Does anyone LIVE at Disney as a fulltime guest?

[jayandstacey]

While seemingly absurd, there are people that go back many times during the year. An annual pass isn't that expensive. And if one stayed in hotels around WDW and averaged $150 a night, one could stay for about $4500 a month - which is equivalent to a mortgage for some. Or maybe stay through DVC, buying enough points.

Some cruise ships have programs for 'perma guests'. I've never seen such promotion from the parks, but I imagine a discreet arrangement could be made.

Anyone know if it ever has?

 

[bradk]

in a way, yes. for legal reasons, a select number of people actually do live on site. but it's not part of a program that anyone can pay a certain amount of money to do so.

i'm not aware of any special deals one could make to live in a hotel for example. quite honestly, despite the number of incentives and the losses the disney resorts are taking currently, there's little incentive for them to allow someone to take up residence in one

 

[jlmarr]

I believe there are folks who camp in their RV's/trailers at Fort Wilderness for weeks at a time. You might ask over there.

 

[southern_belle21]

That would be interesting to know! I know I certainly would want to!

 

[Tara922c]

When we went to get information on DVC, the guy told us that their is a maximum number of points allowed by one person. Something about they don't want people living there, and the longest he ever seen someone stay is 3 months. ( I could be wrong)

My friend use to work for DW reservations. She told me that WDW does not want people to live on site. She said the system would only allow her to book people for so many days before they were forced to have a split vacation. She said many people would try, and get the campsites for over 6 months, and the system wouldn't allow her do do. Sometimes it did, but during busy times it wouldn't.

I think it would be more economical to buy a condo off site, live there, and visit the parks frequently, than it would be to stay at a resort, or use dvc points. My friend (that worked for reservations) rented a condo 5 minutes from WDW, and paid 1000 a month for a two bedroom, two bathroom condo. A value resort would be over 40 grand a year to stay in, and if someone did have enough points to live in a DVC, the monthly dues would be extreamly high!

 

[Robo]

Does anyone LIVE at Disney...

Wayne.
He lives above the fire station.

 

[jayandstacey]

in a way, yes. for legal reasons, a select number of people actually do live on site. but it's not part of a program that anyone can pay a certain amount of money to do so.

Hmmm... Trying to imagine what those reasons might be...

Are a minimum number of permanent residents required, for instance, for Disney property to maintain is special legal status? (I forget what that status is - special development zone or something like that - but the one that allows them some regulatory autonomy and their own fire station and all that...) While I hadn't thought of that, it isn't surprising.

I was more thinking along the lines of people simply living within the "system" as fully privledged guests but just never leaving - even if an off-site condo is a much more economical deal.

I suppose there would be a number of issues with that, such as simple things like mail delivery - and the possible creation of a different legal relationship for Disney with such guests - plus the appearance factor of a different class of guest, where the resident guest is greeted by name and the normal guest isn't.

Anyway, thanks for the replies.

 

[DisneyPiPhi]

Wayne.
He lives above the fire station.

You beat me to it! I'm a middle school teacher and I love those books.

 

[jennypenny]

DVC members can own up to 6,000 points, but can only stay at one resort for 3 weeks at a time (last I checked). Many of us (DVC members) have added on enough points so that we can spend some of the winter at WDW. Many members plan on staying 2-3 months of the year, but would have to switch resorts every 3 weeks.

We have looked at real estate off site. But it's cheaper and easier for us to just keep the points needed for 2 months (our plan). We won't need a car when we're there if we're onsite which will become important as we get older. We can also switch to a larger room when we have company visit.

 

[DVC~OKW~96]

You are correct about DVC points. No one owner can have more than the maximum allowed points. The maximum was calculated to keep people from "retiring" to WDW. That is information from our original guide.

There used to be a rumour about a family who lived in the GF. It was a pretty elaborate rumour and I don't remember it all, something about being a princess from a Middle Eastern country, etc...

 

[Robo]

There used to be a rumour about a family who lived in the GF. It was a pretty elaborate rumour and I don't remember it all, something about being a princess from a Middle Eastern country, etc...

 

[Katie Dawn]

I know it doesn't really address the question but in the past I have seen several posts on the Camping Board that talked about an older woman who would rent out one of the cabins at Fort Wilderness (the much coveted cabins that are near the marina) for a few months each winter. I would think it carries slightly more weight than being "just a rumor" because many campers (who themselves have visited for years and years) used to see her on a regular basis.

As a PP said, I'm sure the great folks over on the Camping Board would be more than willing to enlighten anyone interested!

Interesting question... I've enjoyed reading!

 

[PSUGuy]

Hmmm... Trying to imagine what those reasons might be...

Are a minimum number of permanent residents required, for instance, for Disney property to maintain is special legal status? (I forget what that status is - special development zone or something like that - but the one that allows them some regulatory autonomy and their own fire station and all that...) While I hadn't thought of that, it isn't surprising.

Quite some time ago I saw a documentary on WDW in which it was explained that WDW was it's own legal government, Reedy Creek I believe is the name, and a small number of Disney insiders live there to the exclusion of all others. In this way whatever laws and regulations Reedy Creek wishes to pass will sail through, subject of course to Florida's and the US constitution.

Bill From PA

 

[Mom23Disneybelievers]

This is all very interesting! I can't wait to find out more.

 

[erincon23]

I'm waiting for Disney to build condos on site -- you can purchase them, live full time, use the Disney transpo system, one of the perks with your maintenance fees would be an annual pass -- how fast do you think these would go -- if they ever existed?

Erin

 

[trekker93]

I'd love to find out how many "legal" weeks you can stay at WDW. The winters are getting more severe up north and it may be time to move down there when it's time. I wonder if there are Disney condo's for sale just off site?

 

[Coach81]

We're just waiting for retirement.. our plan is.. move to Florida..work at WDW.. I'll be the happy old man sitting in front of the stage of playhouse Disney.. just smiling and singin' along.....

 

[MonorailDriver]

Oddly enough as I'm sure many of you know Walt actually did want people living within the parks, that was his plan for Epcot as he conceived it. It was to be a real living working city, with many of its residents working in the theme parks or the surrounding industrial park, which was really never built.

I have heard rumors though about people in the campground staying for months at a time. I'm sure it's possible. I know they only let you book for like 3 weeks at a time but what if I had a party of four and just kept rotating the name on the reservation? I'm sure if you were willing to pay for it, Disney would find a way to make it happen.

 

[Princess Disney Mom]

Interesting. Although I do think it would be easier to do a lengthy stay off-site.

Heck sometimes with my June vacation and August vacation I feel like I spent the summer at WDW with a trip to DC between.....

 

[dvcdisney]

I would think that Disney would only allow guests to stay at one resort as long as their stay is within the legal limits in which they are still considered guest and not a permanent resident. I suppose this is why DVC has the policy (since members are given legal deeds to the resorts), but I wonder if Disney has the same stipulation.