Once you became a DVC member, (how) did your vacations change?

[Fargoman2]

We have been to WDW eight times and expect to keep going back again and again and again. Thus, we are all but signed, sealed and delivered to become DVC members.

One of the many appealing factors for joining DVC is having the comfortable, spacious accommodations that would encourage a more relaxed approach to our Disney vacations. As in, we may indeed welcome a change from the up at the crack of dawn every single day to catch rope drop and race through the park til you drop strategy. Instead, a little less hurried, more laid back approach might allow us to savor the vacation in different ways.

Have you changed your vacationing style since joining DVC? How so?

[MatterhornMiss]

I'm using it as an excuse to go more frequently! :goodvibes

[DVC Mike]

One of the many appealing factors for joining DVC is having the comfortable, spacious accommodations that would encourage a more relaxed approach to our Disney vacations. As in, we may indeed welcome a change from the up at the crack of dawn every single day to catch rope drop and race through the park til you drop strategy. Instead, a little less hurried, more laid back approach might allow us to savor the vacation in different ways.

Have you changed your vacationing style since joining DVC? How so?

The more you get to go to WDW, the less the need to be a park "commando" and spend every waking minute on rides. Our trips are definitely more relaxing as DVC members.

[bwvBound]

Simply put: we book longer stays.

Our primary purpose is a work-related conference with busy daily schedules. Having DVC allows us to add 1 or 2 nights on either end of the conference for rest, acclimation, networking and play.

[wdw1972]

I always went frequently, but I go more frequently (10 or so trips per year). I spend less time in the parks, but that's a factor of going so many times - not because of dvc.

The biggest change is the quality of my lodging - no more offsite motels, no more value resorts, and no more moderates. Best of all - no big bill on my doorknob the day I leave!

[vandy]

Much more relaxed in our vacations. We actually look forward to coming back to the room and stretching out, watching TV, napping, etc. We couldn't do this in a regular room. We also spend more time doing things outside of the parks. We seem to have more variety and enjoyment than before. (Oh and I agree with previous poster: Now we stay 10-12 days instead of 5-7).

[Goofy's apprentice]

We go more often, now three times per year.
We never do the commando thing anymore. In fact, in the last three trips we haven't even hit the parks. (that is probably not the norm among DVC members)
We spend more time enjoying the resorts and the Orlando area.
We bring friends and family.
Depending on the group we are travelling with we cook some of our own meals.
We rarely feel pressured to do or see something because we know we will be back soon.
We are always in vacation planning mode.
We see hidden Mickey's everywhere we go (even at home).
....Some of our friends at home think we are nuts!!!

[Lisa Anne Colling]

We now go every year instead of every other year. WE are also able to take parents along whom may not be able to afford it because of fixed retirement income! The rooms are so spacious they accomadate us all quite awesome! It sure has made some great family memories! Only regreet is we didn't buy much earlier!

[ahorrigan]

We still only go once a year, but we don't feel the need to do everything before we leave because we know that we are going to go back next year. We just make a list before we get there of all the rides we want to go on during each trip.

[lingber]

I was just telling my DH that when we start using our DVC points our vacations will change. No more running to get everything in. He is not a big fan of marathon park days! :upsidedow We can just relax and take our time knowing we will be back again soon. I love the Disney atmosphere. What does everyone do when they are not in the parks?

[TomD]

We do not do commando any more. We also tend to be more relaxed since we know if we do not do it this trip we will be back.

The extra space and ammenities are also a bonus

[photobob]

We have been to WDW eight times and expect to keep going back again and again and again. Thus, we are all but signed, sealed and delivered to become DVC members.

One of the many appealing factors for joining DVC is having the comfortable, spacious accommodations that would encourage a more relaxed approach to our Disney vacations. As in, we may indeed welcome a change from the up at the crack of dawn every single day to catch rope drop and race through the park til you drop strategy. Instead, a little less hurried, more laid back approach might allow us to savor the vacation in different ways.

Have you changed your vacationing style since joining DVC? How so?

