Brand new! Just bought DVC... now what?

[🍀TwinsMom]

We like to collect magnets and beach towels of every resort we stay at. If staying at your resort, buy that resort robes, both the summer weight ones and the winter weight ones! Especially if you're at Riviera. I felt very self-conscious going through the lobby in my wet bathing suit for night swimming/hot tubbing. We love the robes anyway at home, and both weights/styles work for us depending on the season. Make sure you get the DVC discount!

Find the DVC lounge at Epcot. It's nothing exciting -- don't get too worked up -- but it's nice to know where it is in case of impending weather on future trips.

I thought Saratoga had more DVC swag than OKW, and Riviera's shop is small but has some nice gems in there. Look into getting some art at their kiosk, if you're into that kind of thing. You get the discount on that, too.

LMS . . . sometimes in shoulder/off seasons (right after Christmas/Halloween/Easter) DVC will do an unadvertised 30% off in the parks, and I think twice a year ShopDisney will do a DVC Friends and Family-type discount code, maybe end of January or early February?

Best part of owning DVC, you qualify for the (hopefully) decent discount on new resorts going up for presale -- like Poly! LOL. Addonitis is real, and you probably won't be sorry. We love DVC, best thing we've bought besides our house. Leaving vacation with no room charges is pretty sweet. Only cost $20k+, but who's counting?

 

[WilsonFlyer]

Here's a piece of advice that's contrary to what you may believe.

Stay off the 'boards.' Hear me out, please.

There are a lot of us on this board that have been around a long time, and for the most part, we still love our DVC. but we've also been around long enough to have seen some not so good in DVC that goes along with most anything in life. And we talk about that stuff here. But most of it is just that. Just stuff.

Enjoy your new purchase. Enjoy the great advice already mentioned in this thread. Go and enjoy your first trip. Or four. I promise there won't be anything disappointing. Certainly not anything that really matters.

Then and only then, if you enjoy this kind of banter and may have questions, certainly come back. All are welcome. Always. If you choose to stay around from the get-go like I did (I was already here.), learn to separate the wheat from the chafe and remember the old addage that most things aren't nearly as bad as others sometimes make them out to be.

Welcome to the family, and a hearty WELCOME HOME!

 

[disland7]

Assuming they bought direct which is likely since they bought it on vacation yes, OP, do not book your own room for your first trip. Tell them you want to book at somewhere like Beach Club or something difficult to book since they can pull from the cash inventory for your first trip.

I didn’t know this!! What a missed opportunity

 

[ILoveMyDVC]

I didn’t know this!! What a missed opportunity

No, it is entitled BS. You didn't miss what some folks have enjoyed as a perk given to them perhaps unfairly. If you think being a member enjoins you to this kind if privilege, I will remind you that it should be according to points purchased. Hope you can hang out with the big boys (or gals). If DVC did this BS for every 50 point contract, it would be chaos. There is a minimum standard and then there is entitled. A new contract does not trump an existing point holder. Surely, you bought where you could afford to stay without Member Services intervening?

 

[disland7]

No, it is entitled BS. You didn't miss what some folks have enjoyed as a perk given to them perhaps unfairly. If you think being a member enjoins you to this kind if privilege, I will remind you that it should be according to points purchased. Hope you can hang out with the big boys (or gals). If DVC did this BS for every 50 point contract, it would be chaos. There is a minimum standard and then there is entitled. A new contract does not trump an existing point holder. Surely, you bought where you could afford to stay without Member Services intervening?

I’m not quite sure what all of this means. But yes I bought where I love to stay and have enjoyed all my stays over the years- and excited for years to come. And I thought about it after I posted that maybe this wasn’t an offered perk with my type of contract. I was mostly just sad if I missed out on something because I was unaware, but I am not truly upset or anything. I hope you are enjoying your stays as well.

 

[Mexacajun]

Well yeah of course it'd still have to be within 7 months. They're not going to give you home resort priority without owning there but people have been given rooms at BC and etc. with the inventory they hold onto.

100%

 

[WilsonFlyer]

See what I mean?

 

[The Jackal]

First off. Welcome home. Second thing. Prepare to buy more DVC. It’s a disease call Add-on-itis. It is easy to catch and difficult to cure.

 

[Chuck S]

Welcome Home!

Speaking of merch, anyone here remember when OKW first opened, and it was called the Disney Vacation Club Resort before the name was changed, and when you bought a resort shirt, you paid $5 extra to have MEMBER embroidered on it? As DVC was the resort name that merch could be purchased by both members and non-members, but only Members could get "MEMBER" embroidered on it.

