I want to hear Welcome Home!!

[lkenyon]

Just came back last night - Stayed at OKW.

Aside from room issues (repairs desperately needed) I have a beef -

Each time that we came through the gate we heard everything, but Welcome Home. It started to become a joke.

My husband was teasing me that he would hover in the car at the gate until they said it to me... One person said it - her name was Toni! We came and went at least 5 times a day (we are busy bees). They most annoying was, "Hey you are out pretty late." What? Why is this there business if it is 3:30 a.m. I want a simple Welcome Home every single time!!!! We also got, "Hey thanks for making it back," "You're Good," "Go Ahead," "Have a good night," "Can I see your room card? - Go ahead."

I bragged to my guests how nice it was to always hear Welcome Home. Two couples came with the intention to buy - after the third day one said, "What happened to the whole "Welcome Home" thing?" I almost died! I told my husband they were not joking these little things stick with people. The night that the guy told us that we were out pretty late was a huge turn off for our guests. We all went to the Universal Halloween Horror Night Party and it was open until two and why do I need to explain this! Ha ha

Bottom line - I paid a lot of money and want to hear "Welcome Home" every single time I pass through the gate. If the worker is sick of saying it - too bad, because I will never be tired of hearing it. It is these schmaltzy little things that keep me buying points, and gosh darn it I want to hear it!! After all it is one of the DVC selling points!!!

I feel better that I vented - thank you

 

[drag n' fly]

Just came back last night - Stayed at OKW.

Aside from room issues (repairs desperately needed) I have a beef -

Each time that we came through the gate we heard everything, but Welcome Home. It started to become a joke.

My husband was teasing me that he would hover in the car at the gate until they said it to me... One person said it - her name was Toni! We came and went at least 5 times a day (we are busy bees). They most annoying was, "Hey you are out pretty late." What? Why is this there business if it is 3:30 a.m. I want a simple Welcome Home every single time!!!! We also got, "Hey thanks for making it back," "You're Good," "Go Ahead," "Have a good night," "Can I see your room card? - Go ahead."

I bragged to my guests how nice it was to always hear Welcome Home. Two couples came with the intention to buy - after the third day one said, "What happened to the whole "Welcome Home" thing?" I almost died! I told my husband they were not joking these little things stick with people. The night that the guy told us that we were out pretty late was a huge turn off for our guests. We all went to the Universal Halloween Horror Night Party and it was open until two and why do I need to explain this! Ha ha

Bottom line - I paid a lot of money and want to hear "Welcome Home" every single time I pass through the gate. If the worker is sick of saying it - too bad, because I will never be tired of hearing it. It is these schmaltzy little things that keep me buying points, and gosh darn it I want to hear it!! After all it is one of the DVC selling points!!!

I feel better that I vented - thank you

Welcome Home!

 

[Fitswimmer]

I bought DVC a couple of years ago and we've stayed in OKW, VB, SSR and HHI. My family and the friends that I have taken on these trips have enjoyed the trips so much, the friendliness of the CM's, how nice the rooms were and they have all said that they couldn't imagine finding something to complain about! (Mom does bring her own TP though, but that's probably TMI) We even had a broken dryer on the last trip and we still found a way to make light of it and make it fun.

So I told them about these boards and that people will complain about not hearing "Welcome Home" when they came to the gate or the front desk-of course, none of them believed me. I'm emailing them the link.

I'm not saying that there aren't ways DVC could improve service, and I'm certainly not suggesting that when there are problems we should not discuss them here-after all that's what it's for. What I am suggesting is that a little common sense and perspective come along on the trip.

OK-now my vent is over.

 

[DVC Grammy]

I'm surprised to hear this about OKW. True, we haven't stayed there in a couple of years, but any time we were there, OKW always struck us as one of the friendliest DVCs! Too bad that's changed.

The only DVC where we encountered a lack of "welcome homes" was at VWL, and it could have been an off-time for CMs .

We've always gotten very warm greetings at BWV (I know, some folks have posted that they haven't), and SSR's CMs are positively effusive in their greetings!

I'm anxious to see how it'll be at AKV in January, but that may not be a fair test, since we'll be staying in CL.

 

[epicureangirl]

Bottom line - I paid a lot of money and want to hear "Welcome Home" every single time I pass through the gate. If the worker is sick of saying it - too bad, because I will never be tired of hearing it. It is these schmaltzy little things that keep me buying points, and gosh darn it I want to hear it!! After all it is one of the DVC selling points!!!

You betcha! I'll be quite disappointed if I finally get to make my first trip "home" and don't get that special welcome. The DVC video makes a big deal that members get a "Welcome Home", so I can understand that the marketing ploy may actually seem like a promise. Some great hotels even have their staff address you by name when they see you, so I don't think it is too much to ask to get a "Welcome Home". Savings or not, you paid big $$$$$ (did I include enough dollar signs?) for DVC and that greeting is FREE... why skimp on that?

