Welcome home visit and contract question

[kellygreenjenny]

Hi - looking for some help as we sign our contract for a 200 point direct VGF purchase - what is the "welcome home visit"? Our guide told us that it has to be booked within 6 months, but we don't plan to go back until spring break, the week of March 24th. I assume we use the points we just purchased for the welcome home visit - since our trip is outside the six months, but (I think) is in the 7 month window and also the busiest time, are we pretty much out of luck in getting a studio for our travel week for our first visit? Our guide told me we have a 10 day cancellation so if we can't book anything we can use that as our out. That seems like a less than ideal solution but we would like to be able to go for our planned timeframe.

Also,.one other question - should the MB point buy back be addressed in the contract or is that a separate issue?

Thank you!

 

[intamin]

A welcome home visit is the first visit a new DVC member takes with their contract. They will try and help you book something that may show up as being sold out on the DVC website from their cash inventory if it's already sold out. Typically it's for the new DVC member who just purchased their contract and would like to go on a trip in the next few months but are unable to book anything because everything is taken by that point. I don't think it's worth cancelling the contract over TBH as a welcome home stay is not even a guaranteed thing, they'll TRY to do it for you and if you tell them you're cancelling it over a welcome home stay they'll likely try to help you out so you don't make them go through the hassle of the paperwork. I would talk to your guide about verifying that MB was applied to your contract if that's something you want to do.

 

[CarolynFH]

I think the six months is the deadline for booking the reservation, not taking the trip. In any case, as soon as you have your points in your account, try to book your March 2024 trip. If you can do it yourself online, you’re fine. But if you can’t book it, call MS and ask them to help you book your first trip. They will try to help you find availability, although it may not be your first choice of resorts, and there are no guarantees.

 

[laurend]

We're also buying direct at VGF and our guide booked for us - we haven't technically closed yet, but points are already in our account and trip is scheduled for April!

 

[kellygreenjenny]

We're also buying direct at VGF and our guide booked for us - we haven't technically closed yet, but points are already in our account and trip is scheduled for April!

Wow,.really? Our guide told us he isn't able to do a guide hold for VGF and we would have to call this number he gave us to book our first visit, but it would have to be for a trip within the next six months. Basically I got the impression we are on our own to get what we can get for our first booking unless it falls in the next six months, which it probably won't since we were just there last week. It does seem that what I've read about here on these forums and what he shares with us is mostly, but not quite fully, in sync. It has been an interesting process. He is clearly busy with sales though, so things must be going well.

 

[Sandisw]

Wow,.really? Our guide told us he isn't able to do a guide hold for VGF and we would have to call this number he gave us to book our first visit, but it would have to be for a trip within the next six months. Basically I got the impression we are on our own to get what we can get for our first booking unless it falls in the next six months, which it probably won't since we were just there last week. It does seem that what I've read about here on these forums and what he shares with us is mostly, but not quite fully, in sync. It has been an interesting process. He is clearly busy with sales though, so things must be going well.

I have read that they can not get people VGF since it all declared already and rooms are not held back for sales.

But, they should be able to get you something. I’d just give them a call, tell them when you want to travel and see what they have

It possible that the reason they mention the time line is because if your trip is not yet at the 7 month window, then you can only use your points at VGF.

Maybe the room you want will be there!

 

[laurend]

Wow,.really? Our guide told us he isn't able to do a guide hold for VGF and we would have to call this number he gave us to book our first visit, but it would have to be for a trip within the next six months. Basically I got the impression we are on our own to get what we can get for our first booking unless it falls in the next six months, which it probably won't since we were just there last week. It does seem that what I've read about here on these forums and what he shares with us is mostly, but not quite fully, in sync. It has been an interesting process. He is clearly busy with sales though, so things must be going well.

Yeah, my husband has handled the communication so possible that I missed a step, but they originally held a studio for us and when we decided to go for a contract with a few more points and switch to a 1 br, they finalized that for us instead and the reservation shows up in our DVC account now. At GF but maybe a less busy week?

 

[PolyRob]

VGF is wide open for resort studios and 1-bedrooms in March and April. March and April are still in the 7-11 month booking window.

Maybe your guide and MS were just kind in assisting you with a booking? New direct members can book day of on their new points since they are loaded very quickly. You do not need to close prior to booking.

 

[PolyRob]

@kellygreenjenny 7-months from 7/28/23 is 2/28/24. A member can only book other resorts for a maximum of 7 nights from the 7-month window on a rolling basis. That would be checking out 3/6/24. If you want the week of the 24th you are well within the home resort advantage and if you already have a contract you should have no problem securing something at VGF. If you do book on your own, you forfeit any "welcome home booking" within the current 6-month window. If you book VGF now and want something different, you can try to swap it starting 8/24/23 (assuming a 3/24/24 check-in).

As for Magical Beginnings, yes. There should be something in your contract towards the end that you sign explaining the X number of points purchased multiplied by $22 as a rebate. It will NOT show up under developer incentives since you pay it up front and get it back as a rebate check after closing.

