Have you ever reflected as to why you purchased into DVC?

[DVC Grandpa]

Our first encounter with DVC was with the opening of OKW at which time the per point cost was a third of what it is now yet in our eyes, it was preferable to getting Magic Kingdom rate, AT & T True Value rate or the AP rate, which wasn’t hard to do and gave was more flexibility. at OKW still had to ride the buses like we always had at Port Orleans or Dixie landings, had no daily housekeeping and we has a sense of being “locked in” to WDW which wasn’t thought to be a plus. The only positive was the ten year AP that came with the package. We watched them build BWV which sparked a flame but not a fire but when they started building BCV, and its location, we didn’t wait and purchased during the construction period with only a view from the Beach Club bridge and a room layout at BWV. It was surrounded by activities, including two parks and restaurants of all types and since we were traveling to WDW almost every year the “locked in” feeling had gone by the wayside. I remember thinking that we could sell if things weren’t as dreamed. Since that first purchase, we have added on three times and now, when we don’t bring the lids and grandkids, we can stay a good long time. Did we do the right thing? So far, we think so. WDW hasn’t offered any better location in our eyes, all newer locations still a bus ride too and from all attractions and those locations don’t have all the nearby activities offered around BCV. Would we do it all over again? I think so.
What was your catalyst that persuaded you to buy into DVC and would you give it a second thought if you were to do it allover today?

 

[ransom]

The catalyst that persuaded us to buy into DVC was a rise in the minimum escrow money our mortgage holder wanted us to have in our account.

No, really!

That happened for the umpteenth time last year. They were keeping the maximum allowed by law in the account at all times (beyond the actual expenses of taxes and insurance) - an amount on which we earn no interest. Every year we were required to leave more money in there, and every year we received no benefit from it. So I called them and told them to close the escrow account. From that point on, I would take care of it myself. Problem solved!

As often happens, that sparked a round of looking intensely at all aspects of our finances. Over a period of about four months, I made numerous changes to the ways we handle our money. Doing so resulted in a not insignificant decrease in our monthly costs, and in addition I was able to increase the return we earn on our investments.

From there, I started thinking about how we wanted to live in the future, and how best to go about that financially. Part of what we wanted to do in the future was to visit WDW at least 8 nights a year, staying mostly at WL and always at deluxes, for the foreseeable future. It turns out, the least expensive way for us to do that is to buy into DVC.

So we figured out exactly how many points we would need for 8 nights in the highest season we would ever stay during, and bought the smallest contract we could find that had at least that many points. Before we knew it, we were DVC owners at VWL!

And it all started because our mortgage company decided to raise the minimum balance allowed in our escrow account.

 

[wildernessDad]

I purchased in 2005 because I wanted the guarantee of a Disney vacation and I wanted it to be for my entire family. Those desires have not changed.

 

[gracelrm]

Our DVC journey started back in 1999. We were staying on site for the first time at CBR with our family of 4. It rained nearly everyday for hours and hours on end and we spent little time in the parks and only got in the pool twice in 7 days! We napped a lot and DH watched the DVC infomercial nearly constantly for 7 days. He was interested then, but I'm a tightwad. After we became a family of 5, we went stayed a week at WL in 2001 and decided then that with the larger family we liked the deluxe hotels much better and would likely always stay in a deluxe. DH would roam the resort while the kids and I napped and he apparently spent a great deal of time with the DVC rep in the lobby. Before leaving WDW, he arranged a visit to the DVC sales office over at BWV. At the time, they were selling (or maybe preselling VWL). My DH adored WL and we took the tour. We had 30 days I think to take whatever they were offering at the time, so I had to think about it. Having a family of 5 really makes staying in regular rooms difficult. We love our trips to WDW. My mother had passed away and we had some money burning a hole in DH's pocket (remember, I'm the tightwad). I knew my mother would think prepaid family vacations was a good use of the money because she thought family vacations were a necessity so on day 29, we called our guide and made it official. I've never regretted it and have done two small add-ons. I would love to have about 100 more points, but I remain a tightwad!

