Any teachers own DVC?

[RysMomma]

I have a few questions for those of you who are teachers and own a DVC. DH and I are considering it (not immediately as we just had our second child and we aren't sure how expenses are going to be over the next few years), but hopefully within the next few years. But, as I do a lot of reading, I've come across some questions that I am just not sure the best way it works being a teacher.

1) Are you able to travel at off peak times? If we were to buy in, I could only see us traveling in the summer, spring break, and Christmas break. I'm also from NJ so "NJ week" is another one I could see us using our points at. Do you use your DVC at off peak times?

2) If you don't mind me asking, how many points do you have? Do you go every single year? Do you go multiple times during a year? I'm just trying to figure out the best way to use our points knowing that off peak times would be difficult for us to travel during.

3) Do you take long weekend trips to WDW or do you save your points to use for longer periods of time?

As a teacher, kind of being dictated when you can and cannot vacation, do you find DVC to be worth the money? Thanks!

 

[bom_noite]

I have a few questions for those of you who are teachers and own a DVC. DH and I are considering it (not immediately as we just had our second child and we aren't sure how expenses are going to be over the next few years), but hopefully within the next few years. But, as I do a lot of reading, I've come across some questions that I am just not sure the best way it works being a teacher.

I am a very active member of the PTA - if I had it my way you all would get a DVC Contract as a perk! In fact, that is a GREAT idea to give to a friend of mine running for School Board!. Not that we should pay for everyone - but - it is a rather inexpensive perk to be awarded to you fantastic folks that educate our kids!

My personal Observations:

1) Here in our school district we have gone to "Year Round Schools". Our kids start Aug 1, then, get a week off in September and February. The first year that this took affect we went to WDW the first time in Sep we found low crowd volumes and ran in to a ton of neighbors where we agreed: "How great is this?". Now we have one in HS and one in College - so it makes it more difficult.

2) WDW in July / August is not the best time to go - this is my opinion - Big crowds and blistering Temps is not any fun!

If Summer / Aug / December or Spring Break is your best option, then, understand it is a popular time to go and you will be in competition with others for a reservation.

3) Will 150 or 160 pts work? Tough call - if you have a week off in Sep, then it probably will. If you plan to buy 150 and go to BLT and get a Grand Villa in April - good luck. If your only desire is to buy in to BLT and get a Studio once a year - maybe you are ok. Not sure anyone can answer unless you give more specifics on how you plan to use it.


The best advice I think I can give you is this: Buy in to the resort you love so you have the advantage of the 11 month ressie window. This is the MOST important advice I can give you!

My opinions - hope it helps!

 

[My5Mouseketeers]

I'm not a teacher, but I do have 5 kids in school and we try not to pull them out for vacations.

We also live in NJ and we have 150 points. That gives us enough points to go to WDW every other "NJ Week" in a 2 bedroom. For us it's perfect. On the "off years" we do something else (Mystic CT this year). My husband would NEVER go to WDW in the summer and Winter/spring break are just to busy at Disney. Having grown-up going in November my kids are spoiled. They won't wait more than 30 minutes for any ride. I know they just would not enjoy themselves if it was super crowded.

 

[Sandisw]

I am a teacher and just bought in in 2009. We have typically gone to Disney in the summer as flights from Syracuse during the other break times are outrageous.

When it was 5 of us going, there was no way I could afford to pay $2500 for just the airfare!

Now it is down to 3 as my older two are in college but we still think it is worth it. The goal is to go every summer for 5 or 6 nights and then every other year for a long weekend, during Food and Wine.

As far as going off times, that won't happen for a while as we are not supposed to use the few personal days we are given for recreation. That pretty much leaves us going during peak times.

We started with 180 points and just added on another 30 so we have 210. For us, this works out well but as I said, we are done to mostly going with just 3. We stayed in a 1 bedroom this summer and realize going back to a studio is not going to happen except for those long weekends.

If you see yourself wanting to visit during those times, then it could work well for you. But, those are more crowded and in the summer, it is hot. You have to be okay with dealing with those cons.

Of course, you always have the option to start out with a small resale contract to get your foot in the door to see how you like it and whether the program will work. If it does, you can always add on more. But, if you don't, you can sell the contract and recoup some of your money.

Good luck!

 

[teacher2525]

I am a teacher and we go in the summer. We find the crowds okay towards the end of August. However, the heat is a force to be reckon with. We get up early once in a while but started going out at night on our last trip.

