DISNEY WORLD GUTS GUEST BENEFITS AT ITS HOTELS

[MULTIZ321]

DISNEY WORLD GUTS GUEST BENEFITS AT ITS
HOTELS.

Disney World Guts Guest Benefits at Its Hotels: Why Would You Stay Now? | Frommer's

Walt Disney World has removed nearly all of the perks that go with staying at an onsite hotel. So why would you? | Frommer's

www.frommers.com

.


Richard

 

[elaine]

We still love being in the WDW bubble and love the WDW-DVC resorts. But, it does give us pause. No advance FP and no EHM might tip the balance for us. We're trying Bonnet Creek this summer to use up our stockpile of RCI points. If it's OK, that'll likely be our place for future trips. Plus, the cost of entry is getting ridiculous! I don't see how an average family affords it. I recall 10 years ago that my boss said her weeklong trip to WDW with 2 kids and the Poly cost more than her 2 weeks honeymoon to Hawaii staying at a Hyatt. Now maybe the comparison is approaching a trip to Europe?

 

[PearlCity]

Wow that is disappointing. Thats a lot being taken away at once.

Sent from my SM-G973U1 using Tapatalk

 

[bendadin]

At least Disneyworld isn't sunsetting the Annual Pass program like Disneyland.

 

[pedro47]

Does these changes include Disney timeshare owners?

 

[bogey21]

At least Disneyworld isn't sunsetting the Annual Pass program like Disneyland.

Is that for certain or have they just not gotten around to it yet...

George

 

[bbodb1]

Somewhere, Walt frowns.

 

[Dean]

DISNEY WORLD GUTS GUEST BENEFITS AT ITS
HOTELS.

Disney World Guts Guest Benefits at Its Hotels: Why Would You Stay Now? | Frommer's

Walt Disney World has removed nearly all of the perks that go with staying at an onsite hotel. So why would you? | Frommer's

www.frommers.com

.


Richard

I read the list and I'm not the impressed that a lot is being taken away other than ME. No free bands but cheap bands if ordered ahead of time and can use the phone and/or free cards instead of the bands. Much of the rest is just a combination or normal evolution and Covid realities. I'd say if it bothers someone that much just don't go.

 

[TravelTime]

The biggest negative to me is no Fast Passes but that is Covid related and hopefully will return in the future.

 

[cbyrne1174]

Disney has slowly turned me off to buying into DVC. First with the restrictions and annual dues hike. It just seems like over time they just devalue their product more and more. I originally wanted to just get a small ownership for short Orlando stay (I live an hour away) and whenever I wanted to visit Hawaii. Now I'm really starting to see that I'm much better off just owning Marriott DC trust points for short stays since it's also a point based system that doesn't charge reservation and housekeeping fees and is a much better value.

I can honestly say as a local, you're not missing much just renting a car and just staying at another deluxe vacation club property (Bonnet Creek, Lakeshore Reserve, Grande Vista, Reunion). You can just make dining reservations at the deluxe Disney resorts to get your theming fix. That's what I always did. When I was in my 20s, I would eat dinner at the Grand Floridian Cafe for about $50, then walk over to the beach at the Poly in time for the fireworks, then go home. I also liked to eat at Sanaa for the same price and make sure I got to the resort an hour and a half early to walk around and see the animals, then after dinner we would sit by the fire while our stomachs settled, then go home. I never actually wasted the money to stay at the lodge. The dinner, animal show and firepit was enough for me. The only amenities you don't have access to as a dining guest is the pool area.

 

[cbyrne1174]

We still love being in the WDW bubble and love the WDW-DVC resorts. But, it does give us pause. No advance FP and no EHM might tip the balance for us. We're trying Bonnet Creek this summer to use up our stockpile of RCI points. If it's OK, that'll likely be our place for future trips. Plus, the cost of entry is getting ridiculous! I don't see how an average family affords it. I recall 10 years ago that my said her weeklong trip to WDW with 2 kids and the Poly cost more than her 2 weeks honeymoon to Hawaii staying at a Hyatt. Now maybe the comparison is approaching a trip to Europe?

They don't. Only the upper middle class can afford it at this point.

 

[elaine]

It's still a good deal for offsite TS, eating breakfast/most dinners in room. Then the big cost is just tickets. Not much of a vacation for the one playing taxi service--as DH found out when our teens each took a friend and we stayed offsite in a 3 BR. That's why we're trying BC-as close as we can get to WDW. A 2 BR sleeping 8 is all in $900 annual fees/RCI for the week.

 

[CPNY]

We still love being in the WDW bubble and love the WDW-DVC resorts. But, it does give us pause. No advance FP and no EHM might tip the balance for us. We're trying Bonnet Creek this summer to use up our stockpile of RCI points. If it's OK, that'll likely be our place for future trips. Plus, the cost of entry is getting ridiculous! I don't see how an average family affords it. I recall 10 years ago that my boss said her weeklong trip to WDW with 2 kids and the Poly cost more than her 2 weeks honeymoon to Hawaii staying at a Hyatt. Now maybe the comparison is approaching a trip to Europe?

