We went on a DVC tour and I'm am disappointed

[jimmytammy]

We didnt take the tour, we bought direct from DVC over the phone and signed the papers using FedEx and mail. It is really unusual that a sales rep would act that way, but dont let it discourage you from buying. Most DVC reps are very friendly and helpful.

We have a close friend who recently took a job with DVC as a sales associate, which is someone you make 1st contact with at the parks or resorts. Our friend shared that DVC is trying to change the attitudes of some of the folks that have taken on this type negative attitude, and several have been replaced with those like our friend who are more upbeat about their job.

So maybe burnout has set in for some, but most are happy being there.

 

[tikilyn]

Thanks everyone for the kind words! We're still looking into dvc. I'm just trying to figure out what resort will be our home resort. Dh will be happy anywhere and we'll I could too but I like to be close to some action. SSR would fit due to it's close approx. to DTD and I also like BWV due to the board walk. I think these two resort are what we are looking at.

With BWV will I have to buy resell or can we go through disney? Dh says if I pick SSR he wants to go through Disney for the incentives they are offering but I'm willing to go through resell if I can find an ok loaded contract (don't want a stiped contract). Anyone have any advice for me?

 

[nukker7]

If you are willing to take your time (couple weeks maybe) you could get with your resale broker and let them know you want a contract with banked points and any other stipulations you would like and they can call you first when they get a new listing that fits. Otherwise, for SSR (which will be my home resort when we close) has many listings between all the resale sites.

Things to think about in my opinion is, all the incentives that Disney gives you will benifit you greatly now. I wanted a contract on something that benefitted me in the long run. ie- I could afford 100 points with banked points and other incentives that would be ready for me right now by buying through Disney. I can afford 160 points by going through resales. For me, resales won hands down.(60 more points for 45 years!!!)

Just my thoughts

 

[kathleendsm]

Thanks everyone for the kind words! We're still looking into dvc. I'm just trying to figure out what resort will be our home resort. Dh will be happy anywhere and we'll I could too but I like to be close to some action. SSR would fit due to it's close approx. to DTD and I also like BWV due to the board walk. I think these two resort are what we are looking at.

With BWV will I have to buy resell or can we go through disney? Dh says if I pick SSR he wants to go through Disney for the incentives they are offering but I'm willing to go through resell if I can find an ok loaded contract (don't want a stiped contract). Anyone have any advice for me?

We are in the process of buying a BWV resale contract. When we took the DVC tour in late May, the guide said she could get us BWV points, but there were no incentives at all on them. They were only offering incentives for AKV, BLT and VGC (maybe SSR too). Given that we love the Boardwalk and on the "buy where you love to stay" theory, we went with resale, which was $45 cheaper than Disney's price ($70 per point rather than $115). Frankly, the incentives weren't that great really.

If you want BLT, VGC or AKL, it probably makes sense to buy direct. Resale prices aren't much cheaper, Disney gives you the points right away, there are no closing costs, and if you need financing it's pretty good. If you want one of the sold out resorts or even SSR, I think resale makes a lot of sense because the price is so much better. Although awaiting the ROFR process adds a whole level of excitement!

 

[dbs1228]

I agree w PP, depending on the property resale can save money, you scrafice instant gratification though! Buying SSR resale I saved 4100.0 and I got all 2009 banked points. (this was 3 months ago and prices resale have only gone down!) It took us 5 weeks total to actually close on it, which is average, but some can take longer. We paid 69.00 pp Aug UY 160 points. Very smooth transaction, great communication, better then I got from our dvc guide!
With all the SSR contracts out there (many loaded contracts) take some time to look at them before making a decision if SSR is what you decide on and good luck!

 

[ssawka]

If you want BLT, VGC or AKL, it probably makes sense to buy direct. Resale prices aren't much cheaper, Disney gives you the points right away, there are no closing costs, and if you need financing it's pretty good. If you want one of the sold out resorts or even SSR, I think resale makes a lot of sense because the price is so much better. Although awaiting the ROFR process adds a whole level of excitement!

ITA, there are only two reasons to buy through Disney:

1. You want a resort that Disney is actively selling.
2. You need/want to finance.

In our case we fell into both categories! Also, at the time we bought, the resales for BLT (our home) were selling for more than we paid through Disney. Although, Looking back, I think we bought at a very good time, snatching up 275 BLT points at $92/ point. That's a savings of close to $5000 compared to today's prices, and since we will have it paid off it just over a year, I am so glad we financed instead of waiting 'til we had the cash. YMMV, but it worked for us.