I also book two weeks (every other year) so we can really tour at a slow pace. We have 170 points. We are a family of 5 pirate age 6 irate age 10 irate age 12:but still small enough to fit in a 1 bedroom for now. I'm hoping that they put the extra bed in all of DVC like in animal kingdom and BLT.

I love Disney and the heat is part of it so we just find ways to minimize our time during the worst of it. now that the kids are older, late nights are pretty easy for them to deal with

 

[rcchello]

Most NJ residence with kids are tied to the same school schedule you are. I have spent many "Jersey Weeks" at DVC in Disneyworld. I have also had to brave the summer when the kids finally got out of school.

Jersey Week happens to be a wonderful time at Disney. You even get to meet up with teachers who have also escaped to Florida. There is a Disney sponsered Art show and sale at downtown Disney the same week.

I personally would avoid Easter and Christmas week.

The summer is no that bad when you know you will be back next year. You venture out in the Morning and Evenings to the parks and spend the hottest part of the day at the pools, discount/Disney shopping or reading on your balcony.

 

[ImagineerM]

I'm a teacher and my wife is in education as well. We bought two dvc cotracts last year:
160 at AKL & 150 SSR

we travel during the summer and during our fall break (a week in oct). So far I haven't had trouble getting exactly what I want!

I'm glad we bought dvc.

Cheers,
josh

 

[Sammie]

Actually summer is not a peak time for DVCers to go. Most do not like the crowds or heat, or higher points required for summer stays.

So booking summer trips with DVC is easier than other times of the year.

Spring and Fall can be more difficult to get.

 

[twinkle49]

I have a few questions for those of you who are teachers and own a DVC. DH and I are considering it (not immediately as we just had our second child and we aren't sure how expenses are going to be over the next few years), but hopefully within the next few years. But, as I do a lot of reading, I've come across some questions that I am just not sure the best way it works being a teacher.

1) Are you able to travel at off peak times? If we were to buy in, I could only see us traveling in the summer, spring break, and Christmas break. I'm also from NJ so "NJ week" is another one I could see us using our points at. Do you use your DVC at off peak times?

2) If you don't mind me asking, how many points do you have? Do you go every single year? Do you go multiple times during a year? I'm just trying to figure out the best way to use our points knowing that off peak times would be difficult for us to travel during.

3) Do you take long weekend trips to WDW or do you save your points to use for longer periods of time?

As a teacher, kind of being dictated when you can and cannot vacation, do you find DVC to be worth the money? Thanks!

Hi! I'm also a teacher in NJ!
As far as travel to Disney I go either 3-4 times a year. We normally go for spring break which is either always Easter week or a week in April depending. I go down for 2 weeks in July with my parents and then for 5 days in August with my boyfriend. We also go down for 5 days during Jersey Week Sun- Fri and yes I take those 3 days off. If we don't go down for Jersey Week then we go over Thanksgiving break. So I basically always travel in April, July, August and November. So far when we have spring break over Easter that has been the busiest we've seen the parks. Also in the summer we don't go to the parks in the morning we stay by the pool and relax and go out later on for dinner in the parks.
We've never done long weekends because we can't justify paying the airfare (3 adults) so for us we won't stay less than 5 nights unless we have to and that hasn't happened yet. We own 460 points spilt between AKV and BWV. I'm looking to add a few more but can't decide yet! Before we bought DVC in 2007 we only traveled in Disney every 4 years for a week so DVC has drastically changed our vacationing for the better!!!Hope I helped!! Have a great school year!

 

[twinkle49]

duplicate sorry

 

[jbdisneymom13]

Another teacher here - but from Ohio. We have owned DVC for two years now, buying in with a smaller contract resale as an earlier post suggested but we've already added on through Disney. I have two children in school plus a husband who is a farmer so we primarily vacation in July / Aug (we've been there the past two summers) or at Christmas. However, last year we also went for a long weekend in January and in 2011 we'll be taking a Disney cruise followed by a night at BCV in February. For both times I used personal days (which are not restricted as to how we use them) and the kids only missed a day or two of school. I know summer is hot but we actually love visiting then. I have had great success booking for two different summer trips with only about 3 months notice. I did have to waitlist for what I really wanted but I could get a reservation when I called the first time and my waitlist has come through every time I've made one. (I hope to always be that lucky but realize it might not always be the case.) We love DVC and have not regretted the purchase. We began with the idea that we'd stay in a studio each time (which is fine, we don't mind that) but this summer we stayed in a one bedroom at AKL and will try to do a one bedroom for longer trips when we can.

