Wow, Member Homecoming 5/25-27!!!!

[tjkraz]

Originally posted by SleepyatDVC
I wonder exactly how "limited" the capacity is? How many tickets do they usually sell to after hour events like this?

I can't imagine it would be THAT limited. I'm doing this from memory, but I seem to recall that the event was basically going to include private (E-night type) gatherings at MK and Epcot. Those events would have the fireworks displays, ride access, and even a private Spectromagic display.

That's gotta cost some bucks.

Why would they even WANT to limit it to hundreds when those parks can clearly hold thousands?

I will send an email later this week complaining about the ticketing as well. But in addition to that, I really hope they don't take a bath on this gathering due to shortsighted thinking. I would like to take part in a similar event further down the road, but hopefully this one won't tank to the degree that they decide not to schedule future gatherings.

 

[LIFERBABE]

but I have enough unused hoppers to last us the next 38 years!

I really did not think the price was that bad as I was looking at the most recent Press Event for Mission Space and this event looks very similar.

It is actually 2 enights (Epcot and MK), Illuminations Dessert, 2 meals and a Party. Not sure how much this would cost individually.

For the enights, is the use of admission required? Is this why they are including the passes? I have never attended an after hours event so that I do not know.

If this is anything like the Press Events, I think it will be we worth it.

 

[disney4me4ever]

Just got off the phone with MS and got our reservations at BCV for 5/24 - 5/28. Will be there for my birthday, May 25th. I can't think of a better present!

Nancy

 

[DrTomorrow]

Originally posted by SleepyatDVC
I wonder exactly how "limited" the capacity is? How many tickets do they usually sell to after hour events like this?

A few thoughts on capacity.

Assuming that this is limited to DVC owners and their guests, and assuming that very few DVCers will attend but NOT be staying at a DVC resort, then the number of attendees is limited to the total capacity of the DVC resorts on each day. Search is disabled or I'd find the numbers, but this seems like it'd be in the single-digit thousands. Then come up with an attendance percentage (75? 50? 25? 10?) and you'll see a fairly small number.

Along those lines, how many people can they realistically handle for the meals and the SSR Grand Opening party?

I'll be very interested to see actual attendance numbers - not that Disney will release them ....

 

[luvindisneyworld]

Originally posted by disney4me4ever
Just got off the phone with MS and got our reservations at BCV for 5/24 - 5/28. Will be there for my birthday, May 25th. I can't think of a better present!

Nancy

Thats my Birthday too

 

[Nick@ VB+OKW]

Originally posted by disney4me4ever
Just got off the phone with MS and got our reservations at BCV for 5/24 - 5/28. Will be there for my birthday, May 25th. I can't think of a better present!

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[WDWguru]

... and it's the same exact message, word for word, from Diane. My e-mail to them appears below. We included our names, contract number, ownership resorts, the fact that we own four contracts in the signature. I e-mailed last night and received the reply this morning. Here's what I sent:

We were excited to read about the upcoming Member Homecoming event in the Member Clubhouse earlier this week. We were especially pleased to see that it coincides with our already-booked 10th anniversary trip.

I've just gone through the specific information posted on the member site and hate to say that I'm disappointed that the only tickets available are those that include park admission. As DVC members, we travel to Orlando and visit the parks multiple times a year. Because of this it makes sense for us to purchase annual passes. I'm certain we are not the only DVC members in this predicament, as by nature owners travel more frequently to Walt Disney World and are much more likely than most visitors to be annual pass holders.

I sincerely hope member services plans to offer an event-only pass to these events. While we are certainly willing to pay to attend, it would be impractical for us to spend $300 each to attend these events when we already own passes. However, if the cost of the 2-day pass were excluded, we would jump at
the chance. As a member of the press, I have attended private Disney functions several times over the past 10 years and I know they are well worth paying for. We simply don't need the added expense of park passes we don't need.

Please reconsider offering event-only passes! We would very much like to attend the Homecoming events.

I feel like I made my point and the e-mail response did not address it much. Hopefully they'll get more letters and reconsider. While you are all free to borrow things from this, I wouldn't copy it word for word. If they start to see the same letter over and over again, they'll just ignore it and we won't see any effect.

 

[Like to Dis]

Hi everyone,
We were also really excited last evening when we recieved the e-mail about the members only event. As new members who just purchased at SSR we thought what a wonderful way to kick off our membership. As with many of you we have annual passes so I called M.S. to find out what the event only portion of the party will cost. Much to my surprise and disappointment I was told that it is all inclusive and that I would have to pay for the 2 day passes as well. I could not belive that this was true because Disney has to know many members also have annual passes so I called my guide. She also confimed that it was all inclusive but said she would call the manager of the event to make sure. Well sure enough it is all inclusive; she further went on to tell me that only 12-14% of members are annual pass holders and that is why they did it that way. I told her that I thought that was very short sighted on Disney's part, why would you want to penalize your annual pass holders, and not a great business move. She advised me of the great events (which I do believe will be a lot of fun) and tried to carry the company line of the value but I did advise her we would not be attending, I would not pay for park admission twice. She advised me at the end of our conversation that they are getting some negative feedback from the members and the Disney boards about this issue.



