Advice Needed From The "AARP Crowd"

[Illini Al]

My wife and I are considering a DVC Membership. We have two adult children, but no grandchildren yet. For others who are in similar situations, what do you enjoy now about DVC? The thought of taking my future grandchildren every year to Disney World is very exciting, but am curious to hear from 50-ish year-old adults who visit w/o children or grandchildren. What do you like to do? Where do you like to stay? My 2 daughters and one son-in-law have already said they'd happy to use our points either with or without us even before they have kids! When my 2 daughters were younger, we we came down numerous times, but haven't been back since their early teen years when they were "too cool" for Mickey.
Thanks!!

 

[wdwnut]

We purchased at BWV 10 years ago when our youngest was still a teen and our oldest had just gotten engaged. We have taken numerous trips with the kids, grandkids, extended family, and friends up to 25+ people. It's still quite a bit of fun.

 

[JimC]

That is us right down to the two daughters and one son-in-law. We enjoy the resorts and parks, but at a leisurely pace so we can take in the details and exhibits. We see more parades, shows, shop and enjoy a greater variety of restaurants. We enjoy rides, but we easily detour if there is much of a line.

Which DVC resort we stay at depends on the time of year. For example, BCV is our favorite for December as it is close to Epcot and Studios for the special seasonal events. We owned before we moved to Florida and wondered if we would still want DVC living 30 minutes off property. Since moving down we bought AKV and VGC, plus more points at BCV and are about to add more at OKW.

 

[spiceycat]

no kids - brought it for my family and me....

mother definitely enjoyed it for years (joined in 1993 - OKW-DVC). My brother and his family still enjoy it.

his kids were raised on Disney. So the niece has always been for WDW. the nephew got side tracked a few years by Universal - but he is now again a big fan of WDW.

that is what is so nice about Orlando - if they do get tired of WDW - there is Universal, Seaworld, Bush Gardens - all right there. that say WDW is a hard act to beat.

definitely have enjoyed my membership.

Jim you are scaring me - moving to Davenport in a couple of months (hope). Have an offer on a house - the owner say yes - we are waiting on the bank and have waited, and waited....

really though I had enough points - now don't know.

 

[kikiq]

We bought DVC when we were 57. We have the 2 daughters and one grand daughter. My DH just likes to hang around the resort. Rents a bicycle, plays some tennis, reads a book and then off to the parks for a few hours. Our DGD already has made her first trip to VGC, and will be going to WDW in 2011. My DH likes to say that DVC provides with our "magic place" to be together. Doesn't really matter what we do.

 

[drusba]

Our preferreds are BWV and AKV and you can do the following:

1. You can go to the Hall of Presidents or the American Adventure and not feel like the ones you are with are doing you a huge favor by letting you drag them to such boring shows.

2. You can actually make a reservation for dinner at Victoria & Albert's.

3. If you play golf, you can play any day you want and any time of day you want.

4. You can get up at 6:30 a.m., have coffee on the porch while watching the sun rise, boats and people passing at BWV or animals at AKV, and not even think about getting to the park early.

5. You can go to the pool, have a few, spend some time in the hot tub, read a book and not be constantly watching to assure those you are with are not drowning.

6. You know you can go to 9 p.m. Cirque show or 9:30 Hoop Dee Doo and not worry about kids being too tired.

7. You never have to go on Dumbo or Alladin or [fill in any others that drive you batty].

8. You can tell random young people you don't know that the sickening Mission to Mars ride used to be a very impressive, imaginative and comfortable ride called Horizons.

9. You can walk past any ride that exists and no one with you will express disappointment if you don't go on it now.

10. You can go to Jellyrolls at BW without finding a sitter.

11. When Fantasmic ends you can just sit and wait until the crowd moves out before leaving because you are in no hurry to get anywhere.

12. If you want to see a parade you just walk up 5 minutes before it starts because you don't have to worry about ones you are with not being able to see over those standing in front of you.

13. You can actually spend a couple hours going through the real zoo portion of AK without those you are with believing they are missing the excitement elsewhere.

14. You can go to any restaurant you want and not ask to see the kid's menu.

15. You can if you want just go to a park a few hours a day and not care whether you get on any popular rides. In fact, you can go just to do two things and then come back and lounge at the pool.

16. You can go to a park just to see stage and and street shows.

17. You can spend time shopping for things you actually want to buy for yourself.

18. You can have a rather late dinner at Jiko's, a nice bottle of wine and then go back to the room and do what you couldn't do when the kids were around.

Of course, you can also buy souveniers for those who aren't with you so they won't fear they have been forgotten for you will always remember what it was like with them and what it is like without them.

