"Welcome Home" Losing Meaning

[Starr W.]

Trite is an excellent description. It's not our "home" who are they kidding. I don't care if they say it to every single person who enters WDW property, if it makes visitors feel special then go for it. This is just a complete non-issue for me. I get 100 bucks off my annual pass, that's all the "warm and fuzzy" feeling I need. (Well that and the decoder ring of course)

Feel the love!

Man, you guys got super secret decoder rings?

 

[Maistre Gracey]

Sorry, I have always liked the "Welcome Home". I'm in the group who feels it has been watered down by using it for everyone.

Just my opinion, but many Members here seem to be evaluating their membership solely on tangible stuff. They seem to be calculating that if they save $3.42 by being a DVC Member, they will feel special.
That's fine if that's what makes them happy.

For my wife and me, we like the "feel good stuff" just as much if not more than the tangible. It's just not all about saving a few bucks on park tickets for us. There is definitely an emotional side about everything Disney. In my opinion, the whole idea of WDW plays on one's emotions.

Over the years I've read many complaining about wasted money. Many here have complained about the expensive publications, mailings, special items (think giclee), letterhead for reservations, and on and on...
You see, at least for us, that's what makes DVC and Disney special. Yes, we feel special. If some think that's "elitist", than so be it.

-- That's just one Member's opinion.

MG

 

[a Really Bad Egg]

So you fix the problem by making the phrase universal so no one forgets .

What? They're saying it over at Universal ?!?

 

[Alexander]

My goodness! I was just wondering if anyone else had noticed that "Welcome Home" was being used all over, not just to DVC members AT DVC resorts. Geesh! I didn't think this thread would become a debate or three pages long!

Anyhow, I always felt that "Welcome Home" had some meaning since we have "ownership" in our home resort, and our accomodations are classified as "Home Away From Home". I understand that it may have been a marketing slogan, but why do they need to market me? I have two contracts already!

I NEVER indicated that I thought we should be the only ones to receive it or we were being "petty". There are no "emotions" tied up in this at all, I just thought it was a nice touch that we received when we were at the villas. If it is now something used 'worldwide', so be it. I just hadn't noticed it being such a "universal" phrase. (Nice one bad egg!)

 

[RLRDA]

What? They're saying it over at Universal ?!?

Priceless!

 

[crisi]

For my wife and me, we like the "feel good stuff" just as much if not more than the tangible. It's just not all about saving a few bucks on park tickets for us. There is definitely an emotional side about everything Disney. In my opinion, the whole idea of WDW plays on one's emotions.

Sure, but I don't understand about how Disney making someone else feel good lessens your feel good experience. Because I give my son a hug, does that lessen the value of the hug for my daughter?

(The answer is, yes, of course it does, she is the center of the universe and all Mommy's attention should be hers. But its something we are trying to teach her to grow out of.)

 

[Maistre Gracey]

Sure, but I don't understand about how Disney making someone else feel good lessens your feel good experience. Because I give my son a hug, does that lessen the value of the hug for my daughter?

(The answer is, yes, of course it does, she is the center of the universe and all Mommy's attention should be hers. But its something we are trying to teach her to grow out of.)

Well, it just seems to me that when everyone gets a perk (tangible or intangible), it's no longer special.

Your analogy for hugging your kids is not a good one in my opinion.
Hugging your own kids is great, but if you hugged every kid you saw with the same intensity, than your kids may not feel as special.

MG

 

[Starr W.]

If you want to feel a little special, wear a DVC Hat and have a DVC CM yell out WELCOME HOME as you pass 15 feet away from a DVC kiosk. They don't do that to just anyone.

Yep, have had that happen to DH. He also wears it around to see if he can find any members around here. He met some at the elementary school carnival last Friday.

 

[TDC Nala]

I'm lucky they don't say "What, YOU again?"

Hugging your own kids is great, but if you hugged every kid you saw with the same intensity, than your kids may not feel as special.

And you'd probably get arrested.

 

[Dean]

Sure, but I don't understand about how Disney making someone else feel good lessens your feel good experience. Because I give my son a hug, does that lessen the value of the hug for my daughter?

(The answer is, yes, of course it does, she is the center of the universe and all Mommy's attention should be hers. But its something we are trying to teach her to grow out of.)

Exactly.

Well, it just seems to me that when everyone gets a perk (tangible or intangible), it's no longer special.

