Based on the posts here, DVC should change their motto from "Welcome Home" to...

[Towncrier]

"DVC - You shoulda bought sooner"

Why is it that so many DVC members (myself included) say that their only regret is that they didn't buy sooner?

Oh well. I like Welcome Home better anyway.

[Pumbaa_]

I think the first time people go you are clueless. The first time we went, we stayed at DL, paid about $100 a night and did not get the time share thing. I figured I could always stay cheaper than the timeshare. And that logic worked for me for years.

And then we wandered over to the BW one night after Illuminations. I loved it! That was the beginning of the end (to my resistence, of course ;))

Then we thought it cost a little too much. So we figured in a few years. Then BCV opened, had a great promo, so we bit the bullet and bought in. I couldnt be happier! I am going to DISCON witht he 5 free nights in a deluxe (BWI) and my DH and I are going home for the first time in January.

(We are actually renting points in September, made that arrangement prior to buying in, and since it is for 8 people, easier to just leave it as is and use our points later.)

So, longer story short, we were a little slow on getting the DVC thing. Once we did, we bought! Now, I just have to figure out how soon I can afford an add on!!!

[Granny]

Now that we are DVC members and have enjoyed a couple of DVC stays, my DW insists that she tried to get me to listen to the DVC pitch in 1998!

I don't recall that, but it's funny that I was the one who researched DVC and talked her into it last year.

Now she regrets that I didn't buy sooner! Sort of a variation on a theme. ;)

[Doctor P]

LOL. How right you are!

[Regina]

Hey!!!! What about us highly intelligent, insightful members who had the foresight to join before OKW even opened???;) ;) ;) ;)

How about "Welcome Home" for me, and "You Snooze You Lose" for everyone else???:p :p :p

[Lesley]

Well, Regina.....had we been able to do so, we would have joined in 1994 (first we heard of DVC). Wasn't a matter of snoozing for us! I almost wonder if we could have done it had we made some different choices....we were trying to buy at house at the time and it didn't happen anyway! Oh well, can't second guess every decision we ever make, can we?

I wish we could have joined sooner....but then again, when we joined in 2000 we had the choice of OKW or BWV. Choice is good...

Yet another variation on "wish we had joined sooner"...

[BCVOwner2002]

We also looked (in 1996 & 1998) prior to purchasing this year. At the time we were trying to buy a house so we didn't want any other bills when applying for a mortgage. We definitely wish we purchased sooner since there were better promos than there are today and with the amount of times we have been to WDW since our first "looked" it would be all paid!

[mmmcq]

We actuallly stumbled into the DVC office at Boardwalk on our own. We had stayed on site at CB two years before but had never heard the pitch. We were considering buying timeshare offsite where we were staying in 1999. And then one night strolling along the Boardwalk we found the DVC office and walked in. We signed on 48 hours later.

Boardwalk really appealed to us and we were expecting our 3rd child so staying at moderate resorts was no longer an option for us. We needed a one bedroom with a kitchen and it appeared that DVC was the way for us to insure that we could afford to do that in the furture.

I think it's just a timing thing. I too would have loved to have bought earlier, but I just didn't know about the program....nor were we really "ready". Now I'm hoping this trip will inspire us to do some add on points. I really don't want to wait until 2004 for my next 10 day trip. :)

[dbond]

We did the same thing, but way back when. We bought in 1997, but we first looked into it in 1994. When we think about what the cost was in 1994 compared to what we paid in '97 and all of the incentives and perks we missed out on all that time, it's hearbreaking.

[Rock'n Robin]

We bought the first year we ever went to Disney--the first year we ever went to Florida! Of course this was one month after prices went from $65 to $67,
Last year we added on at VWL at $72--now we are adding more at $80!!! I just wish we had gotten what we needed last year! This is it and I MEAN IT!!!;)
Robin M.

