Nervous about purchase . . . Help!

[Lizardbeth61]

Husband is convinced we made the right decision. I am not. We still have 7 days to back out. Help. Any words of wisdom? I've read so many negative lately that I'm even more concerned . . . alarming increase in dues, ants, mold and mildew . . .

I like nice hotels and having to pay extra if I want maid service is wierd enough. Yet we love to visit Disney at least once a year.

Like I said, some words of wisdom would be great so I can sort out the decision . . . fast!!

Thanks.

 

[tiggerguy2000]

Don't worry be happy.

 

[disny4ever]

The only thing everyone here can offer you is this their own feelings. My feelings when I 1st entered our home resort at BCV'S for the first time was WOW !! The DVC is the best way to stay,relax, and have a wondeful and magical time at WDW.
If you still get that Disney feeling when you are at WDW, then you will multiply it when you know you are a member of the magical place called Disney World.
It's probably common for many people to worry, I did too. In my heart I know we made the right decision and definitely do not regret it at all. Good luck and Congrats on joining our neighborhood !!

 

[Mrs. Snowgod]

We bought in '00, and have never, ever regretted the decision.

I try to imagine what I'd feel if I was just preparing to buy now...
For one thing, we were not acquainted with the DIS boards until at least a year after our purchase, and only knew about the DVC because our daughter's then-BF's family were members, and went annually. On our 25th anniversary trip, we did the tour and knew it was the right choice. The cost of our WL lodging for 8 nights was 1/3 of the cost of 200 points!

Anyway, there are many comments in several of the threads that say that great experiences don't get the write-ups and reactions that bad ones do. I concur, and my own personal experiences have backed that up.

DH and I are very happy DVC Members, with 200 points at VB, 100 at VWL, and in the next 2 weeks will add-on at BCV. We love BCV, are not concerned about DVC blowing off the ant problem, nor any other problem that serious. We have complete faith that they will be resolved. We have encountered way more magic at WDW and DVC than at any other vacation venue, and while nothing is ever perfect all the time, it is closer to perfect at WDW than elsewhere.

And BTW, our decision to buy BCV is still a bit up in the air - we are thinking that maybe instead of 150 points, we should go a bit higher. We love the Epcot area and want to be able to go back there every fall for the FWF, and have enough points for a 2BR so we can bring friends and family.

You certainly must make the decision that feels right for you, but if it is being so strongly influenced by what you read here, I hope my humble opinion may help.

 

[PamOKW]

If you look hard enough on the boards you will find problems/complaints about everything and anything at WDW. 65,000+ families have purchased DVC so chances are you won't be staying in some hell hole. If that were the case, you'd be reading expose articles in all the major newspapers and magazines.

If financially it is doable for your family and you do enjoy vacationing at WDW and plan to do so regularly, your husband is right. You have made an excellent decision for your family.

Keep in mind that nothing is permanent. If you do discover this isn't right for you, you aren't locked in forever. You can always sell your membership, very often with little or no loss.

alarming increase in dues

This one I'm not sure about. There was a bump in dues this year but it was preceeded by several years of no increase and/or decreases. I would scratch this from your list of concerns.

 

[jimmytammy]

We bought sight unseen at VWL. My DW was holding out to the bitter end to purchase. I am like Davy Crockett, if it feels right, then I go ahead. Well now my DW feels a lot better about it, especially after our first trip home.

I went through something similar, reading some of the negatives about VWL. If it hadnt been for folks like Granny( yep, he's a guy ) I would have fallen into the same trap your in now. I agree with someone here who said there are 65000+ members and you sometimes will hear only the negative. Im sure BCV is having a few bugs ( no pun intended ) to work out because it is still fairly new but they will fix the problems and all will be forgotten in time.

Check out the the thread Great things about BCV on this same forum, it will serve as some reassurance also.

Just look forward to that first trip home, stay away from the negative posts and think about all the memories to come!

 

[timC]

Please don't consider the anticdotal stories you read on these boards as representative of a DVC experience. Reading a story or two about mold does not reflect the experience of a typical DVC stay. These boards can be a great help, but IMO we tend to over analyse. As Pam notes, there are 65,000+ happy DVC's. Disney too feels they are successful...they keep on building new resorts.

Regarding dues' I double checked my BWV dues. Since 2000 my dues have averaged 2% increases...sounds like it's keeping up with inflation to me. The jump in 2003 was higher than in past years, but again, I perfer to look at trends, not anticdotes.

Bottom line. If you love WDW, and want to stay in a luxury resort, year after year, this is the best deal out there.

 

[Mickey]

It was the best thing we ever did was purchasing DVC. We thought about it in 97 and backout, then again in 99 and backout again. It wasn't till last year we said it's now or never. We purchased resale and it is was the best purchase we ever made. The only thing I regret is not buying more points. Once you take your first trip you will agree it was a great purchase.

 

[JR]

We joined DVC in 96 and have added three times since. We have never had a "bad" stay at any of the DVC resorts.

JR

 

[ncligs]

We went for the first time in 1996 when my sister joined and invited us to OKW. If you go every year or every other year it is a "wise' investment.We bought in 1999 at OKW @$65 pt. As you can see the value of our points have gone up ($84 pt now) .Now 4 members of our family our DVC members.

