Hi, Vickie! We are Disney Vacation Club Members as well, and while I admit I get a little bit jealous when amazing offers like free dining come along and we can't take advantage, I wouldn't trade my DVC contracts for anything!
The benefit in being a DVC member is in the vacation ownership itself. We always know that we'll be able to vacation at Walt Disney World, staying in deluxe accommodations, with no real additional investment except for the nominal maintenance fees. We looked at other Time Share options in the Orlando area before settling on DVC, and I can tell you that we get a pretty good bang for our vacation buck! And if you compare the rate at which your DVC maintenance fees have risen compared to the rate at which Orlando area hotel rates have increased, you will find that our fees are much more stable in many cases.
There are discounts DVC members can take advantage of, including discounts on annual passes, merchandise discounts, and dining discounts, We've enjoyed discounted nights at Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party, Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party, and we've saved on tickets to Cirque du Soleil.
Yes, in some regard, there is probably the feeling that we as DVC members have already made the commitment to keep coming back, so the grand gestures of free dining and significant room discounts are not as crucial to draw us in. But at the same token, we are still receiving the benefit of DVC ownership long after the free dining offers have ended.