Open House Tour--hard sell or worth it?

[RS Applecore]

We were only shown the GF and Poly mock-ups - I'd loved to have shown several different, but as they were selling GFV and Poly (and Aulani) that day, that's all we were shown.

On reflection, I would have left it at that time and gone for a cheaper resort on resale or something: it's only since coming home I've found out you can't just book an alternative resort at 7 months because chances are there'lll be nothing left! Sadly, we could only afford 100 points, and it's not enough for a week's stay at GF. But, do I regret buying at all? Actually ... no!

I guess you'll have to add points later, resale That's what we plan, anyway.

 

[ahamlet]

We've been to the World 5 times in 15 years, and we've thought about purchasing DVC. This isn't about whether we should or not, but whether we should go to the Open House Tour. We've been putting it off because we're worried that A. it'll be a hard sell and B. that it will take time away from our vacation. But we're going for 10 days this time, and we aren't super concerned about a couple of hours--as long as it's not more than that. They say 60-90 minutes.

Anyone have any experience with the Open House Tour? And I want to mention that they offered us a $50 gift card for attending.

I had the same $50 offer. I did the tour on May 7th. It was not a hard sale. We arrived and checked in to Pop and in room by 9:30 am. DVC picked us up at the resort and had us to their sales site by 11:15am. I told the rep up front that I was simply information gathering. I stated that I did not intend to make a decision that day. He was great. He asked how much time I had for the tour. Stayed within the hour time frame. Still gave a great tour. No pressure. The tour gave me lots of great info.

 

[southerngirl528]

Just so everyone knows, the $50 gift card is only offered for PRE-booked tours. In other words, you would need to schedule your open house tour for the following day or afterward. If anyone offers it for same-day tours, they would be breaking the incentive rules.

We bought in '93 and I can promise you if it had been hard-sell I would have walked right out. I don't work that way. DVC has historically not been hard-sell at all. They do have a handful of vacation guides now that are more assertive than would have been tolerated the first number of years of DVC.

For me, no way I would consider a couple hours of my precious vacation time worth a piddly $50 unless I had genuine interest in learning about DVC.

 

[southerngirl528]

Huge congrats, RS Applecore! I have LOVED, loved my 22 years as a DVC member!!!

Just extra details for everyone here, ice cream is only offered at the main sales center, at Saratoga Springs, and that's where they have the Kids Club, which is pretty cute and well-supervised. The satellite sales locations around property do not offer ice cream, and all but the Poly have no child care while you tour.

 

[disneynutz]

Keep in mind that learning about the DVC from a guide is like having a coyote guard the hen house.

They are trained on what to say and how to say it to psychology make you feel like you need to buy. There is a reason by law that you have 10 days from signing the contract to back out without penalty.

There are times when buying direct can make sense but you need to understand that the guide is all about you buying direct even if it isn't in your best interest.

Knowledge is power and an educated buyer is a happy buyer.

Bill

 

[MstrPTato]

Congrats on your purchase. We also took a tour on May 6th. Day after check in we had en envelope for a $100 gift card offer and have thought about it for a while. Decided to take a tour and learn more. Not high pressure, didn't make a decision that day, even with the extra backdate points. We were given one of those cool black bags and tons of paperwork. Just got off the phone with our guide, Adarsh, and just purchased Poly. Very excited!

 

[disneynutz]

Congrats on your purchase. We also took a tour on May 6th. Day after check in we had en envelope for a $100 gift card offer and have thought about it for a while. Decided to take a tour and learn more. Not high pressure, didn't make a decision that day, even with the extra backdate points. We were given one of those cool black bags and tons of paperwork. Just got off the phone with our guide, Adarsh, and just purchased Poly. Very excited!

Just so you know, the guides call them back dated points as if they are giving you something for free but in reality based on the UY they gave you, you paid for those points.

FYI - You can buy UY's other than the one they gave you, you can buy any resort, not just the one that they are pushing, and lastly, you have 10 days to cancel the contract after signing should you decide to do so.

Bill

 

[MstrPTato]

Just so you know, the guides call them back dated points as if they are giving you something for free but in reality based on the UY they gave you, you paid for those points.

FYI - You can buy UY's other than the one they gave you, you can buy any resort, not just the one that they are pushing, and lastly, you have 10 days to cancel the contract after signing should you decide to do so.

Bill

Our UY is December which I think will work out the best for us.

 

[disneynutz]

Our UY is December which I think will work out the best for us.

As you probably know but for others reading, a Dec UY is best for stays between December and July of the following calendar year.

Bill

 

[Mdemayo]

This is a great thread, thinking of DVC purchase but not sure whats the difference between resale or direct buy. How do I read the numbers listed on the threads?

 

[chalee94]

Keep in mind that learning about the DVC from a guide is like having a coyote guard the hen house.

They are trained on what to say and how to say it to psychology make you feel like you need to buy. There is a reason by law that you have 10 days from signing the contract to back out without penalty.

