How much Research did you do

[1BigDisneyFan]

Just wondered how much research into your home location the DVC'ers did prior to plunking down the cash.

 

[MrsToad]

I'm embarrassed to say, not much. We took the tour, played with the numbers, and within 3 weeks made our purchase through Disney; BCV was the only resort they were "officially" selling. Now that we've found the DIS, we know that some people have been able to purchase other resorts through Disney. HOWEVER, we are thrilled with the way luck worked in our favor as BCV is our favorite resort due to its location, size, and pool!

 

[jarestel]

We did no research prior to buying, though we did visit the resort prior to signing on the dotted line. ( I know what you're thinking... you have a bridge you're looking to sell and would I be interested? ) DVC was selling VWL at the time and that's what we bought. It worked out good for us because having stayed at all of the WDW DVCs now, we realize we "lucked" into our favorite resort anyway.

 

[spiceycat]

brought back in 93 so only OKW (DVC) was offered. Had been to timeshare sales pitches before and didn't enjoy them. I loved Disney's version. No pressure, no guilt trips, only honest information. This was in 92 and I brought then - but got talked out of it once I got home.

I brought over the phone in 93 and despite others was not going to talk out of it again.

 

[newholidayx2]

we bought into VWL but toured Boardwalk back in 2001
This was after we stayed at the WL for 6nights and added on another 3nights

 

[ksoehrlein]

DH and I took the tour at OKW in '94, when he was just DB. We knew we'd buy someday, but thought we might like to get married first! At some point, I know we watched the video (probably several versions of it over the years).

We bought in '02 and frankly didn't care where our home resort was. Maybe a mistake, but the incentive was really good at HHI at the time, so that's where we bought. When we decide to add on (note that I didn't say "if") we will have hopefully stayed at each on-site WDW DVC resort by then and will base our add-on decision on the quality of our stays. So far, there is no clear-cut leader -- we love 'em all, but for many varying reasons.

 

[Cruelladeville]

We had been to other presentations, and hated them, so we fell in love with DVC just because they were NICE! That was in 92, but we didn't join until 1997. My research was devoted to being VERY sure my guide was being truthful, and whether or not we could afford the payments. It wasn't until we had been members for a couple of years that it occurred to us that we were saving money on the rooms.

 

[WDWLVR]

Ordered the video and watched that. Checked out DVC on the web (which is how I found the DIS). Called and made an appointment to take a tour but at that point told the agent we were going to sign. Went for a long weekend at WDW where we stayed at All Stars. Took the tour at our Boardwalk home - fell it in love with it and signed the papers that day. 11 months later had our first visit home - got a one bedroom with a Boardwalk view. Knew then and there that the research we did payed off and DVC at the Boardwalk was for us!

 

[wintergreen]

None. Bought VWL through DVC (did not know about resales then) as a result of a letter we got in the mail a few weeks before a trip to WL and VB on cash (only our second trip to WDW). I was curious and called my guide for more details. After a second call with DH on the line, we bought our first contract. Were able to do the VB portion on points. Have added on twice, once through DVC and once through a resale.

 

[Muushka]

Lets see. We talked to a friend about it.
We got the DVC video.
We visited OKW
We visited BWV
I read the DVC boards for 2 years
We stayed at VWL prior to sales

Would you say that we are careful buyers????

 

[Rpsemont]

We took the tour in 99 or 00 (BWV)
forgot about until we rented points for a stay in 03
Rented points again
got the video
Planned to buy resale
ended up buying BWL from Dvd last sept (because we could make a reservation right away
We stayed on our points a week before we officially closed

 

[dianeschlicht]

Back in 1991, we saw the info about the upcoming Disney Vacation Club that was being built across from Epcot. We noted is progress as we went back and forth on the bus between PO and the parks. Then in 1993, we were staying at WL and took the tour. We then planned a trip to Disney Vacation Club for just the two of us. We planned it through our guide and got a good discount on a studio at Disney Vacation Club (now OKW). We fell in love with the 1,2, and 3 bedroom villas and decided that was what we wanted to do. My DH was VERY skeptical of timeshares in general, so we went home and toured a few more timeshares before making the decision. There was a world of difference between those other timeshare presentations and what we had experienced at Disney. It was quite obvious that we needed to buy where we wanted to stay, rather than try to trade into Disney every year. We then waited a couple more years so we could pay for our purchase in full. Unfortunately, we waited a couple of months too long, and we just missed the free park passes for the rest of the decade. By the time we purchased, DVC had become OKW and BWV. We again toured (BWV this time), and decided it DEFINITELY was not our cup of tea, so we purchased 230 OKW points and a few months later added an additional 150, also at OKW. We consider it to be one of the better purchases we have made in 37 years of marraige!

