How has becoming a DVCer changed your vacations?

[mickeysbutler]

I am a brand new member and very excited!! I am just wondering how becoming a dvc member has changed your family vacas. TIA

 

[WilsonFlyer]

We take one now. Seriously.

 

[nolanboys]

Our WDW vacations are much more relaxed now. No more park commandos. Knowing that we will be back allows us to take things at a more relaxed pace and come back refreshed.

 

[Strawberry's mom&dad]

We go more often now, go at a more relaxed pace. We purchase annual passes. This year we will be using the passes for a total of 30 days!

 

[Kidanifan08]

We are not buried under luggage anymore. Seriously. . . it is so nice to have someplace to store the luggage during the stay and not have to trip over everything. We have yet to take advantage of eating several meals in the villa, but I suspect that will come with time. Mostly, we love having the extra space to spread out and relax. Once you have your first stay in a 1 or 2BR villa, you will never be able to go back. The AP discount is great (if you plan 10 or more days at the park) and we just started using Owner's Locker and look forward to having some of the necessaries already there when we get there.

We have not regretted ownership yet and, in fact, have done two small add-ons since buying DVC in 10/08.

home!!

PS. I just noticed that you are a fellow Hoosier. Welcome home to a Hoosier neighbor!! We tend to take the early departure on Airtran from IND, although Southwest has some nice prices and routes as well. You may be closer to ORD or CVG, which should have some good routes for you too!

 

[Sandisw]

We have only been members for just over 2 years and are leaving on Wednesday for only our 4th DVC trip.

But, I can tell you that I feel much more relaxed going in to them. I don't worry about whether or not we are going to see everything and I especially don't worry about the kids and what they do or do not want to do since I know we will be back at least once a year from now until...well...when I am old!

I love being able to pack with less clothes because of the washer/dryer.

 

[lilosurf11]

We actually go more often and we've used out points to stay at non-disney places (i.e. the Mandarin Oriental in D.C.)

 

[dianeschlicht]

We've been members for so long, I almost don't recall what it was like to travel to WDW before DVC. I do know that we travel lighter, more frequently, and enjoy the little nuances of Disney more than we did when we were paying $5000 a trip. After 14 years of DVC, I have our trips so down to a science, it involves almost no planning.

 

[castle1]

Welcome! Since we have become DVC members, we are much more relaxed during our visits. We don't feel like we have to see everything during one trip, since we know we will be back. We have also used our points at the New York City hotel, and the GCV in California. Will soon be using points for the Washington, DC hotel. I think we are taking more vacations since we have become members. We love it!

 

[jupers]

We just became DVC members in April. We went to Orlando in July because we already had a trip planned offsite... It just confirmed for me that I am so glad we bought DVC!!! I will never stay offsite again.

Since then I have 2 trips planned. One with just my mom and I for F & W at AKV and BW and 1 in January with my mom and the inlaws at a 2 bedroom at AKV. We would never have done this if we didn't buy DVC!!!!

My DH was a skeptic till we had our offsite trip too. Now he is really these trips.

 

[kylmac]

We plan ahead and use the Disney magic to imagine where our next vacation will take us. We have used points for my parents for a cruise to Alaska on DCL for their 50th wedding anniversary, we are planning trips with ABD, plus Hilton Head and Vero Beach and then add on WDW visits. We are staying at Aulani next summer and then heading to DL for a few days afterwards. We have 2 kids and Disney is something we all love. DS is autistic so we go Disney as they can accomodate his needs the best. Our problem is wanting too many points so we can do so many things. I love reading the posts that other members get villas so they can bring family members on their vacations-that certainly is a help for many families financially.
Elizabeth

 

[bobbiwoz]

I'm getting older!We're the DGPs, and DH and I love to vacation ourselves and with our family. Even before DVC, as a couple, we found ourselves at WDW about 3 times a year. We went on 3 night weekends for Flower and garden, for summer or early fall swimming vacations, and for December holiday vacations (once we learned about how wonderful Disney decorated for the holidays. Before 2001, we never knew Disney did December!).

Now we have enough points to vacation at those times either by ourselves or with our family and friends. We've added the Halloween season to the times we want to be in Disney. We generally go for longer than 3 night stays and I often stay longer than DH because I work part time and DH is still working and with fewer vacation days than he once had.

We are hoping to spend 6 weeks of winter months using DVC together once DH retires, and I'm trying out this plan this January with friends!

We have APs, and we also now have a Floridian branch of the family that loves Disney, so we invite them for as many weekend stays as we can do together. The next one with them is in a treehouse, in October.

Welcome Home, and I hope you make many wonderful memories using your DVC!

Bobbi

 

[Simba's Mom]

We take one now. Seriously.

Guy? Seriously, DH was a workaholic before-it was hard to get him to take vacation.

 

[OhioDVC]

We take three times the vacation in accommodations much nicer and larger than before

 

[Simba's Mom]

We go more often now, go at a more relaxed pace. We purchase annual passes. This year we will be using the passes for a total of 30 days!

Exactly! It's so nice that when an attraction's closed or we can't get "that" ADR, we just shrug and say "Maybe next time". Pre-DVC, we'd panic.

 

[tkillini99]

We are able to take more vacations and be much more relaxed! I love the space of a 1 bedroom (or 2 bedroom). Plus, I love having the ability to do laundry in the unit! I am always sad when I get home after vacation--and having a mound of laundry to do makes it much worse! Now I come home with mostly clean clothes...it's a small thing, but it makes a difference to me!

 

[Ryansdad0727]

Since we have become DVC members we have yet to go to Disneyworld by ourselves. We always take family or friends. It has been a great experience.

 

[TinkandGoofy'sMom]

We will be taking our first DVC trip in October and we can't wait. We already wish we had joined sooner! We are looking to a more relaxed vacation, more space, laundry facilities, and more time at the resort (my kids are always begging to go swimming). Maybe we'll even sleep in! We plan on buying AP's in Oct, and will be using them for two more trips before they expire. We're getting the ones that include the water parks, which we haven't done yet. I am also really looking forward to Vero Beach, Hilton Head Island, and eventually Aulani! I am already looking forward to the day we can add even more points! Enjoy!

 

[Ln42]

We go more frequently and try more places. Before we always wanted to go to the Poly and recreate our first visit because we never knew if we would go back. Now we try what is available and even have Aulani in the sites for 2013.

I am also getting ready to book in a larger room category and love having that option as the family gets older.

Enjoy your membership!

 

[BEASLYBOO]

Our WDW vacations are much more relaxed now. No more park commandos. Knowing that we will be back allows us to take things at a more relaxed pace and come back refreshed.

Gone are the days of coming back to the hotel room, beat up and worn out. Now, it's about the resort and the Orlando area and not just about the theme parks. I love being on-site even if not attending the parks. We just got back Aug 6th, 4 days of sun and a little rain, outlet malls (back to school clothes) and hanging out by the pool. We stayed at Kidani, 2br standard view with quite a partial view of the Pembeh savanah. No getting up early, relaxing, a nice dinner at Jiko, it was a nice break before school starts Aug 22nd!