 

[sndral]

There are two things DVC will do for a new direct purchaser.
The first is to help them book a ‘welcome home’ first visit on those new points. DVC’s point system/booking is somewhat complicated & extra assistance on that first booking enables a new owner to become more familiar with the system. & because the new owner likely bought too late in their use year to enjoy their 11 month or 7 month booking priority, DVC will help them w/ finding availability on that first booking, sometimes by pulling not yet booked cash inventory back into points inventory.
I think of that ‘perk’ as sort of evening the playing field for a new owner who likely isn’t yet comfortable w/ all of the ins and outs of the system & is at a disadvantage w/ availability due to when they bought.
The second thing DVC will do w/ newly purchased direct points is if they’re purchased after the banking deadline for the use year the points are in, DVC will waive the deadline & bank the newly purchased direct points for new & existing owners.

 

[intamin]

There are two things DVC will do for a new direct purchaser.
The first is to help them book a ‘welcome home’ first visit on those new points. DVC’s point system/booking is somewhat complicated & extra assistance on that first booking enables a new owner to become more familiar with the system. & because the new owner likely bought too late in their use year to enjoy their 11 month or 7 month booking priority, DVC will help them w/ finding availability on that first booking, sometimes by pulling not yet booked cash inventory back into points inventory.
I think of that ‘perk’ as sort of evening the playing field for a new owner who likely isn’t yet comfortable w/ all of the ins and outs of the system & is at a disadvantage w/ availability due to when they bought.
The second thing DVC will do w/ newly purchased direct points is if they’re purchased after the banking deadline for the use year the points are in, DVC will waive the deadline & bank the newly purchased direct points for new & existing owners.

@disland7 This. It's not beating the system or anything like that. DVC literally holds onto a small percentage of each DVC resort for cash bookings as mandated per Florida state law. They're not kicking out any existing owners for the stay. They are able to sell this inventory for cash or help out brand new owners make their first booking and they're able to pull a few more strings in order to make it happen.

That being said, it's not like it's a huge perk to miss out on or anything like that so I wouldn't feel sad about it. I had no idea about it when I first became a member and did not utilize it. Still managed to book a few nights in a Beach Club studio and regularly stay at Boardwalk without owning at either.

 

[bwang123]

What was the first thing you did?

We were on property at All-Star Sports when we bought. The first thing we did was have our DVC guide move the rest of our week to BLT. We were a short walk down the hall from TOWL.

 

[bwvBound]

Also new owner (bought DVC this week!), and really appreciate the advice in this thread!

And WELCOME HOME! to you, also! I so love your board name! (Sure, I also happen to love long-eared equines ... gotta love those ears!)

 

[bwvBound]

@amandolin, Welcome, Welcome, Welcome!

Anyway, I wonder if anyone has any tips for a brand new owner! What was the first thing you did? Anything you wish you did differently?

Also, did you have to buy DVC merch? I feel like i need to get something "DVC" before I leave!

Thanks!

Welcome, welcome!

Tip 1: Be open to booking units and locations that you hadn't originally planned on.
This is sometimes a bump to get over as you may have considered one specific location, unit type and season when trying to determine how many points to purchase. So now, don't let that calculation lock you into a plan. Rather, plan to be flexible.

It may be easier to book a 1BR unit than a studio unit. It may be easier to book a more expensive view than a lessor view; a handicapped unit vs a standard unit; a more "expensive" season than the "least expensive" season; etc.

Be aware the some locations and unit types have high competition and limited availability. Don't let that discourage you. Rather, consider them a challenge, if you wish, and enjoy the hunt -- while having a backup plan already booked.

Tip 2: Learn the rules / guidelines for yourself. Don't rely on what your guide said or your assumptions on how the system works. Read the materials given to you, take some notes, practice using the website and then start over.

Enjoy!

 

[DougEMG]

For mech I like to get a print of each of the resorts I own, which reminds me I need to get a RIV and CCR print as I bought them at the airport as I was leaving from my last trip.

Book as early as possible, be willing to be flexible and don't stress out if you aren't in the resort you want this time as you are going to have a lot of trips to try out the different resorts.

 

[kilik64]

 

[amandolin]

Welcome home! Definitely a little merch would be a good start! The next thing would be planning your first DVC vacation in the near future! Where do you now own?

Old Key West.. or as I learned OKW!

 

[amandolin]

Start planning that next trip!!! :-}

Where is the home resort?

OKW

 

[amandolin]

Maybe a pin of your home resort or the DVC magic bands! I started collecting a pin of each DVC resort I've stayed in thus far

That's a cute idea!! And pins are easy to bring home!

 

[amandolin]

welcome home! Get planning and booking trips… and saving for your next set of points!

I am already wondering when/how many I might need next time!