Thinking about joining

[Jasonkat]

I don't think WDW is some unknown mystical place. People who've never been there know what it's like. I mean isn't Disneyland and Disneyworld like pop-cultural icons?

The fact it's crowded, expensive, and hot in the summer is common knowledge. You don't need to visit WDW to have a pretty good idea what you're getting into when you go there.

 

[Deb & Bill]

I don't think WDW is some unknown mystical place. People who've never been there know what it's like. I mean isn't Disneyland and Disneyworld like pop-cultural icons?

The fact it's crowded, expensive, and hot in the summer is common knowledge. You don't need to visit WDW to have a pretty good idea what you're getting into when you go there.

But until you get there you don't know just how expensive it is going to be, especially in the future. Ticket prices have just gone way up since we bought into DVC in 1997. And our annual member fees have about doubled.

 

[disneynutz]

I don't think WDW is some unknown mystical place. People who've never been there know what it's like. I mean isn't Disneyland and Disneyworld like pop-cultural icons?

The fact it's crowded, expensive, and hot in the summer is common knowledge. You don't need to visit WDW to have a pretty good idea what you're getting into when you go there.

I disagree, there is no way to know what's there until you experience it for yourself.

We have had many, many people join us at WDW over the years and most had no idea what WDW was about, even after we explained it to them ahead of time.

Comments like:
We thought it would be all kiddie rides.
We didn't understand that there were 4 different parks.
We thought that it would be like 6 Flags.
We didn't know that it was so big.
Where did all of those people come from.
I can't believe that it was so expensive.
I can't believe that you have to wait in line for an hour to go on a ride.

Watching others at the world and watching some of the melt downs also makes me think that many didn't know what they were getting into.

Bill

 

[montrealdisneylovers]

I strongly disagree with this sentiment.

This was the response I typically got when I first made a post asking about joining DVC. I mentioned I'd only gone to WDW once in 2010 and once in 2011 and people ragged on me because I hadn't gone consistently enough so I wasn't a good candidate for DVC.

I will be going to WDW 4 times this year and 3 times next year. Why did my vacation habits change? We have an almost 3 year old and an almost 1 year old now. Do the math and you'll figure out why we didn't go often in 2010, 2011 or 2012 (ie: pregnant wife most of those years).

The OP said he has two young kids age 2 and 9 mos. I can relate to his situation. He can plan on going to WDW at least once a year for probably the next 15 years. Just because he didn't go on a regular basis in the past doesn't mean he won't be going on a regular basis in the future. After all, he didn't have two young kids 5 years ago so why compare his vacation habits 5 years ago to his vacation habits today?

As far as the cost savings go. I mean yes he 'could' save money by saving up and buying resale. He 'could' save money by buying another timeshare. He 'could' save money by not financing at 15%.

But he's got two young kids, and the clock is ticking. If he has to wait 5 years to save up the money to pay cash for a resale his kids will be 7 and 6 and he's lost 5 years worth of memories. He'll also have lost the wonderful visits when the kids are toddlers and "believe" that Mickey in the costume is the Mickey they see on the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse every day. They won't believe that when they're 7. The time to make these memories goes away day by day. Tomorrow he'll have one less opportunity to spend time with his kids than he has today. And one day they'll be all grown up and out of the nest and they won't return his phone calls (like in that song "cats in the cradle"). If he's ready to take vacations with his family and build these memories then maybe DVC is worth it. When he's old and his wife is dead from a tragic blimp accident and he's in a nursing home and his kids don't visit anymore then I guarantee the extra $10,000 he could've saved on DVC won't be as important to him as the memory of his cute little three year old hugging Mickey Mouse. Maybe money isn't the most important thing in life.

Like the song says "sha la la la la la live for today, and don't worry 'bout tomorrow, hey"

OMG, Jasonkat, you ae making me !!!!

Our girls are 16 and 18 and we have taken them every year since they were 2 and 4. Some years was just a day trip from the beach in Sarasota, some years we stayed at the All Stars and just recently found DVC.

We have sooooooooooooooooo many special memories from each and every vacation, and so do the girls. They still call it their favorite place to visit and MK is still their favorite park. Our vacations have become even more special since our BLT DVC. The girls are already looking forward to taking trips with their friends!! My husband loves sitting and watching the fireworks from our room every night and reminisces about our past visits. We are looking forward to our adult only trips and hopefully one day large family (including grandkids) trip.

