Evening Magic Hours for Deluxe Guests Only

[jo-jo]

But this also falls in line with the dialed back versions of *free* dining for value resorts. Disney took away the DDP from value resorts and offered a QSDP instead. It made moderate resorts more attractive to a lot of people...just like it was designed to do.

I was thinking the same thing. Remember before that change, the stories of DVC people booking a value and not even stay there, but just to get the credits . I remember one story of of two parents, and two kids that were about 12 and 15. Disney kids when it came to resort but disney adults when it came to dining.

 

[sandrews0608]

Especially if you're going to announce something like this in today's climate... where it seems people are hyper-sensitive to "have/have not" topics. I think one of the best things about Disney is feeling like you get to escape from some of that reality for a bit. It's not like people don't know that more $ affords you more opportunities in life. I just think things like these (and classifying hotels as "value, moderate, deluxe" to begin with) takes away from that ability to escape. To take a break from feeling compared and ranked and just enjoy the magic. So while I get it from Disney's perspective, I also understand why people are not psyched about it.

Haven't the hotels always been broken out as value, moderate and deluxe?
I truthfully think that unless Disney reinstated everything that existed pre-Covid people are going to be unhappy!
I am guessing that the news on fast passes will be coming out soon and will also be tiered in some way that will further make people unhappy.

 

[MICKIMINI]

Are we sure that the good neighbor hotels will be included with 1/2 early in the am? It seems like they should not be included.

For the evening hours does it include all DVC? Including OKW and Saratoga? I guess I thought of them more as Moderate DVC, but I am really not sure how Disney designates them.

All DVC are considered equal as far as deluxe. DVC is real estate. People choose which resort(s) they want to purchase but with the L14 are able to stay at any other resort within 7 months, so you can own SSR and stay at Poly or vise versa!

 

[sandrews0608]

All DVC are considered equal as far as deluxe. DVC is real estate. People choose which resort(s) they want to purchase but with the L14 are able to stay at any other resort within 7 months, so you can own SSR and stay at Poly or vise versa!

I only ask as I have rented DVC points to stay at Saratoga and it was very reasonably priced. You can rent cheaper than some of the moderate resorts and cheaper than the more expensive value rooms. Of course there is a bit of a risk in renting points, but it is at least an option. As long as the benefits aren't for owners only.

 

[Ashnicole919]

Keep in mind that offering an evening hour on certain nights for Deluxe guests doesn not preclude other offerings for other guests. It could just be the start.

That made me literally LOL. Thanks for that.
I replied to the wrong post it was meant for the hurry back one.

 

[a1tinkfans]

It is…but for years now, Universal has only given their version of fast passes for free to their deluxe guests.

Apples to oranges. Disney says ALL are given magical experiences blah blah, except now they figure no mod or value guests are worth the same. REEKS of elitism..
it won’t truly affect us but I have to say… I don’t like it At All. DISNEY, Do Better!

 

[MICKIMINI]

I only ask as I have rented DVC points to stay at Saratoga and it was very reasonably priced. You can rent cheaper than some of the moderate resorts and cheaper than the more expensive value rooms. Of course there is a bit of a risk in renting points, but it is at least an option. As long as the benefits are for owners only.

Right, different DVC resorts have different price charts. OKW was the original (we bought in 1996) and the point chart is excellent price wise compared to some other DVC resorts. Benefits get wonky now with many changes, but the most important - no additional taxes and free parking is for owners and their guests.

 

[mom2rtk]

I don't care how it sounds. Use different words then but with this announcement Chapek has decided there is different tiers of guests. That sound better for you.

Either way the way Chapek's Disney is going in the wrong direction. It says a lot when you see Disney loyalists heading to Universal for a first time.

Just got back from doing just that. Doing the same in January again.

 

[MJJME]

Why would you ever stay in a moderate or value now vs offsite? Lost Magical Express, lost free magic bands, lost free resort parking, lost extra magic hours, cannot go to late night hours and once the new FP system comes out, lost advanced FP bookings and most hotels don't have transportation advantage because they only have unreliable bus service that they share with other resorts (next up large price increase to any value/moderate on skyliner)........What is the incentive to book a Disney value or moderate? I cannot find one thing......................Oh wait, 30 minutes in the morning so now i can get up at 6am

 

[rangerxenos]

Why would you ever stay in a moderate or value now vs offsite? Lost Magical Express, lost free magic bands, lost free resort parking, lost extra magic hours, cannot go to late night hours and once the new FP system comes out, lost advanced FP bookings and most hotels don't have transportation advantage because they only have unreliable bus service that they share with other resorts (next up large price increase to any value/moderate on skyliner)........What is the incentive to book a Disney value or moderate? I cannot find one thing

Honestly, for what they're charging for a Deluxe, there aren't enough incentives to justify the cost. I had booked a reservation for my next trip at the Swan, first time offsite in a long time; then AKL announced they will be opening up, so I did switch, but only because I love AKL and figured that this will most likely be my last time staying onsite unless I can find a nice discount.

