10+ years of DVC - Have your trips changed?

[bub]

I realize that we have been DVC members for 12 years (joined at OKW in 1996). For those who have been members for 10 or more years, how have your trips changed over time? Do you still visit every year (or make multiple trips in a year, if that is your pattern)? How many times have you added on? Are you and your family still looking forward to visiting WDW?

In our case, we have mostly visited once a year. Our children were 2 and 4 when we joined, and WDW is a place the whole family can enjoy with kids that age. Three years ago we switched to going every other year, as with teenagers we find their schedules are busier. We also found that with older kids, there are many more places we can and would like to visit (National Parks, NYC and San Francisco, for example).

We plan to go this summer, and DS16 is not enthused about going (who wants to spend time with family at that age?). Conversely, DD14 is really looking forward to the trip (I guess she still likes her parents!) We will spend 6 nights, and probably do 3 or 4 park days and 1 or 2 days with a more relaxed schedule (renting Sea Raycers, eating a big breakfast at a buffet, seeing a movie). I'm on the fence this year - I want to go to Disney, but if I didn't have DVC and points that need to be used, I would probably skip another year and go somewhere else. On the other hand, my DH and I are looking forward to future trips without the kids, like we used to take (it seems) many years ago.

We have added on once - we bought in with a family group and so only had enough points to stay in a studio at first. We added points to be able to get a 1-bedroom, which makes the trip more enjoyable for all.

Thanks to DVC, WDW is a relatively inexpensive trip for us, compared to others we have taken.

 

[OlderMan]

...twice per year for a week, give or take, each time.

Now, we're in FL and less than 90 minutes away from WDW.

We've found that we take more, shorter trips now, expecially since our DD's are in (late) elementary school.

FWIW, we haven't been to any WDW park in over 6 years. Our DD's sometimes have field trips to WDW or Seaworld in connection with school. They actually prefer Seaworld to the Disney Parks.

I'm sure that when our DD's are older, they won't want to be seen with their (older) parents at OKW, either. (Sometimes--even now--we don't want to bee seen with THEM, either--LOL!!!)

We did find that, after we adopted our first DD, we used the kitchens in the villas more and 'discovered' the BBQ grills at the quiet pools at OKW.

So, our vacation ways have changed, but so have we!!!

 

[Donna]

We joined in 1996 too, when our kids were 11 and 1. now they're 23 and 13 (this year). the older one is off doing his own thing, working out west and wanting to probably vacation with friends. the young one swears he will always want disney vacations, i doubt that will hold true, but who knows. So what we did was, sell 3 of our 4 contracts (NEVER thought i'd do that) and we bought a motorhome (same day that DH retired) so that we could still do Disney (even longer trips) and still take trips to other destinations. We are planning a trip out west in the next 2yrs or so. Gas is our main budget item when owning a motorhome, still cheaper than all of us flying though.

While i haven't been pleased with all the dvc downgrades, i still feel it is a good deal, especially the AP discount. They still have the most beautiful accommodations on site and it's still the most cost effective way to take a family to disney. So while DVC changed a good bit (way too big), we also changed our vacation style. I always said buying a motorhome would be the only reason i would ever sell DVC. Now we get more disney days at a lower price yet still have enough points to stay dvc once in awhile.

 

[La2kw]

We've been members since 1994. DS was 3 and DD 2 when we purchased DVC. We have gone to WDW for at least two weeks every summer since we puchased. Our trips were much different back then. We spent lots of time in the parks. Now, we spend a lot of time at our resort. DD and DS would prefer to stay in their pajamas in the room rather than go to the parks with their parents. WDW used to be much more affordable, but lately it just seems we get a lot less for a lot more money. The cost of tickets into the parks kills us as well as food costs (and that's a whole other thread with the decline in quality and the rising costs ). We are using points for a cruise this summer and don't plan on going to WDW next summer. As soon as the GCV go up for sale, we are going to buy points there and sell off some of our SSR points. We still go to Disneyland regularly and don't have to worry about plane tickets, long hotel stays, etc. since we live in Southern California. We will definitely use points for Hawaii when it opens, for Cruises, and eventually for trips to Tokyo Disneyland, Hong Kong Disneyland, and Disneyland Paris when it's just DW and I. I just don't see us going to WDW every year for 2 weeks anymore.

 

[Figment2]

Pre-DVC - every three or four years

Post-DVC - 3-5 times a year (friends have points, too, so we alternate) and we leave the kids, grandkids at home

Cyn

 

[dianeschlicht]

We've been members since '97, and our kids were mostly grown when we joined. At that time, we took 1 trip one year and 2 trips the next to get the most out an every other year AP. Now we go 2-3 times a year for longer trips than before. We really enjoy taking friends and family and "sharing the magic" with others. Now with a couple of grandkids, it gets to be even more fun. We have added on twice. Started out with 230, added on 150 the next year, and recently added another 69 at AKV.

