DVC Chit Chat Thread

[atthebeachclub]

Having to plan 7-11 months out helps with getting vacations out on the calendar.

It definitely does! My vacation requests generally have to be scheduled around 7+ months in advance anyway, and it’s sort of a hassle to do (this and seniority issues are why people where I work skip vacations I believe). Having to use points or lose them makes me ensure I am on the ball for all planning far in advance, and actually do take that vacation.

 

[IsDVCForMe?]

What’s up my DVC people!

 

[Sprinkles&Sprints]

I'm trying to think if there are any deluxe resorts on property that would offer food at that hour? Maybe a monorail resort since MK is open later?

Disney vacations tend to be not lined up with the need for night owls... though I think DCL does 24 hour room service at least...

This is another reason why the Swan and Dolphin are convenient - they have late night food options.

 

[Cfabar1]

This is another reason why the Swan and Dolphin are convenient - they have late night food options.

I find as long as you get a suite, it isn't too far away from DVC... I actually prefer the Swan and Swan Reserve rooms to those at BC/BW...

 

[PolyRob]

I find as long as you get a suite, it isn't too far away from DVC... I actually prefer the Swan and Swan Reserve rooms to those at BC/BW...

What about YC though

 

[Cfabar1]

What about YC though

I do like the fact it is dog friendly...

 

[IsDVCForMe?]

Have watched multiple videos on multiple resorts and there’s one takeaway I just don’t understand. What’s the hype for the Grand Floridian? It’s a beautiful resort but just can’t understand the how popular it actually is. Maybe I just have to see it in person?

 

[Cfabar1]

Have watched multiple videos on multiple resorts and there’s one takeaway I just don’t understand. What’s the hype for the Grand Floridian? It’s a beautiful resort but just can’t understand the how popular it actually is. Maybe I just have to see it in person?

part of the hype is it is the Flagship...

Part of it is the number of dining options...

Part of it is the walkability to the Magic Kingdom...

Part of it is the grandeur it offers compared to other Disney hotel options...

Part of it is marketing...

We love that resort... it is our favorite...

That said, if we didn't live so far away from Hong Kong, and if DVC was offered in HK, I'd be an owner at the Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel... maybe Explorers Lodge as well...

 

[AstroBlasters]

Please excuse me while I spiral questioning everything I’ve ever known about Crescent Lake.

just a PSA: Corn Dog Castle and Margarita Joes are also open until 11pm.

 

[PolyRob]

Have watched multiple videos on multiple resorts and there’s one takeaway I just don’t understand. What’s the hype for the Grand Floridian? It’s a beautiful resort but just can’t understand the how popular it actually is. Maybe I just have to see it in person?

Lots of members fall in love with a resort and buy there, but it’s still worth trying new places because you may end up loving those too.

VGF is my only home resort, and I don’t trade out at WDW. I bought there after already deciding that the GF was my favorite resort on property. In my opinion, the VGF units are the most elevated and elegantly appointed at WDW. The original building feels small and intimate, with its own porte cochere, a dedicated parking lot, and a covered walkway that connects you to the main building, bus stops, the monorail, and most of the dining options. It is also the only WDW resort that still offers room service.

The grounds are beautiful, impeccably maintained, and full of over the top theming. You can see the MK fireworks, including special party shows and holiday versions, as well as the Electrical Water Pageant. The walkability to the Poly and MK is hard to beat. I think a lot of people do not fully appreciate how convenient the monorail resorts are until they are leaving MK at park close or after a late night event.

That said, it’s not for everyone. Some people find it too formal, too stuffy, too expensive, or overrated. In the end, it really comes down to personal preference.

 

[Chili327]

We are on our way back from 2 weeks. Longest we have done. I decided while convenient for flying purposes it’s really just too long. I think 7 days could be a sweet spot. But we normally do 4-5 nights prior to this.

Edit to add: we homeschool so time out of school has no bearing on our vacations.

2 weeks at DLR or WDW?
I can see that being too long at DLR for sure, not too far off at WDW.
I think 10 nights is great, it gives you plenty of slower during the week days and then also some busier weekend days that can be used as resort days or whatever else.

My most common trip 9 days/8 nights is basically perfect, but could still stand to add a few days. That’s Sat thru the following Sunday only 5 days off of the work week (if you work M-F) and a 7 day hopper.

13 days/12 nights is the longer version of perfect… 10 weekday park days and 2 weekend days in the middle for a nice break and good time to change resorts. Two sets of Sun-Thurs peak park time.
Sun thru the following Friday. with a 10 day hopper.

That said, it’s not for everyone. Some people find it too formal, too stuffy, too expensive, or overrated. In the end, it really comes down to personal preference.

Here

 

[Flash_Sloth]

Totally off-topic, and please don't take this offensively because it's not meant to be in any way, but I've always wondered how people can take multiple weeks away from home for vacation.

Clearly everyone is different, and I suspect that part of it is the American perspective of only getting limited time off in the first place, but my longest trip on vacation ever was to WDW for 12 days, and for me that was way too long to be away from home, my pets, my job, etc. "Long" trips for us these days are 9-10 days, max.

2-3 weeks away from home seems crazy to me, so I'm just wondering how people handle the "back home" part of it.

When I was with my previous company, once you hit 10 years, you got 5 weeks of vacation per year. That was one of the perks I most missed when I changed jobs.

I started off my current job getting 3 weeks per year, and after hitting 10 years, it bumped up to 4 weeks a year. On top of that, every 7 years you get an 8 week sabbatical, or every 4 years you get a 4 week sabbatical.

