Do you feel less "guilty"?

[BraveMom3]

I find that I have a hard time "relaxing" around the resort when we go to WDW. Even though this past trip, I bought PH+/PH pass combos(leaving some days pass-free) instead of the RM package I've always gotten, I still felt that I "needed" to be at those parks! You would think that as much as you pay for the rack rate of a deluxe or moderate resort, staying around the resort wouldn't be as difficult.

I guess my point is that once you can afford to have enough points to go more often, not having to budget so much for accomodations, do you find you're better able to relax and take it SLOW!!!??

 

[Regina]

I know what you mean. We tend to do the same thing. There's just so much to see and do, that you feel as if you're missing something when you hang out at the resort.

This past May, I was determined to fit in a swim. We did, and it made a world of difference.

I think that we're going to fit in more down time in the future. We used to do that, and I miss it.

 

[dianeschlicht]

It took us three years and 6 trips as DVC members before we finally "got it" that we didn't have to be park commandos. Of course, then we go and invite people along, so we have to go with them too! I guess some of us never learn!

 

[Lora]

We were much more relaxed with our AP's than hopper passes. We swam a lot, went on boat rides, did the surrey bikes, hung out on the Boardwalk, watched a video in the room, toured the VWL... This makes for a much nicer family vacation than worrying about doing Space Mountain 10 times.

We take advantage of early entries and fast passes and we do our best to avoid the crowds...maximizing our time in the parks. When you get a lot in during the morning, you don't feel bad about relaxing during the afternoon.

 

[DVCajun]

DVC has definitely helped me to relax at WDW. I used to be a commando-- people hated to be around me at the parks! When everyone else wanted to go back to the room to cool off and take a nap I sent them off with a sneer and continued on my gruelling tour! I guess I felt like I didn't know "for sure" when we'd be coming back! Now I can feel pretty confident that we'll be going at least once a year and that means I can just sit back and enjoy being there. Now that we have a baby I am really spending more time away from the parks because he needs time to cool off and rest even more than we do. But that's ok! BWV is a lovely place to relax!

 

[Jimbo]

We definitely relax more as DVC members, and it's not just the parks either. Stress is removed from the whole thing, from planning to vacationing.

I marvel at how stressed out people are on the resorts board. Booking, cancelling, re-booking, agonizing over whether they got the right resort at the right price, etc. Then just when it looks like someone's settled, somebody <i>else</i> gets a postcard in the mail and it starts all over. Now that things are a little tighter, of course, WDW's offering some pretty good discounts, so their stress pays off, I guess. But I much prefer my method; a two-minute call to MS at the 10 month mark or so, and I'm done.

Restaurants are the same thing. We make a couple PS's in advance, and just make the rest of our decisions the day of. If we can't get into a restaurant, no biggie... we'll do it next time. It's the way vacations are supposed to be, IMO.

 

[Disney Doll]

I think that being DVCers had definitely relaxed us regarding park touring when it's just DH and I. If we go with a bigger group, we still end up doing it "commando style" because others in our group are not DVCers, and therefore don't necessarily have the luxury of knowing when they may be back! One of the nicest things about the DVC is the fact that you can go a little more frequently or spur of the moment. In the past, we had to save up enough money to pay for accomodations,airfare,passes,spending,transportation. Accomodations was usually the biggest chunk of that. Now, we pay for the accomodations in smaller incremements every month, so we don't have to come up with that big chunk of change all at once.To us, it makes a HUGE difference!!!!!

 

[Ricola]

We're not DVCers (yet) but I know what you mean, BraveMom3.

I think a couple of years ago, we finally came to the realization that in WDW we'd found a vacation that we wwere going to come back to over and over again. Boy what a relief not feeling like we need to try to see everything. Now we just look for a few new experiences each trip, then sit back and enjoy ourselves. Sometimes that means 10x at Space mountain, sometimes it means an afternoon by the pool doing laundry and watching DS play.

I guess what I'm saying, is that it does get easier, with time and with the right attitude. While we've never gone without going to the parks, I think we might even consider that sometime!

 

[BraveMom3]

Thanks for the responses! What a relief to know that I'm not the only one that thinks this way!! I've never even considered approaching those "DVC Desks" during our vacations, and now I'm wondering what I was afraid of. I guess I thought that it would be completely out of my reach. But when you consider that I spent $3497 for 14 nights this year and $2917 for 13 nights last year, and we definitely are hooked (9yo, 5yo, 4yo, and self), I could have already bought in for what I spent for the past 5 trips! Some of us learn more slowly than others!! DVC here I come!

p.s. If I buy points within the next couple of months, when will I be able to use them? We always book our trip for the two weeks, end of May, first of June.

