Before 1999, sales at the existing resorts had been steady but not overwhelming. OKW sold out (for the first time before additional units were built) over about a 7 to 8 year period. BWV opened in mid-1996 and through 1998 was about 28% sold. Total membership was about 33,000. Then lighting struck. Sales took off, particularly at BWV. OKW went on sale again with new buildings. BWV and the remainder of OKW were sold out by Nov 2000. VWL went on sale in mid-Jan 2001 and is expected to sell out this year. Membership is now close to 60,000, i.e., it almost doubled in 2 1/2 years. That membership number counts joint owners as one. If you count all persons, owners and kids, you probably have 200,000 or more people now who are part of DVC.
It became so popular and "hot" after 1998 probably partly as a result of favorable economic conditions and a huge spreading of the word via all the sites that appeared on the web. Economic conditions have now changed and I expect BCV to sell slower than the prior feverish pace unless conditions improve significantly.