I Hope they reconsider this decision!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[JimC]

Its an overpriced perk in my view. Maybe twice to three times what I would be willing to pay for what they are offering, especially with already having APs.

 

[pirateparrot]

Originally posted by Like to Dis
Well sure enough it is all inclusive; she further went on to tell me that only 12-14% of members are annual pass holders and that is why they did it that way.

Last I heard there were over 70,000 member so there is a potential of upsetting around 9000 members. That is significant since they know these are definitely repeat visitors that invested a bunch to become members.

 

[JimC]

I really doubt that they have any idea how many DVCers are AP holders. And even so it still is not a reason to put the package together the way they did. I suspect that the package is assembled that way because they believe it gives them the highest yield (Disney the Eisner way).

 

[jag90]

Here is the response we have received, as well as our original e-mail.

Upon hearing of the news of the Member Homecoming, we were extremely excited
about attending. We have since learned that in order to attend the events we
will be required to purchase the "Ticket to Magic" which includes 2 day park
hoppers for $299 for adults and $279 for children. Being Annual Passholders
we do not need the additional park hopper passes. Unless event only tickets
are offered we will not be attending the Member Homecoming. Due to the amount
of money we have invested in Annual Passes for our family of four, we cannot
justify the additional expense. With the large number of DVC members that are
Annual Passholders, I find it discouraging that no event only tickets are
being offered.

Hopefully with sufficient response from DVC members the DVC 'powers' will
reconsider this offer.

RESPONSE

The event is taking place at the parks after they close. The 2 day park hoppers
are just a bonus that is given with the tickets. This is a hard ticket event
just like our Halloween and Christmas parties. Annual passes are not permitted
at those either.

The value of the package and what it includes is quite high. It includes alot
of entertainment, food and priviledges that are not offered to regular guests.


I have sent an additional e-mail and will let everyone know the results.

 

[JimC]

The Disney folks feel they are giving something of value. I respectfully disagree. The price is way beyond what we pay for the Halloween or Christmas after hours events.

 

[jag90]

Following is my response to the e-mail I received from MS.

While I understand the hard ticket events(we go to the Christmas party
yearly), and the value of the package, the hopper tickets are in fact not a
bonus. We have had annual passes for eight years now, we go to the hard
ticket events yearly, and have yet to be 'given' a bonus of park hoppers.
Given the price of the current hard ticket events (approx $40) for 2 nights
($80). This would leave $219 for the cost of food, entertainment
and 'privileges'. Given these numbers I find it hard to understand how the
hoppers are a 'bonus'.

 

[WDWguru]

If the hoppers are truly additional tickets, my next question is are they dated? I might actually consider doing it if I can save those hoppers for some of our guests to use on a later trip. Anyone know?

 

[lenshanem]

If the hoppers are truly additional tickets, my next question is are they dated? I might actually consider doing it if I can save those hoppers for some of our guests to use on a later trip. Anyone know?

I bet they are dated. If they aren't it might make it more reasonable if you coudl use the tickets later between anual passes or to give to family, although I know they'll say they are not tranferrable.

I've had two day hopper convention tickets before and they were dated. Also, did it state they were hoppers? I don't recall seeing that.

 

[PamOKW]

Here's the description of the ticket:

Hurry to purchase your Ticket to Magic, which will open the door to three V.I.P. Member Homecoming events PLUS admission for two days to all four Walt Disney World® Theme Parks, and one visit to Downtown Disney® Pleasure Island or DisneyQuest® Indoor Interactive Theme Park!


They aren't calling them Park Hoppers so my guess is they will only be good for the two days when the events are taking place. If DVC is paying close to the going rate for keeping the parks open late and then dividing it between the expected members, it would be pricey. To cover the cost they probably can't price AP holders out seperately. It would be nice if they could turn them into real "hoppers", at least then they'd have value for AP holders.

 

[WDWLVR]

Well we won't be going to this because we already have a trip planned and booked for earlier in May at AKL (using points). We are also AP holders so it would be hard to justify the price even if we could change/would change our dates.

I will say though that there were many people against the extra points needed for the Member Cruise and I think DVC did an awesome job with what they planned for that. I hope everyone that goes to this event enjoys it as much as we enjoyed the Member Cruise!

 

[Johnnie Fedora]

Just another example of a non-perk offered to DVCers. Really shows how Disney Corp views DVCers...strictly as a bunch of lemmings who will pay anything for an event with a DVC logo plastered on it.

They are totally out of touch with some their BEST customers.

Sometimes you have to push yourself away from the table and say...No more JELLO for me Mom!!!!

Can't wait to see the glowing write-up in the summer VM. and a double triple

 

[TnRobin]

Here is another ticket problem for guest that are not AP holders this year.

We were planning on going to WDW for the entire week that week any way. What do we do about the other days. I will need 3 more days (2 before and 1 after) in addition to the two days included in the package. If we buy an UMP for our stay we will be double paying for parks on two days. I don't want a park hopper this trip as we want to be able to use the water parks this trip. In addition, I do not get a discount on the Hoppers, just the UMP. (an AP is not feasible this year as we are going to Hawaii for our big vacation, not WDW).

I also agree that the tickets are not freebees. The price doesn't support it.