Questions about DVC contract strategies

[VGCgroupie]

Just to clarify…they can’t book any earlier than normal 11/7 month rules.

Yep and I think where welcome home really shines is way under 7 month bookings.

 

[muppets3d]

Just to clarify…they can’t book any earlier than normal 11/7 month rules.

I should have been more clear, the whole point of the first welcome home stay is to book something well within the 7 month window, when availability is typically tough to find unless you are lucky or meticulous about checking often for cancellations. New owners are often excited to use their membership right away and want to book a stay ASAP.

I used my first welcome home stay to book a memorial day trip in February some time ago, for example - when all studios were sold out, even Saratoga. I could have probably pieced together a split stay trip or done a 1 bedroom at OKW but using my first welcome home benefit I was able to book the room and resort I wanted with about 3 months' notice.

My guide told me that DVC will pull rooms from their cash inventory to fulfill first welcome home stays, where available. Hopefully they aren't holding back points rooms for first welcome home stays. If so, when are they released to all members?

 

[Sandisw]

I should have been more clear, the whole point of the first welcome home stay is to book something well within the 7 month window, when availability is typically tough to find unless you are lucky or meticulous about checking often for cancellations. New owners are often excited to use their membership right away and want to book a stay ASAP.

I used my first welcome home stay to book a memorial day trip in February some time ago, for example - when all studios were sold out, even Saratoga. I could have probably pieced together a split stay trip or done a 1 bedroom at OKW but using my first welcome home benefit I was able to book the room and resort I wanted with about 3 months' notice.

My guide told me that DVC will pull rooms from their cash inventory to fulfill first welcome home stays, where available. Hopefully they aren't holding back points rooms for first welcome home stays. If so, when are they released to all members?

They can take any rooms with their own points at the 11 month window. They can also anticipate breakage and pull rooms ahead of 60 days.

But I don’t believe they ever hold rooms for this. It comes from undeclared inventory at active selling resorts or from rooms DVC pulled for other reasons.

 

[VGCgroupie]

I should have been more clear, the whole point of the first welcome home stay is to book something well within the 7 month window, when availability is typically tough to find unless you are lucky or meticulous about checking often for cancellations. New owners are often excited to use their membership right away and want to book a stay ASAP.

I used my first welcome home stay to book a memorial day trip in February some time ago, for example - when all studios were sold out, even Saratoga. I could have probably pieced together a split stay trip or done a 1 bedroom at OKW but using my first welcome home benefit I was able to book the room and resort I wanted with about 3 months' notice.

My guide told me that DVC will pull rooms from their cash inventory to fulfill first welcome home stays, where available. Hopefully they aren't holding back points rooms for first welcome home stays. If so, when are they released to all members?

For this one I did I called to ask if available and when she said yes I said I need to be sure I can get my flights and I’ll call back. She made sure to emphasize more than once when I called back it could be no longer available. They put you on hold to verify cash availability I believe that’s why they can’t see it.

 

[Takeitforgranite]

They don't advertise it much because it's all based on availability and nothing is guaranteed regarding it. But yes it is a benefit of buying direct, you call member services once your points are loaded (typically within a few hours if not sooner) and they can pull rooms from cash inventory to book a stay sooner than you could on your own, again depending on availability.

That could be a game changer and could really close the gap between direct and resale, especially if it enables me to bank some points.

 

[Takeitforgranite]

Yep just booked one.

Is it generally proportional to the number of points you buy?

For instance, what kind of offer can you expect with a 150 point purchase?

 

[VGCgroupie]

Is it generally proportional to the number of points you buy?

For instance, what kind of offer can you expect with a 150 point purchase?

You can use as many points the contract you bought has. I bought 38 points so I was able to borrow from the following year to have enough points to book it. For current members they don’t allow you to use any points that are from other contracts to fulfill the welcome home.

 

[Brian Noble]

And to be clear: They don't just book a stay for you for free. You have to use your owned points, and the stay consumes those points.

 

[Tatebeck]

Is it generally proportional to the number of points you buy?

For instance, what kind of offer can you expect with a 150 point purchase?

Yep, as others have said, you basically get the ability to use the 150 points you are purchasing (but not any other points you own) to book a room that is still technically owned by DVC and hasn't been sold as points yet. You don't really get anything monetarily of value, just the ability to book a room that other members currently cannot.

 

[VGCgroupie]

And to be clear: They don't just book a stay for you for free. You have to use your owned points, and the stay consumes those points.

ahh yes, good point. Didnt even dawn on me that a new member might not realize this.

 

[Brian Noble]

Yeah, I didn't either but this part tipped me off:

That could be a game changer ... if it enables me to bank some points.

 

[muppets3d]

Oh wow yea a "free" first welcome home would certainly be a huge benefit for purchasing direct, lol. The stay isn't free though of course, you have to spend the points you just bought. They just help you with finding last minute availability.

