How has DVC changed your Disney vacations?

[tellingson]

I recently posted about how DVC ruined my vacation. The tldr was that for us, VGC was so much better than our offsite accommodations, that we spent the whole vacation wishing we were staying there.

But I wanted to share how DVC has changed our Disney vacations.

Growing up, Disney vacations happened very rarely. I come from a big family and so going to Disneyland was a BIG DEAL. As a result, we would get there and GO GO GO! As a kid, it was great. At the end of the vacation, I went back to school didn't think much of it. That is just how we did it. We were at the gate for rope drop, and leaving as the park was closing.

As an adult, I've gone to Disneyland and Disney World quite a few times with my wife's family...and it has been the same. By the end of the vacation, we needed a vacation from our vacation.

When my wife and I were first looking into DVC, one of the major selling points for us, was KNOWING that we would be coming back. By buying into DVC, we were forcing ourselves to come back within the next 3 years.

It changed our whole outlook on the vacation. We stroll around and just enjoy the parks now. As we walk past haunted mansion, if the wait is short, we get on. If it isn't short, we say, "oh well, maybe next time." and we move on.

We have noticed 5 major changes as a result of being a DVC member.
1. Our vacations are relaxing because there is less pressure to do everything. We know we are coming back.
2. We enjoy them so much more - This ties into #1 - Less stress = more enjoyment.
3. Oddly enough, we still feel like we did everything we wanted to in the parks.
4. We have a tendency to bring friends along. I'm not exactly sure how this happened, but we are often saying "Let's go to Disney. Ooh! Look dear! We have enough points for a 2-bedroom if we borrow from next year. Who should we invite?" In fact, I don't think we have done a DVC stay with just our family since buying in 7 years ago...and our next 2 stays are already planned...and we are bring people with us.
5. We consider staying at places that we otherwise wouldn't have. We are actively talking about when we are going to go to Hawaii (Aulani). We are talking about going to a beach resort. That would have never happened without being DVC members.

What about you? How have your Disney Vacations changed as a result of being DVC members?

 

[SleeplessInTO]

I go a lot more often to Disney and it’s become almost my exclusive vacation destination. December 2018 was our “once in a lifetime” visit. February 2019 we closed on our resale contract. Two more trips have occurred since December 2018 and I currently have 3 trips to Disney coming up that I’m actively planning for... one that includes people outside of my immediate family. And we recently decided not to go spend a long weekend in beautiful Philadelphia because “for that much time and money we could fly to Orlando instead!”

 

[AvidDisReader]

Going more often of course. With the points we have we can easily do 2 week long trips and sometimes sneak in a third. More importantly, it allows us to take one trip a year as a one on one with one of our grand kids. Going as a family is great, but when a child gets to go and it is all about them only--now that is special.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

We no longer own, but did for several years. One of our home resorts was VB.

We always wanted to live in the warm weather, but not sure exactly where.
We loved the Vero resort area so much, we actually built a home about 10 minutes from the Vero resort.

That’s not exactly an example of how DVC changed our vacations, but it is an example of how DVC changed our lives !!

edited for grammar.

 

[DaisyNY]

I agree...being DVC owners our experience is much different than when we visited prior times. Don't feel the need to rush to parks, do every ride...Find ourselves enjoying resorts more, entertainment and dining at DS and just relaxing on a Disney trip!

 

[tellingson]

We no longer own, but did for several years. One of our home resorts was VB.

We always wanted to live in the warm weather, but not sure exactly where.
We loved the Vero resort area so much, we actually built a home about 10 minutes from the Vero resort.

That’s not exactly a example of how DVC changed our vacations, but it is an example of how DVC changed our lives !!

Wow! That adds a whole new meaning to “buy where you want to stay”! My wife and I have joked about buying in at Golden Oaks, but that is just a little out of our price range.

 

[linzjane88]

We always used to do off site rentals or *maybe *a moderate for a few days split with a rental home. When we first bought dvc we planned on doing studio stays only. That lasted one stay until we discovered the amazingness of a one bedroom. Ha ha! I can't fathom being on vacation and sharing one sleeping area with my kids now.

