For many years I have been a proponent of a frequent guest rewards program for vacationers staying on Disney property who are not Disney Vacation Club (DVC) members. Many hotels are utilizing a rewards program to entice their guests to return and I would love to see Disney do the same.
When the economy started its downturn a few years back Disney was offering some really amazing promotions to get people into the parks like the stay 4 get 3 free. While Disney continues to offer promotions from time to time they are not as good as the stay 4 get 3 free. I think part of the reason the promotions are not as incredible, even though the economy continues to sputter, is because Disney World has been able to make their low seasons a busy time of year with the marathons and other events.
I do wish Disney would start offering some kind of rewards program for returning resort guests who are not DVC members. While I do believe DVC ownership is a wonderful thing, it’s not for everybody. One of the biggest regrets I have in my life is not buying a DVC membership when my children were very small. Perhaps Disney could follow what many hotels are already doing and that is use a point system that is based on the nightly hotel room cost as well as any other charges placed by guests during their stay like restaurant charges and merchandise purchases. I would love to see a Disney frequent guest rewards program that allows members the opportunity to redeem points for a free night stay upon reaching the qualifying point totals set by Disney with different points needed for a stay at a value, moderate, and deluxe resorts. Another option Disney could offer is allowing you to use points earned towards the purchase of a DVC membership.
When Disney started the free Magical Express bus service from Orlando International Airport to the Disney Resorts it was with the purpose of keeping guests and their spending money on property. Similarly by initiating a frequent guest rewards program Disney would be giving their visitors another incentive to stay on Disney property and spend their money there. It would also give guests something extra for traveling more often to Disney World and perhaps even a little extra enticement to join DVC.
WDW Fan Zone Giveaway
I am pleased to announce the very first WDW Fan Zone giveaway. The first person to submit the correct answers to the following questions will win a $50 Disney gift card.
What is the official slogan of WDW Fan Zone?
How many columnists currently write for WDW Fan Zone?
Name 3 current writers who have been with WDW Fan Zone from the very start of the site?
To be eligible all responses must be sent to comments@wdwfanzone.com no later than 12:00 AM eastern standard time, July 15, 2012.
WDW Fan Zone Writers and their immediate family members (spouse, child, sibling, parent(s) and their respective spouses, regardless of location of residency) and those living in the same household of such persons (related or not) are not eligible to enter the Giveaway.
The winner will be contacted by e-mail and announced on Twitter, Facebook, and in my article of July 20, 2012.
UPDATE – We have a winner, Kevin E.
Kevin responded with the following correct answers:
Quite a few of you listed Shelley Scholl in your answers. While Shelley is an integral part of WDW Fan Zone she was not part of the site from the very start.
I would like to thank everyone who participated and we wish you all the very best of luck in the next giveaway.
Stuart Sternberg is the founder of WDW Fan Zone you can find him on Google +, Facebook, and follow him on twitter @disneygeekdad.
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The problem with this type of program is that it would discourage people from buying into DVC, which makes them a lot of money. I don’t see them instituting any such program as long as DVC is around.