Advice needed on long term DVC stay - 9+ months with the Mouse

[OhioDVC]

In just under a year, Sep 2010, I'll be retiring after 33 years in the military. My wife and I agreed on taking a year off to reconnect. We plan on starting our vacation the beginning of Jan 2011 with the WDW marathon weekend. I need to figure the whole year out and start making DVC reservations Feb 2010. I have points spread out over all of the DVC resorts so the 7/11 month window really doesn't matter.

Need advice on how long you can stay in a studio before the walls start coming in on you. I was thinking about staying 12 nights in a 1 - bedroom (Check-in Sunday check-out 12 days later on Friday) then 9 nights in a studio to cover two weekends to reduce the points. I'll have about 6,500 points (another 1,500 if I need them) for the year so I don't think I can do the whole time in a one bedroom

We plan on 5 cruises(cash-no points) (Transatlantic in May 2011) followed by Adventures by Disney to Italy(cash, no points). Plus the Alaska cruise and a couple of 3/4 day cruises around the Bahamas.

Come back for the month of June at Hilton Head then July and August at Club Intrawest in Sandestion, Fl - yes I cheated and bought points at Club Intrawest too.

Labor Day weekend at VGC in California for the Disneyland half marathon, Alaska cruise either before or after and then back to WDW for the fall endurance races

Jan - May at WDW and Sept - Dec back at WDW

Any ideas on how to best save points?

Do you think 9 months in a studio is crazy?

Maybe take 2-3 three day cruises over the weekends

Only two weeks in a two bedroom for the (college aged) kids to come visit.

Which studios do you find are the best?

Has anyone stayed for 2-3 months at WDW? Did you get bored? Was it too much at once?

The year off will be fun but the thought of planning it all out is almost overwhelming with all of the details. I have a headache already.

Since this is a once in a life time trip, plus payback to my wife for all of the separation (military induced), I would appreciate any advice to maximize wife's enjoyment. (yes, besides the spa treatments, long walks in the rain, and being more sensitive)

[El&Asmom]

Can't help with the planning, just wanted to say I'm jealous. Have fun, and congrats and thank you for your service to our country.

[dallastxcpa]

WOW! All I can say is fabulous. I personally could see myself in a small space for extended periods of time. My DH and I have often talked about purchasing a sail boat when he retires.

Have you thought about how you will handle things that you pick up along the way. The little mementos that may need to be shipped back to someone back home. The one thing I can't stand is clutter so I would have to have a plan in place to keep things in order. :thumbsup2

[DeeCee735]

that sounds awesome! good for you and congrats on your upcoming retirement.
when we first joined i asked a cm how long a member could stay and i was told no more than 2 months, i'm guessing that's 2 consecutive months in the same room?

no matter...have a great time!

[starbox]

Since this is a once in a life time trip, plus payback to my wife for all of the separation (military induced), I would appreciate any advice to maximize wife's enjoyment. (yes, besides the spa treatments, long walks in the rain, and being more sensitive)

First of all - WHAT AN AWESOME IDEA!!

As for logistics - every wife is different, but for most women, I think clutter and organization are the BIGGIES. We're like to "nest". We *need* space for our stuff - shoes, clothes (9 months will be different seasons even in Florida) - for me BOOKS! I'd love an extended getaway - but I don't think I could handle living out of a suitcase for a long period of time.

What I'd recommend is actually a variation of what we are doing this summer - which is renting a house or condo in a nearby area to act as a "home base". We're renting a house in Vero for all of June - including stops on the way there and back, we'll do four 3-4 night DVC trips in that time (all in studios). The house will give me some consistency - a place to do laundry, store "stuff" and stock groceries. The DVC times will be "resort-time".

Due to the economy - there are TONS of furnished homes/condos for extended rentals in Florida - and extended seasonal rentals are affordable.

I'd look into using some of the cash you intend to spend on the multiple cruises/Adventures by Disney to just rent a one-bedroom condo/house for all 9 months. Use points to do NUMEROUS 3-4 night midweek DVC stays all over the place, but have a "home base" where you can return and store living stuff. Use all the saved points to do the cruises/ABD.

[OhioDVC]

Starbox
Dallastxcpa
DeeCee


All good ideas. My wife an I just can back from WDW this past weekend, we ran the Race for the Taste. We went over to Celebration and looked at buying a 3br/3bath condo for the year vacation. The prices and interest rates are great right now. While Celebration had a great feel, it didn't compare to WDW and staying on property at a DVC. I think we would lose too much of the magic staying off property

We enjoy reading but I think we will need stick to using the library as to not accumulate too many books. I hadn't thought of this before...thanks for bringing it up.

I think trinkets will need to be mailed back to the kids to keep for us until the year is over and we go back to work...oh no...that nasty four letter word.

