DH still isn't "Sold" on DVC...help!!....FINAL DECISION #48

[weHEARTmickey]

Just visit any of the DVC kiosks around the parks and resorts. They can be be very accommodating so as not to take too much time from your vacation. When we took the tour they had a van pick us up at a CM entrance between Japan and the America in Epcot. We ended up with an unofficial backlot tour while in transit. At that time the DVC tours were at BW. I don't remember that the tour itself was all that long. The longest part was my DW wanted to keep checking out the display rooms. They gave us coupons worth $50 to be used in the restaurants in the parks. Plus a little grab bag of goodies for the kids.

Thanks! Do they still give "freebies" for taking the tour?? I thought they just gave you a Mickey bar for your time! (BTW, there's not much I won't do for a Mickey bar!!)

 

[wdwnut]

What baby step are you on? All 4 of our contracts were paid in full prior to learning about DR. I agree with previous posters to just apply what you would normally spend on a value resort and rent DVC points to check it out. If you want to WOW Dh, go for a one bedroom villa. You will have the washer/dryer right in the unit and can do your laundry every day if you wish. You also have the ability to eat any or all of your meals in the villa. Even just eating breakfast at "home" will save you a bunch of money. Just be warned, once you stay in one of the larger units, you won't go back to a studio. Good luck with your decision.

 

[crys5]

First of all, I cannot thank you enough for the great ideas & comments you gave me about DVC. Many of you spent alot of time explaining it to my lil' pea brain I just love the DIS!

I think we've decided against DVC right now. And, to be honest, I was the one that said it may not be such a great thing for us. I am too obsessed with going for the discount codes/free dining, & that would never be available through DVC. I do see where renting points might be a good option for us from time to time.

I even looked at the benefits of APs + TIW. I don't think APs would be worth it b/c we'll only take one WDW trip per year. TIW doesn't even cover our favorite restaurants, so that would definitely be a waste for us.

I read on the Budget Board where someone mentioned buying timeshares in Hawaii (not DVC) because of the huge trading power they have. It seemed to me like they were less expensive (?) than DVC, but I didn't research that to make sure.

We usually take 2-3 vacations per year, & I just hate the thought of putting all my eggs in one basket. It's those maintenance fees that were the final straw! If we did DVC, we might not be able to justify taking more trips during the year. So, thank you again for helping out a fellow disser. I know DVC is wonderful & is perfect for so many of you out there. Have fun & God bless you!

I was like you always looking for the discount codes and the cheapest prices to stay at disney. we bought dvc in dec. of last year...160 points, my maintanence fees are just 66.00 a month... i have 4 children, one is married, but the other three and my husband and myself can go every year and get 2 studios for 8 of us( if my other daughter , husband and child want to come also) for 5 days, usually sunday through friday morning, we usually get a value resort the saturday before and the friday after ....works out great! i notice a lot of people have a lot more points then we do , but 160 works great for us, we love going to disney every year and this allows us to do so, the studios are great, i have rented points for a few years before i actually bought,but i wish i had bought sooner, the money we spent could have gone to the monthly note! my husband wasn't so sure it was a good thing at first either, now he wishes we would have done this a long time ago too!

 

[dmoore22]

Thanks! Do they still give "freebies" for taking the tour?? I thought they just gave you a Mickey bar for your time! (BTW, there's not much I won't do for a Mickey bar!!)

At the time we participated these were advertised "on-site" at the kiosk. You would have to check when you get there. Recently they have been giving $25 Disney gift cards to individuals that participate in a telephone "tour." Visit the DVC website for details since we can't post phone numbers on the DIS.

 

[Mickey'sApprentice]

I was like you always looking for the discount codes and the cheapest prices to stay at disney. we bought dvc in dec. of last year...160 points, my maintanence fees are just 66.00 a month... i have 4 children, one is married, but the other three and my husband and myself can go every year and get 2 studios for 8 of us( if my other daughter , husband and child want to come also) for 5 days, usually sunday through friday morning, we usually get a value resort the saturday before and the friday after ....works out great! i notice a lot of people have a lot more points then we do , but 160 works great for us, we love going to disney every year and this allows us to do so, the studios are great, i have rented points for a few years before i actually bought,but i wish i had bought sooner, the money we spent could have gone to the monthly note! my husband wasn't so sure it was a good thing at first either, now he wishes we would have done this a long time ago too!

