Misrepresentations in DVC sales presentation

[eewillison]

In 2012, my wife and I purchased 125 points at Animal Kingdom. Our DVC Sales guy, Joe (last name started with 't' but I can't pronounce or fully remember it) told us a few things that now Disney is saying aren't true. First, he told us that by buying into the program, we would get Florida resident rates for the purchase of park passes. But when we checked about park passes for our upcoming trip, we were told that while we could get annual passes at a slight discount, we could not get the Florida resident passes such as the annual weekday passes or the rate for actual Florida residents.

Second, he told us that there was a great deal of flexibility in the meal plans for DVC members since they had their own kitchens, thus we could buy meal plans for just some of the days we were there, and just for the kids if we wanted, with the adults paying as they went. Now Disney is telling us that the rule is that you must buy a meal plan for every person for every day you will be at Disney.

Lastly, he told us that we could trust what he was saying because he was wearing a voice recorder. He held up a black object attached to a lanyard around his neck with a glowing red light on it. I have a similar sized device at home with a mini USB port and I thought that was a great idea to record everything that got said so that there would be no mistake about things. We did not read the contract quite as closely as we should for wording that would back up the above claims because of this. But when I mentioned this to the DVC people when we were disputing what was said, the DVC people told me that this was just a pager system for the child care people to get in touch with the sales associate in case something was going on with the kids.

We have gone to Disney in each of the last four years and I have never had a problem with them until now. Has anyone else experienced this sort of thing?

 

[MinnieGirl33]

1). Our guide has been fabulous so no, we've never experienced anything remotely similar.

2). AP prices for DVC are essentially the same as FL Resident prices. You would have a DVC AP not a FL Rssident AP (~$464 + tax = new)

3). As for the dining plan, not really sure what to tell you here. It has always been this way. Must be booked for the entire party for the length of stay. The advantage DVC gets is that we don't pay a premium for certain dates. You do have the option of purchasing the TiW card in lieu of (or some choose in addition to) DDP which gives you 20% off at TS spots (and a few others).

No offence, but if you didn't do your own due diligence with such a massive investment.... I'm not going to take the word of the car salesman just because he says "you can trust me"... I never sign anything without fully reading & UNDERSTANDING what I am signing.

Again, really don't mean to sound snarky but I just cannot comprehend how this happens.

 

[DebbieB]

In 2012, my wife and I purchased 125 points at Animal Kingdom. Our DVC Sales guy, Joe (last name started with 't' but I can't pronounce or fully remember it) told us a few things that now Disney is saying aren't true. First, he told us that by buying into the program, we would get Florida resident rates for the purchase of park passes. But when we checked about park passes for our upcoming trip, we were told that while we could get annual passes at a slight discount, we could not get the Florida resident passes such as the annual weekday passes or the rate for actual Florida residents.

Second, he told us that there was a great deal of flexibility in the meal plans for DVC members since they had their own kitchens, thus we could buy meal plans for just some of the days we were there, and just for the kids if we wanted, with the adults paying as they went. Now Disney is telling us that the rule is that you must buy a meal plan for every person for every day you will be at Disney.

Lastly, he told us that we could trust what he was saying because he was wearing a voice recorder. He held up a black object attached to a lanyard around his neck with a glowing red light on it. I have a similar sized device at home with a mini USB port and I thought that was a great idea to record everything that got said so that there would be no mistake about things. We did not read the contract quite as closely as we should for wording that would back up the above claims because of this. But when I mentioned this to the DVC people when we were disputing what was said, the DVC people told me that this was just a pager system for the child care people to get in touch with the sales associate in case something was going on with the kids.

We have gone to Disney in each of the last four years and I have never had a problem with them until now. Has anyone else experienced this sort of thing?

DVC annual pass prices are the same as FL resident but the other types of FL Resident tickets are not available to members.

