DVC “Confessions”

[Kailunkat]

I totally understand those who do not like BLT because of lack of themeing. The biggest selling point in real estate is location, location, location. BLT has 2 bathrooms in a 1 bedroom suite. With a family of 5 trying to get going in the morning, that is a game saver. With children under 8 years old, leaving MK with a 5 min walk to your room is priceless. The positives in my mind far out weigh the negatives. Just my opinion, but this is why BLT is my favorite.

Oh please don't get me wrong - I LOVE the BLT location and the points chart is amazing. Like I said, I would be buying there if it had a more distinctive room/theme. I'm praying they do an amazing MCM style reno on the rooms - if they do I will probably sell my GFV points to buy BLT. Here's hoping!

I love theming, but not necessarily all Disney IP theming, for the resorts. My favorite resorts are Wilderness Lodge, Polynesian, and Animal Kingdom Lodge because of their original theming. Even French Quarter, Riverside, Grand Floridian, Coronado and Boardwalk have theming I like. I wish the rooms were still more to the original themes, as most Disney interior refurbs have been to genericize the room theming - but still love the buildings, lobbies, and grounds of those resorts. I'm not into the Pop/Art of Animation style theming as much. BLT, Riviera I find very nice - but just feel like hotels. Sure, Riviera is supposed to evoke the south of France and does to some degree, but definitely more to 'modern' south of France, so just a nice resort.

This. It doesn't need to be IP theming - it just needs to have detail and depth. Making the TV an Etch a Sketch in the Tokyo Disney room is amazing. The fact that the bedskirt is blue but just has that little bit of yellow plaid at the corners is perfection. That's what I mean by theming. They could have just kept that bedskirt one color, but that little change makes it extra.

 

[Chili327]

The TV

Etch-a-sketch? (bad spelling, but I'm not looking it up. lol)

My confession is that I will forever regret not buying VGF points last year when they did the fire sale for BPK

I don't even like VGF, but feel like I missed out. lol (SAP+)

 

[VGCgroupie]

Etch-a-sketch? (bad spelling, but I'm not looking it up. lol)


I don't even like VGF, but feel like I missed out. lol (SAP+)

Yep

 

[MyDogTink]

I’m terrible at managing two UYs. My spreadsheets are atrocious.

I’m petrified of trying different resorts. BLT’s convenience makes for a happy family, I can’t risk the complaining of commuting. I tried to plan a last minute October trip and could only book SSR. The complaining started immediately. I cancelled.

 

[BeachClub2014]

I’m terrible at managing two UYs. My spreadsheets are atrocious.

I’m petrified of trying different resorts. BLT’s convenience makes for a happy family, I can’t risk the complaining of commuting. I tried to plan a last minute October trip and could only book SSR. The complaining started immediately. I cancelled.

That is my nightmare, and that is why I have to have only one UY. The way DVC manages/tracks/records points on the website is, at best, annoying and confusing. At least for me.

 

[tom1944]

I’m terrible at managing two UYs. My spreadsheets are atrocious.

I’m petrified of trying different resorts. BLT’s convenience makes for a happy family, I can’t risk the complaining of commuting. I tried to plan a last minute October trip and could only book SSR. The complaining started immediately. I cancelled.

We will be trying SSR for our first time. 5 days and then to a 4 day cruise.

I am figuring we will vacation slightly differently on this trip.

 

[Turn the Page]

I

We will be trying SSR for our first time. 5 days and then to a 4 day cruise.

I am figuring we will vacation slightly differently on this trip.

We own at RIV and LOVE it. We have stayed at SSR twice, before we were owners, and enjoyed our stay. The only reason we didn't buy there is due to the busing situation. It is a huge resort with internal bus stops. We now rent a car and while we adore RIV and would rather stay there, I would not hesitate to stay at SSR. It is just so calm and serene there. DH likes that you can walk to Disney Springs. Frankly, I don't care about DS but whatever. We rent a car when we go now and to be honest, had we decided to start renting cars before we bought we very well may have bought at SSR. Some may call it the resort of last of resort but we don't feel that way.

 

[crazycatlady]

I feel like admitting that I love the RIV is a confession on this thread.

First confession: We bought our first contract one year and four months ago and now have 6 contracts. We bought five of the six without ever staying in any of the villas where we bought, although we had stayed on the resort side of three of them. BW was our first dvc stay and we fell in love, so it has the distinction of being the only contract where we actually tried out the rooms first.

