Some updated 50th Anniversary info - extended hours, etc.

[mom2rtk]

Universal has had express pass as part of their deluxe resorts for several years.
Its nice to see Disney come up with something (while honestly not close to what Universal offers).

If you stayed at the Concierge level, there were perks there that were not available to anyone else.

I do agree with removing the good neighbor benefits. Those perks should be exclusive to on site guests.
I've also thought that onsite guests should be able to book dining reservations, park passes, FPs (if they come back) a short time before those not staying on site, as a free perk for paying more to stay on site.

But Universal didn't take Express Pass away from other hotel guests to do this. When it was introduced, those were the only hotels. That's a huge data point in all of this. It feels like they are capitalizing on the pandemic to have this "opportunity" to redesign things. It doesn't strike me positively at all. And we almost never stayed for evening EMH. So we really won't be affected.

 

[gharter]

But Universal didn't take Express Pass away from other hotel guests to do this. When it was introduced, those were the only hotels. That's a huge data point in all of this. It feels like they are capitalizing on the pandemic to have this "opportunity" to redesign things. It doesn't strike me positively at all. And we almost never stayed for evening EMH. So we really won't be affected.

Adding extra hours to those staying in a deluxe resort isn't taking anything away from the other guests as long as the park would have been closed at that time.
As far as taking things away, yes, removing the good neighbor does. But as the parks got busier, giving the on site perks to those staying close made using perks for staying on site much more difficult to use.
Is Disney using the pandemic to redesign things? Of course, just like most every other business in the country.

 

[mom2rtk]

Adding extra hours to those staying in a deluxe resort isn't taking anything away from the other guests as long as the park would have been closed at that time.
As far as taking things away, yes, removing the good neighbor does. But as the parks got busier, giving the on site perks to those staying close made using perks for staying on site much more difficult to use.
Is Disney using the pandemic to redesign things? Of course, just like most every other business in the country.

Of course it's taking something away. All resorts were previously eligible for PM EMH. Just because a pandemic happened doesn't mean I forget what was offered before.

I'm aware other companies are doing the same. A lot of companies had to in order to survive. This just feels more like taking advantage of it.

 

[focusondisney]

Disney parks have never been egalitarian. This is a plain myth.

Absolutely! Has everyone forgotten Walt created club 33 for exclusivity or that you had to buy tickets for rides? If you had more money, you could buy more tickets & therefore buy more rides. Now, if you have more money, you can stay in a more expensive hotel & get extra ride time. Same effect, different method.

 

[mom2rtk]

Absolutely! Has everyone forgotten Walt created club 33 for exclusivity or that you had to buy tickets for rides? If you had more money, you could buy more tickets & therefore buy more rides. Now, if you have more money, you can stay in a more expensive hotel & get extra ride time. Same effect, different method.

Except that now that is all being overlaid on a system that charges "all access" pricing.

 

[focusondisney]

Except that now that is all being overlaid on a system that charges "all access" pricing.

And you’re still getting all access for the hours your ticket is valid for. Your day ticket doesn’t entitle you to after hours extras.

 

[mom2rtk]

And you’re still getting all access for the hours your ticket is valid for. Your day ticket doesn’t entitle you to after hours extras.

Agreed. I was conflating that with the upcoming FP issue.

I have issue with the EMH issue, but as a resort guest who typically stays at a value or moderate. Not as a ticket buyer, if that makes sense.

 

[gharter]

Of course it's taking something away. All resorts were previously eligible for PM EMH. Just because a pandemic happened doesn't mean I forget what was offered before.

What happened before doesn't count. Previously, lots of things were different than they currently are or will be.
Currently, they do not have Extended evening hours for the resorts.
Therefore, adding them for Deluxe resort guests is not taking anything away. You can argue thats its unfair to the value and moderate resort guests or thats its a benefit for staying at a Deluxe.

 

[disneydreamer1980]

I kinda don't agree here. Deluxe pools are kinda bottom tier other than bc/yc. Mods and values have pretty amazing feature pools. Location? A quick Uber trip gets you to where you wanna be. Again yc/bc/bw can walk to Epcot and hs but now with skyliner it's not much faster. Also each food offering is open to everyone. So dvc , deluxe are paying for the room and even than some of the deluxe rooms are lackluster to the new referbed rooms at values.

You can not possibly be arguing that deluxe don’t offer better locations, pools and accommodations? That’s literally what makes them more expensive lol. And they absolutely DID take something away. This is NOT a new offering, it is kicking out the majority of people from a pre existing offering. Look, I am a DVC member and every trip in my entire life but one has been DVC villas (my parents bought in in early 90s) so this doesn’t “effect” me, I just think it’s wrong. Things started going sideways when they let all the good neighbor hotels in. They need to stop that and not punish their on site guests who are paying A LOT of money to stay in the values and mods, sometimes more than deluxes depending on trip length and room specifics. It’s unfair

 

[mom2rtk]

What happened before doesn't count.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion on this one.

