How long did you wait for first trip home?

[Mouse Ears]

I was reading about Granny's first trip home and it sounds like he has waited quite a while since joining.

I will probably do the same thing. I am planning to buy into BCV this month but will not likely visit until late 2003.

I'm afraid the wait will be excrutiating after joining DVC. The anticipation may just be my undoing. But, at least I will know that it's more or less locked in. I would wait to join, but I can get the better price and bank ahead some points so I will at least start out ahead.

So, I was hoping that some others have had to wait awhile and could offer some encouragement. Will I survive the wait?

M.E.

 

[scduckman]

We waited four months from January to May before our first trip home on 5/26. It was a long wait and now we have just over four months before we do a three day cruise in October.

 

[DVCDAVE]

7 long months.

We bought in August 2000 over the phone, sight unseen, at BWV. We made our first trip to BWVs in March 2001, and were extremely pleased with our purchase. While on our trip we doubled up, and bought at VWL too.

 

[imgoingtodisney]

Vacationed 9 nights at the Wilderness Lodge Oct 2001
Bought DVC with WL as our home Nov 2001
Cruising on Disney Magic Nov 2002
Not going "home" to VWL till Oct 2003

So we are waiting 23 months to go "home"

 

[KayleeUK]

24 Months!!!

Be joined in November 2000 and our first trip will be Oct 2002

I can't wait!!!!

KAylee

 

[Towncrier]

We bought over the phone (sight unseen) and made our initial reservations on the same day. We were at OKW three weeks later. I guess that I'm a bit impatient.

 

[Granny]

Well, we waited 10 months, 7 days after we joined to go home!

And Mouse Ears...it was excruciating at times. I found these boards to be a big help in getting my "Disney fix" while waiting, and I picked up so many valuable tips while waiting for the first visit to come around.

The biggest bonus was banking the first year of points right off the bat. So we started out with two years worth of points. Because of that, we are going twice this year and twice next year! I know, we paid dues last year on points we didn't use until this year, but we are loving this bunch of points right now.

Then we go to our "once a year" mode. Can you say "add on"?

 

[Mouse Ears]

KayleeUK - 20 months down, 4 to go! Enjoy the Magic.

Towncrier - that is not the kind of encouragement I need right now! I want to go, believe me I do, but I'm trying to be patient so as not to unsell my wife on this DVC idea. She wants to wait until the baby is weaned. Plus, we are paying our membership outright, so we will have to save up a while before we make any big plans involving flights and passes.

I wish we could use points for a couple nights somewhere close, but they don't have anything in the Concierge Collection within a one-day drive from here. Besides, I am buying DVC to go to WDW so I will just have to wait for the right time!

imgoingtodisney - A cruise sounds like a great substitute for the yearly trip. Still, 23 months is a long time to wait to enjoy the new 'home'!


Thanks to all,
M.E.

 

[Mouse Ears]

Yes, Granny, that is one of the things that motivates me. We will buy season passes and make at least one more longer trip on them since we will have banked points. After that, we will have to slow down the pace unless we come down with the 'add-on fever' I have witnessed here. Worse could happen!

M.E.

 

[Lesley]

16 months! And we're making up for it now! LOL

16 months was very long and difficult....but we really enjoyed our trip. Going back to DVC in Nov/Dec and going to POR next month (out of points for now... )

You'll live...and you'll make up for it later!

 

[Terry S]

We bought BCV in Feb and are going home in Sept so I guess that is 7 months. We would have gone home sooner buy new BCV owners couldn't use their points until the resort opened so we had to settle for AKL in April.

 

[Caskbill]

We may hold the record for short time on this one.

From our initial purchase, to our first stay was about 2-hours.

We bought in June 1993. The incentives were great because at that time they were giving the free passes. After we had looked at everything, and DW and I had discussed it, I asked our guide if they had anything available for that night. She came back and said yes, and we could have it if we wanted. That was enough for us....extend our stay in Florida, staying at Disney's Vacation Club resort (later renamed Old Key West).

So, technically, you might say we made our first 'ressie' before we even officially purchased.

We signed all the papers, went back to the Hwy-192 hotel we were staying at, packed, and went back to Disney. Perhaps 2-hours tops.

We did have to sign one additional document that stated that if we changed our minds, or for some reason the contract wasn't completed, we would be charged on our credit card $xxxx.xx dollars (I forget the exact amount) for the 1-B/R villa we were staying in. (That of course was another big incentive NOT to change our minds..... )

Now, 2 Add-on's later, we still don't have enough points...

 

[Granny]

caskbill....that's a great story. Don't think I've heard you tell it before. I guess you can't say you wished you had joined earlier!

 

[AnnaS]

We purchased in 10/00 and banked, used 2001 and borrowed 2002 (no points this year) for our cruise last year 7/2001. This year no points so we are doing Myrtle Beach. I am dying to stay at OKW, we have never stayed there. I wanted to go so bad that I called to get the summer saver, studio at OKW for $149 each night for three nights right before Myrtle Beach. I told them we were four but not sure if my son would be joining us (depending on school regents test). She said I would need two bedrooms if he came. I was not willing to do this so I am stuck waiting. We are also planning on buying BCV sight unseen. Also planning on doing the West. cruise next year - and add 4 nights at OKW. Will do half cash and half points. DO NOT want to borrow all of 2004 points and wait again. No way. I guess it will be a while before we go down again.

 

[mouseclick1]

We bought at the BWV in August 2000, and will be heading down for the first time next month! We have been to the YC, AKL, and HH on points, but this will be our first time at the BWV. My brother, SIL, and parents will be joining us, and I really can't wait!!

 

[LarryC]

Bought on the cruise last August - still waiting to go home!

 

[PaulaW]

We just became owners at the BCV's. Our first trip home will be August of 2003. I can't wait to get to the 11 month window and actually make our first reservation.

PaulaW

 

[JudithM]

We signed our closing documents early one afternoon & moved into a one bedroom unit that afternoon! It was a great decision!

 

[Bubbleboy]

We are in the same boat as KayleeUK. 24 Months. We purchased this past May and will not be able to go "home" until April 2004. The only saving grace is that we will hopefully have a healthy and new wdw fan to bring with us.

 

[DebbieB]

I bought in September 1999 over the phone, April use year, banked 100 points remaining after magical beginnings (the max then was 150 points for MB). Went on an already planned trips with my niece to GF in October and to Dixie Landings in December (that's when I did the DVC tour of BWV). Then finally did first DVC trip to OKW in May 2000 and first trip to BWV (home resort) in December 2000.