I think you've pretty well nailed our changes in your second paragraph. We are much more laid back in our touring style and the villas make for much more relaxing time in the room. I still like to get to the parks at opening to beat the crowds and usually have an early TS lunch before heading back to the resort for napping and/or hanging at the pool. We may head to another park in the evening we may not.

My wife and I went on a short three nighter in February this year and we just strolled around, we actually didn't do that many attractions, but I think we used every mode of Disney transportation available.

[Donald is #1]

I agree with the previous posters. I have found that my trips are much more relaxed because I know that I will be going back every year and there is no pressure to see everything each trip.

[Tiger926]

Just like everyone else, our trips are more relaxed. :cool1: We sometimes only go to a park for an hour or two to eat lunch or dinner, and then back to resort, ride monorail or people watch. We never did much of this before as we were busy taking it all in! My hubby is so happy that our crazy commando days are far behind us and to tell you the truth, so am I! We also have experienced stays at almost every WDW resort except GF (it's always booked when we want to go), and are slowly getting through our DVC list as well. We have experienced several concierge stays too - we never would have done any of this without DVC as we wouldn't have been able to afford it.

We love DVC immensely as it has changed our vacation lifestyle so much - we talk about DVC each day, and are so thankful that we have been able to afford to become members. Just today we discussed how great our vacations have become and despite being there so often, they still continue to evolve and bring us new and exciting memories.

Love our DVC, Tiger :)

[jfulcer]

Ditto on pretty much everything.

We get to stop and smell the flowers instead of running past them for the next ride.

[katmittens]

We used to go every two years, then it was once a year and then once we became owners at OKW we now go three times a year. We love the large rooms. We also spend more time relaxing and enjoying the resort. We do still love the parks and we go on every trip, but it is much more relaxed, since we know we will be back.

[javamom]

Wow it's hard to describe. Having the comforts of home, without the hassles of home makes for a great and relaxing stay.

Tossing a load of clothes into the washer isn't a big deal, packing lighter is! Making a quick snack in the kitchen, isn't a big deal. Enjoying a glass of wine on the balcony is!

Waking at the crack of dawn, is something that we still do but the difference is that we do it so that we can hit our favorite rides early, then come back to the room for some down-time while the masses begin to swarm the parks. We can return in the evening all rested and ready for some night-time fun! Yes, this is something that you could do in any room, but our DVC room allows us do all of the thing that I listed above during that down time.

Knowing that there is going to be years of trips, doesn't make any one thing mission critical unless it is something temporary. We can take our time and hit some of things that we might have skipped in favor of main attractions. In short, the overall pace is slower.

Bottom line, we have more choices and better spaces to enjoy our time there.
:thumbsup2

[bangzoom6877]

We have only taken one family vacation to WDW, last month, and are now awaiting ROFR on a resale at BWV. One reason we bought DVC was because DH and I vowed to do Disney totally differently from now on, than we did last month. To give you an idea, last month we stayed 5 nights at Pop Century, and did 5 days at the parks. We were up before the crack of dawn to make it before rope drop and we did not get to relax much. We were in a value resort and although we took an afternoon break everyday (which helped a lot), we felt like we were so far away from everything. DH also insisted on staying deluxe from now on so we could have a queen bed AND be closer to everything. I wanted (originally) to stay on the monorail line from now on, DH said he liked the BC/BW area due to walking distance to 2 parks. DH also insisted on going every other year, 10 nights per trip, and go to the parks every other day, or something like that, so we have down days to relax. So we started looking into DVC when we got back. Here is a description of our future Disney trips as DVC members:

