Exclusive EMH benefits to DVC members and Deluxe hotel guests only. So much for being inclusive, Disney!

[rhonda]

The only thing we can mostly count on, here on earth, is change, hmm? Disney is floating something new ... a little give here, a little take there. The consumer will, over time, vote with their wallet and we'll watch to see how Disney adjusts along the path.

 

[Ty1on]

The only thing we can mostly count on, here on earth, is change, hmm? Disney is floating something new ... a little give here, a little take there. The consumer will, over time, vote with their wallet and we'll watch to see how Disney adjusts along the path.

I think Disney figured out long ago that the consumer is not making rational market decisions when it comes to the parks. And probably to DVC, for that matter. Case in point, the description above of owners not flinching at the significant devaluing of future Riviera resales.

 

[nomoretslt]

Maybe they should just do away with extra perks. I remember how downright nasty things got when DVC members would get shut out of Moonlight Magic events. Limited number of people means a better experience. If people staying at deluxe resorts don’t agree with the extended evening hours for those staying at deluxe resorts, then they should not go. There will be early morning access at ALL parks every morning for ALL on property guests. How much later will the parks be open in the evening? Probably two hours tops. Not really worth getting upset about it. Frankly I was more upset when they started to charge for parking at the resorts. That was just a blatant money grab...doesn’t affect me really as a DVC member...however, I no longer try to grab a cheap room at Pop Century the day before I check in for my DVC stay. I now stay in the area right outside of Disney....room for less than $100, free breakfast and $15 to park.
Getting to stay later in a park for paying more for your accommodations (and paying more to eat at the resort restaurants) is a nice perk. Kind of like paying more for first class on your United Airlines flight. Nice to have the extra perks.
As to the Riviera and resale....there is no problem selling on the resale market. Contracts don’t last long....they are scooped up immediately. I bought direct and am looking to add on resale. Direct is $201 per point. Resale is anywhere between $135 to $160, depending on contract size and points available. It’s not the worst place to “have to stay at”. It is a lovely resort.

 

[Lisa P]

From how I read the article, all on-site guests get early entry ... now to all parks every day. That is an expansion over the the former rotating park-of-the-day.

Not really an expansion. In real practice, the parks have frequently opened earlier than posted opening hours with headliner attractions boarding before the official opening time. Early entry parks were open 60-90 minutes before posted open hours. Saying now that all of the parks will allow onsite guests to enter 30 minutes before day guests will not cost Disney a cent. It simply means that day guests will not be able to enter the parking lots until official opening. Later hours will be the return of an actual benefit for onsite guests... but only for those who stay in Deluxe hotels and DVC Villas. More like Universal Florida's hotels... but with the higher admission costs of the Disney parks.

 

[TravelTime]

I am not sure what the problem is with this. If I am paying extra to stay onsite, I want extra benefits. All companies do this. For example, all the cruise lines give extra perks to people paying for a suite such as early boarding and disembarkation. All companies have a higher tier of customers who pay more and get more.

 

[TravelTime]

IMO, it’s funny that some people think some people are the “less fortunate” who can’t afford Disney. Is Disney some kind of entitlement? I do not think anyone is missing out on anything.

I just took my girls to Disney and it was their first trip. They are 5 and 9. Prime ages for Disney. They were not interested. They preferred to stay at the hotel pool. I wasted so much time and money taking them on a 2 week trip to Orlando only to find out they prefer the pool and the beach over theme parks. I am happy I found this out now because we will not be going ever again. I felt ripped off because I could have spent a lot less money taking them to Hawaii for 2 weeks instead. And I would have enjoyed it so much more.

 

[cbyrne1174]

It's always been that way, but EMH in the evenings were also always a benefit of staying at any DVC resort. Covid changed things.

My only point is that Disney claims to be more inclusive than ever:

Diversity & Inclusion - Disney Social Responsibility

We reimagine tomorrow through stories and storytellers who inspire a more inclusive world.

thewaltdisneycompany.com

What a fricking joke, like 90% of the people staying at a DVC resort are white.

