Connecticut DVC Owners thread?

[buzzrelly]

Hello, everyone!

I saw this thread last week and meant to comment and completely forgot about it until it just popped up again!

Central CT DVC owner here. I live just South of Hartford and work in Hartford. We've been DVC owners since 2014. Our home resorts are BLT and PVB, but I would love to add on BCV someday (although I can't really make that math work in my head, even at resale prices). We'll be staying in a 2-bedroom at BCV in 30 days!

We usually fly SW out of BDL but next month the return flights were terrible so our August trip we'll be flying down on SW and home on JB, which is a little confusing!

My DH won't fly so we have driven down a few times, the most recent being October 2020. I don't mind the ride down so much, but I DETEST the ride home. I think it's because when you're driving down, all the terrible places to drive through come fairly early. Once you get past NY/NJ, it's ok until you hit DC. Once you get past DC, the ride is super easy the rest of the way. But coming home, all the WORST areas to drive through come at the end when I have to least amount of patience. We have learned to never drive straight through, after making that mistake a couple times. It's just not worth it to us, and we like to find a Holiday Inn Express to stay over on both legs.

I have to admit, the one very nice part of driving is having your own car down there! But given the choice, I'd still rather fly!

Also, someone mentioned the Chowder Pot…I used to go there quite a bit but have completely forgotten about that place! They had the best bread and parmesan peppercorn dressing on their salad!

 

[Lori Duck]

On the subject of travel deals from CT area.... Southwest is only booking until January 5th presently. Not helpful for my next trip mid-Jan.! SW app says on Sept 16 they will open bookings as far as April 24th. Dates subject to change.
My question is the eternal Why? Why only allow air customers to book through the holidays, and no further? Chances are they are going to miss my business because I'll grab tix on another airline before Sept. 16th.
Anyway, that's my Question of the Day...
Have a great Tuesday, Nutmeggers!

 

[npatellye]

On the subject of travel deals from CT area.... Southwest is only booking until January 5th presently. Not helpful for my next trip mid-Jan.! SW app says on Sept 16 they will open bookings as far as April 24th. Dates subject to change.
My question is the eternal Why? Why only allow air customers to book through the holidays, and no further? Chances are they are going to miss my business because I'll grab tix on another airline before Sept. 16th.
Anyway, that's my Question of the Day...
Have a great Tuesday, Nutmeggers!

Ha! I was wondering the same thing. We plan to fly out on 12/30 or 12/31 but fly home on 1/8 and we’re hoping to use our Southwest credits.

 

[Norm1]

Hello Lori, I do consider myself a Lucky Duck. I'm far from the thousand point club although I would like to, as corpcomp said I would not be able to afford the annual dues. I have 650 points accumulated over twenty five years. My DW and I are both over 70 so I don't believe will be getting in the 1000 point club any time soon. Remember when we joined it was at $65 a point.
Since I did not go during the pandemic I did however belong to the 1000 point club for about two months. No extra perks just bragging rights. We've had many memorable family vacations over the years and still have the grownup kids and grandkids still wanting to go on vacation with us old folks. Can't ask for much more than that.

 

[RSHEALAND]

On the subject of travel deals from CT area.... Southwest is only booking until January 5th presently. Not helpful for my next trip mid-Jan.! SW app says on Sept 16 they will open bookings as far as April 24th. Dates subject to change.
My question is the eternal Why? Why only allow air customers to book through the holidays, and no further? Chances are they are going to miss my business because I'll grab tix on another airline before Sept. 16th.
Anyway, that's my Question of the Day...
Have a great Tuesday, Nutmeggers!