-10-night stays
-One-bedroom accommodations so we can stay up later than the kids (they are only 3 and 1 right now)
-Still going to parks 5 days out of 10, so we can relax the other days, sleep in, enjoy the resorts
-Not going to AK for a while again, until my kids are older and if they want to go on the more "adult" rides there
-2 days at Epcot, 2 days at MK, 1 day at DHS...we will get to still see everything at Epcot and MK without rushing to get it all done in one day
-STaying at BWV every time, so we can walk to Epcot and DHS. This will especially help on Epcot days after taking an afternoon break and then going for dinner in the WS since it is a nice walk and not a long time driving, looking for parking, or waiting for and riding a bus to get there
-Enjoying the beautiful pool at BWV
-when both kids are old enough, Sandcastles Kids Club one night so DH and I can enjoy some evening BW entertainment...all within walking distance of our room!
-If we choose to do so, we still could afford to go every year on points, if we stay in a studio, for 10 nights each trip


Some things that will remain the same:

-Booking my vacation close to one year in advance (we have always done this)
-Enjoying the restaurants (I hate cooking on vacation...the only thing I will do is frozen waffles and scrambled eggs in the morning when staying in a one-bedroom)
-Breakfast in the room (cereal, waffles, or scrambled eggs though...in a one-bedroom we are not limited to only cereal!)
-Character breakfast on the morning of departure (EXCEPT that this time it will be within walking distance because it will be at Cape May Cafe...last month it was Chef Mickey's and we vowed to always end the trip with a character breakfast so we can enjoy some magic the last morning and not go to bed all depressed the night before!)
-Enjoy the magic Disney...I don't think that magical feeling of walking onto Main Street and seeing the castle up ahead will EVER change for us...

So, I think that overall, the quality of our Disney trips will improve greatly based on becoming DVC members.

[mantismad]

We come to Disney much more often than before we became DVC members as it is much more affordable for us now using our points. As our children have grown into adults they bring their friends along and they stay in their own studio or we have a 2 bed and it is great to see them enjoy themselves. We enjoy a much more relaxing time as there is no need to rush around the parks as we know that it will not be long before we return. We have more time to explore outside of Disney and experience other things including eating at some lovely restaurants that we have found. At the end of the evening it is always great to return to the Beach Club.

[Chellymouse]

We are able to go a bit more frequently, though that is dependent on airfare. Like everyone else, the 9-10 days of commando Disney are a thing of the past. While we generally don't go off property, we do more of the other things on property that we never had time for like the backstage tours, recreation, ect. We're looking forward to being able to hit some of the other festivals as well. We also love the new accomodations. No more messes, no more cramped hotel rooms. It's wonderful!

[minnierealtor]

DVC has made vacations a bit more flexible. We are not vacation planners except for spring break every year. Sometimes we plan vacations only about 6-8 weeks in advance if we find a deal with airfare. We have made several short notice trips to WDW on a whim and since we buy annual passes every year the only thing we have to worry about is food when we get there. We stopped doing commando because we were exhasted when we arrived back home. I enjoy the parks but we don't spend every waking moment in them because we love to just hang at the resort. Since we are not big planners we stay at SSR which is very relaxing and easy to just stroll around, walk to DTD and play golf without ever getting on a bus or boat. Also, we factor in HH once a year (spring break) for a truely relaxing experience. In my opinion DVC is the best vacation "investment" we have ever made.

[edk35]

I love this thread. :goodvibes We haver s l o w e d down. It is sooooooooo nice to have all the space of a 2br with a family of 5. We bought in Jan. 07 and we noticed right away on our first DVC trip Aug. 07 how our vacations changed. We love the DVC resorts and love spending time at them too. It is nice having a washer and dryer, the kitchen, the two bathroms and my kids would say 3 TV'S. :lmao: I am so DVC satisfied that we added on this past Friday. So now we have two homes. :banana: We don't cook too much in the villa but we do use the kitchen for snacks, a light breakfast and the fridge gets used a lot. It does make us want to take more trips and stay longer too. I mean.....after a week at a regular Disney resort.....we were almost ready to leave with 5 people in a deluxe....that gets old fast. Because there is no where to really hang out in one.....we would get up at zero dark thirty to hit the parks at rope drop and stay til closing. We were exhausted and cranky by vacation end. So....now we slow down and smell the roses. Our kids even love our slower pace. :thumbsup2

[moredisneyplease]

I agree with lots of people here........