 

[patsal]

Teacher from NY. We go at peak times. I go one to three times per year depending upon many factors. My kids are older now, so we have HS, activities and a college schedule to work around as well. We started with 210 points about 10 years ago, added on 100 points about 6 years ago and then added on 30 two years ago. With point reallocation I could use about 100 more. When the kids were smaller the 210 worked, because studios worked, but now I like a 1 BR for 2 weeks in the summer--seems no matter how we try to go other times it doesn't happen anymore. I do not mind smaller accomadations over shorter breaks.

 

[bekkio]

I'm a teacher in California, and we love our membership. So far, we've gone during our Spring break (always the 2nd week in April regardless of when Easter is), our Thanksgiving break (we get a full week off), and during the 1st week of Winter Break, with departing the day after Christmas. Since we're so close, we've used our points once at the Disneyland Hotel and once it opened, at GCV. Since getting the four of us out to FL is fairly expensive, we decided to bank/borrow points for the Alaskan cruise next year, without the kids.

Right now, we own 160 points at SSR, and 100 points at GCV. We'd love to be able to add on some more, but have decided to wait a few more years before doing so. The crowds during the peak times don't really bother us, since we've been enough times that we prefer to hang around the resort and take it easy rather than hit the parks commando-style.

 

[debdisneycruiser]

Another teacher here....in NC. We own 175 points...have used them for fall break in Oct. Also go in December, usually leave around 19th or 20th (for a few days before Christmas. Spring usage occasionally depends on how it falls around Easter. We go often enough that we enjoy the resorts as much as being in the parks non-stop.

 

[BLLB]

DH is a teacher. We own 200 points. We go each year at Spring Break.

 

[njschultz7]

I'll be the idiot from Indiana and ask.... What is a Jersey Week ?

 

[jpeka65844]

Another teacher here!

We've done both peak and off-peak times. Spring break and summer being peak, were challenging. You're dealing with crowds and heat. Adjust accordingly however you can usually stay longer and take a slower pace. We will most likely not be returning in the summer for a long while. The heat was just too much for us. So back to spring break and long weekends. I use personal days and a "sick" day (no flames please!) to make a Friday-Tues weekend, usually at the first of December and hopefully sometime soon for Food and Wine.

Between 3 resorts we own 320 points. The bulk of those are at VWL where we can come down for longer trips and/or bring family along. The smaller contracts at BWV and VGC are for us to sneak away for long weekends.

 

[MerriH807]

Yes, being a teacher dictates when you can go on vaca. However, those are the times you need to vacation, points or no points. Before we bought we looked carefully at the points charts and WHEN we like to travel. Then bought points accordingly. We also made sure we had enough points to stay a week OTHER than Disney just in case getting to FL was an issue one year. Im from NY

 

[parlay]

I'll be the idiot from Indiana and ask.... What is a Jersey Week ?

Usually the first Thursday and Friday in November is the New Jersey Education Association's Teachers Convention - so schools are closed. Some years election day and Veterans day are quite close and some districts close down for an entire week. That is what is generally referred to as "Jersey Week" We were on the Magic one year during that week and it became a joke because the entertainers stopped asking where everyone was from and just asked "Who here, isn't from Jersey"

I am also a NJ teacher. We have gone for Jersey week when my district has given us the week off (its a wonderful time to go since it corresponds with the Food and Wine Festival). We are frequent summer visitors, having visited in June, July and August. We have found that the end of August is not any cooler, but much less crowded. Owning DVC has changed our vacations, we don't usually do the commando touring that we use to. We get to the parks early, have lunch in air conditioning and leave to go enjoy the resort pool (or take a nap). We then head back out to the parks in the early evening after dinner. We started with 270 pts at AKV, and have since added on at AKV and SSR, and our total is now 500 pts. We are a family of 5 and our kids are teenagers (the youngest is a pre-teen) so we now enjoy 2 Bedrooms. Even though I can't utilize the lowest parts of the point chart yet (I'll have to wait til I retire) it is well worth it for my family.

 

[bz8bls]

Teacher in Michigan, however, have only been in education for a couple of years. Before, changing my career, was in corporate job...we have always taken the DGC in the summer or Xmas...so even before jumping careers, the times we go are the same as my previous career.

Actually we love going in the summer (usually August) and Xmas. I don't think I could take the spring break crowds though. We also have used are points for Disney Cruises in the summer.