When I booked for my Southwest flight next week, we had direct to MCO in the morning. It got changed to a 2 stop 7.5 hr flight within a couple weeks. Could only get a one stop flight when changing it. There was a direct but later in the afternoon which doesn’t really work for us. Flying out of MLB on the way back on Delta and that flight got changed a couple times but actually went in our favor. Maybe Southwest is trying to get their routes rearranged again. I wouldn’t trust any flights that far out at this time

 

[buzzrelly]

My question is the eternal Why? Why only allow air customers to book through the holidays, and no further? Chances are they are going to miss my business because I'll grab tix on another airline before Sept. 16th.

I agree it's kind of annoying to wait, but as the previous poster stated, maybe it's better than booking something so far in advance only to have it changed in a way that longer works for you.

Also, as someone who mostly flies SW, I would add that it may be worth it to wait. I often get the best deals on flights as soon as the SW window opens…as in, the first hour or so. The prices tend to go up from there and usually don't get lower than when they are first released. If the price isn't right, or the flights you want aren't available then, you could always then grab tickets on another airline.

 

[Lori Duck]

I agree it's kind of annoying to wait, but as the previous poster stated, maybe it's better than booking something so far in advance only to have it changed in a way that longer works for you.

Also, as someone who mostly flies SW, I would add that it may be worth it to wait. I often get the best deals on flights as soon as the SW window opens…as in, the first hour or so. The prices tend to go up from there and usually don't get lower than when they are first released. If the price isn't right, or the flights you want aren't available then, you could always then grab tickets on another airline.

I like your strategy!

 

[Lori Duck]

Well folks, welcome once more to summer in Connecticut....where it is hotter in Hartford than it is Orlando as I write.
Everybody have a great weekend and stay safe!

 

[RSHEALAND]

Well folks, welcome once more to summer in Connecticut....where it is hotter in Hartford than it is Orlando as I write.
Everybody have a great weekend and stay safe!

I’ll be heading down on Monday to cool off

 

[Maistre Gracey]

Exactly why I never understood northern folks that said Florida is too hot…
Average roughly 5° warmer in summer, and 50° warmer in winter.

It seemed like a good trade to us, and that’s one reason we moved. Once we moved from Orlando to the coast, even better. The ocean tempers the temperature even better. A few warmer in the winter, a few cooler in the summer.

I am not trolling this thread, as I was a 50 year Connecticut guy, but I will say…. You guys are suckers!!!

 

[MamaJessie]

Hello! I am from Wallingford, Disney fans for years but new to DVC this last year. We are owners at Riviera.

You can never have too many threads, so lets call this the new official CT DVC owners thread.

Anybody else from CT drive to WDW? We've driven every time, there's a lot to see on the way there and back!

We drove up until our last two trips. We loved getting their faster when we flew but some of the kids actually did miss the road trip!

Has anyone given any thought to transportation since ME will be going away in January? We're renting a car so that we have one available for our family trip, but we still need to arrange for transportation to and from and the airport for everyone else. Mears hasn't announced anything yet for Mears Connect, so I think we might just look into using a private town car service.

It is part of the reason we decided to go back to driving for our January trip.

Hello from Southington CT. We have been members since 1995 and own at AKV & OKW. DW and I usually drive down in January and take the auto-train back in March. We usually stay in a studio for a month at our home resorts and then rent off property for a month and a half, close to Disney. This way we get to do two festivals at Disney and enjoy central Florida and all its attractions as well. So looking forward to next January 2022 because we had to skip this year.

That is amazing!

Exactly why I never understood northern folks that said Florida is too hot…
Average roughly 5° warmer in summer, and 50° warmer in winter.

It seemed like a good trade to us, and that’s one reason we moved. Once we moved from Orlando to the coast, even better. The ocean tempers the temperature even better. A few warmer in the winter, a few cooler in the summer.

I am not trolling this thread, as I was a 50 year Connecticut guy, but I will say…. You guys are suckers!!!

Some of us actually like CT I wouldn't be sad if I was a snowbird one day, but I am definitely a New Englander.

 

[Lori Duck]

I’ll be heading down on Monday to cool off

Have a fabulous trip!