I’ve done trips to Europe for less than WDW lol

 

[CPNY]

The magic band is antiquated technology at this point. They can pull much more data using smart phone and smart device apps. Once an app for the Apple Watch can do everything the magic band can, Who would want a MB? No smart watch? Use your smart phone. No smart phone? Break out your credit card

 

[bbodb1]

Disney has slowly turned me off to buying into DVC. First with the restrictions and annual dues hike. It just seems like over time they just devalue their product more and more. I originally wanted to just get a small ownership for short Orlando stay (I live an hour away) and whenever I wanted to visit Hawaii. Now I'm really starting to see that I'm much better off just owning Marriott DC trust points for short stays since it's also a point based system that doesn't charge reservation and housekeeping fees and is a much better value.

I can honestly say as a local, you're not missing much just renting a car and just staying at another deluxe vacation club property (Bonnet Creek, Lakeshore Reserve, Grande Vista, Reunion). You can just make dining reservations at the deluxe Disney resorts to get your theming fix. That's what I always did. When I was in my 20s, I would eat dinner at the Grand Floridian Cafe for about $50, then walk over to the beach at the Poly in time for the fireworks, then go home. I also liked to eat at Sanaa for the same price and make sure I got to the resort an hour and a half early to walk around and see the animals, then after dinner we would sit by the fire while our stomachs settled, then go home. I never actually wasted the money to stay at the lodge. The dinner, animal show and firepit was enough for me. The only amenities you don't have access to as a dining guest is the pool area.

This. So many decisions over the years have made what once was a magical place into a money sucking exercise that lost its soul and deviated from what it should be.

 

[farinc]

Time share companies can change the rules at any time to benefit themselves and with zero deference to the owners. Who would buy anything with that type of contractual agreement; it’s an open checkbook for the TS companies to take advantage of its owner base and they’ve been doing it ever since TS were invented.

 

[NOLA47]

A family trip to Disney world is how I convinced my husband to buy our hilton grand vacations timeshare. While the kids still call the vacation epic staying on the grounds and the meal plan, there was no way we could repeat that as our family grew. My husband looked at that cost to justify our buying a timeshare to continue vacationing with the family. Since then, we stay at the nice HGV resorts. Some of the kids have gone with their family and have a hard time getting the kids to leave the resort to take advantage of the passes they purchased ahead of time.

 

[TravelTime]

It's still a good deal for offsite TS, eating breakfast/most dinners in room. Then the big cost is just tickets. Not much of a vacation for the one playing taxi service--as DH found out when our teens each took a friend and we stayed offsite in a 3 BR. That's why we're trying BC-as close as we can get to WDW. A 2 BR sleeping 8 is all in $900 annual fees/RCI for the week.

Is BC like staying onsite? What features do they have that are similar to a DVC? Also can you get a 1-2 BR with kitchen at BC?

 

[cbyrne1174]

Is BC like staying onsite? What features do they have that are similar to a DVC? Also can you get a 1-2 BR with kitchen at BC?

You don't get on site benefits and need a car. I compare BC to staying at OKW and SSR. BC is actually closer to the parks than OKW and SSR. The presidential BC units are a small step below Riviera and Grand Floridian in quality, but also 1/3 of the price if you own Wyndham resale at a low MF resort like Grand Desert. Every unit in BC is equal in quality to Marriotts with the exception that the appliances are black, not stainless steal. Everything at BC is built in a circular path so the 2 lazy rivers, 5 pools, 9 hot tubs, 2 arcades, 2 restaurants, 3 pool bars, mini-golf are all less than a 5 min walk from the room.

 

[elaine]

BC is on a piece of land that WDW did not buy. The location is essentially "onsite," but without WDW-DVC benefits. They have a frequent shuttle that costs $5-8 RT. Uber/taxi to DHS or EP is under $15. You'd need a car to access food outside of Disney Springs (via shuttle) or BC, but really no different than needing a car for WDW-DVC to go off-property--and ME is ending in 2022.
BC 2BR are an easy RCI trade 6 months out, as Wyndham bulk deposits weeks. The 2nd BR has 2 dbls, which works well for us. The downside would be no advance FP, assuming WDW starts that again. Hoping we like it-not willing to pay for a 2BR DVC, even using DVC points. My SIL loved BC, esp. the pools.
We've stayed at HGVC and Marriotts. Love the space and nice units, but hate the "Commute" to WDW. Off-site works fine for all day park people, but we have late sleepers, some want to go back earlier, etc. and DH winds up being a taxi driver. It's a solid 40+ minutes RT for drop off/pick up. And none have a shuttle, or if they do, it's not nearly as frequent as BC.