Just ignore the people that don't contribute to making the world a better place. People are just sometimes completely clueless. I had some snobby woman in the hot tub chit chat and ask me what parks we went to at SSR in June when I had my 3 year old niece and 6 year old daughter being super cute together. I said we didn't go because I was local and I was waiting for APs to come back because I wasn't about to pay $70/day for all of us just to go there and she just gave me a weird look like it was nothing and I should have brought them.

The woman just assumed the 3 year old was mine and gave me a snobby "well if you can't afford to do things like that then maybe you shouldn't have children" look. Apparently, I'm part of the "riff raff" those FB people don't want to deal with.

My husbands side of the family are all low income workers (EBT, Medicaid recipients etc). I brought the 3 year old with me because it was something I could do for no additional cost that is something she is going to always have a memory of. I already have 1 niece living with me and I just don't have a bunch of money to spend on 4 kids that aren't mine.

 

[cbyrne1174]

IMO, it’s funny that some people this some people are the “less fortunate” who can’t afford Disney. Is Disney some kind of entitlement? I do not think anyone is missing out on anything.

I just took my girls to Disney and it was their first trip. They are 5 and 9. Prime ages for Disney. They were not interested. They preferred to stay at the hotel pool. I wasted so much time and money taking them on a 2 week trip to Orlando only to find out they prefer the pool and the beach over theme parks. I am happy I found this out now because we will not be going ever again. I felt ripped off because I could have spent a lot less money taking them to Hawaii for 2 weeks instead. And I would have enjoyed it so much more.

Disney could easily add a 5th gate to reduce crowding and have reasonable ticket prices. DisneySEA (in Tokyo) is their highest rated park. They are more about raising prices to price out the majority of America.

 

[Limace]

I am not sure what the problem is with this. If I am paying extra to stay onsite, I want extra benefits. All companies do this. For example, all the cruise lines give extra perks to people paying for a suite such as early boarding and disembarkation. All companies have a higher tier of customers who pay more and get more.

They are removing a perk that all onsite guests used to have-evening extra hours-and giving it to just a few. People get to be unhappy about losing somethjng they valued, especially when hotel room prices and ticket prices sure haven’t dropped to compensate.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[cbyrne1174]

@cbyrne1184 - Until this last post, I was pretty sure that you worked for Wyndham. :-D You bought a Marriott? Was it in Orlando? The Grande Vista? Those are lovely places. Isn't Bonnet Creek a Wyndham? I've heard lovely things about it.

I do understand the frustration. We've stayed on-site at Disney several times both in the timeshares and in the budget/moderate/deluxe resorts. I came close to buying Disney about 20 years ago, but now, I just don't trust them not to change the program so significantly that it will hurt anyone that buys Disney points. SSR is kind of like the budget version of DVC, and it's the one found the most often on the RCI boards. Disney has its charm to stay on-site.

What I'm finding on staying in any vacation destination is the uneven presentation of the accommodation. The room size and amenities of the resort are fine, but the cleanliness and the bed comfort leave a lot to be desired. With the entire world jumping into AirBnB, I've found that the few that I've engaged have been really uneven and dicey on comfort. It's a relief to stay in a chain that has 1) comfortable beds, 2) decent hot water pressure in the bathroom, 3) nice amenities like a good pool. But it seems that it's harder to find. I stayed at a Hilton in Myrtle Beach that was a condo owned by someone and rented through the front desk. I checked in expecting a Hilton with the comfortable beds and shower, and found myself in an aging condo that really needed updates and some plumbing work. I didn't realize it wasn't a corporate owned property.

I'm searching for a timeshare in Myrtle Beach (or just bite the bullet and buy a beach condo) that would work to let me have my comfortable week or so every year without a lot of worry about it or effort to snag it.

I just prefer Wyndham for how easy it is to get a cheap resale contract and how flexible their points system is. I bought Grande Vista. If you want MB, Hilton has the best properties there (Ocean 22 and Ocean Enclave). The MB Marriott only has 2 bedroom units.

