How Long Did It Take For You To Buy?

[jimmytammy]

We bought site unseen in late 01. We looked into it on our 2nd trip to the World in late 2000 while staying at All Star Sports. I remember the DVC rep sitting near the corner of the Guest Services desk and my DW and I spoke to him. He tried to get us to go on a tour but my folks were with us so we had to forego that. But it piqued our interest in DVC. So once home we called and got the info by mail. We pondered over it but thought it a bit steep($70 per pt)so couldn't con DW into it. A yr later I had a plan of where the money was coming from and she reluctantly agreed and 4 contracts at VWL, 2 at BWV and here we are!!

 

[jodifla]

We toured at Vero in 1996, then stopped by OKW to tour and BWV, too, the following week. We bought right away --- we knew it would be right for us. So glad I didn't hem and haw when I look at today's prices.

 

[Micca]

I wanted to buy from day 1! We just couldn't justify the expense until our DDs graduated from college. We bought SSR around in the early 2000s, don't recall the year. We did take a tour but we were ready to buy a contract anyway. What we didn't see coming were the add-ons at OKW, AKL, and BLT. The AKL & BLT tours def. sold us on those resorts.

 

[Murron]

didn't take us long at all. Disney Vacation Club at what is now OKW, 1992.

 

[TiggerBouncy]

First tour was Vero Beach - 1996. Said no way at the time.
Looked at it again 2008 after I got divorced and a few more times over the years. Finally purchased in 2011.

 

[APiratesLifeForMe2]

About 5 years. Started seriously talking about it and doing the math but never had the extra funds to pay for it. Around 5 years later we had the finances in order so we started watching resale listings and within a few months we bought. No tours.

 

[zachatak]

2 Years... I had always been anti-Disney until my wife FINALLY dragged me and, at that time, 3, 5 and 11 yr old daughters to Art of Animation for our first family Disney trip. We drove that time.... 10 hours with a 3 yr old who had to go potty every 45 minutes it seemed. After that first trip, my wife and I came back a few months later alone w/o the kids and stayed at the Polynesian. That was all it took and we were hooked. We bounced around to several resorts over the next year to check everything out and then I spent a few months doing research on DVC and crammed numbers into Excel spreadsheets until it was clear it made sense based on our multiple trip per year habits. Our first contract was 210 pts at Bay Lake and its been all down hill (financially!) from there.

 

[LSchrow]

hated timeshares, refused to buy into a timeshare..........
stayed at almost all the mods & deluxes, then started vacationing at the BWVs & found ourselves addicted.
I researched everything, & did some serious number crunching - end result was that purchasing DVC would be less expensive than using CM cash discount to book, wouldn't be dependent on my staying with TWDC forever, and importantly, the program flexible enough to fit our lives over the years (we didn't take a tour until years after purchase).
18 years and over 800 points later, we are still very, VERY happy with our decision

 

[Firepath]

Our first WDW trip was in 2002, first DVC tour in January 2011 during our 7th visit. I poured over that DVC booklet with beautiful glossy photos (still have it by the way) for months trying to make the math work for us but just couldn't justify it vs. cash stays. Found this website and bought resale in October 2012 when kids were in early teens. Also did a small add on in August 2013. Like many others, wish we'd bought in earlier, especially when the kids were younger. Most of our trips now are just DH and myself.

 

[marx]

We were/are frequent travelers to WDW. We went on DVC tours and met with a sales rep three times - in 1991 (or 1992), 1995, then again in 1996 when we decided to buy (at Boardwalk). After doing the math we cancelled the purchase within the 30 day cancellation window. The sales rep (who had met with us on all three visits - Disney kept a record on who you met with and always paired us up) said to return our purchase gift and to not tour again. She was really upset

Anyway, we purchased AKV in 2007 while on a a Disney cruise.

 

[keaster]

We bought direct on a DCL cruise in 2011. We had been to WDW twice and stayed off site both times...we had seen the DVC booths in the park but never thought much about it! We attended the cruise presentation and figured we had some extra money at the time and why not? Mind you our Canadian dollar was above par so we made out pretty good on the deal. We would like to add on (probably resale) but will likely wait a bit to see what the exchange rate does in the next year.

 

[DenLo]

We heard about it in 1995 and bought in 2009 and never did a tour we just read up on it and talked to owners. We didn't even go to WDW for 13 of those years between because of the cost of a Disney vacation. All those missed Disney vacations, so sad.

