vanishing perks

[DebbieB]

I really wish someone could explain to me how come you can book a two week holiday with free dining, for less than dues for enough points for a two week holiday. and then see the above quoted, plus people paying cro are getting free upgrades to dvc resorts thats what really winds me up. its been posted on the dis about getting free dining + free upgrade to one bedroom dvc villa for $89 a night, our dues would work out for two weeks at at least $154 per night, its no wonder some owners are unhappy.

I'm staying at BWV in early December for 6 nights in a 1 bedroom. The cash price would be about $3000 and I could get "free" dining. My dues are about $1300 for the year and this stay is about 60% of my points for the year.

The free upgrades only happened in August and September when there were empty rooms at OKW and SSR because it's a slow time. I don't believe this has continued past the end of September because the DVC resorts are pretty booked up for the fall.

 

[eliza61]

Has anyone noticed that perks are dwindling, while costs are rising? MFs, price per points, parking, park tickets prices, etc. continue to escalate. I bet the old timers from OKW have seen alot of previous perks vanish; not to be replaced by equal, or better, perks. Has the loss of perks diminished the value of your membership? Is this going to be an ongoing practice, to the point of no perks left? Who grants, or eliminates perks?
.

Humm,
That's a tough one for me. Many of the perks contributed to an overall enjoyment of wdw. Lately, the problem is that the vanishing perks combined with so many of the cut backs have dimished my enjoyment. Sure, the membership allows me to get a room at consistent discounts but that's only good if wdw is worth visiting in the first place. I fully admit to some of it may also be comparing it to 6,7 years ago. That's a hard habit to break out of.
mediocre food, losing quality entertainment, higher charges and homogonization of some many things at the world are all issues that I have concerns about.
The Best way for me to describe it is this. Do I still love my membership. Yes. Would I purchase today after seeing the changes in the last few years? Absolutely not. Would I recommend DVC to some one? with extreme reservation.

 

[zev]

Well, Perks or no perks if you ask me Disney and DVC should be paying me just for coming and participating in their vacation antics and using their lame product! If you have to ask why all the more reason..

 

[alady89]

HI,

We are new members but still placed an e-mail to the customer satisfaction team at DVC whom did call back regarding lack of discounts on tickets or a premier annual pass including both DL and DW to save member some money.

I know the AP discount is great for many members but I am sure for a lot more than us, a discount off other ticket types would be great.

This is why we have an AP for Universal and not Dinsey, ticket prices and perks are better at UO just by having the AP. If they had a timeshare option, our decision might have been different.

Love Disney, would just be nice to see some love back on the ticket front.

 

[yitbos96bb]

With the U.S. in a recession, the likes of which I have not seen in my lifetime, it cannot be a surprise that some perks are reduced or not being offered at all.

I am very happy with the perk discounts as they are and am appreciative for what we do have.. Now, if anyone wants to offer more perks, I will more than happily accept!

Which I could agree with.... IF they weren't raising the prices significantly on everything. For example, keeping DVC prices the same, but cutting the incentives. But in this recession to jack up the pricing on tickets, food, strollers, etc, is extremely short sighted. I agree with Pete... Meg is terrible and needs to go.

 

[MinnieVanMom]

What, there are perks? I didn't know, what are they? I thought paying the yearly fee was the perk.

 

[RobPickles]

Now...you know what would be a great perk?

If DVCers got a discount on the Dining Plan!

We go every year now... and we always end up argueing about whether the Dining Plan is worth it or not. In the end, i am pretty sure it is.

However, this year, we are going for a LONG time... 3 weeks + 1 day! The first 8 days in AKL Concierge and then the next 2 weeks in BLT MK View.

Now, we also have been on a diet (Nutrisystem - and yes it works very well!) and I have to assume we might still be on it by next year (Or maybe not at the rate we are losing!) but if and when we do get there again, 22 days @ $47.99 a day/per person comes to $2112 - JUST FOR FOOD! (Yes.. 2010 prices went up if u didn't already know)

Kind of insane if you think about it. We were considering not doing it for the 8 days while in Concierge and suppliment soem meals with their offerings, and that would only be $1344.

