KAT4DISNEY
Glad to be a test subject
- Joined
- Mar 17, 2008
The Magic Kingdom Club originated in 1957 as something California businesses with 200 or more employees (before there was a WDW) used as a perk for their employees, Sea World, Knott's, Magic Mountain all had similar programs. It was a marketing tool. It was basically an admission discount and hotel discount program. For instance, at Disneyland, rather than have the standard ticket books, the MKC garnered you a discounted ticket book where ALL the tickets could be used for E ticket rides. Later, when all day passports were introduced, they were exclusive to the MKC. In the 1980s, an all day passport to Disneyland was $11 plus tax. After many years, they added the Gold Level that an individual could pay for, as well as a "lifetime" version for people 65 and older called Magic (Y)ears club for $35. All versions of the MKC were discontinued several years ago (late 1990s?). Think of the original MKC like the corporate discount programs we see today for airlines and car rentals. In fact, the MKC did have a discount code for National Car Rental.
It was not a version of Tables in Wonderland, though in the later years it did give a few dining discounts.
The Magic Kingdom Club lasted to around 2000. I loved it - free membership and you got discounted tickets and hotel rooms. It was the loyalty program of the day. Towards the end they kicked in with a small fee before ending it.