How often do you hear from your guide?

[mla973]

We just purchased a BWV resale contract about a month ago. We have received all the appropriate info in the mail (member cards, etc), but I'm surprised that we have never been communicated with by our assigned guide. (I thought I read here that most people get an intro letter from their guide, so that was sort of what I was expecting.)

I did ask MS who our guide was when I called to book a December trip and was given her name and phone number.

People have posted here about guides leaving them messages on their first trip home, etc. While I'm not expecting that, I just wondered if it is strange that I haven't heard anything from her.

 

[mufasa0505]

We bought in September and haven't heard from our guide since.

 

[Monte Cristo]

We met with our guide once while on vacation years ago and bought Vero Beach which was one of the current sellers. This was on the last day of our vacation and upon arriving home, found out about TTS resales. We really wanted BWV so we cancelled our VB agreement with Disney and bought resale through the TTS.

We have never recieved a phone call or any communication from our guide. I don't know if it's because of us cancelling our what. I did notice that on the DVC thread here about who has what guide, ours has only like 3 listings.....maybe just coincidence.

 

[dvcbrad]

We never heard from ours ... even when we called HIM!

 

[CarolAnnC]

We have only heard from our guide(s) when they knew we were looking to purchase additional points. Since they are sales people, they are not expected to call for any other reason.

 

[Granny]

People have posted here about guides leaving them messages on their first trip home, etc. While I'm not expecting that, I just wondered if it is strange that I haven't heard anything from her.

We bought in 2001 and only heard from our Guide one time...when our original one left Disney and a new one came on board.

Basically they are sales people selling on behalf of Disney. Like any salesperson, they will develop their own style which may be a lot of contact or "wait for the customer to call" approach.

Like salespeople will be different, so will customers. Some people want a lot of attention, others want to be left alone unless they initiate the contact.

In any event, I don't think your situation is strange at all.

 

[wildernessDad]

Our guide does respond in a timely manner when we have a question, but does not initiate any communications.

We do receive DVC mailings from time to time with his "Signature," which is to say that we receive a form 'letter' where his name has been stamped in. This is to encourage us to purchase more points.

 

[DVC Grammy]

We first bought in '98 and that was the last time he ever contacted us. In fact, with our first add-on, we had to use another guide since ours was "Mr. Elusive".
And recently, when AKV became available, we had to leave many, many messages (telling him exactly how many points we wanted; not even asking for information re: AKV). Finally, after about a week, he finally took our order!

If this were a restaurant, and he was our waiter, we'd never go back! (But, this is DVC, and we love all things Disney, so he's got us by the ******! )

 

[DVC-Don]

We never heard from ours ... even when we called HIM!

Same here. I have to demand to talk with ANYBODY when I call as he never returns calls.

 

[Cruelladeville]

Our guide is Ron Brumbaugh, and he has called to Welcome us Home several times. Yes, we have stopped in to say hello, too, when we are down in Florida. We have also heard from him when new resorts come online/points increase. I have mentioned his being such a good guide before on the DIS Board, and have received thank you phone calls/emails from him. Obviously, Ron has been a great guide to us, and, on top of that, he's a nice guy.

 

[CarolA]

Mine calls when I call him. All other stuff is from Disney. Maybe it's just me but I like that. I am not a fan of the "my guide my friend" plan. The guide is a salesman. If they are "friends" it is because they hope you will BUY more. (I do not recall receiving a "letter" when I bought resale.)

 

[mla973]

Thanks for your replys. I definitely don't mind the lack of sales calls, so I'm feeling better after hearing from the experts here. I guess maybe I had an incorrect impression of what a guide does.

If it weren't for these boards, I feel some days I would know nothing!

 

[btrim]

we hear from our guide. We really like her (Judy Kauffman), but she is not only a salesperson, she is with corporate, so that makes her very busy. Even with a busy schedule, when we call, she always returns our calls. She has been very helpful and sometimes we get a message from her when we are at WDW.

 

[goofylarry46]

Our guide is Amil Arroyo we have become friends with him and his wife who also works for Disney when we go to WDW we always have lunch or dinner with him and his wife he is more than just a sales person

 

[global_mom]

We have done resale and direct purchase thru Disney and have been more than pleased with our resale agent (Scot, TSS) and our guide (Paul Kuhn) at Disney. Calls returned the sale day, nice note of thanks etc. Hope to hear from them in the future b/c we want to know when new incentives come along.

 

[WolfpackFan]

Not unusual at all. Think of it this way - when you purchase a new car, how often do you hear from the salesman who sold it to you? That is all a guide is - a timeshare salesman. We never heard anything from our first guide. In fact, he couldn't even be bothered to be present when we purchased our contract, even though we had made an appt. ahead of time. We have received voice messages from our current guide, Karen Guyder, when we've been down at WDW. But nothing that would require a call back. I think folks really get confused when they hear the term guide - it's basically just a "guide" through the purchasing process.

You know something does come to mind though - reading back through this thread, it's obvious we aren't the only ones that have had "not so great" guides. But in spite of all that we still bought into DVC and still love being members. That really ought to tell new folks interested in buying something about DVC itself.

 

[Shenandoah Mickey]

Our guide (Nick T) is very quick to return our calls, but he has never initiated contact. I think part of this is their "no pressure" approach to sales, but maybe not.

 

[Debi]

I only hear from my guide when I contact him. As another poster mentioned, they are Disney's version of a salesman; how often do you hear from the salesman that sold you your car?

That said, I have formed a friendly relationship with my guide, and will stop in to see him from time to time. I should be in contact with him within the next few months to do an add on at BWV!

 

[n2mm]

WOW. My guide is Michelle MacAlister and she calls us EVERYTIME we visit WDW. We go four-five times a year and every trip (did I say EVERY trip) she calls us and welcomes us home. Not only us, if we book a room for one of our kids, she calls them too. I thought this was standard stuff, but obviously not. She is a gem. I always ask her, how does she know we're there, and she said she gets a weekly print out of guest staying DVC and checks for her people to welcome them home. If I need something all I do is call and she has a message on her machine if she's vacationing or that she will get back to us within 24 hours at the latest. She even checks her phone messages while on vacation a couple of times a week and makes time to return phone calls. I can't tell you how many times I called when I made my first purchase and how many times I spoke with her while doing my BWV add on last year, but she was available and helpful every phone call. When she's not calling me at WDW, she does call me at home or at work several times a year to see if everything is going well with my membership and she calls when there is a new promotion (AKV).

 

[DebbieB]

I bought over the phone in 1999 and called a friends guide. I never heard from him again. He left and was replaced by Susie Farnsworth. I only got a call from her once a few years ago when additional BWV points went on sale. I agree with the car salesman comparison, they only call hoping to get more sales.