Profile of a DVCer ...

[snyderla]

DH & I are Disney nuts. I first went as a child with my parents. I took DH on his first trip in 2001 and we have taken 11 trips together since. In 2002 we took the tour, but didn't buy until a year ago. We were getting ready to rent points for the 2nd time and I said that money would make a good down payment on our own points!

We like to take people with us, my daughter and her family among others, so we need lots of space! None of us are wealthy. I am a bookkeeper (college degree) and DH is a technician. We are get by OK, but not exactly rolling in the dough!
The biggest reason we bought was we love to go to WDW and will go time and again. The second is that we plan to take family members over and over with us, so the best way to do that is DVC! We don't mind telling people we own there, because that helps to explain why we return so often, it's paid for!
We drive a 2004 mini van that we bought specifically so we could take more people with us to Florida! We got a great deal on it, but before that we drove a 1994 Taurus. I also have a son who is a freshman in college that still lives at home. We live in a small town in Illinois. My brother and his family and my father live in southern Florida, so WDW is a great place for us all to meet up and spend some time together.
DH would like to some day drive a bus at WDW or work Maintenance at the resort. After son is out of college and we can afford the move. I have RA and don't know what I would do at WDW for a job, I speak Spanish and Japanese, so maybe something involving translating???
WDW represents an escape from the stresses of the real world for us and we need it.
Taking our first trip just the 2 of us since Oct 2001 in August this year!!!
Lori

 

[halekai64]

I am 41; DH is 44. I've been working as a computer chip design engineer for 20 years; hubby has worked in law enforcement for the same amount of time.
We can barely afford the purchase we've made but I know that making vacations a priority is the right choice for our family.

I just returned from my first trip as a DVC owner and I kind of had a revelation about my life during the trip which I'll share here. My first trip to WDW was when I was 12 yrs old. My parents couldnt really afford to take me and my 8 yr old sister but they did it anyway. We stayed offsite on Hotel Blvd. It was a fantastic vacation and I have this memory riding on the monorail passing through the Contemporary and the Poly and asking my parents " Why can't we stay here?".. They clearly explained that they just couldn't afford it..

Last Tuesday (3/14) while swimming in the Poly Pool (enjoying my DVC perk) and watching my husband and 4 yr old son sliding down the volcano slide it all of sudden occurred to me that I was living out a life long dream. I also became completely aware that my choices about my education, career, and hard work were made in large part so that I COULD stay inside Disney. I don't mean to be melodramatic here, but that WDW trip when I was 12 did affect the rest of my life and gave me a goal to go to college, work hard, and earn a living that would allow me to stay "on-site".

My dad died of lung cancer when he was 49 (14 yrs ago) and he made some "live for today" choices during his life that would not have been judged as financially wise.. but given that he didn't make it to retirement , I have to be thankful that he made those choices to spend quality time with his family at WDW even tho it was a little irresponsible from a financial planning point of view..

So now I'll get to the point.. DH and I have always loved to travel.. our vacation planning was one of our favorite hobbies before kids.. We waited to have kids and now have two beautiful 4 yr old twins who could spend the whole week enjoying just the pool ; our kids have made us young again and allowed us to feel the Magic of childhood within ourselves. DH and I both work too much and DVC will force us to spend time together as a family.. We brought his 78 yr old mother on our trip last week and this fall will be bringing my mother, my sister and her two 5yr old kids and an aunt and uncle.. Hotel rooms just don't give you that..

DVC is also great for us because DH has what you'd call expensive taste He really loves the luxury of DVC accomodations. A hotel room just doesn't cut it anymore and being able to sip coffee out on the patio rather than rushing off to a restaurant is what vacation relaxation is about. I'm a little more frugal and an obsessive planner so prepaying for 48 yrs of vacation suits me just fine...

One thing that will be important to us in the next few years will be to give our kids the joy of a WDW world vacation without spoiling them .. This was the big revelation to me in the Poly Pool... How can I make sure my kids don't take this for granted? How can we instill in them the desire to work hard to achieve their dreams? That is what I am pondering tonight after my first trip as a DVCer..

Thanks for Listening..