 

[chainkid]

We took a family vacation in 1996 and saw the begiinings of the BWV being built and it looked nice. We hadn't even heard about the DVC then and we were staying at Dixe Landings...RIP... . In 1997 we sold our business and had alot of new money to invest. Our neighbors asked us to join them for Thanksgiving at Disney so I started to plan the trip for the two families as I'm the Travel Planner. I decided to try out the new BWV and booked a one bedroom unit for both families. Well let me tell you, when we drove in that night at midnight they only had studio's available and I was bummed out When we got to the rooms they were all overlooking the boardwalk and the view was just beyond my wildest expectations as we had always been the parking lot view people to save money. They gave us two studios for the price of a 1 bedroom unit and other stuff to make up the difference. As it turned out the sleeping arrangements worked out better and did I mention the view. The whole place was so magical . I notice the sign for the DVC and I thought it will probably be too expensive so I didn't mention it to my husband as he is the frugal one. When we got home I called to get more information and after doing some research I presented the plan to my hubby and to my surprise he said why not buy more so we can always bring family with us. I was floored. Who knew he was just as impressed as I was. So now we have added on 4 times and plan to add on some more once my kids have a family. It is the best investment I could have made to bring my extended family closer together. Everyone loves their disney trips. We go once every three years with more or less 20+ people for 10days and all have a boardwalk view as well as one grand villa. In between we take short weekend trips just the two of us. This investment has been priceless to us but it hasn't saved us a penny from the way we use to vacation, its just now we all stay in better surroundings and we can afford to take the village. LOL

 

[browniemtb]

Great thread....
As many here we visited WDW every year and stayed at reasonable places. My wife always liked the idea of being able to walk to one of the parks. But we never pulled the trigger because we were building a home and had #1 child at the same time. Few years past and again we found ourselves at WDW with friends. Every time we passed a DVC booth I said we should take the tour. But being non DVC and only there for a week we were in comando mode, no time. After the trip I sat down with the wife and explained what we had spent on the previous three stays at WDW and how it could have been more than a great down payment on DVC. Another year passes and the same friends want us to go again. Well thats when I said enough is enough and I bought DVC 90 days prior to that trip. Ended up buying more than enough points to book a nice place for the peak season, April vacation type weeks. On top of this I was able to get BWV which my wife never had seen or heard of. I told her she could walk to Epcot and MGM. When we got there she was so happy about the location and theme........Do I look back, no. I just wish I made this type of investment in my family many years before I did. DVC is a great way to pre-pay for awesome family vacations. My wife actually said that she could see herself just going down and not even going to the parks. Now the Comando Mode is gone because we know we will be back, soon! My only dilema this year is that we are expecting #3 in a couple of weeks so we will be taking this year off from traveling to the world of the mouse.
Brownie

 

[TEK224]

In 2004 I stayed concierge level at WL. Then I had reservations for a Jan. 06 trip staying 6 nights at the Poly. I ended up cancelling the Poly reservations in Aug. 2005, when I took the tour at SSR and bought in. The deciding factor was that the cost of my prior WL ressie and the one I had scheduled at the Poly was almost equal to 1/3 of the DVC purchase. I figured I may as well buy in and have paid for vacation accommodations for the next 49 years.

 

[gtrist4life]

A little history...

1986 - Honeymoon trip to Epcot - Had a great time
1996 - 10 year anniversary trip with kids - Stayed at AS Music, had an incredible time.

In 1998 I had taken a new job and one of the suppliers mentioned he's part of the DVC and that he actually owns a place in the Resort. But he said it was very expensive.

2001 - Another trip with the kids, In October right after Sept 11, really sealed the Disney fanatic in me. Stayed at AS Music, but being in commando mode, no time for a tour.

2002 - Extended Family trip at Port Orleans French Quarter (moving up a bit!). Had talked to a CM at a kiosk and they sent me the video after our vaction. Also watched the in room infomercial. Tried to talk DW into it, but she said, it's too expensive. At this point we didn't even have a home resort in mind.

2003 - Trip to the Swan - Stopped by the DVC office on the Boardwalk and made an appt. on our last day there. Free lunch vouchers sealed the deal (for the appt, not DVC!).
Take the tour, DW asks "Where do we sign?" I say "Whoa Trigger, let's take the info home and study it a bit before we decide. After we get home, she gets a little cold feet, but after running the numbers and realizing we can get BWV as our home resort, and that we can treat friends and family every other year or so, we dive in.

Only regrets are not doing it sooner, and maybe knowing more about resales at the time of purchase.

Can't wait to add on, hopefully next year.

Peace!