 

[TravelTime]

What a fricking joke, like 90% of the people staying at a DVC resort are white.

When we were at Disney and Universal, there was a large percentage of non-whites. I do think Disney customers are diverse. I suspect the representation of non-whites at Disney was pretty high compared to the general population.

At the water parks, it was a majority of non-whites for sure.

 

[presley]

Enjoy The Magic of Staying at a Disney Resort Hotel During Walt Disney World’s 50th Anniversary

We’re just 93 days away from “The World’s Most Magical Celebration” in honor of Walt Disney World Resort’s 50th anniversary, but who’s counting? As we near this special milestone, we are excited to bring you more details on new benefits

disneyparks.disney.go.com

After reading the official announcement that I saw on a different forum website, I don't think this is anything to be upset about.
Just in time for the start of this magical celebration, on Oct. 1, we will be rolling out a new early theme park entry benefit for Disney Resort hotel guests and guests of other select hotels, giving them the first chance to enjoy select attractions at EVERY theme park, EVERY day. These guests will also be among the first each day to see the dazzling decorations and EARidescent excitement. Guests will need a valid ticket or pass and a theme park reservation for the same park on the same date for early theme park entry.

In addition, with the kickoff of the 50th anniversary, guests staying at one of our Disney Deluxe or Deluxe Villa Resort hotels will also be able to enjoy extended evening hours on select nights in select theme parks. Extended evening hours will begin in early October with specific dates and parks to be shared at a later time, so please be sure to check back on DisneyWorld.com for the latest.

Basically, everyone staying at a Disney resort + people staying at other select hotels will have early entrance to every park every day. I think that is a giant new benefit.
Extended evening hours is only for those staying at Deluxe and DVC. I'm used to paying over $100/ticket to stay for extra hours at DL after already spending over $1K on an annual pass. So, it actually sounds cheaper to me to have a family at a Deluxe resort and not have to pay for tickets for each individual person.

 

[tomandrobin]

Ha......just wait until they start charging for the fastpasses.

I don't have an issue with this new policy. Pre-Covid their basically were no benefit for someone to stay at a deluxe resort. Why should someone pay $1000 per night when guests staying over at Allstars get exactly the same for 1/5th the cost? Deluxe Resorts are being creamed and are having a hard time getting people to book rooms. I also feel that this is temporary and is being used as a way to transition to a new pay-to-play fastpass system.

 

[TheHolleys87]

I agree that Disney is trying to fill their deluxe resorts, and I think it’s working. I’ve seen more than one post from people thinking about or in fact switching their reservations from moderate or from Swan/Dolphin to a Disney Deluxe to take advantage of these evening hours. And one other thought, from my dear husband - when we fly, do we resent the people in first class getting on and off the plane first, getting free drinks, having larger seats, more legroom, etc.?

 

[elaine]

It also helps with DVC marketing. PM EMH is actually a "real" benefit for us. We never used an AM EMH in any trip, but do like to stay in the parks until midnight. It should also be much less crowded with only Deluxe/DVC.

 

[rickandcindy23]

They are going to be charging for FP.

 

[tomandrobin]

They are going to be charging for FP.

Yup....Its coming!

 

[elaine]

just announced DL Paris will charge for FP.

 

[rickandcindy23]

Charges for FP will separate those who can afford from those who cannot afford the extra perk.

If you see a family in the park with sandwiches and drinks in a cooler, they are not going to be able to afford FP. Or maybe some families will choose a FP option and then not buy food they would regularly buy. Disney will lose in this move because this is not inclusive at all.

Sure, if it's $10 per day for an add-on, people will pay it, and just about everyone will pay it. But they won't do that, they will charge more like $50 per day (or more) because they cannot have everyone riding in the FP line; otherwise, the line for FP would be the longest.

This seems so obvious to me, but those who can afford it will love it. I can afford it, but I won't do it because I think it's unfair. And I am cheap!

We rode during the pandemic and didn't wait very long for any ride, including the Seven Dwarfs ride. That one was about 30 minutes. No FP was great. I loved it.