Lauren

 

[beachblanket]

Paid cash for 270 points at BWV in 1999, added on another 50 (again using cash) in 2003. Became aware of DVC from another executive in the company I work for, but didn't get any sort of "formal" referral (made the purchase down at WDW while attending a conference). Married, with two children, who were 5 and 2 when we joined.

Since joing the progam seven years ago, we've used points to stay at numerous times at BWV and HH, as well as the Grand Californian at Disneyland and to take a DCL seven day cruise. Have also gone into the Concierge Collection twice (The Sagamore at Lake George, NY and the Boston Harbor Hotel). Our stay at Vero this summer will be our eighth vacation employing DVC points. I don't think anyone in my family would disagree that this investment has allowed us to stay at quality properties we otherwise could never have afforded.

I'm now working on my spouse to get her interested in us going after a World Passport trade in '07 or '08.

 

[TinkGirl]

We bought 225 points last year and made our first trip as DVC members in Jan. My husband (43) is a retail regional manager, and I (40) work as a substitute teacher at our children's elementary school. We found ourselves visiting WDW four times in five years and thought DVC was a perfect fit for us.

 

[shellynn24]

Okay, I'll have to say that we absolutely can't afford DVC. But we just sent off our paperwork and will soon be official members. I am a 29 yo SAHM (OMG I'm almost 30!) DH is 26 (yes he's younger!) and a lower ranking soldier in the US Army. We pulled together as much money as we could save to put down a down payment and plan to make our monthly payments out of my VA disablity payments, which just started and are not really used for anything yet. I hope we make this work because I love WDW and so do the kids, and we would love to go there once a year. Now if only the Army would station us somewhere on the east coast we'd be set. I think that the lower enlisted Military in general rests at about the poverty level as far as income goes, but that seems a bit of an exageration to me, I don't feel we are that bad off! My In laws think we are rich because they came over from Mexico with nothing and had to scrape out a living. I guess comparativley we seem to be, but it's all relative.

 

[Richyams]

I found this thread doing a search for his name, and brought the thread "up".

never posted with the guy..........

wish I had.

I have to tell you guys something...not a day passes where I don't think of Rich. And every so often, I'll come and lurk on this board, just to see what's new or to re-read his old posts.

You can only imagine how happy I am to see people STILL talking about him

Thanks for keeping his memory alive. It means so much to both me and Jacqui...

It's hard to believe that he's been gone for almost 19mos. We're both doing well though...went to WDW in January with his family and visited his Epcot legacy, and the places where we'd scattered his ashes last year.

Hope all are happy and healthy and enjoying their DVC memberships - especially those at OKW

Hugs,
Lisa H

 

[vascubaguy]

Hi everybody!

DP and I are both 29 (turning the big 30 in October)! We've been together for 3 years now (anniversary next week) and have 2 little doggies (Belle and Nala) and 2 kitties (Lilo and Milo). I'm currently working in higher education administration while also working on a PhD in Higher Education. DP is in food service, though I think he should be doing graphic/web design. We've been moving right along, purchased a house 2 years ago, right before the real estate market sky rocketed around here.

I'm actually a fairly recent Disney convert. The first time I went was back in 1994 just after I graduated from high school. I was going to help scout out a marching band trip for my high school and could have cared less about MK, etc. I thought it was totally boring! I know I know... blasphemy!

Anyway, my next trip was for Xmas in 2003 with DP and his family. Well, that got me in Disney mode and I think it was because I was there with a group of people that really loved it! In 2004 we went to DL and then in 2005 we went back to WDW with my family and then back to DL for the 50th. It was during the WDW trip that year that I noticed the DVC kiosks all over the place and then I noticed the DVC threads on the DIS when I got home. So, I started checking it out. Read more and more, got all the details, and then decided to buy 40 pts at OKW so we could go once a year. Then we started planning our vacations and the yearly trip turned into planning 1 trip every 6 months.... so, that resulted in the add-on at SSR.

We are now getting ready to make our first trip back to WDW as DVC owners!! (We leave in about 30 hours!!!!!) Which reminds me, we gotta get packing!

 

[Disney-Kim]

I can't believe I have never posted on this thread.

