DVC Member needs more !

[WDWLOVER1957]

You could also go back and remind yourself what DVC is truly costing. Work up a spreadsheet detailing the value of those points over the next 50 years (or whatever your term may be.)

The most simplistic approach is to take your initial purchase price and divide by the number of years you will own. Add that to the annual dues paid and you'll get a per point, per year dollar figure. For example:

If you bought Bay Lake Tower today at $110 per point, those points would cost you about $2.20 per year ($110 / 50 years.)

2010 dues at BLT are $3.78 per point. So your 2010 "cost" is $5.98 per point ($2.20 purchase plus $3.78 dues.)

To spend tomorrow night (4/14) in a Magic Kingdom View Studio at BLT would be 23 points. At $5.98 per point, the DVC member cost is $137 per night.

Now compare that to what a non-member is paying. The Rack Rate for a BLT MK View Studio on that date is $510 per night plus 12.5% resort tax for a total of $573 per night.

Current offers for cash guests are 30% off rack at Deluxe resorts. According to the figures above, DVC members are saving 76% off of rack.

That's a quick calculation and you'll certainly get more defensible numbers by accounting for interest paid on any loans, interest lost if you took the money out of an investment to purchase, etc. But even those factors aren't going to substantially close the gap between DVC prices and cash guest rates.

Also bear in mind that while Disney will eventually begin to reel-in the discounts to cash guests, we've locked in our DVC prices for years to come. When that happens DVC will prove to be an even better value.

However you slice it, non-members are paying FAR more to Disney on a per-trip basis. It's hard for me to feel slighted by DVC when that $137 per-night Studio rate is clearly less than $400 per night under a 30% discount.

While I appreciate your points, its pretty hard to justify continuing to own DVC here in the UK, when we can get 40% off plus free dining, (every year since we bought five years ago) the price is less than our annual dues, it will not stop us from going but it makes us regret buying when we did, yes I did read where the CEO of Disney said we will be scaling discounts back, but again this year in the UK the offer is back.

 

[Master Yoda]

While I appreciate your points, its pretty hard to justify continuing to own DVC here in the UK, when we can get 40% off plus free dining, (every year since we bought five years ago) the price is less than our annual dues, it will not stop us from going but it makes us regret buying when we did, yes I did read where the CEO of Disney said we will be scaling discounts back, but again this year in the UK the offer is back.

Is the price the same while staying in DVC accommodations? If not it is not they you are not making a fair comparison as a standard room at POP or PORS hardly compares to a studio or a one bedroom at the Boardwalk or Beach Club.

 

[slappy magoo]

While I appreciate your points, its pretty hard to justify continuing to own DVC here in the UK, when we can get 40% off plus free dining, (every year since we bought five years ago) the price is less than our annual dues, it will not stop us from going but it makes us regret buying when we did, yes I did read where the CEO of Disney said we will be scaling discounts back, but again this year in the UK the offer is back.

So bank some points now, take advantage of the promotion. Next year, if the promotion is back, you can still take advantage of the discounts for half of your trip, then use your points to stay in another location onsite, or use 'em offsite, be it Vero Beach, Hilton Head, Anaheim...And if the promotion doesn't come back next year, use 2 years worth of points on one trip.

 

[DVCOwner]

So bank some points now, take advantage of the promotion. Next year, if the promotion is back, you can still take advantage of the discounts for half of your trip, then use your points to stay in another location onsite, or use 'em offsite, be it Vero Beach, Hilton Head, Anaheim...And if the promotion doesn't come back next year, use 2 years worth of points on one trip.