For a short while they did allow members to split the dining plan into segments but it was discontinued because there were too many technical problems with keys not working. I don't think they expected members to switch on and off multiple times during a stay.

 

[DVC Mike]

Has anyone else experienced this sort of thing?

No, not personally. Our guide has been nothing but honest to us.

None of what the guide told you was in the product summary or the other paperwork you signed. Did you read the paperwork you signed?

I wonder if you had a misinformed guide, or perhaps you misunderstood what he was saying, or perhaps he really was misrepresenting things.

 

[tjkraz]

I believe that the DVC Annual Pass price is currently the same as what FL residents pay. So that statement alone would be accurate.

The question is whether he specifically TOLD you that you could also buy other passes which are made available to residents. Members have never had access to the Epcot after 4 passes, seasonal or other passes offered exclusively to locals.

As for the dining plan flexibility, there was a time when members could pick-and-choose DDP days and participants but that was eliminated about 12-18 months ago. Either he was telling the truth at the time of the sale, or was not aware that the policy had recently changed.

Disney's policies toward ticket discounts, dining plans and other non-timeshare matters are not written into the contract and could (legally) change at any time.

As for recording the conversation, I've never heard of that before. But if he was telling the truth, unfortunately I wouldn't anticipate Disney producing that recording.

The reality of a timeshare purchase is that the contracts and agreements you sign state that they supercede any and all verbal promises made during the sales process. The items you list pale in comparison to some of the outright lies other timeshare salesmen will tell in order to make a sale. The only way to protect your interests is to read those documents and understand exactly where your exposure lies. See what is specifically spelled out and know that anything not covered by the agreements could change in a heartbeat.

Good luck.

 

[Deb & Bill]

...We have gone to Disney in each of the last four years and I have never had a problem with them until now. Has anyone else experienced this sort of thing?

So what was the problem you had? That he told you stuff that either you misunderstood or he misrepresented? Or was there a different problem since you said you haven't had a problem in the last four year and you bought in 2012.

 

[DizBub]

at First, he told us that by buying into the program, we would get Florida resident rates for the purchase of park passes.

Second, he told us that there was a great deal of flexibility in the meal plans for DVC members since they had their own kitchens,

Lastly, he told us that we could trust what he was saying because he was wearing a voice recorder. He held up a black object attached to a lanyard around his neck with a glowing red light on it.

We have gone to Disney in each of the last four years and I have never had a problem with them until now. Has anyone else experienced this sort of thing?

Well, you do get a hefty discount/Florida resident rates on APs. As far as I know they have never given discounts on regular park admission.

There is flexiblity in regards to dining given that you could use a kitchen at a DVC resort and you can now get the TIW card which was only available to Florida residents in the past. You can still buy the DDP but DVC does not require you to purchase park tickets like a cash reservation/package, basically saving you money.

Wearing a voice recorder? Whaaat? Really? I would ask for a different guide. Not that he could make a difference on your contract now, I just wouldn't deal with this guy again.

Does the fact that your guide clearly told you some untruths impact your ability to enjoy your membership or your points going forward? If so, that is sad. Hope you can find a way to overcome it and find a way to make your membership work for you.

 

[Dean]

In 2012, my wife and I purchased 125 points at Animal Kingdom. Our DVC Sales guy, Joe (last name started with 't' but I can't pronounce or fully remember it) told us a few things that now Disney is saying aren't true. First, he told us that by buying into the program, we would get Florida resident rates for the purchase of park passes. But when we checked about park passes for our upcoming trip, we were told that while we could get annual passes at a slight discount, we could not get the Florida resident passes such as the annual weekday passes or the rate for actual Florida residents.

Second, he told us that there was a great deal of flexibility in the meal plans for DVC members since they had their own kitchens, thus we could buy meal plans for just some of the days we were there, and just for the kids if we wanted, with the adults paying as they went. Now Disney is telling us that the rule is that you must buy a meal plan for every person for every day you will be at Disney.

