Already took tour but didn't like our guide

[patkingpin]

Thank you everyone for your responses and PM's. Now I have to take in all of the new information I am getting. We are definitely going to be changing our guide. All we have to do now is figure out where we want to go from here.
Keep the suggestions coming though, I am loving the information.
Since my wife and I usually stay in villas anyway, the DVC makes sense to us monetarily, it is all of the other parts that we keep looking into. Between the honeymoon last year and our two possible trips this year, we will have spent about $11,000 on trips in the past two years, I would say DVC should make sense for us.

Thanks again,
Patrick.

 

[3DisneyKids]

Hey Patrick--yes, spending that kind of money, DVC sounds right for you. Plus, I think buying in as newlyweds is a GREAT way to go. You will have some years for just the two of you...and then when/if kids come, you will be able to have SO much of an easier time staying with DVC....those kitchens and washer/dryers make travling with babies and kids a breeze!

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

I can honestly say we didn't buy when we toured ten years ago because of the guide we were assigned at the time. I feel like that jerk (and he was!) cost us a whole lot of money after we waited another seven years to eventually buy via the resale market.

So, if you feel like DVC is really for you...then call right now and request a different guide!

 

[DeeCee735]

I believe you should ask for a different guide, and I think ANY guide should listen to what it is you are looking for in DVC and work with you to find that, definitely in LESS than 5 hours.

My guide was great when we bought, but my friend looked at it last September when we were there together the guide she got was horrible, totally unwelcoming. I think as soon as she realized my friend was just looking at it as a possiblity, not a definite sale she copped an attitude that made it perfectly clear to us she felt "put out". If my friend and her family does purchase it will definitely be through another guide.

IMHO if a person is going to make a large financial commitment, they should be very comfortable with the guide that takes them through the process.

 

[AnneMT]

We had a man named "Kim" as our guide. I think his low pressure attitude when we said we wanted to take the info home and look at it sold us the most!

Good Luck!

 

[llmurphy17]

I am the only one that thinks who your guide is matters VERY little unless you plan on a lot of adding on and stuff in the future? They all sell the same thing at the same price. You can always just buy via resale also. Once you get the guide to send you the contract paperwork, you may never have to deal with them again if you don't want to. They are just salespeople really.

I guess depending on your guide will make different people have different opinions. My guide goes all out for us. We were able to get fast passes, help on any issues booking, questions, adding on he always comes through for us. I have him as a valuable resource for info not just for sales.

There is also another thread on the boards that show the names of the guides people use and how they feel about them. Sorry just can't remember where.

 

[AKV707]

I guess depending on your guide will make different people have different opinions. My guide goes all out for us. We were able to get fast passes, help on any issues booking, questions, adding on he always comes through for us. I have him as a valuable resource for info not just for sales.

I absolutely agree. That is how DW and I feel about our guide.

 

[Chuck S]

We had a man named "Kim" as our guide. I think his low pressure attitude when we said we wanted to take the info home and look at it sold us the most!

Good Luck!

Kim was our original guide, and we liked him a lot. We did an add-on in person, and he wasn't there that day so another guide helped us...and our account was switched over to the "new" guide If we ever do any more DVC transactions, we will request to be switched back to Kim. He is very low pressure.

 

[Slakk]

My guide is Gib and I was very upfront about how I was waiting for DGC to buy from Disney and that I was buying a small re-sale to get in the system. I have no intention of ever hitting the 160 points, so I needed the resale to be able to add on DGC at a smaller amount than the 160. He was wonderful about it, no pressure and understanding. When my resale closed, I must have been in some system with him assigned, because my Welcome Home email came from him. He's a good guide (ie salesperson)

Gib rocks! He is my guide and is a total sweatheart - we have bought 5 times through him and no pressure at all and he is a great guy.

 

[drakethib]

Kim was our original guide, and we liked him a lot. We did an add-on in person, and he wasn't there that day so another guide helped us...and our account was switched over to the "new" guide If we ever do any more DVC transactions, we will request to be switched back to Kim. He is very low pressure.

Hey Chuck.

We originally looked through Disney was assigned a Guide (Joan Lane who is wonderful), bought resale (got a good deal), and did two add ons (one of the add ons Joan was on a Cruise so another guy helped us) and Joan Lane has been our guide since the beginning. I wonder why they switched you.

 

[drakethib]

Kim was our original guide, and we liked him a lot. We did an add-on in person, and he wasn't there that day so another guide helped us...and our account was switched over to the "new" guide If we ever do any more DVC transactions, we will request to be switched back to Kim. He is very low pressure.

Hey Chuck.

We originally looked through Disney was assigned a Guide (Joan Lane who is wonderful), bought resale (got a good deal), and did two add ons (one of the add ons Joan was on a Cruise so another guy helped us) and Joan Lane has been our guide since the beginning. I wonder why they switched you.

 

[javamom]

Our DVC guide was very nice, but we went in knowing that if we ever did buy in, it would be at Boardwalk. She wasn't very interested in sellingus that, which I completely understood would be the case. Our tour took about 3 hours from the time that we were picked up and the time that we were returned to our destination. Yes, we got fastpasses.

Our frustration came months later when we decided to buy. I called her back to find out if there had been any change in the financing rate information since our visit. We intended to finance a portion of the amount, but not the whole thing. I told her that I was trying to decide whether to buy from Disney or resale market and wanted to make sure that I had up to date info for the comparison. She sent 2 emails, and neither of them had the information that I needed. Well, that helped make up our minds and we bought a resale contract from the Timeshare Store. We sent them a check for the cash portion, and financed the remainer with our bank.

