Did anyone buy DVC sight unseen?

[bdb7607]

Add us to the list - bought unseen, actually never stayed on site either. Best thing we could have done - buy earlier!

One of many happy Disney "owners"

 

[Shawn]

We're west-coasters. Disneyland is in our genes. We bought 100 points at VWL not only VWL sight unseen but also WDW sight unseen. We have not yet been to WDW.

However, we did a ton of research before jumping in. Our guide explained everything, and sent us the "big blue book", and a few DVD's explaining the DVC. We then spent a few months on this board getting much better acquainted with how the DVC works. This made us aware of strategies that eventually we would have realized -- but perhaps not before we bought. We saw questions we didn't think to ask that were useful.

So our stragegy changed from 200 points at SSR through Disney to 100 points at VWL via resale. This had several advantages for us -- primarily 1) VWL looks like a better fit for us and 2) we could buy in without going into debt. We do plan on adding on in 100 point increments in the future. If all goes well, and we enjoy our vacations, we're planning on getting to 300 points, with the contracts distributed across 3 different resorts.

We purchased last fall. Our first 100 points on the resale contract don't come up until June of this year. We're making a trip to Disneyland this May for the 50th (cash, not points). We plan on taking our first trip to WDW in 2007. So we will bank our 2006 points and have 200 points to use in 2007.

We are so looking forward to our first trip home.

-Shawn

 

[DrTomorrow]

Add us to the list.

In May 03 we were planning a FTP (Fairy-Tale Package) trip to the Polynesian for Oct 03 and I started rooting around the DIS for info. That summer I discovered DVC and, after doing some DIS DVC research, we bought into SSR over the phone in fall of 03. When we did go to the Polynesian in October, our wonderful guide, Jim McCoy, gave us the tour of the BW models - all we could see of SSR was the construction from DTD.

We've stayed 4 times, including the Grand Opening / Founders Day in May 04, and never regretted it a moment. Oh, we've also managed to snag a non-SSR (OKW, BWV, VWL and, this May, BCV) well within the 7-month window.

Be well!

 

[EdDome]

We bought our first 230 OKW points sight unseen. We made the decision after a one week stay at the Poly, no discount available, and we needed two rooms. Sticker shock to say the least. We've since added another 250 points at OKW.

 

[PinkTink63]

We stayed at OKW and BWV last summer! And by the way, BWV is awesome! Loved the location and had the greatest view! We came home and knew we wanted in. We bought SSR sight unseen. I checked it out on the internet. We have never been disappointed staying on Disney property, so when the F&F deal came about, it was a no brainer for us! We loved the idea of 12 more years too!
Everyone on these boards have there favorite resorts and they let you know!
Personally, I don't think there is a bad resort in the bunch!
Good Luck!
Stephanie

 

[cncDisney4]

We bought 300 points in DVC at SSR this last October and had never seen any of the DVC resorts. We had been to WDW 5 times (our first time on our honeymoon in 1982) and stayed in the value resorts. I dediced to order the DVC DVD and our whole family watched it and thought DUH!!! why haven't we done this! Our first trip "home" was this last December and we loved it. We enjoyed walking to DTD from SSR almost every night and just really relished the extra space of the 2BR. Our sons liked having their own beds and bedroom. To me you can't go wrong with DVC - it only gets better.

 

[skelooch]

I bought into BCV in May 2002 sight unseen before it opened, and had never seen the inside of a DVC resort, I even did my first add-on before my first trip home, and then did another add-on right after my first trip.

Best investment I ever made, couldn't be happier with DVC.

 

[ACDSNY]

We're quilty too! It looks like we're in good company! Purchased our first 100 points at SSR before the F & F promo and then added 120 points after staying there.

I can remember when I was planning our first trip to WDW in 2000 a DVC member told me I might want to look into DVC. How stupid I was when I told her I didn't think we would make it out to WDW often enough to be worth it. If I only knew then what I do now.

 

[simzac]

Been to WDW 3 times with the family in the last 3 years, never laid eyes on OKW, and just tonight found out we passed ROFR on our OKW purchase, so yes, we bought our DVC sight unseen.

