Ahead of the first Moonlight Magic registration for 2024, it seems Disney Vacation Club has snuck in a change in what constitutes as a “qualifying reservation”. For those familiar with DVC Moonlight Magic sign-ups in the past, a member who qualified for direct benefits could sign up for the early registration of Moonlight Magic as long as they had a room reservation at a Disney resort. This could mean a reservation at a DVC resort using DVC points, or even a reservation using cash booked through Disney (or even a travel agent) at non-DVC Disney resorts. For example, in 2022, we qualified and booked early registration with a Pop Century stay, and in 2023, we booked with a Coronado Springs stay. Since Moonlight Magic has returned, this has been the consistent rule and was clearly outlined in the documentation on DVC’s website.
As of recently, that information has disappeared from the website and been replaced with more vague language, prompting many to question if cash stays would count. Unfortunately, because the information does not clearly outline as of 2 pm on 1/9/2024 (a few hours after the first registration has opened and closed), what now is a qualifying reservation, many members waited in the queue only to find out their cash stays no longer counted. Highlighted below is the only information pointing towards stays. It mentions “cash” but doesn’t suggest that cash has to be booked a certain way.
We have also combed through the email sent out to members about the registration and it also does not mention any changes to the rules previously known for members.
Based on feedback from members who failed to book this morning, we are under the impression that a qualifying stay is now only considered to be a DVC room stay with points, a DVC room stay with cash booked directly through Member Services, or a Disney hotel stay booked with points using the exchange program through member services. This is currently unverified information due to the lack of available resources from DVC. However, members with Disney hotel cash stays booked directly through Disney were not able to secure a Moonlight Magic booking this morning.
Reports have even been shared with us that Member Service agents let upset members on the phone know they were putting in tickets for the IT team to fix the language so that it’s clearly understood. This policy change makes it much more difficult and expensive for members who wish to go to Moonlight Magic, but have run out of points or can’t find an open room through the DVC booking engine.
We are interested in what you think? Were you affected by this change? Do you think this is a good or bad change for the membership base? Did you find the information to be communicated clearly ahead of time?
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My daughter booked a cash reservation at CBR and was very excited when the dates came out for Moonlight Magic. She is a direct member and through she was eligible for all the member benefits that come with that direct membership. She booked CBR because there was no availability at a DVC resort. 2 days before the window for 3/1 opened, we started to see posts in Social Media that there were restrictions on that enrollment. So yes….she is very disappointed and plans to try for general enrollment on Feb 15. I did send an email to DVC with my concerns that this wording was not only vague, but it was done quietly (almost sneaky) and without warning especially for those of us who rely on air transportation to travel to Florida. It is just not that easy to change plans on the fly when you have to consider plane reservations and work/school vacation. Knowing full well that Disney was bringing Moonlight Magic back, these changes should have been communicated to members well in advance…something to the effect of….”starting in 2024…”. I hope they rectify this error in the future and come out with an apology for their careless treatment of members who yes….made a huge monetary investment in Disney.
So if you’re a DVC member and live in the area, you can’t benefit from this experience? WOW it’s sems really unfair.
The policy has nothing to do with being local and everything to do with clear communication on policy changes. One look at DISboards and the DVC Fan Facebook Group show many families traveling from out of the area who perhaps were out of points for the year and booked a cash stay specifically to try and attend Moonlight Magic. These people then went to register yesterday and essentially got told that their cash wasn’t good enough and they couldn’t go to Moonlight Magic.
I support this change as it is in keeping with the spirit of benefit and allows members that are using their points for a vacation a better chance to gain access vs locals who have a DVC membership but are just booking to take advantage of the one night benefit.
I don’t disagree with this policy, but it should have been announced, shared, and rolled out. We called Member Services yesterday when we didn’t get the email (for a cash stay booked at Boardwalk – we used up our points towards the upcoming First Wave Cruise – and wanted to go for my son’s birthday). We were told this policy change was drove by Marketing, and Member Services had no control. It was to improve metrics and bookings. I think it’s sad because it means cash stays with any promotion (AP, etc) cannot be used on a MM. It’s frustrating after being told by them the stay would qualify and by the time we found out (yesterday) it was too late to try and get a point or member services stay booked to qualify. They can change policies, but the idea this was rolled out without any notice, warning, AND update to the site itself to inform members is insanity!
I was affected by this sneaky change by DVC. I actually received a call from a DVC member services supervisor on 12/11 informing me that my cash reservation at Port Orleans, French Quarter for the week of 2/26 (hoping for both an AK and Epcot MM) was not eligible for early registration for Moonlight Magic events.
My issue with this change is their timing!! Especially with 4 Moonlight Magic events scheduled in a 5 week time frame (counting CA). This is a large enough change that more consideration should have been given to members by giving more advance notice. To try and secure a DVC room even when they release the dates for Moonlight Magic is almost impossible, which is why I have always stayed at one of the moderate resorts on cash. I did manage to secure a room at SSR on points the night of the AK MM, but not the Epcot MM. DVC should have given notice to members maybe at the beginning of 2023 or at the very least last summer so members would have ample time to make their travel arrangements.
In 32 years of being a member, I have never been so disappointed in DVC!