DVC was better in the old days!

[WOW]

We purchased back in 93 and the main reason we did it was the free passes until 12/31/1999. We were scared and it was a lot of money at the time, but fortunately we have been able to add on several times. When we bought the minimum was 210 points.

On our first visit there as DVC Members, I remember that the nickname for OKW was the Geriatric resort and that kind of scared us. The reason was that younger people could not afford DVC. Happily that has disappeared as we all know. The place is filled with younger people and their children.

We are so happy with DVC

 

[KNWVIKING]

In 97 we stayed at PO. When we would return to the resort at nite, there were cookie carts in the lobby with fresh cookies,hot coco and warm apple cidar,( this was in Dec). We bought into OKW during that trip & returned to OKW the following year. We thought the cookie carts would be at OKW for Christmas also-but weren't. We decided to head over to PO to sneak a few cookies- none there either. Apparently the cookie cart was part of the 25th aniversary celebration. That one little perk was such a great piece of magic for us I'd be willing to pay a few bucks more in dues to bring it back to the DVC resorts. I know all perks have a cost, but they sure feel free when your enjoying them.

 

[geffric]

We bought in 96 and remember the" goodies" especially the park passes, saved us BIG BUCKS... It has been fun to think about the past perks..but I am so very happy, our investment has made money, (had I known that then I would have bought more points) and my children have "grown up at Disney." When we first bought my sons were 3 and 5, we just went last week and my soon to be 12 year old wasn't sure if it was "cool" to hug Mickey anymore.... To see the look on my family's face is priceless everytime we are at OKW is precious..

 

[tvwalsh]

Two weeks is wonderful if you have a two bedroom otherwise " You are a better man than I, Gunga Din!"

 

[Jeanne]

I do miss the perks of the good old days as well. But having just returned from a week at OKW on Friday, I miss several new "gone by the wayside" or "öur way of keeping dues down" perks, such as not a pen to be found near a phone, nor was there a sheet no less a pad of note paper near any phone, just the phone charges card (at Animal Kingdom Lodge there was a pad of paper at the back of the very same charges list) no magazines, no call to invite me to the member meeting, but we did get the early morning housekeeping interuption on check out day. See it is good to know that some things remain the same. I did mention to the manager that every time I have had a comment about changes the reply has been "we surveyed the members...", so he didn't go that route, just said it was a dues saving measure. It is getting to the point where I am not feeling quite so special being a member. If I have a problem at another resort, where I am paying cash, management has always gone above and beyond to keep me happy. Still glad I am a member, just miss some of the smaller perks.

 

[spiceycat]

hey we got the invite to the member meeting call - so I don't know why you were missed.

What I miss is the books - back in 93 and 94 OKW has these very nice books that showed you what was in your villa and how to use it. Some people decided these were souvenirs and took them - despite the books plainly stated that these were not souvenirs and please leave them where you found them for the next guest. Now if you need to call housekeeping or maintence if you can't remember - these books were very detailed - on how to work the VCR (to record not just to play) and everything. We never took them and I have yet to find anyone who did. But I can see if people were taking them that they would be very expensive to replace on a regular basis.

 

[KNWVIKING]

I manage a service dept at a GMC dealership. The techs have their own tools but the shop also supplies hundreds of specialty tools. Several times a year, probably around 2 am on Sundays, a nasty tool fairy comes in and breaks or steals tools. That can be the only explanation cause if you ask the techs, the tool was clean, working properly, and put back in the proper bin. I guess DVC has its own nasty fairy's.

 

[SamS]

I'd be interested in reading the USA Today article. I tried to find it in their archives (did a search for DVC), but came up empty. Do you know the date or title of the article by any chance?

 

[tvwalsh]

Ah, the good old days. I think several thing have changed in the DVC, and not necessarily for the better since this post in 2003.

 

[RAD]

Don't forget the peach colored towels, the placemats, the napkins or the coasters.....

Or salt and pepper shakers. Just like the rest of WDW, just keep cutting back on the little things that helped make it special and we'll end up with a Six Flags with a mouse.

 

[gtrist4life]

What a great thread. Very cool to see people's thought's from 4 years ago. That's when I joined.

What's interesting is that I think between then and now, Jim Lewis has addressed bringing a little of the good ole' days back (giclee, seasonal weekly member events) and our list of DVC resort options has grown with SSR and within a couple of years, AKV. It really is a balance on running a profitable business and keeping the reputation and quality to a level that keeps people buying.
It would have been nice to have the perks of the first owners, but no complaints at all about my ownership.

Peace,
G4L

 

[jimmytammy]

Im just glad there were some "good ol days", otherwise us newer folks wouldnt be creating our own now.

So hats off to all you "ol timers" (No disrespect intended). I am truly glad you folks who bought in early had the foresight to do so. We might not have any of this to enjoy today. So thanks!

 

[DisDaydreamer]

Ah, the good old days. I think several thing have changed in the DVC, and not necessarily for the better since this post in 2003.

This must have been near your first post.

In 1998 on our first DVC visit to BWV, the computer system was down and we couldn't get room key at 4 pm... so they gave use 4 park-hopper passes for our entire stay. We were happy

 

[sgtdisney]

Ah yes, an oldie but a goody. Re-reading this makes me remember, again, all the cool things that have gone by the wayside. I still enjoy the membership immensely. Hard for me to fathom sometimes that we have been members for almost 15 years now.

 

[spiceycat]

Hard for me to fathom sometimes that we have been members for almost 15 years now.

now that is scarily..... we are getting older.

 

[corpcomp]

Forget the salt & pepper shakers, parking, napkins - just give me the old airline and car rental rates again!!!

 

[Pluto4Pres]

I joined back in 1992. In those days, every week, there was a free member meal outside with shrimp and steak. If your room was not ready on time you were likely to be given a free meal for your entire party at any WDW restaurant of your choice. (I was given these twice, both times the room was ready by five.) Any occasion caused there to be cookies and snacks put out in Papa's Den. We got more towels. The rooms were cleaner. We did not pay for extra soap or coffee. We could swim at any WDW resort. You could get a free sundae any time of day. DVC vans would take you anywhere you wanted to go for free if you asked. We were sent numerous little gifts and perks. We, of course, got into the parks for free untill 2000. A fruit basket or such was sent if a birthday or anniversary was mentioned to the staff. We got Xmas cards that were pretty and personal. I could go on but it hurts too much!

We joined in 1992. I vaguely remember the cookies and an occasional cocktail get-together at the Commodore House, but no steak and shrimp I got ripped off! I want my money back!

 

[tvwalsh]

We joined in 1992. I vaguely remember the cookies and an occasional cocktail get-together at the Commodore House, but no steak and shrimp I got ripped off! I want my money back!

These meals were in back of Olivias in the area outside where the addition was added on to Olivias many years ago. The steak and shrimp meal was on sticks (shish kabob) and was not really a sit down type meal. It was every week though for quite a while. I do not remember the day of the week.

 

[DebbieB]

now that is scarily..... we are getting older.

I know, it hit me the other day I've been a member 7 1/2 years! Seems like yesterday!

Those who bought OKW at the beginning really made out. But I did too, I bought BWV at $65, $59 if you counted the magical beginnings credit.

 

[jade1]

Im just glad there were some "good ol days", otherwise us newer folks wouldnt be creating our own now.

So hats off to all you "ol timers" (No disrespect intended). I am truly glad you folks who bought in early had the foresight to do so. We might not have any of this to enjoy today. So thanks!

Agreed, if losing those early freebies resulted in BCV/VWL I'll take it.