skylynx
DIS Sponsor in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado
- Joined
- Mar 1, 2003
Hello, Everyone
We're really active on the Disney Cruise boards and are on the brink of becoming DVC members but really need some help. We just got off Disney Magic and did not have a chance to get with a guide there. We stayed at Wilderness Lodge after the cruise, and decided to go to the DVC presentation although we had just a little time there (largely due to the $100 gift certificate).
We had a nice presentation with a guide called Paul, who seemed to understand our Disney travel habits and that because we are already in our mid-forties, SSR's longer terms didn't necessarily appeal to us. We told him we were interested in WL because it is our favorite place to stay (with AK as the second best). He tried half-heartedly to dissuade us, but then said there were points available at VWL. We finished up the presentation with us clearly giving out buying signals. Paul assured us that although we had just been on the cruise (and will be going again in May) that DVC offers "could not" differ-that Disney wanted to make sure everyone had the same opportunities offered at the same time period, so there was no advantage to us in buying DVC onboard. (This afternoon I talked with some people on Disboards who bought DVC during our cruise and they were offered a $15 per point discount incentive...we were offered $10.)
Paul showed us the nice rooms at SSR then we went on our own to look at rooms at OKW and VWL. We decided we liked VWL the best and called Paul to ask what the dues were there and also to tell us what DVC discounts were available if booking Disney Cruises with cash rather than using points. My husband talked to Paul Monday morning and asked those questions. Paul said he'd call back with the answers. It is now Tuesday night. We called Paul once again earlier today, stressing this information was important to us in making our decision, and he has not responded. We had three days to make our decision until the "offer" for the incentives expired (either $10/pt or 150 one time extra points-both only if we bought at SSR).
We have since researched what the wonderful folks on this DVC board have said about similar situations, and are feeling so disappointed about what should have been a really special experience. I've been coming to Disney since it opened, met my husband at Disney Institute, honeymooned there, and now we are finally getting around to what we think is a really magical step only to get this brush off. Now I am second guessing everything our "guide" told us about incentive offers being different on the ship, whether there really are DCL discounts, etc. I found the dues roster myself on these boards (thank you to the kind person for posting it) but it kind of stinks I had to find it myself because our sales person couldn't be bothered to let us know!
We were so thrilled after the presentation, and spent our plane flight home studying the DVC dreams book and points list, musing about all the things we'd do with our points, blah, blah, blah. Then no communication. I never heard of anyone having to try so hard to spend a lot of money!
We plan to call Paul once more tomorrow morning, give him a chance to explain himself, than call DVC and get someone else who is interested in our sale.
Do any of you know if there are discounts for DVC members on DCL if not using points to pay for staterooms (as it seems very expensive that way)? The perks book didn't mention it, but Paul told us there was one...so who knows if it is true. We realize the best value for DVC is DVC properties, but we also like to cruise. Are we wrong to be feeling hesitant at this point about going through with the purchase now?...if we wait until the next cruise in May to buy DVC there may or may not be an onboard booking incentive. Paul also told us the price at SSR was going up another couple of dollars March 1. So now we don't know if that's true, either. We worry we are being big babies about this, but it's a big purchase and a big commitment for us and I'm feeling very, very uncertain. Any advice any of you savvy veterans can offer would be really helpful. Oh...we also gave Paul the name of a DVC member who we met on the cruise who urged us to go to the presentation. I read on these boards sometimes you can get an incentive from a referral but I guess that doesn't count as one?
Sorry for this long whine, but we have to decide by tomorrow....
Thank you in advance for any help you can offer.
Skylynx (Denise)
We're really active on the Disney Cruise boards and are on the brink of becoming DVC members but really need some help. We just got off Disney Magic and did not have a chance to get with a guide there. We stayed at Wilderness Lodge after the cruise, and decided to go to the DVC presentation although we had just a little time there (largely due to the $100 gift certificate).
We had a nice presentation with a guide called Paul, who seemed to understand our Disney travel habits and that because we are already in our mid-forties, SSR's longer terms didn't necessarily appeal to us. We told him we were interested in WL because it is our favorite place to stay (with AK as the second best). He tried half-heartedly to dissuade us, but then said there were points available at VWL. We finished up the presentation with us clearly giving out buying signals. Paul assured us that although we had just been on the cruise (and will be going again in May) that DVC offers "could not" differ-that Disney wanted to make sure everyone had the same opportunities offered at the same time period, so there was no advantage to us in buying DVC onboard. (This afternoon I talked with some people on Disboards who bought DVC during our cruise and they were offered a $15 per point discount incentive...we were offered $10.)
Paul showed us the nice rooms at SSR then we went on our own to look at rooms at OKW and VWL. We decided we liked VWL the best and called Paul to ask what the dues were there and also to tell us what DVC discounts were available if booking Disney Cruises with cash rather than using points. My husband talked to Paul Monday morning and asked those questions. Paul said he'd call back with the answers. It is now Tuesday night. We called Paul once again earlier today, stressing this information was important to us in making our decision, and he has not responded. We had three days to make our decision until the "offer" for the incentives expired (either $10/pt or 150 one time extra points-both only if we bought at SSR).
We have since researched what the wonderful folks on this DVC board have said about similar situations, and are feeling so disappointed about what should have been a really special experience. I've been coming to Disney since it opened, met my husband at Disney Institute, honeymooned there, and now we are finally getting around to what we think is a really magical step only to get this brush off. Now I am second guessing everything our "guide" told us about incentive offers being different on the ship, whether there really are DCL discounts, etc. I found the dues roster myself on these boards (thank you to the kind person for posting it) but it kind of stinks I had to find it myself because our sales person couldn't be bothered to let us know!
We were so thrilled after the presentation, and spent our plane flight home studying the DVC dreams book and points list, musing about all the things we'd do with our points, blah, blah, blah. Then no communication. I never heard of anyone having to try so hard to spend a lot of money!
We plan to call Paul once more tomorrow morning, give him a chance to explain himself, than call DVC and get someone else who is interested in our sale.
Do any of you know if there are discounts for DVC members on DCL if not using points to pay for staterooms (as it seems very expensive that way)? The perks book didn't mention it, but Paul told us there was one...so who knows if it is true. We realize the best value for DVC is DVC properties, but we also like to cruise. Are we wrong to be feeling hesitant at this point about going through with the purchase now?...if we wait until the next cruise in May to buy DVC there may or may not be an onboard booking incentive. Paul also told us the price at SSR was going up another couple of dollars March 1. So now we don't know if that's true, either. We worry we are being big babies about this, but it's a big purchase and a big commitment for us and I'm feeling very, very uncertain. Any advice any of you savvy veterans can offer would be really helpful. Oh...we also gave Paul the name of a DVC member who we met on the cruise who urged us to go to the presentation. I read on these boards sometimes you can get an incentive from a referral but I guess that doesn't count as one?
Sorry for this long whine, but we have to decide by tomorrow....
Thank you in advance for any help you can offer.
Skylynx (Denise)