Lastly, he told us that we could trust what he was saying because he was wearing a voice recorder. He held up a black object attached to a lanyard around his neck with a glowing red light on it. I have a similar sized device at home with a mini USB port and I thought that was a great idea to record everything that got said so that there would be no mistake about things. We did not read the contract quite as closely as we should for wording that would back up the above claims because of this. But when I mentioned this to the DVC people when we were disputing what was said, the DVC people told me that this was just a pager system for the child care people to get in touch with the sales associate in case something was going on with the kids.

We have gone to Disney in each of the last four years and I have never had a problem with them until now. Has anyone else experienced this sort of thing?

You were misled if those are what you were told. If you could prove it, you might have recourse. Of course you can't. Plus the legal paperwork not only contradicts what you were told related to the FL resident discounts. I'm not aware Disney records every tour but if they do, I doubt they keep this this long. Even if what you were told about the DP were true (it wasn't), it could change since this is a non guaranteed program that is offered at the whim of Disney. You need to pay more attention to the documentation when signing legal paperwork.

I think the things you were told (assuming you are representing them accurately) are not the norm for DVC but are for many timeshare tours non DVC. DVC does not need to misrepresent to sell but they do seem to be making changes in their sales process (more pressure).

 

[Pirate Granny]

There was a time you could book partial dining plan days, but everyone in the room had to have the same plan. Never, ever could children have DP and the parents, unless they were in a different room with different adults that didn't have the plan. I think that was discontinued in 2011. When we went in 2012 we had a split stay that allowed us to have dining plan for the first resort and none for the second, that hasn't changed, but everyone has to have or not have the plan.

 

[Sandisw]

We were fortunate that we had done a lot of research before we talked to a DVC guide so had an idea of what we were and were not getting. Our guide, though, was great and everything we heard from him meshed with what I already knew.

Unfortunately, guides are salesman and its possible that he was extremely gifted in being able to spin the "truth" to sound like it was more than it is.

While it is daunting, it is so important for new buyers to read through all the paperwork, especially the POS, before finalizing the sale. This way, if one doesn't see the information shared during the meeting, it can be questioned and clarified during your rescind period.

I'm sorry that there were things that you expected aren't currently part of DVC. But, perks do come and go, so its not impossible that at some point some of those things could become a reality. While I doubt it personally, you never know!!

 

[ssawka]

We were fortunate that we had done a lot of research before we talked to a DVC guide so had an idea of what we were and were not getting. Our guide, though, was great and everything we heard from him meshed with what I already knew.

Unfortunately, guides are salesman and its possible that he was extremely gifted in being able to spin the "truth" to sound like it was more than it is.

While it is daunting, it is so important for new buyers to read through all the paperwork, especially the POS, before finalizing the sale. This way, if one doesn't see the information shared during the meeting, it can be questioned and clarified during your rescind period.

I'm sorry that there were things that you expected aren't currently part of DVC. But, perks do come and go, so its not impossible that at some point some of those things could become a reality. While I doubt it personally, you never know!!

Or just start doing research on the DIS and talking to other members. We never went to a sales presentation. We did our research and then solicited DVC when we were ready to buy.

This is how we handle all major purchases. Sales persons either love us or hate us. When we are ready to buy, we are ready to buy. They don't need to give their sales pitch. However we also will not purchase until we have done our research. So, the "hard sell" does not really work on us.

 

[networktek]

i find with the DVC sales people not all of them are up to date with all the latest information on our last cruise we sat in on the DVC presentation and were told that Canadian's can have the option to pay the annual dues monthly when we got back home and called members to have our dues changed they told us that Canadian's are not allowed to pay monthly only option is to pay in full.

 

[JimMIA]

DVC sales personnel usually don't tell blatant lies, but it does happen occasionally. Given the pattern of inconsistencies and the whopper about the recorder/pager, it's pretty clear to me the guide was lying.

