How many DVC folks actually stay DVC but venture outside the world for their trip?

[TLPL]

I see Disney has done a very good job brain washing people to think there is nothing good in the entire state of Florida outside of the DisneyWorld.

I'm short sighted, but not THAT short sighted.

 

[poggs]

We hire a car for our two week vacation every year. We use it every day to drive to the park for opening as the buses are hopeless. We then drive out of the world for lunch somewhere due to disneys counter services being so slow and expensive. Then we drive to another park for the afternoon.

We then also use the car to head out for dinner. Every single disney restaurant is over priced and over rated, even pizza hut or its ilk are better!

Also I like to buy coke and cookies etc from wal mart for the fridge. The savings on them compared to buying from the disney store almost make the care hire pay for itself! Also the removal of free valet will save me $50 a trip in tips, so all is good there

 

[TLPL]

We hire a car for our two week vacation every year. We use it every day to drive to the park for opening as the buses are hopeless. We then drive out of the world for lunch somewhere due to disneys counter services being so slow and expensive. Then we drive to another park for the afternoon.

We then also use the car to head out for dinner. Every single disney restaurant is over priced and over rated, even pizza hut or its ilk are better!

Also I like to buy coke and cookies etc from wal mart for the fridge. The savings on them compared to buying from the disney store almost make the care hire pay for itself! Also the removal of free valet will save me $50 a trip in tips, so all is good there

That's what a call a smart traveller!

 

[dvcdisney]

This past March we spent 4 days at Universal and 10 days at Disney. We stayed at a DVC resort.

I don't think I can go to Disney and not spend a little time there. But, I do find that I am more open to go elsewhere, even for just a little bit of time. I find, especially this year, the guests seems a little more rude than past vacations. It upset us enough that we decided to only go once next year. We usually go twice, but next year we're taking our second trip of the year somewhere else. I'm a little sad about it. We really love Disney. But, with all the rudeness and selfish attitudes we encounter this past August trip, I think it's time to cut back on Disney. As a DVC member, I don't participate in Free Dining and I find that this is one of the culprit for our less than magical time this past August.

 

[edk35]

We are booked at the end of the month for 4 days as a vacation club member and have no plans to go to Disney during that time. We live in Virginia and bought season passes for Busch Gardens, Sea World, etc. so we are staying at Disney but venturing to Sea World, Aquatica and Busch Gardens during our 4 days there.

Right now I can't afford to purchase a single or two day pass for the 4 of us so we will go with the passes that we have and see what we can that way. We may venture and look around Downtown Disney but that will probably be all we do. However I was thinking of the Mickey's Halloween party for Sunday evening may still think about that.

Oh the party would be nice to do since you are going to the "other parks". I vote DO THE PARTY!!!

 

[Sammie]

More and more lately.

 

[edk35]

We hire a car for our two week vacation every year. We use it every day to drive to the park for opening as the buses are hopeless. We then drive out of the world for lunch somewhere due to disneys counter services being so slow and expensive. Then we drive to another park for the afternoon.

We then also use the car to head out for dinner. Every single disney restaurant is over priced and over rated, even pizza hut or its ilk are better!

Also I like to buy coke and cookies etc from wal mart for the fridge. The savings on them compared to buying from the disney store almost make the care hire pay for itself! Also the removal of free valet will save me $50 a trip in tips, so all is good there

What a great idea. You know I feel the quality of the dining at Disney has gone down over the past several years. We still have a few faves but nothing really MOVES me anymore. Well we do love Le Cellier still. It might be worth renting a car just to go out to dinner every night.

 

[Hunclemarco]

As much as we love Disney, we also have annual passes to Sea World. They have a "peaceful ambience" in its own way. We also recently ventured out to not a park, but a store....M&M's World. Never knew there were so many products with the M&M Characters. We venture to Universal Studios about every other year. We also go to Slueths dinner theater every other trip, and check out Ripleys believe it or not, and Wonder world. This spring, we want to check out the Titanic attraction.
When we vacation, we generally go to the parks every other day, or every 2 days, and relax at the resort or go offsite to see what i mentioned above.

 

[DVC-Don]

We always rent a car. We grocery shop outside, dine outside, visit relatives outside, visit Sea World/Kennedy Space Center/Universal.

 

[edk35]

As much as we love Disney, we also have annual passes to Sea World. They have a "peaceful ambience" in its own way. We also recently ventured out to not a park, but a store....M&M's World. Never knew there were so many products with the M&M Characters. We venture to Universal Studios about every other year. We also go to Slueths dinner theater every other trip, and check out Ripleys believe it or not, and Wonder world. This spring, we want to check out the Titanic attraction.
When we vacation, we generally go to the parks every other day, or every 2 days, and relax at the resort or go offsite to see what i mentioned above.

How are those dinner type shows?? Would the Sleuths dinner not be suitable for an 11 year old? What is Wonder World? What is the Titanic Attraction? Thanks

 

[Hunclemarco]

How are those dinner type shows?? Would the Sleuths dinner not be suitable for an 11 year old? What is Wonder World? What is the Titanic Attraction? Thanks

Hello
The Sleuths Dinner Show is a murder mystery show. They have about 15 different shows where someone is killed off, and then we have to determine the murderer and the motive. We have seen children at the show, and they do keep the show clean. There may be an adult ineuendo here or there, but there's nothing "scary" about it. It is a comedy, and there is some audience participation. Check out http://www.Sleuths.com for more information.