You sound kind of like us.

Its just DH and myself, but we are able to take 3 trips in 2 years with only 100 points. Sometimes we have a beautiful boardwalk view, sometimes conserve points and stay boardwalk standard, and (gasp!) sometimes stay in a different DVC resort.

We also enjoy going to Hilton Head in the off season. We like to pay for the weekend nights and use points for weeknight stays. However, November is nice. January was cold!

 

[Jorya77]

I think you are looking at this all wrong. You are basing your decision to buy into the DVC on going to WDW alone, or that what is seems. I wish you could talk to my DD(7), with the DVC we have been the WDW about twice a year, sometimes we go down to just golf for a weekend and never step foot in the parks, but we have also been to Venice, Disney Midwestern adventure, DCL, Alaskan adventure, Vero, Hilton Head and next year we are going to Ireland!! And all the through the DVC. The DVC, has introduce my DH and DD to world that I could not have given her any other way!!! I urge you to have DH expand his mind beyond the boards of WDW. Unlike other timeshares it is all done with points and I am not locked into a week that I have to worry about trading. It has literally opened up the world to us!!!

 

[Mickey'sApprentice]

I think you are looking at this all wrong. You are basing your decision to buy into the DVC on going to WDW alone, or that what is seems. I wish you could talk to my DD(7), with the DVC we have been the WDW about twice a year, sometimes we go down to just golf for a weekend and never step foot in the parks, but we have also been to Venice, Disney Midwestern adventure, DCL, Alaskan adventure, Vero, Hilton Head and next year we are going to Ireland!! And all the through the DVC. The DVC, has introduce my DH and DD to world that I could not have given her any other way!!! I urge you to have DH expand his mind beyond the boards of WDW. Unlike other timeshares it is all done with points and I am not locked into a week that I have to worry about trading. It has literally opened up the world to us!!!

Some of those trips take A LOT of points!

 

[bigtgravez]

At the time we participated these were advertised "on-site" at the kiosk. You would have to check when you get there. Recently they have been giving $25Disney gift cards to individuals that participate in a telephone "tour." Visit the DVC website for details since we can't post phone numbers on the DIS.

I did the tour about 2 weeks ago (if it's the one at Saratoga Springs that you're referring to). I went early in the morning and was given juice and coffee (I don't recall if there were danishes or anything). They also offer childcare and at the end of the whole show, they offer you and your family some type of ice cream sundae bar. I also received a DVC bag to carry all of the material and also a free DVC VIP fastpass to use at the parks (1 card for each family member). The VIP fastpass allows you to go up to any 3 rides that you want a fastpass for and get a fastpass that is good immediately so you don't have to come back 6 hours later. Each card can be used 3 times. The only kicker is that there must be fastpasses available. There were also the incentives for buying in. After my tour, they proceeded to take several thousand dollars from me to buy into DVC which I happily did.

 

[dmoore22]

I did the tour about 2 weeks ago (if it's the one at Saratoga Springs that you're referring to). I went early in the morning and was given juice and coffee (I don't recall if there were danishes or anything). They also offer childcare and at the end of the whole show, they offer you and your family some type of ice cream sundae bar. I also received a DVC bag to carry all of the material and also a free DVC VIP fastpass to use at the parks (1 card for each family member). The VIP fastpass allows you to go up to any 3 rides that you want a fastpass for and get a fastpass that is good immediately so you don't have to come back 6 hours later. Each card can be used 3 times. The only kicker is that there must be fastpasses available. There were also the incentives for buying in. After my tour, they proceeded to take several thousand dollars from me to buy into DVC which I happily did.

I may just have to take the tour again.

 

[dmoore22]

I did the tour about 2 weeks ago (if it's the one at Saratoga Springs that you're referring to). I went early in the morning and was given juice and coffee (I don't recall if there were danishes or anything). They also offer childcare and at the end of the whole show, they offer you and your family some type of ice cream sundae bar. I also received a DVC bag to carry all of the material and also a free DVC VIP fastpass to use at the parks (1 card for each family member). The VIP fastpass allows you to go up to any 3 rides that you want a fastpass for and get a fastpass that is good immediately so you don't have to come back 6 hours later. Each card can be used 3 times. The only kicker is that there must be fastpasses available. There were also the incentives for buying in. After my tour, they proceeded to take several thousand dollars from me to buy into DVC which I happily did.

I may just have to take the tour again.