DVC Retirement

[patm95]

We just did this! We arrived on NYE and stayed through the end of January. We did a mega split stay to keep things fresh. Started at Saratoga, spent marathon weekend at Boulder Ridge, went up to Hilton Head to recover for a few days, then to Kidani, then to Boardwalk for FotA and then back to Boulder Ridge. We had so much fun and will definitely do it again in the future.

That is quite a trip! Congratulations!!!

 

[patm95]

It’s such a remarkable thread that I bookmarked it - https://www.disboards.com/threads/four-weeks-in-a-studio-using-the-kitchenette-and-survived.3703922/

Sweet! Thank you!!

 

[patm95]

We spent several years thinking about this possibility. Our last trip was a three week stay and that was more Disney than we wanted. Though we've been DVC since 1996, AP at the time and had purchased quite a few contracts anticipating this situation we decided against it.

We'd have to drive (even bought a car for this) 24+ hours from NH. DH is sick of heavy traffic and road rage and I agree. We would have to stop twice (once was to be HHI) both ways. Gas/hotels/tolls etc was not a factor.

Prices have gone sky high at WDW and quality has gone way down. 10K a week doesn't seem worth it to us anymore...40K not happening. Our son and DIL are factored into that amount at 10 nights a year.

Instead, we decided to build a new home where we can relax and vacation year round. It is exactly what we want, we don't have to fight traffic and that 40K, well we can find other ways to spend that. We sold most of our DVC contracts and have pretty much moved on.

I would spend 3-4 weeks at WDW to test drive the concept. We were the WDW poster children for decades so our decision surprised even us. Good luck!

Very good points. You can do a lot with that kind of money. I just figured we could get annual passes and cook when we want in the 1 bedroom. You're right though, we have 20 more years and a lot can happen between that time. Plus I would agree Disney has gotten worse. It's sad to have to say that, but it's true.

 

[zavandor]

I know it's not the same, but for anyone looking to work remotely in Orlando, the II getaways are a  great option. In the slow seasons you can have 1-2br for a few peanuts. Last September, I did a 2 weeks holiday using DVC points followed by 2 weeks working remotely from a resort near Universal, doing HHN in the evenings and parks during the weekends. I paid around $350 a week.
I can see this working very well for retirement as well. Stretch the DVC points by staying at other timeshares on the cheap.

 

[tomandrobin]

I was talking to my wife about how neat it would be to get enough points to stay a whole month on property when we retire. Does anyone else do this?

This has always been our plan with DVC. The plan was to buy enough points that half the points were for a 1-bedroom stay for the month of January, the other half of the points were to be rented and pay for all the maintenance fees. Therefore, we would have no cost for our stay in Disney each year.

We still have at least 7 years to go before retirement, so who knows how it will play out for us.

 

[kboo]

Come on, live dangerously. Go for the Tower Duo at Riv! For a solid month!

This could be a reality show.

I've been married a while. I'll need a 3BR Grand Villa so we can obtain adequate separation

LOL. We are spending our 30th anniversary (and father's day) at WDW. With our kids - we had kids late, so they are tweens.

On the plus side, if these boards are still a thing in 10 years I'll have lots of tips!

 

[tx911]

LOL. We are spending our 30th anniversary (and father's day) at WDW. With our kids - we had kids late, so they are tweens.

On the plus side, if these boards are still a thing in 10 years I'll have lots of tips!

Congrats! I'm in a very similar situation with both marriage and kids.
We are just getting started with our DVC/Disney journey.

 

[keishashadow]

Hi Everyone.

I was talking to my wife about how neat it would be to get enough points to stay a whole month on property when we retire. Does anyone else do this?

I just thought thought it would be great to get away from the cold and spend time just hanging out and enjoying the parks and atmosphere.

No right or wrong way to roll with DVC IMO. Well, unless you let your points expire lol

I have enough points for a studio for a month. But I have animals and rental properties to look after, so I can't really be gone that long.

Same, although, have decided that even if we could, do prefer taking a trip every couple of months. Especially, as airfare can be a bargain from my market.

 

[Travel60]

We have spent at least 3 weeks in WDW DVC every Jan/Feb for years. Sometimes stop at HHI for a few days on the way down or back. Once stayed 3 weeks at VB. We had a condo in FL that we sold and that was part of the reasoning. Always in a 1 BR - DH and I have different sleeping habits and I'm not tip-toeing around in the dark while he sleeps in. Plus I want to cook and eat in occasionally.

 

[Disdreaming479]

I know it's not the same, but for anyone looking to work remotely in Orlando, the II getaways are a  great option. In the slow seasons you can have 1-2br for a few peanuts. Last September, I did a 2 weeks holiday using DVC points followed by 2 weeks working remotely from a resort near Universal, doing HHN in the evenings and parks during the weekends. I paid around $350 a week.
I can see this working very well for retirement as well. Stretch the DVC points by staying at other timeshares on the cheap.

Yes I plan to take advantage of the getaways in this way. My husband is a golfer and self employed so he might have a lengthy semi- retirement. Anything to avoid snow and ice storms!

 

[TCRAIG]

Looks like the month of january in a studio at hhi is about 250 points.
Looks like a great future plan for me!

I’m not sure I could stay a month in a studio - not that I cook much - but I’d need a real fridge and freezer for that length of time..

 

[CarolMN]

I’m not sure I could stay a month in a studio - not that I cook much - but I’d need a real fridge and freezer for that length of time..

