Free swag, free drinks and exclusive shipboard purchase incentives are just a few of the things Disney Vacation Club owners will find when traveling on a Disney Cruise Line voyage.
From time to time, we like to revisit the experience of sailing aboard Disney Cruise Line as a DVC member. In the spirit of Disney synergy, there are a number of perks and benefits afforded to owners when embarking on a Disney cruise of any length. DVC has an active sales presence on each voyage, with a visible desk staffed with sales Guides ready to promote the value of ownership to members and non-members alike. But throughout the cruise, you'll also encounter a few extras to help make the voyage more (forgive me) "magical."
Door Magnets
People love to decorate their doors about Disney cruise ships and Disney loves for guests to see how many DVC owners are on the ship. It's a match made in heaven! When you first arrive at your cabin, you'll find this magnet affixed to the door proclaiming that's you're already part of "Disney's Best Kept Secret." The magnet has a curved Mickey Mouse ears design, which wraps around the circular door placard on most Disney ships. Though it looks a little more awkward on the Disney Wish as pictured here.
SWAG
Everybody loves free stuff, and Disney Vacation Club really delivers on the DCL voyages. On most trips, you'll receive a different gift each day just for stopping by the DVC sales podium in the ship's atrium. Baseball caps, tote bags, lanyards and lip balm are just a few of the gifts members may receive.
Some of the items tend to be rather modest, like tattoos for Pirate Night and the prints featuring Disney's Riviera Resort (don't we all have about a dozen of those by now?) But every once in a while you'll luck into a cell phone Pop Socket or a new slider to adorn your DisneyBand or MagicBand+.
There is a functional benefit to displaying these items throughout the cruise. If a non-member signs up for a Disney Vacation Club sales presentation and mentions your name as a referring member, you could be in line for a referral bonus if they end up buying points!
Member Meetings
During each cruise, expect at least one meeting to be held exclusively for current DVC owners. The session is ostensibly a low pressure sales meeting. Expect the DVC Guides in attendance to give a few details on the newest properties and try to lure you into a one-on-one presentation. But there truly is no pressure to buy more points.
The meetings last about 30-45 minutes. It typically follows a game show format with several contestants competing in a Family Feud style guessing game. Audience interaction is encouraged, and there are truly no losers. If you're brave enough to get up on the stage, you'll get some extra swag as thanks.
But every attendee at the meeting is treated to alcoholic or non-alcoholic cocktails, or a bottle of water if they prefer.
And after the session, a Disney character makes an appearance for photographs. Character photos are not difficult to come by during a Disney Cruise. But in this case, you can usually snag a pic with one of the Fab 5 dressed in a fun character costume without having to queue-up 20 minutes ahead of time.
Promotional Offers
On each Disney Cruise Line ship, DVC has some office space to meet privately with members like this location on Deck 2 of the Disney Dream.
If you're actually in the market for more Disney Vacation Club points, it doesn't hurt to schedule some time with a Guide. Offers vary greatly from one sailing to another, so it's not worth providing any specifics. However it's not uncommon for DVC to offer some special incentive for buying or adding points while on the ship. The bonus could be an additional discount for buying while on the ship. Or it could be some rare promotional offer like a tote bag or a high-end print.
All of these perks apply whether you book the Disney Cruise Line trip using DVC points or simply pay cash. They apply whether you own points bought direct from DVC or exclusively resale points. Obviously these freebies and the mere presence of the DVC Guides exist to encourage interaction and ultimately sell more points. But the low amount of pressure involved means there's little reason not to claim your luggage tags or baseball cap. That hat could come in handy on in Portugal if you left yours at home!
For more than a decade, DVCNews has trusted travel agent Sandy Nussbaum to manage our non-DVC travels. Book your Adventures by Disney trip, Disney Cruise Line voyage or anywhere on your bucket list and save so much money today! For details, contact Sandy at ezdisez.com or by calling 877-ezdis-ez (877-393-4739.) Be sure to ask about special stateroom credits offered on select Disney Cruise Line voyages!