 

[elaine]

Charges for FP will separate those who can afford from those who cannot afford the extra perk.

Universal has done this for years with a RIDEMAX type of pass. At peak times, it's over $100/PP/day. With a family of 4-5 people, I said no go to an extra $500/day on top of tickets and we just didn't go for 5 years until kids were in college and could go in Jan vs peak times of Xmas/Easter. WDW got our $$$, with 3 "free" FP. I just told DD that FP/FP+ worked great the past 10 years, and now it looks like it's coming to an end.

 

[rickandcindy23]

We never pay for the Universal Express and just stand in lines. It's been fine. But we go during the slower times of year. I am actually a cheap person. People do not know that about me, but that is who I am. Our son and daughter-in-law can afford the rooms at the Loew's hotels and do get the perks. They add us sometimes. We stayed at the hotel one time and thought it was fine. It was not as nice as a Marriott but the perks were great because two nights allowed us to use Express Yourself (??) for 3 days. But I don't ride much at Universal. I don't love roller coasters.

 

[cbyrne1174]

Charges for FP will separate those who can afford from those who cannot afford the extra perk.

If you see a family in the park with sandwiches and drinks in a cooler, they are not going to be able to afford FP. Or maybe some families will choose a FP option and then not buy food they would regularly buy. Disney will lose in this move because this is not inclusive at all.

Sure, if it's $10 per day for an add-on, people will pay it, and just about everyone will pay it. But they won't do that, they will charge more like $50 per day (or more) because they cannot have everyone riding in the FP line; otherwise, the line for FP would be the longest.

This seems so obvious to me, but those who can afford it will love it. I can afford it, but I won't do it because I think it's unfair. And I am cheap!

We rode during the pandemic and didn't wait very long for any ride, including the Seven Dwarfs ride. That one was about 30 minutes. No FP was great. I loved it.

I think most people can 'afford' it, they just don't find it worth the cost. Personally, I can 'afford' DVC, I just don't think it's worth the money compared to Marriott and Wyndham. I personally like Wyndham the most (for value), then Marriott (for quality), then DVC (for theming). I just find value and quality more important than theming. Disney lost me as a customer with these changes to the queues. I'm getting Universal passes as soon as my 6 yo is vaccinated.

 

[TravelTime]

Universal has done this for years with a RIDEMAX type of pass. At peak times, it's over $100/PP/day. With a family of 4-5 people, I said no go to an extra $500/day on top of tickets and we just didn't go for 5 years until kids were in college and could go in Jan vs peak times of Xmas/Easter. WDW got our $$$, with 3 "free" FP. I just told DD that FP/FP+ worked great the past 10 years, and now it looks like it's coming to an end.

At Universal last month when we were there, their equivalent of a FastPass was almost $300 per day per person. And their “fast” line still had a wait on many of the most popular rides. Just not as long as their slow line.

 

[TravelTime]

I think most people can 'afford' it, they just don't find it worth the cost. Personally, I can 'afford' DVC, I just don't think it's worth the money compared to Marriott and Wyndham. I personally like Wyndham the most (for value), then Marriott (for quality), then DVC (for theming). I just find value and quality more important than theming. Disney lost me as a customer with these changes to the queues. I'm getting Universal passes as soon as my 6 yo is vaccinated.

Just curious why Disney lost you with charging for the FastPass but you are going to Universal where they were charging almost $300 per person per day for their equivalent of the FastPass? I suspect Disney is seeing how much money Universal is getting for a fast pass and they are just following the competition on this one.

 

[cbyrne1174]

Just curious why Disney lost you with charging for the FastPass but you are going to Universal where they were charging almost $300 per person per day for their equivalent of the FastPass? I suspect Disney is seeing how much money Universal is getting for a fast pass and they are just following the competition on this one.

Because they are paving the pathway to keep regulating park capacity and virtual queuing where you have to wait to even get into the regular queue in order to try to get people to spend more. There was a video on it on Youtube.

They need to build another park to reduce park capacity, not increase the prices to the point that most Americans can't even afford it.