:laughing:

[Pixieflip]

Congratulations on your retirement and thank you for your service to our country. :worship:

It would be my dream to stay at WDW for months during our harsh winters up north. I would love it, studio or not. Given all there is to do at any DVC resort, I would try to take advantage of it every day, and hopefully that would alleviate the walls closing in. Personally, I would hope to be thankful no matter what! Some day, when my turn comes.

-Which resorts does your wife enjoy? Bonus points just for asking her.
-OKW seems to have the largest rooms, so maybe strategically use that to your advantage...like after a week or so in a smaller studio somewhere else. It also has more of a home feel than some of the other resorts, even if it does have the 2 beds.
-Another way to look at the whole project is to book at the harder to get resorts when it is more of a value time or when you can at 11 months. Leave the peak times for SSR or OKW, knowing you can probably get in there anytime. That way you can plan out the whole year without stressing about difficult to get reservations and the possibility of having to rebook and rearrange.
-Try to stay as long as possible in each place. Moving is work, especially with groceries, plus the packing and unpacking. I know they have bell services, but to me, it would be easier to keep the fridge and pantry suppied for you if I didn't have to plan for a move every week. Will they really keep the eggs cold in transit? Who knows?! That would stress me out.

Maybe you've already thought about those suggestions, but that's what comes to my mind. My goodness, what a trip. Maybe some people would think it is too much, but we would love it.

Enjoy it. Enjoy the planning and enjoy the whole trip! Can't wait to hear how it all plays out for you!

[OhioDVC]

The wife didn't like the home base idea. She likes the idea of no cooking or cleaning for a year

Our DVC guide said we could stay for as long as we had points, but could not establish DVC as our legal residence...maybe a post office box downtown for the year

[MinnieGi]

WOW!!! Congrats to you on your retirement and what a way to celebrate and enjoy time with your wife!!!

Is she on board with the studio stays for great lengths of time? If so I think you'll be okay. I personally would need more space for such a length of time plus I'd want full access to a kitchen. Even though she says no cooking - I get tired of eating out on a weeks vacation, I could not imagine eating out only for 9 months???? That won't be a problem for both of you? Even when we go to WDW for a week or 10 days I like a full fridge of drinks and snack type foods even if we're not "cooking" the whole time. But thats me...

Have fun planning it all out, you'll have to keep the boards informed and maybe write a blog while you are there for such an extended timeframe!!!

Oh I like the cruise breaks you'll be taking too, very cool. :)

[ToddyLu]

:eek: Gosh, I thought DVC Mike was the luckiest guy in the whole world with his points.....you win ....that is just awesome!!:worship:

[ua1992]

Wow -- how amazing ! Congratulations on your well deserved retirement. You are going to have a fabulous time. Have you thought of venturing up to the Hilton Head resort ? You could visit Savannah on the way.

[Sandy321]

Thank you for your service, and dedication - and absolutely a HUGE thank you to the wives and families! :worship:

As far as books go - have you thought of the Kindle? I think that would be a great way to store books without having the clutter of books!! ALso Land's End has some great storage ideas - the ones that hang on the towel bars...

The container store also has some awesome ideas for travel
http://www.containerstore.com/shop/travel

and of course I really enjoy Rick Steeves...
http://travelstore.ricksteves.com/catalog/index.cfm?fuseaction=catalog&parent_id=8
for travel bags
and accessories
http://travelstore.ricksteves.com/catalog/index.cfm?fuseaction=catalog&parent_id=7

and good luck in the marathons!! Dont forget flowers every now and then!! ;)

[jekjones1558]

Holy cow! What a dream to plan.
I am one woman who would NOT want to live in a studio for too long. Maybe a weekend here or there to save points, but really I would rather cut down on the amount of time or adjust cruises or something. Since this is your life for quite a while, I would want my DVC room to seem like an apartment and studios feel like hotel rooms to me.
Enjoy the planning and, of course, the year. You and your wife both deserve it!

[kikiq]

Congratulations on your retirement. AND thank you for all you have done in your service to our country.

Personally, I could spend at least a week in an OKW studio overlooking the golf course. But I prefer the spread out landscaped grounds of SSR and OKW for an extended stay.

[Crystal_27]

Oh, your trip is the stuff dreams are made of. :cloud9: Congratulations - - I'm sure that it's going to be as amazing as you are envisioning it to be.

[DiznyDi]

First and foremost, :thanks: for your service to our country; for helping to keep us safe in this uncertain world.

And second, Congratulations on your retirement and your plans to reconnect with your wife. :hug:

You've received some excellent suggestions. Please keep us posted as your plans progress. What an exciting time!

[dvcdisney]

Congratulations!

Personally, I would have absolutely no problem staying at any resort for a month. My husband and I would find activities to do, and make it a true retirement.

If I was to plan this, I would do a month each for the following resorts in order:

AKV
BWV
VGC (definitely take the time to go to Disneyland)
BLT
OKW
VB (and do a cruise or two)
VWL
SSR
HAWAII (it looks absolutely beautiful)
HH
BCV (end with my fav resort)

Thanks for letting me dream...;)

By the way, good luck on your plans.

