Evening Magic Hours for Deluxe Guests Only

[Friendlyadvice2]

Obviously not if they are reportedly having issues filling deluxe rooms and even had to move value reservations to deluxe due to overbooking and are converting hotel rooms to DVC to have a trapped market.

They converting hotel rooms to DVC because the margins are so high and they've become dependent on the revenue stream it generates on a quarterly basis. I'm also seeing very little availability for the deluxe resorts during dates I'm searching. Is there a link for the "reported" booking glut?

 

[Jonfw2]

I'm curious why people are surprised WDW resort guests NOT staying deluxe or dvc are taken aback by this news! It's something we all used to be able to do.

of course there are going to be negative reactions. And then we'll move on (or not if you so choose).

If I'm not mistaken the early magic hours have just gone from 1 hour to 30 minutes, right? And this is just as far as we know today- the info was very limited.

 

[cakebaker]

I'm curious why people are surprised WDW resort guests NOT staying deluxe or dvc are taken aback by this news! It's something we all used to be able to do.

of course there are going to be negative reactions. And then we'll move on (or not if you so choose).

I’m not the least bit surprised, I just don’t think it warranted. Disappointment? Sure. But getting angry? Nope.

 

[Farro]

If I'm not mistaken the early magic hours have just gone from 1 hour to 30 minutes, right? And this is just as far as we know today- the info was very limited.

You know what I'm talking about.

Evening EMH was for all resort guests, now it will be just for Deluxe/DVC.

 

[Obi-J Kenobi]

My family is not wealthy. My family does not take annual trips to WDW. We have been to WDW multiple times. My DW and I just celebrated 20 years of marriage recently. Since being married, my DW and I have gone twice. Our entire family (DW, DS, DD and I) have gone 3 times. 5 times in 20 years.

Each time we have gone to WDW we have been fortunate to stay at moderate (Cabins at FW, POFQ) or deluxe resort (CR, BC & WL). One reason is that our budget could afford more expensive resorts is that our trips have never been longer than 6 nights. My work simply does not allow 7-10 overnight vacations. It's just a fact of life with my job. If my work schedule allowed, we would take longer vacations and we would be staying at a value resort due to our budget constraints. I'm always over-joyed to read people who post on these Boards that they are staying 9 nights at the POP or at an off-site hotel. Sounds like a blast, honestly, and I say that without any snark. Similarly, I read about folks who are able to go during "quieter" crowd seasons but my family cannot do this because my DW is a school teacher and her schedule wouldn't allow for non-peak crowd seasons. That's just the deal. But, again, sounds like a blast.

Maybe I'm missing something, but hasn't WDW afforded more benefits to those who stay at Deluxe resorts? More transportation options (skyliners, boats, walking paths, buses) and less bus stops. Shorter distances and transportation time to a park(s). Room sizes are larger. The number of rooms at Deluxe resorts tend to be less than the number of rooms at a Value or Moderate, yet Deluxe resorts have the same or more pool options (quiet pools and busy pools), more entertainment options nearby (Boardwalk, Water parades, Savanas, etc.), and more dining and table options (TS and CS). Sometimes you can see fireworks from the Deluxe rooms or even the beaches or walking paths around them. I'm sure there are other things too. Because every Deluxe Resort has CL, couldn't we argue and debate whether WDW has distinguished between rich people and "Scrooge McDuck rich people" at Deluxe Resorts for years?

My DW and I would stay at POFQ at a moment's notice if we could go to WDW tomorrow, next week, next month, next year. We absolutely loved our stay there. EMH for Deluxe guests wouldn't sway us to go back to WL even though I totally dug the vibe of that resort. And at the same time, I'm not going to bash WDW or participate a culture war for those folks who stay at Deluxe resorts and take advantage of this perk as a reason to select and stay at a Deluxe resort.

 

[Farro]

I’m not the least bit surprised, I just don’t think it warranted. Disappointment? Sure. But getting angry? Nope.

No one seems that angry to me. Just voicing their displeasure.

 

[Jonfw2]

You know what I'm talking about.

Evening EMH was for all resort guests, now it will be just for Deluxe/DVC.

But those were hit or miss at best- one park a day, not every day, sometimes you could stay a week and your preferred park wouldn't even come up. This early entry appears to be all four parks every day, right?

 

[rangerxenos]

I just did a quick search and found the Contemporary for $424, Beach Club for $424 and WL for $426. In fairness, the Cabins weren't available at the same time frame for exact comparison. True what you said about the kitchens but we also bring food when we stay in deluxe resorts.

Not for my early December trip. Deluxe resort prices are insanely high, I'm paying $169 more a night for an AKL Standard room than I did exactly 2 years ago, and it's at least $200 a night less than all the other Deluxe resorts that were available when I booked. Granted I had an AP discount in 2019, but that's still a BIG increase, especially considering that there are less perks now than there were 2 years ago.

