Did anyone buy DVC without staying there first?

[Disneyaunt4]

Before we bought, we never stayed at a DVC resort. We never even toured a DVC resort before we bought our 1st contract resale (OKW).

No regrets either!

DITTO!!!!!!!!

 

[Golden Rose]

We bought without staying in a DVC resort, or doing the tour, after several years of research and discussion. We almost did the tour twice, but just ended up being busy with other things on those earlier trips. We knew it made sense based on the way we like to travel, so we were pretty sure we would buy at some point.

We'd started going at least once and sometimes twice a year, always staying in deluxes and usually getting either a suite or two rooms. (DM likes to join us on many of our trips.) We bought DVC last year instead of taking a second trip last fall because we realized just how much sense it made for us.

We bought two contracts - we knew we wanted an Epcot resort, as Epcot is the favorite park of all of us except DS. We have stayed at both BC and BWI before, so we knew we liked both locations. (I prefer BC, but DH and DM prefer BW, so we ended up buying at BWV.) We also bought at AKV because we always stayed Club level prior to buying DVC, and we knew owning was really our only hope of getting it. DS is an animal nut and AK is his favorite park, so we knew AKV was a good choice for him. We'd never actually stayed at it - we either stayed at Epcot or monorail resorts - but we love Jiko, so at least we've seen the resort a bit. We have contemplated adding on at BLT and we will almost certainly add on at Ko'Olina without visiting it first.

We've only had one stay on points so far - using developer points at SSR. We loved the extra space, and felt it more than made up for the loss of daily mousekeeping. We don't regret our decision to buy at all, and aren't sorry that we didn't wait to take a tour or try out the rooms first.

 

[DVCGeek]

Like a number of others, we bought after the tour while in WDW (my 14th lifetime trip) but have NEVER stayed in a villas. We will for the first time @ BLT (our home!) starting Nov. 29th. In fact, I hope to buy an add-on @ VGC end of this month so I will have purchased TWICE without ever staying in one. (I also toured those when I was in DL last Nov.)

I have, however, stayed in the Contemporary and Grand Californian hotels, so I know I love them...

 

[swhall]

We visited the models but did not buy at that time. Really glad we didn't as I stumbled upon resale quite by accident. Saved a bunch of money, bought SSR with banked and current year points. I think it could have only been better if I bought during the period of double developer points.
I think that home resort priority is a bigger deal that the guides lead you to believe as it is not as easy as they say it is to get exactly what you want at the 7 month mark. I'm not complaining, just saying it isn't always as easy as the guides seem to make it out to be. But, if you are flexible and don't travel during peak times, you can usually find something.

 

[DisFlan]

We rented points for a stay at OKW in 2004 - and bought a BWV resale a week after we got home. Never did a tour, never saw a model. And we love it. I'm not saying this would work for everyone, but it worked for us. We've been visiting WDW since 1977 and watched the whole Epcot area being built over the years - and (important point) had studied up on DVC. We knew that's what we wanted.

DisFlan

 

[delmar411]

we bought sight unseen. 10days at POR with a family of 6 in one room (legally!) was enough to convince us that we didn't want to do that again anytime soon! LOL

I read and read and read and read some more before finally deciding where we wanted to buy and how many points.

I have not regretted buying in at all and have a couple add ons already.

 

[Pakey]

We also bought before staying DVC although we had several trips under our belt by that time and knew we'd return again and again.

 

[heynowirv]

Count us in as well, we stayed at Port orleans did a tour of SSR and less than 2 yrs later bought an OKW resale,,, love it,,,

 

[Simba's Mom]

We bought without staying in a Villa first, and I was the only one who took the tour on a solo trip, it was just for something different to do. Then I came home, DH and I watched the DVD together, and the rest, as they say, is history. What's even more ironic is that we drove through OKW once several years ago, agreed we didn't like it and would never want to stay there, and now it's DH's favorite resort by far since we stayed there after becoming DVC members.

 

[wdwnut]

We "passed" on OKW in '93 and then bought at BWV sight unseen, never mind staying in a villa. The only regret is not purchasing OKW in '93 and then BWV.

 

[mehall]

My wife and I took the tour @ Woodfield Mall when it was mocked up as
AKV and liked what we saw. We purchased @ SSR and only stayed once so far at DVC and that was at BCV.But we stayed on properties before over 23 years and never had a bad experience at any of the resorts in WDW. You can buy with confidence at Disney.

