Has DVC trapped you?

[FreeTime]

Now that our kids are getting to be school aged we are ready to try new things. However, as I shop around, such as at US/IOA, I am finding that I don't want to pay that much for a vacation. I keep making excuses such as if we buy another Disney AP we can get X number of trips, and a Disney vacation AGAIN is much better than no vacation. I know I shouldn't be complaining as we are very fortune to get to go so many places (this year DCL/BWV, Lake Tahoe, and BWV), but there is just so much more out there, but I can't seem to cost justify it after I plop down $1700 a year in dues. Disney has us right where they want us!

How do you manage to go somewhere else?

 

[Maistre Gracey]

I may be in the minority, but I have little desire to vacation at places other than WDW.
I travel all over North America for a living. I have seen many places in the USA. I do agree that there's much to see (Grand Canyon, Vegas, Colorado to name just a few), but none of these places I would want to spend two weeks visiting.

Just my opinion...

MG

 

[DeeCee735]

We specifically bought into DVC because we want to get back to WDW as often as we can. It is our ultimate vacation destination. The only other vacation we are itching to do is a cruise, and we'll get to it, but everytime we start to talk about vacationing elsewhere, we both think, "nay, lets go back to Disney!"

 

[FreeTime]

Don't get me wrong, I want to go back to Disney too. But I want to see other things. However, when we do go someplace else all I can think about is what is new at Disney that I am missing!

 

[GeorgiaTiggerGirl]

I know what you mean! I want to cruise the Caribbean and travel to spots in the US, but I think I'll always have to take a Disney trip, too. I can't imagine skipping a year, but time will tell!

 

[TR Denise]

We usually take some other kind of trip each year. Sometimes its only 4 days but we like to visit other places. We love our DVC but we realy like to travel and see new things too

 

[CarolMN]

As soon as I get tired of our annual trips, I plan to sell either some or all of my points.

Right now, we still go to other places, but we have not invested all of our vacation dollars in Disney, so it doesn't feel like we're trapped. Also, I know there is enough demand out there to rent our points should we occasionally end up with more than we can use.

The key to not feeling trapped is to own the right amount of points. If you want to go to other places, you can't use all of your vacation $$ (or vacation time for that matter) to go to WDW.

$1700 in annual dues is a lot of points, which makes for either a lot of trips or some very long ones. Consider selling some of your points and going less often - There is absolutely nothing wrong with going on vacation to places other than Disney. (That might prevent some future problems you've experienced with ungrateful or clueless family & friends, too).

Best wishes-

 

[jarestel]

Pre-DVC, we vacationed at many different places and though we enjoyed ourselves, we just never found too many places we were that excited about visiting for a second or third time. Except WDW. We've been to WDW probably a couple of dozen times and we still look forward to the next trip. Granted not everyone will feel this way, but it's definitely working for us so far!

 

[WDWLVR]

We love Disney which is why we bought into DVC. I think we will continue going at least once a year for many years to come.

We do go on other vacations as well - some involving Disney like the DCL cruises. Last year we did the 10 day Christmas Cruise so in addition to Disney we got to see Key West, St. Martin, St. Thomas, Antiqua and St. Lucia.

We try to do one thing different or special every year and since Disney offers many special experieces we keep coming back. For 2005 we are blessed with not only doing WDW for a week, but the DVC Member Cruise in September and a visit to Disneyland in early December.

 

[disney junky]

I guess that's why I bought enough points for a trip every other year. As much as I love WDW, I also love other areas. Our dues for two years equal about what we pay for a condo elsewhere for a week. So we still have the flexibility to go somewhere else every other year. We do have to go peak season, so I can foresee a time when to use all our points, I'll go more than once every two years, or let the kids use them. In the unlikely event that we don't want to go every other year, we could bank, use and borrow and do a huge family vacation for an extended time.

I guess the other option is to rent your points to help pay for your vacations elsewhere.

 

[DrTomorrow]

We don't feel trapped, although I do understand the sentiment. Hmmmm; maybe we are trapped but don't know it because the cage is so wonderful!

We manage to make a trip or two to Las Vegas or the west coast ( a short hop away ) every year, but we find ourselves in the situation that we're no longer looking for vacations that are always "new & different & a challenge". Not that WDW / Central Florida isn't an exciting destination, but there's something to be said about the comfort of knowing quite a bit a lot about your vacation destination.

As for the APs, the wonderful new DVC discount really makes it even less of a golden handcuff. If we fit 2 six/seven day trips in one AP year, we're way ahead of break-even, so spending a few of those days at US/IOA, SW - or no theme park at all (gasp - heresy!) - doesn't yield that "wasting a day" feeling.

 

[WOW]

We bought in 1993 when our kids were younger. They are now graduated from college. We have been going to WDW since they were 5 & 6. DVC has always worked for us. The kids got kind of bored when they were teens, but they are now enjoying it again. We have always enjoyed vacationing there. Like someone else said, it is really nice to be familiar and have this favorite spot to return to year after year. It is truly our second HOME. We have been around (we are now married 35 years) as far as vacations go, but we have this affinity for Disney that I really can't explain. We will probably go there with canes (or God Forbid, Wheelchairs). HaHa

 

[KennyK]

Trapped,

Try the DVC Conceige collection. My daughter just spent 4 days at the Mandirin Oriental Hotel in Wash DC on pts. It has hotels and resorts all over the country. That way you are using your pts instead of $$$ in staying at the resort.