And the washer & dryer, and the SPACE!!!

 

[Anthony1971]

There was a person on the boards that was trying to live at a DVC resort year round...
I do not recall the details but I know there was booking limitations and he had to leave for X amount of time as they do not allow a full year. The person did have reports about at posted had to be at least 15 years ago maybe more.

 

[patm95]

There was a person on the boards that was trying to live at a DVC resort year round...
I do not recall the details but I know there was booking limitations and he had to leave for X amount of time as they do not allow a full year. The person did have reports about at posted had to be at least 15 years ago maybe more.

That'd be so cool. I figured it'd be OK to stay that long as long as you hopped between resorts. But maybe not??

 

[Starport Seven-Five]

I know it's not the same, but for anyone looking to work remotely in Orlando, the II getaways are a  great option. In the slow seasons you can have 1-2br for a few peanuts. Last September, I did a 2 weeks holiday using DVC points followed by 2 weeks working remotely from a resort near Universal, doing HHN in the evenings and parks during the weekends. I paid around $350 a week.
I can see this working very well for retirement as well. Stretch the DVC points by staying at other timeshares on the cheap.

Can also look at airbnb/vrbo as they usually some nice discounts for booking longer stays. I don't know if you can get to $350/week though... that is a great deal.

As cool as a month in DVC would be it would be hard to ignore what you can get in the vacation rental space off property. You could rent the points and get an entire house for the cost of a DVC studio.

 

[Chili327]

There was a person on the boards that was trying to live at a DVC resort year round...
I do not recall the details but I know there was booking limitations and he had to leave for X amount of time as they do not allow a full year. The person did have reports about at posted had to be at least 15 years ago maybe more.

Its a few years old, but they did for 1 year (not all DVC, but all Disney)
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLISrGaR6EAofh0W9NGTdjA2Q4h2pu-FGM&si=DxJ_hoAhCpaawL54

 

[abear_hugs]

Not retired, but I am self employed as a website designer and am able to work for anywhere with decent internet.

I own 160 points with my Mom at the Poly and every 2-3 years we spend 4 weeks in Florida of those 3 weeks in Studios on WDW property. Typically, its 14 nights at OKW, our final 7 night at Poly with the week between either with our friends at their timeshare or traveling somewhere new to us. Next year we're hoping to do all 4 weeks with our points as we can borrow again.

For lunch and dinners we make use of the BBQ grills to cook protein for the week for salads. We also have a mini kitchen with actual plates, cutlery and glasses etc. in our owners locker. We've also steamed potatoes and veggies we've picked up at farmers markets in the microwave.

 

[HyperspaceMountainPilot]

For lunch and dinners we make use of the BBQ grills to cook protein for the week for salads. We also have a mini kitchen with actual plates, cutlery and glasses etc. in our owners locker. We've also steamed potatoes and veggies we've picked up at farmers markets in the microwave.

Does anybody have a good resource on owners’ lockers? I hear references here and there but couldn’t find anything on the DVC about how to get one.

My husband and I both work remotely but are limited in how much time we can spend at DVC resorts by our kids’ school schedules. I’m pretty sure if I suggested homeschooling our kids so we could spend the month of November at WDW or AUL he would try to stage an intervention…but it sounds nice to me!

 

[CWTC]

Does anybody have a good resource on owners’ lockers? I hear references here and there but couldn’t find anything on the DVC about how to get one.

Owners locker is not Disney owned/disney run - here’s the Link. We’ve had ours since 2010. Not surprisingly we started with one and now have two. The service is great and once I saw them doing a drop off so I stopped to chat with him - very personable. Bell services will hold the lockers and bring them up/ take them back. Also if you are doing a split stay, they are treated just like luggage and moved for you.

Everyone uses them differently - some people use them so they don’t have to check luggage, other people keep work remote stuff in them (I saw one poster who kept a printer and monitor in theirs), but we use ours for comfort of home items. We have a nespresso plus pods, vodka, cognac, ice bucket, bath robe, slippers, special wine glasses and cocktail tumblers, good wine key, cutting boards, citrus squeezer, paring knife, pepper grinder, pizza cutter, DVC coffee mugs, DVC mug for pool, pool bag, collapsible laundry baskets, camping style clothes line, laundry pods, dishwasher pods, extra magic bands, first aid kit, a few DVC polos, 2 Disney throw blankets, extra charging cords/cables, left over non perishables. I’m probably forgetting stuff but you get the idea.

The lockers are decent size so they hold a fair amount of stuff and we are really spoiled by them. We miss having them when we are staying somewhere not Orlando!

Edited to add other thread links that I could find:
Thread 1
Thread 2
Thread 3
Thread4

 

[Best Aunt]

Does anybody have a good resource on owners’ lockers? I hear references here and there but couldn’t find anything on the DVC about how to get one.

My husband and I both work remotely but are limited in how much time we can spend at DVC resorts by our kids’ school schedules. I’m pretty sure if I suggested homeschooling our kids so we could spend the month of November at WDW or AUL he would try to stage an intervention…but it sounds nice to me!

Owners Locker is a private company, it is not part of DVC.

https://www.ownerslocker.com/

Sometimes there are DVC perks related to it, such as waiving the one-time membership fee. If there are, they would be on the DVC member website. I already have one (okay, two!), so I haven't looked lately.

Many DVC owners have one; if you search Owners Locker in the Dis Mouscellaneous forum you will see many posts.