I Won The Year Of A Million Dreams

[mommyoftwinfants]

CONGRATS!!!!
And welcome to the DIS

 

[Princess Tink]

First off CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

Next......I AM SOOOOOOOOOO jealous!

Finally, happy planning. I hope you love being a part of the DVC family as much as the rest of us.

 

[veenstra56]

Wow! That's really fantastic! Congrats!

 

[SCDizneyDawn]

CONGRATS!!

I would also like to welcome you home! You are going to REALLY enjoy your membership, I LOVE my DVC.

 

[nunzia]

WOW!! Congratulations!!!

 

[tedisney]

That is so amazing - congratulations!

Can I ask how you found these boards? Were you a lurker before?

You're definitely in the right place for DVC information here at the DIS.

 

[Harley-Mouse]

I mail in 2 card a couple times a mounth. Did you mail it everyday? What kind of card. I use post office card with stamp on it. for $ 0.28. should we use a diffrent card?

 

[littlestar]

Congratulations! That is so awesome that you won it - and it's great that you are learning how to use your membership to the max via the dis boards.

SSR is a beautiful resort - our favorite area is the new Grandstand section.

Have fun with your family - we've made a lot of good memories with our family via our Disney Vacation Club Membership.

 

[suzycute]

It really made my day to hear that someone had won this great prize - congratulations!!

SSR is a great resort!!

Enjoy!! (and let us know how you get on on your first trip "home"!).

 

[BroganMc]

Is to fly in May, SW Airlines has great offers, and in Dec, we are driving. We are going from Mass, and my GPS says 1075 miles to the SSR front door......We are hoping to go 2x a year...a getaway for us for a few days, then a week with the kids....we are even talking about getting married in WDW in 2011!!! We are still shell shocked over this....I should change my tagline to 3 nights and still no sleep

As far as May is concerned, I believe it is one of the slower months for DVC. That said, most of your availability will be at the larger resorts (SSR and OKW). As soon as you get your member number call to check availability. Members Services is open every day from 9am - 5:30pm ET. (Or call your Vacation Guide now and he/she may be able to place your rooms on hold while you await being officially put in the system. It doesn't take too long. A week maybe.)

For December this year, the 11 month window has been open since January. (Usually I just count back one year then advance one month forward.) The 7th month window opens in May. You should find good availability at SSR right now. In May, don't expect much from Wilderness Lodge (it's insanely popular). OKW should have good availability as well. Word on these boards is that AKV has tight availability for December. Only 1/3 the resort is open right now and it has the newness attraction. When the rest of the resort opens next year, people expect it to be far easier to book.

As for October next year, starting last year dates for MNSSHP went from the end of September to November 1. I've gone two years, taking my nephews (6 & 8) last year, and will return this year. I'm trying to work out a possible big family trip for all my siblings and their families next year (17 people). It is a great time to be in Disney, between the MNSSHP for the family and F&W fest for the adults. But that is also why October has become a very popular time with DVC members.

My strategy is to book SSR at 11 mos out (so November of the previous year). If I want to switch days to another resort, I set my calendar to call back in 7 mos. One thing you want to learn how to do is how to handle 7 mos. bookings in popular times. There are a lot of strategies depending on how many points you have and where you want to go.

(For instance, to add 3 days in a studio at BWV the beginning of my October trip this year, I made two separate bookings at SSR. One 3 day ressie I would cancel later and another 11 day ressie I intended to keep. I knew BWV would be difficult since it is so close to EPCOT and is very popular for Food & Wine. I didn't want to lose my days at SSR, so I kept some points left available this year. Then when my 7 mos. window opened last week I called to book the first day. I had enough points to doublebook, one ressie at SSR and one at BWV. I had no problems getting BWV so I can now cancel SSR and bank those extra points for next year.)

My advice is to stay first at SSR. Get to know and love your home resort. If you do, then it won't matter if that's the only one you can book for a later trip. Secondly, read up on these boards and learn how people make the most of their membership. I believe every resort has an Owners thread detailing sights to see and things owners love about the place, even tips on how/when to book and where to stay in the resort.

Most of all, congratulations and welcome to the DVC family! I hope we see you around here more.

 

[50 years Too!]

I'm so happy that someone who doesn't already own DVC won.
(Unless, it would have been me, of course)
You and your family are in for some great vacations.
I like the idea of two vacations--one couple and one family.
The Food & Wine Festival (Oct) is a must do. Look at info about it on the boards and be prepared to make reservations sometime in August. Again, keep abreast on the DIS to know when booking special events for it start. By the time you get snailmail notice most of the events are booked solid.

Congrats,

Deb

 

[ACDSNY]

Congrats and Welcome Home Neighbor!!!

 

[Rpsemont]

Congratulations!

Do keep in mind though, that while Disney has given you $26000 to cover taxes, that may/may not be enough. If you expect your income this year to be about the same as it was in 2007, you can do a dummy set of tax forms putting $88000 on the the line for winning and see what happens to your tax liability - both federal and state. That way you will be able to see if that will cover it.

BTW, I think it's great that they basically include and "upcharge" in the winnings to allow for taxes. That makes it extra sweet. Enjoy your membership and " Welcome Home"

Anne

 

[paults]

AM I ON CANDID CAMERA ?



congrats

 

[bobbiwoz]

Congratulations! Wow!!!!

Bobbi

 

[cpdwiz]

First off CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

Next......I AM SOOOOOOOOOO jealous!

Finally, happy planning. I hope you love being a part of the DVC family as much as the rest of us.

I am sure we will!!! We are such Disney fanatics!! I am still in shock, and probably will be until my first trip to the SSR, which I hope will be May!!!

 

[cpdwiz]

That is so amazing - congratulations!

Can I ask how you found these boards? Were you a lurker before?

You're definitely in the right place for DVC information here at the DIS.

A friend of mine has the SSR and told me about these boards...ALL of you have been so kind and informative, I cannot thank you all enough...

Those at the SSR will know us!! We will be the couple popping our bottle of champagne on the verandah!!!

 

[diznycrazed]

WOW!!!!! CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!

As others have posted, I didn't think anyone ever won these things!

I wanted to answer your question re air mattresses. We usually bring 1 or 2 on our trips and we fly. We pack them individually in one of those smaller suitcases (carry on type) and then pack around it with other items to make it a nice tight fit. We don't carry the bags on, but check them with the rest of our luggage. We've never had a problem doing this.

I tend to still be a "lurker" but read your post and wanted to extend a heartfelt congratulations and Welcome Home!

Terry

 

[cpdwiz]

I mail in 2 card a couple times a mounth. Did you mail it everyday? What kind of card. I use post office card with stamp on it. for $ 0.28. should we use a diffrent card?

What I did was print out a sheet of paper, using a business card maker program...It had name, address and DOB. I then printed labels with the PO Box on it, put them in a standard sized envelope, used MICKEY stamps, and sent one for me and one for Jessica every day.....

 

[cpdwiz]

Congratulations!

Do keep in mind though, that while Disney has given you $26000 to cover taxes, that may/may not be enough. If you expect your income this year to be about the same as it was in 2007, you can do a dummy set of tax forms putting $88000 on the the line for winning and see what happens to your tax liability - both federal and state. That way you will be able to see if that will cover it.

BTW, I think it's great that they basically include and "upcharge" in the winnings to allow for taxes. That makes it extra sweet. Enjoy your membership and " Welcome Home"

Anne

I am still so much in shock, I would screw up the numbers

The people at the sweepstakes place and disney said, as others I spoke with, that they usually give more than enough to cover all taxes...usually there is leftover money ( it goes back to the company) because Disney truly wants this to be a DREAM come true!!!