-no longer commando style because i know we'll be back and SOON
-definately better lodging! I had stayed at POR, Cont, Ft Wilerness cabin, all star music, etc Not its BWV, SSR, OKW, AKL!!! Wooohoo
-there more frequently: 2001- 2005 5 trips, 2006-2008 6 trips w/ at least 2 for next year

These are the main things that have changed for me!

[mmcguire]

We just took our first WDW trip as DVC owners, and although we didn't stay at a DVC resort this time (bought too close to our trip), we still could tell a difference in how we vacationed.

Instead of going "commando", we slept until 10:30 one morning, stayed at the resort until noon one day and did laundry, and were in bed by 10 a couple of nights. :scared1:

We spent one afternoon at the pool & napping :cloud9: , and instead of going to to MK our last morning like we originally planned, we went to the pool. We also did DDP for the first time, and were able to enjoy our meals leisurely without feeling rushed.

We didn't stress if something broke down and we purposefully skipped some things to see with fresh eyes on our next visit.

I don't know if it was knowing we'll be back soon, or having APs, or both, but whatever it is, I LOVE it! :lovestruc

[lingber]

mmcguire- Thank you so much for sharing your blog! Becoming DVC members was quite a journey!

[goofypooh]

I agree with what everyone else has said. We have only been DVC members for 1 year now, but have already made 2 trips, one more trip is booked, and we already know when we want to go again after that! :cool1: It is much more relaxed. We just don't feel like we have to do everything because we know we will be back. We also spend more time at the resort enjoying the pool & other activities that are going on there. (DH & I did a no parks trip recently) Also....I don't feel quite as depressed when our vacation ends because we know for sure there will be another one soon!

[edk35]

I agree with what everyone else has said. We have only been DVC members for 1 year now, but have already made 2 trips, one more trip is booked, and we already know when we want to go again after that! :cool1: It is much more relaxed. We just don't feel like we have to do everything because we know we will be back. We also spend more time at the resort enjoying the pool & other activities that are going on there. (DH & I did a no parks trip recently) Also....I don't feel quite as depressed when our vacation ends because we know for sure there will be another one soon!

You know what I feel the same....I don't get near as sad about leaving. Sure it is always sad to leave THE WORLD...but knowing another trip is coming up in a few months or even a year makes it easier to leave. It feels less painful.

I don't know there is something about being a DVC member that makes everything just right with the world. It is actually a FEELING....I can't describle it really. I just feel apart of something BIGGER. :lmao:

[nikkistevej]

We don't do commando anymore, we will probably go once a year(hopefully twice next year- thanks to our add on), for a longer time and "stop and smell the roses" at the parks- so many things we still haven't seen or done. We definantely relax more. :goodvibes

[DeeCee735]

Don't stay on Saturday nights - most of the time.
We go more often - alot more often :goodvibes
Less running in the parks and more enjoying the "quieter" or off the beaten path activities (rent the sprit boats, jellyrolls ;) , fine dining, etc.)

[wildernessDad]

We go more often. It's actually hard to keep the pace reasonable.

Before DVC: I would take off a half day here, a half day there, not really any kind of vacation.

After DVC: Scheduled vacations with multiple days off per vacation. A much better situation.

We're transitioning away from the commando style of vacationing, but I still think we have a way to go. I'd like to plan some down time during our vacation where we do things like hang out and go to DTD instead of hitting a park. We'll make a light hitting. :)

[MILLZ]

Tons More Relaxing

[Tinkerbell 99 Mom]

Much, Much more relaxing... We really enjoy all of the other resorts now. We visited last in June and we spend a couple of days just visiting the other DVC properties that we had not stayed at. We really enjoy the pool hoping.

Wendy

[jpolak]

We go away a lot more often, and get to stay in beautiful resorts we would have never paid cash to stay in.

[Sheribo]

We drive to Florida twice a year now. One week in a studio to visit the parks and one week in a one bedroom to just relax and get away from the snow.

