How Did You Buy DVC--poll ???????

[Fitswimmer]

I purchased after a trip I took to Vero Beach with a friend who was already a member. I already loved WDW, and visited a couple times a year. After spending a week at Vero, I knew this was for ME!

Can't wait til my first trip "home" in November!!!

 

[acpalmer]

What we did wasn't a choice on the poll, so I'll just post about it. We bought at DLR for SSR this summer, so we didn't get to see the actual property and the room model at DLR wasn't ready yet, so we also didn't see that.

But we have been to WDW (although it has been YEARS), so we didn't really do choice number 1. We loved DLR so much though, we know that we'll love WDW just as much (when we finally get there in 2008, LOL). We'll be using our points at the GC and the DLH for the next few trips because the plane fares to CA are so much lower than to FL from where we live in CO and we wanted to be able to take multiple trips to take advantage of the free annual passes we got with our purchase. Ressies may cost us a few more points, but the savings in airfare for multiple trips will make it worth it!

 

[paulh]

we did a try befor you buy package a few years ago,you stayed in the boardwalk 3 nights and vero 4 nights.Think the package was $800 or $1000 carnt rember how much.All we had to do was show up at sales pitch at end,We beged them not to show us any videos ect just put the documents infront of us to sign up
Paulh

 

[My5Mouseketeers]

I voted for #4, because it was the closest to what we actually did.

We had stayed at the Disney Institute a few times. now that we have 5 kids. We were planning a trip and we needed to stay in a 2 bedroom. It was going to cost us about $3K for one weeks stay. We decided to use it as a down payment instead.

So, we had been to WDW many times, but bought unseen *before* we went.

sandy

 

[LoveMyDVC2]

I grew up there!!! WE went to WDW every year as a child and always stayed on property,(Fort Wilderness) I went back as an adult a couple of times. I stayed at CBR and PO Riverside. Once to save money, I stayed off property at the Grovsnor. It was on that trip that I vowed I would never stay off property again. We used our vacation fund for a down payment on SSR. We used our points for that years vacation and are so excited we did it!! It works out to be the same as if we saved all year for one vacation.

 

[paults]

so far not many renters buying after renting

 

[starbox]

so far not many renters buying after renting

My personal feeling is that the rental rates are too low. I think it would be a better situation all around if rental prices reflected only a 15 to at most 20% discount. When someone can get BCV for only a little more than POP when they rent, something is off - especially since renting from DVC owners is now published in the Unofficial "bible" to WDW as the "cheap" way to stay in a nice resort. Where is the incentive to purchase if your rental price per point is only a few bucks more than mat. fees . It seems like it is actually easier to rent BCV or BWV than to reserve at 7 months because so many people are buying those properties specifically to rent them during high demand times, and renters pretty much get treated like a member (with the ability to buy DDP and enjoy all onsite activities)?

I think renting is a very nice option owners have - and it's something we may possibly want to do 25-30 years down the line - but the current rental system seems to really favor the renter and I'd like to see that change.

 

[mouseclick1]

We took our first family trip to WDW in April 2000. We purchased annual passes, and planned to return again in August. We hadn't heard of DVC at the time of our first trip, but learned of it (through these boards, of course!) shortly after we returned. By the time August rolled around, we knew we would be buying, but we didn't know where yet. We stayed at the Boardwalk Inn and fell in with it. We took the tour and bought 200 BWV points on the last day of our trip. We came home and added on another 100 points two weeks later!

About a year later, we decided to add on 100 points at HH, only this time it was completely sight unseen. We made our first trip there, and fell in love with it (sound familiar?). So...we came home and added on another 65 points.

 

[Cinderpals]

I voted for #4, but remembered that I did see BCVs before buying. but I wasn't able to get into see the Villas at the WL. Originally, I was looking into buying at the VWL because I love the lobby so much at Christmas...I really feel in the Christmas Mood while staying there!

My guide, initially found points to purchase at the BWV and the BCVs!! I wasn't ready to commit then.....Thank God, the VWL were not available, and I chose not to purchase at the SSR then, since after purchasing contracts at the BWVs and at the BCVs, we've never used our points to stay at the VWLs! One or two nights at the SSR. I would like a small contract at the VWL for Holiday visits. Just enough for a 2-3 day needed break from the deluxe hotel room there. I'll probably be in the market to purchase 50-70pts there.

Purchasing the BWVs was sight unseen, but I did get a peek at the BCV rooms before buying there. I wasn't really impressed with the room's condition, but I loved the resort's atmosphere and the location.

 

[ILuvDVC2]

There wasn't really a choice that fit our situation, but we were invited to stay at OKW with some members, and we fell in love with the resort experience. It was our first on-property stay, and it was fantastic, so we decided we had to join.

 

[paults]

bumpy

 

[BEACHCLUBVILLAS]

I chose 4. We loved going to Disney and would save for every trip and go about every couple years. Each trip was "going to be our last one so lets do it big" and we'd save and sacrafice so we could stay at the deluxe resorts. Our family would say..you are going to Disney again? My husband would always get bummed at the end of trip feeling like we won't be able to come back for a long time. Then somehow we'd find ourselves planning and saving for another trip to help him over his "sadness". Finally, we said why don't we just admit we like vacating in Disney and that we go every year and half. Let's check into that vacation club thing. Called for a video. Watched the video and all that was left was how many points should we buy. Never stepped foot in a vacation club villa before we signed on the mouse ears. They were selling BCV and we had stayed at BC before and loved it. So we did it and have never had any regrets. Our families now think since we own at Disney, we'd be crazy not to go back every year so we're over that hump.

 

[lawlesslovewdw]

We took our first visit to WDW last nov, and boy we fell in love . Saw DVC stand and thought in was only available to US residents, so I asked and was amazed that we could buy into it. We booked the tour and eventually took the plunge earlier this year after booking a return trip this sept (staying at ASM). So next year we are going home for the 1st time and with our banked points will be home for 29 days

I have to say i did a bit of research last year before we went to ensure our trip went smoothly it was nothing like being planned, thanks to you guys i made PS at 180 days prior etc etc. Even purchased Passporter.

Wish we had gone years ago

 

[Laurajean1014]

We were on vacation and DH wanted to do the tour. I didn't. So, they sent the video and we were in. Got the docs and mailed the deposit.

When we arrived at OKW in 95 - ours mouths dropped at the beauty and size of the rooms.

Never had a single regret!

 

[mikayla73]

I chose #1. We bought sight unseen, never been to WDW.

I have only been to WDW (EPCOT) once for a day and that was almost 20 years ago when I was in high school. DH has never been. (He grew up in the Anaheim area though and could see the Matterhorn from his kitchen window in one house!) We were at DLR walking back from riding Splash Mtn at the end of the night. There was a DVC kiosk closing up, we glanced at the pics made a comment how nice it looked. We started talking to the CM and made an appt to talk with our now our now vacation guide Jerre. After viewing the videos, talking to Jerre, and knowing that we wanted to go to WDW
"sometime" it was just a matter of did we do it now or later. We chose to do it now! I have made our first ressie for next May. We plan on going to WDW in Sept '07.

Although we have walked by those kiosk several times in our trips to DL, we never really thought about purchasing. I am so glad we did!!

 

[DVC Grandpa]

BCV site unseen although under construction at the time.

 

[4kidsandadog]

We did a tour at BWV in 2000 or 2002... Our family had grown to 6 and we were at the point where we could no longer fit in a standard room. Fast forward to 2003, our first Disney cruise... after attending one of the presentations there and meeting with Ken Bradshaw, we decided to take the plunge and bought SSR. Haven't stayed there yet, but one of these days we will!