Rock'n Robin
Disney Queen
- Joined
- Jan 20, 2000
- Messages
- 7,810
This is mostly for people who are considering taking the DVC tour when in WDW. I will tell you what our family's experience was like.
We got picked up at our resort at 9:40 AM. We had left our daughters in the room and they were going to meet us at DD at noon, but we had our DS (almost 10) with us. I checked him into the kids' area where he played PS2 for a couple of hours. We were taken into the DVC preview center and offered coffee, tea or juice. Then we sat down. DH is a salesman. He noticed that we were seated at a table with two cushioned chairs and two straightback chairs. He told me that if one of us sat in a straightback chair, it meant we were less comfortable about the process and the guide would have focused on that person. The funny thing was, we both sat in the cushioned chairs.
Our guide was very nice. I will add in all fairness that our original guide in 2000 was an arrogant so-and-so and we almost didn't buy in because he really turned off DH--when we said we needed to go home and consider it, he completely shut off. This person who shall remain nameless is now in management and not a guide any longer. Our guide was from our home state (Ohio) and his sister went to my college.
He took us to a "salon" (DH says most people call it a closing room) and showed us some photos of AKL and SSR. Since we had been in DVC from 2000-2004, we knew the point system. He broke down some prices for us and explained the incentives. We then went to see the models. I liked the style of the AKV rooms but AKL didn't do a thing for DH. He liked SSR better. When we got back to the "salon" he told our guide to go ahead and write up 160 points. The guide asked us if we wanted to think more about it, but DH said he had made up his mind, really missed the room size and convenience of DVC, and to go ahead and do it. The only problem was I didn't have my license; it was in the safe at YC. The girls were just about to board the DD bus--I called them and made them get off--they did and I told them to go get the license. They got the next bus. We arranged with our guide to come back after lunch to write it up.
We took DS to the ice cream parlor and he had a scoop, then a DVC van took us to DD. We ate lunch and went to the DVC booth and she called another van to go back to SSR. We dropped off DS (he never even saw the models but didn't care) then walked the girls to the models, then saw some things he hadn't shown us yet--the restaurants, the shop, the pool, the spa (what a great smell). He even showed us the grand villa model, which hadn't been open in the morning, because I'd never seen one. My 16 year old was impressed by the seemingly high number of cute teenage boys milling around. The guide assured her that this resort has a lot of teens due to the closeness of DD. Then we sent the girls to the ice cream parlor (in all fairness it seemed there was nothing for them to do in the room DS was in) and filled out and signed all of our paperwork.
After that we all went to the ice cream parlor, heard "welcome home"s all around, got a complimentary photo taken, and got yet another DVC van to take us back to DD.
We have an August use year. I have already banked our 2007 points so we will have 320 points as of August 1, 2008. Our spring break trip next year will cost between 288 or 316 points depending on which day we arrive (April 3 and 4 are still magic season; the rest is premiere).
The process is painless. There is no pressure. You won't be asked to sign that very day or lose the incentive. Trust me, being married to a salesman (and a daughter of a salesman as well) hard closes do NOT work on me at all. You can take it home, or take it back to the room, and discuss it as much as you want. If you want another resort they will check for you (we considered BCV as there were 537 March use year points available, but the points are higher and the cost was $104, versus the $94 we paid for SSR). If you are looking at these boards you are already educating yourself and will be able to ask the right questions without being pressured. As it is, I am wishing we had bought 20 more points--but am going to sit still and hope I can get a break when/if they release KT availability.
Robin M.
We got picked up at our resort at 9:40 AM. We had left our daughters in the room and they were going to meet us at DD at noon, but we had our DS (almost 10) with us. I checked him into the kids' area where he played PS2 for a couple of hours. We were taken into the DVC preview center and offered coffee, tea or juice. Then we sat down. DH is a salesman. He noticed that we were seated at a table with two cushioned chairs and two straightback chairs. He told me that if one of us sat in a straightback chair, it meant we were less comfortable about the process and the guide would have focused on that person. The funny thing was, we both sat in the cushioned chairs.
Our guide was very nice. I will add in all fairness that our original guide in 2000 was an arrogant so-and-so and we almost didn't buy in because he really turned off DH--when we said we needed to go home and consider it, he completely shut off. This person who shall remain nameless is now in management and not a guide any longer. Our guide was from our home state (Ohio) and his sister went to my college.
He took us to a "salon" (DH says most people call it a closing room) and showed us some photos of AKL and SSR. Since we had been in DVC from 2000-2004, we knew the point system. He broke down some prices for us and explained the incentives. We then went to see the models. I liked the style of the AKV rooms but AKL didn't do a thing for DH. He liked SSR better. When we got back to the "salon" he told our guide to go ahead and write up 160 points. The guide asked us if we wanted to think more about it, but DH said he had made up his mind, really missed the room size and convenience of DVC, and to go ahead and do it. The only problem was I didn't have my license; it was in the safe at YC. The girls were just about to board the DD bus--I called them and made them get off--they did and I told them to go get the license. They got the next bus. We arranged with our guide to come back after lunch to write it up.
We took DS to the ice cream parlor and he had a scoop, then a DVC van took us to DD. We ate lunch and went to the DVC booth and she called another van to go back to SSR. We dropped off DS (he never even saw the models but didn't care) then walked the girls to the models, then saw some things he hadn't shown us yet--the restaurants, the shop, the pool, the spa (what a great smell). He even showed us the grand villa model, which hadn't been open in the morning, because I'd never seen one. My 16 year old was impressed by the seemingly high number of cute teenage boys milling around. The guide assured her that this resort has a lot of teens due to the closeness of DD. Then we sent the girls to the ice cream parlor (in all fairness it seemed there was nothing for them to do in the room DS was in) and filled out and signed all of our paperwork.
After that we all went to the ice cream parlor, heard "welcome home"s all around, got a complimentary photo taken, and got yet another DVC van to take us back to DD.
We have an August use year. I have already banked our 2007 points so we will have 320 points as of August 1, 2008. Our spring break trip next year will cost between 288 or 316 points depending on which day we arrive (April 3 and 4 are still magic season; the rest is premiere).
The process is painless. There is no pressure. You won't be asked to sign that very day or lose the incentive. Trust me, being married to a salesman (and a daughter of a salesman as well) hard closes do NOT work on me at all. You can take it home, or take it back to the room, and discuss it as much as you want. If you want another resort they will check for you (we considered BCV as there were 537 March use year points available, but the points are higher and the cost was $104, versus the $94 we paid for SSR). If you are looking at these boards you are already educating yourself and will be able to ask the right questions without being pressured. As it is, I am wishing we had bought 20 more points--but am going to sit still and hope I can get a break when/if they release KT availability.
Robin M.
and thanks for the report, always wondered how it went...we bought sight unseen
