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Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Lets do the math!

Welcome to those of you joining me from YourFirstVisit.Net and those of you just hopping aboard. I am the 2nd stop on our Magical Blogorail. 

It's time for a little Disney controversy! Specifically, Disney Vacation Club Members being a bit annoyed about not being able to take advantage of the free Disney Dining Plan offers. First, I say if you are in the blessed position of being a DVC Member, you really don't have much to complain about. Your options already abound in selecting some of Disney's finest accommodations, as well as being able to travel more frequently, or stay for longer periods of time. In addition, your DVC Perks offer discounts not available to non-members, such as discounted dining! Not to mention, you're offered the opportunity to add a Dining Plan to your reservation without having to purchase park admission. You always have the option of booking a cash room to be eligible for the dining promotion, but which option is to your checkbooks advantage? Let's do the math and look at this from the point-of-view of your bottom line. 

Scenario #1: Family of four vacationing in October under the Magic Your Way Package PLUS Free Dining (once a year Disney Parks vacationers)
Offer: Studio accommodations at Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort with a 6 day Magic Your Way Base Ticket (required for dining plan).
Total Cost:  $3,203.74

Scenario #2: Same family vacationing under the same parameters, but as DVC Members with a 72 pt contract in SSR.
Offer: Studio accommodations at Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort with the purchase of discounted 6 day MYW Base Ticket through UndercoverTourist.com for 2 adults, 2 children
Accommodations: 72 pts broken down into cash via a 50 year contract purchased through D.V.D at $100 a point + yearly dues of 4.68 per pt. = $481.50 in accommodations for their once a year Disney vacation.
Tickets: $1083.20 (just for an apples to apples comparison, most DVC Members do not need to purchase a new set of tickets each vacation). 
Added Basic Dining Plan: $798.72
Total Cost: $2,363.42

So, there you have it DVC Members, no more getting hot under the collar over not being offered a free Dining Plan :) You've already secured magical Disney vacations for years to come! 

* Disclaimer... This is a hypothetical situation and may not necessarily be reflective of your personal DVC Membership situation. Many variables play into the outcome, such as; your dues, your contract purchase price, and park ticket purchases. For information on calculating your personal value on Disney's special offer rates, feel free to contact me. 

Thank you for joining me today. Your next stop on the Magical Blogorail Loop is The Many Adventures of a Disney Lovin' Spectrum Mom. 

Here is the map of our Magical Blogorail Loop should you happen to have to make a stop and want to reboard. 




6 comments:

  1. Great breakdown of the numbers Faith!! I really need to look into a DVC membership...

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  2. Great post! No complaints here, I love my DVC:)

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  3. Same here! No way would I trade my DVC for what Disney calls "free" dining!

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  4. Faith, I'm a DVCer and you're right - Free Dining is nothing to envy when you understand that those who take advantage of it are also taking advantage of full "rack" rates for their resort! I do, however, find that the DVC dining perks are somewhat limited and rather skimpy. I wish we could get something on the order of Tables in Wonderland with our membership. Now that would be an enviable perk!

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  5. Love it! I'm not a DVC member (yet...) and understand their frustration...but they do get access to a lot of discounts that us regular folk don't!

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