[DenLo]

In just under a year, Sep 2010, I'll be retiring after 33 years in the military. My wife and I agreed on taking a year off to reconnect. We plan on starting our vacation the beginning of Jan 2011 with the WDW marathon weekend. I need to figure the whole year out and start making DVC reservations Feb 2010. I have points spread out over all of the DVC resorts so the 7/11 month window really doesn't matter.

Need advice on how long you can stay in a studio before the walls start coming in on you. I was thinking about staying 12 nights in a 1 - bedroom (Check-in Sunday check-out 12 days later on Friday) then 9 nights in a studio to cover two weekends to reduce the points. I'll have about 6,500 points (another 1,500 if I need them) for the year so I don't think I can do the whole time in a one bedroom

Nine nights in a studio might be pushing it. Especially if you do it more than once. It might work out okay from the second honeymoon aspect. However, I'd do the studio first and then move to a 1 BR. That would give you something to look forward to versus noticing how cramped you are after checking out of a 1 BR.

We plan on 5 cruises(cash-no points) (Transatlantic in May 2011) followed by Adventures by Disney to Italy(cash, no points). Plus the Alaska cruise and a couple of 3/4 day cruises around the Bahamas.

Come back for the month of June at Hilton Head then July and August at Club Intrawest in Sandestion, Fl - yes I cheated and bought points at Club Intrawest too.

Labor Day weekend at VGC in California for the Disneyland half marathon, Alaska cruise either before or after and then back to WDW for the fall endurance races

Jan - May at WDW and Sept - Dec back at WDW

Any ideas on how to best save points?

Do you think 9 months in a studio is crazy? Yes and no. Will the nine months be broken up with cruises and the kids visit? Then it might work out.

Maybe take 2-3 three day cruises over the weekends

Only two weeks in a two bedroom for the (college aged) kids to come visit.

Which studios do you find are the best?

I'd go for variety and then switch to the largest studios (at OKW) towards the end. That way it might keep the walls from kicking in.

Has anyone stayed for 2-3 months at WDW? Did you get bored? Was it too much at once?

The year off will be fun but the thought of planning it all out is almost overwhelming with all of the details. I have a headache already.

Since this is a once in a life time trip, plus payback to my wife for all of the separation (military induced), I would appreciate any advice to maximize wife's enjoyment. (yes, besides the spa treatments, long walks in the rain, and being more sensitive)

I'd work in time for each of you to have your own time alone. You have been frequently apart and both in charge of your own time and lives. Some "me" time might be appreciated by both of you. Definitely talk to you DW about this factor. Or at least say if either feels the need then it's okay.

Congratulations on your retirement and thanks for serving your country. Good luck to you and you DW.

My DH (wdrl) just told me to add: Stay at every DVC property you can get reservations at--variety is the spice of life. And remember when staying in a studio, laundry is done out of the villa in the laundry room. This could get old. So if you intermingle 1 BR stays with studio stays the laundry could be done when staying at a 1 BR.

[Dizny Dad]

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE ! ! ! ! :cheer2:

[tinkerfan1]

Thank you for your service! What an awesome celebration of your retirement and way to reconnect with your wife. My husband and I would do that in a heartbeat, if we could ever afford to! We have talked about how neat that would be in the past. Never knew anybody who actually did it. Congratulations and enjoy. Perhaps we will run into you sometime while we are there.

[disfanforlife]

Wow! Sounds wonderful. The only advice I would have is to take your time with the plans. That is a huge undertaking. Once all of the plans and reservations are made - you will need that vacation!

[nunzia]

Can't help with the planning, just wanted to say I'm jealous. Have fun, and congrats and thank you for your service to our country.

Ditto..wow! What alot of points and the cruises sound wonderful. (Hope you like each other ALOT :) )

[tomandrobin]

Thank you for your many years of service!!! http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r197/tomandrobin/smileys/smiley_salute.gif

Can't wait to read that never ending trip report!

I like the way you and the misses think!

[dvc_john]

I do what you're planning on, just for a shorter time period. I snowbird for three and a half months in the winter.

I don't mind moving, I like a change of scenery now and then, and I don't like studios for more than two days or so. Like you, I own at all the resorts so the 7 month window does not come into play. If you are there for that long, you'll probably find yourself spending more time at your resort, and 9 days in a studio seems awfully long to me.
I usually do 5 weekdays in a 1-br someplace, then 2 weekend days in a studio. Then 5 more weekdays in a 1-br, and so on. Once in awhile, I may take off for the beach for the weekend, or go visit relatives. I also supplement my DVC time with a couple of I.I. getaways for a week here or there. I use that time for off-site activities like Seaworld, Universal, and off-site shopping and dining.

Whatever you decide, I'm sure you'll enjoy yourself.

[MK032197]

That is awesome!! Something I could only dream of! Hope you have a wonderful time and how did you ever get that many points??

