How many trips before you felt WDW was like home?

[rsschneck]

We have only taken 2 DVC trips. We have 3 more DVC trips planned within the next year. How many trips did it take before you really felt like you were going "Home"?

I have the hang of points, making ressies, airfare, and car rental. That is where my expertise stops.

How many trips did it take before you felt like you knew WDW like the back of your hand?

I am not sure about planning our daily schedule such as must sees and do's. Where are the best restaurants to try to obtain PS for. What are the best shows and parades? The best water park?

I know eventually we will try everything and will want to do somethings on every trip. There are so many things to see and do where do we start?

 

[Granny]

Our first trip we stayed at Wilderness Lodge. We felt like we were home right then.

After another stay at WL, we purchased DVC at the VWL. So we very much felt like we were going "home" on our very first DVC trip.

And frankly, I know more about WDW from these boards than I know from walking around the parks. There is so much information here and people willing to help.

For instance...Where are the best restaurants to try to obtain PS for. Just post a question over on the Restaurant board, or read many of those great threads and you'll get a real feel for many restaurants.

What are the best shows and parades? The best water park? Post these questions over on the Parks Attractions & Strategies board and you'll get plenty of opinions.


But the main thing is, you have many more years to explore WDW. Try to do a few new things each year, and you will soon be a WDW expert.

Enjoy!

 

[DBBN]

For us OKW didn't feel like home until our third stay. The first two stays were in a studio and it was nice but really nothing more than a hotel room. Our third stay was in a one bedroom (haven't stayed in a studio since). That's when we realized DVC and OKW was for us. The fact that it was nothing like a hotel is what sold us in the first place. We were home and we did the things we do at home like grocery shopping, cooking breakfast, inviting family for dinner. We put out Christmas decorations. This year the Christmas cards we sent to friends and family were postmarked from our DVC home.

Our third trip was significant in another way as well. It was the first stay when we didn't visit the parks and that was in 1995 when park passes were included.

We couldn't be happier with our second home.

 

[Uncleromulus]

It really felt like "home" when we bought DVC in 1992, stayed at OKW, and started driving everywhere rather than rely on Disney Transportation. Didn't take long until we knew most every road, nook, and cranny in WDW. With our car we were able to eat at (or visit) every hotel, all the water parks, DD and Pleasure Island, all the miniature Golf courses, etc etc.--and on our terms.

 

[dianeschlicht]

It felt like home our first stay in a 2 bedroom, which was our first stay! Our second was in a GV! As to the rest of "the world". We have always felt at home there, and have our favorite restaurants and shows that we always have traditions for. We are so sad that some of those have fallen by the wayside now. I really miss Carousel of Progress and Timekeeper at MK and I will really miss the Wonders of Life pavilion this trip! Crannium Command was a tradition for us!

 

[WDWLVR]

We had gone to WDW for many years before we bought into DVC in 2000. Our first DVC stay that December really felt like we had gone home. We were in a one-bedroom with a Boardwalk view.
Now no matter where we stay we feel like we've come home!

 

[d-r]

It felt like going back home before we ever bought dvc.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Like several others, we weren' smart enough to buy until our 12th trip, in 2002. WDW had become to seem like home long before that. However, DVC seemed like home the second time we used it-when we went to HH the first time.

 

[GrammieMame]

It felt like home when I overheard my grandson tell one of his buddies "we have a house in Disneyworld".

 

[spiceycat]

when I joined in 93 - the cm's were so very, very nice - they still are - but then it was such a very nice change - we had stayed at deluxe resorts - Cont, Poly, BC so it was not the service.

It was the atitude - they were happy to be there and wanted to do anything to help you enjoy yourself....

It was pretty wonderful!!!

Some of them have the same atitude now - but then it was such a shock....

I was told "Welcome Home" about 100 times - "is there anything I can help with today" - was also alot - the bus drivers - one of them took me on a tour of all of WDW - I had just asked about one of the roads - next thing I know we are on it - it was around lunch time I was the only one of the bus - but believe me I was not used to such service!!!!

Now they can't do as much - too many members - but I know they still try there best - to make each and every trip the best possible....

 

[tinkgrl]

Hi,

Take it one trip @ a time! Do what you feel like doing. Keep add new things to try/do next trips. Always have the vacation you want. Everyone has opinions on where is the best to eat/stay ect. Try them & if you don't like them that's okay!!!

Allison an associate

 

[eva]

The minute that we took the tour of OKW back in 1997 I felt that I had come home. It was funny because our guide wouldn't let us sign on the dotted line that day. He said that we should go home and think about it. I almost cried because I was afraid that my husband would change his mind. But he was as blown away as I was. On our first trip home I literally cried when we went through the gates of OKW. Now after add-ons at Vero and BCV I still have a special place in my heart for OKW. But they all feel like home to me.

 

[FriendsOfEeyore]

GREAT QEUSTION!

My dw can't get over the fact that we spend so much money on DVC last year, and now she feels nothing. We have yet to "home." I hope that changes after our Feb trip, but we are staying in a studio to save points. We are trying to go for like 17 nights between now and the end of the year.

I trust that by the end of the year, it will feel like home. Especially, if we take a trip the week leading up to and including Christmas. We will be booking our ressies for that trip in a little over two more weeks.

Originally posted by dianeschlicht
cut.. I really miss Carousel of Progress and Timekeeper at MK and I will really miss the Wonders of Life pavilion this trip! Crannium Command was a tradition for us!

Diane,

You are going in less than a week. I think that I heard that the Carousel of Progress is open daily during the Stitch makeover of ExtraTERRORestrial. Hopefully, that rumor is true for your sake. I know that I am looking forward to doing it next month.

Edward

 

[erikthewise]

Yep, Carousel of Progress and Timekeeper are definitely both open. They may not open exactly at 9:00 but they're open most of the day. They are good to do in the middle of the day when everyone else is waiting in line for the popular rides.

As far as the DVC resorts go, we felt at home as soon as we walked into our 1BR in 2002. It's such a step up from even the deluxe resorts. Heck, it's better than home! Living room not covered with toys, hallways not clogged with boxes of stuff that no one has enough sense to get rid of, no constant reminders of remodeling work that needs to be done but we can't afford right now (because we bought DVC ).

As far as WDW goes, our trip last month was the first time everything really clicked (3rd annual trip). Not a single driving error, did not get disoriented in a park or transportation mess, did everything we wanted to with minimal hassle.

 

[Terry S]

Just like others have mentioned, I felt at home at the Beach Club and Disney even before I bought DVC, that is one of the reasons we bought.

 

[Chim Chiminy]

I felt like I was home on my first ever trip to WDW, when we stayed at All Star Movies!
My mom took the DVC tour, she tried to get the rest of us to go but we didn't want it cutting into our park time. We all had the attitude that "it's just a timeshare, what a waste of money."
Well, we loved WDW so much after that one brief trip that I decided to look into DVC. I am so glad that I did.
We are extremely happy and count down the days between trips!

 

[wordzylady]

Actually, as soon as we pulled up under the front drive at BWV and the valet came out and they took all our stuff to take to room and drove off to park our van -- I didn't even have to hit the villa to feel like I was home.

 

[VWLMember]

We have now had many trips to WDW (3 in the last year!) and have felt at home for a while. Even when staying off property we immediately felt like we were home once we passed the "Welcome to WDW" sign on World Drive. We are closing on a 200pt stake in the VWL on Monday and cannot wait to book our first trip to our second home.