Also, you do have to pay closing costs on your first Disney loan, I think it's about $300.

 

[thedon3]

The most important thing to remember is buy where the resort you want to stay at the most. The 11 month reservation is a plus for the home resort, what ever you do, do loose track of that feature.
Thnaks - Good Luck
Bobby

 

[cseca]

If you want BLT, VGC or AKL, it probably makes sense to buy direct. Resale prices aren't much cheaper, Disney gives you the points right away, there are no closing costs, and if you need financing it's pretty good. If you want one of the sold out resorts or even SSR, I think resale makes a lot of sense because the price is so much better. Although awaiting the ROFR process adds a whole level of excitement!

ITA, there are only two reasons to buy through Disney:

1. You want a resort that Disney is actively selling.
2. You need/want to finance.

In our case we fell into both categories! Also, at the time we bought, the resales for BLT (our home) were selling for more than we paid through Disney. Although, Looking back, I think we bought at a very good time, snatching up 275 BLT points at $92/ point. That's a savings of close to $5000 compared to today's prices, and since we will have it paid off it just over a year, I am so glad we financed instead of waiting 'til we had the cash. YMMV, but it worked for us.

Also, you do have to pay closing costs on your first Disney loan, I think it's about $300.

I agree, but everyone just needs to do their homework. SSR, AKV, and older resorts most probably be cheaper to buy resale.

But I always bought direct and except for BLT I think all my resorts have been retaining if not increased in value. Even BLT wasn't too badly priced when we decided to purchase. $107 plus 2009 points no MF. So it was't too crazy above resale. Plus no closing cost, no wait and I can buy them in smaller chunks for future resale possibility.

 

[Dean]

ITA, there are only two reasons to buy through Disney:

1. You want a resort that Disney is actively selling.
2. You need/want to finance.

In our case we fell into both categories! Also, at the time we bought, the resales for BLT (our home) were selling for more than we paid through Disney. Although, Looking back, I think we bought at a very good time, snatching up 275 BLT points at $92/ point. That's a savings of close to $5000 compared to today's prices, and since we will have it paid off it just over a year, I am so glad we financed instead of waiting 'til we had the cash. YMMV, but it worked for us.

Also, you do have to pay closing costs on your first Disney loan, I think it's about $300.

Financing is also available right now resale. I'd add to that list that for smaller contracts it often makes sense to buy through DVC because they price pp is higher on those contracts and the closing costs can be higher resale than through DVC. The other time it can make sense is when your buying something that isn't saving that much and you need to make a reservation on shorter notice. Ultimately it comes down to looking at your specific situation and deciding what's best.

 

[disneybride96]

We toured first in 1998 and HATED the advisor. Fast talking and very confusing. We finally bought 10 years later because we eavesdropped on a DVC couple behind us at Fantasmic talking about it to someone else! LOL!
Later that trip we set with some DVCers on the cruise who really sold it to us!

Heck with the paid staff...DVCers sell it themselves!

 

[Jerry@dvcstore]

I am sorry to hear of your experience with your Disney Guide. Feel free to call us at The Timeshare Store,Inc.®. We specialize in the Disney Vacation Club packages and will be happy to answer all your questions and save you money as well. There will be no pressure to purchase but we will be able to answer all your questions so you can make an informed decision.

 

[yitbos96bb]

Bolded part was my first thought, as well. I'm sure he knew OP was staying at the All Stars, b/c we just joined this past April and when we signed up for the DVC tour at a kiosk in Epcot, we were asked what resort we were staying at. Which, coincindentally, was the Grand Floridian. Our guide did not use the same approach that the OP's did. In fact, his approach was not "are you buying", but "how many points, and will it be BLT or AK?".

Granted we bought in 2005, but on that visit we were at the all star resorts (I was there for business as a Fed Contractor and that was the only one to fit in my per diem and getting a hotel more expensive and getting partial payback was more hassle than it was worth) and didn't get any approach remotely like the OP. We DID get the emotional pitch, the future kids pitch and the "future cost of vacations" pitch.

Overall, we have gone every year except one since we bought and enjoy it a lot (the one year we didn't go we had booked and then found out my wife was pregnant. 8 months pregnant at Disney was not something either of us wanted to do).