So, anyone have any thoughts about this?

Rob

 

[toniosmom]

Now, we also have been on a diet (Nutrisystem - and yes it works very well!) and I have to assume we might still be on it by next year (Or maybe not at the rate we are losing!) but if and when we do get there again, 22 days @ $47.99 a day/per person comes to $2112 - JUST FOR FOOD! (Yes.. 2010 prices went up if u didn't already know)

Kind of insane if you think about it. We were considering not doing it for the 8 days while in Concierge and suppliment soem meals with their offereings, and that would only be $1344.

So, anyone have any thoughts about this?

Rob

I say -- forget the DDP and buy groceries!!! Then you can cook healthy meals and save a LOT of money. You are going to be there for a long time --you don't want to spend all of that time eating poorly. Good Luck!

 

[RobPickles]

I say -- forget the DDP and buy groceries!!! Then you can cook healthy meals and save a LOT of money. You are going to be there for a long time --you don't want to spend all of that time eating poorly. Good Luck!

LOL!

Actually, this summer, we did buy some groceries from Garden Grocer and took some of our NS foods down with us. Even with all that, we still ended up eating out or in Concierge at least once a day.

That is why we had forewent the DDP this last trip. When i got home and calculated what we had spent and the such, we might as well have had the DDP. But that was at $37.99 per person/per day as well. Now with the price increase, i am wondering if it will work out the same.

Thanks! More input people... I love the DIS boards!

Rob

 

[wtshirleydvc]

It really is amazing... the amount of complaining that goes on in reference to "perks." Free Dining... Valet... Blah blah...

Newsflash... you paid for POINTS. That is all!!!! That is what you paid for. Nothing more... nothing less. Points. Not someone to park your car. (side note - All you do at a theme park is WALK! So why the big fuss of having to walk to the car?) You/me/we paid to access deluxe resorts at a significant discount. And that is what you/me/we get. For example... I booked a Boardwalk view room in Dec for 3 nights. Using DVC points saved me $1600 (I used excel to compute what each point costs me) over a a BW view room at the Boardwalk Inn.

$1600!!! That buys a lot of food and pays to park my car. And maybe even some spa time.

As for dues... they should be used for upgrades and upkeep. That is all.


VENT - over!!! Com'on December trip... hurry up!

 

[dianeschlicht]

It really is amazing... the amount of complaining that goes on in reference to "perks." Free Dining... Valet... Blah blah...

Newsflash... you paid for POINTS. That is all!!!! That is what you paid for. Nothing more... nothing less. Points. Not someone to park your car. (side note - All you do at a theme park is WALK! So why the big fuss of having to walk to the car?) You/me/we paid to access deluxe resorts at a significant discount. And that is what you/me/we get. For example... I booked a Boardwalk view room in Dec for 3 nights. Using DVC points saved me $1600 (I used excel to compute what each point costs me) over a a BW view room at the Boardwalk Inn.

$1600!!! That buys a lot of food and pays to park my car. And maybe even some spa time.

As for dues... they should be used for upgrades and upkeep. That is all.


VENT - over!!! Com'on December trip... hurry up!

 

[pinnocchiosdad]

Many people including me financed our points. We don't see our vacation costs as just yearly MF'S, but rather out MORTGAGES + MF'S. This payment that we make every month is a strain to many. So when you take perks away, regardless of how small, we feel GYPED.

 

[wtshirleydvc]

Buying into DVC is a personal choice. I financed as well, but I financed the points. Nothing else. I am not entitled to anything other than a deluxe room.

Now don't get me wrong... I love the discounts (most of all the AP), but I don't feel gyped if they are taken away. This is because I didn't buy into DVC for the 10% off lunch at Le Chefs.

I didn't even know about the perks until after I signed my contract.

 

[Chuck S]

Many people including me financed our points. We don't see our vacation costs as just yearly MF'S, but rather out MORTGAGES + MF'S. This payment that we make every month is a strain to many. So when you take perks away, regardless of how small, we feel GYPED.

I don't see any relationship between special feelings about perks and having financed your points.

Why would you feel differently if you had not financed and had paid cash?

 

[ScottOKW2K]

I'm sorry, but I have to disagree with the focus of this thread.