 

[sssteele]

Wow way to stick it to most families who can barely afford the $200-400 per night at the values/mods. Guess Disney is only for the 1% now.

DVCers

Wow way to stick it to most families who can barely afford the $200-400 per night at the values/mods. Guess Disney is only for the 1% now.

DVCers are not necessarily 1%ers.

 

[Orsino]

In a way, I think we've gone full circle.

Way back the first extended hours were "E-Ticket" nights, which I never got to experience, but on the boards (or was it the BBS way back then?) people loved them. This was a charged event.

Then they got rid of them and put in Extra Magic Hours (there might have been a different term shoved in there at some point) and people complained about how superior E-Ticket Night was. Cue ruined magic.

Then they introduced After Hours and people complained about Disney charging for what used to be free. Nevermind the super low waits and non-existant crowds. Cue ruined magic.

Now we have their newest take on evening hours that by my guess is somewhere between "e-ticket" and Extra magic Hours. Not quite 'free' but not an explicit extra charge. Probably not as limited as E-ticket, but hopefully less crowded than Extra Magic. Cue ruined magic.

Any change will have complaints. All change has winners and losers. That is the nature of change.

 

[Meglen]

You can not possibly be arguing that deluxe don’t offer better locations, pools and accommodations? That’s literally what makes them more expensive lol. And they absolutely DID take something away. This is NOT a new offering, it is kicking out the majority of people from a pre existing offering. Look, I am a DVC member and every trip in my entire life but one has been DVC villas (my parents bought in in early 90s) so this doesn’t “effect” me, I just think it’s wrong. Things started going sideways when they let all the good neighbor hotels in. They need to stop that and not punish their on site guests who are paying A LOT of money to stay in the values and mods, sometimes more than deluxes depending on trip length and room specifics. It’s unfair

I think they will add the rest of the resorts soon enough I am thinking Nov. and leave off the good neighbor hotels.. hopefully getting rid of even the name so they are just in the disney area and no on site perks

 

[cman]

Coming out out of this pandemic every business, large and small, has pivoted in some way and has had to change. Some of the changes are justifiable and some are not.

If Disney feels that, in any way, this perk will drive more revenue then they will justify the change. After more than a year where most of their parks were closed they've lost billions of dollars in revenue. Ultimately the board of directors has the responsibility to stock holders to recoup some of the lost money.

If it's been deemed this will help then they will try it.

 

[katyringo]

We are hoping shades of green is included in the morning hours like they have been before.

maybe I don’t have a big of issue with this whole deluxe things because we started off as Disneyland people. Only 3 on site hotels there.. and before Covid they had early entry daily which at the time, early entry at Disneyland was a big fastpass advantage. But their lowest hotel there starts at 3-400 a night. Best western accross the street? $200. Most Disneyland goers do not stay at Disneyland hotels.. give the mouse the $$$ get the perks. The same can be said about desert parties, etc. premium pay gets premium experiences. Idk why Disney gets so much crab about that.. when it’s literally everywhere. Do you pay for nosebleed sections and then get mad at the venue to giving someone who paid more front row? Silly..

Honestly what is the difference between paying $600 a night for your room or paying $140 a ticket for an after hours event?
Once the dates of the after hours are announce you will see folks booking the 1 night at deluxe to get it.. and it’s no different than paying for the ticket if you have a family..

 

[CampbellzSoup]

I don’t hate anyone for enjoying their associated perks but…don’t you pay more at deluxe accommodations to enjoy the resort more not be in the park more?

 

[FCDub]

I don’t hate anyone for enjoying their associated perks but…don’t you pay more at deluxe accommodations to enjoy the resort more not be in the park more?

Enjoy more doesn't necessarily mean for more time.

 

[Meglen]

I don’t hate anyone for enjoying their associated perks but…don’t you pay more at deluxe accommodations to enjoy the resort more not be in the park more?

This trip I just wanna wake up to animals than. Go to bed with animals. Lol

 

[pirate33]

All I can say is that I was a tiny bit on the fence about whether to actually go to the 50th (i.e., actually on October 1), for which I have DVC reservations for about a week, and with this change I'm all in. I'm dreading the crowds and at least this way I know I'll get some rides in, and I prefer going to the parks at night anyway.

There have been a lot of complaints over the years about Disney devaluing DVC but this is a huge plus. Probably helps with DVC sales pitches as well.

 

[subtchr]

We are hoping shades of green is included in the morning hours like they have been before.

They (and Swan & Dolphin) have been added. https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/early-entry/