First DVC Stay

[TechRavingMad]

We are finally taking our first DVC stay!!!

My question is, what advice or thoughts can you DVC experts share? What gotchas would be helpful to know about?

Any input is welcome.

Thank you

 

[BillPA]

Are you members, renters or just staying on cash through CRO? What size unit and which resort? Any kids or elderly in your group?

 

[Shellyred8]

Book as early as possible.

 

[TechRavingMad]

We are members. We have a 1 bedroom booked at Kidani Village (Standard view) for 1 week. It will be a party of 5, myself, wife, 3kids, 15b, 13b, 7g.

We've been to Disney World many times, so the normal stuff I've got taken care of (Dinner, fastpasses, etc). What I'm looking for are recommendations and advice when adapting from hotel stays to DVC resort stays.

 

[CarolynFH]

Well, the reason DH & I book a 1-bedroom is so he can fix breakfast while I get ready in the morning and so we can pack 1/2 as many clothes. We get to the parks more quickly, not having to stop at a food service location (QS or TS), and it's easy to throw a load into the washer in the morning and then into the dryer when we get back. However, they're apartment-size washers & dryers, so they don't hold as many clothes and we wash more frequently than at home. We also like being able to sit on the couch or chair to watch tv or read instead of on a bed.

 

[Mrs.Milo]

Remember to use your DVC card or Annual Pass for discounts if you have them even in the resorts. We find that as DVC members we can have a more relaxing trip because we know we will be back, so not worried about trying to do it all. And check out some of the other DVC resorts for possible future stays, they are all a little different in feel, our favorite time to do that is the holidays.

 

[BillPA]

WELCOME HOME!!! Get used to hearing that phrase.
You do not get daily house keeping with a DVC stay, on day 4 they will bring new towels and empty the trash, restock paper products as needed, coffee packs, soap etc. You can buy extra services if needed. You will need coffee and Mr. coffee type filters, (flat bottom 10-12 cup), sweetener if required, laundry soap, 1 or 2 single load boxes should be there.
Parking is under the building, ground floor, the rooms are on floors 2 and up. The restaurant Sanaa has carry out breakfast service, and the small gift shop has some (very limited) supplies. The pool 'bar' has salads and sandwiches. There is a van that bell services runs, that goes between Kadani and Jambo. Also park busses stop at Kadani first, then go to Jambo. The Disney Springs bus stops at Jambo then Kadani. If you go out from the lobby, towards the savanna, at both Kadani and Jambo, around 5 pm for marsh mellow roast. Great place to see the animals up close.
Relax and enjoy, now as members you know you will be back many times, so enjoy the resort. WELCOME HOME!

 

[com_op_2000]

Some things to do outside the parks if you have not done so before:
Depending upon what you are into:
sports: golf, mini-golf, fishing, marathon, bowling, ESPN Club, WWS/ESPN Zone, etc
shopping: DTD, area outlet malls, large scale malls
drinking: Jellyrolls, Raglan Road, monorail tour of resorts, walking tour of resorts in the Boardwalk area
movies: DTD 24 screen theater some with meals served by waiters
night clubbing: Jellyrolls, Atlantic Dance, Raglan Road, Citywalk
resort tours: monorail tour of resorts, Boardwalk around the lake tour of resorts, horse drawn tour of FWC, AKL/AKV
offsite: Gaylord Palms Resort, Citywalk, swamp tour
eating: Formal GF 5* Chef's Table @ V&As

Since you are in a 1-bdrm with a full kitchen you might want to take advantage of it and save some food cost:
Make a one pot meal:
Stew
Soup
Lasagna

Relax you are going on vacation and will have many more. You can expect many "Welcome Home" over the coming years. Start looking at your points usage over the next 3 years at least, maybe get a spreadsheet together to lay out your points planning/usage.
Your vacation style will change over the next few years as your kids get more involved with school activities, as you invite family/friends to come along on trips, as you want to go to other places, and you need to prepare for these changes.

 

[crisi]

Since DVC operates with high occupancy, you probably won't get into your room until late. If you are arriving early, pack a day bag and have plans that don't include your room. We usually get checked in, stop by the restrooms near the lobby, freshen up/change, check our carry ons with bell services, and head into the parks. Pool time is good. (With little kids who need a nap, you want to find a place to nap - yours should be good to head out.)

Don't bring too much food. You'll probably eat in the room less than you think you will. We usually do breakfast in the room. We bring coffee/sugar/salt/pepper/cereal and buy from the resort store milk/half and half/eggs.

We find that with the washer/dryer right there its really easy to throw the days clothes into the wash and bedtime, into the dryer in the morning, and basically end up needing about three days of clothes. I always bring things that can be washed together - things that have been washed often enough so they won't run - no new red shirts - or if I bring new red shirts they get worn once since I never have enough red for a full load.

