DVC “Confessions”

[tarheellovesdisney]

Stalking and modifying are my guilty pleasure. We are very new to DVC but have been visiting Disney for 20+ years. I never knew how much I would like checking availability so often and being able to snag unexpected rooms. It's just me & DH, and we're in driving distance, so it makes short notice trips easier. We received our points late July and I was able to plan a 4 night trip the week of Labor Day, at VGF & BWV. I was able to add on that 4th night like the week before the trip. It was amazing! Two weeks ago my DH decided he needed to get away so we planned a trip for next week. It started out with 2 nights at SSR, then another night there in a different view, and a few more changes until we now have 3 nights at the Poly starting tomorrow!! It is so addicting to get on the website and see if I can find a better resort, view, etc. It's like a game! I have needed MS help for many of the changes I've made and they have been wonderful! The CMs have been so patient and helpful. These are trips we would never have made if reserving regular resort rooms. DVC ownership has added a whole new level of fun for me!

 

[Kingkonig]

I purchased DVC to force vacations even if it meant going to the same place every year because we had not vacationed for years.

This is a big one for us. Buying a house, having a young child, then being hit with COVID (and post-COVID restrictions) caused us to not vacation for years. DCL placeholders put a 2 year timer maximum between vacations for a while, and now DVC is doing the trick as well

 

[nerdboyrockstar]

This is a big one for us. Buying a house, having a young child, then being hit with COVID (and post-COVID restrictions) caused us to not vacation for years. DCL placeholders put a 2 year timer maximum between vacations for a while, and now DVC is doing the trick as well

Imagine my surprise when I just learned that if you don’t use your DCL Placeholder in time, Disney just refunds you your money. Automatically.

Here I was telling everyone it’s use it or lose it and they did not care that I lost it. But booked one for November and I’ll buy one again to keep that charade going another 2 years!

 

[Kingkonig]

Imagine my surprise when I just learned that if you don’t use your DCL Placeholder in time, Disney just refunds you your money. Automatically.

Here I was telling everyone it’s use it or lose it and they did not care that I lost it. But booked one for November and I’ll buy one again to keep that charade going another 2 years!

See we actually liked that they do refund you, it convinced us to buy it - it was essentially risk free. Yeah you miss out on 24 months of interest on said $250, but in a world of cruises costing thousands of dollars that is virtually nothing. But it is still pressure to use it within the 2 years since you can't really get it off the ship.

Ironically the similar deal the parks has (bounce back offer for 25-35%) is too short of a timeframe that we could never justify making the immediate booking, and that helped push us to DVC since it allows for more flexibility than a one week timeframe to plan vacations at a reasonable cost.

 

[RickNJane]

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This is definitely something I want to guard against. There are so many great places to visit other than Disney.

ETA: Helpful in this regard is that Disney vacations are still hella expensive even without the room!

When the kids were younger we always made it a point to mix in Universal and Busch Gardens with a WDW trip. We went to Gatorland on our first trip in the 90's and have made it back every trip since. It has become a family tradition. Now that we are older, we just do WDW (and Gatorland). Don't spend as much time in the parks, but a lot of resort hopping.

 

[VGCgroupie]

See we actually liked that they do refund you, it convinced us to buy it - it was essentially risk free. Yeah you miss out on 24 months of interest on said $250, but in a world of cruises costing thousands of dollars that is virtually nothing. But it is still pressure to use it within the 2 years since you can't really get it off the ship.

Ironically the similar deal the parks has (bounce back offer for 25-35%) is too short of a timeframe that we could never justify making the immediate booking, and that helped push us to DVC since it allows for more flexibility than a one week timeframe to plan vacations at a reasonable cost.

Gatorland is still around! I went there as a kid, vividly remember holding a baby alligator

 

[Boopuff]

I really wanted to love Poly, but it really let me down. The studios are just...meh... and I hated the bathroom situation. We love OKW, I know a lot of people don't love it, but for us it's quiet, large rooms and great atmosphere.

 

[ozliz]

I confess that my original direct, large-contract buy-in was funded by an insurance settlement. Otherwise I would likely have never had a chance to afford DVC. So that probably makes me one of the imposters that is too poor to legitimately afford DVC.

