Any unusual occurrence prompt your decision to join DVC?

[Simba's Mom]

On the resort board, I saw that CBR is closing for a period of time. That reminded me-what prompted our decision to look into joining DVC was when our ressies at POR had to be unexpectedly changed-suddenly I was uncomfortable about hotels and thought DVC might offer more stability ( I realize it's not a guarantee, but OKW hasn't closed lately!). So this CBR closing got me wondering-was anyone else prompted to buy or begin investigating purchasing DVC because of an unusual or unexpected occurrence?

 

[Dreamfinder2]

That's an intriguing question, and I'd love to hear some other responses. Ours wasn't dramatic, but...

In our case, it was just the stark realization that my mother's health wasn't so good, my kids weren't getting any younger, and, frankly, we realized that we could do it without sending ourselves to debtor's prison. Of course, I wish we could've joined in '94 when we first looked at it, but that's another sad story...

 

[mb168]

We looked at joining last year and probably shoud have. We stayed at WL then and this July stayed at VWL in a 2 BR. Last week we decided to go for a quick trip this past weekend and wanted to stay down towards MGM EPCOT area. I booked at CBRthinking it would be an OK resort to try. I don't think my wife slept 4 hrs both nights from the noise and I think she was more upset about no hairdryer or iron in the room!!! Also our non-smoking room had obviously been used by a noncompliant smoker recently and wreaked of smoke. I had been here on the board a couple of weeks and pretty much decided to buy. When we got up Saturday, she told me if we couldn't afford to join and had to stay at the "moderate" resorts, we weren't coming back. We signed by the Mickey ears Saturday afternoon! WOOHOO!!!

PS. Had to take her to Jellyrolls til 1AM Sun(with a few brews) to "help" sleep the second night.

 

[yasuern]

On last Dec trip we were at ASmu and POP WERNER kids were there and it was very loud and the kids were allowed to run wild - I don't blame the kids but the "adults" that were supposed to be watching them - numerous times we would come back from the park and head to the pool only to find the kids running wild the lifeguards were constantly telling them to walk or no diving or no throwing cups in the pool - and those adults would be in the far corners in groups with - and I kid you not - cases of beer drinking - Now I don't care if someone has a drink or two - I myself enjoy one once in awhile - but I think I could refrain if I was trusted to take care of other peoples children! Anyways thats when we bought into DVC/VWL without ever seeing the resort. So thank you pop werner!

 

[sueg]

Not really a dramatic moment, but we went to Smuggler's Notch Vermont on a special incentive package. We went to the time share presentation & had a really nice, low-key sales person. We had been feeling the need to have regular vacations & he convinced us that time-shares were the way to go. But even during the initial presentation, DH & I kept asking about the ability to trade for WDW (then The Vacation Club). We made a deposit & were in our 2-3 day cancellation period & we kept thinking about trading to WDW. Then, the light bulb went on!! Why are we worried about trading for WDW when we can BUY at WDW. We cancelled Smuggler's Notch & planned a WDW vacation. We booked OKW for cash & bought on the first day (after a wonderful experience at the Commodore House). We basically used the $$$ that would have paid for the balance of the trip as a downpayment & converted the balance of the trip to points. Best decision we ever made, but we can't really say that it all started w/ a mouse.

 

[Lhargus]

We had taken the DVC tour several times since the early nineties but just couldn't convince ourselves to pull the trigger. While in Ixtapa Mexico on a company trip, my DW and I experienced the most unpleasant timeshare presentation you can imagine. To say it was "high pressure" is a huge understatement. I thanked the salesperson on the spot for helping me make up my mind to buy DVC. The next weekend I was in WDW and pulled the trigger.

Like everyone else my only regret is not doing it sooner.

 

[erikthewise]

For me it was actually a matter of lurking on this board back in April, and noticing that a price increase was imminent. I'd been aware of DVC since 1992, but hadn't paid much attention to it lately. The price increase inspired me to take a look at it and "reject the idea once and for all". It was Now or Never sort of thing. But when I looked at it carefully, it wasn't so bad after all!

 

[Shontell_Crawford]

My decision was mostly financial and impulsive. We had a resale come into the office that I couldn't resist.
However, since buying, it has been one of the most rewarding "personal" decisions I have made.
The DVC family is made up of so many quality, positive oriented people I have ever been associated with. This has been proven to me time and time again when people needing to sell say, "When things are different, I'll be calling you later to become a member again."
I've never heard that from any other timeshare or vacation club member.

All the best,
Shontell

 

[manning]

Yeah, when sitting on the balcony of b/c hotel and realizing how fast life is going by (59/55) and not enjoying it enough. This way we can share the magic with nieces/nephews and great neices/nephews (no children) and go more often.

 

[Towncrier]

Back in the summer of 1995, I was dying to get back down to WDW for a vacation. I had been working long hours for many months and really needed a Disney fix. We had been at Dixie Landing in 1993 and I noticed the DVC desks sprinkled around WDW, but we didn't seriously consider joining at that time. Around July 1st, my company surprised me with a big bonus check. I decided that it was time for a Disney vacation. I called CRO and asked about getting a room on property with only 3 weeks notice. Our choices were limited and besides, the bonus wasn't that good. I had contacted the DVC on a whim in 1994, so I had the name of a DVC rep and the videotape. I called DVC and inquired about getting a room at what is now Old Key West. It took a couple of calls, but there was a room available and we had enough money to make the down payment. So we bought into DVC sight unseen and booked our first trip "home". Due to the timing, had we not liked DVC, we could have gotten out of the contract by simply paying cash for our 2-bedroom vacation home and for the LOS passes that were included (at that time) with the room. (I seem to remember that figure was astronomical). We packed the car and headed for the DVC resort. Part of the deal with my wife was that we couldn't afford to be DVC members and to fly down to Orlando each year, so we had to survive the 2000 mile roundtrip without any bloodshed.