Check out the list on the members site or in the 2004/2005 planning book.


Kennyk

 

[Laurajean1014]

Trapped by DVC? Yes, and it hurts so good!

We go on a WDW vacation twice a year (about 20 days in WDW a year).

We travel 9 times a year on long weekend trips to Philly, Boston, ME, NY and upstate NY. We also go to Minnesota for a week each year.

So, do I feel trapped - no way. I've been to WDW 36 times, on two 7 day cruises to Grand Cayman, Mexico, Key West, St. John, St. Thomas, St. Martin and Castaway Cay. I've also been to Keystone, Co and Vero Beach a few times.

Why would anyone complain with this travel resume?

Thanks DH for talking me into DVC and thank you DVC for being wonderful!

 

[Plus4206]

I'm in the same boat as MG: I have no desire to vacation anywhere else - at least for the time being.

For the last seven years I've put one DS thru college, had one wedding and paid for four years of college for 2nd DS. As odd as it may sound, the only vacations I can afford are my DVC trips. I drive to WDW from Jersey, spend 24 nites a year on property for $116.00 a month dues, get 4 weeks/trips on an AP that greatly reduces my cost per trip and we know how to eat well without going broke.

Someday when the money I earn is actually mine again ( still have a year to go on 2nd DS ) we'll probably start travelling again but probably only because I feel it's something we NEED to do because as a rational person I know there is more out there then WDW. Disclaimer: We've lived in Scotland, spent a month touring Europe, have visited most of the 48 states, been to a few other countries, etc,etc,etc, we're not a couple hicks hooked on Disney.

The way I see it, I vacation in the cleanest city in the world, I have world class dining of all varieties a few steps away, I can do as little or as much as I care to do without feeling rushed or as if I'm missing something and I get fireworks and hot tubs everynight. Where else can match that ?

 

[Deemarch]

We end up comparing it to Disney! Other places are so lacking in service and that happy atmosphere. We even tried a cruise to Bermuda last year and have given up on the cruise lines (we've tried 3 of them). We booked a 4 day cruise on DCL for May of 2006 and are planning on a few extra days at Vero Beach. We will then go to WDW in October-November.

I also have to say that we only have 200 points and our yearly dues are much less than the OP's. We stay in a studio...It's just me and DH...And eat meals in the parks or other resorts in WDW. The lesser dues also allows us to enjoy the parks without constraints of a budget. We always fly from NJ and rent a car. We have APs and the DDE card, so we're not spending extra money foolishly.

We have also been all over the world. I really don't care to travel to a place where I don't speak the language anymore. I'm more comfortable in WDW than any other vacation spot.

It's just our preference.

 

[Cruelladeville]

We love to vacation at WDW, and we use our points for that. However, we do like to vacation in other places, so we bought Marriott on resale. It cost us $5500, and gives us one week in a two bedroom villa in places all over the world. Right now I am only interested in the US, but in a couple of years I want to vacation in Spain or France, and Marriott lets me do that. You might want to consider buying a timeshare to trade, for the purpose of vacationing in other places. There are good deals on Hilton points, Blue green, and Worldmark which you can also use all over the world, although I am not familiar with their programs. I purchased Marriott because I had seen several of their properties, and my sister had already purchased there.

 

[DrBond007]

I'd say it has trapped us. We take advantage of the alternative of Vero Beach, but the high point values for trading into DVC resort alternatives does keep you trapped at the best dollar value. It would be nice if the point structure for cruises, etc was more favorable.

 

[rbuzzotta]

I don't feel so much trapped but do want to begin experiencing other vacation destinations.

My teen wants to go other places but I am able to appease her by letting a friend of hers join us for one of our 2 weeks in the summer!!! We also leave on the weekends and go to the west coast for the beaches!!! Our April vacation we drive and stop to visit friends and sights on the way.

Lately I have been tinkering with the idea of Hawaii and we actually thought about going this summer and renting our points!! But, we threw that out since DD's friend is planning to join us in FL!!! Anyways, we will forgo WDW for the summer of 2007 and head West to California and Hawaii. It is something to look forward too!!!

 

[mbw12]

Right now, we still go to other places, but we have not invested all of our vacation dollars in Disney, so it doesn't feel like we're trapped. Also, I know there is enough demand out there to rent our points should we occasionally end up with more than we can use.

The key to not feeling trapped is to own the right amount of points. If you want to go to other places, you can't use all of your vacation $$ (or vacation time for that matter) to go to WDW.

-

this part of your post sounds alot like us. We bought the right amount of points for our family to enjoy either one or two trips per year to WDW, depenindg on the size of our accomodations and the time of year we choose to go. We did not put all of our vacation money into this, we still allot money per year to go to other places and have other trips. This seems to satisfy us. I do not feel "trapped" in any way with owning DVC.

Bobbi