I personally haven't been to either Wonder World, but i want to say it's like a Ripleys type thing. http://www.wonderworksonline.com/
Oops...it's wonder works, not wonder world.

Here's the information on the Titanic attraction: http://titanicorlando.reserveorlando.com/details.asp?t=A&id=117

Hope this helps a little.

 

[schewy]

We regularly drive to WDW. Several times we have gone to Coco Beach for a day. It is only about 45 minutes away. If you do rent a car and drive around Orlando, be careful, there are toll roads everywhere.

 

[quentina]

We purchased the 2 year Anheiser busch platinum pass this summer. We are going to WDW in February and planning on going to Disney parks for only 1 day....we are doing Sea World and Busch Gardens instead (aquatica if it is hot). It will be a new thing for us....I want to get the best bang for my buck out of this pass!

 

[Maistre Gracey]

We hire a car for our two week vacation every year. We use it every day to drive to the park for opening as the buses are hopeless. We then drive out of the world for lunch somewhere due to disneys counter services being so slow and expensive. Then we drive to another park for the afternoon.

We then also use the car to head out for dinner. Every single disney restaurant is over priced and over rated, even pizza hut or its ilk are better!

Also I like to buy coke and cookies etc from wal mart for the fridge. The savings on them compared to buying from the disney store almost make the care hire pay for itself! Also the removal of free valet will save me $50 a trip in tips, so all is good there

I disagree with this post on many levels, but I'll mention the biggie...
My time spent driving around is worth much more than an extra buck fifty that I pay for a Disney burger.

MG

 

[jmatias]

Every January we go to Orlando for a trade show and we always stay at a DVC resort, even though there are much closer hotels near the Convention Center.

Staying at the DVC resort gives us just enough of that "Magic"
and its a nice time for just DH & I to enjoy the resort.

Jen

 

[Crystal_27]

but I wonder if it would be hard to go and not visit MK

For me, this would be the deal-breaker. Being so close to MK and not visiting would do me in, and I would have to spend at least one of my vacation days there. I think, after getting my MK fix, that I'd be able to happily tour Orlando and even the Disney resorts and not feel as if I was missing a vital piece of my vacation.

 

[BEASLYBOO]

In the end, "is traveling outside of Disney for you" depends on your family's needs and wants. My family enjoys Disney, we have been numerous times but we also enjoy other things. We come to the WDW resorts 3 to 4 times a year but we only go to the parks 2 of those times. When will you be so close to Cape Canaveral again, it's worth a day trip IMO. Part of my vacation is taking the car out to the outlet malls, I don't get in much shopping while I work and schlep my kids around for their activities during my every day life. The term vacation means different things to peole but it should be about what every one enjoys in your family. DVC put an end to those hectic commando days, so we can fill in with some delicious dinners at Timpano's Chop House and all of the other wonderful restaurants "in" the area and we can visit Universal/Islands of Adventure. (DS13) loves roller coasters. If you come to Disney once every 3 years then probably your perspective is different than mine and you want the 100% Disney Experience.

Contrary to some of the opinions on this post about traffic jams and getting lost in Orlando, I've travelled here to Disney/Orlando/WDW area for over 30 years and I recall only one bad traffic jam, 15 years ago. I bet that the car and traffic is often faster than waiting for those darn WDW buses.

If people are happy and content with ME, DDP and Disney monopolizing your pocket 100% that's fine, if that's what your family enjoys and wants. As for me, Disney only gets a portion of my bucks because that's what suit my family!

Ie: Some people like to take the Europe in 7 days tour and never get off the bus, but I prefer to rent the car and drive around to see it all, even if I may get lost a little.

P.S. My son enjoyed Wonder Works when he was little, at 13 now he has no interest in it! It's worth a trip!

 

[MrShiny]

Easter, we did spend a day at Kennedy Space Center, which actually worked out well - saw a shuttle on the pad, and were indoors most of the time during torrential rain (back in Orlando there were tornado watches).

We've done both - one year we stayed for 10 nights and had planned on going to Sea World but never got off property!

Next year, I bet there will be more as the Wizarding World of Harry Potter opens at IoA. Disney doesn't seem to hav anything planned to open in 2010, and in 2011 only Star Tours, so I bet this will draw folks.

I am just hoping the feature ride (a "robo-coaster" like the new thing at Innoventions, but on a track) is more on the dark ride side and less on the roller coaster side. We tend to be thrill-averse, so it would be bad if it were too much for my family (except my wife - she can be our guinea pig!)

 

[disfanforlife]

We are still new to DVC, our trip next month only our second as members. But, we are planning next year to go to Universal. Our kids do like roller coasters and Harry Potter. I was thinking just one day there, but haven't really decided yet for sure. We would still visit WDW parks too. Since we live so far away, I would not go down for less than a week which leaves time for both in my opinion. Can't wait - less than a month for us now!!!!

 

[JimC]

Central Florida has a lot to offer. There are Sea World, Aquatica, Discovery Cove, Busch Gardens, Adventure Island, Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure theme parks, Kennedy Space Center, Astronaut Hall of Fame, miles and miles of beaches, more golf courses then you can possibly imagine, bi-plane rides at Fantasy of Flight, air-boat rides, hot air balloon rides (not the tethered DD version, but free flight), jeep tours, nature preserves, scuba diving to mention a few. And all an easy day trip.