How do you DVC?

[mark&sue]

Question) What do we take that we didn't use to before we were DVC members?

Answer) Our friends



Susan

 

[JABEAR]

I have even heard of people taking a croc-pot. What are your favorite meals that you use them for?

 

[DVC California]

The only meals we do are breakfasts (eggs, sausage, toast) or cold cereal.

We use the fridge for water, juices, gatorade, and fruit.

We enjoy sleeping in and not worrying about housekeeping waking us for a service.

We don't do the parks "commando" style anymore...just some of the new attractions and favorites.

We take advantage of the great DVC discount on annual passes.

With AP's, we also subscribe to the Disney Dining Experience which gives us 20% discounts in most restaurants.

We pool hop to other Disney resorts.

With the washer and dryer, we supposedly pack less clothes since we can do a wash midweek. (I haven't experienced this yet).

We know where all the new Publix's, Super Walmarts, and Super Targets are!

We use the DVC discounted $0.35 local calls to dial into a local number for our ISP using our laptop.

We stretch points by doing Universal/IOA on the weekends and stay onsite (LOVE "Front of the line"!!! )

HTH, Steve

 

[patsal]

*Every year (sometimes 3x per year) rather than every 4 or five years
*Pack lighter--hey there's a washer/Dryer--only two Bathing Suits per person now!
*Eat all breakfasts in the room--no more than one TS per day
*CS only when we really don't want to leave the park
*Always get a 1BR unless it is a quick 5 day trip
*No more commando touring
*Some days we don't even do parks, there is so much to do and see we can now take time to smell the flowers!
*Drive rather than fly, it just takes pressure off, and the kids are older (10 and 13) so they travel well!
*Share WDW with others--we've taken my parents, and my little sister's family.
*I can draw park maps free hand without a reference as well!

 

[Safari Queen]

As others have said, we relax...no more commando Disney because we know there will always be another trip and another chance to see something. We might read and relax by the pool, then just run over to MK for "Wishes" and "Pirates", pop into AK for a safari and the parade, or spend the evening snacking at EPCOT before "Illuminations". We spend more time out of the parks at miniature golf, water parks, boating, taking nature walks, etc. We take our time and enjoy small thrills like watching the Hammerkops building a nest in the Pangani aviary at Animal Kingdom. With a one or two bedroom we also bring less clothing and plan on a load of laundry at mid-week to carry us through.

We do breakfast in the room and buy snacks for evenings when we just want to laze around. We keep bottled water in the freezer so we can leave each day with a fresh, frozen bottle. We also have more meals at the other resorts. At Christmas, we plan our meals as part of our annual tour to see all the resort decorations. For example, we get a PS at Boma at the Animal Kingdom Lodge and spend a couple of hours before and after touring the resort and watching the animals. All in all, DVC has made our vacations more enjoyable.

 

[Disneyrsh]

We definitely have more fun...

My car has a white oval DVC sticker on it next to my vintage 1982 EPCOT sticker and a Happiest Celebration On Earth Sticker....

Other than that, it just made it easier to do disney!

 

[Copperline]

We are much more relaxed about our park touring now that we are DVC owners. We go a minimum of once a year, and we have no problem taking our little guy for spontaneous trips. I am due w/ #2 in January, and we will likely go down again as soon as we feel up to it. I love that it's such an "at home" feel and we never feel like we need to pack the entire house to go.
We also grocery shop at Publix, and eat breakfast in the room. We either pack lunches or make dinner in the room depending on what our PS is for that day. It's so nice to be able to have a snack out of your own kitchen anytime you want without being raped at a park vendor. I love that Disney allows you to bring your food and drinks into the parks with you.
The laundry in the room is also a huge plus for us. We pack the bare minimum for a few days worth, and just do wash every few days. Makes for much lighter packing!!
Oh and the other big perk for us is that we now invite friends or family with us once in awhile too! It's so nice to be able to offer them free lodging! And it's built in entertainment or babysitting for our kid!
I could go on and on and on....but basically we really treat our DVC as a vacation home...with the exception of the responsibility of having to furnish it!! It was one of my best investments ever!! (especially at $72 per pt!!!)

 

[CharlesTD]

Ours is mealks it is so great having a place to cook when in the 1 bedroom we eat all but a couple meals in the room we hardly ever go out to eat anymore. We still go commando for a week then go offsite and do other adventures for a week like going to the coast for day trips and nature trails etc those are our favourite non Disney things to do. We have only once gone to any other park besides the Disney parks and that was Sea World we will not visit IOA/US no desire to see it if we want thrill rides we will drive to Cedar point from home.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Like a lot of others here, we also relax more. Also, one slight difference about our breakfast. Yes, like others we often eat breakfast in our room. However, we don't do bacon, eggs, cereal, "traditional" stuff. It's a WDW tradition for us to get bakery items the night before at one of the bakery-type places-Boardwalk Bakery, French Pastry shop, Main Street Bakery, the Writer's Stop, are some we've frequented. We really enjoy our breakfasts that way!

 

[Tigger7570]

We now go twice a year for between 12-15 days each trip in either the 1 or 2 bedroom condo.
We take family and friends.
We love being able to have a leisurely breakfast in the condo. Have some dinners in - love to go back after lounging at the pool and have a snack and then head out for the evening to the parks, downtown, movies, etc.
Definitely go at a more leisurely pace.
Best of all, when we take our son, dil,and grandchildren, they can get up in the morning, have breakfast in their pjs and we don't mind if they just have a bowl of cereal or have a full breakfast. Everyone seems to be more relaxed when we head out to the parks. Also, it's great for all of us for them to have more room to spread out.
When we go with other son and dil or other family and friends pretty much can follow the same routine, but love the fact that we also can do our own thing and go separate ways or do things together or hang out and play cards, etc.
Joining DVC was one of the best choices we have ever made and we have never had any regrets.

 

[geffric]

We are one of the families that brings a crockpot..

For the first week, I make a beef roast and let it cook with potatoes and carrots one of the first night, so besides a great meal the first night, we have meat for sandwiches. Then next week, I make a turley breast in the crockpot. I have nade stews in the crock pot and various other meals, so we don't have burgers and junk food for the whole time.

Like many of the other DVC families...
we go for 2 weeks every year
we pack less since we have a washer and dryer
eat breakfast in and some meals
eat a few PS table service meals each week and the rest is food in the villa.
Go to the parks in the morning, leave, swim and relax, then back to the parks when it is cooler
freeze our water

We went to DL/DCA this year and we really missed out DVC. We were stuck in a hotel room, had to eat all of the meals out.. We can't wait to go back to our DVc home....