[disneydreamingdebby]

No advice just - THANK YOU! and of course, congratulations on your retirement! Enjoy living "the dream" in "the world!" :yay:

[manntra]

Thank you so much for your many years of service and Congratulations :jumping1: on your well deserved retirement. Your time together sounds wonderful!
One suggestion I may have is when you are planning for the 1 or 2br you should try out Kidani at AKL.....the bathroom alone is worth it and the rooms are very spacious. Each resorts theming might make you feel like you are at totally different locations anyway so that may help too.
Can't wait to see how it all works out for you :goodvibes
The Kindle that someone mentioned for reading is a great idea....endless amount of reading material and no clutter!! :thumbsup2

Tracy

[SantaRay]

Just wanted to add my THANKS and CONGRATS to those already expressed. I'd love to have the chance to meet you on one of our short trips.

[Sammie]

Would it make me crazy, yes it would. The longest we have stayed is two weeks, and that was in a 2 bedroom and I was so ready to go home or go anywhere else. I have to agree with DVC John, weekends in the studio would be limit, then back to a one bedroom, even if it meant not staying as long.

The main thing to me is lack of quietness. So if i was even going to consider this it would have to be SSR or OKW for long periods of time. Every other resort is just too noisey for me for long periods of time.

The ABD trips and the cruises sound like fun but with the decline in Disney food, and the attitude lately of some CMs and many guests I would never make it longer than 2 weeks at Disney World without a break of some sort.

I could stay at HHI and Vero Beach much longer though.

Enjoy your time and thanks for the many years of service.

[DVCBELLE]

Wow - I just told my husband I was leaving him for you ;) He read your post and had nothing better to counter with - too bad you are obvously devoted to your wife!!!!

Thank you for your service and I hope you have a wonderful year.

This would be my advice - BWV and BCV when it is colder (Jan/Feb) so you get the warm FL feel - Then VWL in warmer months so you feel a little cooler.

Also - I think OKW has the best studios!!! They seem bigger than anywhere else!

[Mommy2JulietJocelyn]

Thank You for your service & congrats! DH is already planning how long we could stay using the points we have now (a measely 400 compared to yours:rotfl:) but then again we are only 31 yrs old and have many yrs ahead of us. We also just joined DVC in 2008. I think the suggestions PP have made are wonderful:

Kindle books or library card
post office box
as clutter free as possible - mailing things home
Ask DW where she wants to stay
What does she want to do or see that you may not have done yet?
Variety in resorts - I would include DL & Vero if possible


Myself - I would want to be able to just relax and check out the rest of Orlando too - the shops and interesting things like the stuff on International Blvd - I know I am cheesy but I haven't checked that stuff out in a long time. I would also want to do some outlet shopping. I don't golf myself but if she does - are there non-Disney courses she wants to go to?
I am sure I could think of other things but it is 330 in the morning. Keep us posted!

[Mickey'sApprentice]

Congrats on your retirement, and thank you for your service.

I think I could live in a studio bathroom if it meant that I could go to WDW for 9 months!!

I'm guessing that you'll get annual passes. :rotfl2:

My dh and I lived in a very small house when we first got married. Afterwhile, we hardly noticed it (except for when we had a lot of company). I have to admit that our tiny house made us even closer as a couple. I think I might would consider some kind of small cheapie storage unit to keep winter/summer clothes, etc.

I also like the idea of having picture frames and other personal items sitting around like on the armoires and such. Use your balcony as your great sunroom. Request a big balcony! Some balconies are 3 times the size of others at BWV, IMHO.

I would also get one of those shoe thingies that you put over doors for toiletries and such. Your going to need your space to put family size washing detergent and such in your studio.

I look forward to your awesome trip report!

[Kdisney]

Wow! Congrats on your retirement! I want my DH to read your post- what a nice treat for your wife! (plus, YOU are planning it all, even better!)

Anyway, I think a studio would probably be fine for long term, you and your wife don't seem to have an interest in cooking and you seem like an active couple (if you are going down for marathons). You will probably be out and about a lot. I have had the luxury of staying for long periods in FL during the winter due to my parents living there. I am outside all the time, there is very little rain, the sun is ALWAYS out and I just want to soak up as much of it as I can. I am really only in their house to eat and sleep.

I haven't stayed in a studio long term but my DH and I did live in a cramped place for 6 mos due to a corporate assignment and it was actually very enjoyable. When you are 'free' from all your worldly things you really don't miss them. Plus, you are all a military family-you can adapt to any circumstance and make it work!

[SamSam]

Congratulations on your retirement, and a big thank you for your service to our country.

One thing I think could make moving from resort to resort easier is an Owner's Locker. It will hold tons of stuff, such as, detergent, framed pictures, umbrellas, first aid supplies....the list goes on and on. Much easier to pack with those types of items than a suitcase and bell services will move it to the next resort along with your other luggage.

Looking forward to reading all about your 9 month adventure.

[BirdsOfPreyDave]

Wow, what a fantastic year you'll have.

