we got 2 small mouthwashes, 2 toothbrushes with small toothpaste, as well as a sunburn gel. These were besides the usual.

Bobbi

The only reason that DVC rooms other than Concierge at Jambo are getting the newspaper is because the person dropping them off doesn't know that DVC Members are supposed to be treated differently.

Bill

 

[marie1981]

At the BC and BWV, I noticed that there are usually a pile of newspaper free where the desk of Bell/Luggage is .

 

[vek239]

At our stay at Jambo last month in a 2 bedroom, we had one at each door in the morning. I'm a newsie but never looked at it, frankly.

 

[Sammie]

I look at it this way, DVC is a Home Away From Home. The newspaper does not get delivered to my home without me paying for it, so I never would expect it to at my Home Away from Home.

If one expects DVC to be similar to Disney deluxe hotels one is going to be disappointed.

 

[GoofItUp]

Does USA Today have an on-line version? You will have "free" wi-fi, so you can get your news via computer if you want.

 

[Carl'n'Ellie'sDad]

As far as "nothing is free" someone needs to pay for those USA today papers, surely USA Today doesn't supply a few thousand a day to WDW for free. .

Actually, USA Today probably does offer them for free -- almost all newspapers are experiencing sharply declining subscriptions and are doing whatever they can to shore up subscription numbers to justify their ad rates.

With non-daily housekeeping, my guess is that the DVC resorts just don't want the hassle of disposing/recycling thousands of newspapers that would be a small nuisance for the majority of their guests -- particularly if you had four days worth in your room.

 

[dianeschlicht]

There has always been USA Today paper boxes to buy one for yourself at the OKW bus stops. Our stays at AKV-Jambo we have always gotten one and sometimes two papers (two if we were in a 2 bedroom). Of course, concierge at Jambo does get the paper on weekdays too, but not weekends.

 

[Chuck S]

Actually, USA Today probably does offer them for free -- almost all newspapers are experiencing sharply declining subscriptions and are doing whatever they can to shore up subscription numbers to justify their ad rates.

With non-daily housekeeping, my guess is that the DVC resorts just don't want the hassle of disposing/recycling thousands of newspapers that would be a small nuisance for the majority of their guests -- particularly if you had four days worth in your room.

I would suppose that depends upon where their printing offices are located.

Paper is weight, and expensive to ship. If they have printing offices in the Orlando or even Tampa area, maybe giving literally thousands away to WDW would make sense. If they have to travel further, paper, printing (ink, electricity) & shipping expenses in an industry that is already on the edge only to give away thousands seems like it would hasten the demise of the newspaper. Many have already ceased all but electronic delivery, gone into bankruptcy or have closed completely.