Journaling your DVC Stays

DisneyFirstTimer10 · May 25, 2015

I remember reading advice from members regarding keeping records of your stays in a form of a journal.
After experiencing our first trip as owners I was curious on how you keep your memories/notes alive-

I am going to include:

Resort/view
When we booked
Request made
Room received/time available to check in
Did it meet request
Thoughts on View
Thoughts on Room (size, cleanliness)
Thoughts on Resort (accessibility, activities)
Thoughts on Pool
Thoughts on food options
Would we return?

What else do you include in your journal?

Do you keep a notebook with your entries? Electronic via microsoft word? Scrapbook?

Best Aunt · May 25, 2015

I create what I call a Trip Report for each trip, as a Word document on my computer. I start it as soon as I make the room reservation. When did I make the reservation? What's my confirmation number? How many points? From what Use Year? Were they banked? Borrowed?

I add information when I book the flights. When did I make the reservation? How much did I pay? What seat did I request? How many seats were available at that time?

When I travel, I carry a small notebook with me (we used to call them "assignment notebooks" in school). I jot down anything I might want to remember for a later trip, anything that I think somebody might ask me about later, and anything that was so great/terrible I would want to remember it later. It doesn't have to be info which I would want to have when booking another trip.

When I get home, I type up the stuff from my notebook.

If you ever see me give a very specific answer here on the Dis (like how much cabfare cost to get from Point A to Point B), and you wonder how I have that information -- that's how.

I tend to go once or twice a year -- once in the winter to get away from the cold weather, and once in the summer if LeakyCon/GeekyCon is held in Orlando.

monorailmom · May 25, 2015

I love the Passporter book. Not only is it a great resource, it has pockets that allow you to document information, and save receipts, etc. It makes it easy because it guides you through your thought process by asking specific questions like "the best thing today was" "the funniest thing today was", etc. I have books going back several years now, and love looking back on my notes.

Wenny · May 25, 2015

I bought a lined journal at a WDW gift shop (there's always two or three designs available) and hand write a daily report during our trips - generally poolside with a tropical drink in hand while DH and DD swim. I use the first page for each trip to list dates, the resort name and room number. Then on each individual page I list the date and resort abbreviation in the upper corner. I write about what we did and describe special moments. I used to leave it in our owners locker, but I have it home now. I page through when I need a pick me up.

DisneyRegulars · May 26, 2015

I write trip reports here on the dis. In then I'm less concerned about DVC specific things like rooms and views, and more concerned with specific stories from the trip that I would forget had I not recorded them somewhere. Even though my oldest trip report is only three years old, when I reread it a few months ago I was so surprised at some of the events I had already forgotten. I'm so happy that I've kept these memories of my trips to look back on.

MrPTato · May 26, 2015

We just booked our first DVC trip last night...This is something I may start doing.

com_op_2000 · May 26, 2015

I just keep an Excel Speadsheet with my information on it. I did not start doing this until '11, we bought another contract with a different UY, which includes a different member number.
My main reason for creating one is my DDs are members on this contract and I needed a way to identify which reservation came from which contracts.

DizGirl20 · May 27, 2015

I keep a journal in our Owner's Locker. There is no particular format I use; typically towards the end of every trip I make a journal entry and try to include resort, room number, view and highlights from the trip. One thing I do consistently write about is where we ate and which meal was our favorite. If I am with my family, one of my girls might write a brief note about her favorite memory - or if I have a guest with us, I ask them to make a journal entry. It's all very casual and I am hoping someday my kids will keep up the tradition. I hope it provides entertainment and nostalgia for years to come. I like to imagine what future generations will think about our trips!

WilsonFlyer · May 27, 2015

Which prompts me to pose an entirely different question.

I've never kept up with room numbers and such. I wonder if there's a way to get any of this information retroactively.

com_op_2000 · May 27, 2015

I know you can get a listing from DVC, of how your points were used (IE: which resort and how many points) for each of your past vacations. I did this several years ago cause of an issue I was encountering. Just call MS. I do not believe that it included the room number you stayed in but you can ask if that information can be included.

bobbiwoz · May 27, 2015

I rely on my pictures, any thing else seems like work to me!

Bobbi

Shelly F - Ohio · May 28, 2015

When we start our DVC vacation as soon as we get to the room the first picture we try to take is the room number followed by a few pictures of the room while it is still in pristine shape and not cluttered with luggage. That way we can reference back to our stay at a particular resort and know what room number we stayed in.

BEASLYBOO · May 30, 2015

bobbiwoz said:
I rely on my pictures, any thing else seems like work to me!

Bobbi

Ditto, I make an album of the vacation and give copies of it to the people/family that vacationed with us as a keepsake. Digital pics are wonderful but there's nothing like printing them out and adding captions, names and fun facts on the great time we had. Some are small, some bigger depending on what we celebrated!

BEASLYBOO · May 30, 2015

Shelly F - Ohio said:
When we start our DVC vacation as soon as we get to the room the first picture we try to take is the room number followed by a few pictures of the room while it is still in pristine shape and not cluttered with luggage. That way we can reference back to our stay at a particular resort and know what room number we stayed in.

I never remember the room, only the bldg and the view we had. And like you I take pics of the villa at its most pristine! For the middle school graduation trip with 6 13/14 yrs old, I started with a few graduation pictures, arrival at the resort pics, then I took the before picture and the first morning of them sleeping all over the two bedroom villa and incl that in the albums I gave each kid, their parents enjoyed the album tremendously. They are all 18 and going to celebrate their high school graduation in Aug w/o parents but they've promised me pictures so I can make them each their own album! After this, they disperse all over the country to different colleges!

DenLo · May 30, 2015

bobbiwoz said:
I rely on my pictures, any thing else seems like work to me!

Bobbi

I so agree. I used to do a handwritten journal, but it seemed like I was working while everyone else had fun. Now from time to time DH or I will do a trip report on the DVC News. But more often than not it is mainly photos. So we have a photo journal. DH does keep a spreadsheet with the DVC point information and one that shows room numbers and room type with number of points used.

DisK · May 30, 2015

I have a DVC notebook that I made. I make a cute little page for each trip with dates, room number, who went, etc. I then usually put some photos on the page that symbolize what resort or something (AK has animals....!)

TeeterTots · Jun 1, 2015

DisneyRegulars said:
I write trip reports here on the dis. In then I'm less concerned about DVC specific things like rooms and views, and more concerned with specific stories from the trip that I would forget had I not recorded them somewhere. Even though my oldest trip report is only three years old, when I reread it a few months ago I was so surprised at some of the events I had already forgotten. I'm so happy that I've kept these memories of my trips to look back on.

I'm obsessed with your trip reports! I had a DIS DVC trip report marathon a few weekends ago! I'm looking forward to reading your next! I have a 4 yo so I love to know I'm not alone! It's only going to get more fun! By the way, I grew up in the fingerlakes and went to college in Buffalo

AnnaS · Jun 2, 2015

I also have one of those small notebooks. We drive down a lot so I jot down, stops, gas$, food $, which State and Hotel we stayed in overnight, etc. etc. I keep all my receipts - if I have time, might write down meal/cost. Random thoughts also - when it was planned, thoughts on the room condition/location. Experiences that stand out/met up with any other members? Once done - I print it out and keep them in a folder. Sometimes during our conversations with others, we forget certain things or which trip it occurred - when we can't decide who is right - I just go back and look at my trip report

Wish I had started this when I became a member.

Journaling your DVC Stays

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