I feel that you are missing what I am trying to say. I do think DVC and WDW Parks are losing a change to increase park ticket sales and bring in additional revenue. I purchased enough points to take a vacation every year with my family and friends. Two of my best frends have purchased DVC points because of my recommendation on what a great deal it is. Because of the discounts that Disney now offers, it is not a great deal and I can not recommend buying DVC to anyone at this time. My annual dues would pay for a stay at WDW (yes in not as good of a hotel). Because the economy I am bring less family and guest this year to WDW because they can not afford a trip this year. As I do every year, I offered soom family and friends to stay free in my rooms this year, but they just can not afford the trip. If Disney Park management (not DVC) would have offered some of the same discounts that they offered non-DVC to visit WDW, I am sure some additional family and friends would have filled the empty beds in the three rooms we have at the BLT this year. They would have purchased tickets, meals and gift shop junk. This discount revenue would have been better than none they are getting from the empty beds I have in my already paid for rooms. We have a total of 5 empty beds in the three rooms. Last year we had twenty four people staying in DVC, this year I have only 13. I am no Disney bean counter but I can tell you my group will be spending a lot less money this year.

 

[DisneyJoe]

Because the economy I am bring less family and guest this year to WDW because they can not afford a trip this year. As I do every year, I offered soom family and friends to stay free in my rooms this year, but they just can not afford the trip.

You are offering them a FREE room, and they still can't afford to come - what do you expect Disney to do to help them out?

If Disney Park management (not DVC) would have offered some of the same discounts that they offered non-DVC to visit WDW, I am sure some additional family and friends would have filled the empty beds in the three rooms we have at the BLT this year.

How? If they can't afford to come when you are giving them a free room, they won't be able to come even with a discounted room, right?

 

[slappy magoo]

I feel that you are missing what I am trying to say. I do think DVC and WDW Parks are losing a change to increase park ticket sales and bring in additional revenue. I purchased enough points to take a vacation every year with my family and friends. Two of my best frends have purchased DVC points because of my recommendation on what a great deal it is. Because of the discounts that Disney now offers, it is not a great deal and I can not recommend buying DVC to anyone at this time. My annual dues would pay for a stay at WDW (yes in not as good of a hotel). Because the economy I am bring less family and guest this year to WDW because they can not afford a trip this year. As I do every year, I offered soom family and friends to stay free in my rooms this year, but they just can not afford the trip. If Disney Park management (not DVC) would have offered some of the same discounts that they offered non-DVC to visit WDW, I am sure some additional family and friends would have filled the empty beds in the three rooms we have at the BLT this year. They would have purchased tickets, meals and gift shop junk. This discount revenue would have been better than none they are getting from the empty beds I have in my already paid for rooms. We have a total of 5 empty beds in the three rooms. Last year we had twenty four people staying in DVC, this year I have only 13. I am no Disney bean counter but I can tell you my group will be spending a lot less money this year.

DisneyJoe kind of addressed my main points. Those 9 people that can't go because of the economy and DVC not offering you any sort of promotional offer to pass along to them - what kind of offer, theoretically, would it have to be to get those 9 people to be able to afford to come? Their lodging is free. You could opt to get groceries, eat many meals in your room and not spend money on restaurants. You can bring your own liquor and not spend money on the lounges. They don't have to buy souvenirs or trinkets. What other incentives do they need? Obviously, Disney can't help them with airfare (though I believe they'd still be allowed to use Disney Magical Express, so that's money saved getting to and from the airport right there). So all that's left is park admission. How much of a discount on park admission would make those 9 people who can't afford to go suddenly be able to afford to go? $100 off a ticket? Less? More? And would that money saved result in money being spent in the parks? Because that's the theory behind promotional offers, loss-leaders, and stuff like that. Sure, it results in some people just taking the deal, not spending extra money and for that customer, it represents a net loss. But for many people, it results in money being spent elsewhere. Free dining offers, from a cost standpoint, is minimal to Disney, but it does represent a blow to revenue. But if it means people getting rooms at rack rate and spending more money on souvenirs, it's worth it. What WDW is now seeing is people who wouldn't be able to afford to go waiting on free dining offers, AND some people who can afford to go not appreciating the fact that they can't get a meal anywhere and opting NOT to go during free dining offers, which is why they're re-thinking the free dining promotion and the minimum requirements to get it. In your somewhat-unique case, if your friends are that broke, how does getting them on-property at a discount, with no assurances that the money would be recouped elsewhere, benefit Disney? And I'm not trying to say this as some obnoxious American mocking the poor. I'm trying to see it from the perspective of a WDW "bean counter" who needs to justify giving customer something for free or for less.