My DVC (cheap SSR resale) was also funded by an insurance settlement. It was a hard time and when it was finally settled I decided I wanted to have something good come out of the whole ordeal. It’s only a small contract but I’m never going to have kids so don’t need anything larger than a studio anyway.

 

[🍀TwinsMom]

My confession #1is I really don’t like Grand Floridian that much! The DVC 1B, while large, had a lot of wasted space and a weird lack of storage in the living areas — while the master bedroom closet was massive and overkill. The DVC lobby is cute, but seemed lifeless.

Then you get to the main lobby, and while stunning — it’s freaking PACKED. What a PITA to get around, grab the elevator (DH uses a scooter,) and forget grabbing a relaxing drink at Enchanted Rose — the lines for everything wrapped around the lobby hallways. Even shopping is a hassle. And the buses sucked there. I never waited so long anywhere else.

Confession #2, I kinda low-key hate the monorail. It smells like an old gym locker, broke down on us, and always stresses me out to get a spot with DH’s scooter since it’s busy pretty often. We love the Skyliner and having the perpetual loading system.

 

[Nainolaf]

We nearly purchased a resale contract at SSR without staying there but Disney RFR’d the contract so we ended up purchasing GFV direct instead, so glad we did. We stayed at SSR on our first visit as DVC owners and really didn’t get on with the resort, didn’t like the vibe at all there.

 

[marmentrout85]

We bought at Beach Club over Boardwalk earlier this year solely because we HOPE/think our daughter will love Stormalong Bay. We just had our first-ever stay at BWV and absolutely loved it, probably more than BCV overall. Of course now we're thinking we bought at the wrong resort lol

 

[RickNJane]

Gatorland is still around! I went there as a kid, vividly remember holding a baby alligator

Yes! It is still there. They have added a lot like zip lines and such, but it is pretty much as it always was. I must admit the first time we went I was resistant, thinking it was just a tourist trap. I was both right and wrong! I love the place. It is now almost completely surrounded by development. I wonder if they will be forced to move or close down.

 

[R2Daddy]

After staying at RIV twice, I expected GF, Poly, and BC to be an oasis given the feedback against RIV. We stayed at BCV and found it to be very worn down. Not deluxe feeling, and it felt like it was 1/4 mile to get anywhere in the resort.

GF was pretty but very busy. Poly wasn’t as great as we expected, busy lobby and tripped over what felt like hundreds of ECV’s. Also super busy.

After long hot days in the parks fighting through crowds of people, the last thing we want is more crowds at the resort. Riviera is exactly the calm we need after those days. And since Topolino’s isn’t in the lobby you don’t have those crowds adding more congestion.

TLDR: Riviera is the best resort for our family and what we are looking for. There is no “best” in general, there is only best for your family.

 

[gmi3804]

Confession: I still stalk my dates even after I have a confirmed reservation for the exact dates, room type, and resort that I wanted in the first place. "Just to see what's out there."

 

[marmentrout85]

Bought our VGF and RIV contracts prior to ever staying at, or even VISITING, either resort
I have since confirmed both are keepers, at least for now

 

[Simba's Mom]

I really wanted to love Poly, but it really let me down. The studios are just...meh... and I hated the bathroom situation. We love OKW, I know a lot of people don't love it, but for us it's quiet, large rooms and great atmosphere.

I could have written this myself. Not a Poly fan-Yeah, DH made crude jokes about me and Hawaiin flowers.

 

[CastAStone]

I think most people who buy DVC would have saved more money not owning DVC and taking the same number of trips paying cash or renting points.

 

[CastAStone]

The split bathrooms at the Poly longhouses are actively unappealing to me and seem like an enormous waste of space.

 

[gmi3804]

The split bathrooms at the Poly longhouses are actively unappealing to me and seem like an enormous waste of space.

The bigger waste of space is the kitchen/bathroom set-up in the BLT studios, leaving a tiny sleeping space in the rest of the room. Hopefully the rehab will address that.

 

[CastAStone]

We were seated like 45 minutes after our breakfast reservation

This is such a Disney restaurant thing and it’s infuriating. It goes back to my belief that park execs should all have to take trips to the parks with families who have never been before, letting them lead, and getting no special treatment.