I did not know that. Since the other benefits are not worth it to us (we buy the military tickets for the kids), and would never use our points to buy or renew our APs, we are not the target demographic for this offer.
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News Membership Magic Beyond
- Thread starter DCBaker
- Start date
Here's a link to the full terms and conditions for Membership Magic Beyond, which has a few more details:
"Undesirable":
I'm in the same boat. There is no value to using points to buy or renew an AP. In fact, it's smarter to rent than to pay $99 to be able to use points in that fashion. (Before anyone says anything, I'm well aware there are other "benefits" to that $99. And none of them are appealing to me. At all.)
Interestingly the priority access part does not appear to require a resort reservation the same way as the character experience at EPCOT.
The character experience section says it's available "during a time when the Member has a valid resort stay reservation" and can be used by greater of 4 individuals "or the number of guests on the resort stay reservation." It's pretty plain language that one needs to be a resort reservation. See below:
But the lounge priority access is different and omits any requirement a resort stay. It does include language limiting usage to greater of 4 individuals "or the number of guests on the resort stay reservation." As worded, it appears one does NOT need to be on a reservation to use the benefit. See here:
There are spots where it reads like either written by two people or edits were inconsistent. We'll see how that goes and if the language is tightened up to restrict WDW priority access specifically (where I'd expect more daily demand from a larger pool).
The character experience section says it's available "during a time when the Member has a valid resort stay reservation" and can be used by greater of 4 individuals "or the number of guests on the resort stay reservation." It's pretty plain language that one needs to be a resort reservation. See below:
But the lounge priority access is different and omits any requirement a resort stay. It does include language limiting usage to greater of 4 individuals "or the number of guests on the resort stay reservation." As worded, it appears one does NOT need to be on a reservation to use the benefit. See here:
There are spots where it reads like either written by two people or edits were inconsistent. We'll see how that goes and if the language is tightened up to restrict WDW priority access specifically (where I'd expect more daily demand from a larger pool).
RememberWhen
Well-Known Member
Ok. I’m a bit late to the game.
This new thing will cost $99?
And memory maker is $185 if purchased ahead?
Assuming someone is a blue card member and was going one time in 2025 and was going to purchase MM anyway, this is a reasonable thing to buy into?
My mom bought DVC back in the 90s and she’s taking a trip next December. Planned for 10 days. With two of my sisters and their families. Total of 7 people. Seems reasonable that she should spend the extra $99 to get the “free” memory maker and the priority lounge access. Not sure any of the other benefits are useful.
This new thing will cost $99?
And memory maker is $185 if purchased ahead?
Assuming someone is a blue card member and was going one time in 2025 and was going to purchase MM anyway, this is a reasonable thing to buy into?
My mom bought DVC back in the 90s and she’s taking a trip next December. Planned for 10 days. With two of my sisters and their families. Total of 7 people. Seems reasonable that she should spend the extra $99 to get the “free” memory maker and the priority lounge access. Not sure any of the other benefits are useful.
Since they are only doing a single trip, it would be a benefit they could use to save some money.
RememberWhen
Well-Known Member
Great. Might get my mom a $99 gift card for Christmas so she can get it.
My opinions are shifting a bit. I'm still not fully supportive but it's only the priority lounge access that annoys me. Lounges have been a benefit for all blue card members and it's always been equitable as first come first serve, so a new program that effectively pushes people back who already "paid their dues" going direct still rubs me the wrong way. If feel differently if the lounges never existed and they debuted for all members with some getting priority access, but that's not happening here.
But the rest is mostly a paid discount program and I'm okay with that. Most were okay Tables in Wonderland, and I think most of the remaining benefits fall into a similar "pay for discount" program category.
But the rest is mostly a paid discount program and I'm okay with that. Most were okay Tables in Wonderland, and I think most of the remaining benefits fall into a similar "pay for discount" program category.
Disneydad1012
Active Member
Priority lounge access looks to also include this.
Starting January 12, the Disney Vacation Club members-only lounge at EPCOT will open an hour earlier for all members, while adding 3 evening hours for those who join the new paid member perks program.
Through January 11, the lounge's standard operating hours will remain 11am to 6pm daily. The following day, hours will shift to 10am to 5pm for all qualifying DVC members. Meanwhile, those who buy into the higher tier perks program will also be able to access the lounge from 6pm to 9pm daily. All of these schedules are subject to change
JaxFLBear
Well-Known Member
The online purchase page is live for anyone interested.
nickys
Premium Member
If you have an AP though, which many but by no means all DVC members do, then you can add memory maker for the entire year for $99. The memory maker under this “deal” only lasts for 30 days.
nickys
Premium Member
But you’re buying it for 2025. It’s not as if you’re paying for December without any benefits. So why not buy it ahead of time?
I can't imagine a large percentage of DVC members are annual pass members. So this deal is good for anybody that is DVC and not annual pass. The deal is obviously aimed at people who are not annual pass members, the magic maker is being just one example showing that is true of disney's motivation.
JaxFLBear
Well-Known Member
The AP Photo Download option (and the Water Park option) are both discounted to $85 when added to an AP renewal.
There are too many unknowns. Here are a few:
MS told me that the MMB member needs to buy a 5 day ticket for himself/herself to buy for others. This could be a complication for people that have APs already. This answer was just one that has gone around MS because it's not clear in the terms and conditions and FAQs.
There's no clarity about the OTU point system whether needing to buy 12 points to get 12 points (all or nothing). Then, working with idea that it's not all or nothing, does bonus only apply to first purchase or every purchase up until 12 Imagine buying 2 points and getting 2 bonus points, and then later buying 5 would you get 5 bonus points. MS can't answer this.
The character meet language I brought up earlier is real (no resort reservation needed for lounge access, but yes a reservation is needed to meet characters). It doesn't effect me because I'm only there on a regular resort reservation but it's going to bother people (mostly locals) who are turned away from character meet without a reservation.
DL ticket benefit is apparently unclear what ticket dates are peak and not peak? I'm not invested in this so going off what others have said.
It's unclear what tickets would a wholly unused ticket be eligible to upgrade to (someone on Disboards mentioned this).
We've learned that benefits do apply to others on the contract, that MMB applies to only one DVC member. This complicates things like priority lounge access if I am is the MMB member but I'm back at the room sick. We would both be on the reservation but they wouldn't let her use benefits.
Unless either believing you're buying OTU points or you'll be at WDW when the program starts there's reason to purchase now when others will be the guinea pigs. Even though I still plan to buy, maybe more comes out that dissuades me (lounge thing annoys me, and one way around is to have a family tier).
nickys
Premium Member
nicb88
Well-Known Member
I'm unsure if this was covered here already, but Membership Magic Beyond is NOT available to anyone residing outside of the United States. I just had 2 phone calls with DVC and despite it being nowhere within T&Cs or promotional emails, that is in fact the case.
Means I'm out of luck - hope I can spare anyone else the frustration of calling to find out they're not entitled to it!
Means I'm out of luck - hope I can spare anyone else the frustration of calling to find out they're not entitled to it!