Founders Card questions

As I usually go for a longer period to Vegas, not having to pay resort fees would be a huge deal for me. Only for 5 days at Paris, I already have to pay $175 resort fees, so can you imagine for 19 nights.

Now I have read here about Founders Card, that you automatically become Diamond status with CET and thus not have to pay resort fees anymore. I'm aware that you then also don't get the services that come with it, but wifi is the only service I use and I could get that seperate for a lot less per day and only use it on some days to save money.

So Founders Card seems like a good deal for my situation. But I'm not sure how I best go about getting it. I know you have to be a company owner, so I have to make up a company name and apply. But what is the best way? I read here that with a referral you don't have to pay submission fees and can get a reduced price, to save 100s of dollars. Does anyone know how this works and maybe (knows someone who) can refer me?

Also, having to pretend to be a company owner, makes me a little nervous. I read here that someone was questioned about their company (which they didn't really own) and chickened out. That would happen to me too when I would be questioned, I would feel too uncomfortable about having to lie. Maybe if it is on email I could do it, but on the phone, no way. Does anyone have any reassuring advice/experience on this?

About Diamond status in general, if you reach it for example in June 2017, as I understand it, you will keep the Diamond status from June 2017 until the end of 2018 (or beginning 2019), is that correct? And if so, if you become Diamond status through Founders Card, let's say also in June 2017 and you are only a member for one year, until June 2018, does your Diamond status then also stay until the end of 2018, or only until june 2018?

Thank you all very much for any advice on this!

 

I looked at FC a while back but wasn't interested in it at the price then. However, it seems that they frequently run a $295/annual special (you have to sign up for two years though at the same time) that you can get from this link - https://thepointsguy.com/2017/10/founderscard-celebrating-8-years/

Even though it says it expires at the end of Oct 2017, it seemed to be valid this morning when I clicked on it to try and sign up. I didn't go all the way through with it though.

As to the whole must-be-a-business-owner thing, I didn't see that language anywhere. You can always tell them you do freelance consulting for (insert whatever skill you have here).

 

Thank you!

 

No problem. Let us know how it goes if you do sign up. I do remember reading that it takes about two weeks for the Diamond status to activate and you have to specifically request it from FC.

 

I did founderscard solely because of the CET status, as I have a property in my hometown with a lounge. The process is pretty straightforward. You don't need to be a company owner, but you do need to be a decision maker/ management type. I applied as a department head and was never questioned.

Never pay the full price. I know if you get a member to refer you, I believe you get a drop off the standard rate.

One thing to look for: Diamond status runs from January to January with the agreement between FC and CET evaluated each year. (Last year, there was a lot of hand-wringing that FC was going to drop the Diamond CET benefit, and there was a 3 week period where everyone lost their status, but then it came back again.) It is not 100% guaranteed that Diamond will be there for 2018.

One last thing to mention is that it sounds like CET is going to charge rewards points to enter Diamond Lounges to players that didn't obtain 25k tier credits the year before. Since it sounds like you're mainly looking for the Resort Fee perk, this might not affect you as much as it does me when I'm deciding to renew my FC.

 

Thank you, stormins!

Good to know, that they don't make a big deal out of checking your background. But bad to hear that the Diamond benefit is not certain for the years to come, as that would be my only reason for doing it.

My next trip is only in a year's time, so I can still wait and see if they still have the benefit then.

Access to the Diamond lounge is a nice perk, but indeed not an issue for me if not included. Although I like that you have wifi there, especially when you don't have internet access in your room due to not paying resort fees.

 

If I recall correctly, the CET/Fouders card relationship renews in March or April

 

It used to, but once CET went from January to January, naturally, so did the renewal. That was part of the delay last year. I'm thinking they go one more year, as CET continues to beef up their books with "VIP" membership.

P.S. Ignore any definitive statements that aren't directly from CET or FC, as in previous years people were certain they were/weren't renewing.

 

It used to be that if you didn't pay the resort fee, you didn't get the services that went with it. That has changed. Now, Diamond members don't pay resort fees but DO get the services, including in room internet.

 

When I signed up I couldn’t find any active $295 rates (but it was early in the year, might be able to get it now). I emailed them and said that I kept seeing references to a $395 rate (regular rate was $495) but couldn’t find a way to activate it. They emailed a link and said they’d honor the $395 rate. You might give that a try, heck might even ask for the $295 rate.

Everything else said above is accurate.

 

Yes, there are charter member codes out there for $295.

