Phone Call from Guide before upcoming trip...

[ClaraOswald]

We are headed to BRV in a few days. This will be our very first DVC stay. (We purchased VGC last year and have a stay booked there in June.)

Is it typical for a guide to call before an upcoming trip? He was very nice. Just asked if we were excited and getting packed for our trip. Then he asked when we were last at WDW and I told him not since 2012. There was a long pause after that. Then he said he wanted to let me know that there are various model rooms we could tour. Then he mentioned something about member exclusive opportunities or something (can't remember the wording he used.) So I just told him that we only own resale so I'm pretty sure we aren't able to partake in any member perks. He was like "....oh. Well...I'm not really sure about that. You can still stop by and ask because it may not exclude you." He didn't really elaborate on what he was talking about and my son was being noisy so I didn't really ask questions. Ha! I just felt really weird and awkward so was happy that after I said I was resale he seemed to be done with me.

But do guides always call before a trip? Are they just trying to get us to add on more points or what?

 

[MICKIMINI]

We own direct and resale. Our guide calls us occasionally. He knew our original guide from 1996! He's really sweet and I enjoy chatting, however I don't for one second think he actually called to chat LOL!

 

[john7994]

Our guide contacts us prior and sometimes during the trip … he also sends gift cards …

 

[Sandisw]

Mine does occasionally.

 

[CarolynFH]

We received a call from our current guide a couple of weeks ago, saying he knew we were getting ready for a Disney cruise, and just wanting to see if we needed anything. We’ve received cards and emails over the years, but no phone calls. We haven’t reached out or expressed any interest in adding on since our original purchase, so that added to other owners’ experiences reported above makes me think DVD management is encouraging the guides to contact owners more often and try to develop relationships that might lead to sales.

 

[john7994]

We received a call from our current guide a couple of weeks ago, saying he knew we were getting ready for a Disney cruise, and just wanting to see if we needed anything. We’ve received cards and emails over the years, but no phone calls. We haven’t reached out or expressed any interest in adding on since our original purchase, so that added to other owners’ experiences reported above makes me think DVD management is encouraging the guides to contact owners more often and try to develop relationships that might lead to sales.

It worked on me - although I went resale more than direct lol ...

 

[ClaraOswald]

Interesting. He was calling from an Orlando area code. We don't technically have a guide, but last year I did speak to a West Coast guide a few times and since we own VGC, I basically consider him my "guide"...I guess. He called me after VDH opened to see if I had any interest.

The Orlando guy today didn't really ask if I was interested in buying more points or anything but maybe he could tell I was definitely not in the market for it right now. Honestly, he'd be better off calling AFTER a trip than right before. Ha!

 

[MICKIMINI]

Our guide contacts us prior and sometimes during the trip … he also sends gift cards …

Gift cards???????????

 

[john7994]

Gift cards???????????

Oooops .... shhhhh!

 

[jimim]

Gift cards???????????

Prob a direct points whale. Lol

 

[jimim]

I got a call from a guide before a trip and I’m resale. Guess he was really board if he was reaching out to me as a resale owner.

 

[john7994]

Prob a direct points whale. Lol

Hey now . .. I wish I did have that kind of discretionary spend.
I own more resale than direct. My guide knows this and we talk about this openly - my last direct purchase was RIV from a year or so ago when they had a really good incentives package. From time to time, I keep him on the hook by proactively reaching out on incentives drops - so it works both ways.

 

[jimim]

Hey now . .. I wish I did have that kind of discretionary spend.
I own more resale than direct. My guide knows this and we talk about this openly - my last direct purchase was RIV from a year or so ago when they had a really good incentives package. From time to time, I keep him on the hook by proactively reaching out on incentives drops - so it works both ways.

lol I’m busting you. Yah I’m open with the guide I spoke to also. I said when u can take 40 grand off the direct price I’ll buy those points direct. Very open on my end. Lol

 

[john7994]

lol I’m busting you. Yah I’m open with the guide I spoke to also. I said when u can take 40 grand off the direct price I’ll buy those points direct. Very open on my end. Lol

Its all good ... But, we talked about my guide too much apparently - he literally reached out in email while we were talking lol ... Also, we just booked a week in June at RIV yesterday - so likely he got the notification - and did a "timely" reach out. My guide knows where my tipping point is as well ....

 

[wench]

I think I remember that my first DVC guide left me a voicemail in my AKV room on our first ever membership stay. That was all the way back in 2013. I always thought it was common practice for a first stay, at least when you buy direct.

 

[tidefan]

I couldn’t even tell you who our current guide is

 

[AstroBlasters]

We are headed to BRV in a few days. This will be our very first DVC stay. (We purchased VGC last year and have a stay booked there in June.)

Is it typical for a guide to call before an upcoming trip? He was very nice. Just asked if we were excited and getting packed for our trip. Then he asked when we were last at WDW and I told him not since 2012. There was a long pause after that. Then he said he wanted to let me know that there are various model rooms we could tour. Then he mentioned something about member exclusive opportunities or something (can't remember the wording he used.) So I just told him that we only own resale so I'm pretty sure we aren't able to partake in any member perks. He was like "....oh. Well...I'm not really sure about that. You can still stop by and ask because it may not exclude you." He didn't really elaborate on what he was talking about and my son was being noisy so I didn't really ask questions. Ha! I just felt really weird and awkward so was happy that after I said I was resale he seemed to be done with me.

But do guides always call before a trip? Are they just trying to get us to add on more points or what?

There will be sometimes be little “give aways” that encourage people to stop by the DVC office. Things like a backpack, pins, DVC magic band sliders, and/or wooden coasters. No DVC hard sale that I have ever experienced.

Especially with the Cabins and Poly2 opening up soon… they will want to prime the pump for pre-sales as much as possible….

 

[Stargazer65]

But do guides always call before a trip? Are they just trying to get us to add on more points or what?

Yes, it's pretty common for them to call before a trip.

They usually call us with a greeting like "Hello Mr. and Mrs. X, this is Steve your DVC guide calling to say Welcome Home. I know that you are planning a trip to Bay Lake Tower in October, and I watch you in your sleep. I wish you magic on your upcoming trip, and if there's anything I can do for you, feel free to call"

 

[DeeCee735]

Our guide contacts us prior and sometimes during the trip … he also sends gift cards …

When we were there last December, we stopped by Copper Creek to see the 2 bedrooms. There was an office space set up in the 2nd bedroom with a bowl of small candy canes. We asked if we could have three of them for our grandkids (they were not with us on this trip). The guide gave us the candy canes, stickers, crayons, Disney coloring books and three DVC string backpacks! It was a nice surprise. We weren't expecting anything other than a show of the villa and a cabin!

That said, we have never received any gift cards and our guide very rarely calls us. Maybe because we are long time owners and haven't made any further purchases since our last add on on 2011....wow...time goes so fast!

Dee