You'll find five in a one bedroom a little crowded with the sleeper sofa and chair out. We've always folded the bed up the moment the kids are rousted from it when we've done that - then we moved to two bedrooms and stopped having that problem . I'd set the expectations with the kids that they get up, fold up their beds, and then get moving with their mornings - if your seven year old is trying to get ready while tripping over the 13 year old doing the 13-year old morning best impression of a sloth routine, you'll have a traffic jam.

 

[ScubaCat]

You'll find five in a one bedroom a little crowded with the sleeper sofa and chair out

I was going to suggest the following steps for next trip (assuming financially viable) :

• Purchase addon contract on resale market
• Book 2 bedroom unit for future trips

It'll happen

 

[disneynutz]

If you don't feel like walking between Kidani and Jambo, there is a shuttle van.

Bill

 

[hakepb]

Kidani has almost no QS (although there is finally a breakfast at Sanna)

If you are used to regular QS eating at your resort ... then either plan on stocking your room's kitchen and/or change your schedule so you can eat QS at the parks.

Mara at Jambo is worth 1 or 2 trips, but could be frustrating if planned to use more often.

(My QS "rant" applies to most DVC's since no Deluxe has the selection of value or moderate food court. But OKW, Kidani and Boardwalk seem to be the most limited)

 

[crisi]

Boardwalk Bakery had a fairly expanded menu since their move when we were there. Breakfast sandwiches, pastries, etc.

 

[julieFitz]

You will need coffee and Mr. coffee type filters, (flat bottom 10-12 cup), sweetener if required, laundry soap, 1 or 2 single load boxes should be there.

Do they sell this stuff on site, or do you need to bring with you?

 

[Deb & Bill]

Do they sell this stuff on site, or do you need to bring with you?

They usually have all of these for sale in the resort store, but you'll pay more for them than you would at home. And if you have it at home already, why not just pack some and bring them from home?

 

[crisi]

They usually have all of these for sale in the resort store, but you'll pay more for them than you would at home. And if you have it at home already, why not just pack some and bring them from home?

I suspect most of us have a DVC box - laundry detergent (in pods or sheets or whatever has been sold that isn't straight powder or liquid), coffee filters, picnic style salt and pepper, sugar - mine has the rain ponchos in it and the fanny pack (because Disney is the only place you can wear a fanny pack and get away with it). I also keep notes in it on what else needs to be packed (things that have a shelf life - like cold medicine). Then we also pack coffee, some snacks (granola bars, fruit leather), maybe some microwave popcorn. We buy (depending on the size of the trip, often just down at the store, but sometimes through Garden Grocer) half and half, milk, bread, cereal (cereal packs, but takes up too much room), eggs, bottled water.

For those that go frequently and have lots of stuff, you can rent an "owners locker" - a big tub that will be delivered to your resort and you can keep your second favorite set of real knives (the ones DVC stocks aren't great) or your own sheets, or a crockpot (helps with those one pot meals), or a keurig or something.

 

[DenLo]

. . . Also park busses stop at Kadani first, then go to Jambo. The Disney Springs bus stops at Jambo then Kadani. . . . .

Some of the buses are direct to the parks especially in the mornings and evenings, so ask before getting on bus to see if it will stop at Jambo House. Also the shuttle gets really full in the evenings. Keep in mind it is only a 10 minute walk from lobby to lobby at the most. Fast walkers maybe 6 minutes.

For those that have strollers, it appears they don't have luggage room for a stroller in the shuttle van.

 

[kreckl]

Ask everywhere if they have a DVC discount- I always forget!
Consider a TIW card- do the math to see if it's worth it for you for this ( and possible future) trip(s)
Order food from Garden Grocer- the earlier the better as they give discounts. We like to get bagels, cream cheese, eggs, english muffins, peanut butter ( minis), French bread pizza, chips and sandwich fixings like sliced ham, cheese and crackers, hummus, mac and cheese cups, bottled water, juice, etc. We have saved a ton doing this on our resort/pool days, and early nights. It's great to get up and go early then have a pool afternoon and dinner in your room watching a movie or enjoying the resort. Having quick fix foods that kids will like ( and are easy to prepare) has allowed us to feel ok about heading back to the resort and not worry about whether or not everyone is done eating for the day or will we have to go out again?
Pack your own laundry detergent from home, and a few dryer sheets. We use a small plastic bottle, the kind designed for shampoo, but measure it out by the load and mark it with a sharpie on the outside, so we will know how much to put it ( don't like pods).
Enjoy the "at home feel". Don't be at the parks 24/7!

 

[LionKingCPA]

Reiterating what someone else mentioned - always check to see if you can use the discount. For some reason, it gets easy to forget but even 10% here and there ads up.

 

[butsy113]

I was going to suggest the following steps for next trip (assuming financially viable) :

• Purchase addon contract on resale market
• Book 2 bedroom unit for future trips

It'll happen

This is us, lol I've been watching for a small contract for a few months! I really want the same UY though so it's slow going so far. We are a family of 4 and don't like to stay in anything less than a 2 bedroom now. It really spoils you, especially with teenagers!