It's fine to get feel goods but if that is where you're value comes from you're setting yourself up for disappointment.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

It's fine to get feel goods but if that is where you're value comes from you're setting yourself up for disappointment.

Please tell me why you say this.
I have been visiting WDW since 1972, and have yet to be disappointed.
So, what makes you think it will happen now??

MG

 

[gmboy95]

ahhhh....i guess those that started with DVc in the early 90's may feel it has been watered down, but what do you expect??....DVC has more people now then most football teams have fans.....To me the Special part is individual, all the canned "welcome homes" have nothing to do with how i love to spend time with family, that has never changed

 

[jbrowna]

I know I've always been in the minority on this but I never liked the "welcome home." I'm not at home, I'm on vacation. It doesn't bother me to hear it and I'm glad for others if you like it. It's just not something I look for.

HBC

I agree. I've always thought the "Welcome Home" didn't have any real meaning anyway: I'm not home, I'm on vacation! This is a place I come to to get away from home! Some folks may like it, but to me it seems like they're trying too hard to be cute, or something.

 

[Ksp]

I don't mind sharing the "welcome home" with non-DVC members; I'm feeling very "share the love" tonight, I guess!

 

[Dean]

Please tell me why you say this.
I have been visiting WDW since 1972, and have yet to be disappointed.
So, what makes you think it will happen now??

MG

The reason I say it because I mean it. IMO, if DVC doesn't make sense in $$$ compared to what you'd spend anyway, it's foolish to pay for it and no amount of welcome home, PH, animal towels etc is going to be enough to make it worth owning. If it makes sense in $$$ and you enjoy the other frills, as I do BTW, then all the better, icing on the cake. I can't think of a single person that has bought and admitted that DVC didn't make sense and they knew that up front but they still bought for the frills. Truthfully I think there are plenty that do fit in that category other than the fact they deluded themselves into thinking it was a good deal for them and it wasn't.

Also, IMO, both WDW and DVC has changed over the years and overall for the worse but some steps forward and some backwards. It certainly hasn't gotten nearly enough to make me regret owning but there has certainly been a shift. I think a SMALL part of that is that we've changed but mostly that DVC & WDW have changed. IF I had bought with those frills being a core component of my perception of value, I'd have voted with my feet long ago. I'm not naive enough to think things don't change, actually I expect a lot more changes over the years and likely things that would get this group in an uproar. My goal is to put myself in a position where even multiple negative changes aren't make or break but obviously there's a limit of what one can stomach.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

The reason I say it because I mean it. IMO, if DVC doesn't make sense in $$$ compared to what you'd spend anyway, it's foolish to pay for it and no amount of welcome home, PH, animal towels etc is going to be enough to make it worth owning. If it makes sense in $$$ and you enjoy the other frills, as I do BTW, then all the better, icing on the cake. I can't think of a single person that has bought and admitted that DVC didn't make sense and they knew that up front but they still bought for the frills. Truthfully I think there are plenty that do fit in that category other than the fact they deluded themselves into thinking it was a good deal for them and it wasn't.

This is your opinion, nothing more.

You said:

It's fine to get feel goods but if that is where you're value comes from you're setting yourself up for disappointment.

That's just not true for me, reagardless whether you "meant it" or not.

Some of us put value on things other than the dollar.

MG

 

[Dean]

This is your opinion, nothing more.

As is true for each and every post. Nothing more and nothing less.

 

[Alexander]

I just always thought the "Welcome Homes" were kind of cool when used in the context of the membership. Like when you eat at CRT and they called the kids "the little prince" and "the little princess." And when you are on Buzz Lightyear, you are called a "space ranger". It had specific meaning in a specific setting. It would be really strange to be called "space ranger" at CRT or "little prince" at Buzz Lightyear. Not wrong, or bad, or undeserving, just out of context. Do you think it would be strange for them to say "Jambo" when you checked into the Grand Floridian or "Aloha" when arriving at the Contemporary? Again, not wrong, or anything, just kind of out of place.

 

[Alexander]

I just read another post about Welcome Home Wednesdays. Now, if "Welcome Home" becomes a "worldwide" phrase, DVC is going to have to find another catch-phrase.

 

[TDC Nala]

I just read another post about Welcome Home Wednesdays. Now, if "Welcome Home" becomes a "worldwide" phrase, DVC is going to have to find another catch-phrase.

I like "Hey, you."