"Welcome Homes at DVC resorts

[KyBill]

A current thread showed concerns of the lack of Welcome Home at the registration desk at BCV. I wonder if there is a different standard at the shared registration desks at WLV, BCV and BWV as opposed to OKW which registers only OKW check-ins.

As an OKW owner I always enjoy going thru the security gate and telling the guard that we are arriving to register and hearing "Welcome Home". I am also sure that several times we have not heard this and also not heard it at the check in counter.
But I would speculate that you are more likly to hear a Welcome Home at OKW due to its "stand alone" nature than at shared resorts. IMHO.

In any event we will be at BCV in 9 days for the W&F festival and will check it out for Welcome Homes.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Wear your DVC hats/shirts, etc and you have a better chance of hearing it. If you have the DVC license plate on your car, you have a good chance of hearing it at the gate.

 

[mitros]

Yes, the members license plate does it for us. We always get a "welcome home" at okw

 

[DebbieB]

We've stayed at OKW 3 times and BWV 2 times. Only the last time at OKW did we get a "welcome home" at the gate. However, we got "welcome home" all 5 times at the front desk.

 

[DeeP]

From my experience I can say I have gotten a "welcome home" 90% of the time when checking into BWV, 50% of the time at OKW (but I stay at BWV much more than OKW) and 100% at WLV. I do not think it is something that is just at a "stand alone" DVC resort, I think it is just whichever CM is checking you in on that day and whether they remember to say it or not, if they are having a rough day etc. I enjoy hearing "welcome home" but it certainly does not ruin my day/trip if I do not hear these words. I am much more concerned about the condition of the villa, the time of the day when the villa is available, whether my room requests were met, etc., then I am about hearing welcome home. I would gladly trade all the welcome homes forever for more DVC perks like discounted tickets, restaurants, etc. To me, these things speak volumes more to how much a DVC member is appreciated than a CM repeating the rote words "Welcome Home", it is like the rote words you hear at Mc Donalds, the bank etc when they tell you "Have a nice day", I seriously doubt these people care whether I have a nice day or not it is just part of their job, something they are supposed to say.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

On our September trip to VB & VWL, we received a "Welcome Home" from the WL CM at check-in. Once we had our parking pass that said DVC, the security people gave us one EVERY TIME!

Not one "Welcome Home" from anyone at VB...unless you count the one on the floor mat outside our cottage.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Nah, when someone tells you "Welcome Home" they have a happy expression on their face, a lilt in their voice and a glimmer in their eyes. Nothing like "Thank you for shopping at K-Mart" at all. No dead faces, monotone voice.

 

[DeeP]

Nah, when someone tells you "Welcome Home" they have a happy expression on their face, a lilt in their voice and a glimmer in their eyes. Nothing like "Thank you for shopping at K-Mart" at all. No dead faces, monotone voice.

That is the way it should be and the way everyone would like it to be but it is not always the case. I have received a few "Welcome Homes" from CMs, at various DVC resorts, who were overwhelmed and not having a happy day so the welcome home was said in a monotone voice with a dead expression on the face. True this is the minority, but it has still happened.

 

[allicat]

I didnt receive a welcome home at the check in desk at BCV either.
However, at the DVC information stand in BCV lobby, the cm did say "welcome home" to me as I was waiting for the elevator.

 

[Gillian]

To be fair, at BCV we got sincere welcome homes from both the security guard at the gate AND the CM at check in. We seem to be in the minority, but it does happen!

 

[dianeschlicht]

We have been members since 1997, and I don't recall NOT getting a welcome home at OKW. We have always gotten one, both at the front desk and the gate.

 

[BigTigger]

The heartiest "Welcome Home" of our eight DVC years came from the late afternoon/early evening guard at OKW in November 2000. My kids still remember this friendly beacon that guided us in many a night after the parks closed. The fact he could have been a twin of Wayne Brady didn't hurt either in their remembering him as we always expected him to start singing he was so animated.

 

[Dean]

I would think that it's more likely to happen at OKW and BW because of the high percentage of guests who are members. At WLV and BCV, the DVC portion is relatively small and almost an afterthought. It must be hard for them to change their approach after months to years of service there. I would think that a license plate or similar would really make a difference, especially at WLV and BCV.

 

[burnsoc]

I got a "Welcome Home" several times while staying at the WL, and we weren't even members yet. The guards must have known something, because my wife surprised me by agreeing to buy DVC during our stay. What a great memory!

 

[ralphd]

BWV-We have received a welcome home at the gate and at the front desk every trip.
VWL-We received a welcome home at the front desk every trip. The last trip we went thru the gate in a limo and received a wave from the guard.
BCV-Have not used our points here yet.

ralphd

 

[CrayzeeDiz]

Come On,

The last thing I want to hear is a fake "welcome Home" coming from anyones mouth when I am on Vacation. I agree with Deep that I wwould feel much better if a CM said to me " Come here for your 25% discount Mr. Dvc Member" and welcome to DW.

 

[jennybobenny]

The friendliest 'welcome home' we've ever received came from, of all places, the guard at the entrance to Caribbean Beach Resort. It had nothing at all to do with DVC - it was just late at night, we were tired and were heading back to our room. My husband and I both looked at each other and couldn't help but laugh at the irony....

The worst 'wh' came from a front desk CM at BWV. It was so monotone I think she may have read it from her computer screen or maybe a post-it note. No eye contact even.

To keep it in context - 'welcome homes' certainly don't make or break our vacation, but they do wonders in the warm & fuzzy department....

 

[Maistre Gracey]

Originally posted by jennybobenny
The friendliest 'welcome home' we've ever received came from, of all places, the guard at the entrance to Caribbean Beach Resort. It had nothing at all to do with DVC...

LOL! Indeed, we also have received "Welcome Homes" at The Poly. I wonder if security works multiple resorts? They may just be in the habit.

Originally posted by jennybobenny
To keep it in context - 'welcome homes' certainly don't make or break our vacation, but they do wonders in the warm & fuzzy department....

I completely agree with the above statement.

 

[MAC3]

Pretty Funny Maistre Gracey,

I was just going to say that we stayed at the Poly as a result of doing an add on @ BCV and as we were checking in my DH went through his wallet looking for his license, the guard in turn saw his dvc member card and said Thank You and Welcome Home!!

But I do wholeheartedly agree with the majority as far as the best Welcome Homes come from the guard(s) at the gate of Old Key West!!!! They are into it. Two thumbs up for the warm & fuzzies....

 

[nydizfan]

IMHO I think the whole 'welcome home' thing is a tad overated. I have been a member for 10 years and thought it was cute at first. Now I'm more interested in the condition and location of my villa..etc .ect........ just my 2 cents.....dave