I know the on-site perks are important, but I wonder if you wouldn't be more comfortable renting out your points and using the cash to rent a house for the full 9 months. That way you'd have a true home base to settle into and call home, rather than jumping from place to place every few weeks and living out of suitcases.

[eliza61]

Congratulations. You are now my hero !!!

Now. I'm not sure I would want to stay in a studio for more than 2 weeks. Space would be my primary concern. Not sure about your wife but thinking about the amount of clothes I would need is enough for me to get bigger accomodations.
After 9 months that studio could turn into a homicide crime scene.

One more suggestion as far as details go. You are going for a long time and trying to squeeze in alot. Some of my best trips especially to Europe involved a lot of "laid back" "no guide, no itenerary" moments. While I love cruises and Adventures by Disney they are highly regulated. Make sure you have a lot of "do nothing" type of days in between.

[dopeygirl76]

First thank you to you , your wife and your family!

Second I know others thin kthe home base idea is good and although I would usually agree - as the queen of OCD and things in their place - I say just go for it!!! Stay everywhere and enjoy the space you have!! I think even I could handle a "hotel room" at Disney!!! I mean after all as someone else said you are going to have LOTS to do so I think it would work!!

I second the Owners Locker - that might be a good way to organize clothing - according to season/need. Pack one with warmer stuff, jackets, sweatshirts and one with cruise attire, one with summer clothes and the guys at OL will do the work - you could trade lockers in and out. Might also help to pack a few surprises in each locker - little gifts, books, music to change things up a little.

Enjoy!!

[DenLo]

...I know the on-site perks are important, but I wonder if you wouldn't be more comfortable renting out your points and using the cash to rent a house for the full 9 months. That way you'd have a true home base to settle into and call home, rather than jumping from place to place every few weeks and living out of suitcases.

.....I second the Owners Locker - that might be a good way to organize clothing - according to season/need. Pack one with warmer stuff, jackets, sweatshirts and one with cruise attire, one with summer clothes and the guys at OL will do the work - you could trade lockers in and out. Might also help to pack a few surprises in each locker - little gifts, books, music to change things up a little.

Enjoy!!

The OP's DW's only request was that she would not have to do any cooking and cleaning. I can't see the home base option fitting those requirements.

The Owner's Lockers do sound like a great idea. I think you could get away with two--summer and winter. And the addition of a few surprises :thumbsup2.

The library card may not work as you will not be a resident of Orange County. http://www.ocls.info/Card/Default.asp Do any snowbirds know how Orange county deals with temporary residents? If you get a postal box at one of those packing stores (UPS or something similar) you'll get an address, not just a P.O. Box number so perhaps the library would accept that. Also since you are retired military they might be more flexible. Otherwise a Kindle might work better.

[edk35]

:faint:

[edk35]

:eek: Gosh, I thought DVC Mike was the luckiest guy in the whole world with his points.....you win ....that is just awesome!!:worship:


Couldn't have said it better!!!! First I fainted when I read your thread. :rotfl: Now YOU ARE MY BIGGEST IDOL!!!!!:worship:

[Gowahoowa]

Thank you for the service to our country!!!

Relax and enjoy!!

[famgel]

OMG! I am so jealous!!!!!!! This is what I always pictured my husband and I doing sometime in the near future (5-7 yrs). I never thought it could actually be done but it sounds like you are off to a good start. Congratulations to you and your lucky wife! But after all those years of you and your buddys keeping us out of harms way, I'm sure getting to know you all over again is going to be great!!!!!!! Keep us informed! Thank you for protecting us!
Elaine

[FunFamily]

Congratulations. The only thing that could enhance your plan for me would be to be in a 1BR, and to be at BLT overlooking the MK. Waking up and looking out your window to see Space Mountain and Cinderella Castle would be my dream come true.

Enjoy, you have earned it.

[Maistre Gracey]

Congratulations, and thank you for your service!!!

MG

[SLM]

Congratulations on your well earned retirement and a big THANK YOU to you and your wife for your service to our country and the sacrifices you have made over those 33 years!
My only advice is to be sure and stay at HHI for a nice long visit-I think it's a beautiful and romantic resort for couples. Lots of great places to eat at all price ranges and plenty of day trip options.
Have fun planning and be sure to update us on what is decided!

[Anal Annie]

Congratulations. You are now my hero !!!

Now. I'm not sure I would want to stay in a studio for more than 2 weeks. Space would be my primary concern. Not sure about your wife but thinking about the amount of clothes I would need is enough for me to get bigger accomodations.
After 9 months that studio could turn into a homicide crime scene.

I don't think it would take 9 months!! :rotfl: We ONLY stay in studios when we go and even I think you'd get tired of the lack of space, lack of kitchen & lack of in-room laundry.