I had the same guide another poster was bragging about above, and she lied to me twice -- once when we bought resale (said she'd just come from a meeting where she was told DVC would be ROFRing ALL resale contracts) and once when we bought from her direct (said we were not entitled to some bonus points, which we were -- we complained to Member Admin and got the points).

It's unusual, but hey, they're timeshare salesmen!

BTW, if someone were recording without telling you up front, before the conversation, that would be a criminal act.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

BTW, if someone were recording without telling you up front, before the conversation, that would be a criminal act.

Only in some states. In others as long as you are part of the conversation it would not be a criminal act. But I believe FL is one of the states that requires consent from all parties.

Perhaps there should be an exemption for timeshare sales presentations.

 

[JimMIA]

Only in some states. In others as long as you are part of the conversation it would not be a criminal act. But I believe FL is one of the states that requires consent from all parties.

That's correct, although in Florida, there is an exception if the recording participant is a law enforcement officer conducting an official investigation.

 

[bumbershoot]

3). As for the dining plan, not really sure what to tell you here. It has always been this way. Must be booked for the entire party for the length of stay.

There was a brief window back a year or a bit more ago where it actually could be done, to book the DP for parts of your stay. It was done by allowing us to split up our stays into separate chunks; so you had it for this chunk but not that, etc.

That ended relatively quickly.

Now we can still have the dining plan for parts of a trip, but you have to move rooms because you have to change room types. I could have a 2 week stay at OKW and go back and forth between the dining plan 7 times, but I would have to keep moving rooms, and not just rooms but different categories of rooms.

I don't think they expected members to switch on and off multiple times during a stay.

I think most of us could have told them exactly what would happen ahead of time, don't you?

Never, ever could children have DP and the parents, unless they were in a different room with different adults that didn't have the plan.

i find with the DVC sales people not all of them are up to date with all the latest information on our last cruise we sat in on the DVC presentation and were told that Canadian's can have the option to pay the annual dues monthly when we got back home and called members to have our dues changed they told us that Canadian's are not allowed to pay monthly only option is to pay in full.

I thought that you could do it IF you had a US-based bank account?

DVC sales personnel usually don't tell blatant lies, but it does happen occasionally. Given the pattern of inconsistencies and the whopper about the recorder/pager, it's pretty clear to me the guide was lying.

I totally agree.

I could see how some of those things could be miscommunications with "blame" put on both parties at once, but that recorder thing really says something. Hard for the OP to misunderstand that, and since that happened, it makes me think that the problems were more on the part of the guide!

Perhaps there should be an exemption for timeshare sales presentations.

I agree!!!!!




OP, at the very least you need to switch guides. This will only mean something if you buy in the future, but if you talk to them about what happened (start with the recorder thing...it gives a whole different slant to the experience) so they know *why* you are switching, it might help them. Maybe this guy has had 9 complaints and they just need one more to do something about it, and you can be the 10th? (not that I know anything of their discipline processes, I'm making that up, but it's the idea I'm putting forth)

 

[mmdisneylover]

In 2012, my wife and I purchased 125 points at Animal Kingdom. Our DVC Sales guy, Joe (last name started with 't' but I can't pronounce or fully remember it) told us a few things that now Disney is saying aren't true. First, he told us that by buying into the program, we would get Florida resident rates for the purchase of park passes. But when we checked about park passes for our upcoming trip, we were told that while we could get annual passes at a slight discount, we could not get the Florida resident passes such as the annual weekday passes or the rate for actual Florida residents.

Second, he told us that there was a great deal of flexibility in the meal plans for DVC members since they had their own kitchens, thus we could buy meal plans for just some of the days we were there, and just for the kids if we wanted, with the adults paying as they went. Now Disney is telling us that the rule is that you must buy a meal plan for every person for every day you will be at Disney.