AKL is the only Deluxe resort I've stayed at in the last 4 years, the others have moved out of my price point. I'm not one of those people who MUST stay at a Disney resort, and as almost all the perks of staying on property have been lost in the last 3 - 4 years, it's not worth it to me anymore. The last straw was getting rid of DME at the end of the year, and ending luggage service back to the airport at the resorts. That one was huge for us, it was a wonderful service and meant one less line we had to stand in at MCO.

 

[JakeAZ]

I'd rather they offer this perk to everyone with a price. If you want the extra AM and PM hour, you can add it to your park ticket. Just like you add hopper to your tickets.. You now can add extra hours to your tickets. Or like DL and FPs, everyone can buy the FP option no matter which resort you stay at.

Technically they have offered this perk to everyone, with a price.

 

[shawthorne44]

I think this one may have done it for us. I've complained a lot here on the forum about my views of the nickle and diming, but it hasnt really bothered my wife, until this announcement came out last night, she's livid.

For me, the worst was that when I first heard of it was that teaser they put out. So, I thought it was like they had before. I thought things like , "Well, I guess they got something right." and "This makes me excited about my on-site option." (I have two reservations at the moment, on and off,. Then when they made the official announcement, it was a roller coaster. From "Whoo-weee Disney is great", to "Disney sucks". Their marketing team needs some lessons.

 

[jujubiee4]

Wow Disney, 20 pages of mostly unhappy customers....you might want to invest in some better PR people cause this announcement didn't go well !

Yet how many will pay it. We were already doing a split moderate/deluxe for Holiday time. I thought
about going In October but seeing the ticket prices for that after hour event threw that away.

I remember the outrage over the ticket prices. Yet they sold out real fast and added more dates.
I have learned there are two types of people. Those that complain about price increases and refuse
to pay and those that complain and still pay. They obviously have been crunching some numbers.
I keep reading about how Disney is going a certain direction. I didn't understand but now I do.

My husband who always moans about Disney prices is thrilled with this. Told me to move the
whole reservation to Deluxe. I think it is too much but his motto is time is money. lol
We only go once a year or every other year though. I wonder if this is their target customer now.

**Oh and our moderate was the Gran Destino Towers water view which for the cost might as well
been Deluxe. I rather stay at POFQ and pay for after hours.

 

[bluezy]

Wow.....the Disney cheerleaders are sure out in full force in this thread. Disney can do no wrong in your eyes I guess. I've often taken their side as well, but this may just be a step too far.

However you land on the rich/poor, making more/making less opinion.....my wife and I would be considered those in the higher category. But here's the thing, when you look at the "rich" (people like Buffet, etc) they stay that way by being frugal and investing their $$. Maybe it's just a mental thing for us, but we refuse to pay more than $200-250 a night for a hotel, no matter where we go. Disney is no different. Can we afford Deluxe hotel rates? Absolutely. Are they worth $600-900 a night? Absolutely not. If you truly think that adding in a couple hours of EMH a few times a week makes them worth it, I got some ocean front property in Arizona for ya.

And I've seen it more than once in the thread saying that the values are a Motel 6 with no benefits. Are you kidding me? It's clear you've never stayed at one. They have the same transportation options (minus monorail for the big 3) and some actually have an added transportation of the gondolas that most deluxe resorts don't have. They are good size rooms that can hold 4 adults, they have resort pools, on-site dining (and why having a table service on-site is a reason to pay those rates? no idea), and I could go on.

We're at the point in our lives (late 40's) where we want to travel more. I just don't personally grasp the mindset that you budget all year to splurge on a week+ at Disney in Deluxe resorts. Do you not take any other trips throughout the year? Wouldn't your life be more satisfying if you took a week+ at Disney in a value and then later in the year took a cruise to the Bahamas or Caribbean with what you saved (Carnival or Royal Caribbean, don't even get me started on the bloated rates for DCL)?

For the cheerleaders who don't understand reason, it's this simple......there was a perk for ALL on site resorts up until covid. Now that perk has been removed and added only to Deluxe resorts. Something was taken away from 2/3 of Disney resort levels that was included in the past. Value rates did not decrease due to the removal. People have an obvious right to be upset about that.