You are so right, money is important, but other things are even more important.

 

[zavandor]

Memories are much much more important than money, I agree. But DVC is not the only way to make those memories. There are a number of other ways to go to WDW and have a wonderful vacation. Renting points, resorts for cash, staying off site at better resorts for lower money. DVC works great for many people, and bad for others, it's important to understand in which group one falls.

 

[disneynutz]

Memories are much much more important than money, I agree. But DVC is not the only way to make those memories. There are a number of other ways to go to WDW and have a wonderful vacation. Renting points, resorts for cash, staying off site at better resorts for lower money. DVC works great for many people, and bad for others, it's important to understand in which group one falls.

So true and I think that is the point that many of us try to convey. Buying a DVC interest either direct or through resale works for some but not for others.

Sharing our experiences and knowledge of the DVC gives owners and potential buyers information that may help them with their DVC decisions.

Bill

 

[ELMC]

I strongly disagree with this sentiment.

This was the response I typically got when I first made a post asking about joining DVC. I mentioned I'd only gone to WDW once in 2010 and once in 2011 and people ragged on me because I hadn't gone consistently enough so I wasn't a good candidate for DVC.

I'm fairly confident that nobody "ragged" on you.

But he's got two young kids, and the clock is ticking. If he has to wait 5 years to save up the money to pay cash for a resale his kids will be 7 and 6 and he's lost 5 years worth of memories. He'll also have lost the wonderful visits when the kids are toddlers and "believe" that Mickey in the costume is the Mickey they see on the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse every day. They won't believe that when they're 7. The time to make these memories goes away day by day. Tomorrow he'll have one less opportunity to spend time with his kids than he has today. And one day they'll be all grown up and out of the nest and they won't return his phone calls (like in that song "cats in the cradle"). If he's ready to take vacations with his family and build these memories then maybe DVC is worth it.

You do realize that one can visit Walt Disney World without buying a DVC timeshare, right?

When he's old and his wife is dead from a tragic blimp accident and he's in a nursing home and his kids don't visit anymore then I guarantee the extra $10,000 he could've saved on DVC won't be as important to him as the memory of his cute little three year old hugging Mickey Mouse. Maybe money isn't the most important thing in life.

Like the song says "sha la la la la la live for today, and don't worry 'bout tomorrow, hey"

I understand the point you're trying to make, but really? A blimp accident?

 

[ELMC]

The fact it's crowded, expensive, and hot in the summer is common knowledge. You don't need to visit WDW to have a pretty good idea what you're getting into when you go there.

Disagree.

I disagree, there is no way to know what's there until you experience it for yourself.

We have had many, many people join us at WDW over the years and most had no idea what WDW was about, even after we explained it to them ahead of time.

Comments like:
We thought it would be all kiddie rides.
We didn't understand that there were 4 different parks.
We thought that it would be like 6 Flags.
We didn't know that it was so big.
Where did all of those people come from.
I can't believe that it was so expensive.
I can't believe that you have to wait in line for an hour to go on a ride.

Watching others at the world and watching some of the melt downs also makes me think that many didn't know what they were getting into.

Bill

Agree.

 

[freediverdude]

One final note.

DVC is pre-paid lodging...nothing more. ANYbody's timeshare is only lodging.

It doesn't pay for airfare. It doesn't pay for park tickets. It doesn't pay for food -- a more significant cost than you may realize. It doesn't pay for the obligatory trinkets. And it doesn't pay for incidental expenses.

Lodging is one component of vacation cost -- and probably NOT the biggest component. NO timeshare pays any of the other vacation costs.

Haha, obligatory trinkets.....never quite heard it put that way before, I think that's my new catch phrase for the gift shops, hehe.

 

[Jasonkat]

I'm fairly confident that nobody "ragged" on you.

I understand the point you're trying to make, but really? A blimp accident?

I had to make it a "little" bit funny. People on here can be too serious.