 

[Farro]

But those were hit or miss at best- one park a day, not every day, sometimes you could stay a week and your preferred park wouldn't even come up. This early entry appears to be all four parks every day, right?

Hmm, I guess I thought you were referring to people being upset about evening hours offered only to deluxe resorts.

Can't comment then on your question!

 

[rangerxenos]

Renting DVC with children is a terrifying proposition. If they get sick and you have to cancel you are SOL and I have yet to see any reports that anyone has ever successfully used trip insurance to file a claim for loss of money on DVC points due to illness cancellation.

I don't have kids, and I refuse to rent DVC points because you pretty much can't cancel. We've had to cancel several Disney trips in the past because unexpected health issues came up close to trip time.

 

[thedarksyde]

Taking away DME and now magic hours. What is the point of staying on site anymore. I can stay off site and save so much money the money was for the perks that came with staying on site, now that those are gone, why stay?

 

[x93nelson13]

We go to Disney about twice a year, and stay 5 or so days, and always stay at the Grand Floridian. My wife is a bit of a snob (but I love her anyway) and that hotel is the bare minimum she would accept on-site. As others have said, the Disney "deluxe" Grand Floridian is not really a premium hotel experience when you are paying Four Seasons or Ritz prices for a room. The gap is more extreme when you stay club level. It is almost laughable the difference. But you could buy more fast passes, so we did. But you can't do that anymore, so bummer.

Therefore, I get the need to offer something beyond the rooms. At 700 or 800 a night? You need to do something. You get the monorail, and you get access to some good (by Disney standards) restaurants on that monorail loop, and you get servers at the pool, and you get...kind of an uninspired room for $800.

I would personally pay the $800 with just what I listed above, but a lot of people won't, so you might as well give people a reason to pay it. This is that thing. I can understand frustration, but I can also understand the need to make my wife feel like she is getting something for that $800.

 

[umichigan10]

They could start with not offering it to the good neighbor hotels.

I really think good neighbor hotels is just exacerbating the issue, not causing it. Disney has so many rooms in Florida. Like I said in my original post there’s a reason universals done what they’ve done with on-site perks. But to others point, they didn’t offer it to everyone originally and then take it away from some, which is understandably upsetting a lot of people

 

[mshanson3121]

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? $$$.

Sorry, it absolutely is true.

Pre-Covid, ALL guests had access to EMH, FP+, MDE etc... Yes, those with money had the ability to do extra things, but ALL guests got the exact same included perks whether you were staying in a Value or Deluxe resort. The things you're listing off aren't perks - they're extra things they pay for. Huge difference.

 

[JenSop]

Wow - too many responses to read at the moment.
I guess I'm not too surprised at this move.
I used to LOVE the 3am EMH's at MK. Man, those were the days. A REAL perk. I dream constantly that they will come back for us night owls. (I used to do rope drop, but after owning DVC for 14 years, I'm sleeping in during my Disney trips!)
Honestly, I think they need to REALLY incentivize staying ON-SITE. (Not sure if someone came up with this already...)
I think that Fast Passes should be free for on-site guests and AP holders. Off-site guests should have to pay for them. That is a REAL perk to staying on-site. Maybe tier how many advanced Fast Passes you can get based on your resort level?
For example - 3 advanced FPs for Value, 4 advanced FP for Moderate, and 5 advanced FP for Deluxe/DVC. (And allow us to have more than one Tier 1 FP.)
That way, Value guests are still booking 3 advanced FPs like before covid, and other guests get more for staying at a higher level resort. And as before covid, on-site guests can keep getting free FPs after they use their advanced ones.
Then off-site guests would have to pay for advanced FPs.
Just an idea.

I like all options that make it easier for night owls.

 

[monica9]

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

Yes but their deluxe prices are half of Disney’s

 

[Jonfw2]

Yes but their deluxe prices are half of Disney’s

Yes but they only have two parks.

 

[x93nelson13]

I think that Fast Passes should be free for on-site guests and AP holders. Off-site guests should have to pay for them. That is a REAL perk to staying on-site. Maybe tier how many advanced Fast Passes you can get based on your resort level?
For example - 3 advanced FPs for Value, 4 advanced FP for Moderate, and 5 advanced FP for Deluxe/DVC. (And allow us to have more than one Tier 1 FP.)

This right here is a great way to make staying on-site a winner and reward higher paying folks. It makes too much sense for them to do, tho. Hope I am proven wrong.

 

[ChipnDale79]

Yes but they only have two parks.

i hope that 3rd park is going to cause disney to make some changes.

 

[Drew729]

One of the biggest perks to owning DVC is the discounted annual pass, with new passes on hold currently I can’t help but think this move will soften the blow when new AP’s go on sale and will either cost more or be more restrictive. That is just the skeptic in me.

When you think about this with a longer timeframe in mind it does appear that the DVC/Deluxe has become a priority. Over the last 15 years the trend has been away from value/moderate. I mean what was the last large scale non-DVC build at WDW? AOA/POP?