Dvc has changed me.

[stmize]

I could kick myself many times over that we didn't buy back in mid nineties.

[Caren90]

Originally Posted by stmize

I could kick myself many times over that we didn't buy back in mid nineties.

I started to feel that way as well and then realized, for us, these past few years have been the perfect time to have DVC.

Our children are young adults now, so they bring friends and since we don't need to "watch" them, trips are more relaxed. Eating a leisurely breakfast in the morning, visiting the parks as we wish, having access to laundry in the unit, make for a substantially less rushed experience. If they were still young and we were bringing their friends, it would have been too stressful.

When our children were young, we spent all day in the parks. Having DVC back then would not have been worth it to us since we would not be at the resort. Now, we work our day around the resort with the other offerings as secondary.

When our children are married with families of their own, we will be able to offer them a place to stay while they march off to rope drop and fireworks and we (my wife and I) can decide if we want to go along. At the end of the day, everyone will gather at "the grandparents house" (most likely Boardwalk) for a relaxed evening, dinner and balcony time. Perfect!

Stephen

[DizBub]

We were able to treat DD#1 and the grandkids to 8 nights in a 1br at SSR this fall. In the coming year we will treat DD#3 and her DH to a long weekend at AKV in a 2br. DD#2 and her DH will get their turn in Sept in a 2br at BCV for 7 nights. Plus we have a couple of solo trips planned, just DH and myself.


We love our DVC.!! And so do our kids. It does change you.

[joeyrose]

i like being a dvc member and i like this thread!

[jimmytammy]

DVC has made life vacationing a lot more relaxing for us too. We used to be the like so many, in the parks when they open, there when they close, and worn out in between. DVC has allowed us the time to relax, hang out at the resort, eat our breakfast in the room, enjoy coffee on the balcony, etc.

Like so many, wish we had bought sooner

[stmize]

Another thing I've noticed is I used to buy a lot of park tshirts etc and some things I still do but I tend to buy more Dvc merc for instance this yr I got a cool water bottle with a straw a pink tshirts a grey sweatshirt a magnet clip for fridge and other stuff

[Chuck S]

I still buy several non-DVC T-shirts, assuming they have products I like. Some trips I find quite a few, other trips, nothing.

[stmize]

I bought some Mickey jeans and a cool Mickey blue and black sweater and disney pins but most other stuff was Dvc

[brettcw23]

We still do rope drop but go at a leisurely pace. We now will take longer breaks back at the resort. Getting to the parks early enables us to ride the attractions without waiting in lines.

[TEK224]

Originally Posted by disneynutz

No more APs, now you can switch to non expiring 10 day tickets. One of my favorite things is talking to CMs and Guests around the resort.

Bill

Bill,

Just wondering... do you think it's worth it to get the non-exp MYW instead of an AP? Is it because you only go once a year or you don't visit the parks alot when you go?

I love my DVC. Sometimes I go solo, other times I bring friends or the nieces and nephews. I still park hop and do rope drop (or close to it) at times. If I do rope drop, I'll then go back to the room in the afternoon to relax and hit another park at night. I love the extra space and the W&D.

But I think what helped me "relax" more was getting an AP. When I had MYW pass, if I only wanted to get to a park for a short time (or for dinner at EPCOT), I felt like I wasted a day off the ticket. With the AP, if I go to a park for 2 hours and then leave I don't have that feeling of "not getting my money's worth". Now, I only get an AP if I know I'm going to be tehre a couple times a year. Otherwise it's a MYW ticket.

[Caren90]

Originally Posted by TEK224

Bill,

Just wondering... do you think it's worth it to get the non-exp MYW instead of an AP? Is it because you only go once a year or you don't visit the parks alot when you go?

I love my DVC. Sometimes I go solo, other times I bring friends or the nieces and nephews. I still park hop and do rope drop (or close to it) at times. If I do rope drop, I'll then go back to the room in the afternoon to relax and hit another park at night. I love the extra space and the W&D.