 

[lillasmom]

I did a tour in 1998 and wanted by buy but it wasn't in the cards. Finally bought at OKW in 2001, before I got married. Now I own at BLT. Love it!!!! Always seem to run out points though.

 

[Husurdady]

WE started looking in 1995, it took us till June 10th 1997 to buy into OKW,.... yes 6/10/1997 ....and now our 20th year with DVC.....a good move.....a real good move.

 

[lisaviolet]

Started tours/interest in 1995 and bought in 2005. With many "why aren't you buying - you're back here again?" from our guide at the time.

Haven't ever regretted not buying sooner. One, I wanted to pay upfront. That decision meant I did not have to sell in tougher financial periods that you often don't see coming. And two, I have such beautiful memories of delayed gratification. Truly. They are almost as wonderful as owning. Especially sitting on the boardwalk staring up at people on their balconies and thinking ONE DAY!

 

[loveswdw]

Did the tour at the Boardwalk in 1999 on our honeymoon. Just couldn't justify the extra money at the time since we had just bought a house the year prior. But we always said we would buy before we started a family because we knew once we had kids we'd never "find the money". In 2003, we decided that the time was right to start thinking about having a family. I told my DH I wanted to buy DVC. He agreed. I called our guide who had given us the tour in 1999 (still had all the info). BWV wasn't for sale anymore through DVC (or so we were told) but we could buy at BCV which had not opened yet. So, we bought BCV sight unseen in March 2003--still a perfect choice for us since Epcot is our favorite. Then I found out I was pregnant in early May with the first DS. So the timing worked great! Our first BCV stay was our babymoon in Oct 2003.

 

[Judique]

We did a promo stay at Hilton Head in 1997. $100 for a 2 bedroom with a $25 gift certificate back.

Loved it! But it was a timeshare and my financial advisor said no to timeshares.

3 years later in 2000 I bought in at BWV, then added on at Vero, HH and BCV.

No regrets!

A friend tried to talk me into OKW as it was 'bigger' and considered 'better' by a lot of folks back in 2000. There were jokes about sitting on your balcony and being able to get a beer out of the fridge without getting out of your chair. I liked the BW and I bought where I wanted to stay and here I am 17 years later.

Anyway financial advisor bought at Hilton Grand Vacations and no longer owns there. I often wonder if he lost any money on that one.

 

[Simba's Mom]

There were jokes about sitting on your balcony and being able to get a beer out of the fridge without getting out of your chair. I liked the BW and I bought where I wanted to stay and here I am 17 years later.

Ah, yes-Richyams! He also said you could clean your villa at BWV with one paper towel. He was a HUGE OKW fan, and made a long-lasting impression here with his sense of humor (obviously).

 

[CarolynFH]

....There were jokes about sitting on your balcony and being able to get a beer out of the fridge without getting out of your chair. ...

Ah, yes-Richyams! He also said you could clean your villa at BWV with one paper towel. He was a HUGE OKW fan, and made a long-lasting impression here with his sense of humor (obviously).

Thanks for jogging my memory of Richyams! I miss him although we too love our BWV and are happy we bought there!

 

[doombuggy]

I have been going to wdw since 1974, every summer coming down to visit my grandparents in Tampa and we would come up for the day to visit the park. My dad and his wife bought into a timeshare in Kissimmee back in 1990 and we used to come down during Presidents' Day week. They took the tour sometime in the later '90s but eventually bought at Hilton - the one across from sea world. I knew I wanted dvc. I have been with the company since 1996, but was financially ready to buy when a deal came up in March 2006 - I got a 100 pt contract, the $8 per share discount plus the cast discount at the time. I split the payment - part down, part on the Disney visa to be paid off in 6 mo interest free, and part mortgaged. The mortgage was paid off by 2008 and I owned my contract free and clear - bought my home in 2011. I have used it to stay in some places I wouldn't have paid the rack rate for - grand Californian hotel, Disneyland Paris hotel, ambassador hotel in Tokyo Disney (in October). I don't regret it and haven't added on...don't feel the need since I am local to wdw and the price is a bit out there now.

Meanwhile, dad has sold his timeshare in Kissimmee and they traded the grand vacations one from Orlando to nyc where they get to spend weekends seeing a good show every once and awhile.