We are losing Member's Perks!

[bobbiwoz]

Thanks got no email? guess they don't know I am here???? for 3 weeks

I think that I "Signed up" somewhere on the members' site to receive these "pre-trip" e-mails.

I would think a 3 week stay is on their radar! I have one night at AKV before my BWV stay, and I didn't get an e-mail referencing that stay. I don't know the criteria, but I did sign up for these things.

Bobbi

 

[LvsTnk]

I think it's aweful to offer us perks then take them away and not offer something comparable in return. No one buys into DVC for perks and you all know that so why admonish the OP about that, rediculous. If the AP perk suddenly dissapeared you would all be up in arms that use it. Let's be real, DVC continues to take advantage of it's membership because they have our money and since Jim Lewis took over it's been downhill steady and continually in this area. Not giving a discount to members at DVC resort eating establishments is horrible in my opinion. Given this economy I would think that they need to offer more and better perks if they plan to continue to entice and sell memberships and have people actually buy them. Don't give me that you are only buying the right to book a room garbage there either, you want people to be happy and spread the word about how fabulous DVC is then you take care of the membership with perks, not take them away and lessen the perceived value. Just my opinion and $.02.....

Here,Here!!!

I sympathize with the OP, we gave up our TIW card and used the DVC and AP discounts. Now those seem to be less and less.

AP in Disneyland offers so much more. Everywhere we turned you could use it even for counter service at the resorts.

It's okay to complain, we complain a bit then adjust.

 

[Brian Noble]

Folks, let's remember the point of a discount. It's not to reward loyalty. It's for one of two purposes: either to encourage loyalty, or to generate new business.

There's not much reason to encourage loyalty amongst folks who own DVC. They are coming, because they've already paid for their lodging for the next many decades. It's the ultimate in captive audiences.

So, that leaves "generate new business" in places that don't have sufficient business already. When business is otherwise good, these discounts will wane. If they need to soak up excess capacity, these discounts will materialize.

In the words of Don Corleone: It's not personal. It's strictly business.

 

[burnsoc]

I actually used the DVC discount this trip more than any other previous trip. We received a discount at Nine Dragons, T-Rex, Wolfgang Puck Express, Raglan Road, Ghirardellis, Basin, and Noodle Station. We were there just two weeks ago so the T-Rex discount is definitely in effect. Overall I was pretty happy with my members perks.

 

[dianeschlicht]

You're missing the point. People didn't buy in for the perks, but it was a small reason why people feel DVC is special.

Personally, they could get rid of the AP discount and I won't care, but I bet some on here will. Why is that?

I didn't miss the point. The thing is, this is a timeshare, and most timeshares have no perks at all....Our AP perk is a fantastic one, and those other little "things" like the piddly 10% discounts are just to make people "think" they are getting something for nothing.

 

[cseca]

Can I call members Services and buy 10 AP's and just save them for the future?

Yup. You'll get vouchers and when you're ready to use any one of them you go to the guest services at the park and they'll change it into an AP tix.
But this would only work for new APs. Not renewal APs. Renewal APs automatically starts when the previous AP expires.

Before the last AP rate hike we actually did it. We bought 5 APs to keep for future trips. We already have 3 AP vouchers in the house... So in total these will be good for at least 8 Disney vacations for the 3 of us (we have a baby on the way)...

 

[Anal Annie]

You're missing the point. People didn't buy in for the perks, but it was a small reason why people feel DVC is special.

Personally, they could get rid of the AP discount and I won't care, but I bet some on here will. Why is that?

Personally, that is our only incentive to try to squeeze in 3 trips / year. It makes us feel like we need to get our good out of them. Without that discount we would just buy 7 day hoppers or perhaps non-expiring tix and plan one trip / year in a larger unit. (Right now we use studios to maximize and spread out out our points to get more trips.) Having an AP puts us at WDW for at least an extra 7 nights / year to spend money. Like I said in my previous post...we debated for about 3 minutes about going to DL for one of our trips this year. But then we realized it not only would cost more in airfare but we'd have to buy new park tix...why do that if we could "go for free" to WDW once we already have AP's there. But that's why I'd like to see another type of pass that would be good on both coasts.....

 

[permavac]

...The discounts were for places that did not get enough business...

I do understand disappointment with the removal of discounts that affect us personally - I used to enjoy the 10% off at Biergarten with the AP - that's gone now too. But, per the above (and I know others have pointed this out as well), discounts are offered to bring people into a place that is not getting enough business at the time. I guess what makes it easier for me to swallow is that I called once to complain about some exceptionally terrible service I received at the San Angel Inn. A rep from the Disney customer care group called me and commiserated with me about the treatment I received, but told me that the only thing she could do was pass the comments along to the general manager of the company who ran the restaurant! I was amazed and had never realized that there are restaurants on Disney property that are actually not run by Disney. She mentioned a few others (which I have since forgotten ) but this conversation opened my eyes to what goes on "behind the scenes" (and subsequently a little of the magic fizzled ). Anyway, I feel the OP and others have the right to complain when some of these little niceties disappear - I just wanted the OP to know that there is a better "reason" for it (sometimes) than what member services told you. For the restaurants that are not run by Disney, I do understand they don't have any control over the discounts offered. I guess the conflict with being honest about this is that they try to present a unified front where everything-you-see-is-Disney when you go there, but in reality it's not. Just my viewpoint.

Terri

 

[lugnut33]

I didn't miss the point. The thing is, this is a timeshare, and most timeshares have no perks at all....Our AP perk is a fantastic one, and those other little "things" like the piddly 10% discounts are just to make people "think" they are getting something for nothing.