The longer all of you continue to pay bloated rates for Deluxe and invest $20-30k up-front in a perceived value of a timeshare, Disney will just continue down this path and make it worse and worse. It's clear the masses aren't voting with their wallets, they just go to the internet and vent and then continue to keep paying out the nose.

I agree with everything you've said. Our family is of the same mindset. We can easily afford to stay at a Deluxe resort (or buy DVC), but it doesn't feel necessary. I'd rather split my vacation budget between 2 destinations with "average" accommodations at each destination than to spend the entire budget on staying at a Deluxe resort at Disney (and for the record, I don't think the Deluxe resorts are all that "deluxe" compared to some other hotels I've stayed at). Now, if it was more of a quick getaway vacation where we knew we'd be spending most of the time at the hotel, we'd probably stay at a higher level hotel/resort. But if we're only sleeping and showering in the room (like we do on most vacations), I'd rather spend less money on that room and more money on extras (or another entire vacation). We've found that the success/enjoyment of any vacation has nothing to do with the cost of hotel room/resort we stay at on that vacation.

And just to stay on topic, a few extra hours in the park isn't enough of a perk to get me to stay at a Deluxe resort -- though I'm sure it will be for some "status conscious" guests who need that recognition in their lives. So it might actually fill more Deluxe rooms -- which is what it appears this little "perk" is trying to do. I'd rather stay at a value resort and pay for an after-hours hard ticket event. I'm frustrated that the evening EMH perk has been taken away from guests who are staying in mods and values, but it doesn't change where we'll stay when we're at Disney next summer. It will be interesting to see how this elite EMH works out. Maybe if enough people complain, it will be like the noodles at 'Ohana.....

 

[MJJME]

They don't do that with emh's. In fact, they don't even make them leave the parks at all. Off site guests have always been welcome to stay during emh's, free to eat, shop or just walk around. They just can't get on the rides. That would apply to lower level resorts as well no doubt.

I think they could change the rules with this new system and if the parks normal closing time is 9pm then you might not be able to get in a line after 8:30 in order to allow the deluxe guests to actually have the benefit

 

[ChipnDale79]

I think they could change the rules with this new system and if the parks normal closing time is 9pm then you might not be able to get in a line after 8:30 in order to allow the deluxe guests to actually have the benefit

oh that will really upset some people, then you're cutting into (i cant say peasants anymore) the "rift rafts" paid for park time. that would be a no no.

 

[Nabas]

This isn't even close to true.

I understand why this change is upsetting to some, but Disney has always been about paying more to get more. Just look at the fact that while there is currently no general-use FP+ system, VIP tours and Club 33 have near-unlimited access to FP+ queues... Why do they get this? $$$.

You’re conflating two different topics.

“Pay more to get more” vs “onsite equity”.

I believe the previous poster’s point was that hotel Guests were treated equitably in the past. When you a paid for a Deluxe Resort, you got a better room in a better location with better amenities. That’s mostly it.

At WDW, it’s not as if (for example) busses come by more frequently at the Deluxe Resorts. It’s not as if the Deluxe Resort Concierge can score me a FastPass for ROTR or get me a table at a sold out SciFi the way a concierge can at a truly deluxe hotel in NYC. It’s not as if I get better room cleaning at a Disney Deluxe Resort. I didn’t get treated better at the theme park just because I was staying at a Deluxe.

Again, in the past, you paid Disney’s crazy hotel prices to get a better room at a hotel in a better location with better amenities.

This is the first time Disney has stratified its onsite Guests.

I do 5 or 6 DVC stays a year. The extra evening hours are going to be available to me. Heck, bring on some more Deluxe only benefits!

But I also recognize that this is the first time Disney is treating its onsite Guests differently at the theme parks.

 

[summermom2]

Why on earth wouldn't you just go to Disneyland instead? We stay at the Candy Cane Inn on Harbor just a 10 minute walk from the front gate. Free breakfast and free parking. $169 a night. The rides are far better in California, the weather is far better, and it doesn't require extensive planning.

The weather is not better in October and November and Disneyland does not have the bubble. The area around disneyland is terrible.

 

[JakeAZ]

My husband who always moans about Disney prices is thrilled with this. Told me to move the
whole reservation to Deluxe. I think it is too much but his motto is time is money. lol

I 100% agree with your husband! If I can spend less time in the parks, when they are ridiculously crowded, but ride the same amount of rides, or maybe more….sign me up!

I hope the PM hours are offered each night but at rotating parks.

 

[FCDub]

The weather is not better in October and November and Disneyland does not have the bubble. The area around disneyland is terrible.

Terrible is a massive over-exaggeration.