Were I able to suggest a "reasonable" discount or perk for DVC members, I'd suggest that WDW is reaching a point where annual passes, even at the DVC discount, is getting to be too expensive for many members. What I'd love to see is some kind of discount on all tickets. Not necessarily a percentage discount. Something like "Choose your option" whereby you buy a pass, for however any days you need, and DVC members get the option of either making it a park hopper pass, OR add the Water Parks/DisneyQuest option for free, OR 50% off the price of making it a no expiration option. I could be wrong but I would think that's a manageable but valid and valuable perk that many DVC members would love, and it would express the sort of appreciation some DVC members feel is lacking in the way WDW offers so many other. I just don't know if WDW would see it as worth taking the hit, though it's IMHO more realistic than expecting free passes or free dining or other promotion where losses are usually recouped by the resort rack rates.

 

[DVCOwner]

Remember what I think WDW should do for DVC members, offer them the same discounts as FL residents. This would allow those of us that are "welcomed home" every time we enter a DVC resort to be treated as if the very small portion of WDW makes it our second home. Others have suggested that discount offered to others is to get them to stay on park, this is not the case of a FL resident living near WDW.

 

[DisneyJoe]

Remember what I think WDW should do for DVC members, offer them the same discounts as FL residents. This would allow those of us that are "welcomed home" every time we enter a DVC resort to be treated as if the very small portion of WDW makes it our second home.

So how does this help your friends that can't even visit you for free? Unless they are immediate family members living in the same household, you probably couldn't get them FL resident tickets.

 

[Tiggerish]

Were I able to suggest a "reasonable" discount or perk for DVC members, I'd suggest that WDW is reaching a point where annual passes, even at the DVC discount, is getting to be too expensive for many members. What I'd love to see is some kind of discount on all tickets. Not necessarily a percentage discount. Something like "Choose your option" whereby you buy a pass, for however any days you need, and DVC members get the option of either making it a park hopper pass, OR add the Water Parks/DisneyQuest option for free, OR 50% off the price of making it a no expiration option. I could be wrong but I would think that's a manageable but valid and valuable perk that many DVC members would love, and it would express the sort of appreciation some DVC members feel is lacking in the way WDW offers so many other. I just don't know if WDW would see it as worth taking the hit, though it's IMHO more realistic than expecting free passes or free dining or other promotion where losses are usually recouped by the resort rack rates.

EXACTLY. While I appreciate the $100 discount on an AP that was extended to us DVC owners, I wondered why they decided to take away the 10% discount on LOS passes that we previously received. From my perspective, that was a perk that we actually lost (I know, I know, it was replaced with the AP discount, but the AP doesn't work out for everyone). If I am bringing a guest, it would be nice to get 10% off their ticket. And I agree with you that the price of an AP is going up to a degree that is going to make it an "every other year" purchase.

 

[ncstate7991]

Okay, since we are all talking about perks we wished we had (while at the same time trying to find a perk that the bean counters at Disney might go for). What about adding the park hopper option to DVC members for free. It costs Disney 0 and gives us a little beneift ($52/ticket). If you buy AP you get a discount, so this would be a way to give something to those of us DVC members that can only come every other year a small thank you. Just a thought, what do you think?

 

[WDWLOVER1957]

Is the price the same while staying in DVC accommodations? If not it is not they you are not making a fair comparison as a standard room at POP or PORS hardly compares to a studio or a one bedroom at the Boardwalk or Beach Club.

Its a fair comparison when we can book SSR/OKW for 42% off and free dining, at the same time of year as we go.