 

[varyth]

Also,.one other question - should the MB point buy back be addressed in the contract or is that a separate issue?

Your DocuSign documents should contain a page specifically for Magical Beginnings, detailing how many points Disney is buying back at $22. If it is missing and you want to opt into the promotion, make sure you let your guide know!

 

[laurend]

VGF is wide open for resort studios and 1-bedrooms in March and April. March and April are still in the 7-11 month booking window.

Maybe your guide and MS were just kind in assisting you with a booking? New direct members can book day of on their new points since they are loaded very quickly. You do not need to close prior to booking.

Ahh okay, yeah so they were probably just streamlining the process for us our first time as a courtesy!

 

[kellygreenjenny]

@kellygreenjenny 7-months from 7/28/23 is 2/28/24. A member can only book other resorts for a maximum of 7 nights from the 7-month window on a rolling basis. That would be checking out 3/6/24. If you want the week of the 24th you are well within the home resort advantage and if you already have a contract you should have no problem securing something at VGF. If you do book on your own, you forfeit any "welcome home booking" within the current 6-month window. If you book VGF now and want something different, you can try to swap it starting 8/24/23 (assuming a 3/24/24 check-in).

As for Magical Beginnings, yes. There should be something in your contract towards the end that you sign explaining the X number of points purchased multiplied by $22 as a rebate. It will NOT show up under developer incentives since you pay it up front and get it back as a rebate check after closing.

Thanks all, all of the replies are very helpful....a few clarification questions...is there a benefit to us in the Welcome Home visit that we will lose when we 'forfeit any welcome home booking'? Or are we just using our own points but, assuming a visit would be within a short timeframe and hard to book, they pull from their own inventory.(so no difference to us if they book or we book, assuming we can get a location we want). I'm wondering if we are giving up a difficult-to-repkicate opportunity to get a stay in a different location, for instance a studio at BC or something? I don't have a feel yet for what resorts are hard to get into at the 7 month. Probably it's not worth an unplanned visit just to do it, but.....maybe?

Also, the 7 month and 11 month bookings are from the date of check-in and not the month? I think I got confused on that....

Last, our guide told us we cannot break up our points for MB - for our 200 pts, we would have to do all or none....does that sound right?

Thank you!

 

[Sandisw]

Thanks all, all of the replies are very helpful....a few clarification questions...is there a benefit to us in the Welcome Home visit that we will lose when we 'forfeit any welcome home booking'? Or are we just using our own points but, assuming a visit would be within a short timeframe and hard to book, they pull from their own inventory.(so no difference to us if they book or we book, assuming we can get a location we want). I'm wondering if we are giving up a difficult-to-repkicate opportunity to get a stay in a different location, for instance a studio at BC or something? I don't have a feel yet for what resorts are hard to get into at the 7 month. Probably it's not worth an unplanned visit just to do it, but.....maybe?

Also, the 7 month and 11 month bookings are from the date of check-in and not the month? I think I got confused on that....

Last, our guide told us we cannot break up our points for MB - for our 200 pts, we would have to do all or none....does that sound right?

Thank you!

The purpose of the welcome home stay is to help owners use their points for a trip not too far off when we are into the booking window as they get support on how to navigate the booking site…

They are your own points that will be used so the only thing you do give up is maybe securing something that isn’t otherwise available. But they can’t just make any room work and more often, what they can get people are rooms at places like RIV where they still own quite a bit of inventory since it’s not yet declared.

Something like getting BCV if it’s all booked up is not likely because they can’t hold rooms at resorts already fully declared. Basically, if you are within 7 months, and want to travel, they’ll ask you for your top choices if nothing is available and see what they can make work.

If you are still in your home resort window, they can only help you book home resort. The window opens at exactly 11 months for check in at home resort and 7 months for trades.

So, depending on when you want to travel, you could end up just being able to book on your own…but, just don’t want you thinking they can give you any room that is just hard to get….if current owners have already had a chance to book them, then the options will be limited.

And yes, MB is all or nothing.

 

[sndral]

Thanks all, all of the replies are very helpful....a few clarification questions...is there a benefit to us in the Welcome Home visit that we will lose when we 'forfeit any welcome home booking'? Or are we just using our own points but, assuming a visit would be within a short timeframe and hard to book, they pull from their own inventory.(so no difference to us if they book or we book, assuming we can get a location we want). I'm wondering if we are giving up a difficult-to-repkicate opportunity to get a stay in a different location, for instance a studio at BC or something? I don't have a feel yet for what resorts are hard to get into at the 7 month. Probably it's not worth an unplanned visit just to do it, but.....maybe?

Also, the 7 month and 11 month bookings are from the date of check-in and not the month? I think I got confused on that....

Last, our guide told us we cannot break up our points for MB - for our 200 pts, we would have to do all or none....does that sound right?

Thank you!