 

[Mouseforward]

They just help you with finding last minute availability.

And depending on the time of year and resort even MS's power is limited. When I purchased, they could only get me 3 of 7 nights from cash. Some have been told VGF is not "available for welcome home" yet I got 3 days there ( of the 7 I wanted)

I have even heard unconfirmed reports of them converting a buyers existing cash room reservations to using their points but I wonder if it was places like Riviera where it would have been the same room class.

 

[Sandisw]

And depending on the time of year and resort even MS's power is limited. When I purchased, they could only get me 3 of 7 nights from cash. Some have been told VGF is not "available for welcome home" yet I got 3 days there ( of the 7 I wanted)

I have even heard unconfirmed reports of them converting a buyers existing cash room reservations to using their points but I wonder if it was places like Riviera where it would have been the same room class.

I think the VGF for welcome home stays was when it was on sale because they declared all the BPK rooms.

Years ago you got credit for cash stays but I could see it happening at a RIV

 

[eticketplease]

I should have been more clear, the whole point of the first welcome home stay is to book something well within the 7 month window, when availability is typically tough to find unless you are lucky or meticulous about checking often for cancellations. New owners are often excited to use their membership right away and want to book a stay ASAP.

I used my first welcome home stay to book a memorial day trip in February some time ago, for example - when all studios were sold out, even Saratoga. I could have probably pieced together a split stay trip or done a 1 bedroom at OKW but using my first welcome home benefit I was able to book the room and resort I wanted with about 3 months' notice.

My guide told me that DVC will pull rooms from their cash inventory to fulfill first welcome home stays, where available. Hopefully they aren't holding back points rooms for first welcome home stays. If so, when are they released to all members?

So it seems like both you and @VGCgroupie have done multiple ones.

I wish I had known about this before.

One of our addons was because we were out of points (yes I know big surprise lol) and SO wanted to attend MNSSHP. We ended up only able to book some nights with points and the others cash.

 

[muppets3d]

So it seems like both you and @VGCgroupie have done multiple ones.

I wish I had known about this before.

One of our addons was because we were out of points (yes I know big surprise lol) and SO wanted to attend MNSSHP. We ended up only able to book some nights with points and the others cash.

No I’ve only done it once. It used to be they only offered the first welcome home to a new member buying points for the first time and only direct. But now they offer it to any member buying direct points, at least at particular resorts I guess. I’m not sure of the qualifications.

 

[Tatebeck]

Oh wow yea a "free" first welcome home would certainly be a huge benefit for purchasing direct, lol. The stay isn't free though of course, you have to spend the points you just bought. They just help you with finding last minute availability.

Have a later use year, buy just before your use year comes around for double points and minimal dues, and have them book a welcome home stay with the previous year's points. You get a stay and still have full points a few days later. It almost seems like a free stay if you do it that way lol

 

[SugarSweetLee]

Great info. Yeah, if I follow my own criteria, I just end up with VGF and Poly, anyway. We prefer MK, and that’s where we go more than any other park. My wife has always said that VGF is kind of a bucket list thing. Even though the price is about the same, as far as renting points, we have never stayed there. I am a little concerned that the kids may not like it as much, and the shared bus situation makes it less appealing.

We will definitely stay there eventually. I was going to save that trip for maybe just the two of us one day. But, I’m not to rule it out as a potential DVC home resort.

In addition to the shared bus, GF is the last monorail stop before MK. We stayed at Poly for my husband's birthday about 10 days before Christmas. We never had problems getting on the monorail at Poly, but boy did we often see long lines of disappointed guests at the GF stop when the cars were full and they couldn't board that train.

**Acknowledging there were many more non-resort guests than normal that time of year due to the gingerbread house.

 

[muppets3d]

Have a later use year, buy just before your use year comes around for double points and minimal dues, and have them book a welcome home stay with the previous year's points. You get a stay and still have full points a few days later. It almost seems like a free stay if you do it that way lol

If this is truly your "first" welcome home, that's unlikely because they typically sell UY's at least 6 months out. So if you buy now you'd probably get a December or February UY. But if you're an existing member adding on, certainly possible. Of course I'd rather do magical beginnings and sell back last year's points for an even greater discount vs. a first welcome home stay, but each to their own!

 

[Tatebeck]

If this is truly your "first" welcome home, that's unlikely because they typically sell UY's at least 6 months out. So if you buy now you'd probably get a December or February UY. But if you're an existing member adding on, certainly possible. Of course I'd rather do magical beginnings and sell back last year's points for an even greater discount vs. a first welcome home stay, but each to their own!

I don't think I said "first" anywhere in there lol. And it's definitely not my first contract

I am referring to the modern version of welcome home stays where they will help with a booking for any new direct points you buy, not just your initial buy-in like it used to be