Before I start this article, let me just say I love my Disney Vacation Club (DVC) membership! It has provided me with so many memories and the promise of many more to come, but every time I am planning and/or on a trip, I always think about what I wish DVC would do for me as a member. Here are the 3 things I wish DVC would do for DVC Members.
1) A Discount on the Dining Plan
Yes, many Disney restaurants give a discount on meals for DVC members, but my family prefers to use the Disney Dining Plan. If we are paying for a meal, we tend to limit what we order. When we are on the dining plan, we order what we want, and let’s face it, dining has become a huge part of the Disney experience. Yes, I realize it might actually be cheaper to pay outright, but it’s just what we prefer.
So why can’t I get a discount on the dining plan? People who pay cash for a room can qualify for reduced dining, and I won’t even get into the free dining because I know that’s not always the best deal, but as Julia Roberts once said in Pretty Woman “I appreciate this whole seduction thing you’ve got going on here, but let me give you a tip: I’m a sure thing.” I’m a sure thing, Disney! You’ve got me! My family comes at least twice a year. We spend at least $500 a trip on food, souvenirs, and other things in the parks. That’s just spending money, that doesn’t include what we pay in membership and maintenance fees, annual passes, and the dining plan. You’re getting your money from me. Throwing me a bone and giving me a DVC member discount on the dining plan is not going to hurt your bottom line.
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2) An Extra FastPass+
Now there may be logistical issues with this that I can’t understand, but I don’t think this would be that big of a deal. Even now, when you tour DVC they can add three instant FastPasses to your MagicBands. These do have limitations. For example, you can’t use it for Mine Train, Toy Story Mania, Soarin’, Peter Pan, and character meets to name a few.
So what would it hurt to give DVC members one extra per day? One instant one-per-day would be amazing, but I would even take one that I could schedule at 60 days out! Even if I had to wait until 30 days out to book the last one, that would be cool. This would just let me feel like I’m getting even more out of my Disney trips. I also feel like it would let me be more flexible with my trip. Especially with a little one. It never fails that she falls asleep when we have a FastPass scheduled. If we had one extra, I just feel like I could get more out of my day. It would be a nice extra for DVC members.
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3) Park Perks
I would like to see more perks for DVC members in the parks. I LOVE the DVC member lounge at Epcot. Yes, there are no bathrooms, but when we need a little down time in the AC, this is a great option. We can get off our feet, grab a drink, and charge our phones. As of right now, this lounge was for the 25th anniversary celebration for DVC and is not guaranteed to stick around. I would love to see it stay and see similar lounges in the other 3 parks. It’s just nice to have that option.
There are numerous member events that happen on property, but they always seem to be in months that I am unable to travel to Disney. The one I really want to do is “Moonlight Magic.” These are after-hours parties in the theme parks and water parks that give you an additional 3 hours after park close. I would love to see one of these events once a month throughout the year. That way we, and I’m sure other members, would have a chance to catch one. This one is probably my most costly request, but aren’t I worth it?
I don’t feel that any of these requests take away from other guests who are non-DVC, which I would never want to do. As I said before, I am very happy with my DVC membership, but I do wish they would give me a few more perks. These are just a few suggestions.