Quick feedback on the DVC Lounge in Epcot. Simply awesome

[wishicouldgomoreofte]

Wow, did not know about those lounges!

Well, it wasn't in Pizzafari. It was behind it in what is now Nomad Lounge, in the round porch-like area. It told about it in the AP mailings we used to get back then. We went to it in 1999 and/or 2000. It closed after that. They used to have an AP special area to watch the 4 o'clock parade then too, and it was about across the road. We entered and exited in a path between the building and shrubbery, not through Pizzafari. There were not snacks or drinks or anything I recall, it was just a private space to sit in away from the maddening crowd. But we waited out of the rain for the parade there. We were able to bring in food from Pizzafari and eat it there. The CM who manned it was in a wheelchair, maybe 60s, so nice. I thought that was great. I had a wheelchair CM on the Backstage Tour too in 2010.

 

[pineapplepalms]

Looking forward to checking out the Epcot lounge and TOTWL on our upcoming trip! Entrance passes were included for both lounges as part of our DVC promo package for CCV. While I know these are benefits that can go away at any time, I'm happy to enjoy them while they last.

 

[Anou]

Excited to read about these extra benefits, looking forward to visiting this location in may.

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

Looking forward to checking out the Epcot lounge and TOTWL on our upcoming trip! Entrance passes were included for both lounges as part of our DVC promo package for CCV. While I know these are benefits that can go away at any time, I'm happy to enjoy them while they last.

This a good indication as to why they are still open.

As long as they are a good marketing tool, the benefit will stay.

 

[DSNYFRK4EVR]

I finally got to experience the lounge yesterday afternoon. What a treat my family and I enjoyed the relaxing break, snack cart, and cokes!

 

[ellynsoh]

One of the best DVC perks! We just love the relaxing air conditioning.

 

[MinnieGi]

We just tried it out for the first time over our T-day week trip. Really great!! First time we had seats and refreshed with drinks and snacks. Second time it was packed and although we got drinks there were no available seats and no snack cart going around.

 

[ziravan]

We assume that it is paid for and run by DVD marketing, thus it has restricted access and only direct buyers and grandfathered owners can enter. If they feel that it has a marketing benefit it may stay awhile, if it not, goodbye. It's all in the numbers.

Bill

Well, they're certainly not marketing it like they should. There should be huge signs while you're waiting for bag check with something like "Welcome Home DVC Members! Your exclusive lounge is located in the Imagination Pavilion. Ask any DVC cast member for directions - or to find out how you can become a member."

With pictures.

The fact that DVC members know about the lounge is almost worthless as a sales tactic. All the thousands of non-DVC members entering EPCOT each day should take a moment - while they're naturally waiting anyway - to consider that becoming a DVC member would give them an exclusive perk...

But then, if I were doing the marketing, I'd reserve out one of the backrooms at Be Our Guest each night and use it as a free dinner/sales pitch for strongly interested potential new members. Don't have a ticket for MK? No problem! One of our DVC guides will be happy to escort you to dinner. If the good will from that generated 10% sales (and with proper vetting of potential interest should do double that), it'd be a huge rainmaker. DVC ignores more potential customers than most other timeshares ever see.

 

[disneynutz]

Well, they're certainly not marketing it like they should. There should be huge signs while you're waiting for bag check with something like "Welcome Home DVC Members! Your exclusive lounge is located in the Imagination Pavilion. Ask any DVC cast member for directions - or to find out how you can become a member."

With pictures.

The fact that DVC members know about the lounge is almost worthless as a sales tactic. All the thousands of non-DVC members entering EPCOT each day should take a moment - while they're naturally waiting anyway - to consider that becoming a DVC member would give them an exclusive perk...

But then, if I were doing the marketing, I'd reserve out one of the backrooms at Be Our Guest each night and use it as a free dinner/sales pitch for strongly interested potential new members. Don't have a ticket for MK? No problem! One of our DVC guides will be happy to escort you to dinner. If the good will from that generated 10% sales (and with proper vetting of potential interest should do double that), it'd be a huge rainmaker. DVC ignores more potential customers than most other timeshares ever see.

There has always been a strange marketing vibe with what I consider missed opportunities. I don't know if it's policy or some type of license restriction.

Bill

 

[czmom]

I was looking forward to the lounge, but was not impressed

We went on Monday, 11/13. It was packed. No seats, no snack cart (we waited about 30 min is all). I was looking for a place to relax and it was a zoo.

 

[mj2vacation]

I was looking forward to the lounge, but was not impressed

We went on Monday, 11/13. It was packed. No seats, no snack cart (we waited about 30 min is all). I was looking for a place to relax and it was a zoo.

I believe that was the last day of the drunk and whine festival. We avoid Epcot the last week of the festival after the last few years large crowds and at times, a non Disney environment.

 

[mj2vacation]

There has always been a strange marketing vibe with what I consider missed opportunities. I don't know if it's policy or some type of license restriction.

Bill

With Disney, believe it or not, everything is not about sales... of course, it’s about the bottom line, but I personally witnessed how intense the internal conflict is over “sales” vs “experience “, but that never means that quotas get lowered.

 

[ziravan]

With Disney, believe it or not, everything is not about sales... of course, it’s about the bottom line, but I personally witnessed how intense the internal conflict is over “sales” vs “experience “, but that never means that quotas get lowered.

Yes. But.

For example, DVC knows when a non-owner stays on a points reservation. There’s even a place to check that fact on the reservation system.

It would seem to me that adding a piece of paper into a non-owner’s check in packet inviting them to a free meal and presentation would be low key. I’m not talking about haggling over a parking pass.

Make the invite on paper and see who follows up. Somebody staying on points that are not their own should be the perfect audience for seeking more information about DVC. Add a free meal at a nice Disney restaurant and my guess is that DVC would have a few hundred attendees per night.

I get the sales vs experience thing. But there are ways to enhance sales with almost no impact on experience that DVC still ignores:

They ignore more potential customers than most timeshares ever hope to encounter.

 

[czmom]

I believe that was the last day of the drunk and whine festival. We avoid Epcot the last week of the festival after the last few years large crowds and at times, a non Disney environment.

Yes it was. We only spent the morning in FW and went back to the WS another evening later in the week.