With the points that my DVC purchase has given me I can:

Book a room with access to Stormalong Bay,

Book a room with a view of the Magic Kingdom,

Book a room with a view of African animals,

Book a room in Disney's premier California resort,

and many other room/resort types. Rooms that have spoiled my family so much that I found it would not work out to use the first pin code I could ever use (darn).

DVC presently gives me access to a $100 discount on an regular annual pass - does ANY other group get a discount on this type of ticket media ? A very useful perk since past polls on this very board routinely return the result that the AP is the most common ticket media used by members.


By extension, the AP allows me access to other discounts on food, merchandise, tours, ability to purchase TIW card, etc. THough these are AP benefits we are more likely to purchase this because of our dvc membership and travel style.

From Allears.net :
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Members receive discounts on golf, shopping, spa treatments (at Saratoga Springs) and annual passes. Dining discounts at select restaurants are occasionally offered (usually 10% - 20%), and discounted tickets are available for Disney Quest, Pleasure Island and the water parks.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Reduced room rates are available at DVC resorts if staying on a cash reservation.[/FONT]

To those that complain about the food - where are you eating ?!? Some of out best meals have been at WDW. Maybe one of your old favorites has changed - well, try something new ! Try Jiko. Alfredo's replacement Tutto Italia has been getting much better reviews than its replacement. Teppan Edo is good food and great fun, and this is from a "meat-n-potatoes" type of guy.

DVC has done exactly what I expect it to do - provide my family and I deluxe and specious accommodations for an affordable price. Any perks they provide above that are welcome, and I will do my best to take advantage of them when I can, but I will not cry a river when they are gone. Life is too short to waste your anger on things this small.

 

[Lynne M]

Many people including me financed our points. We don't see our vacation costs as just yearly MF'S, but rather out MORTGAGES + MF'S. This payment that we make every month is a strain to many. So when you take perks away, regardless of how small, we feel GYPED.

Why feel 'gypped'? You were never promised any perks. The contract and membership materials made it clear that discounts and perks were not part of the membership.

DVC is a real estate purchase. When you buy a house, the seller and/or realtor are not expected to give you free food, or discounts on lawn care, because you have a big mortgage. Why should a timeshare be any different?

 

[pinnocchiosdad]

Why feel 'gypped'? You were never promised any perks. The contract and membership materials made it clear that discounts and perks were not part of the membership.

DVC is a real estate purchase. When you buy a house, the seller and/or realtor are not expected to give you free food, or discounts on lawn care, because you have a big mortgage. Why should a timeshare be any different?

If we were never promised any "perks", then i guess Disney should take all the "perks" advertisements out of all there DVC advertisement literature and sales presentation. I disagree with all of you who post that perks are not part of our memberships. They are part of a package that Disney advertises and SELLS. When you take that away, we are left with less than we purchased.

 

[pinnocchiosdad]

I don't see any relationship between special feelings about perks and having financed your points.

Why would you feel differently if you had not financed and had paid cash?

Because if I paid cash, my yearly DVC stay would cost me $800 this year, instead of $4800.

 

[pinnocchiosdad]

I'm staying at BWV in early December for 6 nights in a 1 bedroom. The cash price would be about $3000 and I could get "free" dining. My dues are about $1300 for the year and this stay is about 60% of my points for the year.

The free upgrades only happened in August and September when there were empty rooms at OKW and SSR because it's a slow time. I don't believe this has continued past the end of September because the DVC resorts are pretty booked up for the fall.

So if you are only looking at the $1300 cost of your dues, does that mean your points were given to you for free. Factor in what you paid for your points and i am sure the cost of your stay as a member will be significantly higher.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Many people including me financed our points. We don't see our vacation costs as just yearly MF'S, but rather out MORTGAGES + MF'S. This payment that we make every month is a strain to many. So when you take perks away, regardless of how small, we feel GYPED.

Well, if financing makes you feel entitled to perks because it's a burden, then maybe you shouldn't have financed in the first place. Owning something like DVC is a luxury, If affording it means you feel you must have perks to make it worthwhile, then maybe it wasn't a good purchase for you.