We are DINK's. (double-income, no kids). We are both turning the big 40 this year. My DH works as a Marketing Manager and I am a Bookkeeper.
We tend to take 2 trips a year, WDW always being one of them. We had been to WDW 8-9 yrs in row when we finally bought DVC in 2003. We had toured in 2000 but didn't buy because we thought we couldn't afford it. Well we finally got smart in 2003, realizing all the money we were spending on hotel rooms.
We started with 150 BCV and added on 50 SSR last year.
We will probably continue to visit once yearly and we buy AP's to help offset every other years costs. We love Disney and it was one of the best things we ever did.
We really enjoyed staying at the WDW deluxe hotels and we feel that we still get that Deluxe feel from DVC. We stay in studios since its just the 2 of us and we like the "hotel" feeling of the resorts we have stayed at. (BWV adn VWL).
It is so nice to know we always have a trip to WDW to look forward to for the next 30 years or so.

 

[gblast123]

This is easy to answer and it applies to all DVC'er.


All DVC'er are intelligent, generous people with big hearts.

We love the idea of getting the best for less, which is why we bought in the first place.

We are all young at heart and luuuuvvvvv Disney and the

Magic that it brings to our hearts, minds and souls.

All the other details are there to personalize us, yet the common thread which all DVC'er share is the warmth, kindness and happiness which our interaction with all things Disney brings out in us.

David

 

[momtosydneyntodd]

My DH and I have two children, a boy and a girl. He is a chemical engineer for GlaxoSmithKline and I am a domestic engineer (stay at home mom). In my previous life (before kids), I was an adoption social worker. Both of us have graduate degrees.

Neither of us grew up with money, having some money, well this is all new to us. I try to remind myself that we are very fortunate to have a lifestyle that affords us the opportunity to own a DVC timeshare. Many are not as fortunate. When I read the bashing that goes on, on this forum, I want to remind everyone of how lucky we are and how spoiled we sound. My guess is that 90% of the world's population would love (and be grateful) to walk down the long hallways of the BWVs or enjoy the walk to DD from SSR for better dining options-- I do not want DVC'ers to feel guilty about their purchase--In fact, I say congratulations to you. I love my second home at SSR.

I will now get off my soap box.

 

[shellbelle1971]

I love this thread! The diversity is so amazing!

DH is a "serial entrepreneur" having started & sold 3 companies. (Currently working on #4.) I keep thinking maybe someday we'll sell one for enough that we can retire to WDW forever

I'm a SAHM to six fantastic kids: DS13, DD10, DS8, : DS6, DS3 & DD1

DH & I are also very active in creating educational choice options for kids in our state. He serves on the state's Charter School Board, and we have both helped found and been on the boards of several charter schools.

We both participate actively in our church--he teachers a 14-year-old sunday school class and I run the building's library.

We LOVE our SSR & our DVC neighbors!

 

[keishashadow]

Some months I'm not too sure, but I'd like to think we're middle class.

Met the love of my life 15 years ago, when we were both starting new lives. We struggled to have children & were finally blessed with youngest DS.

I have 2 older sons (25 & 19). The oldest is a HS head football coach & supervisor @ a girls orphanage. Middle son is finishing up police acadamy & also football coach.

I've had many different careers in my life & am now a semi-retired Relator, except for my part-time direct sales jobs.

DH started out in the Navy during Vietnam as a plumber. College educated but, went into the Steel Mill many years ago. He now drives steel trucks locally between plants. Sad that he doesn't work in his field but, he's in good company, the mill only considers new hires w/Master's Degrees for laborer positions LOL.

Like all boomers we grew up watching the Wonderful World of Disney & are thrilled to have discovered the secret

.

So nice to be able to send my oldest boy on his honeymoom @ BWV next January.. We look forward to enjoying the magic for many years to come.

 

[Mokat76]

Single, no kids, upper end of middle age, middle of middle class. I bought after a few trips w/ my sis and her family who've been members for several years. Love the place, can't wait for my first trip home in Oct. BTW, I'm hosting my sis, etc. this time! Most of my peers think I'm nuts, but I've known that for years, so I don't mind.

Hey GBlast 123--great answer.