We love to go somewhere warm over March break and our home resort is perfect.

[Uncleromulus]

Much more relaxed--much less time fighting crowds in the parks. And with a washer and dryer in the room, we pack a lot fewer clothes than we used to--a whole luggage bag less, in fact.

[jimmytammy]

We go more times and we slowed down:goodvibes

[drummer1616]

Much more relaxed in our vacations. We actually look forward to coming back to the room and stretching out, watching TV, napping, etc. We couldn't do this in a regular room. We also spend more time doing things outside of the parks. We seem to have more variety and enjoyment than before. (Oh and I agree with previous poster: Now we stay 10-12 days instead of 5-7).

You hit the nail on the head,nothing like that laid back feeling,and WE TOO cant wait to get back to our resort.

What I like the best is instead of our strict daily lists of past,we now take each day as it comes.1/2 the family may go one direction and the other half go somewhere else.

I have actually been laying on the couch during our afternoon ``nap``time only to board a bus and go 1 thing and be back before anyone awoke.NOW THATS HEAVEN

[WolfpackFan]

Vacations are much more relaxing. We still go to the parks but go later, leave earlier and spend less time in them. I like nothing better than just relaxing around the resort. The last couple of weeks have been rather hectic for DW and myself and I told her, I'd like nothing better than get in car, drive down to WDW, check into a 1BR at OKW (one with a nice golf course view) and just relax for a week.

[pixie08]

1.We go more often. Min 2 times a year.
2. We relax a lot more and take things at a leidurely pace.
3. We are able to take our families with us (parents, siblings etc) which is really fun for us since it usually just the 2 of us.
4. Once the initial mortgage is paid off we feel the trips are more manageable cost wise. We do not have a large chunk of hotel to pay, we have an ap (DVC discount) we use the DDE for discount on dining and we usually eat breakfast in our room and keep snacks like drinks, water, chips and fruit which is cheaper than buying in the parks or resorts.

[Tarheel Tink]

The more you get to go to WDW, the less the need to be a park "commando" and spend every waking minute on rides. Our trips are definitely more relaxing as DVC members.


Ditto! Unless we have newbie guests who want to "see it all" we meander as we wish; getting more relaxed with every trip. Once we actually slept in! :scared1: :laughing:

[disneymom8589]

Definitely agree with the others that our trips are more relaxed. We've enjoyed trying out different DVC resorts and the theming and amenities that each offers. We stayed at BWV for the 1st time last month and probably spent more time at the resort than the parks. Our DD joked that whenever she called us from home we were at the resort and not the parks! We spent time on the verandah reading and playing games in the parlor room. With DVC, we've also tried more restaurants.

[Longhairbear]

We go to WDW more often, and relax more. We don't get up early to hit the parks anymore, especially as we don't have to get out of the room so housekeeping can get in and clean. I think I like that part the best. No more hanging the "Do Not Disturb " sign on the door.
I love cooking dinner in our vacation home. Both of us love just hanging out at the resort we are at, and take in all the amenities. We also take half as much luggage, as we can wash our clothes in the unit.

[Flyerfan]

We drive to Florida twice a year now. One week in a studio to visit the parks and one week in a one bedroom to just relax and get away from the snow.

We love to go somewhere warm over March break and our home resort is perfect.

Sheri - from one "driver" to another (and you're even further away), how do you get past the loooong drive 2x per year? This year it will be twice for us but every year, I'm not sure. And, I've asked this many times, how do you NOT do any parks on the one trip? I want to do this, but I can't bring myself to (and DH doesn't think he can do this either). It's not like we are in the parks from morning til night, but I can't imagine not going at all for a week.

[ScottOKW2K]

Like most others that have replied our vacations became longer , more often , and more relaxed. We find ourselves doing at least one twelve day vacation each year , and several five day vacations in addition. Like others we find ourselves sleeping in most mornings - on one trip we only set an alarm for one morning out of twelve. We decided that we wanted to ride Soarin' more than once that day so we needed to be there at park opening but even then we made sure it was a non-EMH morning ;) . Saved a few Fastpasses for our daughter who strolled into Epcot about noon though ...