 

[helenk]

I am 56, and while I do have a grand daughter who will be 2 and look forward to future trips with her, I really enjoy going by myself. My husband does not like WDW so most of my trips are solo.
I booked a studio at the BCV for September, I am looking forward to relaxing at the pool and being able to walk to Epcot and DHS.
I have a 1 bedroom booked at the VWL for December with hopes that my son, daughter in law and grand-daughter can join me. But my son was laid off recently so they may not be able to go. If I go solo I will go to MVMCP and I'll go see the Candlelight Processional, and I love visiting the resorts to see the decorations. I also plan on just hanging out in the lobby and having some hot chocolate by the fireplace.
When I bought at DVC, I bought enough points to take 2 trips a year and stay in a Savannah view studio at the AKV and possibly treat myself to concierge level once or twice. Then I bought 50 more points so that I can upgrade to a 1 bedroom when my grand daughter comes along and then I bought 50 points at the VWL so I can stay there every other year.
So even though I do not have a large family to go along, I enjoy my solo trips and in a few years I will take my grand daughter as often as possible.

 

[Safari Queen]

We were 53 and 62 when we bought our first contract at SSR. Kids were grown and gone. I'd suddenly become a WDW fanatic and we both found our vacations there so relaxing. Once we stopped going "commando" with kids, we slowed down and just cherry picked our favorites in the parks. We boat, bike, play miniature golf, and spend a lot of time just lounging in the villa, in a lounge, or by the pool. Staying deluxe is lovely. At this point we own at BWV and AKL. In January we spend a week with my daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter, usually at BWV or BCV, which are so comfortable and convenient to the parks. In the Fall we do Food and Wine by ourselves, usually at AKL, which we adore.

DVC makes sure we take our vacations (wouldn't want to waste points) and the whole resort now feels familiar and comfortable. I can't think of any place more perfect for us now that it's just us.

 

[Muhlenberg]

We bought when I was 53 and hubby was 54. We have 1 college age son and 2 older daughters, one of which is married, and now we have a new granddaughter. We bought because I was ending up at WDW twice a year. At the time...all the kids were scattered about the country.

Anyway...the winter trips are when I take my now 85 yo parents. We tour at a VERY S L O W pace and no longer do rides. There's a LOT of stopping to smell the roses and people watching and EATING.

When it's my DH and me, we tour at our own pace...commando marched right out the door when he broke his ankle in '00. I'm like others...if a line's too long...we go somewhere else. Parks are at a leisurely pace, and if we've had enough after 3 or 4 things, we go back to the room. We enjoy dinners at Cali Grill, and other places WE want to go to.

The plan is for the whole family to take a trip every two years. We went last January WITH the grandparents...but the next time (Aug '10) is just our immediate family.

Where do we stay without kids? So far...BWV, AKV, and BLT(soon). There's always something to do, and where we stay doesn't really matter.

 

[eliza61]

Both Hubby and I are 50+ AARP members without the retired part. LOL. We did purchase our dvc when we had kids but find now that the kids are older we still enjoy it very much.

1) We love touring at a leisurely pace. It just seems like we enjoy our vacations more now that we are not rushing through meals to get on the next ride.
2) We love the "mini" trips to the world the rejuvenate us through out the year. Luckily we live in SJersey/Philly area which is serviced by Southwest Airlines. 89 bucks a piece and the old guy and I can hop down to the world for a long weekend.
3) If it's just the two of us we like the WL but our home resort is the BCV's which we love also.

 

[bobbiwoz]

We're in our 60s, not retired and enjoy going to WDW for long weekends and for longer vacations with family and friends.
I enjoy swimming and relaxing at a pool. SAB at the BCV is my favorite pool, but since we like and own at 6 resorts, I always am happy to say that it is very true that if I can't be swimming there, I'm very happy at the pool/resort that I'm at. VLW is our favorite all around resort, and they all come in a very close second to that one.
DH and I enjoy the shows, like the American Idol experience and the Monster's Inc, and the fireworks. He's so glad we bought into DVC, because our other "home away from home" in Cape May often requires some upkeep, work for him to do when he's there. At our DVC, he can relax without getting a honeydo list!
We've added on over the years, and our family, including 3 wonderful grandchildren join us often. However, we are also adding on to be able to spend at least 6 weeks of winter at WDW/VB in the not to distant future.

Bobbi

 

[DiznyDi]

DH and I are also 55+ AARP members, though not quite retired. We purchased while our adult children were still living at home. Daughter is now married and son is in the Army. DD used our points for her honeymoon stay split between VWL and SSR. DH and I like to make 2 trips per year; one in May for Flower and Garden and one in the late Fall for Food and Wine or winter to enjoy the Christmas decorations and festivities. We fly, usually direct out of Akron Canton and use the Magical Express.