We got to OKW intact, checked in at the front desk, and headed for our home away from home. When we opened the door to our 2 bedroom suite, my wife burst into tears. She could not believe how wonderful the rooms were. Growing up, both of our families always opted for the least expensive little motels when vacationing. Here was a room that was nicer than our 10 year old home. Needless to say, it was our best vacation ever.

We never actually met our DVC rep and it wasn't until the following year that we actually took the DVC tour at OKW, mostly so we could get our ice cream. We have since added on at OKW (thanks to the efforts of none other than Shontell Crawford) and we continue to enjoy not only OKW, but also BWV, a 7-night Disney Cruise, and most recently the grand opening of the Beach Club Villas. Our next two 12 night vacations are booked. And I must say that our only regret is that we didn't go check out DVC in 1993.

 

[patsal]

I had a 2 week vacation planned for the first two weeks of July at WL rack rate --I booked before I found the Dis and learned about codes, etc. While I was talking about the vacation, my parents said they'd like to go at Easter 2003. I wanted to join them with the kids for a week, so I checked what rack rates for a two bedroom at VWL would be (again before I knew about any discounts). I added the room rate for the two vacations together and found that I could add about a thousand dollars to the total and own a piece of VWL. I suggested DH look over what I had done and he did the research--hence finding the Dis! We purchased on 9/10 and were closed by 10/30. Cancelled WL, booked 2 weeks in a studio, while banking extra points. And the best part I reserved a two bedroom for 10 days at the 11 month window for Easter 2003 before I left for July vacation ( I had to borrow, so I'm not sure if we'll be able to do anything in 2004--maybe I'll rent a few points). The best part is I don't have to wait another five years before I can go on vacation again!

 

[PamOKW]

Any unusual occurrence prompt your decision to join DVC?

DVC played into my hot fudge sundae addiction....I signed while under the influence.

 

[chicago641]

My husband who is not a Disney fan bought me our points for our 15th wedding aniversery!

 

[Simba's Mom]

Wow! What a sweet thing to do! Did he surprise you? I hope he doesn't mind that I'm definitely going to pass along that anniversary gift idea to DH, and tell him what a wonderful thing I think it was. I'm the bigger Disney fanatic and I'd love more points!

 

[mikesmom]

For our family vacation in 2000, we decided to stay at BWV "just this once". DS was 17 and I thought it might be the last year he would want to go on vacation with the parents . (boy, did I call that one wrong!). The stay at BWV was actually the first time we had ever stayed onsite in six trips to WDW.

Our mouths dropped open when we walked into that 1 bdrm. The improvement to the quality of our vacations was amazing. We took the tour (""What could it hurt?"), and the rest is history. My only regret was not buying in sooner.

 

[lorileer]

This wasn't really the reason, but my husband teases me that it was spending a few nights in a tent at Fort Wilderness that did it! One Spring Break, we thought it would be fun (and affordable) to take our son to Disney so we decided to CAMP OUT! While on our "camping" trip, we visited Old Key West on a sales tour "for the heck of it." Membership was something I dreamed about for the future, so we went to see what it was all about. Needless to say, it was all I dreamed of and more. We joined a few months later, and I haven't been camping at Fort Wilderness since!!

 

[TrudyZ]

A little over a year ago, we rented some points from some nice folks on this board to go to WDW for a week. We had done the beach vacation thing, and were looking for somewhere that all of us (including my 2 1/2 year old) could enjoy together. I should also add that my DH had never been to WDW; and I hadn't been there since MK was the only park!

As we went to get on the plane to go home in Orlando, my very conservative, midwestern, don't-spend-money-on-extravagant-things husband asked our 2 1/2 year old daughter if she ever wanted to come back. She looked him straight in the eye and said "yes, at 3 (p.m.) after my nap."


We signed papers for an OKW resale the following week (and are on a 2 trip a year pace).

Trudy

 

[disneyatheart]

Yes, like so many of you, we also looked into DVC almost 10 years ago when it was just the two of us recently married and starting our careers. We didn't think we should burden ourselves with the expense. Shortly later we went again to WDW and took the tour and left saying, "it would be so nice if....". Then another trip, and 7 months pregnant with our first we werent sure if DW would continue to work or stay at home and didnt want to commit not knowing what the expense of a new baby would bring. Anyways, after two more visits, including another trip while 7 months pregnant again, and still wanting to, but not yet taking the plunge we still didnt do it. It wasn't until last month that DW and 4 year old son were diagnosed with celiac disease did we decide this is what we needed to do. It was our 10 year wedding anniversary and couldnt think of a better gift for each other than a "family investment" into DVC. We investigated and felt that no other place could accomodate the required dietary restrictions for DW and DS. As many times we have gone and the amount of money we have spent we could have bought twice as many points earlier.

"Wish we did it earlier"

 

[nezy]

I found myself saying in every place we stayed:
"IT'S JUST NOT DISNEY!".

We knew we would be bringing our children on vacation each year and wanted the reassurance that we would be bringing them to a clean, fun comfortable place--with NO ANXIETIES!

 

[Granny]

In 1998, we were booked at CBR and had to cancel our ressie. Then, a month before the date we tried to re-book and CBR and all the moderates were sold out. So we stayed at WL.

Well, that was it. We had no desire to stay anywhere but WL after that. Then they build VWL and it made a lot of sense to join DVC since we love the theming so much.

DW and I have discussed how things would probably be different if CBR had not been sold out that first trip we made. Funny how things work out!