We live almost exactly halfway between WDW and DLR. When we travel to one, we tend to stay 6-7 days minimum to help justify the time and money it costs to travel. Sometimes we fly, and sometimes we drive. Roadtrips in the EV are 2 days there and 2 days back. If I'm spending 4 days driving, I want to have lots of park days.

But in planning for retirement soon, I've bought some more DVC points in the past couple of years. I'll have a lot more free time and flexibility to travel to Disney parks and elsewhere.

 

[VGCgroupie]

2 weeks at DLR or WDW?
I can see that being too long at DLR for sure, not too far off at WDW.
I think 10 nights is great, it gives you plenty of slower during the week days and then also some busier weekend days that can be used as resort days or whatever else.

6 nights at WDW then a 5 night cruise then back for 1 more night at WDW. We left on the 10th and returned the 23rd.

 

[VGCgroupie]

Back home! 5 hour flight with a toddler that screamed for 3.5 hours of the 5. Excuse me while I sleep til tomorrow afternoon. Absolutely exhausted.

Edit to clarify… not my toddler.

 

[Flash_Sloth]

Have watched multiple videos on multiple resorts and there’s one takeaway I just don’t understand. What’s the hype for the Grand Floridian? It’s a beautiful resort but just can’t understand the how popular it actually is. Maybe I just have to see it in person?

I own some of my points at VGF, and generally I think it is OK to pretty nice. Its rooms are very points expensive, but the dues are low, so as an owner, it makes for great SAP at resorts with lower points charts. But the bus stop is a disaster.

It only supports one bus at a time. The waiting area is far too small and it is impossible to know who is waiting for which bus or who got there first, so it is a crazy feeding frenzy when a bus shows up. The walkway right around the bus stop is very narrow and congested with sharp turns and overflowing guests. If guests in mobility scooters and/or strollers meet going opposite up/down directions to/from the bus stop, somebody has to put it in reverse.

In general, if I'm staying at VGF, I'm only going to MK or EPCOT because I hate the bus stop so much.

 

[Flash_Sloth]

Back home! 5 hour flight with a toddler that screamed for 3.5 hours of the 5. Excuse me while I sleep til tomorrow afternoon. Absolutely exhausted.

Edit to clarify… not my toddler.

Welcome home! Yikes, get some good sleep. I have to use earplugs when I fly due to the air pressure changes and my ears popping, but it also works great for screaming toddlers.

 

[Choppers]

I’ve been at my company for 10 years. We get 4 weeks of flex-PTO and an extra week every 5 years. We also get 5 sick days or something like that.

We can carry over up to 7-days each year, but if we have more than that then they are gone forever. There is no vacation payout.

I just make sure to carry over my 7-days in case someone gets sick and beyond that I am going to use every minute of vacation I can.

Sick leave is the other thing we have good. I get full sick pay up to 6 months of absence, then it’s half pay for 6 months. Only need a doctors note after 1 week of absence.

 

[HyperspaceMountainPilot]

Seriously, 24/7 ?
That almost seems like a waste, is there really anyone around from like 2am to 6-7am?

I would be there between 1-2AM at least a few times a trip and my husband would probably be there by 5:30 at least once or twice.

I’m thinking the same thing, why do I always feel like nothing is available when I get there late!?!?
Maybe it’s actually after 12am when I get there or at least the times I wanted food. lol

Coming home from parks at night can easily be 11pm, even when the park closes at 10, there’s a list ride, shopping on the way out, wait for transport back—BAM! You missed restaurant/bar closing time by 30 minutes. (Ask me how I know)

There are other grocery stores and even the Amazon food side that deliver to the resorts.

We have used Target and Amazon before and had generally good experiences with both—keep in mind they will require you to be present and show ID for certain things like cold meds.

I’m in the Lyft on the way to MCO questioning my whole DVC portfolio now.

More later. I’ll create my trip report thread for those who are interested in my emotional roller coaster of a trip.

a lot of questioning everything happening around here…please post a link here if you create a new thread!

That said, if we didn't live so far away from Hong Kong, and if DVC was offered in HK, I'd be an owner at the Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel... maybe Explorers Lodge as well...

We did Explorers Lodge for the first time last winter on the STRONG recommendation of a friend who travels to HKDL frequently for work. We loved it, like a combination of AKL and SEAS with a heavy dash of Disney.

just a PSA: Corn Dog Castle and Margarita Joes are also open until 11pm.

We’ve been meaning to eat at Margarita Joes forever and never make it…I bet we’d go there (and CDC) a lot if they were open 1 hour longer.

Welcome home! Yikes, get some good sleep. I have to use earplugs when I fly due to the air pressure changes and my ears popping, but it also works great for screaming toddlers.

I always travel to WDW with ear plugs because the walls to the hallway are thin and early AM hallway is loud…I bet ear plugs would make the flight way less stressful (I am sensitive to noise generally).

 

[AstroBlasters]

I’m wondering if I jinxed us by letting my son break my rule of not buying resort merch of resorts we don’t own. He is the proud owner of a Riviera shirt I bought him while staying at Boardwalk.

I’m in the Lyft on the way to MCO questioning my whole DVC portfolio now.

More later. I’ll create my trip report thread for those who are interested in my emotional roller coaster of a trip.

 

[walt34]

Welcome home! Yikes, get some good sleep. I have to use earplugs when I fly due to the air pressure changes and my ears popping, but it also works great for screaming toddlers.

Noise cancelling headphones are also getting better at cancelling the higher frequencies of screaming toddlers these days. Couldn't imagine flying without them.
Unfortunately, they also seem to work for parents: I once was on an 11h flight to Singapore with a kid screaming most of the way while his parents were happily sleeping next to him. Before people jump at me: I know from experience that it is not always possible to calm an upset kid but I believe parents should at least make an effort.