As for "ragged" I guess it depends on what the definition of "ragged" is. I made a post inquiring why there was such a huge cost difference over ten years for BLT, BCV, and VWL vs the other 4 (assuming you only stayed at your home resort). But some people tried to turn the thread into a thread about whether or not I was a fit for DVC. But that wasn't the question I was asking I just wanted to know why there was such a difference in cost. So, I would describe people changing the topic of the thread and telling me I wasn't a fit for DVC without knowing anything more about me than I'd only gone to WDW twice the past 3 years as "ragging".

This is not directed at anyone in particular, but this is based on my observations since I started regularly coming on here last summer (yes, I have a whopping 6 months experience with this website but I'm going to make a broad generalization)

People on here can sometimes come off as know-it-alls and assume non-DVC owners are know-nothings. People are just too serious on this site, and they need to have some fun and take a chill pill. So I try to defend the people who ask the questions a little bit. I assume they know what the heck they're doing. I mean they found the website and they're asking questions, doesn't that mean they're probably also able to google DVC and read a little bit about it? It's not like these people are on a cruise ship signing up after the presentation.

We all need to lay off the original posters and try to be a little bit more friendly.

This is for montrealdisneylovers (who has two late-teen girls):

My daughter came home just the other day
So much like a woman I just had to say
"Hon I'm proud of you can you sit for a while?"
But she shook her head and she said with a smile
"what I'd really like mom is to borrow the car keys,
see you later can I have them, please?"

And the cats in a cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man in the moon
When you coming home, daughter, I don't know when
But we'll get together then
You know we'll have a good time then

 

[montrealdisneylovers]

That song has always touched my heartstrings. Now as the kids get older, it starts to mean more and more. Then again, as parents, we have to give them roots and then wings!! So I guess we are doing our job.

 

[a742246]

Harry Chapin love that man. We need more people like him. RIP Harry.

 

[JimMIA]

This is not directed at anyone in particular, but this is based on my observations since I started regularly coming on here last summer (yes, I have a whopping 6 months experience with this website but I'm going to make a broad generalization)

People on here can sometimes come off as know-it-alls and assume non-DVC owners are know-nothings. People are just too serious on this site, and they need to have some fun and take a chill pill. So I try to defend the people who ask the questions a little bit. I assume they know what the heck they're doing. I mean they found the website and they're asking questions, doesn't that mean they're probably also able to google DVC and read a little bit about it? It's not like these people are on a cruise ship signing up after the presentation.

We all need to lay off the original posters and try to be a little bit more friendly.

Well, that is somewhat the nature of discussion boards.

Sometimes we post stuff, and others disagree. That happens to me a lot, and I personally think it's great -- as long as the responding poster offers legitimate counterpoints, as you did in an earlier reply to one of my posts. Some disagreed with your replies, but I didn't because I thought your points were legitimate and well-made -- just a difference of opinion. That's really what discussion boards are all about, and it's a good thing.

But -- whenever we post our opinions, or questions -- we have to accept that others may have different viewpoints or see unasked questions in the original post. I can tell you from experience that the DIS is WAY friendlier than other discussion boards I frequent. In fact, the DIS DVC boards are more friendly than some of the other DIS boards.

In addition, there is another aspect of DIS posts...especially about DVC purchases. Folks who have been here for a while realize that there are really TWO audiences for every post -- the folks who are joining the discussion (posters), and the folks who are just lurking and trying to learn the same things the posters are asking. So, sometimes, an experienced poster here will take a thread a little out of context to make sure that lurkers are not misled by the framing of a particular discussion.

We get a lot of threads here where the OP dribbles out just enough information to get the responses they wanted to get in the first place. If someone offers a critique, they dribble out just enough additional info to justify their position. Some see through that and address larger questions the OP didn't raise -- not to appear omniscient...but to protect the newbies who are just lurking.

We have two audiences, and we have responsibilities to both.

 

[JimMIA]

So I try to defend the people who ask the questions a little bit. I assume they know what the heck they're doing.

Naw...they don't. I defend people who ask questions, too. And I also feel there is no such thing as a "dumb" question.

But there are people here (posting and lurking) who have absolutely NO CLUE what they are doing.

And many of them are either BUYING, or HAVE ALREADY BOUGHT, DVC! They are either preparing to, or have, dropped tens of thousands of dollars into a timeshare with which they are totally unfamiliar. They bought it, but they have no idea how to make a reservation. They have no concept of even the most basic components of the program.

We see their questions every day here...and honestly, sometimes you don't know whether to laugh or cry.