PS & DVC

[ArielBelle]

Asked this question in the DVC forum..but no one seems to know the answer..

I called yesterday to make my PS for Sci Fi and was asked if I am a DVC member or utilizing the dining plan. Yes, I am a DVC member..but what significance does that place on my PS? Sorry if this answer is obvious..

Thanks..

 

[ConstanceIrene]

I don't see any discounts mentioned on the DVC Member website. Perhaps they meant to ask if you were using the Disney Dining Experience card?

 

[ArielBelle]

She actually asked me about both, her exact question was, "Are you a Disney Vacation Club Member or will you be joining us with a dining plan?"

I should have asked her then, but didn't think of it being odd until I hung up! I've never been asked that making PS before..

 

[ConstanceIrene]

Oh well, you could always call back if you're curious. Have a wonderful trip and, if you don't have the dining experience card, you should look into getting one.

 

[mousermerf]

None - they're just required to ask if you're on the dining plan, and if you're at a DVC resort, you're probably a DVC member so you can't get the plan. Most ask "Are you a DVC member?" and avoid the whole dining plan question alltogether - at the disgust of Disney.

Asking serves minimal purpose. Yes, Disney can get a pretty printout of all the people booking with dining plans. With prepaid events, a dining plan scores you a credit card guarantee instead - so its mildly helpful for that.

Otherwise, Disney sees it as a selling point in 2 ways. If you have a dining plan, you need to make all your table service ressies. Disney says so. (It's really not a bad idea - better than losing out because they're sold out, which happens more frequently now)

2nd, if you don't have the dining plan, why not? If you're DVC - the answer is you can't have it. If you're off property - Why are you off property? Haven't you heard how wonderful Disney Resorts are...?

See? The mind of a marketing machine. So, in short, they're required to ask you. It has nothing to do with availability and the ressie is marked as a reference as a courtesy to the restaurant though you're under no obligation to use the dining plan as payment.

I do think it helped the World Showcase restaurants come around to accept the plan (which they originally didn't) because the numbers showed they were losing ressies.

Anyways, just a number to crunch. Disney's all about data.

 

[mousermerf]

PS: DVC members do get discounts on some tours.

So, the logic.

You are staying at some DVC resort - you may either be DVC, a dine plan user, or none of the above (hence the question). If you're dine plan non-DVC, you'll be asked about booking more dining for your plan.

If you answer DVC, hey - have you considered a theme park tour with your discount? (Only some of the folks who can do dining can do tours)

If none of the above - hey, are you going to MNSHHP or the Food and Wine festival special events?

Ahh... the smell of sales technique in the morning.. *sniffs*

 

[ArielBelle]

Got ya..thank you very much!! I knew one of you bright people would key me in.

 

[ConstanceIrene]

Mousemerf,


Thanks from me, too. I learned something, which is why I came to this board in the first place.

 

[wild01ride]

I think the original question was about PS (actually, "AR's") and not necessarily making vacation plans. I can see that in the case of vacation plans they may ask you about taking a tour, yada, yada, as a selling point.

But, on the topic of AR's, from my experience, they have asked me to verify for the sake of your trip reservation #. Since DVC uses a completely different set of reservation #'s, they're not something that CRT or WDW-DINE uses or can look up (as I learned when I tried to inquire about "length of stay passes" coinciding with a DVC reservation in the past).
Basically, the most recent time making AR's, I was asked about my ressie being a DVC ressie due to the fact that I was making my 90+10 AR's (which I would not have been able to make without a resort reservation #).
So , I think the simple jist of it is that they are trying to verify where your reservation was booked for 90+10 AR booking.

 

[STITCHRULES]

Hi- I too am a DVC member- Here is the situation as I found it last trip (August, 2005). DVC members do get a discount at some restaurants and shops- just for being a DVC member (no additional meal plans, etc.) Then you have the DDE which is purchased which gives you more of a discount at more restaurants. Then of course if you are not a DVC member or are staying in a different resort you can get the meal plan as part of your entire trips booking. They probably wanted to know if you were using your DVC discount or if you had any other discounts.

 

[shoppingnut]

They also ask because if you select a restaurant that requires the use of two sit down meals on the dining plan, they need to advise you of that at the time of booking.