[sgtdisney]

We bought sight unseen in early 1992... I suppose we could have bought in 1991, but we didn't know about it until 1992.. ;) A another family member was down at WDW at the time and called up and told us to buy... The free passes for 7 years almost paid for the initial cost of the investment.. No regrets here...

[milo]

We were on vacation at WDW in March 1993 with my sister. I told her I was going over to look at them and would probably buy at that time. She and her DH went along just to look. Another long story short, you couldn't have stopped them from buying if you tried. They now have a bunch more points than we have.

Those free passes for 7 years were great. I figure we save buying 2 annual passes for each of those years and that really added up. Add that to the free LOS passes you got if you got a 2 bedroom or Grand Villa and it was even better.

Oh the good old days!!!!:)

[doubletrouble_vb]

I heard about Disney in 1993 but couldn't afford it then and I don't regret not buying it. However my cohorts in Disney travel bought BWV at $65 and I definitely regret not buying then because I bought almost a year later at $72. At the same time I'm ecstatic that I got VWL. So far no place tops it for me traveling solo...I might feel differently traveling with a friend but...I doubt it!

The only thing I don't like about VWL is the sound of the racetrack.

[Granny]

Originally posted by dvcreg
Hey!!!! What about us highly intelligent, insightful members who had the foresight to join before OKW even opened???;) ;) ;) ;)

How about "Welcome Home" for me, and "You Snooze You Lose" for everyone else???:p :p :p LOL, Regina. Or maybe be greeted by a "Where have YOU been the last 10 years?".

Actually, I posted a few months ago a commendation for those who bought in the early years, when there was only one resort. You guys really bought in by trusting in Disney and have been wonderfully rewarded. But you had no track record, no 4 on-site resorts to choose from, etc. I admire you DVC pioneers who will never have to say IWIHBS!! :)

[DVCajun]

The only reason I didn't buy sooner was because I couldn't! So, that's not really the same as a regret. But BOY am I glad to be a member! :)

[Barb]

LOL I wanted to join from the very beginning. But my DH was so against it. He had only heard bad things about "timeshares" and wanted nothing to do with it. Then we go on the Disney cruise and sit for the "sales talk". That was all she wrote! Since we joined last year, we've added on twice more. ;) :D
Add us to the list of "wish we had joined sooner-much sooner!"

[DaisyDebbie]

DVC - one of the best things I've ever done for myself! :cool:

I bought first time I went to WDW, stayed at the DI and went on the tour, bought as I was running out the door for the airport. No regrets here :D

[mickeysgang]

We were also slow at buying in. We looked at it first in 1993 but the timing and money wasn't right. So we kept in touch with our rep Greg Kutz who's some kind of manager now. We would ask him about once a year to send us updated information and he did.

I wish we could have bought back then because we lost out on all the freebees and vacations with plenty of room. But, if we had we would have bought at OKW. NO we're not starting the debate of OKW vs BWV but we're happy we bought at BWV, our DS's love it & so do we.

It took us almost 5 years to see the light but are very happy we did.

[nydizfan]

bought in 1993.. can you believe ,, 7 years of free passes.. well maybe it did not cover our 11,900 cost.. but it came close(230 pts). now its at 80 per point and going up up up.... thank god we bought early .... dave:cool:

[Regina]

Hmm Granny, you may be onto something:

PIONEER DVCREG

I kind of like it.:cool: :cool: :cool:

Getting serious, it always makes me a bit sad when I see the resort wars break out.

We're all familiar with "it all started with a mouse". Well, it can also be said "it all started with DVC (OKW)."

It's a wonderful system, no matter when you joined and which resort(s) you call "home."

[Granny]

Originally posted by dvcreg
It's a wonderful system, no matter when you joined and which resort(s) you call "home." Well said, Regina. :)

[DVCajun]

I'm sure the rest of you feel as I do, that we'd be DVCers even if we had no choice of resorts!! I'm sure if I was one of the original OKW members I'd be a diehard OKWer. :) Alas, the Boardwalk forever holds my heart.

sigh.