Since I'm not going to buy an AP, I hope they get rid of that discount and offer other ones. And when they do get rid of it, I'll come on here and tell you that you had no right to that discount and I expect you to be as happy as Minnie Mouse. That's not true, I'd expect you and many others to be upset and I'd be right there with you eventhough I don't buy an AP.

We all realize that DVC doesn't have to offer anything other than lodging, however it's the "extra magic" that helps make DVC special. It's what helps drive people to buy DVC and rave about it on boards like this. Take away that special feeling and you end up with just another timeshare. If people sell their shares then you'll see prices to continue their freefall that they are in now.

 

[KevGuy]

WHAT? You bought a place to stay and you are going to whine when you don't get "perks" and get told how "special" you are for spending money?

Are you going to buy MORE points because you got 10% off at dinner?

No but for losing that 10% I'll certainly tell others who think about purchasing how things really are given and then taken away. Not really a good idea for marketing in a recession/depression economy now is it. And if I were to buy more points I would be more inclined to do it via resale at a substantial discount. Then they lose even more including the financing. Not smart business decisions imo, again the Jim Lewis factor.....perks cost them pretty much nothing and keep everyone happy, ever run a business?

 

[BWV Dreamin]

I just called to make FW Segway tour reservations. Everywhere it states we get a 15% discount using DVC member card or Disney Visa card. Well I am making reservations for June 2......CM tells me no discounts on that day! Umh...why? She checks all the times for that day, no discounts. So when exactly DO we get the discounts? No where does it say subject to seasons, etc. Just another degradation of our membership....

 

[Disney_Villain]

My opinion as well, Diane!

-Ken

Frankly, if I was only interested in "perk", I wouldn't buy DVC. I feel we get the best "perk" anywhere with our $100 discount on APs. It's the only one I ever use and the only one I need. With the AP, I can buy the TIW card and save way more on meals than any "perk" DVC has. As far as I'm concerned, the AP perk is the only one. Well, other than DVC ownership itself!

 

[BEASLYBOO]

It amazes me that even though, as many have posted, I didn't purchase DVC for the discounts, that I shouldn't have the right to be disapointed at loosing some of what was once available to me. Likewise, the $95 transfer fee, is it going to completely turn me off of DVC, well no but it's a cost that does affect me and now the ability of staying at the Poly is now lost because I won't pay the $95. The new point chart doesn't favor my type of stay, in the end it will cost me extra points, I have a right to feel that something has been taken from me. I think everybody likes a discount, even at Disney and yes though they are perfectly in their right to change without notice, some of the perks I miss and it has nothing to do about where I stay or why I bought DVC.

 

[lugnut33]

It's sort of like being taxed at a higher rate by our government. Yeah, they have the right to do it, but we don't have to be happy about it.

 

[bavaria]

did anyone miss the fact that there are NEW locations and NEW discounts? Like the T-Rex discount, Tutto Italia, Wolfgang Puck Monday discount, Fulton's, amongst others?

I suppose that it is more fun for some to just whinge, but so far several posters have pointed out NEW discounts for 2009. Frankly, I like variety.

 

[bavaria]

Not giving a discount to members at DVC resort eating establishments is horrible in my opinion.

courtesy of bobbiwoz

• Flying Fish Café at Disney's BoardWalk entertainment district - Save 10% on dinner from 5:30-6:30 pm and from 9:00-10:00 pm (reservations required).

 

[CarolAnnC]

In the past we have always received a discount at Olivia's over at OKW...

 

[tjkraz]

I think it's aweful to offer us perks then take them away and not offer something comparable in return. No one buys into DVC for perks and you all know that so why admonish the OP about that, rediculous. If the AP perk suddenly dissapeared you would all be up in arms that use it. Let's be real, DVC continues to take advantage of it's membership because they have our money and since Jim Lewis took over it's been downhill steady and continually in this area.

I don't know if you missed my post or not but we currently have the same volume of dining perks today as we did 2 1/2 years ago. And I personally have no recollection of us losing any substantial volume of discounts in the 6 years we have been members. I have trip planning spreadsheets saved back to '04 on which I would make notes about discounts. I don't see any of our Counter Service locations noted as offering discounts and the TS were always few and far between.

Not giving a discount to members at DVC resort eating establishments is horrible in my opinion.

I agree, however the DVC resorts are actually represented quite well:

Boardwalk: ESPN Club, Spoodles and Flying Fish
SSR: The Turf Club
OKW: Olivia's
Contemporary: The Wave
YC/BC: Captain's Grille
VWL: Artist Point and Whispering Canyon, plus Trail's End at Ft. Wilderness

The BoardWalk/BCV area also offers discounts at nearly all of the Dolphin and Swan restaurants.

The only one not represented is AKV. Perhaps when Sanaa opens they will offer members a discount.

I realize that it seems very en vogue to bash DVC these days but does anyone have any actual evidence of perks being recently eliminated without a comparable replacement? Or is this just another "Jim Lewis stinks" thread?

 

[pyrxtc]

I just wish there was a discount on park passes and not just annual pass.

 

[bavaria]

I don't know if you missed my post or not but we currently have the same volume of dining perks today as we did 2 1/2 years ago.

I did the math when you posted that. And hence my confusion. Perhaps I can use German math as an excuse, but what is yours?

The number of discounts does not appear to have changed; some of the locations of the discounts have, as they do every so often. I have no issue with that. And that is why I continue to ask the OP for clarification as there doesn't appear to be any net loss of perks in 2009.