What arguments did you use to convince spouse?

[mrskay9]

Hi. A little background info. I've been to wdw once as a child, went on my honeymoon 5 years ago, and have a trip planned in Sept 2005 using my parents timeshare RCI.

My one and only dd will be 3.5 for our Sept 2005 trip.

I am DYING to go. I sit here, much like you all I know, trying to plan and save and figure out how to go again and more and more!

So I've been looking into this DVC thing and want to bring it up to dh soon. I just don't want to say the wrong thing right off the bat and ruin it. He'll totally shut down after that and that'll be the end of that!

So I just wondered if you all could give me pointers on what to say. Or should I just order that video on the disney dvc site? BTW, it asked if someone referred me? Do you all get something if you refer someone??

Thanks for any info,

 

[tjkraz]

The one factor that had the most impact on us was being able to rent points to stay at OKW before buying ourselves. We had two families going--5 total indiviudals. The original plan was to get two rooms at a WDW Moderate resort. Total cost would have been over $200 per night.

Instead we rented points from a DVC member at $10 each and were able to book all of us--comfortably--in an OKW Two Bedroom. If memory serves, the total cost was $1100 for 5 nights.

Having a full kitchen meant that we didn't have to pay Disney prices for three meals / day. Having two bedrooms and a separate living room meant that we didn't have to tip-toe around the room when our son took his nap. Having a washer and dryer in the room meant that we didn't have to pack clean clothes for every day of the trip. This was particularly beneficial when we got drenched by rain showers and could easily slip into clean, dry clothes.

For awhile we convinced ourselves that we could get by renting points indefinitely. But then I actually ran through some numbers and determined that buying our own contract was more beneficial than even renting in the long run.

Aside from experiencing the rooms ourselves, my wife was particularly impressed with the DVC Promotional Video. Once she saw all of the other destinations at which we could use our points, it removed a lot of concern as to what we would do with the points if we tired of going to WDW year after year.

 

[poohj80]

Originally posted by mrskay9
Hi. A little background info. I've been to wdw once as a child, went on my honeymoon 5 years ago, and have a trip planned in Sept 2005 using my parents timeshare RCI.

Which resort did you trade into with RCI? We did this too last December staying at the Sheraton Vistana (our DVC membership in SSR didn't begin until May 04) using mom's banked week that was going to expire and the whole time we kept saying we couldn't wait to stay at the DVC resorts as we were SO disappointed with our accommodations.

Are we spoiled? YES! Do we deserve it? You Betcha!

 

[princess&tig]

I am a husband

Well I would start by ordering the DVC video. Disney will tell it better than you. It would be better if you could visit the models at SSR but thats OK.

Pretend like you are not at all sold on the idea and that you have lots of concerns. Go slow!! Get this out of the way early, it is a "Timeshare". But then make it seem like you found it out it is very flexible (cruises, other hotels...)

Then use the buzz words:
"We can own a piece of the Magic"
"We are just prepaying for future vacations" - Your going to spend the money anyway
"If you Believe in Magic, You Belong"
"Which hotel do you think we should own at?"
Start planing trips and who you would take. Room types and locations
Then talk through the fanancing. How they may provide credit, what the payments would be per month.

Then do nothing. Let it rattle around in there for a couple days.

Then wait 3 days

Then make him watch the video again and pause it to show him the beautiful rooms and hotels. Then a little more vacation planning and bring the daughter into it. How she can inherit it when you get older. How much family vacations can mean to family. And the she will always remember trips to WDW.

If it still has not changed him, you need to visit the SSR model site.

Good luck and God Bless

 

[Noelle]

The biggest selling point to my husband was having a washer and dryer in our unit. He also like the fact that for about the same amount we were spending on one deluxe room we could have a one bedroom villa that would give us a little privacy.

I agree about ordering the video first. We looked at pictures on allears.net of the different resorts and their ammenities. We both were very cautious with our decision. We looked at our vacation patterns. We had started going to WDW at least once a year or more.