 

[Carneymom]

Us too! We are in the process of purchasing 110 point SSR contract via resale. (Just waiting to pass ROFR). We checked out the kiosks on past trips but since we prefer to stay at moderates (POR) and generally go only every other year I figured it would take about 20 years to break even. I started to look into renting points for our next trip in November when I found that the moderate rooms were up to $175/night for water view. Yikes!! That break even point gets closer and closer as the rack rates go up.
Since we really like the Sassagoula River area and boat rides to DTD I am pretty certain that we will be happy with SSR. Never stayed in DVC resort or took a tour, but I am not worried. It is Disney after all, how bad could it be?
As for the every other year thing, I figure I could go to VB or HH in the off year nd get my money's worth out of the investment that way.

 

[cslittle999]

We've been twice as a family and we bought BWV site unseen.

 

[Dale-n-Chip]

200 SSR points in November having never set foot on ANY DVC property.

We were delighted at POR last spring, but wished we had more room. We're 7 days maximum trip people anyway, so what the resort itself has to offer isn't all that meaningful for us. I don't have to want to live full-time in horse country to be happy living there for a week once or twice a year. We figure ANY Disney ambiance beats no Disney ambiance.

Buy where you want to stay if you have a preference. We figure we'll try other DVC properties, but we don't care enough to be picky. We probably would have been just as happy purchasing at another resort, but that wasn't where the discount or the extra 12 years were.

If we never stay anywhere but SSR we're fine with that!

 

[bobbiwoz]

We only passed by OKW, and then saw the outside of VWL. I just felt so bad that we "weren't rich and couldn't afford it." I really didn't want to go inside to see what we were missing. We contacted a guide in '96, but in the end decided it wasn't for us.

Life caused us to rethink the whole thing in '03 and we bought before visiting any rooms or taking a tour.

Bobbi

 

[Beca]

We bought sight unseen via resale at BWV. Then, we added on at VWL for sentimental reasons, and the we did a small add-on at OKW to take the extendedn family to a GV every third year. THEN we took our first trip home...that was REALLY dumb for us, but it was almost a year before we could get home, and we know about how many points we wanted.

Well, when we visited, my dh (who had NO opinions on which resort whatsoever said, "Wow...Beach Club is beautiful...why didn't you buy there?) Then, my dd saw SAB and immediately BEGGED to go swim there.
I tried to book our next couple of trips at BCV, but could not secure ressies there...so, we sold all our points and bought at BCV....and then added on a few times.

We certainly do not regret buying into DVC, we love it. But, we realized that we were WAY to picky to just own anywhere....we want to ALWAYS stay at BCV, so that's where we needed to own.

Not everyone is as picky as us...some people are happy to own anywhere. I think you need to decide where you fall in that spectrum.

Good luck
Beca

 

[MAGICFOR2]

We bought SSR sight unseen and while I don't for a second regret joining DVC, I do very much regret buying at SSR. We toured it during our last visit and I just didn't care for it No specific complaints, it just didn't do it for me. That said, we recently added on at VWL and I couldn't be happier. Looking back, I wish we had waited to make our initial purchase because I doubt I would have bought at SSR had I seen it beforehand, even with the incentives. I just can't see myself staying there that often.

Just something to think about, but I think you'll be happy with DVC no matter what you decide!

Jynohn

I think it will be fun to try all of them! Really just wanted to thank your soldier for his service

 

[Barreras Family]

But we bought both propteries sight unseen. As a matter of fact BCV (our first purchase) was conducted via phone from California. We had never been on a tour or had a guide assigned to us.

Rudy

 

[gilld]

We bought our 270 points at BCV sight unseen from the UK. We had visited 5 times previously but never seen a DVC resort. We thought BCV was a great location and boy were we right.

 

[TinkTatoo]

We bought OKW from Ireland sight unseen - we had seen the DVC booths around the place but never thought it was for us. We did some research on line and realised what we were missing. We had our first trip home last August and did the tour at SSR while we were there

 

[keishashadow]

We too bought a VWL resale & added on @ BWV sight unseen...only wish we had added on more points.

We had thought about it after dealing w/large youth groups, they do tend to tax the facilities. Decided we needed to upgrade our choice of accom. @ WDW. Our turning point was looking @ our price quote for 1 week @ the Poly ...suddenly, all made sense.

 

[schatterjee]

we bought 305 BWV points sight un-seen and got a great price $60/pp! So far we've been thrilled! Trying two different resorts this Oct. OKW & SSR.