 

[DeeCee735]

Married for 23 years, mid 40's, have a couple of teenagers, middle class, I'm catholic, he's jewish, neither of us attended college, neither of us came from "well off" families - both work, DH self employed, me a bookkeeper. We like the best accommodations while on vacation, we LOVE WDW, totally fell in love with BWV, and "forced" vacations are the only way we'll ever take vacations, DH doesn't fly, so a place we could drive to was a must - DVC fit the bill then, and now, and 30 years from now (God willing)

DVC Rocks

 

[NJParkhopper]

We bought into DVC in 2001 after coming to WDW for years. We're products of the late 50's/early 60's generation. Now in our 40's, college grads, school teachers here in central Florida. Grew up in middle-class home in NJ and have admired Walt Disney for years. I've read pretty much everything you can read about him, "Walt Disney, An American Original", his "9 Old Men", Imagineering, etc. I think those trips to the NY World's Fair in 1964-65 hooked me into Walt's vision as well as the Wonderful World of Disney and since I was a boy just wishing Walt could be my dad! I'm basically a Disney Junkie now. I'm also a sucker for anything retro 30's, 40's,50's and 60's. I loved the time of the Space Race (also wanted to be an astronaut), Classic Hollywood, growing up in a time when you could walk home from school and your parents not having to worry, an living in a time when you could just plain old be a kid. I think kids are missing that today and there's a childhood innocence that has been lost in too many homes. Classic Disney makes kids out of everyone.

I think it's the desire for good old Main Street U.S.A. and friendly, courteous neighbors that make DVC appealing and a step closer to the "Disney Lifestyle" for most of us I guess.

That's partly what caused us to move to Florida from NJ. I see myself in retirement working in the Town Hall on Main Street one day, greeting guests and such... (but I'd secretly like to have Walt's old job )

 

[waltfan1957]

Average factory worker whos wife loves Disney shes disabled and says its the best place in the world for her, only regret did not buy years ago when our friends told us to looking forward to xmas when I can tell her to her face she was right they live in USA we live in UK

 

[cavecricket]

Hey guys!

I am 25 and I am a new owner. My fiance' and I purchsed 200 SSR points during our last trip Oct 2005..... I am very anxious and excited about our first trip home this October.

We are without children at the moment, I decided that now would be a great time for us to buy in as we will be paid off when I am ready to have children....one less bill!

I am an Executive Administrative Assistant ... whole lotta work, not paid nearly enough! lol

My fiance' is a self employed guitar teacher...and delivers for Dominos Pizza!

So as you might have guessed, we arent exactly raking in the moolah!!! We sacrafice many things to vacation at Disney World every year....

So far though....this has been a lifesaver, I am finding that I have more fun money now that I am on a monthy payment plan vs. banking money for the AKL all year long!!!!

All in all...this is probably the best thing I have ever done.....and the people are really nice too!

 

[LUVMICKEY]

We are a middle class household. DH is a college graduate in Business Administration. I work in the shipping department for a leading wetsuit company. We have two grown children, a girl and a boy, who are both married with families of their own. We have 3 wonderful Grandsons. We own at BCV and we absolutely love it there. Both of our chldren are DVC members also, and they both own at SSR. We also have many other family members that are DVC members, owning at BWV and SSR. All of us are just your average families that just love WDW and love going as often as we can. We joined in 2002 and wish we had joined a whole lot sooner.

Michele

 

[jenelope]

I'm 35, single with no kids. One of the reasons I bought is because I've been to WDW five times in six years, and I always want to go back. Sometimes I go with friends, sometimes with family, sometimes on my own. I had no real reason to buy, because the Value resorts with a AAA or AP discount have always served me well in the past. However, I've wanted to buy for years and the time just seemed right in January. I'm looking forward to my first trip "home!" It's a little under a month now. I'm already planning my second and third trips home, though. Funny how that works!

 

[YesYourMajesty]

My husband is a full time college student - will graduate this summer. I am the assistant to one of the directors of a hospital here in town. We have no kids and wont for a couple of more years. We wanted guaranteed yearly family vacations for our children - and now they will have them. I had never been to WDW before our honeymoon, he had been once. We are enjoying our vacations and look forward to many more years of trips there. Now, if I can only talk him into moving to Florida, I will be set.....