Then most importantly, we looked at our budget. After looking at all of those things, the scale tipped toward buying.

Now the only problem is my husband doesn't want to stay in any place other than DVC!

 

[mrskay9]

thanks for the awesome tips! All of them!

I will go ahead an order the video then.

Thanks! It means a lot! You've helped a lot!

 

[kpk89]

The idea of having the privacy of a 1br instead of sharing a regular hotel room with our 3 kids was a big plus. We also went with family (on their points) to HHI and stayed in a 2br, and he really liked the convenience of having a kitchen and a washer/dryer.

The final factor, however, was probably the guilt from not having built the deck YET that he's been promising me for 3 years!

Good luck!

 

[Granny]

Originally posted by mrskay9
So I've been looking into this DVC thing and want to bring it up to dh soon. I just don't want to say the wrong thing right off the bat and ruin it. He'll totally shut down after that and that'll be the end of that!

I too am the husband. And I was the one who had to do the convincing, though admittedly it wasn't all that difficult.

First off, I would strongly urge you not to use the word "timeshare". It is an immediate shut down for many, many people, and rightly so.

Instead, focus the discussion on creating traditions and memories for your little girl.

Mention her often....a little daughter is probably his achilles heel if he's like 99% of fathers!


Then casually mention that Walt Disney World is really 99 holes of championship golf courses, with a few theme parks sprinkled around to provide a nice setting for the golf.


About that time, have your daughter come in, with tears welling in her eyes, asking if she'll ever get to meet Mickey Mouse in person.


While he's consoling her, slip the contract in front of him and have him sign the Mickeys, and date the palm trees.


Should be no problem for you! And soon you'll be heading to WDW on a regular basis, looking like this:

 

[pumpkinboy]

I too am the Husband and I too needed to do the convincing. Of course, being a finance wonk, in did a Net Present Value spreadsheet and showed DW that the breakeven point with the most stringent assumptions was about 11 years and that a more reasonable scenario brought breakeven to less than 8 years.

Another advantage (at least from a convincing standpoint) is that our older child, 7 yr old DS, is severely handicapped and completely wheelchair-bound. Disney is the only place that fully cater to him and his needs and preferences, and everything is wheelchair accessible. The fact that WDW was the first vacation our son didn't hate was the best convincing DW could have. 5 yr old DD doesn't mind a bit, and her big brother tolerates Princess breakfasts well enough .

Of course, now that we've stayed there and really loved the units, she is completely sold.

Good luck!

 

[tjkraz]

Originally posted by Granny
First off, I would strongly urge you not to use the word "timeshare". It is an immediate shut down for many, many people, and rightly so.

Just want to add that I agree with Granny's take on "timeshare."

But, if the word does come up and causes the conversation to go south, be prepared to throw some water on the fire. If your husband tries to "shut down" over the timeshare issue, ask him what he knows about timeshares:

Husband: "You want us to spend fifteen-thousand dollars on a TIMESHARE?!?"

You: "Well, it would save us a lot MORE money in the long run. Did you have a concern about timeshares in general?"

He'll probably bring up things like being pigeon-holed into a single vacation week, immediate decline in value after you buy and/or inability to sell your ownership months or years down the road. As you probably know, none of these are issues with DVC.

Just be prepared to address the Timeshare question in a logical, factual manner and it can be easily overcome.

 

[sarhenty]

This is great stuff!

I just recently had to go through with this not only with my husband but with my dad too who's more frugal than all of us put together! The reason being that we ALWAYS go to Disney with them so it made sense buying in together!

Very helpful info, especially GRANNY'S...FUNNY!

 

[DrTomorrow]

I am also a husband. And although I'm the researcher in our twosome, I think it was a close race as to which of us called a Guide first!