 

[kckaren21]

You can just make dining reservations at the deluxe Disney resorts to get your theming fix. That's what I always did. When I was in my 20s, I would eat dinner at the Grand Floridian Cafe for about $50, then walk over to the beach at the Poly in time for the fireworks, then go home. I also liked to eat at Sanaa for the same price and make sure I got to the resort an hour and a half early to walk around and see the animals, then after dinner we would sit by the fire while our stomachs settled, then go home. I never actually wasted the money to stay at the lodge. The dinner, animal show and firepit was enough for me. The only amenities you don't have access to as a dining guest is the pool area.

You don't get on site benefits and need a car. I compare BC to staying at OKW and SSR. BC is actually closer to the parks than OKW and SSR. The presidential BC units are a small step below Riviera and Grand Floridian in quality, but also 1/3 of the price if you own Wyndham resale at a low MF resort like Grand Desert. Every unit in BC is equal in quality to Marriotts with the exception that the appliances are black, not stainless steal. Everything at BC is built in a circular path so the 2 lazy rivers, 5 pools, 9 hot tubs, 2 arcades, 2 restaurants, 3 pool bars, mini-golf are all less than a 5 min walk from the room.

Thank you for these great ideas for our next trip to WDW!

 

[bogey21]

So many decisions over the years have made what once was a magical place into a money sucking exercise that lost its soul and deviated from what it should be.

This is not unique to DVC. All the big boys slowly devalue their programs one item at a time. I saw this coming many years ago and sold my 4 Marriott Weeks for over $80,000. I don't know what they would bring today but I guarantee it is not $80,000...

George

 

[elaine]

we sold our larger DVC contract during Covid. With ticket pricing skyrocketing, if they don't bring back DVC annual passes, I told the "kids," now almost 20, that WDW days might be about over.

 

[Lisa P]

The location is essentially "onsite," but without WDW-DVC benefits.

It feels a bit like onsite because you pass beneath the purple Walt Disney World banner when driving to the resort.

You'd need a car to access food outside of Disney Springs (via shuttle) or BC.

I strongly encourage having a car at BC. Note that the lobby gift shop does carry convenience foods, much like DVC resort gift shops. Grocery food delivery is an option for stocking your kitchen. There are the poolside bar/grills and pizza onsite. You may walk to the upscale restaurants in the Wyndham Grand Orlando Resort Bonnet Creek (hotel on shared grounds with the timeshare resort), or across the large parking lots to the Hilton Bonnet Creek (hotel) and the Waldorf Astoria Orlando (hotel & golf resort). Plenty of upscale restaurant options in BC.

My SIL loved BC, esp. the pools.... We've stayed at HGVC and Marriotts. Love the space and nice units, but hate the "Commute" to WDW.

The landscaping, evening lighting & pools are definitely on a par with SSR, IMO, very pretty. We love walking around the lake, stopping to swing on the shady park swings overlooking the lake in the evenings. So far, CWBC has not implemented a resort fee or a parking fee. Having a car for a quick drive to the parks is even nicer. Hope you enjoy it, Elaine - look forward to your impressions afterward.

 

[TravelTime]

BC is on a piece of land that WDW did not buy. The location is essentially "onsite," but without WDW-DVC benefits. They have a frequent shuttle that costs $5-8 RT. Uber/taxi to DHS or EP is under $15. You'd need a car to access food outside of Disney Springs (via shuttle) or BC, but really no different than needing a car for WDW-DVC to go off-property--and ME is ending in 2022.
BC 2BR are an easy RCI trade 6 months out, as Wyndham bulk deposits weeks. The 2nd BR has 2 dbls, which works well for us. The downside would be no advance FP, assuming WDW starts that again. Hoping we like it-not willing to pay for a 2BR DVC, even using DVC points. My SIL loved BC, esp. the pools.
We've stayed at HGVC and Marriotts. Love the space and nice units, but hate the "Commute" to WDW. Off-site works fine for all day park people, but we have late sleepers, some want to go back earlier, etc. and DH winds up being a taxi driver. It's a solid 40+ minutes RT for drop off/pick up. And none have a shuttle, or if they do, it's not nearly as frequent as BC.

We have Grande Vista 3 BR reserved for the summer. I wonder if we should switch to Imperial Palms 3 BR to be closer to WDW. I chose MGV because I heard it’s nicer and the 3 BR is a little bigger, not that it matters with just me, DH and daughter. But we all like lots of space. I am concerned about going to WDW without the FP system. I can’t tolerate waiting in long lines. We are currently scheduled for early June. Do you think the lines will be long? We passed on Easter break because of Covid and also I have a 2 BR at the Ritz Carlton Lake Tahoe booked for a week. That is hard to get esp the 2BR and for a week.