is the disney club worth it?

[firecracker]

We are on a strict budget for our upcoming WDW trip. We had a free MKC card last trip that we used to buy our park hoppers. Now we'd have to buy a Disney Club card and pay $40 for the honor of a small ticket discount. Are there other options for ticket discounts? Is it worth the annual fee? Also, can I buy tickets for more than just my immediate family with a DC card? Two families are traveling together and it seems crazy to buy 2 club memberships ($80!).

Thanks for any advice.

 

[Lynn-Marie]

Firecracker,

I'm also looking for an answer to this question.

I know that there's a good discount for you on the Disney Club if you have an Entertainment book -- they have a discount code that entitles you to a savings of about $5, I believe. The code is EAD2. Let me know if you need more specific info.

 

[scanmom]

My DC card has more than paid for itself. But I use mine alot at the Disney Store to buy merchandise. It does save about 5% on park hoppers, so do the math and see if it is worth it to you. Remember, you have to have the card in hand to get the discounts, so if you are going to get one, allow time for processing/mailing. Yes, you can buy the tix for your friends. Just purchase the amount of tix you need. They don't have names on hopper passes and no one will ask you who they are for. I have gone to our local Disney Store and bought them for several of my friends and I wasn't even going on the trip with them (please don't blast me, I don't have a morality problem with this, if you do then don't do it yourself!) Have a great trip!!!

 

[kecall]

The best thing for you to do is to "do the math"...figure out the cost of rooms/tickets with versus without the DC discount.

Frankly, I never use the card for the restaurant discounts, etc. (Although, we did go to the large disney store in DD this past trip and saved 10% on all the gifts that we bought! -- But that alone wouldn't make the card worthwhile for me!)

We did get the card because we got discounts for our AP's, etc......just need to put it on paper and see what works for you...some love it...some don't!

 

[josierac]

I have heard that the discounts for rooms with a DC is going to be more than what they are currently offering for next year. I have been told to watch out for the December letter.

We shall see.

 

[aprincessmom]

I've saved over $300 on rooms, and about $100 at the Disney store. I've used it for the tickets and have used the Entertainment book discounts locally.

It all depends on your family. If you can only travel during peak time, you won't save any money on your rooms with the card. Since we can travel during non-peak, it's a big saver. We also shop at the Disney store. I've gotten some great buys with that discount (piling it on top of other markdowns). So for us it's a great investment.

 

[Hessie628]

i think the dc is worth it. i became a member last march and i went to wdw w/friends in june. i wasn't able to use any of the codes for that time to get a discount, but i was able to save money on our room at por. i also used the dc card to get my friends' tickets (my brother had bought mine for me already as a gift) and i used it to buy gifts in dd. i think it is definitely worth getting- especially i you are getting hoppers for your friends too.

 

[We4mickey]

We have saved hundreds with our DC card. Disney store, tickets, ressies and now that it is hooked up with the entertainment card it saves me another $35.00 a year because I don't have to buy that book too.

 

[EMMADOO]

My husband got a sample version of the club card from his employer which I used to for three nights at All Star Music before our dance group arrives. The first time I called I forgot to mention the code from the card and got a rate of $124 a night. Then when I called back two days later, I gave the code and got a rate of $66 per night. Plus I can get hopper passes at approximately 23% off the regular rate. And I use at the disney store all the time.
What a great card.

 

[Mskanga]

I'm curious...EMMADOO , how did you get 23% off the tickets? I never heard of such a discount and I have a DC.
Back to the original poster, if you are using this only for tickets the answer is no, it's not worth it, if you have AAA you get just as much of a discount, same applies to room discounts. If you go to the disney store a lot then it may be worth it. I know I will not be renewing mine next year.

 

[janiejo]

DC also gives you a discount on National Car rental. We have had the DC for years (used to be a MK Gold card) and have felt it has more than paid for itself in discounts at the various restaurants, shopping at DD, and park passes.

 

[EMMADOO]

Along with my husband's card there was a packet of other information. In the packet was an order form for tickets. The regular price for a 5 day hopper pass through Disney is $218 for adult and $172 for children. With my order form, I can get the hopper pass for $169 adult and $135 for children. That's a savings of $49 per adult and $34 per child.

 

[LynnB]

EMMADOO, did you order your card recently? I just called and ordered the card on Monday figuring I'd get the standard 5% discount on passes with it. Would love to be able to purchase the hopper at the price you mentioned. Hope that order form is included with my card when I get it.

 

[Puffy2]

Emmadoo, who does your husband work for? I'm just guessing, but I bet it's one of those rare situations where the company has a partnership with Disney and hence, occasionally gets the offer for discounted tickets. Didn't ATT employees get this this past summer? Just asking.

 

[LindaBabe]

AP discounts on rooms have saved me enough not to bother with DC and since the Disney store backed off on much of their adult merchandise, I haven't bought anything there since last year. I'm not renewing unless they promise something MUCH better next year. (I saved tons with my free MKC card in years past.)

 

[silly sally]

What is this entertainment book everyone is talking about. How do i get one and what will it do for me. I am a member of the disney club and i have never used it yet, But i love the magazine i get. I am going to Disney in March so i will use it then. I am going to do some of my shopping from the Disney catalog also. I hope i do well. I also want to know about that 23% discount. I have to renew my DC membership in Jan.inkbounc

 

[EMMADOO]

My husband is a general manager at McDonald's. The owner of the one he works for owns 13 restaurants all together so that may be one reason we can get such a good deal. I also got three nights at the All Star Music for $66 a night for the end of May just before Memorial Day.

 

[amp078]

If you are going to join the DC, I would take advantage of the 90 day free trial period. Yes, they do charge your credit card for the total amount to join but you have the option if you are not satisfied with the savings of cancelling the card for a full refund. I was planning on doing this since i joined in Sept and went to WDW in Nov. but now I'm not so sure because I do use it quite a bit in TDS. I only have a few days left to decide!!!

 

[dianeschlicht]

We use the DC only for purchasing Annual passes to WDW, but it is still worth the discount for those. We are DVC members, so the other DC perks aren't applicable, but the savings for AP's is well worth the $30 renewal for the DC.

 

[MaggieMouse]

I thought the discounts for next year were terrible. For parkhoppers, I think it's $16 off or something. I just got mine in the mail yesterday/