DVC does not have a secret stash of inventory at sold out resorts that they’re hoarding to give new direct buyers a villa to which they are not otherwise yet entitled, you can’t book a BC studio before the 7 month window w/ VGF points & DVC can’t break the rules to do it for you. Moreover, if you wait to call MS the minute the phone lines open at 9 a.m. EST exactly 7 months before your planned trip will begin, all MS can do is look at whatever inventory is left. Meanwhile, someone else likely booked any BC studios still available at 7 months by hopping online an hour before you called because online booking opens up at 8 a.m. EST.
The welcome home help with booking is offered likely because it takes awhile to become comfortable w/ the DVC rules & the system. Plus, if someone just spent 5 figures & wants to use those new points in the next several months when inventory is likely lower, MS can help search for dates & resorts w/ openings & maybe dip into undeclared inventory at Riv..
If you’re curious & to answer your FOMO doubts, just call MS & tell them you just bought VGF points & really want to go to WDW during the holidays in early Dec. 5 months from now & see what they can find for you, you don’t have to book what (if anything) they find & if you don’t book you haven’t ‘used’ that welcome home booking.

 

[DonMacGregor]

Plus, if someone just spent 5 figures & wants to use those new points in the next several months when inventory is likely lower, MS can help search for dates & resorts w/ openings & maybe dip into undeclared inventory at Riv.

This right here. That's it and nothing more.

 

[amywilkh]

call MS & tell them you just bought VGF points & really want to go to WDW during the holidays in early Dec. 5 months from now & see what they can find for you, you don’t have to book what (if anything) they find & if you don’t book you haven’t ‘used’ that welcome home booking.

I did this exact thing a couple of weeks ago. I'm a new direct buyer hoping for a studio in early December for three nights. Hadn't booked a thing myself and was told by my guide to call for the first res. (My UY is Dec, so that's when my point begin too). When I called, I was told they have nothing. Not one night in a studio in any WDW resort in the ranges I was looking at and the best I could do was a waitlist. I was quite disappoiinted. I do have a cash stay booked at Pop, but I was hoping to use my points for that trip.

 

[Sandisw]

I did this exact thing a couple of weeks ago. I'm a new direct buyer hoping for a studio in early December for three nights. Hadn't booked a thing myself and was told by my guide to call for the first res. (My UY is Dec, so that's when my point begin too). When I called, I was told they have nothing. Not one night in a studio in any WDW resort in the ranges I was looking at and the best I could do was a waitlist. I was quite disappoiinted. I do have a cash stay booked at Pop, but I was hoping to use my points for that trip.

Your situation explains why getting a Welcome Home Visit isn't always possible. They can only give you a DVC room if some exist in the system, at least somewhere....if all of the rooms they have secured with their own points, and even the ones at RIV being sold for cash are booked, they are booked.

I would definitely get a waitlist in and keep stalking the website!!!

 

[amywilkh]

Your situation explains why getting a Welcome Home Visit isn't always possible. They can only give you a DVC room if some exist in the system, at least somewhere....if all of the rooms they have secured with their own points, and even the ones at RIV being sold for cash are booked, they are booked.

I would definitely get a waitlist in and keep stalking the website!!!

Yes, understood. And thanks! I will say that Disney is currently selling cash rooms at 3 DVC resorts for one set of my dates, and at 7 DVC resorts for my other potential dates. So it's frustrating to know that I could book these same rooms for cash, but not with my points as a "welcome home" guest. That benefit seems illusory because once they told me the best we could do was a waitlist, I did set waitlists and began trying to book on my own. So now according to this thread, I would have "voided" any benefit if there were one to have. Oh, well! I can plan further ahead next year for early December.

 

[laurend]

I reported an inaccuracy! Turns out my husband had called for the Welcome Home visit, they couldn't book anything, he logged in and booked it himself. That's what I get for watching a toddler all day instead of being deeply involved in the planning details, lol!

 

[Sandisw]

Yes, understood. And thanks! I will say that Disney is currently selling cash rooms at 3 DVC resorts for one set of my dates, and at 7 DVC resorts for my other potential dates. So it's frustrating to know that I could book these same rooms for cash, but not with my points as a "welcome home" guest. That benefit seems illusory because once they told me the best we could do was a waitlist, I did set waitlists and began trying to book on my own. So now according to this thread, I would have "voided" any benefit if there were one to have. Oh, well! I can plan further ahead next year for early December.

To help you to understand, rooms for cash come from different sources. Sometimes, they are there because an owner decided to trade out to use points for things like a cruise, ABD. In thst sense, the room has been secured via points and they are selling it for cash to pay for the trades.

DVD also owns their own points and and books to rent for cash, just like other owners do and in some cases, DVD could pull them back…

The last way is rooms that have been taken for breakage, which begins 60 days prior to check in. These rooms can be offered for cash, and that income is given back to owners, up to 2:5% of the operating budget. The rest goes to DVC. They are allowed to anticipate what might be left at 60 days and pull earlier.

The key is that we, as owners, don’t know why those rooms are there. Sometimes, when you are within that 60 days, or even 30 days, you can contact MS and there have been times that something has opened up!