Maybe you could figure out a way to alternate 1 bedrooms with studios every other switch or something. Maybe 10 days in a studio, 7 days in a 1 bedroom, 10 days studio etc.?! That would certainly help on the food budget & with doing laundry. I know your wife said no cooking but YIKES what an eating out tab you'll run up after 9 months!! I would also probably buy a couple of those plastic storage cart things at Target or Walmart - the $25 ones with the 3 drawers. One for each of you. Since they have wheels maybe you could load 'em up & move them "as is" when you switch resorts so you don't have so much packing / unpacking to do. What kind of car do you have? Do you have a van or something? Would you have room that they just stay in your car while you're on your cruises?

I definitely could not spend that long in studios.

[5forDiz]

I second previous poster SLM, definitely plan time at HHI. And VB would be great too to break up WDW stay, it's easy drive from there.

Congratulations to you and our sincere thanks for your service :worship:

May you be blessed with many, many, many wonderful years enjoying your family, friends & DVC :thumbsup2

[micminnieapolis]

Congratulations on your retirement and your thoughtfulness. Your wife is one lucky lady in so many ways. You deserve Disney magic everyday!

When my husband and I go without kids, we really like BCV. You can have a quiet wooded view or a fantastic pool view, some even have bigger balconies. There is a website that has the floor plans for the resorts for planning ahead. The CMs are very friendly -- love the lady who works around the pool! We find that it's a good place to eat meals outside -- even if it's just the sandwiches, salads, or breakfast cereal that we can easily take care of in our studio. There's the wonderful sitting room that really helps stretch the space and it's easy to get to many restaurants.

Somebody mentioned OKW whose studios are bigger but the 2 bed thing is hard without a couch. We did meet a couple who spent 6 weeks in an OKW studio and stayed by the pool close to the walking path to DD. They loved it because the pool was close for reading the AM paper, and they sat at the pool while doing laundry so it was no big deal.

There is a library not too far away ( in fact, it's close to a post office). I noticed it because I thought that I should get a card for that blessed day when we can stay longer! My school schedule is a bit prohibitive right now but you know where I'll be the September I retire!

Thank you for your Service and enjoy that retirement!

[Tink-n-Belle]

Thank you so much for your service and keeping our country safe:love:

Since you are splitting it up - Jan -May and then spending the summer elsewhere and then coming back in Sept-Dec I don't think it would be as bad as staying 9 months straight at Disney.

From Jan-May -- I would try to do 2 7 day crusies to break it up. There are a lot of deals during the slower crusing times. I already booked a Feb 2011 cruise and we got a fantastic price. Your idea of staying in a 1 bedroom for 12 nights Sun-Fri then switching to a studio for 9 nights sounds like the best way to save points and not go crazy in a studio. You could enjoy the perks of the 1 bedroom (the kitchen, laundry) and then rough it in the studio and then back again. I would definitely switch out the resorts. I'd stay in a studio at the bw and then switch to a 1 bedroom at the BLT then switch to a studio at the AK and then 1 bedroom at the BC etc etc. That way you won't feel like the walls are closing in as you will have an entire new resort to explore. Also, VB is only 2 hours from Disney and its such a nice resort right on the beach. Even though it is not Disney, it still have that Disney feel to it. Another strategy you could use is use your points during the value season to rent the 1 bedrooms and use your points in the higher seasons to cruise or stay in studios.

Each resort will have something new & fresh to offer due to its location. If you stay at the BLT, you could watch Wishes and the parade nightly and eat around the monorail. When you stay at the BW or BC you could try a different country for dinner every night since you can just walk there (in 5 minutes) from your room, at SSR, you could dine in a different restaurant at DTD, etc etc. (how cool would it be just to hop on the boat and go to DTD every night for 12 nights for dinner)

We stayed at the AKV 1 night and just explored the resort, ate at BOMA, enjoyed the animals and activities it had to offer without going to the parks at all. It allowed us just to relax and enjoy so much more without competing with the parks.

The idea of a portable bureau suggested by another poster sounds like a great idea, you can even buy a small dolly and use it to bring the bureaus down to the wash room when you stay at the studios. Since you will probably have a car you can store all your stuff in there while on your cruise, but if you don't the Owners locker does sound like a good idea.

When you come back in Sept-Dec-- I would try to stay at the BC & BW for the f&W festival, and also go back there to enjoy the candlelight procession as much as I could. I 'd also want to stay at the BLT to watch Hallowishes and the fireworks for the MVMCP as many nights as I could (because I just love fireworks). In sept, if you love to play golf, I would stay at SSR to be close to the golf courses.

In regards to being able to tolerate the small space of the studio another suggestion would be to spend a lot of time in the lobby and surrounding areas. I know the BW has a beautiful lobby and out door area (with rocking chairs) overlooking the water and boardwalk area. We went to Newport RI this past weekend and stayed in a Holdiay Inn std room with 4 people, but I enjoyed it very much because they had a cozy lobby with a tv and couch and the pool could be viewed from the lobby (kids went swimming while Mom rested on the coach(after touring the town/city all day). We found it very nice to have that extra space where we could just chill and read the paper etc. Also, most DVC have balconies-- some views are better than others so keep that in mind,. The balconies are soooo nice but make sure that you get a higher floor if you like the balconies or the 1st floor if you like a patio.