 

[WDWLOVER1957]

So bank some points now, take advantage of the promotion. Next year, if the promotion is back, you can still take advantage of the discounts for half of your trip, then use your points to stay in another location onsite, or use 'em offsite, be it Vero Beach, Hilton Head, Anaheim...And if the promotion doesn't come back next year, use 2 years worth of points on one trip.

You not read my previous post? I said its been on for the 5 years we have owned and its back on again this year, so how many times can I bank, we only do florida and we only get one vacation per year, so none of your options work for us, our flights alone range from £600 to £750 per person

 

[DisneyJoe]

Its a fair comparison when we can book SSR/OKW for 42% off and free dining, at the same time of year as we go.

Didn't someone show that DVC members end up with 76% off rack rates?

42% plus free food may work out to be close to 76% off rack rates, the choice is yours.

 

[slappy magoo]

You not read my previous post? I said its been on for the 5 years we have owned and its back on again this year, so how many times can I bank, we only do florida and we only get one vacation per year, so none of your options work for us, our flights alone range from £600 to £750 per person

I did read your post and I apologize for being unclear. I know that you can only bank so much. But what you can do, IF you want, is bank one year's worth of points, borrow another year's worth of points, and every 3 years have a big mother of a vacation, bring more friends (that can afford to go), get Grand Villas, stay longer if your work will allow it, etc. Those other 2 years, where your points have been spent, take advantage of promos, assuming they will still be around, keep it to your immediate family, don't go whole hog. This will also give your extended family and friends that would like to go with you but don't always have the cash some time to prepare. Maybe not the best option, but an option nonetheless. And when/if the awesome promos end, or the rise of inflation make them significantly less awesome, the DVC membership will be more attractive once again.

They're your points, do with them what you want. But the DVC is designed to afford members some degree of flexibility. So don't be afraid to flex.

 

[slappy magoo]

Okay, since we are all talking about perks we wished we had (while at the same time trying to find a perk that the bean counters at Disney might go for). What about adding the park hopper option to DVC members for free. It costs Disney 0 and gives us a little beneift ($52/ticket). If you buy AP you get a discount, so this would be a way to give something to those of us DVC members that can only come every other year a small thank you. Just a thought, what do you think?

I think that would be a nice perk, mentioned it in a previous post, my idea being that DVC members can buy a MYW ticket and then get the choice of either
1: free park hopper option OR
2: free water park option OR
3: Half off the no expiration option.

Depending on the time of year you go, and the length of your stay, any one of those options could be more attractive than the other two.

 

[Daddyoh]

Outstanding!that's what I'm talking about.:sohappy: Add the Park Hopper Option to tickets we will buy anyway.A WIN-WIN I only hope that somebody from Disney monitors these sites,(they can even bring it up as their own idea for that matter,and maybe get some kudos for spreading that zippity-doo dah feeling):lol: I really think that is not that much to ask as a DVC member perk. OUTSTANDING. THANKS.

 

[kendall.luther]

Don't listen to Woody. If you want to stay on WDW property, DVC is a brilliant thing. It saves a ton. We own a considerable amount of points at Saratoga Springs and the new Bay Lake Towers. We rent out whatever we don't use. The points you use varies depending on time of year and where you want to stay.

 

[tjkraz]

Okay, since we are all talking about perks we wished we had (while at the same time trying to find a perk that the bean counters at Disney might go for). What about adding the park hopper option to DVC members for free. It costs Disney 0 and gives us a little beneift ($52/ticket). If you buy AP you get a discount, so this would be a way to give something to those of us DVC members that can only come every other year a small thank you. Just a thought, what do you think?

I'm not sure how you can suggest that the perk would cost Disney "nothing" when you're asking them to forgo tens-of-thousands of dollars worth of revenue annually. People are paying that $52 per ticket today (or whatever the price may be.) Upon removal of that charge, Disney loses money.