In addition , we went from a two-income to a one-income family after buying DVC. If we didn't have it now we would not be able to have the number , kind , and quality of vacations that we do. And I really NEED them , as the last few years at work have been the most stressful that I have ever experienced in my > 25 years on the job. I do believe that Disney and DVC have helped me keep my marriage and sanity because we have a place to go where we can enjoy each other and I have time to rest and relax.

BTW , "Flyerfan" - you can do a trip without the parks. We've done several that were waterparks only , and have a 5 night stay over New Years this year at AKV booked and will not have to park tickets of any kind and no plans to purchase any. I'm actually looking forward to it - at that time of year everyone will be hitting the park at rope-drop and we'll be sleeping in :cool1: . It'll be easy to find me - I'll be the smiling guy with grey hair celebratng his 25th anniversary with his wife and daughter at Jiko on NYE.

[yandbfan]

Same as everyone else, more relaxing, can budget your vacation dollars easier, and for us as our family needs the extra space as it get bigger. Also, it is great having a kitchen. We bought frozen strawberries and a couple of bananas and made smoothies in a blender after hitting the parks. Very nice.

[nyck]

Boy has my vacationing changed ALOT. LOL. Well, I go on vacation probably 4-5 times a year vs. once a year. And now I go to places I never thought I could go to. And I can take my mom and friends with me. And the nice thing is that I can still travel in this bad economy.

[DisneyMama27]

AMEN! AMEN! AMEN! to all PP!

No more commando, no more exhausting days! We stay longer (10-14 days when possible) and we relax more. Our kids LOVE the pools, so we swim every single day. When it rains (yes, we go in the summer now so we can stay longer, so it is rainy season) we feel just fine hanging out in the room...the kids watch Disney channel and play with their purchases, and DH and I nap! We hit the parks in the mornings and evenings - love EMH! - and skip the hottest, most crowded parts of the day. Which means less parades, but my kids aren't parade fans anyway! When we did Christmas last year, we did more "all day in the parks" because our time was more limited and we wanted to see the Christmas parades and shows. But we would have never gone at Christmas w/o DVC.

One thing I have not read on this thread yet, so maybe it's just us... we now go in smaller groups. It started right after we bought in. DH was itching to go, and I was busy with school (teaching). So he took DD (7 at the time), and she missed a day of school for a long weekend at WLV. The next fall, he took DS10 for his birthday, and then this spring I took DD6 - it was "our turn" to go! It was SO much fun going with just one child. You really get to see DW through their eyes, and it was so special! DH loved his trips too - now, of course, DS and other DD want to go with me, and youngest DD wants to go with Daddy! Which we will do, all in good time.;) And though weekends are not the best point usage, we go in non-peak times for those trips and we try to stay one weekend night, and two weeknights. Air for two is so much less painful than for 5!

DH and I have gone a couple of times on our own as well, and that is a special treat! :love:

We definitely get to slow down and enjoy Disney w/o stress, and that is worth it to us. We also now buy AP's, since we go pretty often. Right now we have 3 Disney trips planned!:thumbsup2

[benseven]

#1 - LOVE reading how alike our vacations are! I've been having trouble putting it into words exactly why I'm so thrilled we bought DVC, and you all have found the words. Thanks!

We plan in advance, so DH just insists on those days off.
Knowing we'll be back eliminates the "gotta go, gotta go"-ness of the whole trip.
Save $$ on tickets by buying 10 day, pluses, non-exp. - I know they'll get used!
Go for longer trips - we can still only go once/year, but now we go for 10 days or more
RELAX and enjoy the whole WDW experience, enjoy the quiet places DVC resorts offer, and of being away from home
More spending money!:rotfl:

[karendvc07]

I agree with everything that has been said. I have found that we take the time to enjoy the whole Disney experience instead of trying to cram as much into our day as we can. Of course, we have our favorite rides that are on our to-do list. But, what my boys (8 & 12) and I really look forward to is planning our dining choices. Also, now that my kids are getting older we like to do the evening Magic Hours and sleep in late the next day. Often, they would rather spend their day at the pool than wait in lines at a park!

