Do you have to buy sight unseen?

[monarch]

Before I knew about this board and the possibility of buying from a current owner on a secondary market, I saw the DVC video and spoke with a DVC rep. to get more information. Because we didn't discuss too many specifics, my question is whether or not DVC ever brings people in (or discounts a trip) to see the timeshares that they are selling, or do you just have to make those arrangements on your own (at your own full expense)? I've looked at other timeshares before where the company gave you a reduced price package to visit the timeshare location as a way to whet your appetite for their property. Are Disney's properties just too popular such that they can sell them without having people come in personally to view the properties, or do they just assume that you'll stop by to see them (if you want to) while you are on some other trip to Disney?

Thank you for helping me take that first step!

 

[PamOKW]

The popularity of the Disney DVC's does make incentive trips an unecessary expense for Disney. They do sometimes offer discounts at Vero and HHI but the deeply discounted promotions in exchange for attending an information session there have also ended.

While Disney doesn't offer special promotional trips, they do have models of the units they are currently selling that are available for tours. Currently, they are located at the BW but they will soon be moving to the new DVC -- Saratoga Springs.

 

[monarch]

Thanks, that's helpful. Is Saratoga Springs supposed to use the same floor plans as any of the current WDW DCV's?

 

[RobDoc]

Originally posted by monarch
Thanks, that's helpful. Is Saratoga Springs supposed to use the same floor plans as any of the current WDW DCV's?

No information about SSR has been released to date, but it would be safe to assume that the floorplans wil be similar to all of the other DVC resorts, IMHO.

Stay Tuned!

 

[ClarabelleCow]

Lets just hope that SSR rooms are the size of OKW and not BCV< BWV and VWL!!! Plus hope that they have more Grand Villas!!

 

[eva]

I forgot to post about our stop at the DVC office in May. We stopped by to see our rep but she was on the cruise. We took a look around while we were there and saw a number of people working in a few of the rooms. They were bringing in new furniture to load into the rooms. I asked one of the DVC reps what they were doing and he said that they were getting the new SSR rooms ready for sells tours later this summer. We did get to see some chairs and the sofa that are going to be in the rooms. They looked very nice.

 

[Disney Doll]

I don't think they have done any incentive trips. I will say, having seen all the DVC properties on-site at WDW, they are all very nice, and I would have no problem telling anyone to buy into the program without seeing the properties.

We'll be there in July, so I can give an update on SSR.

 

[natt]

Actually, the reason we purchased last summer was because we
received a card in the mail offering 3 nights (plus a comp. night) at AKL for $129. We were able tp upgrade to the BC for $189 and still got the comp. night and could add additional days at that price. There was a written stipulation of attending the presentation or being charged the regular rate.

DH asked our guide who they "invite". Apparently they have years of information on guests and where/when they've visited.
Now, we've always stayed in Deluxes but are by NO means conceirge material! The funny thing about it was, we had just made a trip that winter to Universal Orlando (solely - No Disney).
It just struck us funny how the offer came after that!

 

[spiceycat]

the only offer I have seen were for VB and HH - so Natt you did great getting an offer from WDW

monarch - I think your best bid is to rent points from a member - you will save some money and you can stay where you want to buy. - unless you are lucky like Natt.

 

[DebbieB]

Didn't someone post that their guide said the SSR rooms will be the same size as BWV/VWL/BCV?

 

[CaptainMidnight]

You can rent points on the Rent/Trade board and test out a DVC stay if you'd like.

 

[monarch]

Originally posted by CaptainMidnight
You can rent points on the Rent/Trade board and test out a DVC stay if you'd like.

I think we will try this unless natt can tell me how he got his post card offer!

 

[natt]

monarch; Wish I had an answer as to how we got that offer! It was last May, still post 9/11. It really was not on our books as a budgeted trip, but we certainly knew that it was a really great deal to pass on! We drove, figuring if we did buy DVC, we'd better be sure we could handle the drive, as flying might not always be in the cards!

Like I mentioned before, we had recently been to UO, and there was a day, upon entering the parks, that someone was taking random surveys; they asked where we were from and if we were visiting Disney on this trip (our reply was "No"). I'm wondering if they punched in where we were from and somehow our name popped up and that we were potentially being lulled away from Disney! My husband thinks it's just coinsidence, and they just looked over our visits (most recent at that time being DCL).

I'm editing this, as I just realized another possible reason! On a weak moment one day (it must be fate), I actually picked up the phone from an "unavailable" caller. It was a girl taking a survey on travel and giving choices on what we'd choose in vacations. I seem to remember it being geared more towards cruises, but I do remember talking about Disney. Maybe my answers were what qualified us to receive the card! A possible lesson that maybe we shouldn't ignore ALL of "those calls"!

I can't believe there is no one else on this forum, who purchased last year, that didn't get the same offer! Could I REALLY be that lucky?

 

[MickeyCrazed]

My Aunt and Uncle received one of those postcards.
They are DC members, so that is a possibility of how they were picked.

 

[JimC]

We got the same AKL discount offer. A card came in the mail. We picked a time to visit in the fall. When I asked for more infomation, they passed me on to Byron, our guide. This was also when we found these boards (Lots of good advice here helped us sort through what we were considering).

We actually bought before we came down provided we could still use the special offer and we could get a reservation before or after with DVC. Byron set us up at OKW for four nights before our four night AKL visit and we were set. We kept our tour appointment because we wanted to meet Byron. At the tour we did an add-on. Then we needed to use our add-on points (we were past banking deadline) so we used our add-on points to go back to AKL SV in December.

During all of this we also bought resale at OKW.

That discount offer was fabulous.

 

[MikeScott8]

I am not sure how I got my postcard offer, but I did get one.

I had called and requested the DVC video and info packet. A while later I got a postcard with 3 nights for a great price and a 4th night free. This offer was at Vero Beach. DW and I were going to take the offer and actually made the reservations. Then researching DVC and WDW I found these boards.

I got most of my questions answered here and found out about renting points. We decided to cancel the reservation and rent points. We stayed at OKW using the rented points and then that week we took the "tour" even though we were not required anymore since we were not using the offer. We ended up putting down our deposit and wlaking out as members (in process).

I would suggest renting some points and checking out the DVC resort of your choice. It is best way to see them and you save money. When there you can see the whole sales "tour" and talk to a sales castmember.

Mike