 

[Goobergal99]

We just bought it and we are in our late 20's, we did stay at Wilderness Lodge but we had Dave as our guide (he's on the DVD!) and he was great and I think he knew we were going to join just based on how many trips we had taken and how knowledgeable we were about the whole thing. We did wait until we returned home to make the "leap" after talking to DD about which home she would prefer to be our base but I definently noticed as we were taken in as a group that he focused on those that he really thought would buy in

 

[ML_LovesDisney]

He just kept telling us that the majority of people who buy dvc pay cash but if we couldn't "afford" it we were welcome to finance through disney. He went on to tell us about the high down payment we would have to make(900.00) and so on. I think it was the way he was stressing the word afford. He just really was stressing how expensive dvc was. I don't know maybe I am just being sensitive or something.

Is there a place where I can read up on dvc and what is involved?

I don't necessarily think that sounds like he was saying you CAN'T afford it, I mean, I for sure didn't have $16,000 I was willing to fork over in cash, but it sounds like he was just telling you the options. Our guide was sort of like that. To me, it was like he was trying to be understanding if we couldn't afford it he wasn't going to be offended. That's just my thought. I also read up on DVC online, I just googled it and some DVC primer came up.

 

[JenSop]

I'm also sorry to hear you had such a bad experience, OP!

Our guide was really nice and I felt that she treated us just like any other potential client. We took the tour in 2006, and even though I had been going to Disney my whole life, I didn't know anything about DVC (and hadn't yet found the Disboards.) My husband thought we should take the tour. (He grew up at the beach, so he was familiar with timeshare stuff.

Even though we were staying at ASMus, we were never talked down to or treated badly. I went in thinking I'd have to behave the way I do at a car dealership. (As a small, younger-looking woman, I've had to develop the "bad cop" routine when car shopping - I'm the one playing the game and giving the attitude and my husband is kind of quiet.)

BUT, when I did so, she told us that if at any point we didn't think it was going to be right for us, that we could end the meeting and leave. So I changed my frame of mind and she showed us what DVC had to offer. We knew we wanted to go to Disney every year and that we did NOT ever want to stay in the values again.

But at the time, we really didn't have the money. A year later, we called her back and bought in!

 

[tikilyn]

We'll we did buy DVC! We should be closing next week. There was some mess up with my dh's name on the paper work and had to wait for a 2nd set papers. Anyways dh decided to go though the first guide (I think just to show him that we were serious about buying in). But our next contracts will be through resell so no biggie I guess.

Thanks for everything. We're extremely happy with our decision.

 

[bumbershoot]

Anyways dh decided to go though the first guide (I think just to show him that we were serious about buying in).

Congrats on becoming members, but UGH at your husband! He totally fell for it! Mark up a win for the guide and that nasty little way of selling things....

 

[hbehrman]

ITA, there are only two reasons to buy through Disney:

1. You want a resort that Disney is actively selling.
2. You need/want to finance.

Two more:

3.You don't want to pay closing costs (DVC is currently waiving closing costs).

4. You want to ensure multiple contracts with whatever number of points per contract with the same use year.

In our case we fell into both categories! Also, at the time we bought, the resales for BLT (our home) were selling for more than we paid through Disney. Although, Looking back, I think we bought at a very good time, snatching up 275 BLT points at $92/ point. That's a savings of close to $5000 compared to today's prices, and since we will have it paid off it just over a year, I am so glad we financed instead of waiting 'til we had the cash. YMMV, but it worked for us.

Also, you do have to pay closing costs on your first Disney loan, I think it's about $300.

 

[GrazingGoat1966]

You state "high down payment" of $900.00. I don't honestly know how it could possibly be that LOW. You need at least 10% down. Points are $112 to $120 each. At initial 160 point minimum purchase for new members, even with a $10/per point discount, your down payment still could not possibly be only $900. It should be at least $1,632.00. Maybe you misunderstood alot of what he was trying to explain. Surely he made notes on paper and gave them to you, as well as the financing through Disney he offered you. Look at the notes again, and the papers.
The down payment would have to be alot higher than $900.00.

My down payment was only $250 out of pocket when I bought into AKL in "08. On top of that they gave us an $800 voucher ($8 apoint for 100 pts) which we were able to use as the balance of the "deposit".
Unusual apparently. Oh well it worked for us!!!!

 

[Mish]

We did the tour a few years ago, when we went we told the guide we were not ready to buy at this time we just wanted to look. She was great. We went last August and stayed at the ASM and didnt really like it. We started talking to the person at the DVC member our last night and she tried to get us another tour but it was to late they were closing and we were leaving to early the next morning so she took our information. Someone called us as soon as we got home and the figures worked for us so we finally bought. I never felt any pressure either time even the time we told them that we werent buying. I am so excited that in 4 weeks we are taking our first week long trip. Michelle