The AP discount may be impractical for some, but it exists because it serves a purpose--helping to sell more points. In fact, the business unit called "Disney Vacation Development" actually reimburses Disney Parks & Resorts for money lose on the AP discount program.

The primary goals of the AP discount program are:

1. To encourage more visits and thus more add-on point sales from existing members, and
2. To give prospective members a bit of an added discount to perhaps sway a purchase decision.

Discounting other MYW passes would meet goal #2 above to some degree, but it completely misses the mark on #1. In fact a MYW discount would dilute the effects of the AP discount in relation to add-on point sales.

If you're viewing it as a magnanimous "thank you" gesture to current members for buying into DVC in the first place, then you're looking at it wrong.

 

[ncstate7991]

I'm not sure how you can suggest that the perk would cost Disney "nothing" when you're asking them to forgo tens-of-thousands of dollars worth of revenue annually. People are paying that $52 per ticket today (or whatever the price may be.) Upon removal of that charge, Disney loses money.

The AP discount may be impractical for some, but it exists because it serves a purpose--helping to sell more points. In fact, the business unit called "Disney Vacation Development" actually reimburses Disney Parks & Resorts for money lose on the AP discount program.

While I see your point, it truly "cost Disney nothing" it would cut down some on the revenue bottom line. However, it adds zero to cost! Free dining cost Disney b/c it raises how much money they have to spend in food and man hours. That is my elementary explanation of what I meant. All promos or perks change the bottom line for Disney, and I think we all understand that on this board.

Your next point of "Disney Vacation Development" reimbursing Disney Parks for the AP discount ... well, they could do the same for the free park hopper upgrade. Also, how many DVC owners actually buy a regular ticket and pay to add the park hopper option?

I bet people that use a park hopper actually spend more time in the parks. For example, after starting the day in AK I bet a lot of people take the evening off away from a park, but if the park hopper option was included DVC members might go into Epcot for supper, or the MK for Wishes and a sweet snack. Disney might actually break even or increase the bottom line by making this a free option for DVC owners. Wost case, it would not decreasing revenue by the full $52/ticket.

As for your Primary Goal point 2 (To give prospective members a bit of an added discount to perhaps sway a purchase decision.), this perk should not sway anyone's decision about DVC. It is not a guaranteed benefit. It can be taken away at anytime. The promos they run like a free Disney Cruise and double points this year, are things that sway purchase decisions.

I can see how the AP discount could encourage more visits or more creative trip planning. But free hopper upgrade could do the same. If you just went to Disney last year, and you only needed 25 more points to go again this year for 4 nights. Knowing that you could do two parks in one day for "free" might be just the thing to convince you to buy 25 more points per year or to pay Disney the new $15/point for this year. I will agree that it might not be as strong of an argument because less people will probably be in this situation, but it could happen.

 

[WDWLOVER1957]

I did read your post and I apologize for being unclear. I know that you can only bank so much. But what you can do, IF you want, is bank one year's worth of points, borrow another year's worth of points, and every 3 years have a big mother of a vacation, bring more friends (that can afford to go), get Grand Villas, stay longer if your work will allow it, etc. Those other 2 years, where your points have been spent, take advantage of promos, assuming they will still be around, keep it to your immediate family, don't go whole hog. This will also give your extended family and friends that would like to go with you but don't always have the cash some time to prepare. Maybe not the best option, but an option nonetheless. And when/if the awesome promos end, or the rise of inflation make them significantly less awesome, the DVC membership will be more attractive once again.

They're your points, do with them what you want. But the DVC is designed to afford members some degree of flexibility. So don't be afraid to flex.

So after reading this, our friends think were mad going to Disney every year, they go for beach holidays for less than the cost of our flights, so still none of your options work for us I still wonder why its worth keeping if as you suggest pay for 2 years, thats 2 years where we will still pay dues as I said its getting to the point where its not worth it to us in the UK.