What caused your "first step" to think of DVC?

[pauld2]

Short one here. I am Canadian, so not as familiar with timeshares as you Americans are. Had one too many mediocre vacations with the grandparents in Florida when in the midst of one decided to take my 4 year old daughter to WDW for a couple of days in Jan 2003 (we were staying in Fort Myers). While my wife and baby stayed at the beach with my parents (yikes) my daughter and I spent 2 nights at the All-Star Movies and went to the MK during the day. Had a great time, saw the DVC ads, and said that a new style vacation was appropriate.

Thought DVC was too much money, so started looking at Marriott. Impressed with the Marriott product, but found myself obsessed about trading into Disney and then unwilling to venture into the timeshare "lifestyle". Rationalised that going to spend lots of time at WDW with kids in the future, so decided to prepay and "lock-in" some stellar vacations in the future, and not worry about trading into anything.

Feel very good about the purchase, but have only sunk in $200 on non-DVC on-site resorts. Might not have been so willing having sunk thousands into on-site accomodation before seeing DVC.

 

[WDWguruDH]

DW and I went to WDW 3-4 times a year and actively avoided the DVC booth (timeshare and all). On a stay in December 2001, we had finished visiting AK and had about 2 hours before we had to leave to catch a plane. So, we stopped by the DVC booth. Told the guide that we did not like timeshares because we seldom planned travel, he explained the flexibility. With nothing to do for the next 2 hours, we decided to take the tour...the rest is history.

PS - we now have our vacations to WDW planed 3-4 years in advance - what a lifestyle change, for the better.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

In Sept.'91, we drove by the sign announcing DVC. That is all it took for me.

 

[DisneyDuo]

We had always wondered about the DVC, but figured it was for "rich" people, not middle-class folks like us.

Our last day of our last vacation this past January, we were having lunch at Big River Grille and each had a beer. We were going to play mini golf after lunch, but were feeling the effects of the beer. As we walked down Boardwalk, we saw the DVC open house, and decided, what the heck, let's check it out. We've got time and it will be something different. We agreed before we went it that we would just get info, not buy!

Surprise! We walked out with 150 pts in BCV. Now we can't wait for our first trip home next February!

So I guess if it wasn't for those beers at Big River, we wouldn't be part of the DVC family ;-)

Lin

 

[ncligs]

Originally posted by DisneyDuo
So I guess if it wasn't for those beers at Big River, we wouldn't be part of the DVC family ;-)

 

[Candace]

My husband has never liked to vacation. We took one trip in 1989 with our boys to WDW during July 4th week. Both boys had their 4th and 9th birthdays at MK. Husband was miserable, to say the least. We stayed offsite in a really nice condo, but he hated it. My boys and I returned in 90, 91, 92, 93. I didn't mind traveling with them by myself. In 92, I noticed a small card by the phone while we were staying in a cabin at FW. It was advertising DVC. My younger son and I took the tour, and in April, 1994, I bought my first contract at OKW (only DVC then). Didn't tell my husband for 5 years! He visited Thanksgiving of 1999 for the first time, and he was blown away by the 2BR at OKW. My reasons for buying were that I knew I would always vacation either with or without my boys, and Disney is somewhere I always felt was a bit safer than some other spots (especially when they were small). They are now 17 and 22 and have been going to the parks by themselves and with friends for several years now. Husband joins us rarely, but when he does, he likes it (just no parks please!). When we retire in a few years, we hope to enjoy low seasons at OKW.

 

[Merilyn]

We stayed at OKW before we knew it had a timeshare option. We needed a kitchen and had stayed at the other Disney properties that had kitchens. The year we stayed at OKW we saw people taking tours but didn't really check into it. The next year when we decided to go again, I called and asked if there was a timeshare at OKW. They sent me all the info and we bought over the phone. It was the best decision we ever made and have added many more points since then and that was 1994.