Sounds like you have a lot of planning to do. Just take it in bites. Since you won't have to make ressie for the SEPt-Dec part of your trip until after you start the Jan -May leg you may wish to wait and see what works out good and what doesn't. You may find you don't mind a Studio or that your wife actually will be dying for a home cooked meal!! Yes, eating out is nice, but nothing beats a home cooked meal every now and then:rolleyes1

Enjoy your trip!!!

[Doingitagain]

We enjoy reading but I think we will need stick to using the library as to not accumulate too many books. I hadn't thought of this before...thanks for bringing it up.

Consider an electronic book reader (Amazon Kindle or Sony are examples). I thought I could never give up the feel of paper, but being able to carry over a thousand books with me on vacation is appealing, and small enough to fit in my purse!

With my Kindle, I can do some basic WIFI (free) in addition to downloading books.

[murcor]

Wow - I just told my husband I was leaving him for you ;) He read your post and had nothing better to counter with



:rotfl2:

[katmittens]

Congrats, Hope you have a great retirement. The only thing I would suggest is even though OKW has larger studios, we have stayed in them a few times I think you would rather have a couch and a bed so you have a comfortable sitting area. We recently stayed at AKV at Jambo and loved the couch. It seems more like home. Have a great year.

[Pat817]

I have a couple of questions or maybe I'm just missing something. You said that you will have 6500 points (and another 1500 if you need them). If the 6500 points have been accumulated for three years ( banked, this year's, borrowed) that means you own approximately 2,190 points. The maintenance fee on that many points has to be $13,000 annually. That's a lot of money. How have you been able to use that many points each year and still have time to work?

Spending a year on points sounds like a fabulous adventure but how do you use them each year? Have you been "funning" us?

["Got Disney"]

WOW!!! Congrats to you on your retirement and what a way to celebrate and enjoy time with your wife!!!

Is she on board with the studio stays for great lengths of time? If so I think you'll be okay. I personally would need more space for such a length of time plus I'd want full access to a kitchen. Even though she says no cooking - I get tired of eating out on a weeks vacation, I could not imagine eating out only for 9 months???? That won't be a problem for both of you? Even when we go to WDW for a week or 10 days I like a full fridge of drinks and snack type foods even if we're not "cooking" the whole time. But thats me...

Have fun planning it all out, you'll have to keep the boards informed and maybe write a blog while you are there for such an extended timeframe!!!

Oh I like the cruise breaks you'll be taking too, very cool. :)

Congrats on retiring and thank you to :worship:you and your wife for your service

ITA with the above. I could not eat out that much. After a week or 2 of eating out I am done for. And I love to eat out. You said your wife does not want to cook....well than take turns...can you cook? take turns all the time. If I cook he does the clean up and if he cooks I do the clean up and the boys do the clean up on the weekends.

I could stay in a studio for awhile but than would need to go into at least a one bedroom.

Sounds like a lot of fun and adventure. And a big WOW on the amount of points you have.....bet you hate December :lmao:

how long have you been collecting your points? I met someone on DCL that had 3,000 points and that threw me....You my friend are the king and queen of DVC :rotfl:

I say less studio time and more 1 bedroom time. If not for the cooking , than for the space. However if you live in a very small house the size of a studio than you will be just fine:rotfl2:

Have a great awesome time and be sure to post a link for your trip report so we can follow your year of adventure:woohoo:

[Coll0610]

Personally, I don't think I would enjoy all the moving around. Another issue for me would be that I would really miss my recliner. It sounds silly, but one of the things I miss most on vacation is having someplace comfortable to sit. The balconies are nice but the chairs aren't that comfortable.

But I am jealous! It would be a luxury to have that much time at the happiest place on earth and I would love the cruises!

[Brave teacher]

You know I sometimes wonder who I would like to be in another life. Right now, your wife takes the cake. I would LOVE to be able to spend 9months at Disney. I think it is a fabulous thing for you to do together. I would also like to reiterate the same appreciation everyone else has had for your service.

Have a wonderful time!

[tvwalsh]

[QUOTE=OhioDVC;33937473]

Do you think 9 months in a studio is crazy?

:rotfl2:

[heaven2dc]

Wow - what a great way to spend a year! First of all, congratulations on your retirement and thank you ever so much for your very dedicated service to our country :hug:

I've always wanted to just live at one of the Epcot resorts when I retire. But unless I hit the lottery, that's not going to happen. You and your wife are so blessed to be able to pull this off (and, of course, I'm jealous!) but so happy for you. I can't help with anything other than I would probably guess that two months might be the longest you can stay in any one room at any one resort. I'd have to go for a one-bedroom if I had the points if my husband was alive and we did this. But if it were myself, I'd probably settle for a studio.

Have a great year, enjoy yourselves and we hope you can take some time to write a couple trip reports!

