Do you keep your Disney life secret?

[Merylj]

TBH - we keep quiet about it, especially the DVC bit. Makes it easier all round.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

The envy of others is another reason we don't talk about it. One of my co-workers and friend goes to ocean city every year. The want to go to WDW, they honeymooned there, but says he can't afford it. I know for the money he is spending going to Ocean City, he could afford Disney. But the stigma is still there about "How much it costs to go to Disney". We spend less on vacations now that we are timeshare/DVC owners then ever before in our life.

We too were those that went to OC every summer. But after spending $1400 for an ocean front condo for 4 days, that made our decsision to by Vero Beach a no brainer! Yes, I too feel people don't really want to hear about our Disney timeshare. Well, our secret to keep!

 

[dianeschlicht]

We don't keep it a secret. Our friends and family know we take several WDW trips a year, and while some of them "don't get it", most do, and love coming with us. They usually look to us for help with Disney plans.

 

[nhdisnut]

Well, people at work pretty much accept our WDW obsession now. It's never a surprise for anyone when they find out we are going to WDW again...

Now we are known as the WDW trip planning experts....and I don't mind a bit! It's so much fun being able to share tips and tricks with others!

 

[Chellymouse]

We hear "Disney again?" from many people. It's not secret that we go to WDW quite a bit and no one was really surprised when we finally purchased DVC. Some people go to the beach, some go to Vegas and some go to Disney. We have priced out many vacations and for what is costs to go the beach or Vegas is what is costs us to go to Disney. Why go anywhere else!? We get great value for our money and we've never once left Disney going..."that was a waste" When we took a non-Disney cruise several years ago, DH said..."it was nice, but I'd rather have gone to Disney." We don't have children either so we do take a bit of ribbing. We invited our friends to join us last summer and they had such a great time that they now own at SSR as well. Some people just don't understand!

 

[eporter66]

Both sides of our family know we are Disney fans. We sent my parents down to SSR for their 40th anniversary, and my wife went down with her sister to run the half marathon in 2006. We have made it clear to anyone in our family that if they are interested in a WDW vacation to let us know. We would love to have them join us, or at the very least ask us about WDW. I love planning our WDW vacations! As for DVC - we have told them to let us know if they would like to use it, they are more than welcome. So - our family knows and have shared in our DVC timeshare.

The only question I usually get from people at work is - you're going to Disney again? and - Don't you want to go somewhere different? I am sure they are sick of seeing my vacation pictures

We do usually take a week in the summer to go to Vermont, so it is not like we dont do other things - but we love Disney.

As for our friends, most have young children like us and dont find it strange at all. No one else is a member of DVC (as far as I know - maybe they are keeping it a secret), but many have gone to WDW, and more than once.

I just feel fortunate they we have been able to afford DVC and these trips - they have been great times for my family.

So - we dont keep it a secret.

 

[hrsmom]

It's no secret from our family and most of them "get it". Only a couple friends know how often we go. One friend laughs about it, but no teasing.

 

[jbrowna]

Like others, whenever I'm going out of town I get the "Disney again?" line from some co-workers. Of course, also like others have posted, whenever anyone at work is planning a Disney trip, guess who they come talk to?

In my case, my DD is a CM at WDW, so I usually just tell people we're going to visit our daughter in Florida. Of course, last year DW and I also went to London for a week, and we're headed to Paris in early May (including DLP, of course -- just wish DVC were there!), so most of my co-workers just know I like to travel a lot.

And for those who always blast how expensive it is: once you own DVC, your accommodations are pre-paid. If you have an annual pass, your park entrance is also paid for the year (granted that's a good hunk of change, but try buying NFL or NBA season tickets -- and what about the price of a hot dog or beverage in the average sports arena?) For the level of entertainment you get, a WDW annual pass is pretty economical, provided you go enough. Which means the more you go, the less expensive per day it becomes. So, by your third or fourth WDW trip, the average cost has come way down.

Transportation -- especially airfare -- keeps going up. But with frequent flyer programs (and judicious use of rewards cards, dining programs, etc.), by that fourth trip you might just be getting the flight for free. So when folks say "again?!?" I usually say "But this trips's already paid for. To go somewhere else would cost me more!"

 

[wdw1972]

I've been making 8-10 trips to WDW each year for as long as I can remember.

That said, I can't imagine anyone being rude enough to make a negative comment about it, or perhaps they just somehow sense that I would call them on their ignorant comment. Either way, people know I go and don't seem to care....what I do is my choice, and what they do is their choice. I might know where they're going, but I have no place passing judgement - and same goes for them.

 

[BroganMc]

We too were those that went to OC every summer. But after spending $1400 for an ocean front condo for 4 days, that made our decsision to by Vero Beach a no brainer! Yes, I too feel people don't really want to hear about our Disney timeshare. Well, our secret to keep!

My dad owns a condo in OC. As a real estate investment it's great. (Gone up 10x in value over the last 30 years.) But after 20 years of only ever going to the beach, my dad is kinda done with the place. He keeps it solely so his grandkids have a place to go and sentimental value.

Of course, my dad does a lot more than Disney travel with his timeshares. He visits Williamsburg every Spring/Summer. He's gone to Hilton Head, Myrtle Beach, Denver and London. We try to mix it up so there's always something new for him to look forward to.