We still do rental houses when we do big groups because momma doesn't have enough points for a GV.... but a girl can dream.

 

[bwvBound]

What about you? How have your Disney Vacations changed as a result of being DVC members?

I’d say #1 change is that we now consider FL a vacation destination. Our DVC purchase wasn’t about vacations but housing for a tech conferences held annually at the resorts near Epcot: Dolphin, Swan, Yacht Club and Boardwalk. The conference was huge! 20k attendees at the peak and for many years (1996-2002) fully paid by our employers. Then ... things changed and the employer quit funding the conference. We exchanged into Boardwalk Villas a couple times from other timeshare and in 2004 purchased our first contract. Our use remained almost exclusively work-related until 2015 when the conference moved. Since then, we use DVC for, um, personal travel. Seems weird!

#2 is that we invite family and friends to share. Of course, we’d already been doing that with the other timeshare ... so it was natural. Snag a 3BR Grand Villa at DVC SSR via RCI against other timeshare for an Oct F&W trip? Hot dog! Invite both sets of parents and enjoy! (So glad we did that trip!). Visit FL for ProBowl? Book a Treehouse and invite friends with their children. Cold, but fun. RunDisney Everest event? Yes! Book a pair of 2BR units at AKL and invite both family and friends. Whee!

In 2006, similar to @Maistre Gracey, we purchased a vacation home near our most favorite timeshare (hot springs, mountains, and horses!). Sadly, the resort closed in 2012 and remains closed still ... but I’m now living full time in that ‘vacation’ home and have my horses in the backyard. Whee! Loving it. Timeshares can change your vacations ... and your life.

 

[Castillo Mom]

Our first two trips were prior to purchasing DVC. We were so excited to be there, we had to maximize our time and be at the parks for rope drop and stay until closing. By the third trip and first DVC stay, we still rope dropped, but I started to build more non park days into our itinerary, and our stays got longer.

Now, the rule of thumb is to avoid rope drop as much as possible and we do two park days followed by a resort only day. I’ve also invited extended family to stay with us several times and gifted my son and DIL a stay at AKV for their honeymoon.

Love my DVC!

 

[bobbiwoz]

In the Disboards news stories, there’s a story about NOT Walking BWV Resort reservations, even though the person wanted 7 studios in December for a special 90th birthday celebration for the persons mom.

Well, that’s just about the same as my DVC beginning story. We bought at BWV in 2003 because in 2004, my mom turned 85 and she wanted to celebrate in WDW, staying at BWV, because that was HER favor WDW Resort. We had 14 people total, 1 2 bedroom, 4 studios. There was no walking, had to call day by day! We got them, and like the article, we needed DECEMBER! We needed standard view if we were to stay 4 nights with everyone. Mom’s party ended December 23, and everyone who lived east Coast to Ohio went home to a gigantic snowstorm. It was memorable!

Right from that beginning we have shared our points with family and friends. Our point total has grown, it seems we have 24 parts to our contract, most of which are in the 25-60 point range. Most have been bought direct as we had the cash to add on. At that time there were no closing costs.

WDW, DCL, and Aulani are some of our favorite places/ways to vacation. When we were raising our sons in the 1980’s, Florida was a favorite destination, and we would go to WDW every three years, for one week of our two week vacation because my mantra to our sons was “There’s more to FL than Disney World.”

Last year we cruised around the Horn of South America, did the DVC Member Cruise on the West coast WITH the add on ABD ( terrific) and then did Princess Cruise and land tour of Alaska, including Denali. So, we continue to go elsewhere, but DVC and WDW by ourselves and with family and friends is where most of our vacation time is spent. Most of our points are of 2042 expiration, and that’s just fine with us.

DVC has made our WDW vacations MUCH more frequent and enjoyable!

 

[PsycProfPlum]

In the Disboards news stories, there’s a story about NOT Walking BWV Resort reservations, even though the person wanted 7 studios in December for a special 90th birthday celebration for the persons mom.

That was Pete Werner, DisUnplugged celebrity and owner of these here boards

 

[bobbiwoz]

That was Pete Werner, DisUnplugged celebrity and owner of these here boards

Oh! Somehow I missed that!