RUMOR: Disney Vacation Club Considering Paid Member Perks Program

[nuhusky123]

I do have a name suggestion for the potential tiers

base tier = bobs ripping you off
middle tier = bobs a greedy git
top tier = bobs robbing you blind

 

[EM Lawrence]

Disney seems to be going out of their way to annoy me over the past two years. My cup of Kool Aid taste like it has gone bad. I just bought a highest tier Universal AP and I'm looking forward to using it.

 

[RoseGold]

Why wouldn’t the room upgrades work in a similar fashion to Marriott. I’m a Marriott titanium and when the hotel has a higher room category available for my dates I get an upgrade

There is no upgrade. DVC is at total capacity, and the rooms they do have they use for maintenance issues. I guess you might get an SSR 1BR.

 

[CraigInPA]

Am I the only one who sees this as "Twitter Click Bait"?

The whole idea of room "upgrades" is ludicrous, since DVC would have to use their own points to pay for the upgrade. And, the "priority park access" requires Disney Parks to cooperate. Additional lounges? They can barely staff the Epcot one, and Top of the World Lounge is still closed. And $100? How would this work on $100 per member?

 

[Suzabella]

As someone previously said, we didn't buy DVC for the perks and honestly? We really don't use them that often. Would we pay $100 for something we used to get at no cost? (Not counting the initial purchase of points)

No. Disney has reached the line in the sand. As it is we're on the fence about selling our contracts. Much more of this will push us over the edge.

 

[mlayton14]

Am I the only one who sees this as "Twitter Click Bait"?

The whole idea of room "upgrades" is ludicrous, since DVC would have to use their own points to pay for the upgrade. And, the "priority park access" requires Disney Parks to cooperate. Additional lounges? They can barely staff the Epcot one, and Top of the World Lounge is still closed. And $100? How would this work on $100 per member?

Could it be that those premium members or whatever you would call them could reserve particular rooms within a category? Like a garden view next to a fountain instead of the dumpster view or ground floor next to an access door? Just imagining what is possible

 

[Sandisw]

Why wouldn’t the room upgrades work in a similar fashion to Marriott. I’m a Marriott titanium and when the hotel has a higher room category available for my dates I get an upgrade

take the gfv villas. I book a resort standard and at time of check in if a lake or theme park view is available I get pixie dusted and get my upgrade

hotels usually are not at 100% occupancy so upgrades are sometimes available

in terms of who gets an upgrade that usually gets computed in based on status and other factors such as check in time, money spent in the hotel and of course an exact match on dates and capacity

bottom line this is a loyalty program that you pay to get into.

if dvc introduces a loyalty program I’d assume it naturally be based on points purchased direct. Sorry no resale folks here, you will be second class citizens

if not points based and rather pay to play as rumored I’ll wager dvc will introduce tiers with higher tiers costing more per annum than the one below but with upgraded benefits as you move up. For upgrades like any hotel the higher the tier the higher the priority for upgrades

im taking the rumor with a pinch of salt but if it’s real no way it’s just a flat $100 and one tier.

my prediction $100 for bottom tier (assuming this price point is legit) and then it goes up in cost with at least 3 tiers of status

pluto - $100
donald - $250
mickey - $500

I do think if there is any validity to this loyalty program, resale people will be excluded and it’s sold as a perk of direct

pasted below is the DL loyalty program. Note the prices which does lead me to believe $100 isn’t starting price for Pluto. I would expect wdw specific benefits best suited for dvc members

View attachment 677882

Timeshares for upgrades are different and thus cant simply take inventory in the same way a hotel does.

But, DVD owns points and so in that way, they can do what you suggest using points they own to cover the difference. I would suspect any level of this type of perk would have them basically doing it that way.

The big thing is that they cant take rooms out of booking without securing them with their own points first…it’s why I think using breakage would be difficult.

 

[Chuck S]

Could it be that those premium members or whatever you would call them could reserve particular rooms within a category? Like a garden view next to a fountain instead of the dumpster view or ground floor next to an access door? Just imagining what is possible

I don't think that would work with DVC operating at 96%+ capacity, and then consider if a large percentage of "premium members" wanted the same room. It isn't like a cruise that fills and empties everyone at the same time, and rooms are assigned at time of booking (except ADA Rooms)

 

[mlayton14]

I don't think that would work with DVC operating at 96%+ capacity, and then consider if a large percentage of "premium members" wanted the same room. It isn't like a cruise that fills and empties everyone at the same time, and rooms are assigned at time of booking (except ADA Rooms)

It would be based on availability, if the room you want is already reserved you obviously can’t book it , but you can take the best of what is still available. Don’t get me wrong , I don’t like this but it sure seems possible.

