Why did you buy?

[cropman]

Maybe this has been asked before but, why did you buy DVC? There are other vacation clubs, timeshares, condos, etc. Our family bought DVC because we love getting out of cold Michigan and coming to Disney World. We bought into a timeshare because we used to think of every reason in the world not to take a vacation with the family. Too busy, kids schedule, no money right now, too late to go, all kinds of reasons. Now we go at least once a year, if not two or three. Without the DVC we would still be making up reasons not to get away and make memories that will last long after I'm gone. Just curious if I'm the only goofball who feels this way.

 

[teacher2525]

We bought because we could get deluxe accommodations for a reduced price. We would never shell out the cash for these rooms if we were paying regular rate. We also need the room as there are 5 of us and who wants to share 1 room with 3 boys and a husband Funny, we went last August and flew down early. We didn't have any extra points so we for 2 connecting rooms for 3 nights at POP and my children turned up their noses. What, no slide at the pool? The couldn't believe it. The little resort snobs Tried to use it as a lesson on how hard you had to work to get the finer things in life. Don't get me wrong they had a great time but couldn't wait to get to AKV.

I also like that it forces you to take a vacation. We would have just taken local vacations if we were not members. It helps that we all love Disney

 

[teacher2525]

Hey, I was 1st that was kind of exciting

 

[SusieBea]

We bought to save money and have a kitchen for a few meals (which is also to save money). We were going once a year (after we bought, we went more frequently) and, because there was something to do that each of us enjoyed, we knew we would continue to go, it made sense to pre-pay vacations. ANNNND at the time we bought, they were including free park passes for a few years. That didn't hurt.

 

[n2mm]

We bought for 2 reasons (though there really are more). One, we like that we never have to pay for the extra adult in the room which is required for regular disney resorts. Often one of our adult kids travel with us.

But the main reason was my DH was a CM and his store was closing after 8 years and we decided to buy in getting the incentives and his CM discount before that ended. We were use to getting our rooms at the CM rate for so many years and went to WDW 4 times year. After crunching the numbers, buying in would help us to continue to visit many times a year and with the discounts it was a bargain. (Of course we've since added on at the regular rate that others paid--but we did buy our biggest contract with the CM discount.)

Now with the extra perks, like the AP discount, it's just icing on the cake for us.

 

[omalley1118]

I honestly don't know!!! HAHA!! I had been all over the world without ever making it to Disney. We didn't travel when I was a child, etc. I could never understand why people went to the same place again and again....oops!! Look what I have become!

Then I had kids...and I went to WDW for the 1st time when I was 37yo...and we went the next 2 yeasr as well, and I became "one of those people". I love Disney because it's so easy with kids. No driving. No fuss. Everything is kid friendly. And it is so magical for the kids (and adults)!!

We looked at DVC seriously the year before we bought in, but I was still in nursing school. We bought in just before I graduated. We too would never pay rack rates for DVC resorts and were always very happy with RS and FQ.

I still ahven;t answered the ? have I??? We decided we were investing in future vacations I guess. We knew we were going to be coming again and again.

 

[jmchone0830]

We are in the process of purchasing now. It took us several years to make this decision. The deciding factor for us was needed the room. We are a family of five and stayed in POR last year for one night in a one room before our cruise and hated it. We like having the extra room to stretch out. Also because every time we sit down to plan a vacation we always come back to Disney. We just know that we're going to enjoy it and get the most for our money.

 

[CarolynMink]

I am one of those who thought about it many years before we bought.

I was on a business trip and chose to stay at OKW (new at that time & OKW only DVC). Because of traveling with two small children, I wanted the kitchen and the washer & dryer in my room. We even met with a guide. (I still have the book and info from my first meeting.) Seven long years later with many missed years of vacationing, we went back to WDW. We stayed at ASMov. (By the way, my children loved ASMov.) SSR was now selling. I had done all my research and was ready to sign. There was no way I was going to wait five years before going back to WDW.

The best part is when I asked for a tour, DVC set me up with the same guide I met with seven years earlier. Jim is still my guide!

We totally look at DVC as prepaying for hotel and forcing us to plan a vacation instead of letting those years fly by.

My children, much older now, DD 14, DS 12, will not sleep in the same bed, nor would I make them. So, now the space of DVC's 2Bs is truly giving me addonitis. Oh, I left out my DH and I did not sleep the whole time at ASMov. When you have a king size bed at home and your in a DBL bed(not even a Qn).

DVC has truly spoiled me even more then my children!

 

[bnk1120]

We bought DVC because we love Disney and were already going every year anyway. We didn't want to stay in value resorts anymore and realized that we could put our money into DVC instead of paying deluxe prices or praying for codes.

Although we are going through tough financial times, we will still be going to Disney this year to make priceless memories with our 6 year old. Without DVC we would have skipped a trip this year to pay bills instead! I'm so glad that we have DVC!!!

#1 reason we bought: life is too short and we want to enjoy the time we have together !!!!

 

[ToddyLu]

I hate whipping out Hurricane Katrina--like beating a dead horse. But, I try to be very honest. We lost the contents of our home, MIL's home and then FIL passed away 5 weeks later (2 1/2 yr battle with Cancer). DH and I decided to take our annual trip that year in Dec. It helped us begin the healing process I think...how could it not...being the happiest place on Earth.

Life changes in an instant.

Disney is more than a vacation to us...we could travel anywhere. But it is a special vacation because we have been each year, we know our way around. We are completely comfortable there and it seems like home to us. So we bought a piece of "our home" last year. We love it.