[tea pot]

WOW WOW WOW!!!!!

Congratulations and Thanks for your life long service!

My vote is for a 1 BR for the personal space and the in unit laundry.

Blessing and Best of Luck ;)

Can't Wait for the MOTHER OF ALL TRIP REPORTS :wizard:

[FindTheMickeys]

Thank you for your years of service to our country. :yay: It's men and women like you that allow me to sleep well at night:goodvibes

That said, I'm VERY jealous!! I think I could live at Disney, no problem. But it's just me and the dog so a studio would be plenty of space.

I would limit the amount of times you have to pack up and move, if it were me, just because I hate to pack and unpack.

Anyway, enjoy your time reconnecting and I can't wait to read this TR:banana:

[heaven2dc]

I have a couple of questions or maybe I'm just missing something. You said that you will have 6500 points (and another 1500 if you need them). If the 6500 points have been accumulated for three years ( banked, this year's, borrowed) that means you own approximately 2,190 points. The maintenance fee on that many points has to be $13,000 annually. That's a lot of money. How have you been able to use that many points each year and still have time to work?

Spending a year on points sounds like a fabulous adventure but how do you use them each year? Have you been "funning" us?

I kind of wondered how you could accumulate 6500 points but it's very understandable (as you outlined above). I think the OP doesn't necessarily use his point every year (you can rent them out or give as gifts to friends and family). I think he is very blessed to have so many points and definitely deserves this vacation of a lifetime (as I'm sure you do too!). I don't think he's been "funning" us (or at least I hope not). I wish him and his wife a very happy fun-filled year! If I won the lottery or could financially afford it, I think I would just permanently move to WDW and buy enough points to move around the different resorts every couple of months. Wouldn't that be grand!

[hakepb]

I showed the OP's post to DW (who is more aware of clausterphobia than me) and she immediately said, "Why would staying in a studio be crazy? As long as it has a nice french/sliding door like AKV and not just a window" (I can tell, she'd love to try it!)

I guess here are a couple of VWL studios with no balcony, but other than that I think they'd be OK. OKW might concern me because here is no couch (for reading or watching a movie on a rainy day)

Congrats and good luck!

[LindaBabe]

How nice you were so planful in the acquistion phase! We weren't, so much, but we did take a 6 week trip when we retired, plus two other 3 week trips during the first year.

We stayed in residence inns, dvc studios, and a rented cabin in the Smokies, besides cruises.

I would definitely start in a studio first and go to a 1 bedroom (if for nothing else than to do the accumulated laundry.

I would pack in "blocks" - that is whole "sets" of clothing in seperate suitcases, so I only needed to unpack 1 suitcase per resort or season and leave the rest stashed. First of all because I get bored with a set of clothes after about 3 weeks, and need a change.

Books - I buy used books and abandon them when done, after realizing that I moved 100 book cartons full of books that we never look at again. It's fun to go to the local used bookstore and goodwill, to see what I can find.

No cooking sounds great in theory. It certainly sounded great to me - since I do all the cooking. BUT again, I got tired of eating in restaurants, tired of chatting with servers, tired of restaurant choices, etc - so after a few days, I actually look forward to a bit of cooking. I took a small electric frypan, small cutting board, sharp knife, two each real plates, bowls, and flatware, salt & pepper shakers, my favorite spices, and a vase, packed in a "kitchen box". Your list may vary, but I would plan on having one. The meals I prepare are the same sorts of things I would make while camping.

In the winter, I rent a great townhome in Kissimmee, and volunteer at Give Kids the World. May I recommend interspersing your time in DVC and having fun, with some time in the relative spaciousness of a real 'home'. I also recommend some time volunteering on a regular basis at a place such as GKTW, just to add some structure to your life.

Military life is by nature, quite structured in many ways - and we were warned about the possibility of difficulties in transition before DH retired, So we planned our mitigations in advance. However much fun it is to THINK about playing all the time, such a life can have it's own downsides that are not obvious on a two week leave.

Good Luck!

[BCV2002]

We enjoy reading but I think we will need stick to using the library as to not accumulate too many books. I hadn't thought of this before...thanks for bringing it up.

That sounds like so much fun! Congrats!

As for reading, I have a great idea for you to save some space. Get a Kindle! It's an e-reader and is about the size of a paper notebook. It's got 3G so you can download a book anywhere for cheaper than a regular book. It'll save a ton of space and you can read as much as you like (also downloads newspapers and magazines).

[kikiq]

In the winter, I rent a great townhome in Kissimmee, and volunteer at Give Kids the World. May I recommend interspersing your time in DVC and having fun, with some time in the relative spaciousness of a real 'home'. I also recommend some time volunteering on a regular basis at a place such as GKTW, just to add some structure to your life.


My DH and I were just talking about our "retirement" at lunch today. And Give Kids the World came up as something we would love to give time to and stay in our DVC. It's nice to hear someone who has actually volunteered during their retirement.