 

[Sandisw]

If the benefits were guaranteed to be available, like be SURE can we buy APs, add member lounges at all parks, etc. But don't offer things, then "suspend them" like the APs.

The more I think about it, since the rumor is it would be a new program…why it’s need a new name,,,is that maybe membership extras still exists for free, for blue card members, but removes items like APs.

It is just the meal and shopping discounts plus trades. If someone wants access to ticket discounts or better discounts, similar to like a TIW…then you can upgrade to this for a price.

 

[Sandisw]

It would be based on availability, if the room you want is already reserved you obviously can’t book it , but you can take the best of what is still available. Don’t get me wrong , I don’t like this but it sure seems possible.

The problem would be is that room assignments are not easy and trying to now meet something like that would be tough. Once people are paying for a service, there has to be a high level of success.

I wonder if these ideas and price came from the survey that was done and not that they will actual make it into any enhanced product,

 

[Disneytrippin']

Me thinks Disney doesn't understand the meaning of "Perks."

 

[TexasChick123]

The more I think about it, since the rumor is it would be a new program…why it’s need a new name,,,is that maybe membership extras still exists for free, for blue card members, but removes items like APs.

It is just the meal and shopping discounts plus trades. If someone wants access to ticket discounts or better discounts, similar to like a TIW…then you can upgrade to this for a price.

I actually had a dream that TiW was back but only a 12% discount.

If there is a new “upgraded” level for DVC, then I doubt it’ll cost $100. What I have ALWAYS thought they should do is allow resale members to pay a fee to get the direct benefits. It’ll be a lot more than $100 though.

 

[AdamsMum]

my prediction $100 for bottom tier (assuming this price point is legit) and then it goes up in cost with at least 3 tiers of status

pluto - $100
donald - $250
mickey - $500

Gosh, I wish you all would stop making suggestions to them!

I don't see $100 covering anywhere near the proposed benefits in the DVCfan post, and room upgrades? Really? I've never even had a "request" fulfilled. I think they are testing the waters, all in the name of making DVC more exclusive and aimed at higher spending guests. Better get my thinking cap on about my future with DVC. It would break my heart to give up staying at Boardwalk Villas.

 

[RoseGold]

Could it be that those premium members or whatever you would call them could reserve particular rooms within a category? Like a garden view next to a fountain instead of the dumpster view or ground floor next to an access door? Just imagining what is possible

This is in the documents. All home resort owners have to have first come - first served availability, except the fixed weeks.

They could monkey around with the APs that don't exist and the handful of perks left. Moonlight Magic! Only $100! There is some precedent for this. There used to be a few paid events like drawing classes and tours and such.

 

[TexasChick123]

I have only owned since 2016, but all this nickel and diming members for everything that used to be free and decreasing the perks nonetheless is really wearing me out. I can’t imagine how those of you feel who’ve owned for longer than me.

 

[PalmettoPath]

I'm not upset with DVC phone answering at the moment.

DH called MS about 2:00 today, and it went right through.

Maybe the maxim currently is "Call on major national holidays"?

Same here. It has been much faster recently at all times of day that I've called (less than 10 mins max).

 

[PalmettoPath]

Definitely need more details. Doesn’t sound that exclusive at $100…all dvc members will pay that

Agreed. They under-priced Genie+ by a longshot. So if you're going to make something exclusive, it needs to be priced accordingly to avoid breaching critical mass.

 

[nlenguyen]

I think that members should already have been given some of these perks, but if it only was $100 a year, I would do it. My family only visits once a year or once every two years. If I were going more frequently I would be getting a lot more out of those perks and they would lose money, but they might be able to see how many trips every membership is doing.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I do have a name suggestion for the potential tiers

base tier = bobs ripping you off
middle tier = bobs a greedy git
top tier = bobs robbing you blind

At base tier, they give you one roll of two-ply TP at check-in.

At middle, they give you two.

Top tier is one roll per person in the unit!