Dvc Memories Lets Share A Few And Smile!

[nickspace]

We just made it through SSR rofr and I thought it would be fun if people posted some of there most memorable moments as a DVC member.

This past Saturday we were driving with our children and I asked them to share some of their favorite memories. Almost all of the memories they shared were from vacations and most of those memories were about the times we went to Disney.

Now we are opening a new chapter as Disney DVC members and look forward to building many more positive memories that will bond our family together.

So lets share our memories. I know there are some great ones out there!

Blessings!
Nick

 

[ZerasPride]

I'd like to share one. My family was at the Hilton Head resort last May and we spent a day at the beach. It was just the best time. One of my brother-in-laws spent most of the morning splashing around in the waves like a big kid. I have never EVER seen him that happy. You have to know dbil. He is very stoic so to see him doing belly flops with a big smile on his face was truly priceless.

Then there was my niece. I was reading a book and minding my own business but sand kept flying in my face and on my book. I would wipe it away thinking it was the wind. This happened four or five times. The fifth time I was getting annoyed but glanced up when I heard this adorable giggle. My little 3 year old niece had been digging her shovel into the sand and throwing it at me all that time. I guess she was holding in her laughter but couldn't anymore when she saw how bothered I was by it. I promptly chased her down the beach as she giggled in delight.

I could go on and on about that trip. We had a wonderful family bbq, did the dolphin cruise and spent time on our respective balconies just enjoying each other's company. Everyone had such a great time that when given the choice of Disneyworld or Hilton Head, the whole family wants to do HH again so we're headed down Thanksgiving week. I'm sure we'll make more magical memories together!

To the OP - thanks for starting this thread. Can't wait to read other DVCer's memories!

 

[disyady]

My 3 daughters and I had our first DVC trip in April at AKV. I didn't think that the list of daily activities would be of much interest to my park-crazy teenagers, but they participated in as many as they could (card making, cookie decorating, medallion rubbing, hidden Mickey searching,...). The absolute highlight was getting a text from my 18 year old saying "WE'RE IN THE PARADE!" She and her two 13 year old sisters had marched in the evening parade with "King" Willie and they were so excited. We still talk about "King Willie Time" every day. AKV was absolutely filled with wonderful, warm cast members who helped us to make memories that will last a lifetime. The best part is that we have almost 50 more years to make these kind of memories that add joy to our lives every day! I love WDW and DVC.

 

[DVCLiz]

I have loads of DVC memories, but some of the most memorable have been the breaking news stories I've followed while on DVC vacations. I watched both Ronald Reagan's and the Pope's funerals, and the Terri Schiavo case was 24/7 news coverage the week I was on vacation. Funny how those stories always make me think of DVC when I see a reference to them now!!!

 

[Goofy DVC]

One year we were at the MK. As we were walking from the Castle on the path towards Hall Of Presidents a CM directed us her way. She took us to a small little patio type area behind the first store on the left as you're walking toward the Riverboat.In that little area was Donald Duck and some other characters.Our two daughters had about twenty minutes of private time with them. It was awesome.They fealt so special. :goodvibe

 

[starbox]

Wow - we have so many amazing Disney memories - but a DVC-specific memory is last year. We stayed 7 nights at BWV and then went to Vero for 5 nights. We did not tell the kids that we had booked an "extra" night at SSR on the way from Vero to Atlanta.

So we got up early and I was all "Oh, it's so sad to have vacation over. Kids - you may as well sleep -- we have such a long drive today".

So we kept getting closer and closer to Disney and I kept thinking the kids were going to read the road signs and ask why we're headed to Orlando any minute - but they were oblivious.

Finally, we went under the big "Welcome to Disney" sign and I looked back at the kids to see if they were catching on.... nope - still zoned out. So I was like "Guess what!!! We're not going home!!! We have an extra night at Saratoga Springs!!!!!!".

The kids did not believe me. At this point DH and I were both saying "Look - there's the sign - we're REALLY staying another night".

By the time we pulled into Saratoga Springs, they were both losing their minds - they were so excited. It was awesome and totally made possible because of DVC.

 

[nickspace]

Great Quote from Walt!

 

[Mickey'sApprentice]

Hearing my 6 year old nephew say..."I'm at Disney, Pinch me!" and then looking at his darling face a few days later during Wishes.

