Purchased DVC from a place where there are laws about time share soliciting?

[Lorajo]

I live in a province in Canada where there are laws about time share sales. If I go on the Disney website, it will not let me get the Disney DVC DVD because of my address.

Has anyone purchased DVC - either directly or through resale, in this circumstance. Did you have to do everything while in Florida or were sales people / brokers able to deal with you if you were the one contacting them?

Thanks
Lora

 

[bbangel]

You can buy resale (I purchased through The TimeShare Store) or you can purchase while in WDW, DL or at the Chicago office.

If you know someone in Ontario, that is the only province that Disney can sell directly so you can have them order the info and send it on to you so that you know what you want when you go (or purchase through a resale).

 

[Disney_Villain]

We're in the same boat.

We purchased initially from The TimeShare Store (OKW), but then later added on directly through DVC. We had to go a sales center - in WDW, DL or at Chicago's Doorway to Dreams - to buy direct from DVC.

Once a transaction has been started at a sales center (20% min. deposit left with any major cc, plus signing of papers), you can then go home and send the remainder of payment (assuming you didn't just pay the entire amount).

I've had people in Ontario order the promo DVD for me and then had them ship to me in Manitoba.

 

[DVCGeek]

You can buy resale (I purchased through The TimeShare Store)

You can buy a resale even if the timeshares aren't legal for 'direct' sale in your area? Does the reseller have to be? I had never heard that before... Thankfully it isn't an issue for me in Ohio, but still interesting to broaden one's horizons!

 

[Disney_Villain]

You can buy a resale even if the timeshares aren't legal for 'direct' sale in your area? Does the reseller have to be? I had never heard that before... Thankfully it isn't an issue for me in Ohio, but still interesting to broaden one's horizons!

Yep. You can buy DVC resale from any reseller if you live in unregistered states/provinces.

 

[drag n' fly]

We bought directly from Disney. We bought at AKV and signed our papers in Disneyland. The incentives were jusy too good at the time to pass. If we want to add on through Disney we have to fly back to one of the parks to sign again. Apparently if you buy re-sale you avoid all those hoops.

 

[redrosesix]

We're working our way through this too -- luckily, a Dis member from Ontario sent me the DVD Otherwise, I'd have nothing other than Dis to go by -- couldn't even watch the video online.

I think we're planning to go through the Timeshare Store as well -- got an email from them today that there are no restrictions at all.

But...does anybody know whether we can finance DVC purchases if we buy directly from DVC when we are at WDW? It would just make things a lot easier. And can they even do automatic withdrawals on Canadian bank accounts?

 

[redrosesix]

You can buy a resale even if the timeshares aren't legal for 'direct' sale in your area? Does the reseller have to be? I had never heard that before... Thankfully it isn't an issue for me in Ohio, but still interesting to broaden one's horizons!

Yes, the timeshare company has to be registered in each state or province in order to sell directly to purchasers (and there are apparently some states where they aren't registered, according to the person from the Timeshare Store who contacted me). They can't even send any resort information to us, even if we request it.

You get an email like this when you request information:
Thank you for your interest in Disney Vacation Club!

We appreciate your e-mail message, but unfortunately, due to timeshare
regulations in your state, province, or country of residence, we are
unable to provide you with any information pertaining to Disney Vacation
Club via mail, e-mail, or phone at this time. We apologize for the
inconvenience, but we look forward to discussing Membership with you
during your next trip to the WALT DISNEY WORLD? Resort in Florida or at
the DISNEYLAND? Resort in California!

Thank you and have a magical day!
The Disney Vacation Club Family

It's supposed to protect consumers, but I think it forces purchasers to buy without the benefit of having the time to go over the fine print and really consider what they're buying. Not all timeshare companies are like DVC either.

 

[dinahfig]

I have a DVD they sent to me a little while back. I'd be happy to mail it to you. Let me know if you want it!

I live in a province in Canada where there are laws about time share sales. If I go on the Disney website, it will not let me get the Disney DVC DVD because of my address.

Has anyone purchased DVC - either directly or through resale, in this circumstance. Did you have to do everything while in Florida or were sales people / brokers able to deal with you if you were the one contacting them?

Thanks
Lora

 

[dinahfig]

Hi!

Yes, Disney does their own financing while you're there. I'm not sure about automatic withdrawals since we bought resale. We did go to a DVC presentation on the Disney cruise before we bought though.