Now I'm a little scared, because when I read the OP but nothing more, my first thought was "Don't say timeshare!"; then I see those noted troublemakers Granny and tjkraz giving the same advice. Seriously, though, that word just short-circuits most folks' brains; I've told lifelong friends about our DVC purchase, and when they heard the words "timeshare" and "Florida", I might as well have told them I just bought a kidney on eBay!

I agree with the "video" advice, but let me expand on it for a second. You know your husband better than we do (I hope so, anyway!), so think about his priorities. Is he a "dollars and sense, run.it.through.a.spreadsheet" man? If so, be prepared to talk numbers with him - there are several "break.even" threads here that would help. Is he more of a "sappy, life's.about.the.memories" guy? Then stress the fun you had - and that you'll all have as you take DD to WDW again and again. Is he "detail-oriented" (like many of us on the DIS)? Then have your facts in order - some people in your position have printed out DIS threads to overcome objections. Is he "Disney-phobic", as in "We just went to WDW 4 years ago, and you want to go again"? If so, short of promising him that DVC ownership includes a date with a Disney Princess, you're on your own....

Best of luck, and I hope we'll soon be telling you "Welcome Home"!

 

[crisi]

We went in 2001. Stayed at the WL. Hubby said "what is this DVC thing." I said "Disney's timeshare. We aren't interested." Well, I was, but I really didn't want the stress of dealing with it on vacation. I know my husband, he'll buy anything. And we were busy and had two toddlers in tow, so I just didn't want to deal with it then.

Got home, did my research. Sent my husband the analysis off of mouseplanet and said "I started looking into that DVC thing a little, and I think it might be a good deal."

That was pretty much it. I'm the finacially conservative one, as I said, he'll buy anything.

I'd say let the magic of Disney do its thing. If you can find some excuse to visit the DVC resort you are interested in buying (lunch at Beaches and Cream is a good excuse to look at Beach Club and the Boardwalk - we ended up buying BW after having never been in the area). While it would be nice to arrange a tour, you might be better off letting touring be "his" idea. I've noticed that the DVC booth is often convienently located next to the pin booth or gift shop, so he might be drawn to that when he gets bored of pins......

 

[my3kids]

I'm also at the researching and trying to decide point in the process. I went through the researching and deciding about 5 years ago and decided it wasn't the right thing. Now I'm doing it again.

I agree wholeheartedly though with the above statement to mention it, then not mention it again and see what transpires. I will actually do the same thing with the book of information. I'll read it and know for myself, then leave it where he can find it.

 

[tigger24]

Hi MrsKay,

Sent you a PM.

Let me know if you need anything.

Tigger24

 

[ainmama2001]

The food and laundry are biggies. That and the fact that for $200 a month I have a place to stay in Disney for the next 50 years...how can you beat it?

 

[Tennesotans]

I'm the husband... and my wife is not a Disney nut.

The technique I used involved a) getting the video and b) suggesting that we buy a small amount of points on the resale market. This allows for us to "put our toes in the water." I showed her the resale market information (historically the prices have held firm/increased) and that we could sell it if we grew tired of it. Risk minimization.

We have taken two trips... and she's still wary. So we are at a compromise... we are members of DVC who only go every other year. I'm hoping that she LOOVES Hilton Head

 

[NUHuskies#1]

I am the wife... My husband told me I had earn "points" with him first! It was our little joke for about a week. Actually, he loves Disney and we've been taking our children each year for a while now. It was just natural for us to want to join DVC, with the kids getting bigger and wanting larger accomodations. Also, not worrying about a fridge in the room was kinda key for us, if you can believe it.

He didn't take much convincing at all and earning points was fun!


Good luck.

 

[6bowmans]

I knew I wanted DVC, but my DW wasn't so sure. I rented VWL points on one of our trips, and when we returned home, I gave her all the significant financial details. We purchased a VWL resale one week later, and we are all very happy.

 

[Alysa]

More than 4 decades of honeymoons!