Hi! First of all, I LOVED reading about your first park day!! We didn't go to AK in July. We were there in 2008 and decided we would only go back again if there is something there that the boys request that they really want to do, as they get older. The main thing the boys like is the animals, so we eat a meal at the AKL or AKV. However, the 2 things we did enjoy were FOTLK and Dinosaur! Well, DH wasn't quite as impressed with Dinosaur as I was but he liked it. He thought EE was just OK...he is used to the Cyclone at Coney Island here in Brooklyn, and that roller coaster is much rougher than anything at WDW. He likes the rough ride of the Cyclone!
We liked the safari, but it is not something we feel we always have to do. But, I did get some great pics of the animals on the safari ride. A place I feel I must visit someday for animals is the San Diego Zoo in CA. I have never been to CA, but when we do go someday when the boys are older, we will definitely go to both DL and San Diego Zoo! I HAVE to see both of those places!! I would go back to AK though if the boys really wanted to do something specific there.
Now, we both LOVE DHS!! The Great Movie Ride is awesome. And my DH is a Star Wars fanatic!!
He went on the ride back in 2008, but he got dizzy so he didn't go on it again in July. Fantasmic seems awesome. We haven't seen it yet. I wasn't sure if it would be appropriate for my little one yet, plus my kids were still going to bed fairly early on our last trip in July, and they show Fantasmic at 9pm in the summer. They were in bed right after we watched the Epcot fireworks from our room, which started at 9...and they were already in their PJs and ready for bed. So, we never went to any nighttime entertainment at the parks. Maybe on the next trip when my little one is 5 years old we can try something.
As far as your DVC question...yes, many people own at more than one home resort. Each one of these is a separate contract, and each one can be sold, independent of the other. Then there is something known as the Use Year (UY for short). Our UY is April, which means that every April, our 150 points are replenished to use for 12 months, or to bank into the following year. So if I were to use 100 out of my 150 allotted points for 2010, and I know I am not going to use the other 50, I can bank them. They will become available for me to use in Aprl 2011, in addition to my regular 150 points for 2011. The banked points are good for one year and must be used by March 31, 2012 or they will expire.
Here's an example of multiple contracts...I own 150 points at BWV. Let's say I want to add on 100 more points. I can add them on at BWV if I want to, and have 2 separate contracts, but at the same resort. So, if eventually I only need 150 points to fill my vacation needs, I can sell the 100-point contract and still keep my 150-point contract. If I want to get rid of all 250 points, I have to sell the contracts separately.
As another example, I own 150 points at BWV. I want to add on another 150 at Bay Lake Towers and have that as a home resort as well. Let's assume I have the same April UY. That means that both contracts replenish their points every April and are good for one year, or I can bank them into the following year. OK, so now I have a total of 300 points...150 at BWV and 150 at BLT. People use multiple contracts in various ways. Some people alternate resorts they stay at. Some people do split stays and have more than one home resort, so that they can book both home resorts 11 months in advance (if you book a DVC resort that is not your home resort, you can book up to 7 months in advance). And some people know that they book their trips more last-minute, or not more than 7 months in advance, so they will buy a contract at any DVC resort...they will look for the best deal as far as cost per point, and annual maintenance fees.
There are a lot of things to consider when you are thinking about purchasing a DVC membership. It can be overwhelming, but the DIS helps a lot! If you check out the DVC boards, there are a lot of very friendly people there who are really helpful. When DH and I were first thinking about buying DVC, I asked a ton of questions and all of them were answered by friendly, knowledgeable people. Here are some of the things I learned:
1. DO NOT buy DVC just for the perks (i.e., $100 off AP price)...perks can change at any time!
2. DO NOT buy DVC if you plan to always stay at a Value Resort...the values are cheaper over time than buying a DVC membership.
3. The best use of a DVC membership is at a DVC resort. Exchanging out can be complicated and requires a $95 booking fee every time you do it. It can also be difficult to get certain locations when trying to exchange out.
4. Your home resort should be the place you will want to stay, at least most of the time. For example, if the AKV Club Level appeals to you (the only DVC resort with a club level option), buy at AKV. There is no guarantee a certain resort will have what you are looking for if you book 7 months in advance, as opposed to the home resort advantage of being able to book 11 months in advance. However, this may not apply to you if you tend to book your vacations less than 7 months in advance (but something tells me that you book sooner than that!
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5. Remember that discounts like free dining do not apply to DVC members staying on points. However, I think a DVC membership is a much better value than any discounts I have seen Disney offer.
6. Look into buying a resale contract. We did that and saved about $4,000 compared to the price of a contract directly through Disney. It takes longer to go through, but it is totally worth it.
7. Look at the DVC
points charts (you can find them online) to see how many points you would need to fit your vacation needs. The points charts have changed slightly over the last couple of years, but we still have enough to do what we originally intended...to stay in a 1-bedroom standard view villa at BWV for 10 nights, every other July. We still have enough points to do this until our kids are out of high school!
8. Look at all the details of all the DVC resorts and see which one is right for you. For us, location was very important. We wanted to be close to the parks. For others, the theming is more important. Many people are into the theming at AKV for example, because you can get a villa with a Savannah View. Some people prefer Saratoga Springs or Old Key West because they are more condo-style (individual outdoor entrances to the villas, as opposed to an indoor corridor in the other hotel-style DVC resorts), and because you get to park your car right in front of your villa, as if you live there! We decided that the Epcot area was perfect for us, so that narrowed it down to the BWV or the BCV. We chose BWV because it cost less money per point for a resale contract than BCV, and it requires fewer points to stay there in a standard view villa. After staying at BWV this summer, we are very happy that it is our home resort!
Sorry this is so long...if you have any other questions, feel free to ask me!
That's a good friend indeed!
That's my kinda gal! 
It's smooth, fast, and exciting!
) friends, we went over to Kilimanjaro Safaris! 
So excited I get to use these emoticons! I'm always excited when I find an emoticon but I can never use it cuz it wouldn't relate to my report, but I finally did it! 
And in such a way that a teacher would tell me! 