 

REALLY?!! That would make Founders Card even more worth while, as I would have free internet access in my room on top of it! Great news, thanks!!

 

Thanks for the great tip, Mitkraft! As a Dutchie, I'm always a bit hesitant to ask for things, as that's not really done here (I think it makes us feel inferior, as if we are begging for something). It took me years before I even dared to do the $20 trick hahaha! But I'm learning here that if you don't ask for things, you will never get what you want and for them it's just a business deal, they are not giving you anything out of their own pockets or won't eat any less because of it. But knowing and doing is two things and with your advice, I feel more encouraged to give it a try and just ask for what I want. My trip is only in November 2018 though (340+ days, uch!), that is also at the end of the year, so I will keep the link of LilyJDragonfly ($295 per year, but at least for 2 years) and wait till beginning October before I apply. Or, if I only need it for my trip in November (and not for 2 years) I will use the same trick as you did, to get the 1 year rate of $395, as that would still easily cover resort fees for that trip alone.

 

Definitely wait until after January, but once you know they've renewed their arrangement through 2018, and you decide to do it, make sure you leave enough time to have all the set up completed. I might start a little earlier than October. You probably should determine whether it's available to people who live outside North America, I couldn't tell from their website.

I did see in the T&Cs that they auto-renew your membership each year, so make sure you cancel (or opt-out of auto-renewal if they let you) if you only end up needing it for one year.

The following scenario is also interesting:

You sign up for FC and your membership is effective Oct 1 2018. You get Diamond match immediately, which is good through Jan 31 2019.

What happens in Feb 2019? You are still an FC member. Are you then entitled to a match through Jan 2020 (assuming FC continues the relationship with CET)?

If yes, what happens if you do not renew FC in Oct 2019? Is your Diamond status also cancelled at that point or does it still continue through Jan 2020?

 

I got the two year plan in March 2016. Also paid bit extra for lifetime spousal membership. I was a bit nervous paying up front and all the talk of non renewal with cet.

I definitely got my money’s worth.

If it renews January I might effectively get a third year diamond. Will decide whether to up again after that. Have not used any other benefits. I think I am locked in at 295 per annum so for two people, a pretty good deal.

 

Yes, thank you, I will definitely do that!

 

I was also chewing on this. I think the perfect scenario would be (but not sure if possible), to get Founders Card for example half Januari 2018, for $395 per year. Then you cancel it half Januari 2019, but you will still have Diamond status until Januari 2020. Then you get Founders Card again half Januari 2020 for $395 and cancel a year later, to have Diamond status until Januari 2022. If it would be possible this way, then you would only pay $198 per year and would get the best bang for your buck. But they probably don't have that offer of $395 that early in the year (like Mitkraft already suggested).

 

Here’s how it works. Lets say you joined FC in June of 2017. You will get Diamond card good till Jan 2018. You will then get your Diamond card for 2018. FC sends a list of names to Caesars to get Diamond status for the new year 2018. Your name will be on that list. Come June of 2018 if you do not rejoin then FC lets Caesars know you are no longer entitled to Diamond status. If you don’t have 15000 TCs then you will be bumped down to platinum or gold. If you join in Dec or Jan at that time FC doesn’t even know if Caesars will be a benefit again till Feb. So you could be joining without the benefit. If you are thinking of joining for the 1st time wait till FC announces that Caesars is a benefit again. This way every year from that point on you will know the status of Caesar benefit before signing up for another year.

 

THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!

Now I need to decide if it's worth it for me, as I'm not sure I can return to Vegas every year. And since it's also not certain that Caesars will continue to be a benefit with FC, I think it's too big a risk for me to try to get the special offer of $295 per year, but having to pay 2 years in advance. As then I would be paying $590 and not sure if I can benefit from the Diamond status more than one trip. Maybe the best option for me would be, to pay the more expensive rate of $395 per year and wait until as close as possible to my trip, before I apply (I've read here that you have to apply at least 6 weeks before your actual trip, but I'm not sure if even that is enough?). Then if I do have a chance to return in 2019, I will plan it for earlier in the year, so I'm still Diamond status. And even if I won't return within a year, the $395 will easily cover the resort fees of my 2018 trip, as then I would stay 19 nights at CET, so that is 19 x $30-35 = $570-665 in resort fees alone, for just one trip.

Can you imagine that only half a decade ago, there were no resort fees at CET. Now the resort fees are killing me, sometimes you pay even more in resort fees, than for the actual room itself. And I don't even use any of the services which the fees are supposed to cover, except 15-20 minutes of internet access per day. [End of rant]