I wanna go home.

[sueg]

We bought in '93 when it was just OKW. We really weren't aware of DVC before that so we couldn't have bought earlier. But prior to our purchase, we had two top-of the line trips(i.e. we surely overpaid) Both were white glove packages thru AmEx with the golden key food plan. We stayed at the Poly and YC . They were wonderful trips & we really ate ourselves silly to maximize the food plan. I'll always cherish those memories, but when I think about the number of points that we could have owned for the $$$ we spent, I do feel a twinge of regret.

[Peter Johnson]

Originally posted by dvcreg
Hey!!!! What about us highly intelligent, insightful members who had the foresight to join before OKW even opened???;) ;) ;) ;)

How about "Welcome Home" for me, and "You Snooze You Lose" for everyone else???:p :p :p

Well, we can't beat you, but we're close. I have my DW to thank for dragging me kicking and screaming to the "stupid timeshare presentation" in March 1992, while we were staying at PO. Two months later we came back for Memorial Day weekend to sign up and spend our first weekend "Home" :)

We still have the "balloon" photo on display :cool:

(Y'know, DVCReg, we should've kept this to ourselves... it was sooo quiet & peaceful at OKW back then, before all these newbies showed up ;) )

[Lesley]

Yes, those pioneers of DVC sure did get a great deal! Wow....:bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

Those are totally jealous bouncy smilies!

But at the time, the investment had to have seemed just a little risky....and you were compensated well for being willing to take that risk. Good for you!

[sgtdisney]

Honestly, it really didn't seem risky to me.. We had been going to Disney World for years and The Walt Disney Company was, and still is very respected. I figured if any company was going to be on the up and up, it would be Disney as they had a lot to lose if they tried to pull one over on the consumer. As for only having one resort, that was fine with me.. In 10 years we have only stayed at OKW. We love it.. Before DVC we usually stayed in what is now known as the Villas at Disney Institute which was also a little more remote and secluded. We enjoyed and still enjoy vacationing that way.

[Pam Lau]

After sitting through several competitors presentations (usually for the giveaways) we said "Before we ever buy a timeshare we would check out Disney." Little did we realize in 1999 when we went to the Boardwalk and recieved their no pressure presentation that we would be back in 48 hours to purchase. We really did not think we were in a position to buy, but when we thought about the fact that we were always budgetting money for our next trip that we may as well use that money to pay on a monthly basis and when it is all paid off we will be even happier. It definitely was a good deal. Since we never really looked into it sooner, we can not kick ourselves for not purchasing earlier. It still looked like a good deal when we got in.
We have ressies to return in November and again in March.

[Granny]

My only consolation in all this is in 5-10 years, we'll look like the smart ones who bought in with 40 years still left in the DVC!! We'll have 10 years of great vacations under our belts (just like the DVC Pioneers do now) and will be the grizzled veterans that others will be jealous of! :smooth:

But until then, IWIHBS!!:(

[OKW91]

We bought into the DVC in December 91, I remember on the flight home thinking had I made the right move or not! But I believe they gave 30 days to refund your depoist if you didn't like it. We took are first trip in January of 92, and from there on it was nothing but can we get more points!! I only wish I could have made this good of a decision in the stock market!!!!

[Richyams]

I guess this is turning into a thread for those that bought early to brag, OK.

Sept '92

I remember them being done, or close to it with the 23-26 bldgs and you could see lots of construction when you stood on the boardwalk and looked across the lake. I remember our first stay in '93 seeing how many more bldgs were done and how you could only see one bldg under construction, the rest of the building was being done further back, not visable from the road.

That put me completely at ease. If these things weren't selling, they surely would have stopped or at least slowed down the building.

We did certainly get a good dea,l the free tickets were actually worth more than we paid to buy in INCLUDING OUR ADD ON!!!

We figure that we pre-paid for eight year's worth of passes and they threw in 430 points for free!