But I think what helped me "relax" more was getting an AP. When I had MYW pass, if I only wanted to get to a park for a short time (or for dinner at EPCOT), I felt like I wasted a day off the ticket. With the AP, if I go to a park for 2 hours and then leave I don't have that feeling of "not getting my money's worth". Now, I only get an AP if I know I'm going to be tehre a couple times a year. Otherwise it's a MYW ticket.

I am curious to read Bill's rationale for this as well.

Stephen

[spencerbomar]

Originally Posted by stmize

I could kick myself many times over that we didn't buy back in mid nineties.

Most new owners, if not all don't remember that until the end of 1999 DVC enticed purchase by providing "free" park passes.
A studio and 1BR rental entitled the member to 2 passes for your length of stay, and a 2BR was 4 passes.
Since we joined in March 1993, we went to the park for free for 6 years.
Great benefit, huh?
And now our points can be sold for about 150% of what we paid for them even having used them for 20 years.
I love that our guide and others advised us that DVC was not to be considered an investment.

[disneynutz]

Originally Posted by TEK224

Bill,

Just wondering... do you think it's worth it to get the non-exp MYW instead of an AP? Is it because you only go once a year or you don't visit the parks alot when you go?

I love my DVC. Sometimes I go solo, other times I bring friends or the nieces and nephews. I still park hop and do rope drop (or close to it) at times. If I do rope drop, I'll then go back to the room in the afternoon to relax and hit another park at night. I love the extra space and the W&D.

But I think what helped me "relax" more was getting an AP. When I had MYW pass, if I only wanted to get to a park for a short time (or for dinner at EPCOT), I felt like I wasted a day off the ticket. With the AP, if I go to a park for 2 hours and then leave I don't have that feeling of "not getting my money's worth". Now, I only get an AP if I know I'm going to be tehre a couple times a year. Otherwise it's a MYW ticket.

We have been members for many years and we go into the parks less and less as time goes on. We used to vacation at WDW 3 times per year maybe 10 days per trip. Then twice per year, still about 10 days per trip. Depending on what's going on we still have AP vouchers that we can use but we also have several 10 day hopper and non hopper, non expiring tickets.

Looking at our park pattern one day I realized that spending the money on APs didn't always make sense based on how many days we went into the parks. Same thing with park hoppers, why buy hoppers if we don't hop?

Now by deciding ahead of time which trips will be park trips and which will not, we have saved hundreds of dollars by matching the admission media to our park schedule.

The freedom to have a AP and to go into a park to have dinner or just to go on a ride or attraction is nice but it does get expensive.

Bill

[Caren90]

Originally Posted by disneynutz

We have been members for many years and we go into the parks less and less as time goes on. We used to vacation at WDW 3 times per year maybe 10 days per trip. Then twice per year, still about 10 days per trip. Depending on what's going on we still have AP vouchers that we can use but we also have several 10 day hopper and non hopper, non expiring tickets.

Looking at our park pattern one day I realized that spending the money on APs didn't always make sense based on how many days we went into the parks. Same thing with park hoppers, why buy hoppers if we don't hop?

Now by deciding ahead of time which trips will be park trips and which will not, we have saved hundreds of dollars by matching the admission media to our park schedule.

The freedom to have a AP and to go into a park to have dinner or just to go on a ride or attraction is nice but it does get expensive.

Bill

Thanks for responding Bill. This is what I thought you meant but I am glad to have your explanation to confirm it.

I think we are beginning a similar phase in our Disney life and I will need to look into our ticket costs/ purchases more carefully.

Stephen

[mickeymom629]

I must be in the minority because I still love to plan (okay, obsess ), be at rope drop and "see it all". Of course, maybe I haven't been able to go as often or for as long as you pp's have lately but, even when we were going annually, I still was trying to fit it all in. I just can't stop myself and I know my family would like to relax more... Now my kids are older and we are going back in January for the first time altogether in 5 years and I find myself trying to plan some breaks in our 7 nights in the World. If only I had 2 weeks...