 

[LisaS]

What's even more ironic is that we drove through OKW once several years ago, agreed we didn't like it and would never want to stay there, and now it's DH's favorite resort by far since we stayed there after becoming DVC members.

I can relate to this. Our first DVC stay was split: 2 nights in a studio at VWL, 4 nights in a 1BR at OKW. When we made the move from VWL and drove over to OKW we were so disappointed! There were streets and cars going by and I felt like we moved from a resort to a small community. It wasn't at all what we had in mind for a WDW stay. Then we walked into the huge 1BR villa and were hooked! And we appreciated how the villas are oriented so that you don't see the parking areas from the verandas. Our second stay there was even better than the first. OKW is definitely one of our favorites.

Too many great resorts, too few points....

 

[ibela]

Before we bought, we never stayed at a DVC resort. We never even toured a DVC resort before we bought our 1st contract resale (OKW).

No regrets either!

DITTO!!!!!!!!

Same here, hadn't even visited WDW since I was a kid and the only parks were MK and Epcot! We've only been members for about 3 years no, no remorse. The only thing I wish I knew was about UY, I have a Dec one and we vacation in the last quarter of the year but oh well.

 

[fijidoc]

Not only did we buy without staying at a DVC location but we bought without ever going to see it while we were at Disney. 4 years ago we stayed at the campground in the cabins and thought about going to a meeting then but really did not want to buy at the location they were selling and didn't look into buying property that people wanted to sell from previous locations. In 2007 we went and stayed at the Animal Kingdom lodge and they were selling for AKV then which is were we wanted to buy before they started selling it in 2005. Our trip was so busy though we never even met with anybody from DVC then. When we got home I did some more research especially on this board, called DVC had them mail us the info and ended up purchasing site unseen over the phone. We have been to Hilton head and loved it and are going on a cruise in March and will have our first stay at home this December.

 

[Buckeye Fan]

Yes. We purchased 150 points at VB, and I'm in the process of adding 100 points. We love the beach, so even though we didn't have an opportunity to stay at VB this year, I absolutely plan on using the points there.

All I can say is...I sure HOPE we like it!

 

[DVCGeek]

I think that home resort priority is a bigger deal that the guides lead you to believe as it is not as easy as they say it is to get exactly what you want at the 7 month mark.

Interesting- my guide kinda' hyped wanting home resort if you have someplace in particular you want to stay - namely BLT which is what I originally came in asking about. I wanted 100 - 120 points @ BLT. Since min. there was 160 for new members, I was thinking of buying 100 points at AKV instead to save on up front cost. Since she knew I was interested in staying at BLT once it opened she said I really might be happier owning there so I could get 11 month priority, especially since I wanted to try staying in a MK view room at least once. I'm glad she did that, too- after the point reallocation I would have been short for some of the trips I want to take unless I could get SV rooms, and dues are cheaper as well! Sure, I bought 160 points instead of 100, but in the long run it was the right thing for us. Besides, that leaves us some extra most years to share the wealth with others.

 

[nikkistevej]

We bought DVC on the Disney cruise, we knew a little about it. We had only stayed at POP and CBR. And we love it!!!

 

[disrailfan]

DW and I bought in 2000 completely site unseen. We had stayed for a week with the kids in 1998 and did not go to the sales office at all, we walked by there lots but never stopped in. We were planning a trip for December of 2000 and we decided to take a look at DVC. Looking back it was defintely the right decision. We now own at OKW and AKL and enjoy every minute we can spend there. Now that the kids are out and gone after this school year we plan on taking our points on the road to a few other locations (DL, DCL, Hawai'i) it's our turn now.

 

[AnnaS]

We viewed the models at the sales center before buying, but didn't stay in an actual villa until after the purchase.

Same here.

 

[WilsonFlyer]

We ALWAYS stayed at the moderates. Have stayed at all of them. Never in a deluxe. Never in a value.

Never walked in a "real" DVC room before buying. Took the tour literally on a whim last April and bought AKV on the spot. Walked through the SSR models as SSR regular rooms were still for sale at the time.

Bought BLT the second day it was available (my guide never got chance to call me back the first day). Never saw pictures. Bought it from the road on the way to my BIL's for the weekend (They're DVC too).

Stayed at SSR in a 1BR for Christmas for our first DVC stay the first week in Dec 08. Could go back to the moderates but won't. LOVED it.

AKV 3rd week in June. We did go over to Jiko to eat supper when we were there in Dec so at least I've seen the basic resort now.

Can't wait for June...

Go for it!