There are times when buying direct can make sense but you need to understand that the guide is all about you buying direct even if it isn't in your best interest.

Knowledge is power and an educated buyer is a happy buyer.

Bill

agree - the tours are NOT hard sell and they are also (IMO) NOT worth it.

too many posters have come back from the tours confused about how DVC works and the DIS board has to explain what the "guides" have made confusing.

 

[chalee94]

This is a great thread, thinking of DVC purchase but not sure whats the difference between resale or direct buy. How do I read the numbers listed on the threads?

all that is different is 1) that resale buyers cannot use their pts for disney hotels (like the yacht club or POFQ), disney cruises or certain fancy hotels around the world (like the hotel del coronado in san diego).

those trades tend not to be a very good deal anyway - the point costs are pretty high and there are additional fees.

the other big difference is 2) that resales are cheaper. sometimes much, much cheaper. but you need to do your homework to understand what you are buying. resales can be "stripped" where you have to wait to use any points. they can also be "loaded" with more points than buying direct (i.e. with banked pts).

(edited to add: to be fair, if DVC has what you want in inventory, there is also difference #3) speed. if they have what you want, you can start booking immediately. if you go resale, you will have to wait for ROFR (up to 30 days) plus normal closing time and administrative time to get your account set up (up to possibly another month). but if DVC is sold out of your resort/UY, then resale might still be faster than sitting on the waiting list.)

take a few months to poke around the DVC boards before you jump in...

 

[disneynutz]

agree - the tours are NOT hard sell and they are also (IMO) NOT worth it.

too many posters have come back from the tours confused about how DVC works and the DIS board has to explain what the "guides" have made confusing.

Too many posters come back from the tours not knowing what they bought, what a UY is, the fact that more than the current resort is available and they all think that Disney back dated the sale to give them free extra points.

There are times when buying direct can make sense, the buyer just needs to understand when that is.

Bill

 

[JimMIA]

(edited to add: to be fair, if DVC has what you want in inventory, there is also difference #3) speed. if they have what you want, you can start booking immediately.

I honestly think that is a sales point for the DVC timeshare salesmen, but a disadvantage to the prospective buyer.

If you don't look at anything else in buying any timeshare, you should make your decision primarily on the long-term benefits of ownership.

Emphasizing the ability to instantly make reservations focuses the naive prospect on the happy first use of their new points -- at precisely the moment when they should be deciding on whether a 30-50 year financial commitment is really good for their family over the long haul. It's putting one stay ahead of 30 years of ownership.

take a few months to poke around the DVC boards before you jump in...

Yep...and ignore the lure of making one quick reservation.

 

[Kaigler]

We are flying into Orlando specifically to tour the DVC resorts. We actually want to visit almost all of them. I called DVC today and the woman I spoke to said that they pick you up at the resort you're staying at to take you on a tour. Her English was a little broken and I'm not sure she knew I actually asking if someone drove us around to different resorts. Is that something that they do? We won't have a car on property.

 

[disneynutz]

We are flying into Orlando specifically to tour the DVC resorts. We actually want to visit almost all of them. I called DVC today and the woman I spoke to said that they pick you up at the resort you're staying at to take you on a tour. Her English was a little broken and I'm not sure she knew I actually asking if someone drove us around to different resorts. Is that something that they do? We won't have a car on property.

DVD will pick you up and take you to the sales center for a sales presentation. The only active resort currently selling at WDW is PVB but depending on their mood they may sell you other resorts direct.

Other resorts may still have model rooms available but other than BWV and PVB, I don't know for sure that they will be open, you are on your own to visit the resorts.

I will caution you that looking at model rooms and resorts is much different than actually staying in a room for a couple of days. You can make your best guess but be prepared to maybe buy a different resort later once you get your feet wet and discover booking challenges at your favorite resort(s).

Bill

 

[supersnoop]

We are flying into Orlando specifically to tour the DVC resorts. We actually want to visit almost all of them. I called DVC today and the woman I spoke to said that they pick you up at the resort you're staying at to take you on a tour. Her English was a little broken and I'm not sure she knew I actually asking if someone drove us around to different resorts. Is that something that they do? We won't have a car on property.

They will not take you around to multiple resorts. They'll give you a tour of the model rooms at SSR. You'll be able to see the Poly, Aulani, and Grand Floridian there. They also have a Grand Villa at SSR that they can show you. You'll have to make your own way to the resorts, but there should be rooms available to tour at Animal Kingdom Kidani Villas, Boardwalk, Bay Lake Tower, and the Grand Floridian. You can ask to see a room at the DVC desk in the lobby of each resort.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

In addition to the sales center at SSR there is a model room at BWV along the boardwalk.

 

[chalee94]

I agree that they won't drive you around. IMO you can get a pretty good idea what to expect by looking online at recently updated pics (and video on YouTube).

You should be aware that the lobby staff at the "sold out" resorts will help you if they can but they really have no incentive to help (they have no sales function to their job so you are asking them to go over and above. )

 

[pinklotusflower]

congratulation