 

[Simba's Mom]

I've often reflected on how one reason we bought DVC has become so true. One reason we bought was because DH was such a workaholic, wouldn't take vacations, and we both hoped that by buying DVC, he'd have incentive to take vacations-"Well, we've already paid for it, so we might as well go." After our first trip, I remember posting on these boards how amazed (and happy) I was at the change in him. He's gone from "Disney tolerant" to "Disney (and vacation) loving". I reflect on that change so often.

 

[WDWLVR]

1976 was my first trip to WDW with my Mom and we had the start of wonderful memories.

1990 visited WDW for the first time with my DH as we honeymooned at the Grand Floridian.

1997 my Mom had planed a trip for all three of us to the Poly (her favorite resort). We had to cancel as she was diagnosed with lung cancer and was gone 6 months later.

1999 we were planning a thank you trip for my in-laws for all they had done for my mom. FIL suggested a Disney cruise (land/sea package). While visiting WDW in 1998 I stopped by a desk that had a DCL picture on it but found it was for DVC. Didn't give it much thought. On the cruise itself while waiting in line for Disney Dreams we were talking to a DVCer who told us more about the program. Called for the info at the end of the year.

2000 - January we planned a quick drip down to see the Main Street Electrical Parade and to tour DVC. Thanks to some money we inherited from my Mom we were able to purchase 300 points at Boardwalk. Later that year took our first visit home. It was then that we knew we had made the right decision. I just felt so right. Disney was some place I always felt wonderful, safe, happy.

What did we buy - the knowledge that for the next 42 years we could be staying in a home like setting at one of our favorite places on earth. A place that brought us great happiness. I think my Mom would be very happy seeing we used the money for that. Some of my happiest memories of her are from WDW and she would have loved DVC!

 

[hrsmom]

I purchased in 2005 because I wanted the guarantee of a Disney vacation and I wanted it to be for my entire family. Those desires have not changed.

My feelings exactly!

 

[bwvBound]

What was your catalyst that persuaded you to buy into DVC and would you give it a second thought if you were to do it allover today?

cat·a·lyst (kăt'l-ĭst)
n.- definition 2: An agent of change.

Change -- wow, what a scary word that was in our lives at the time. DH and I were used to comfortable lives working for small, family run, technology firms. Fast forward just a few months and three quick acquisitions later and life is decidedly different. We'd been 'flipped' like real estate. The upside: my DH, my father, my youngest brother and I end up working for the same mega-corp and moved to the same office location. (Yeah! I have my very own "lunch crowd.") Of the downsides, as related to this story, mega-corp doesn't believe in "onsite housing" for our annual IBM conference visit and directs us to All Star Sports instead of the Swolphin/Y&BC locations.

Easiest way to say this: We bought DVC in an attempt to control one tiny aspect of our lives. We'll stay where we want to stay, thank you.

Would I have second thoughts if we were to consider the same purchase today? Of course. It wasn't an easy decision the first go'round when we yet had optimism and feelings of strength (perhaps defiance). At the time, it was important to get the very most from this conference event from early morning through late evening. Now, perhaps it isn't as important. The conference hasn't changed -- but we have. We no longer use the technology and we've been broken up, sold off, laid off or otherwise de-energized.

We still go ... perhaps hoping to rekindle the glory days ... but we've quickly become outsiders. (IBM rightly said of both our former offices, "You've gone from go-getters to no-getters." Ouch )

However ... when we do go (every year) ... we now stay in a lovely 1BR unit at BWV with the jetted tub. Gotta love that! And this year, we'll take two nights at AKV Concierge to 'unwind' from the hectic pace of the event. We might just love that, too! (Yes, yes -- the decision was a good one and it is very nice to enjoy a tiny, selfish, measure of control in our own lives. )

 

[jimmytammy]

For us, it was the realization that this was going to be a yearly trip. Then we started crunching numbers and knew the break even point would be roughly 5 yrs. The accomodations would be paid for. The rooms would be larger vs. a value. With soon to be teens in the house, that was a plus factor. I guess there were a lot of small reasonings that led us to buy. Only problem, annual trip turned into two trips

 

[alldiz]

I was a quick study

1st family trip since childhood....May 2006....WL....
My parents 1st trip and my DD4....(grandparents took me as a kid)(econolodge)


I was home for 2 weeks with the blues.....
Called and booked another trip to WL.....cause I was dying
to see it at holiday time....

That did it......I knew I needed to guarantee a stay at the lodge
at holiday time.....

I quickly saw with 2 trips to the lodge......I need a better way to go.....

So I had to figure out a way to fit it in my budget....