[goofypooh]

DisneyMama27-My next trip in January is with DD4 (at that time) and my parents. At first I felt a little guilty for not taking my older kids & they complained a little bit, but they know that all of us are going back next summer. Also, it is hard for them to miss school. But, I am really looking forward to the one on one time with my youngest & being able to do things at her pace. It is so hard when you are trying to get in everything that everyone wants to do.

[dianeschlicht]

We go more frequently and for longer trips. Our norm now is 18-12 days and 2-3 times a year. We still do go to the parks nearly every day, but we no longer do it like there is no tomorrow. The only time we tend to tour heavy duty now is when we have guests with us who aren't used to so many Disney trips.

We now favor mostly Epcot and Animal Kingdom. Those are two of the best places to just "stop and smell the roses" and soak in the scenery and atmosphere. I can sit on a bench between Africa and Asian for hours at a time! I LOVE the walking trails among all the lesser animal exhibits too. Epcot is great for soaking in atmosphere as well in World Showcase.

We do still go to a night show nearly every night. We will often do Illuminations 3-4 times a trip and also Wishes. Sometimes we just go back into a park specifically to watch a parade or show.

[Happy Birthday Cat]

Our trips to WDW have not changed all that much. We go the same amount that we used to and enjoy everything the same way that we used to. We don't go more often or stay longer.

We do vacation more however, but those extra trips are to places other than WDW. The $$$$ we've saved by owning DVC has translated into other types of vacations to other places. DVC has paid off really well in this way for our family.

HBC

[DMKEDM]

FOr us, it's primarily what all the other posters have said--more relaxed, more frequent vacations with more time spent on "other" things (things other than the main attractions in the parks, although we go to them, too)...

But for me specifically, there are two other noticeable and major changes--

First, I've been able to take dear ones (my "almost-daughter" and her tiny children, another dear friend and her 9 and 10-year-olds, DS' DGF, etc.) which would never have happened w/out DVC to share with them. That's really special.

Second, I have enough points that I can now use WDW as a "remote work site" rather than strictly as vacation. This means that even if I can't take major time off ("major time" means more than 1-2 days in a row), if I'm in a relatively light period with my work focused on writing and telephone contacts, I can take my laptop, do my writing and make my phone calls, and still have evenings (or afternoons, or mornings, or whatever the schedule allows) at Disney! SOOOO worth it! I've probably done 4-5 "work days" trips to Disney in the last 3 years...this only works on those days when I don't have meetings and it doesn't make much sense if I have 10 or 12 hours worth of work to do for most of the days involved...but for days that are 8 hours or less in terms of "obligations" it works great! You do have to do one of these trips with the "head set" of "this is not vacation; this is work time spent off site"...but if you do that, it's a heavenly way to work!

Finally, we have a "rule" in our family: regardless of the guests we've invited, we make clear that we all have different paces...people who want to start earlier, stay later, move faster are very welcome to do so...as are people who want to start later, leave earlier, or move more slowly...we insist that guests and us do NOT have to do "everything" together...

This has made our "guest trips" work out so so SO well...everyone gets to do what they want to do, at the pace they want to do it, and having made "the rule" clear ahead of time, no one stresses about going off on their own --

Hurray for DVC!

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Our family has been going to WDW for over 30 years and we Still haven't seen or done everything there is to do. With buying into DVC in 2001, we are able to go to a nicer room on propert and sight see at the different hotels, look at all the deatils the resorts have to offer. The parks have become second nature to us and we don't have to ride the rides so much but enjoy the surroundings the parks offer.

I have taken trips with my DD alone and we have taken extended family trips with friends and other family members using our points. We are ready to try using points for other resort vacations, so that will be next for us and BTW, we too a 4 day cruise in 2007, first one ever, but not the last.:yay:


Ron