 

[Anal Annie]

We stayed at OKW in August & I only remember hearing it once in the lobby at check-in - and it was pretty feeble, barely audible... I told myself it was OK tho 'cuz OKW isn't our "home resort"...

 

[Maistre Gracey]

Disney really should train the CMs better on this, although I'm actually talking about the opposite experience.

Whenever I check into VWL, I cosistently overhear other front desk CMs "Welcoming Home" every single guest.
Now I realize I'm not the only DVC Member checking in, but I hear virtually every guest receiving the welcome.
Same with the security guard at the entrance of VWL. As far as I can tell they have no idea if I'm DVC or not. The parking tags use to indicate this a few years back, but no longer. Anyway, we always get a "Welcome Home" from the guard, so I assume everyone does.

MG

 

[kimberh]

I realize that some of you have been DVC members for a much longer period of time than me. I am going on 21 months, now. I really think I have heard it on every trip, but does it really have to be said every time you enter the security gate? I am thankful there is a security gate... I don't have to be stroked entering the gate. Not trying to offend anyone. Sometimes the smallest potatoes are the hardest to peel. Obviously, this means a lot to the Op. I bought DVC without ever meeting with a guide, I am wondering, if not being told "Welcome Home" would really keep two families from becoming part of the DVC family? Has to be more to it.

 

[rbuzzotta]

My girls always get quiet as we approach the gate at OKW on our check in day..............they just wait to hear "Welcome Home" !! NOt for themselves but for me!! If someone does not say it, they pick on me the rest of the trip!!

I did get picked on alot this past summer during our 2 week stay at OKW. We got very minimal "Welcome Home" greetings!!! I was thinking that DH and my 3 DD's called ahead each time we left and told the security guard at the gate to not say Welcome Home!!!

Yes, "Welcome Home' does make me happy.............but I will continue to go!!

 

[JanetBigCat]

Whenever I check into VWL, I cosistently overhear other front desk CMs "Welcoming Home" every single guest.

I think that is part of the problem. When they say "Welcome Home" to everyone who enters the resort, it no longer becomes something special. It used to be that when they said it, you felt special and part of a special group (DVC). Now when they say it to everyone, I would just as soon that they say it to no one.

 

[pcparamedics01]

My first trip was HHI and although I absolutely loved it, no Welcome Home!
My second trip was SSR I did get a Welcome Home at check in, but not at the gate.... On my first trip at HHI I was disappointed I did not get a WH and thought it obviously was something just on the Best Kept Secret DVD and really did not happen in real life.

 

[castleri]

I got a Welcome Home from the guard at Animal Kingdom about 5 or 6 years ago When I returned there after checking into OKW to pick up my son and our luggage. We had stayed at AKL for two nights and I got up early to check into out GV at OKW and then went back to get him. I had put the parking permit on the dash with the one from AKL. That is the one Welcome Home I remember. Suppose he knew something the rest of us only found out last year?

I appreciate the Welcome Home when we come through the gates to check in but don't expect each time we re-enter the resort after that. When someone says it I always feel that special something but don't let it bother me if the gate person doesn't say it again once I have that OKW permit on the dash - after all I'm already home at that point.

 

[Island Mouse]

Welcome Home!!

 

[Camster0307]

WELCOME HOME!

 

[Deb & Bill]

What's really crazy is that they Welcome You Home at value resorts. Whaaaat? There's not a DVC even close to them.

 

[Island Mouse]

If I were staying at a value resort, I would want to be welcomed home too.

 

[keys2kingdom]

On the opposite side of the coin, I actually couldn't care less about hearing 'Welcome Home'. Although I do find it quite nice that our wonderful guide always leaves us a message on our voicemail during our trip, that's much more personal to me. It's not a 'sales' type message but more 'saw you are here, hope you're having a great time, if you need anything call me' type message. To each his own, but a half-hearted 'Welcome Home' does nothing for me, a personal acknowledgement goes much further.

 

[Jeanine3kids]

On the opposite side of the coin, I actually couldn't care less about hearing 'Welcome Home'. Although I do find it quite nice that our wonderful guide always leaves us a message on our voicemail during our trip, that's much more personal to me. It's not a 'sales' type message but more 'saw you are here, hope you're having a great time, if you need anything call me' type message. To each his own, but a half-hearted 'Welcome Home' does nothing for me, a personal acknowledgement goes much further.

That is very nice which guide is that?

 

[Sully]

I always felt that the Welcome Home was for when you were first arriving at the resort and showed the guard your reservation paper, not every time that you drive through the gate.

Welcome Home

 

[brianm27]

If I were staying at a value resort, I would want to be welcomed home too.

Just ride the resort bus! As you return to ANY WDW resort, the spiel now includes a "WELCOME HOME".