I looked at TSS....they had 150pts for sale....with a year
of last years points.....
Come hell or highwater.....
I found a way to pay for it

So here I have my 150pts.....MY AP pass....MY DDE card....
I'm fully loaded.....
I just need more trips

I need to go again to save more money on my DDE card
Kerri

 

[spiceycat]

loving WDW plus free tickets. what more was there?

 

[Meliechick]

August 2003 we were married at the wedding pavillion and had our reception at the BW and were suppose to honeymoon at the BWI. There was a problem with our room late at night so they moved us the a 1 BDR on the BWV side. Loved it but didn't know about DVC. Sept 2004 we planned a WDW trip and stayed at the POR. I found info about DVC before the trip but DH didn't even want to discuss it. He wanted to wait until we had been married longer to make any major purchases like that.

On our MK day during our Sept 2004 trip it was really hot and we were walking by a DVC booth so I stopped to look at the info. The nice man said if you want to take a tour I can have an air conditioned van here to pick you up in 15 minutes. DH jumped on it and "SWEET the van is air conditioned!" The van took us to SSR and we have lemonade and cookies while we waited. Our guide gave us the sales pitch and then took us on a tour of the resort in a golf cart. We went back to the sales center and he left us alone to discuss it. Before the guide even closed the door, my DH in a sugar/Disney/air conditioned daze turned to me while pulling out his credit card and said how many points should we get? Then we did an add on 2 wks after we got home. Yes we are every sales person's dream.

Now everytime I want to make a major purchase I just give DH some cookies and air conditioning.

 

[ransom]

Now everytime I want to make a major purchase I just give DH some cookies and air conditioning.

 

[lsutigger2]

What a great thread! Has gotten me to thinking about how our DVC purchase came to be. And I really don't know
I know we were staying at POR and I was happy staying there. Had often thought of staying at a deluxe but just couldn't to it (pay the price). Somehow or another my DH tells me we have an appt at 2:15 to go to the DVC office. I'm not sure how he got interested in DVC. Anyhow, several hours later we own 240 VB points - that is all they have to sell at that time (Nov 2000). Yep, car salesmen love us too!
We did take the tour and I think my DH was really impressed with the jacuzzi tub! I was sad not to be able to stay at POR anymore (our guide said we could! but I got over it!!). So I guess I learned everything about DVC after the fact. We've just begun to invite others on our trips - family last year and friends this year. I do not regret it. We have added on once at SSR. I wanted some on-site points even though we have never had a challenge using our VB points at WDW.

My only "if I knew then what I know now" would be I would have waited for VWL points. And that's not a real biggie, it is just what I would have done.

It really is the best and I our DVC and my DH - he's the best. After all I think it was his idea.

 

[Disney MAINEiac]

"Have you ever reflected as to why you purchased into DVC?"

Nope! not once, still as pleased with it as I thought I would be

 

[DVCJones]

August 2003 we were married at the wedding pavillion and had our reception at the BW and were suppose to honeymoon at the BWI. There was a problem with our room late at night so they moved us the a 1 BDR on the BWV side. Loved it but didn't know about DVC. Sept 2004 we planned a WDW trip and stayed at the POR. I found info about DVC before the trip but DH didn't even want to discuss it. He wanted to wait until we had been married longer to make any major purchases like that.

On our MK day during our Sept 2004 trip it was really hot and we were walking by a DVC booth so I stopped to look at the info. The nice man said if you want to take a tour I can have an air conditioned van here to pick you up in 15 minutes. DH jumped on it and "SWEET the van is air conditioned!" The van took us to SSR and we have lemonade and cookies while we waited. Our guide gave us the sales pitch and then took us on a tour of the resort in a golf cart. We went back to the sales center and he left us alone to discuss it. Before the guide even closed the door, my DH in a sugar/Disney/air conditioned daze turned to me while pulling out his credit card and said how many points should we get? Then we did an add on 2 wks after we got home. Yes we are every sales person's dream.

Now everytime I want to make a major purchase I just give DH some cookies and air conditioning.

Oh, you drank the punch!!! That explains it.:

I didn't need to drink anything to convince me.

I knew I wanted to take my family there every year, like my parents did for us growing up. I cherish all the memories and want that for my own kids. Like someone already said, it also helped me nail down my husband to take a vacation. It is a win win for our family. My DH is so happy we did this. He loves the idea of taking a family vacation every year now Love love love DVC!!!!