alternatives to owner's locker?

[alisonslp]

New to DVC. Still waiting on our closing. Get our first points dec 1. And can't wait to big our first trip!

I have been reading about the OL and wondering if there are people who have alternatives to this - renting your own storage units, shipping items down by mail, keeping a box packed at home and taking it with you (if you drive). The OL seem like a great idea - just wondering on the cost for people who only use it once or twice a year. Convenience is a big factor, I realize that.

For those who have the OL did you do it right away or wait a few trips to gauge whether it was worth it and what things you'd want to store?

We drive down from NC (5 people - airlines are just too expensive). So we have room, but it's nice to not have to repack everything each time.

Alison

 

[Judy WI]

Before I had the OL I had a plastic bin very much like the OL that I kept all my "travel" things together. You know the pack of tootbrushes, extra socks, favorite soaps, nail clippers, bandaids and the like. That way when we had a trip it was very easy to pack. That might just work for you as you drive. Now we have the OL and all that stuff is waiting for us so we can fly with only carry-ons.

We do twice a year trips and I know the locker cost seems high but sure is nice to pack only that little bag.

And of course love the washer/dryer to use that helps keep the packing down.

 

[CraftyMouse]

We also drive on almost every WDW/DVC trip. We made our own bin with the items we would leave in an Owner's Locker and store it at home. It's the first thing that goes in the car when we pack up. I figure why pay all of that money for something that I can so easily so myself.

I think OL is a great service for those who fly, especially with the current extra bag charges, but since we drive I would consider it a waste of money. The extra benefit to packing my own is that I can bring it along on any Vero and Hilton Head trips we take.

 

[DVC Mike]

We drive down from NC (5 people - airlines are just too expensive). So we have room, but it's nice to not have to repack everything each time.

Alison

We drive down 4 times a year from NC and we don't need on Owners Locker. We just bring everything we need in the car. We also use a couple plastic storage bins. Granted, there's only two of us, so there's not a lot to pack.

 

[Teyedoubleguhrrrr]

We got our OL right away, and used it on our first DVC trip in April. At the time, we lived near Albany, and flying was the only realistic option to enjoy time at WDW without exhausting DH and I. DH was a little reticent, but has completely changed his mind after seeing it "in use" during our trip.

That said, while we have not returned yet, we are really happy we did buy first go. Now, even though we can either drive or fly from where we live, we have that "stuff" down there - pin lanyards, a water pitcher w/filter, sunscreen, laundry detergent, etc. I know that if we do drive, then we have a better chance of taking the smaller, more fuel efficient car as we will have less to pack since we have OL. If we fly, we could probably get away with a carry on bag and either not have to check a bag or only check a lot less (maybe 1 or 2 for the family instead of 4). The customer service is great, and I was truly surprised at how large the locker was and how much we got in there!

A suggestion would be to make a list of stuff that you would like to leave if you could. Since we flew - top of my list was tolietries. We were able to buy full sized items and put them in the OL and now we don't have to pack them. Then add to that list when you are down there. There are a couple of great threads on here that discuss things people store in the OL that are helpful that you might want to bring down.

Anyway - I know it is a tough decision in these economic times, but just think it through and I'm sure you'll make the decision that is best for your family!