I feel so popular now that I own DVC...

[Liljam]

We took our family on our first trip as DVC members with us. It was actually my DH, DS 3 mths, DS12, DB, DB BFF, Dad, Mom, and Stepdad and myself in a GV at SSR. We've decided that instead of taking multiple WDW trips per year we'd like to save our points to take one big trip for our family and/or friends each year. The year my DB turns 21 is the one year we will be doing 2 trips due to a short stay for a "trip" around World Showcase.

I do have friends who have hinted at going with us, but I fear they would cancel or they would expect more from me than I am willing to spare in time while on vacation. With my own family, they know that I will come and go and that I will meet them now and then, but I just have several notions that taking friends on my points and time would be more trouble. Now, that said, I wouldn't mind at all planning a trip at the same time as a friend who is funding their own trip and making their own plans. That way we could make tentative plans to meet up. My friends would all love for me to "show them the World" but I'm a little selfish in wanting that time for myself and my family first!

 

[magicalmcwho]

Hi Goldenrose and fellow Houstonian,

I am looking for friend to take us on trips, just kidding.

We have taken freinds and families and have sent two of our neighbors for free. I enjoyed the look on my neighbors faces when they said "I guess we will go and take the kids and 5 days is enough" with no excitement. Then upon their return the neighbors say "what a great time they had and wish they coud stay longer" and they are all excited that they had that much fun, the parents even more than the kids.

Jim.

 

[wildernessDad]

But just to be fair, you should know that there are many, many threads about DVC owners who have nightmares when inviting friends and family. People don't understand "locking in" and committing to a vacation and why that's important. They don't understand room capacity limits and why they can't invite a couple others at the last minute. They don't see the issue if they cancel last minute.

Hear hear! Had friends that I don't talk to anymore because I made the mistake of inviting them to WDW. The wife got into it, but the husband didn't to say the least. I asked him how he liked Wilderness Lodge and he said, "It's okay, I guess." Huh????

 

[Tennesotans]

We've had a mix -- we've invited four families that have declined our offer...
and we've also had three trips where immediate family joined in. I guess its
a mix. I think we get more negative response than positive about owning
a timeshare at Disney.

In a "previous life" I had access to another timeshare... and we were able
to trade out to OKW on a lark... and I was stunned at the difference in
quality (for my needs). I'm there in four weeks... count me thrilled

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

We prefer NOT to travel with other people, although when my mom finishes her cancer treatment I would like to take her to WDW for a few days.

We have one couple we are friends with who LOVE Disney and have been to WDW 4 or 5 times. When we bought in at AKV they IMMEDIATELY suggested a 2 bedroom villa so we could all stay together. Um, no. I told them we don't have enough points for that. Which we don't. But if we did there is still NO WAY I would share a villa. If we do take my mom I am going to put her in her own studio - not in mine!

A lot of our friends own DVC already, so that takes the pressure off of us!

 

[rkwier]

We have also limited who we have told about our DVC purchase for a number of reasons. Years ago, DMIL & DFIL purchased a timeshare at another resort and thought it was the greatest thing (still do) since sliced bread. We have visited with them a few times and were really unimpressed. In fact, the last time we were there in 2006, the unit was so dirty that I actually checked the bed for bedbugs - yuck! We decided then and there that we were not "timeshare" people, but we had not been to DVC yet! Needless to say, DMIL would be verrrry hurt if she were told.

Secondly, we too are selfish with our vacation time since we have precious little of it. Even a long weekend away to unwind is so wonderful. That was part of the appeal of the points system of DVC for us - we can stay for as few or as many nights as we would like to as long as we have the necessary amount of points saved up.

Thirdly, we would receive never ending grief from my side of the family if we invited say, one DB and not the other DB or not DM, etc. We live far away from our families. We make it a point each year to make at least one trip home to visit them. In fact, in the last 19 years, we have had vacations that did not involve going home only 3 times - 5 yr ann, 10 yr ann & 20 yr ann. Anyways, we have been asking my DB & his family to come visit for the entire 16 years that they have been married and not once have they ever come. We figure if they can't visit us where we live, why would they be able to visit us in Florida.

And finally, we are just very private about our finances, so we would be very selective about who we told anyways.