Welcome home visit for resale contracts?

[krw1243]

I assume the answer to this is a resounding "No", but thought it was worth asking. When one buys direct points from Disney, for their first stay, they get a special Welcome Home visit where MS pulls from Disney's holding on the property to get you a reservation since you missed the 11 month window for any time in the near future already. Does one get any such benefit when aquiring a resale DVC? Or will we be stuck with whatever is available now on the website up until 11 months from now when new things start unlocking?

 

[bobbiwoz]

There is no such guarantee for buying direct. They may help, but absolutely nothing is promised. I would not expect to get anything like that for a resale buyer.

I have been a member since 2003, if I call and nothing is available, I get asked if I want to waitlist.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Couple things.

1. The Welcome Home visit isn't about "missing the 11 month window." It is for a visit within 6 months, and it is whatever inventory they have. So it is for people who have blown 11 and 7, and they won't circumvent home resort for a new buyer.

2. It is ONLY provided to direct buyers. Resale buyers need to take into account points they may be receiving (banked/current/unbankable) and include likelihood of being able to use them in their bid. Disney sometimes make a one-time banking exception, but they won't assist with a booking.

 

[Deb & Bill]

As a new direct buyer, you can always make getting a reservation (any reservation) a contingency for purchasing the direct points for your first trip. But you don't have any such pull buying resale. You get what is left over if there is anything left over.

 

[lovin'fl]

Resales don't get this and, in fact, direct buyers aren't guaranteed this either. We bought resale in 2006 and added on direct in 2014. When we did, I asked for help with a booking and was told there was no such thing.

 

[disneynutz]

Under the current management, resale buyers get almost nothing but access to making a reservation using their points.

Bill

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Resales don't get this and, in fact, direct buyers aren't guaranteed this either. We bought resale in 2006 and added on direct in 2014. When we did, I asked for help with a booking and was told there was no such thing.

My understanding is it is first contract only. If you do direct after resale, they go to no extra effort.

 

[disneynutz]

Once you are a member, you are a step child. Bought another contract direct, had to beg for a DVC tote bag and fast passes. New project tours are only available at certain times for existing owners. Disney makes more money selling to new prospects who don't know what they are buying so that is who they cater to.

Bill

 

[gillep]

Our guide wasn't able to get us this special reservation when we bought direct (first contract new members) and I never got my tote bag either.

 

[kmc8826]

Our guide wasn't able to get us this special reservation when we bought direct (first contract new members) and I never got my tote bag either.

I am sorry! I am just new to this but there definitely does seem to be inconsistency across it all sometimes.

Just to clarify when you all are talking about a "welcome home visit" when buying direct it isn't that they are giving you extra points or anything right? Disney just sometimes facilitates a booking and finds a resort that you usually would not be able to get since inside 7 month or 11 month window?

 

[gillep]

I am sorry! I am just new to this but there definitely does seem to be inconsistency across it all sometimes.

Just to clarify when you all are talking about a "welcome home visit" when buying direct it isn't that they are giving you extra points or anything right? Disney just sometimes facilitates a booking and finds a resort that you usually would not be able to get since inside 7 month or 11 month window?

No, nothing to do with extra points. After we purchased we wanted to take a quick trip down within that first couple months of owning, as our first real reservation wouldn't be until about 13 months later and we were excited. Unfortunately, our guide was not able to get any inventory for us at that time. It wasn't a big deal but just letting people know that even as new direct buyers you shouldn't count on anything outside of the contract that you signed. I was actually more annoyed that I never got my tote bag.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Disney just sometimes facilitates a booking and finds a resort that you usually would not be able to get since inside 7 month or 11 month window?

Basically, it's for a trip within the next 6 months. If there is not availability anywhere via RAT, they sometimes claw back cash inventory for these buyers. It does not mean they get you your hopes/dreams and kick someone out of an AKV Club Studio for you, or anything like that. Most people end up in a unit at Saratoga or OKW, with some clawback of undeclared CCV that occurs sometimes.

 

[krw1243]

I am sorry! I am just new to this but there definitely does seem to be inconsistency across it all sometimes.

Just to clarify when you all are talking about a "welcome home visit" when buying direct it isn't that they are giving you extra points or anything right? Disney just sometimes facilitates a booking and finds a resort that you usually would not be able to get since inside 7 month or 11 month window?

Interesting. My agent from Disney definitely told us our first visit would be a "Welcome Home" visit where they would pull from their cash inventory to get us our first reservation, and, he said "so this is your time to stay at Beach Club or Polynesian or whatever". This was our first DVC, the resale purchase we're making now is after that purchase. We ended up making that welcome home stay a split trip between as many nights as we could afford at Polynesian, and the rest in a Savannah room at AKV. When I called to make that reservation, member services definitely knew what a "welcome home" visit was. I wonder if it's something new they're doing for new members now?