 

[wdw1972]

I've been a FL resident since i joined 11 years ago, and my son grew up on WDW & DVC vacations. I still go multiple times a year, but most trips now are solo rather than with my son (he's 21 now). I spend less time in the parks & more at the resorts - but I still hit the parks for a little while each trip.

 

[SusieBea]

We've been members since 1993. Both of our daughters are grown now; one still loves Disney; the other is "too sophisticated" for this drivel! We never bank points, because we're always borrowing. So we still use them but in different ways. We've used the Concierge Collection for the Whitehall in Chicago twice and at the Royal Garden in London for my daughter's honeymoon - she wasn't too sophisticated to use the points then! We've done a cruise and used them for the Disney Collection at the Yacht Club, the Poly, and the GF. In May, we'll use them at the Grand Californian for our first trip to Disneyland. I have no intention of selling them. We just evolve in the way we use the points.

 

[Deb & Bill]

We joined in Nov 97, too. We made our first DVC trip in 98, then two in 99, added more points, took a cruise, added more points, added more points and wound up going twice a year or more. Recently sold some points, looking to sell some more and will only go once a year for a week. Plus we now add a week at the beach (another timeshare). DVC and Disney are starting to lose our business.

 

[CarolAnnC]

Wow, my life and vacationing habits have changed dramatically over the past ten years.

Had purchased my initial DVC in 1997 with my late husband. We enjoyed several OKW (his favorite) and one BWV trip till his untimely passing in 2000.

Then I spent a few years in a flurry of WDW trips and DCL cruises on points. I remarried in 2004 and my DH is a BWV fan, so we try for that resort when we can. We have also made a few DL trips in recent years.

Initally my girls were young teens and a one bedroom would suffice. Now they are young 20 somethings and we always opt for the two bedrooms.

In 2007 we did the Disney Med Cruise which ate up two years worth of points, hence no WDW last year. This year we will be heading for 11 days at Vero and BWV in July and then DH and I on the S.S. Member Cruise and BWV in September.

I would not be opposed to trying some of the Adventure Collection down the road either. And Hawaii is definitely in the planning...

 

[Tamar]

Can you say "180 degrees?" When we bought in 2001, we were spring vacationers, and took short trips (5 day park hopper trips), and DH always wanted to go when the parks were open late (so....busy times).

Now, with triple the points, we've changed our style and we take 10 day trips for F&W every year, and every other year take a late spring trip (after Easter, when parks are less crowded), and we get an AP every other year to cover the trips.

 

[Uncleromulus]

We bought in 1992--had two minor add-ons since. We used to go to WDW at least once a year (but sometimes twice) and stay at the Poly. Since 1992 we always do 2 one-week long trips each year. With the next being in May!!!

 

[Beth]

We bought in 1997 with 300 points. We've added on a couple of times to bring us to our "current" 525.

Our trips haven't changed to much. We also live close by..... so we tend to use our points for those short, dreaded, weekend trips.

The only thing that has changed is.... we "did" use our points for the Disney Collection, the Disney Cruise, and the CC early on... but the rise in points, and fees to exchange, has made me re-think that, now. We will primarily use our points for DVC resorts, only.

If we choose to vacation elsewhere, I have plenty of friends (locally) who can "take the points off my hands."

 

[LSchrow]

only 8 years, but our trips have changed dramatically:
we bought 240 BWV points in early 2000, when our DD was 15, & DS was 11.
added on 2x since then: 60 at BCV & 100 at SSR (all with CM discount ).
all four of us would go about 10-12 days (every last week of august) in a BWV 1 bdrm.
with DD now 23 & DS 19, just DH & i go (at least 2x a year for 7+ days each time - BWV studio). sometimes DD & i take a "spur of the moment" trip, when a "ding" comes up.
we also use the points for a trip every other year for DP's, DB & his family (BWV 2-bdrm), & sometimes i join them (cute: my nephews ages 8 & 13, are saving their money tp pay for me to go, because "aunt laurie makes the trip soooo much fun!!" & no, i would never take their money ~ time constraints hold me back ).
& DH & i are considering using points for italy next year.

that's what i like about DVC ~ the program is flexible, so we can still use it as our needs & wants have changed. a "single week" timeshare would not have worked for us over these 8 years (& we did look into them).

 

[bub]

Thanks for the interesting replies. Seems like we've all made use of the flexibility of DVC in our 10 or more years of membership. Looking forward to 10+ more years of fun vacations...