Interestingly enough, when we were finally in Disney's system, we got an email from "her" welcoming us home and giving us our pin info for the dvc member's website. So, obvisously, she is still assigned to us and if we want to add-on it will be through her.

I am not annoyed enough with her to request a different guide, but don't really feel that she had a lot to do with selling us the Club. She was just sort of along for the ride.

Wonder if they are salaried, commissioned or both?

 

[AKLFan3]

5 hours?! I'm sorry you had a terrible experience. We took the tour in December and it was about 1 hour and 15 minutes. We also didn't care to have fastpasses, so we were offered $15 per person off any meal of our choice on WDW property. Since there were 2 of us, we were given $30 off. Our guide is Maribella Quinones. She is very nice, professional, and does not put any pressure on us to buy. Our family is still debating whether to buy and we're in the "telephone tag" phase right now since we never seem to be home when Maribella calls, and vice versa.

 

[3guysandagal]

We took the tour in December and it was about 1 hour and 15 minutes. We also didn't care to have fastpasses, so we were offered $15 per person off any meal of our choice on WDW property. Since there were 2 of us, we were given $30 off..

Newbie here!

Just had to add that this was our experience as well on Dec 9/07. Only differences were 4 people, DW&I, DS4 and DS10 who played while we toured. Then, 4x$15 anywhere in Disney. Used them for souvs.

Called her back the next day (I think) and left a message on her direct line in regards to increases in dues over the years (% and such) and if there was some way to compare and do the math. Investment, right? (Lot of money!!) Told her I was leaving in a day.
Returned home on the 12th. Nothing yet. No call. So I found this site (The DIS) and have been lurking (ooooohhhhh!, the lurker) Lots of great info from everyone.

This is not to say that she was bad in any way!
Very nice person and willing to help at the time!
I'm just not willing to chase anyone to spend my money.

Looking at resale now.

Anyway, I am just of the opinion from reading everything that your guide is SO important. They either work WITH you (or for you, as the case may be) and YOU CAN WORK WITH THEM.
They are there to help arent they?

Hopefully I will hear back from our guide, if not just to rekindle the faith, that I wasnt shuffled aside as a no go.

PS: Did I mention 2 day growth beard, raggy shorts, t-shirt and ball cap???

Vacation right?

 

[disneymom8589]

My guide is Gib and I was very upfront about how I was waiting for DGC to buy from Disney and that I was buying a small re-sale to get in the system. I have no intention of ever hitting the 160 points, so I needed the resale to be able to add on DGC at a smaller amount than the 160. He was wonderful about it, no pressure and understanding. When my resale closed, I must have been in some system with him assigned, because my Welcome Home email came from him. He's a good guide (ie salesperson)

I'll 2nd that about Gib. He's our guide, too, and when we were considering an AKV add-on last summer after touring the models, we talked to him in person at the Preview Center. He even told us to hold off for a short bit because he was pretty sure they were going to be announcing a double developer points incentive soon. Sure enough, he called us at home the day the DD points incentive was announced and we did a quick and simple add-on over the phone. He is a great guide!

 

[rlmas]

I too cannot say enough about him. He has been there since the beginning and is very knowledgable and not high-pressure. You cannot go wrong with him. 1-800-827-8731.

 

[Chester's Mum]

I think for a new member the guide can be very important. A new member is committing quite a lot of money to DVC; they need to have a good comfort level with the person they will be dealing with.

In addition to that, if this guide is taking 5 hours of people's time he is not fulfilling DVC's promise to take up as little of your vacation time as possible, and not pressure you into buying. His cavalier attitude will do nothing for the DVC reputation.

Let's face it, DVC basically sells itself. Those kinds of tactics are not necessary and they leave people feeling badly. I don't think that's right. The OP should speak to a manager at DVC and report the experience.

 

[tinker_me_happy]

Toured in July and bought in August. Our guide Nick was awesome. I almost felt as if he were rushing us since he knew we were on a very limited time budget!! We didn't stay for the ice cream. The only down side is it took a while for our books to come. They were supposed to come to the hotel and never made it. Nick got them to us in the mail and then it took some work on my part convincing DH (I toured with my DD and a Friend and her DD.) My friend also bought after that trip. She was upset that she hadn't done it sooner (blew off an opportunity in 2005), so if you want the vacation club, I would CALL DVC and let them know you are interested IF they assign you a new guide. I also believe my guide was a supervisor who has worked there several years. I would request someone at a higher level who has been doing the job for several years, and avoid anyone new. ( I know people have to learn at their jobs, but PLEASE I don't want to be your guinea pig!! Been there, done that and been hurt!)

 

[Inkmahm]

I checked the DIS for good guides before we bought resale and I requested Byron. He's been great! We've done two big add ons through Disney with his help. He steered me in the right direction on the first add on when I was headed 50 mph in the wrong direction on my own. I'm glad I listened to his advice.

If anyone gets a guide they don't like, the thing to do would be to request a different one. There are so many of them that you're bound to click with one of them.

 

[henri + katie's mum]

When I originally toured, our guide was just "okay".

My husband and I have different last names. I was the one who put my name down for the contact and arranged the p/u for the tour. Although it was probably not the guide's fault, someone put everything in my husband's last name. Everytime we got offers after that, it was in my husband's name although we made it clear that any purchase would be done with my finances.

I bought resale this past summer and because my name is on the deed and our DVC contact is under my husband's, we were assigned a new guide.

As you can tell, the thing with name still bothers me!