DVC tour questions

[CampbellScot]

Hi everyone,
I apologize if this has been asked to death, but I did a search and never found the information I was looking for.

My husband and I want to take some time to do a DVC tour on our upcoming vacation. We will have the kids with us, ages 9 and 6. Do they come along on the tour or is there someplace that they stay and play like a kids club? I'd heard that before but wasn't sure if that was a DVC urban legend or not!

Also, how long is the tour? Do you look at your resort of interest or is there a "show property" used for the talks?

thanks in advance for any help! I've nearly convinced my husband and I want to have all the info before we take the next step!!!

 

[jakenjess]

The tours take place at Saratoga Springs Resort. Yes, there is a kids club there for when you take the tour. Our kids were I believe 7 and 9 at the time and had a blast. I think the tour was 1-1/2 to 2 hours (maybe depending on how many questions you have!) and it's very low pressure and informative. There are models of AKV rooms and you can tour the studio/1 BR/2BR/Grand Villa of SSR.

By the way, I love your trip reports!

 

[CampbellScot]

Thanks so much for the info!!

and thanks for the nice comment about my TR! I need to wrap it up!

thanks again for the information.

 

[ChelleinNC]

Just wanted to add that if you schedule the appt ahead of time, they will pick you up at your resort and take you back. When we did the tour, we had dinner ADR's after and they took us to WL instead of our resort so that we wouldn't be late for dinner

One more thing, they have an icecream parlor that you stop in after you're done with the tour, so your kids will really like that Mine ask to go back for another tour just to get more icecream

 

[dgaston]

Miss Cammie -- you will like DVC! And I hope you have a chance to finish the trip report.

 

[kid-at-heart]

While doing the tour, do children "have" to stay in the kid's club. Our daughter (age 11) will want to go on the tour also.

 

[ChelleinNC]

Kids don't have to stay in the kid's center. Mine did the actual tour with us and went to the center for the "talking" part of the tour. It can be tough to discuss the finances and points needed/wanted and all of that with the kids in the room. They can get a little antsy

 

[dizneefamily5]

I just wanted to add that the kids can join you. We have three girls (13,12, 6) and the little one has Type 1 Diabetes so she knew she'd stay with us. The other two chose to as well. I'm glad they did. They loved seeing the rooms and when the financing discussions came, they realized the true cost and so they don't take the vacations for granted. They know what it's costing and they had great insights when we discussed the purchase!

 

[mom3sonstt]

We bought many years ago - they came and picked us up at Caribbean Beach and drove us to OKW where we toured the model room (that area has since been converted into another unit at OKW) We dropped 2 of the boys off in the "kid's room" which had a two-way mirror so we could see that they were all settled in and having a good time without us. The middle boy did not want to be away from us so he went in to the viewing area (they set us up in a little theater and showed us a movie first.......do they still do that??) About the time the lights went out middle boy decided he didn't want any part of that (was traumatized throughout the week by the unknown in "dark rides")so we took him back to the kids room too. AFter our movie we toured a model room, then took a walk around the resort then back to their little ice cream parlor where we collected the boys to join us. We did not buy at that time because we couldn't afford to after coming off of a week+ vacation. About 6-8 months later though we called back and purchased our first contract of the minimum 150 OKW points. Within a year we added 50 more. Then last fall we added another 110 at Saratoga Springs

As for the length of the tour - that could vary. If you are like us and ask a million and one questions it could take awhile - they will give you all the time you need. If you are in a hurry they won't keep you there "against your will" trying to get you to sign. Except for a misunderstanding recently with the CMs at the Doorway to Dreams location at Woodfield Mall - all of our DVC transactions have been smooth and pain-free



Now go finish your trip report!!

 

[oakmanner]

Tanya,

What was the misunderstanding you experianced at the Doorway to Dreams?

Dennis-

 

[mom3sonstt]

What was the misunderstanding you experianced at the Doorway to Dreams?

Nothing terribly exciting. We took some friends in for a tour - while in with them during the presentation another CM came in and said that somebody else was listed in the computer as referring them to DVC. Our friends said that they didn't know of anybody else who would be referring them and that they wanted us to receive any credit if they decided to buy. We were all told that would be taken care of since we brought them in. Our friends purchased an ownership that day, and we purchased an add-on. A couple months later I called to check on our referral since I knew we wouldn't hear anything until after everything was signed and finalized and we were told that someone else was the referrer and that "nothing could be done". Well, I've been around Disney enough to know that there is never "nothing to be done". I looked at the DVC info they send us trying to get us to refer people and it always says to have your friend mention your name prior to purchase. That is what our friends did. Nowhere does it say you can refer someone without their knowledge - which is apparently what happened for someone else to be listed as a referrer. So I sent a couple emails, quoting the referral process, received a couple phone calls, and eventually received our referral gift. I have also decided that I will deal with my original DVC salesperson from now on