 

[JimC]

Took tour in 1992. Seriously reconsidered in Spring of 2002 when we got special offer from Disney for AKL stay if we took the tour again. Started talking with guide, watched the video, researced on the net and found the DIS as well as other resources. Bought BCV from guide and OKW resale from the Timeshare Store over the summer. Booked first stay to coincide with our special AKL trip. Met our guide and added on more BCV points during that trip.

 

[FOTM_Ring_Bearer]

We took the DVC tour of the BWV's in January 2000. But I wasn't convinced it was a good thing. So we waited. Then in 2003, friends from church were talking about it. Their parents own at the BW. That's when I started lurking here and asking some questions. We bought resale at the BW in the summer of 2003. Looking back we should have bought in 2000.

 

[RealMickey]

We watched the video presentation on television several times while on a DCL cruise with friends. We discussed looking into DVC with our friends onboard the ship. After returning home our friends called a guide and decided to buy at BCV. During this time we were researching on the Disboards (had previously used the Dis for cruise info). Our friends passed their sales info and video on to us. After watching the video again and reading the Member Guidebook cover-to-cover we decided to buy. We called our friends guide (out-of-the-blue and unannounced) one afternoon and made the purchase at BCV, having never actually scene any of the DVC resorts. All this was in 2002 and four trips later we are still extremely happy with a DVC purchase.

 

[bobbiwoz]

Whoops, I only clicked on " the DVC website," but we did also see the video in 1996, when we decided not to buy. Just about 2 years ago, we began looking into it again. My mom's 85th party really was the impetus, we knew we really liked going to WDW by ourselves and with friends and family. Our college tuition payments were behind us, we even had our second home in Cape May (mortgaged, but ours), the time just seemed right. We bid on a VWL resale but was taken by Disney. DVC was selling the tail end of BWV, BCV and VB. We bought BWV, just because of the lower points needed for standard views, and immediately added on 50 VWL.

We took the tour of DVC at the BWV after we bought. We were staying at the Dolphin for Halloween, with my mom, and we wanted to show her and see for ourselves, what the accomodations would be like for her party.

Mom, a friend, and my sister had stayed at a studio at OKW once when we visited for the Flower Show one May. I don't think it registered to me that this was the DVC, so really, we had seen a room first hand, but didn't realize what we were seeing. I remember thinking that it was nice having a balcony, DH and I were staying at CBR.

We now own 500 points 250 BWV, 150 VB and 100 VWL, and we are very pleased with the whole DVC experience.

Bobbi

 

[Galahad]

Took a tour of our home resort - but there was only one resort then. Does that count?

 

[Laurajean1014]

I didn't want to buy (I don't like timeshares ) but boy was I wrong. We didn't view OKW, but requested the video. My DH wanted to buy at that point. I asked for the contract and read the 455 page contract in a few weeks.

I thought to myself "Walt Disney did not create this empire just to take $$$ from Joe and I." I also thought that it was a lot less expensive to buy into instead of hearing DH complain .

So, we bought.

The joke is "there are two things my husband did right - talk me into DVC and marrying me!

 

[1BigDisneyFan]

Figured I would add my tale to the mix. . .

Had seen the promo ads on the TV during a trip down to Disney and became interested in DVC. Did a little web-research and order the DVC promo package. Found the DIS boards and bought into BCV on a resale. I still haven't seen BCV in person yet (will be there in two weeks) but do not regret my purchase.

 

[d-r]

we had stayed at boardwalk on rented points and we walked down there (the offices were down there at that time). They were selling bcv points but bcv hadn't been built yet. We hadn't really planned to do it. I remember sitting outside drinking a beer thinking "what did we just do?" So far, so good.