Profile of a DVCer ...

[Dreamfinder2]

Anybody wanna play?

 

[chimera]

Sure, I'd like to play!

I'm 36, DH is 35 with two girls, 12 and nearly 2. We're all FL natives, so have been going to WDW since we were little. For both DH and I, that was our yearly family vacation. We've averaged 4-5 trips yearly since we met (used to be mostly daytrips), but just bought DVC two weeks ago since we're concerned about the codes drying up!

We're both professionals: I work full-time from home as a medical editor and part-time two mornings a week as a physician assistant (to keep up my clinical skills). DH is computer geek...network services manager for the local Y.

I don't know how I'd describe us financially. Upper middle class I guess, but in Sarasota, we feel poor with all the multi million dollar homes going up nearby!

 

[gtrist4life]

I remember seeing this thread and wanting to read through and reply. Thanks for bumping it back up.

I’m the main Disney nut in the family, though my DW, DD (17), and DS (almost 10) are big fans too. My Sister is a huge fan also, and is considering purchasing a DVC contract.
We honeymooned there, and went for our 10th anniversary (which was also WDW’s 25th), but what really got us hooked on going more frequently was the surprise trip we sprung on the kids in Oct. 2001. We almost cancelled due to 9/11, but glad we didn’t. It was one of the best trips ever and the start of our path towards DVC ownership.

Me and DW turned 40 last year, and we bought 180 pts at BWV in July 2003. We’re looking forward to visiting our “home” resort for the first time this summer! I’m in corporate management (going back at night for my MBA) , and my DW is a retired hair stylist who now works for the school system here in Missouri. Nothing like the flexibility of DVC to allow me unlimited (almost ) vacation planning.


Peace,
G4L

 

[athenna]

Sure, I'll play-
I'm 33, single, no kids. I am a new DVC member, bought into SSR 12/04, will be taking my first trip there 4/05. I have been obsessed w/WDW ever since I went for the first time when I was 8. I had always been interested in DVC, but never thought I had the money, until I really researched it and it wasn't as expensive as I thought. I usually plan to go at least once a year anyway and this is my way of ''owning'' a little piece of the magic. Always went on trips when I was younger w/my parents, I am an only child, my mother has since passed away, was very ill. My having DVC is almost like a little tribute to her, she would've loved it, but they couldn't afford it and at the time, neither could I. Her favorite place in the world was WDW, and I used some of the money she left me to get the DVC. I think she would be quite pleased.
I better get going to work before I start to cry!!
It's been nice playing along!

Jen

 

[agotta]

After "skimming" through some of the responses I realize that we are "young" in comparison. DH and I are in our early 20's and just bought into SSR last year. Probably not the best time to buy in, due to our debt level (cars, student loans, credit cards and no real "home" of our own . But we got a great CM discount, and we new it was expiring, so if we didn't buy then we weren't going to!! We are using our points for the first time this April and I think we made the right decision. People look at us as if we are nuts, but I know we are getting our money's worth.

Amanda

 

[BrentKohl]

Ya know how some things are the greatest things since sliced bread? Well, I invented sliced bread, so I'm basically rich beyond my wildest dreams. Seriously, we're very much middle class Midwesterners, 36 and 35 years old, respectively. I'm trained in the counting of beans and my lovely wife shapes the minds of Kindergarten students. Like many of you, the "they must be rich" perception may occasionally follow us around because we are able to travel to WDW more frequently than others. What they fail to recognize is that, since I don't enjoy the taste of alcohol, I simply sock away the money that my friends spend on beer and put that into my vacation fund. Actually, the only reason I'm in the DVC is thanks to a generous gift from my aging grandfather who thought that the guy who bought his house overpaid him (the concept of real estate appreciation must have escaped my grandpa years ago). So anyway, I've had some good luck and hope to share some of that luck with our daughter of 6 1/2 months for years to come.

 

[nydisney14]

Great Post.

My DW and I just recently bought at SSR. We are in late 20's, currently we do not have any kids and on are way to middle class status. DW is a 2nd grade teacher and I work for an auto insurance company settling bodily injury claims. We just bought a home and are getting by like most. We love going to Disney and joining DVC was the right thing to do.

 

[DisneyMomJen]

I thought this was a very interesting post and was surprised to see that it was started in 2002! My husband and I are 37 and 39 with 4 children - 10DS, 8 DD, 7 DD and 2 DD. I guess I would classify us as upper middle class although it really does not feel like. We bought into DVC in November of 2003 at the Beach Club and added on in November 2004 again at the Beach Club. I grew up going to Disney almost every year and I wanted to pass these experiences onto my children. WDW is my favorite place and has also become my childrens. My husband enjoys Disney, but does not have the seem love of Disney as the rest of us. My only regret was not buying into DVC when we were first married 13 years ago!!!

 

[xterratri]

It's my mom, a CPA, my 18 year old college freshman sister, and myself, a medical student on Army HPSP scholarship. We recently purchased at SSR and will be making our first trip on points to OKW at the end of May between my school and Army schedules. All three names are on it but it is primarily my thing for both financial and planning reasons.