 

[bigsmooth]

Definitely hard to quantify, but I think one of the highlights was NY Eve last year. Watching the DtD fireworks from our Congress Park Balcony was amazing. The intensity of the fireworks so close by definitely rattled your chest.

We BBQ'd steaks that evening next to the quiet pool where the SSR NY Eve party was. Just all in all a really fun evening.

Now I don't think I'll travel back during the Christmas/NY week again, so I'll likely never repeat that experience. Plus it was great because we were with my wife's parents, and right after we got back my wife's Dad was diagnosed with a very serious form of cancer, so we can always hold that memory of traveling with her Dad and having him able to fully enjoy himself.

 

[saratogagirl]

Definitely hard to quantify, but I think one of the highlights was NY Eve last year. Watching the DtD fireworks from our Congress Park Balcony was amazing. The intensity of the fireworks so close by definitely rattled your chest.

We BBQ'd steaks that evening next to the quiet pool where the SSR NY Eve party was. Just all in all a really fun evening.

Now I don't think I'll travel back during the Christmas/NY week again, so I'll likely never repeat that experience. Plus it was great because we were with my wife's parents, and right after we got back my wife's Dad was diagnosed with a very serious form of cancer, so we can always hold that memory of traveling with her Dad and having him able to fully enjoy himself.

I am so sorry to hear your sad news We must have been neighbours, we too were at Congress Parks enjoying the wonderful fireworks, it was amazing, I can't imagine anything beating it. It was just me and DH so we had a New Years kiss, only to hear "Yuck", there was a little boy on the ground floor who was obviously not impressed by adults kissing, it was so,so funny, and something I will never forget ..

 

[llp479]

After 10 years of DVC we've been blessed with so many wonderful memories. From our first trip with my 40 yr old BIL who stood in MK with a look of wonder, to our last trip with same BIL and his 3yr old dd. In between were trips with family, and our wonderful South African au pairs, who only dreamed of ever seeing WDW. Experiencing WDW with a "newbie" is the best experience there is! Problem is, we're running out of "newbies".

 

[snowwhitemom]

About ten years ago....we were the only ones in toon town one early am....I do mean the only ones......minnie comes out of her house takes my daughter about 3 at the time into her house and they spent time in each room....and of course cooked in the kitchen..... our daughter told her good bye after about 20 minutes.....wow what a am....... still to date the best pics ever!!!!

 

[DiznyDi]

Best memory to date: On our December 2007 trip my family and I were chosen as the Grand Marshall's of the 'Dreams' parade at Magic Kingdom. What a thrill! Hearing ..."and today's parade Grand Marshall is the Dillon family from Homeworth, Ohio" over the speaker system was exhilarating! Mouse ears all around, participation certificate and picture of our choice were added bonuses. What a Christmas present!

 

[simzac]

Only been a member for 2 years, but this memory will always be hard to beat. Jan'07, our first trip home to OKW as members. The last day, we are at the bus stop waiting on the ME bus. I look over at DW and there's tears in her eyes. Now this was our 4th trip to WDW as a family and she had never cried when we left the previous 3 trips. The tears were flowing because of how much she loved OKW and knowing we would be coming back for many years to come. Any time I think of reasons we purchased our DVC membership, I just think back to that day. That sums it up better than anything else.

 

[tedhowe]

My favorite DVC memory:

January '06 we has a reservation at OKW for our second DVC stay.

Prior to that we had gone in July of '04 on our honeymoon (at the time we were staying on my parents' points).

Being young and in the process of buying our first house, we economized on that trip and made the 18 hour drive down from Pennsylvania to Orlando instead of flying.

We fought through traffic on I-4 through Orlando and got to the gate of OKW at about 3:30PM (if I recall, check in time was 3 PM back then).

The guard at the gatehouse gave us a very nice "Welcome Home" and we pulled through, after being in lousy traffic for the previous couple of hours we pulled right up behind a bus that was coming in to OKW to drop off passengers (I think it was a mears motorcoach bus - this was WAY pre-ME).

So we're sitting there with the drop-off circle outside the hospitality house full of diesel fumes and noisy engine and I found myself sitting there smiling... with a really stupid grin on my face.

DW looks at me and asks me what's going on, and my only thought was that I was smiling because, even though it had been a long, tough drive and I was still sitting in "traffic" with a smelly bus exhaust in my face, I was "home" at my little piece of the magic.