Second confession: DD and I visited every Disney World resort on our trip in Aug and I was a little
sad that I would not be staying at any of the moderates and values again now that we own DVC.
We have stayed at all of them multiple times on family trips through the years and have lots of wonderful memories. Part of my love for RIV is that I can easily visit CBR. Don't get me wrong; I love the DVC resorts but will miss the others.

 

[tx911]

I feel like admitting that I love the RIV is a confession on this thread.

First confession: We bought our first contract one year and four months ago and now have 6 contracts. We bought five of the six without ever staying in any of the villas where we bought, although we had stayed on the resort side of three of them. BW was our first dvc stay and we fell in love, so it has the distinction of being the only contract where we actually tried out the rooms first.

Second confession: DD and I visited every Disney World resort on our trip in Aug and I was a little
sad that I would not be staying at any of the moderates and values again now that we own DVC.
We have stayed at all of them multiple times on family trips through the years and have lots of wonderful memories. Part of my love for RIV is that I can easily visit CBR. Don't get me wrong; I love the DVC resorts but will miss the others.

You can still stay in the others and rent your points for cash

 

[T00dles]

Confession - I like Garden/Pool view at BWV much better than BW view. Really dislike being woken up by drunks on the boardwalk. I needs my sleep!!

 

[J-Dog]

Like it or not, more understated theming at resorts in general, including Disney and not including Disney, is where they're going. More resorts with subtle, elegant themes like RIV are very much "trendy" right now.

Look at other places with frequently-introduced resorts areas, like Vegas - what was once the Luxor and New York New York is now the Wynn and Fontainebleu. Neither of those have any theme other than "fancy and expensive".

 

[matt and beth]

Added points and didn’t tell my spouse. Twice

 

[RickNJane]

Added points and didn’t tell my spouse. Twice

That sounds dangerous!

 

[BilLisa]

We have three contracts, the first one we bought was at SSR. We have stayed at most of the DVC locations at Disneyworld, Aulani, HHI and have DLH booked for March, but I have never stayed at SSR. Don't tell them, please.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

Like it or not, more understated theming at resorts in general, including Disney and not including Disney, is where they're going. More resorts with subtle, elegant themes like RIV are very much "trendy" right now.

Look at other places with frequently-introduced resorts areas, like Vegas - what was once the Luxor and New York New York is now the Wynn and Fontainebleu. Neither of those have any theme other than "fancy and expensive".

Las Vegas gave up the theming attempt many years ago. They tried to make it more family friendly. Just didn’t work, as LV is an adult playground.

Disney on the other hand is all about theming, and transporting you to a different place.
If they continue down the generic theme path, they too will be making a grave error.

 

[gmi3804]

Las Vegas gave up the theming attempt many years ago. They tried to make it more family friendly. Just didn’t work, as LV is an adult playground.

Disney on the other hand is all about theming, and transporting you to a different place.
If they continue down the generic theme path, they too will be making a grave error.

Exactly. Luxor and NYNY (and others in town) are heavily themed resorts. Fontainebleau and Wynn/Encore are not. I think we're on to something here because I love the latter two (especially Wynn/Encore, which are bona-fide Mobil 5-Star resorts), and think the former two are pretty hideous; the same can be said, though in not as sharp a contrast, about my preference for BLT or RR over many of the other WDW DVC resorts.

RE: Different UYs, my BLT and PVB contracts were both September, but my VGC was August. I didn't mind having a different UY for VGC because I almost always only used those points there.

 

[TheDailyMoo]

My confession is that because of DVC we're going so much more often than normal people probably should be going to Disney and because of that I either don't tell friends and family we're going on "another" trip or I outright lie when asked if we have plans for a break.

P.S. I'm spending a lot more money to save money than I thought was possible.

 

[Smugpugmug]

This is probably my most controversial take yet but the Polynesian has been going downhill ever since they removed the waterfall garden from the lobby back in 2014. The lobby hasn't smelled "right" since. Every time I walk in there, I just shake my head in silence.

And don't get me started on that Polyday Inn next door.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

This is probably my most controversial take yet but the Polynesian has been going downhill ever since they removed the waterfall garden from the lobby back in 2014. The lobby hasn't smelled "right" since. Every time I walk in there, I just shake my head in silence.

And don't get me started on that Polyday Inn next door.

Could not have said it better…

 

[nerdboyrockstar]

My DVC confession is... I had total buyer's remorse after I bought in.

Once I tried making some reservations close-in and saw there was ZERO availability, I was like... what the hell have I done? I'm a Florida resident so my planning style is often "on a whim." NOT an option with DVC. It's been 5 years now and I still think I suck at 11 month and 7 month planning windows. But I'll make "just-in-case" reservations at my home resorts & hope they stick. (Spoiler alert: they don't )