 

[Deb & Bill]

Interesting. My agent from Disney definitely told us our first visit would be a "Welcome Home" visit where they would pull from their cash inventory to get us our first reservation, and, he said "so this is your time to stay at Beach Club or Polynesian or whatever". This was our first DVC, the resale purchase we're making now is after that purchase. We ended up making that welcome home stay a split trip between as many nights as we could afford at Polynesian, and the rest in a Savannah room at AKV. When I called to make that reservation, member services definitely knew what a "welcome home" visit was. I wonder if it's something new they're doing for new members now?

It's just called making a reservation. No one knows about it except the new member and perhaps the salesperson (referred to as agent or guide or best buddy). To get something special the salesperson would have to make you the reservation with your points. You wouldn't call to make it yourself from MS.

 

[CMNJ]

Interesting. My agent from Disney definitely told us our first visit would be a "Welcome Home" visit where they would pull from their cash inventory to get us our first reservation, and, he said "so this is your time to stay at Beach Club or Polynesian or whatever". This was our first DVC, the resale purchase we're making now is after that purchase. We ended up making that welcome home stay a split trip between as many nights as we could afford at Polynesian, and the rest in a Savannah room at AKV. When I called to make that reservation, member services definitely knew what a "welcome home" visit was. I wonder if it's something new they're doing for new members now?

The “welcome home” visit thing gets reported here from time to time and it seems like it isn’t a consistent benefit offered to new DIRECT members but rather one they throw out there to close deals. I’ve never seen any Disney literature that mentions it so I really believe it is more a discretionary thing they do to close the deal once in a while. As far as your original question goes absolutely not going to happen with a resale contract. Disney is doing everything they can to distinguish direct from resale and push direct sales so there is NO WAY they’d give a choice benefit like that to new resale owners. They essentially are pulling back rooms that they own and could rent at a premium to allow you to use your points when nothing (or maybe SSR) is available. As others have mentioned also it appears that a “welcome home” 1st booking also does not apply if you add on another contract direct with Disney.

 

[krw1243]

The “welcome home” visit thing gets reported here from time to time and it seems like it isn’t a consistent benefit offered to new DIRECT members but rather one they throw out there to close deals. I’ve never seen any Disney literature that mentions it so I really believe it is more a discretionary thing they do to close the deal once in a while. As far as your original question goes absolutely not going to happen with a resale contract. Disney is doing everything they can to distinguish direct from resale and push direct sales so there is NO WAY they’d give a choice benefit like that to new resale owners. They essentially are pulling back rooms that they own and could rent at a premium to allow you to use your points when nothing (or maybe SSR) is available. As others have mentioned also it appears that a “welcome home” 1st booking also does not apply if you add on another contract direct with Disney.

Interesting, because they only told us about it *after* we signed the contract, so there was no need to "upsell" us. But he knew we were planning on doing an additional resale contract - perhaps he was trying to lure us to go direct for that one too.

I figured it wouldn't apply to resale, but good to have a confirmation. Thank you. (Now here's hoping we close quickly enough on our resale that we don't miss our 11 month window at BCV!)

 

[LënuSëkahsëni]

I bought direct at CCV in January. A couple months ago I was talking to my guide and he asked when my next trip was. I mentioned that I booked at Sports for the Dark Side Half Marathon Weekend. He was curious why I wasn't staying on points and when I told him all the rooms in RAT were booked he mentioned that I could have called and asked for a "Welcome Home" visit.

 

[striker1064]

Interesting, because they only told us about it *after* we signed the contract, so there was no need to "upsell" us.

This happened to us as well. I've been confused reading about the Welcome Home thing from those who are skeptical of it. We were offered both by our guide and by Member Services after we had already signed and passed the 10-day rescind period, so it definitely wasn't any kind of upsell.

In fact, it's even in writing in the welcome kit. There's a lot of non-specific language there which I'm sure is a CYA situation by DVC, but it's there. You can only use it if you haven't booked anything yet, you of course have to use your own points, and you can only use it within 6 months of becoming a member. MS told me it was subject to availability but they would try to get whichever resort I requested (we ended up not using it though).

 

[crisi]

I suspect its a formalization of something that used to sort of exist but not consistantly - which is why people are skeptical of it. And those that are skeptical probably believe that guides - who are timeshares salespeople - are probably not necessarily setting realistic expectations for what they will be able to get for you. For instance, Boardwalk Villas for mid-October six months out is simply booked solid - there isn't a room to claw back.

 

[SL6827]

Once you are a member, you are a step child.

Well I guess I am the red headed step-child then.