We do get the "again" question a bit, but it is usually said with jealousy. People would love to come with us but really can't afford to go. We have taken a few newbies and treated some less able because we like to share. Yet the one thing we wouldn't do is keep our love of the place to ourselves for fear of what other people think.

I do not get the whole mockery of guys who love Disney. I know a lot of beer-guzzling raving Ravens fans who love visiting the Mouse and riding Splash Mountain for the 15th time in a row.

 

[DiznyDi]

Only our immediate family knows. This is our best kept secret...and we intend to keep it that way. Our extended family simply would not understand.

 

[dairyqueenmom]

I converted my DH on our honeymoon and we have been going yearly for 13 years. Some people question it but I think it is more from envy. I have never keep my obsession secret and now people know I love to plan trips so they call me to help plan their trip. I have planned three already this year. Now if only I could figure out how to make a business of it so I could pay for my Disney "habit".

 

[HolidayRoad]

No way, I work in a prison and I'm a football coach. Two very non-Disney things. I flaunt the heck out of it, what I find is that although there may be some ribbing most people in my non-Disney world don't really know how to get the most out of a trip to Disney so they come to me for help. Those that do know how to get the most out of a Disney trip tend to join me in my blissful Disney-insanity so why hide it. I have a Mickey Mouse desk set on my desk in the house of corrections along with my EPCOT desktop wallpaper and other assorted Disney paraphernalia. All my players on my football team know I'm a Disney nut and are far too afraid of what I might do to them if they decide they will be funny and call me Coach Mickey, like make them sing "Part of Your World" while doing 50 push-ups, great motivator, to say anything. So show your Disney insanity with pride !!!

 

[BWV Dreamin]

My dad owns a condo in OC. As a real estate investment it's great. (Gone up 10x in value over the last 30 years.) But after 20 years of only ever going to the beach, my dad is kinda done with the place. He keeps it solely so his grandkids have a place to go and sentimental value.

Of course, my dad does a lot more than Disney travel with his timeshares. He visits Williamsburg every Spring/Summer. He's gone to Hilton Head, Myrtle Beach, Denver and London. We try to mix it up so there's always something new for him to look forward to.

We do get the "again" question a bit, but it is usually said with jealousy. People would love to come with us but really can't afford to go. We have taken a few newbies and treated some less able because we like to share. Yet the one thing we wouldn't do is keep our love of the place to ourselves for fear of what other people think.

I do not get the whole mockery of guys who love Disney. I know a lot of beer-guzzling raving Ravens fans who love visiting the Mouse and riding Splash Mountain for the 15th time in a row.

Now do ya! I feel for some it is a once in a lifetime trip, and to hear of people going once or twice a year, well I think its hard for people to understand that. I feel blessed to have this opportunity, and I try not come off like I'm flaunting it. It would just be nice to share the excitement sometimes. But I do understand where people are coming from.

 

[Tinkerdreams]

I can relate to the comments about "Your going again!", but these same people go to the same destination every year. One goes to Vegas and 2 others go camping. I never make comments about them going to Vegas or camping again.

I know that they enjoy their vacations and I think that's great!!

 

[beacher]

Our family knows, and at DH's work there are actually lots of other WDW fans. At my work, not so many and while I get the "Disney again?" comment too, truthfully I think it is envy - not of financial ability so much as just the joy and contentment of having a wonderful, reliable, consistent and joyful place to vacation. Before I found WDW, I banked many vacation weeks just from lack of imaginative things to do or places to go that were worth the money. Now I've borrowed almost as many vacation days as I have borrowed points.... WDW and DVC are a great gift in our lives.

 

[TDC Nala]

of course they all know. I have a colleague who calls me "Mickey's friend." But he has worse names for other people so I'm lucky with that one.

 

[DisDaydreamer]

I don't keep it a secret and I don't promote it either. However, when I talk about my vacation to come or just had.... I almost always end up telling my friends that this is a DVC vacation. That is what it is. Some get it.... Some don't.... doesn't really matter too much to me. I haven't caused anyone to explore DVC yet, but I think I have caused it to be on the radar of some.

 

[Grandbuddy]

I don't know that we'll say much to very many people, as we don't need folks cozying up to us thinking they might score a cheap vacation to one of the world's premier vacation destinations. Not that we won't share with some close friends...just want them to be friends first, and guests later.

 

[dvc_bwv]

We don't keep it a secret. At my previous job I heard "Disney again?" from the same girl all the time and tried telling her there is always something new. Finally I asked her why she goes to the beach every year? Isn't that the same old thing? She stopped asking after that.

The funny thing is when we bought DVC we gave the name of one of DH's co-workers. They had talked DVC and DH thought he owned.... he doesn't! LOL He goes every year and pays to stay at BC, said he gets good rates because he has a contact there from their business meetings, but this year his contact has moved to another resort and he couldn't get the deals as before so they have now shortened their trip. So sad, with the money they've spent they could have triple the points we have.

Another of DH's co-workers goes every year also (sometimes twice) and he doesn't own either. Hi wife won't let him take the tour and every trip he takes at least 6 to 10 people and he foots the bill for airfare and all. Foolish people in my mind. He could have so many points for all the money he's spent it would be obsene.

So sad that they both love Disney but can't see that DVC is the way to go.

Our families know we own and we've taken some with us. My DH and his fiance are going with us in May. We enjoy sharing when we can.