 

[ssawka]

We bought for DD and my love of Disney. I grew up going to Disney World every year. I hadn't been back in nearly a decade when DD was born. I knew that I wanted to share Disney with her. We went once and she was treated so well that I knew I wanted to bring her back every year. You see, DD has special needs, but at Disney she is treated like every other child. The one thing that really was the deciding factor for us though was the 50 year contract period. By buying DVC, I know that if anything ever happens to DW and I, DD's caretaker will be able to continue bringing her back every year.

 

[drusba]

Its been 13 years now and key reasons we purchased (at BWV shortly after it opened):

1. We wanted to be able to stay on site and have a 2BR (did not like just having a hotel room) and not pay a gazillion dollars for it (space is a highly desired commodity to us).

2. We had checked out OKW when it opened but did not buy because of location and too much like a condo -- we like hotel services when we go. BWV provided ideal location and hotel services.

3. We had been going to WDW for years -- you can't beat having parks, restaurants, golf courses, everything in one place.

4. Like ssawka, we have a handicapped daughter (child then, adult now). The one thing WDW does is make it ideal for those with special needs to have a good time.

 

[DebbieB]

I loved the luxury of a 1 bedroom and didn't want to pay $400+ a night to stay in one.

 

[wideeyedwonder]

Maybe this has been asked before but, why did you buy DVC?

We go to DLR (in California) twice a year, almost without fail...even before DVC. We LOVE staying at The Grand, but it was just getting too darn expensive! Even with the higher point requirements, the Villas give us a MUCH nicer room at a lower per night cost. When inflation (eventually) kicks in, the difference will only get bigger.

Also, we LOVE having a kitchen available...it has actually saved us a lot of $$$ our last trip.

SO, all in all, much less $$$ spent per trip, for a much nicer room, for a trip we would be taking anyway.

 

[Sandisw]

We bought because they built BLT and had been traveling to WDW for years, staying mostly at the CR.

We thought about it for years, but where we stay is the most important to us and simply didn't want to stay at the other DVC resorts.

We anticipated continuing to go to WDW, and now that we had an option that was within walking distance to MK (our favorite park), it was a no brainer.

We ran the numbers and the points we would buy would not cost us more than what we had been averaging for room costs, and for the most part, after 10 years, save us money so we jumped in.

Could not be happier AND really excited about next summers trip in a 1 bedroom!!!!

 

[Goofy DVC]

A lot of reasons but the #1 reason would have to be that I am a workaholic and DVC gives me that nudge every year to take a break. I know without it we would end up going years without a real vacation. Best decision we ever made. 17 years of great times, wonderful memories, and just feeling happy.

 

[franandaj]

Our initial purchase was at SSR through resale in 2007. I have no idea why DP decided to buy in. I suspect it was because we had recently come back from our 3rd trip to WDW and we payed almost $700 a night for three nights in a 1 bedroom suite on the Concierge level In actuality they gave us a 2 bedroom suite, but we wanted to do the Sunrise Safari and they had no regular Concierge rooms available even at 1 year out! We knew we would keep going back if not anually then every other year.

It took me about 8 months after our 2nd contract we made an offer on finally passer ROFR to actually take a look at the book, figure out how the points system worked, get registered for the website and book a vacation. At three months out the only place available was our home SSR. We stayed 8 days and it was just brilliant!

The following year we tried three times to book trips, but I had to cancel them just over a month beforehand because of health issues. The third trip was in the 2009 UY and I had 140 points that had to be used up before Sept. We decided to use the points at the Grand since we had several events going on for F&W in CA and thought it would be nice not to have to drive home afterwards.

Well the last night of the festival I was soaking in the standard tub after attending Taste thinking about how wonderful it was to come back to the room after eating and drinking all that fantastic food & wine. And then it dawned on me, once they open the villas HERE, we won't be able to book regular hotel rooms on points AND my SSR points will be no good to me because the rooms will all be gone by 7 months out during F&W!

The next morning after our obligatory ride on TSM at park opening (love that early entrance from the Grand!), we headed over to the DVC desk in the Lobby and found out that our guide (whom we never met having purchased through resale) had an appointment available in about 30 minutes. We headed over there, and I asked for copies of the point charts.

Quickly I determined that the 330 points I needed for 1 brs 3 weekends a year was not in the budget ($30K). So I settled for 150 points, as it turned out we hummed and hawed for a few weeks, and they lowered the price a few dollars (or increased the incentive). Bottom line for the same $'s I could get 165 points

So that's what we have. All for love of Food & Wine!

 

[TEK224]

I bought 1st contract in 2004 and the add-on in 2007. Initially bought after spending approx. $3k for concierge leel at WL. (Room was not big). The next year I was planning a stay at the Poly, which would have cost me about $2400. After realizing how much $$ I was spending on those two trips, I decided to cancel the Poly and put that money towards my purchase (for vacations for the next 46 years )

When I went down in 2007, I had booked a 2BR at SSR. Friends were coming down to stay with me and insisted on paying towards room (even though I told them I didn't need to "pay" during the trip). So I used that money towards my add-on.

I like having the laundry and whirlpool tub in the room.

 

[shellybaxter]

Why did we buy in? because it was raining. We were on a two week trip - staying at the GF - and it rained almost the whole day sometime during the second week. We were in the room watching the DVC channel and decided to take the tour. When I called the lady said she has never had someone call from their room and make an appointment. We went on the tour - LOVED the one bedroom amenities (always having a king bed and a large tub). We bought in that day and have never regreted it. We have grown to also love the washer and dryer

 

[JimC]

We liked staying on property in one bedroom villas that cost about the price of a resort room.