DVC Gold pass questions

[Disney102015]

Hi all, 2 questions for a newbie...

1. Are the DVC gold passes currently for sale or are those on hold like APs? (I wasn’t sure if the gold pass is an “annual pass” by a different name...) More specifically, if these details matter - we have a 5 day park hopper we planned to use on our next trip this spring, and hoped to upgrade to the DVC gold pass while we are there.
2. Other than the blackout dates and price, are there any other differences between buying the DVC gold pass and a discounted AP? Do you get the same discounts etc. that are associated with the AP?

Thanks!!

 

[kanerf]

No new passes, renewals only. The DVC pass is the same as any other AP.

 

[BillPA]

Just an FYI, if/when they open APs again, to get a DVC pass you must be a blue card holder.

 

[gharter]

Just an FYI, if/when they open APs again, to get a DVC pass you must be a blue card holder.

Has that been officially released? Not surprised, but I don't recall reading this.

 

[CarolMN]

Has that been officially released? Not surprised, but I don't recall reading this.

Any guest may choose to purchase an annual pass, but purchase of any DVC annual pass* is/was a blue card perk. We have no reason to believe that it will be any different once Disney begins selling annual passes again. I doubt there will be any special announcement re DVC - just the general one that the sale of annual passes has resumed.

Some think that Disney plans to use the suspension to revamp the entire WDW annual pass program.

* Although we often refer to the DVC annual passes as "discounted" annual passes, they are actually a special category of annual pass, just like those available to Florida residents.

 

[AEA1127]

Has that been officially released? Not surprised, but I don't recall reading this.

Our guide told us last year when we were buying that this was a pass only offered by buying direct.

 

[The Jackal]

Our guide told us last year when we were buying that this was a pass only offered by buying direct.

It is more complicated than that, but yes direct buyers who purchase 125 or more points as of today’s date are Blue card members and get DVC perks. Prior to April of 2016 any member was a full member wether they purchased direct or resale. DVC has changed requirements a few times over the years and they will change them in the future. There are people who bought direct, who are not blue card members, because they didn’t meet the point requirement and there are resale owners who have blue card status. Since most of the points out there have been sold directly and not resold, most of the club members have blue card status.