Lastly, he told us that we could trust what he was saying because he was wearing a voice recorder. He held up a black object attached to a lanyard around his neck with a glowing red light on it. I have a similar sized device at home with a mini USB port and I thought that was a great idea to record everything that got said so that there would be no mistake about things. We did not read the contract quite as closely as we should for wording that would back up the above claims because of this. But when I mentioned this to the DVC people when we were disputing what was said, the DVC people told me that this was just a pager system for the child care people to get in touch with the sales associate in case something was going on with the kids.

We have gone to Disney in each of the last four years and I have never had a problem with them until now. Has anyone else experienced this sort of thing?

Our dvc guy was great and no pressure sales tatics really was nice. We didn't have them tell us anything that wasn't true. Sorry hopefully this person was addressed to by dvc since he should be on your paper work as your representative. You won't no but hopefully he gets talked too.

 

[k3chantal]

In 2012, my wife and I purchased 125 points at Animal Kingdom. Our DVC Sales guy, Joe (last name started with 't' but I can't pronounce or fully remember it) told us a few things that now Disney is saying aren't true. First, he told us that by buying into the program, we would get Florida resident rates for the purchase of park passes. But when we checked about park passes for our upcoming trip, we were told that while we could get annual passes at a slight discount, we could not get the Florida resident passes such as the annual weekday passes or the rate for actual Florida residents.

Second, he told us that there was a great deal of flexibility in the meal plans for DVC members since they had their own kitchens, thus we could buy meal plans for just some of the days we were there, and just for the kids if we wanted, with the adults paying as they went. Now Disney is telling us that the rule is that you must buy a meal plan for every person for every day you will be at Disney.

Lastly, he told us that we could trust what he was saying because he was wearing a voice recorder. He held up a black object attached to a lanyard around his neck with a glowing red light on it. I have a similar sized device at home with a mini USB port and I thought that was a great idea to record everything that got said so that there would be no mistake about things. We did not read the contract quite as closely as we should for wording that would back up the above claims because of this. But when I mentioned this to the DVC people when we were disputing what was said, the DVC people told me that this was just a pager system for the child care people to get in touch with the sales associate in case something was going on with the kids.

We have gone to Disney in each of the last four years and I have never had a problem with them until now. Has anyone else experienced this sort of thing?

I think you misunderstood what was being told to you when you spoke to your guide.

There is a lot of information being said during these discussions and it is easy to misinterpret what is being said. "Joe" said you receive a discount with AP's as members; you heard, "Florida resident rates...." Just the fact that "Joe" mentioned the kitchens has me feeling that he meant that it was flexible to eat meals because of the kitchen.

Was I there? No. But as you can see, it's easy to interpret what was said differently.

What you bought was a timeshare at Disney. It will give you the opportunity to reserve a villa(s) 11 months at your home resort and 7 months at other DVC resorts. In essence, you have pre-paid for your accommodations at some Disney locations.

Looking at any DVC paperwork or online, will give you the knowledge that you have not been duped by Disney. Disney is not being dishonest or misrepresenting themselves.

I hope you can take a step back and realize that there isn't a problem but just a misunderstanding on your part. I hope you can get a fresh perspective on what you did purchase and thoroughly enjoy it. It has been one of our only frivolous purchases and out of the many things we could have purchased (boat, another timeshare, sports car, etc....) we are pleased with our choice.

 

[armone]

Can't help with guide... have had three and all have been good... informative and not pushy.
Can help with prices somewhat: 1) If you can pay off each month get the Disney Visa (at least look at it... good rewards and 6 month no interest on most Disney including DVC)... we use this for EVERYTHING 2) If you are there often go for the discounted annual pass (breakeven last I checked was 10 days) 3) With the annual pass you can get a discounted Tables in Wonderland card: 20% off food & beverages (&alcohol)... they add back 18% tip which means the price on the menu is what you pay AND you are only charged for what you order.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Looks like another post and run. OP hasn't returned to post to this or any other thread.