I'll always think of that when we drive to WDW nowadays (we're no longer young and saving for the first house, but airfares have skyrocketed and we have two kids to buy seats for so now the cost of flying is MUCH more expensive than the drive).

 

[DMKEDM]

For us, it's entirely possible that the most recent memory will always be the best one...trips to Disney just make memories...but our most recent one does seem truly special...

On March 4, college son, driving 350 miles back to college from a trip home to introduce his new GF to me, had GF call me on his cell phone...GF says to me, "we were just talking about how to spend spring break (starting March 16--yes, 12 days later, and just for the record: one of three premier weeks at WDW)..."we wondered if you could take us to Disney for spring break."

Sure, I said, at least in theory...but keep in mind this is 12 days out for the one of the three busiest weeks of the year...not much chance...would you be willing to change resorts each night? Is five days enough? Are you sure? If I book and you change your mind, I'm stuck w/holding points...

Anything I could do was ok w/them....so, I called MS next morning, all heart-warmed and fuzzy-feeling'ed (after all, not only does college son want to spend spring break w/me, but so does his GF! And they made it clear they wanted me on the trip too...this was most definitely not a request for a trip for just the two of them--I specifically offered to stay home and they said they wouldn't go unless I went too)--

Miracle of miracles...four nights (as predicted, requiring a move each night) could be had...all at OKW--a studio, a 1 br, a studio near HH, another 1-br...then, after 3 days of calling to see if anything opened up, I had four nights all in the same 1-br near HH, booked within a week of arrival!

THEN, I got to use frequent flyer miles for two of the round-trip airfares...

Still a pricey last-minute trip, of course...DS and I have APs, but GF had to have park tix...and we decided to do the DDP...it was SUCH a magical trip--GF's first to Disney...it was so worth every penny and one of my all-time best memories, not just a DVC best! At least til our next DVC trip, when no doubt we'll make yet another memory that seems "best!"

GREAT thread...thanks!

 

[bluenosemickey]

Last year we took a surprise trip to Disney with my 3 kids and my DSIL and her 7yo son. They were thrilled to get to go to "Virginia" with us and when we stopped for the night and informed them we would be going on to Disney the next day instead of staying there... well I thought the little guy was going to blow a gasket! My kids started to cry, and I asked them why. They were just so happy that their cousin was going to be able to see Mickey with them on this trip.
Really made us realize the value of taking family along with us, especially those that might not go otherwise. They all still talk about the trip and we are planning a larger group for next fall.

 

[garnet1240]

We too have many favorite memories at the world...my favorite DVC memory was a few years ago after we had joined. My DDs and I did a girls only trip and asked my niece to come along (DD17 &13, DN 13). It was her first time away by herself, and first trip to WDW. It was a beautiful night in October at MK, park was pretty empty. We found a spot to sit right in front of the castle and had told her let's just take a break and enjoy the great night. Others start to join the area and she asks what's going on...oh yeah, that's right we say, they do a "little" fireworks show, let's stay and watch. She had no clue.

By the time Wishes was done, all four of us had tears streaming down our faces. My niece from just being so happy to be there and watch the magic of Disney with us, and us three goof balls from watching her amazement.

She too joined our love of Disney after that night, and has gone with us every year since.

Gail

 

[betsywdw]

My favorite memory so far was taking DD on her first trip when she was 10 months old (that was in Feb 07). We were not yet DVC members and DH didn't seem real interested in joining but that all changed. We took DD to the Crystal Palace for breakfast and this was her first time ever seeing a character. We were a little nervous about her reaction and it could not have been better! She screamed and giggled and even got mad as the characters had to go on. Well, it's amazing how a 10 month old can cause such a turn of events! Within one week we were on our way to becoming official DVC members!!!

We've since been on 2 trips to the VWL and both have been so amazing! I always know we are "home" when DD runs up to the topiary Mickey in front of the Villa's and gives him a high 5

 

[TenThousandVolts]

This was a magical moment from the last trip we took before becoming DVC members. We had a WONDERFUL family gathering with 22 extended family members. My mom had such a great time, she (a former real estate agent with a very anti-timeshare attitude) started looking at DVC. She told me to look at it to see if it made sense for her. Well, the more I learned, the more I liked- I bought in at SSR about 6 weeks after we got back from this trip. This is my baby, about to ride Goofy's Rollercoaster. He was SO excited about this.