 

[Peggy Sue]

Our park commando days are long behind us. We avoid EE mornings! We love having an AP..no pressure, allows us to come and go as we please. With the Park Hopper passes, I always felt if we used a day, we needed to maximize it, and stay in the parks all day. Now we pop into a park for a couple of hours and leave. We also set aside days where we don't go into the parks at all.

Our feet are much happier too!

DVC has allowed us to have relaxing WDW vacations. A concept we couldn't grasp before DVC! lol!!

 

[msdis]

Sounds like you have figured it out. We are leaving in 3 weeks to do our first no parks trip ever and am not sure we can survive. But I am so looking forward to it because I think it will be the most relaxing trip ever also. Even with AP's which we always get, you still feel the need to get your money's worth even if it's only for a few hours per day.
We have a June use year and have traveled all months except June, July, Aug., and Dec. So for us, planning is a little more difficult with regards to banking deadlines, borrowing and canceling rules. We are now sitting on 50 points that are borrowed and must be used by May 30th next year as a result of some changes in plans for our Sept. trip. That gives us a long time to plan another trip. We make our "big" plans in the fall and then work with "what's left" after the first of the year till the end of May when our use year points will expire. Look over the charts for the banking deadlines and see what will work best for you as far as your plan of action for failure.

 

[ScottOKW2K]

I guess we are one of the fortunate ones, and I have Deb Wills to thank for it (another prayer of homage to you, Disney Goddess ). We did our first trip to DisneyWorld back in November of '99, and in my planning for the trip I came across WDWIG early that year. It was a godsend, to say the least !

Imagine, knowing before you set foot in the "World" for the first time, about all the following things : annual passes, priority seating (Cindy's breakfast and Crystal Palace), Dixie Landings, refillable mugs, the boat to Downtown Disney, early entry, Magic Kingdom Club, requesting (and getting) Magnolia Terrace, Tiffany Town Car, the International Gateway in Epcot (a great way to leave after Iluminations), and a thousand other things.

Thanks to all the good info from Deb's site and Pete's our trips to WDW have been the most relaxing times I have ever had. With three trips under our belts so far we have never felt the need to be in "commando mode", and with DVC now I don't think we ever will. To all the helpful persons on this board, Deb's, and RADP - I thank you all, so very much !

 

[NFalzon]

Well... If you were to buy right now, your use year (when your points are "refreshed" each year) would probably be something like May or June which means that you would get points dated back to May 1st or June 1st 2001 along with a new set coming up in 2002. If you wanted to make ressies for NEXT May or June, you can make those ressies as SOON AS you hang up with your guide--it's that simple when going through Disney.

I would hope if you are booking that time of year that you could get May points--that would work out splendidly. June would be a little bit of a hassle as your trip would straddle a use year. BUT EVEN THEN, it is not that big a deal.

Since that's about when you like going, you might be interested in doing Magical beginnings where you sell some of your 1st year's points for cash off your down payment (or complete purchase). HOWEVER, the price they are offering for WLV is a rather unappealing one... :-( ($5/point--barely covers dues!) SO, your best bet might be to bank this year's points into next USE YEAR, but that's not to say that you couldn't make your reservations now--your actually right in your 11-month window, and wouldn't have to much trouble booking a nice big comfy 1 bedroom villa with split bathroom, full kitchen, hot tub, washer/dryer, etc.

Judging by what resorts you go to WLV would seem to fit your mold--but regarding your question--how does DVC curtail one's commando style--I'll tell you this:

The first time I stayed on DVC points, my commando style was cut in half. I was at BWV and I thought it couldn't get any more relaxing.

Then I stayed at OKW--and while I prefer BWV and WLV (where I have an add-on), but my trip style will never be the same. OKW is the anti-commando, and I suspect the Eagle Pines resort will mimic that.

It's a whole different way of looking at it--and it is GREAT!



Please e-mail me if you have any more questions!
Nick

 

[chris1gill]

Just wanted to cast my opinion here We were also park commando's for a few years... It was almost sinful to sit around the resort, to miss a day at the parks!! BUT, once we stretched out our trips to 2 weeks at a time, and knew we would always be back, we slowed down A LOT!! Now we just do whatever rides suit us at the time, and whatever we miss we will do another time... It's a great way to vacation, and we are never left feeling tired at the end of our trips!!! Thanks DVC!!!

 

[Boo]

I'm looking forward to being able to chill out a bit while down in WDW. Last time there, hubby and I weren't members and like ScottOKW2K I had everything planned down to a science with all the info learned from WDWIG! This time around it'll be much different. First of all, we like the idea of being able to go for a few days at a time instead of 8. (Any days away from cold Chicago winters are fine by me!) And this time we'll also have a 2yr DD in tow. If we didn't own DVD, I would probably be tempted to still do a commando style tour even with the baby! Now I can enjoy watching her do what she wants to do, even if it means no (sigh!) agenda since I know we'll be back.