But...does anybody know whether we can finance DVC purchases if we buy directly from DVC when we are at WDW? It would just make things a lot easier. And can they even do automatic withdrawals on Canadian bank accounts?

 

[drag n' fly]

Yes, the timeshare company has to be registered in each state or province in order to sell directly to purchasers (and there are apparently some states where they aren't registered, according to the person from the Timeshare Store who contacted me). They can't even send any resort information to us, even if we request it.

You get an email like this when you request information:
Thank you for your interest in Disney Vacation Club!

We appreciate your e-mail message, but unfortunately, due to timeshare
regulations in your state, province, or country of residence, we are
unable to provide you with any information pertaining to Disney Vacation
Club via mail, e-mail, or phone at this time. We apologize for the
inconvenience, but we look forward to discussing Membership with you
during your next trip to the WALT DISNEY WORLD? Resort in Florida or at
the DISNEYLAND? Resort in California!

Thank you and have a magical day!
The Disney Vacation Club Family

It's supposed to protect consumers, but I think it forces purchasers to buy without the benefit of having the time to go over the fine print and really consider what they're buying. Not all timeshare companies are like DVC either.

You do have 10 days to cancel your contract after signing

 

[drag n' fly]

We're working our way through this too -- luckily, a Dis member from Ontario sent me the DVD Otherwise, I'd have nothing other than Dis to go by -- couldn't even watch the video online.

I think we're planning to go through the Timeshare Store as well -- got an email from them today that there are no restrictions at all.

But...does anybody know whether we can finance DVC purchases if we buy directly from DVC when we are at WDW? It would just make things a lot easier. And can they even do automatic withdrawals on Canadian bank accounts?

Yes you can finance through Disney. No you cannot withdraw from a CAD bank account. You need to have an account that is registered in the US. I believe Royal and TD have US affiliates.

 

[redrosesix]

You do have 10 days to cancel your contract after signing

This is true, but I still think it would be better if consumers could do their homework in advance of their trip so that they don't have to use this recourse ie. they know exactly what they're buying, and know how it compares to everything else available.

I'm pretty sure the timeshare salespeople have learned to use these rules to their advantage.

 

[DVCGeek]

Yes, the timeshare company has to be registered in each state or province in order to sell directly to purchasers (and there are apparently some states where they aren't registered, according to the person from the Timeshare Store who contacted me).

I just don't understand why or how you can buy a resale / talk to someone like "The Timeshare Store" if you aren't allowed to DVC directly. As far as the law is concerned, what is the difference? You are buying the same 'product'...

Am I misunderstanding what people are doing here? As I'm reading things, some people, per local laws and/or DVC's lack of a license in their area, can NOT buy direct from Disney from home (by mail...) -but- they CAN buy from a reseller without having to travel elsewhere (still at home)?

 

[redrosesix]

I just don't understand why or how you can buy a resale / talk to someone like "The Timeshare Store" if you aren't allowed to DVC directly. As far as the law is concerned, what is the difference? You are buying the same 'product'...

Am I misunderstanding what people are doing here? As I'm reading things, some people, per local laws and/or DVC's lack of a license in their area, can NOT buy direct from Disney from home (by mail...) -but- they CAN buy from a reseller without having to travel elsewhere (still at home)?

This is correct. An excerpt of the email I received from TSS:

When you purchase a resale contract for Disney there are no restrictions on who we can sell to. Disney has those restrictions because as the developer they have to register in every state or province they want to sell to. There are several states in the US and several provinces in Canada that they did not register in.

Since we are not the developer directly and are selling on the secondary market there are no restrictions. We would certainly be able to assist you with a purchase.

My brother is a real estate lawyer here -- he thinks the distinction may be that when you are buying resale, you are actually buying from another person -- TSS is just brokering the deal, doing the due diligence on the contract between the 2 individuals.

 

[DVCGeek]

My brother is a real estate lawyer here -- he thinks the distinction may be that when you are buying resale, you are actually buying from another person -- TSS is just brokering the deal, doing the due diligence on the contract between the 2 individuals.

OK, thanks- that and your TSS quote clear things up for me. I thought it might be something like that but that all just seems silly to me. If an adult wants to buy something (that isn't dangerous or otherwise illegal) and they initiate the contact, why not let them? I can maybe understand not letting timeshares to do unsolicited marketing, but no contact at all seems WAY too harsh! Government regulations, what a pain... Sympathy to all those who are inconvenienced by this.