 

[Lori Duck]

Exactly why I never understood northern folks that said Florida is too hot…
Average roughly 5° warmer in summer, and 50° warmer in winter.

It seemed like a good trade to us, and that’s one reason we moved. Once we moved from Orlando to the coast, even better. The ocean tempers the temperature even better. A few warmer in the winter, a few cooler in the summer.

I am not trolling this thread, as I was a 50 year Connecticut guy, but I will say…. You guys are suckers!!!

Hi! If you found the Perfect Florida Town, please share!

 

[Maistre Gracey]

Hello! I am from Wallingford, Disney fans for years but new to DVC this last year. We are owners at Riviera.


We drove up until our last two trips. We loved getting their faster when we flew but some of the kids actually did miss the road trip!


It is part of the reason we decided to go back to driving for our January trip.


That is amazing!


Some of us actually like CT I wouldn't be sad if I was a snowbird one day, but I am definitely a New Englander.

Did not mean to make that sound snarky…
Granted, I’m glad I left, and love to tease the folks up north in the winter. I usually just send a pic of me by the pool.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

Hi! If you found the Perfect Florida Town, please share!

We built a house in Sebastian. We are a nine minute drive from the Vero resort.
We love the area, but there are many great spots in this state.

I think I said earlier in this thread…. Raised in Ellington, and owned a home in Cromwell.

 

[Ms.Minnie]

Exactly why I never understood northern folks that said Florida is too hot…
Average roughly 5° warmer in summer, and 50° warmer in winter.

It seemed like a good trade to us, and that’s one reason we moved. Once we moved from Orlando to the coast, even better. The ocean tempers the temperature even better. A few warmer in the winter, a few cooler in the summer.

I am not trolling this thread, as I was a 50 year Connecticut guy, but I will say…. You guys are suckers!!!

The main difference I see with the weather is that FL is hotter much longer than in the NE. I'm not from CT, I'm in NJ and agree that in the summer months it's just as hot here as in FL but FL stays hot a lot longer...I don't really like the heat and my grandkids are here so my dream of moving to FL has been squelched.

 

[corpcomp]

Exactly why I never understood northern folks that said Florida is too hot…
Average roughly 5° warmer in summer, and 50° warmer in winter.

It seemed like a good trade to us, and that’s one reason we moved. Once we moved from Orlando to the coast, even better. The ocean tempers the temperature even better. A few warmer in the winter, a few cooler in the summer.

I am not trolling this thread, as I was a 50 year Connecticut guy, but I will say…. You guys are suckers!!!

I lived in Orlando (Longwood) for 5 years working for GE in Daytona Beach. Manager asked if I was happy and I said yes! He then offered a transfer (or get laid off) to a "beautiful town in CT right on the water called Bridgeport". I would get a 4% raise. Whoopie.

25 years later, trying desperately to get back to Orlando (same community) but for the last year have been totally outbid on everything.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

I lived in Orlando (Longwood) for 5 years working for GE in Daytona Beach. Manager asked if I was happy and I said yes! He then offered a transfer (or get laid off) to a "beautiful town in CT right on the water called Bridgeport". I would get a 4% raise. Whoopie.

25 years later, trying desperately to get back to Orlando (same community) but for the last year have been totally outbid on everything.

Yikes. 4% raise doesn’t even cover the income tax.

 

[npatellye]

Yikes. 4% raise doesn’t even cover the income tax.

Never mind the difference in cost of living, especially in Fairfield County. But if I could move to FL and only take a 4% deduction from our CT income, I would do it in a heartbeat.

 

[corpcomp]

Yikes. 4% raise doesn’t even cover the income tax.

Yea, I found out after the move. And beautiful city?????? Ha!

I have my own consulting company so I can move anywhere and work. 6 months and a day in Florida saves me CT state taxes.
But we are Disney freaks (well we all are) so Orlando gives me a lot of DVC weekends. Just stunned how I am getting out bid on everything even with an all cash offer.