I know for a fact that VIP fast passes are handed out to visitors in large quantities on any given day, for various reasons that I won't discuss here. I maintain that this would indeed be a small perk for DVC members that wouldn't cause any other visitor any undue harm...so you get into the attraction faster, big deal.
The numbers of these passes given out daily are nothing that I would label "large quantities"...certainly nothing approaching what they would be if you had 2500 DVC villas X up to 9 guests each receiving the added perk.
DVC occasionally uses these special Fast Passes as a touring incentive but even then they are highly controlled. There are limits to how many can be distributed on a given day and DVC must compensate the Parks & Resorts division for every single one that is given out.
As any person in the financial industry will attest to, there's a big difference between receipt of money now versus later. DVC members drop huge amounts of money (10s of thousands) NOW, as compared to the family paying 5k every few years to stay at Poly. DVC money now in large amounts is worth a LOT more to the financials of WDW. Thus there is no comparison to be made there, regarding whether they would feel slighted at all for DVC members getting a fast pass.
Of course there is a comparison to be made. Psychologically you are telling Disney hotel guests that they aren't entitled to as appealing a theme park experience as DVC members receive.
A Poly guest has to come back 5 hours later to use his TSM Fast Pass or wait in a 2-hour standby line. The DVC member--thousands of DVC members--get to ride immediately. The backlash would be unheard of.
DVC revenues pale in comparison to the money Disney earns daily on its 25,000-30,000 cash hotel rooms and suites. The money paid up front is part of the quid pro quo of DVC ownership. We KNOW that we are giving DVC $20,000+, but we do so willingly and with the knowledge that it will allow us to vacation for pennies on the dollar over the next 4-5 decades.
Sorry but I don't see Disney taking any actions which would allow resort hotel guests to be viewed as second class citizens. It's one thing to quietly give away a few hundred FPs daily as touring incentives, Give-A-Day rewards, etc. It's quite another to institutionalize the perk and give out tens-of-thousands of the passes on a recurring basis.
Plus, I doubt that a DVC member getting an instant fast pass would be even visible to the general public attendance at the parks....how would any one of the "locals" even know about this "perK', in order to feel slighted? I think it would be something that would make DVC members feel a little more special about their huge investment, and it would largely not impact any of the other guests or Disney's wallet.
Of course they would know about it. EVERYONE would know about it. We're living in an age where topics like new recordings on TTA and burnt-out light bulbs are the topic of 25-page discussion threads. And you really believe that non-DVC members would simply shrug their shoulders at tens-of-thousands of DVC members getting additional line-cutting privileges?!?!
This move would absolutely impact other guests and thus Disney's wallet, too. Attractions can only accommodate so many guests per day.For every instant FP that is used, the return times on normal FPs gets later. On popular attractions (which is where DVC members would use their special privileges) the daily supply of FPs would be exhausted much quicker and standby lines would only grow as the day went on. To some degree, Disney would inevitably lose business from people who decide that the wait times have become excessive.
Many groups are singled out, such as those living in FL. I can think of one thing that Disney Parks could do for DVC members that I do not think would effect others, give us the same discounts that those living in FL get. This can be justified by all DVC members own property on Walt Disney World and they always say "Welcome Home" when I walk in. So let me buy FL tickets or annual passes, TIW discount passes, etc.
I agree you could make an argument for DVC members gaining access to some of that resident ticket media. However, I think Disney's motivation for offering such passes is what keeps them from doing it.
A big part of the reasoning behind FL resident passes--and the entire motivation for TIW--is to attract restaurant business. It's an inexpensive means to enable residents to dine at Chefs de France or Yak & Yeti rather than their local Applebees. Residents tend to come in small spurts, often times not going on a single attraction.
DVC member usage of such passes would be very different. Saving $100 on an AP is a very attractive benefit--one that we've only had for 5 years now. Honestly as long as that perk remains in effect, I doubt we will see other ticket media offered or discounted.
Extending TIW purchase to DVC members seems like a more realistic move. Don't know that it will ever happen, though.
Quick Question ... how many annual passes can you get at a discount if one persons name is listed on the deed of DVC. For example, the deed is listed in fathers name. Can the mother and 2 children also receive the discount? We are looking into DVC and seriously considering buying in at BLT and I want to make sure I do everything right the first time.
Members can buy up to 8 discounted passes per year. The discounted passes are available to DVC members and any immediate family living in the same household. Photo ID of the member and any adult relation must be provided at the time the pass is obtained in order to be eligible for the discount.