We made our first ever trip to the World last April for a senior trip for my sister so we only recently saw the light. Our paternal grandmother had taken me to Hawaii for mine but she died right before my sister started her senior year. We started planning the trip to the World in Jan 04 and then our maternal grandfather died in Feb. Lesson learned was to have fun and live life to the fullest with family. We had a great trip in Apr and took Mom's mom with us in Dec for our second trip ever and in less than a year. The same group of us are going in 109 days and we will continue to take Grandma back with us as long as she is able. Her AP is going to cost me more money that the rest of ours though

 

[ATCMickey]

Great thread....

 

[Momof5cubs]

We just bought into SSR after a few years (and 3-4 WDW trips later), of me trying to convince dh. I am a 27 year old student and stay at home mom of 5 children ages 11, 10, 6, 1, and 1. Dh is a veterinary technician. We are not rich, but our debt is minimal. We love to travel and factor it into our monthly expenses. DVC made sense for us because we travel to WDW often, and we have a large family and need suite accomodations.

 

[Meliechick]

We have been DVCers for about 6 mths. DH is a police detective and I am a compensation analyst. WDW is one of the few places that my DH can relax and leave his job at home. No human kids...My 2 boys don't know that they are dogs. My DH and I got married at WDW about 1 1/2 yrs ago and purchased DVC for our 1st anniversary. We don't plan on having children but I can't wait to be the crazy aunt that buys here neices and newphews everything and takes them to the World as much as they want.

 

[GCM13]

We bought in 2001 at VWL, then added points at HH in 2002. Sold our VWL points in 2002 for financial reasons. My dh is 36 and in charge of employee benefits at an insurance company and I am 34 and a stay at home mom. We have 5 children - 10, 8, 6, 19 months and 4 months. We definitely need a 2 bedroom now, so I'm hoping to talk dh into adding on more points.

As a side note, I've been away from these boards for awhile and it was interesting to read this thread back to 2002 and read about all the old familiar posters and new ones.

 

[MrTerrorChair]

Hi Dreamfinder 2,

I am 33, my wife is 31, son 7, and one on the way. Tina and I graduated from the same hgih school two years apart and then from PSU, one year apart. Tina was even the captain of the women's golf team in 1995. We both are now schoolteachers in our old hometown (very small). I teach 12th grade English, Tina teaches 1st grade. Middle class in a low/working class area. In fact Tina's grandparents started taking their entire family to WDW in 1971. They owned a coal company when coal was huge and owned lots of stuff in the area. They bought a big motorcoach and dragged upwards of 16 people every year to Orlando and WDW.

I coach, play golf, work at the course, flyfish, and of course, teach. We are as regular as regular can be. We love, LOVE, LOVE Disney. I'm one of those useless fact nuts which drives people nuts. I think we love Disney because we aren't completely cynical. If you are, Disney has no place in your life except as the butt of a joke.

Oh, I'm also a huge Star Wars, Harry Potter, and EA Poe fan.

Like I tell my seniors....you have got to have a passion. If you don't, you're directionless.

 

[Cinderpals]

sahm & white collar professional
both have Masters Degrees
2 children ages 3 and 11 yrs
have second home
diversified investments
suburbs
1st time DVC buyers total of 550-700pts two different resorts
Plan to visit WDW everyother Christmas Season, every other Spring Break, 1-2 weeks every late summer, (2) 3-5 N trips Jan-June or Oct-Nov every year. Disney Vacation Cruise every 5 years, Disney Paris every 3, HH every 3 yrs.

conservative
golf, tennis, swimming
will do combination of PS, counter service, eating out at other Orlando restaurants , cooking in villas
PAP holders
Always flies into Orlando, shops at DTD (not huge spender there though)
Never plan to bring other family members or friends (except my Nephews and Niece) but will plan to meet some for pool time, golf or sit down meals.

 

[MrTerrorChair]

BTW, we've got to find a guy whose friends call him, "Mr. Disney". We met him on a Disney Cruise in 2001. He was in his late 50s early 60s. He owned, I can't even believe this, 100,000 points. He was independently wealthy (duh), and he took a DVC vacation once a month. He was very approachable and quite a character. I'm terrible with names, so that went in one ear and out the other. I would nominate him as the King of the DVC (although I'll bet there are some out there with more points than that).

 

[disney junky]

DH 49 HS English teacher/Adjunct Ed Instructor
DW 45 School AD secretary and receptionist
DS 20 FT college student
DD 19 FT college student
Bought BWV in 2003 with plans to go every other year. Own one home with thoughts on a second. Hoping to retire south in less than ten years. Conservative. Active. Love to travel.

 

[chimera]

He owned, I can't even believe this, 100,000 points.

It would take 23092 points to stay in a GV at SSR for one year, according to the points calculator at TTS. I was wondering if we could sell our house and just live there, but not at $85 per point

 

[jkovick]

DH & I are in our early 30s, married 10 years this January, no children, both work in the finance industry. We bought 225 points in October of 2004.

 

[AFMom]

Well - we're in the very early 30's, 2 elementary school kids. Hubby is in the Air Force - active duty special ops. Me - well - I'm a homemaker and homeschool our kids. We just celebrated our 12th anniversary! We only own 100 OKW points - but right now it fits us fine! We bought in August and most of the family either doesn't know we own yet - or if they do they think we're nuts! Ah well - they kinda thought we were nuts before that anyway....