We enjoy the various activities/shows/entertainment offered at the resorts and frequently will resort-hop for our evening meal. The parks are fun to walk through. We particularly enjoy the landscaping and dreaming how to implement designs on our own property. There are only a handful of rides that we continue to do every trip and if the lines are too long, we know we'll be back again.

This is the first year that we are even considering renting a car to explore some off property sights.

We viewed our purchase much like buying a car. It suited us at the moment and we have enjoyed it tremendously. When it no longer suits us, we'll sell and move on, though I really don't see that as happening. DD and SIL thoroughly enjoy visits to the World - on mom and dad, of course and DS and his soon to be wife hopefully will enjoy it as well.

I look forward to my trips with just DH and myself. Sure taking extended family is fun, but going 'just us' is extra special. Which will happen again in 2 months and 28 days....

 

[Cee]

Our favorite trips are the non-park trips now. We love just "hanging out". It's wonderful. It's also been a revelation to discover all there is to do outside of the parks. We are never bored. LOVE IT.

 

[Illini Al]

Thanks for all of the great thoughts and suggestions. It sounds like DVC can work well to transition us from where we're at now (traveling alone), to our days when grandchildren come along, to when we retire in about 10 to 15 years. Moving to Central Florida when we retire is strong possibility, at which time I would have thought it would make sense to sell, although it sounds like there are Central Florida residents who still own!

 

[dianeschlicht]

My wife and I are considering a DVC Membership. We have two adult children, but no grandchildren yet. For others who are in similar situations, what do you enjoy now about DVC? The thought of taking my future grandchildren every year to Disney World is very exciting, but am curious to hear from 50-ish year-old adults who visit w/o children or grandchildren. What do you like to do? Where do you like to stay? My 2 daughters and one son-in-law have already said they'd happy to use our points either with or without us even before they have kids! When my 2 daughters were younger, we we came down numerous times, but haven't been back since their early teen years when they were "too cool" for Mickey.
Thanks!!

We purchased when we were 50 and 51 and our kids were grown. We've been members for 12 years, and still no grandchildren to share DVC with, but we have so enjoyed taking family and friends to the World, and really enjoy just going by ourselves too. We usually take 2-3 Disney trips a year and combine them with other activities as well. For example: in two weeks we will start a 2 week Florida trip. We're staying a week in an OKW 1 bedroom and then go down to Fort Myers for 5 days of baseball spring training. Then we head back up to AKL for a couple of days before heading home. WDW is our "go to" place for fun and relaxation.

 

[nunzia]

We bought it and we are also of the older variety. We have visited with adult groups several times and it was just great. We DO have grandkids (8) and so do like to take them, of course, but really need more points. We had planned a just DH and I trip but added a brother and sister in law and are looking very forward to that. Disney without kids is a different but just as fun experience IMO.

 

[zorro77]

We have been members since (93) and now are both 57. No grandchildren yet but have been taking our mothes who are 80 with us each year. They love it down their. The walking,shopping and all the rides they love to do. For us we go 4 weeks of the year and each time can not wait to go back. It seems like we may do same thing over and over but we enjoy it because the people are different each time. Lots of free things to do and enjoy. We go when weather is bad at home so it is a pleasure to have the sun and warm air. We see ourselves going for as long as we are able. To keep up with our mothers we have 20 plus years to go. Plus we will have family members to continue to enjoy it as well.

 

[DeeDeeDis]

I was going to bypass this post but then i remembered i joined this club in August

Its great to visit without kids, first you can actually ENJOY the parks without panicing every few seconds because the "little guy" disappeared again (with three boys it always seemed one of them was always standing behind some big person in the growd).

we try to visit EPCOT every year for the food and wine festival in the fall (not really a youth activity).

Strolling thru all the resorts, parks and downtown Disney and listening to all the holiday Concerts is one of our favortie things to in November and early December.

Visiting the water parks, or just the resort pool, without having to waddle after a little person is amazingly very relaxing.

Our three sons, 24, 22 & 18 (this one is at UCF and visited wdw every week) still love going wdw and the oldest two did the CP, (middle one is still a seasonal employee) and all three keep trying to convert their friends

Dont get me wrong I LOVED seeing the parks and magic thru my boys eyes when they were young and am looking forward to one day bringing grandchildren but right now we are enjoying all the wonder of disney by ourselves and loving every relaxing minute of it.

footnote: My mom bought a small dvc share about 4 years ago (shes 78) and goes every years, mostly for the food; shows and people watching

 

[dianeschlicht]

We have been members since (93) and now are both 57. No grandchildren yet but have been taking our mothes who are 80 with us each year.

LOL, I know this was an innocent typo, but it really made me laugh! I have a hilarious image of winged creatures!

 

[Cee]

I know, me too!