We started with 300 pts at OKW and have added on 300 pts at VB. It is the best decision we have ever made. We will have wonderfull vacations and memories that will last a lifetime over the next 39 years. We also have 2 kids(29-17) that will enjoy
it.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

[pretend to hear tune]Woo hoo hoo hoo hahoo hahoo,,,, hahoo hahoo,,,, woohoo hoo.........Don't worry,,, be happy.....[/pretend to hear tune]

 

[Cruelladeville]

DH wanted to join in 92 but I refused, due to the lack of maid service. I just thought it was a terrible waste of money, even though we went to WDW every year. In 97 we were staying at Poly and were interrupted by the maid at a very inoppertune moment and that ended my love affair--no pun intended--with maid service. We went to visit BWV and that's when we joined with 170 pts. We are now up to 700 pts, and we love every minute of our time there. Believe me, you will not miss the maids! After staying in a DVC resort all the time, I stayed in a regular room at BC last year, and HATED the maids banging on my door at 8:30 every morning!!!! That's when I really knew that I wouldn't go back to pre-DVC for anything!! We bought with MB for only $54 a point, today it sells in the mid 70's, which covers ALL my dues since we joined, so don't let the increases worry you. We are only paying slightly more than what we paid in in 97, which isn't too bad.

 

[cjp/dvc]

We just celebrated 10 years of membership in May at OKW and have added on there, Hilton Head & Beach Club...Whenever possible we add points instead of other gifts, purchases etc....and never once have we regretted it!! From cozy short visits in studios to longer and larger trips with family and friends in 2 bedrooms or grand villas it is truly our home away from home. We have watched our son grow up on Disney vacations...from an adolescent...to college kid who spent spring break on our points...to a young professional seeking some relaxation...to planning his engagement...Disney Style! I know if we did not belong to the DVC we couldn't have afforded to vacation so often in luxury...and Everyone who has ever joined us is blown away by the beauty, upkeep, condition and luxury of the units and grounds...and clean up maid service every few days has always been more than enough...We have had financial guru friends take a look at the financial end...and they bought without ever seeing the place...it was and is still a great deal if you enjoy Disney level class both at WDW..and elsewhere...the trading locations are first class all the way from cruises to resorts...even on Disney property...everytime we have traded in points for other than DVC resorts we have been upgraded to the best available rooms far beyond our expectations...this has been true at all the resorts on property (most recently Animal Kingdom Lodge) as well as exchanges in Vermont (Top Notch at Stowe) etc...etc...
We have compared prices of what we have used our points for and discovered regularly that the price is always cheaper via the Vacation Club!
Everyone else who posted is ABSOLUTELY correct...those of us who have had great experiences don't post them...probably because we expect and get a great experience... Good Luck...your only regret will be what I hear from everyone else I have ever met who joined DVC...I SHOULD HAVE DONE IT SOONER!!

 

[Deb & Bill]

Unless you are a total pig, you really won't miss daily maid service. We always make our bed at home, so it is nothing to make it at WDW. We hang up our towels at home and do it at WDW. And if you make a mess, you still have a vacuum cleaner if you need one, plus a dishwasher and washer and dryer.

Like Cruelladeville, we find daily maid service more of an interruption to our life and no daily maid service.

 

[NancyDVC]

We joined in early 1992 and have never regreted it. Yes I did have concerns-"Can we afford this? Is it the right thing to do?" Then our first stay convinced us that it was definitely the right thing to do.
Where else can your investment give you great accommodations, member services to help you with all those little details of a trip, and wonderful fellow members to answer your questions?
Don't worry about negative comments. Remember no matter what the situation those who have had a 'problem' will always speak out and those who have no problems will just go about there business not saying a word. In my opinion most members don't have complaints we have concerns that we bring up to make things better for all of us.
Go for it, enjoy being DVC members with all the rest of us.

 

[TexasAggie]

We bought in Nov. 97 and have never looked back. We have looked at cash room rates for some of our DVC vacations and feel that we are thousands of dollars ahead (based on what we paid for points and dues that got us those accommodations, vs what they would have cost in cash). Not to mention the fact that in five more years, the mortgage will be paid, and we'll be able to enjoy the same great accommodations for the price of dues alone! We have been able to invite friends and family to come with us and have had wonderful times with them, we have gone on a Disney cruise and had a wonderful time. So we feel it's well worth it (and every time the cost of points goes up again, we're so glad we didn't wait any longer!).

 

[anniet]

We signed the papers on vacation in March of 2002, and I went back to the room that night and stared wide-eyed at the ceiling thinking "What did I just do?"

I still had two weeks to back out if I wanted, but I didn't, and I am so glad I didn't!!!!!

We had our first trip home to VWL in January-10 days in a studio- and as we were silently driving the rental out of the VWL parking lot on our last day there DBF patted me on my knee and said "Don't cry!"

I told him, "I would be crying right now, if I didn't know we have forty more years to do this!!!!!"

 

[TChrist05]

My wife and I have for years talked about joining...went as far 2 years ago to sign the contract and pay the deposit.....then came home and had second thoughts....cancelled.....now two years later we cruised on May 10th and booked on the ship for BCV....just received the FedEx package to send the signed forms and the check for $10,600....sorry I backed out the first time....cost me two years of using it and 2000 bucks more.....have made over 40 trips down....already made reservations for 3 nights in September and 7 nights in December....at say $100. a night it would cost us at least $1000. plus tax....so....we do feel we did make the absolute right decision now....and 39 more years to play down there.....and the way I figure it.....buying into this vacation club is like buying 1/3 of a car.....go for it!
Tom

 

[jaysue]

You will love it - since you plan to go to Disney at least one time per year you have already virtually guaranteed a good return on your investment.

We had butterflies as well, but when I stayed in that 1BR at OKW, the rest was history

thanks
jaysue

 

[ncligs]

Originally posted by Cruelladeville
In 97 we were staying at Poly and were interrupted by the maid at a very inoppertune moment and that ended my love affair--no pun intended--with maid service. .

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