Purchasing first DVC contract - VGF vs. PVB?

[RoseGold]

Thanks all, we ended up biting the bullet and doing a cash purchase of 150 VGF direct just this past weekend! We're so excited to finally be owners and already have a trip planned for the spring at Poly (unfortunately couldn't get VGF for our first DVC trip since we weren't far enough out to take advantage of the 11 month window). Ultimately, we love Poly and wanted to go direct so we are not potentially foreclosed from the new Poly tower depending on how they decide to deed it, but between the two we just couldn't justify the cost of Poly direct right now with the current VGF price and incentives. I really appreciate all of the responses and the insight, super helpful as we considered our options and we look forward to calling VGF 'home'!

Call your guide and ask for the Welcome Home booking. They will pull and book for you.

 

[Sandisw]

Call your guide and ask for the Welcome Home booking. They will pull and book for you.

VGF is 100% declared…May not be any rooms to pull.

 

[RoseGold]

VGF is 100% declared…May not be any rooms to pull.

They do it all the time for sold out resorts. Doesn't hurt to ask.

 

[Disney5377]

Call your guide and ask for the Welcome Home booking. They will pull and book for you.

Thanks, I did hear about this. We have some personal things that might shift our schedule around a bit so I was waiting to call until our plans are solidified. I grabbed the Poly res so that we have a room we are happy with if we do keep our current dates, but figured I'd call once we have our schedule set in stone to see if VGF might be available through the 'Welcome Home' booking, and if not we will be totally ok sticking with what we have. I just didn't want to play that card yet if we're going to have to end up changing dates anyway. Or am I thinking about this wrong?

 

[Sandisw]

Thanks, I did hear about this. We have some personal things that might shift our schedule around a bit so I was waiting to call until our plans are solidified. I grabbed the Poly res so that we have a room we are happy with if we do keep our current dates, but figured I'd call once we have our schedule set in stone to see if VGF might be available through the 'Welcome Home' booking, and if not we will be totally ok sticking with what we have. I just didn't want to play that card yet if we're going to have to end up changing dates anyway. Or am I thinking about this wrong?

Once you book your first reservation, they won’t typically do anything. The purpose of the welcome home booking is to help people with navigating the first time.

If you have already booked the Poly, it may be seen as you no longer needing help to get something.

This also started when people bought during a time when nothing was still available within the 7 month window and so they got new buyers something.

VGF is small and rooms are not usually held back from owners but if you want to still try, I would not not wait and see if its still an option that you have booked on your own.

 

[DVCsloth]

Thanks, I did hear about this. We have some personal things that might shift our schedule around a bit so I was waiting to call until our plans are solidified. I grabbed the Poly res so that we have a room we are happy with if we do keep our current dates, but figured I'd call once we have our schedule set in stone to see if VGF might be available through the 'Welcome Home' booking, and if not we will be totally ok sticking with what we have. I just didn't want to play that card yet if we're going to have to end up changing dates anyway. Or am I thinking about this wrong?

Sounds like you did good with your reservations for Polynesian and you have VGF points for home resort. You should be able to alternate between the 2 resorts in the future if you end up liking them both. Or try other resorts as well.

 

[Disney5377]

Once you book your first reservation, they won’t typically do anything. The purpose of the welcome home booking is to help people with navigating the first time.

If you have already booked the Poly, it may be seen as you no longer needing help to get something.

This also started when people bought during a time when nothing was still available within the 7 month window and so they got new buyers something.

VGF is small and rooms are not usually held back from owners but if you want to still try, I would not not wait and see if its still an option that you have booked on your own.

Understood. The way it was explained to me by my rep I thought it was more to help new owners that were looking to book their home resort closer in for their first reservation but are limited on inventory due to the timing. She told me to call because they typically hold rooms back for new owners. But I guess I misunderstood the reasoning. Thanks for explaining!

 

[Sandisw]

Understood. The way it was explained to me by my rep I thought it was more to help new owners that were looking to book their home resort closer in for their first reservation but are limited on inventory due to the timing. She told me to call because they typically hold rooms back for new owners. But I guess I misunderstood the reasoning. Thanks for explaining!

When a new resort is not fully declared, like RIV, they can do that because rooms are still owned by the developer so they can hold them back.

Since VGF was an existing resort, and they declared 100% of all the resort studios already…it is a little different…

But, it really depends on resort…but if owners have already secured them…especially since VGF is a small resort...there may not have been anything held back for new sales.

There have been plenty of times where owners could not get a home resort booking when buying.

Not saying it’s impossible, but just that its not as easy when you are dealing with a resort already 100% declared which means rooms are all available for booking by current owners.

So, I would definitely try sooner!

 

[Disney5377]

When a new resort is not fully declared, like RIV, they can do that because rooms are still owned by the developer so they can hold them back.

Since VGF was an existing resort, and they declared 100% of all the resort studios already…it is a little different…

But, it really depends on resort…but if owners have already secured them…especially since VGF is a small resort...there may not have been anything held back for new sales.

There have been plenty of times where owners could not get a home resort booking when buying.

Not saying it’s impossible, but just that its not as easy when you are dealing with a resort already 100% declared which means rooms are all available for booking by current owners.

So, I would definitely try sooner!

That makes sense, still have quite a bit to learn obviously! Thanks again for all the help!

 

[busyizzy]

Read multiple instances of member services not helping at all with the first “welcome home” trip once people booked online. Seems very arbitrary and quite a silly rule. You should def call and try to ask about it and see if someone can help but fair warning that once it’s been booked, they seem less inclined to help.

We just bought direct points as well and we are finalizing dates for our first trip but we haven’t booked anything yet cuz nothing is available for the time we want to travel but crossing fingers that the first welcome home trip can work some magic.

 

[Cfabar1]

Isn’t VGF still selling? Aren’t the new rooms part of the same home resort?

 

[Sandisw]

Isn’t VGF still selling? Aren’t the new rooms part of the same home resort?

Yes. It is still selling but they declared all the rooms into the association already.

That means, all rooms were available for booking by owners since June. So they can’t hold anything back..but have to book it just like the rest of us at 11 months with VGF points they own.

I think when they say they hold back rooms for new sales, it doesn’t necessarily mean at that resort but rather based on what they typically do in taking rooms from inventory for cash, etc.


That’s not to say they didn’t book some VGF rooms at 11 months out, but with VGF it’s going to be different than it would be for RIV.