Profile of a DVCer ...

[jomik1]

We are new to DVC. We just received our paper work for 225 points at SSR and are waiting to close on June 1st. DH is 39, I am 38, DS is 10 & DS 8. We are both professionals (Accountants). DH works full-time and I work part-time. DS's attend a catholic school. We live in the Western Suburbs of Chicago. DH's father was a truck driver and mother was a homemaker. My father is an accountant and mom is a homemaker.

We have very busy lives with 2 very active boys. Both boys are honor roll students and love sports. Both play baseball in the spring, football in the fall and basketball in the winter. We want to get into more of a habit of getting away to unwind and forget the hustle and bustle of everyday life. We both love Disney and spent 2 wonderful weeks at the resort in 2000 when we originally looked at DVC. We finally decided it was time to take the plunge. We are having fun planning our vacations and not just hoping to "do something" on a weekend which inevitably never happens because there is always "Something going on". We will probably utilize DVC mostly for spring break and special events (Such as DH's 40th B-day in August)

Well, that's my story. We're looking forward to coming home in August then again next spring.

 

[Boo]

DH and I are both 32 and met 11 years ago when we were both studying abroad in Rome, Italy. We knew we were perfect for each other after spending 22 straight hours on a train to get from Rome to the tip of Spain to ferry over to Morrocco. We've been traveling together ever since, and DD age 4/ DS age 20 months were both born with passports in hand ready to go.

We live about 20 minutes from downtown Chicago. DH grew up here, I grew up in St. Louis. DH is a buyer for a national hardware chain and I stay home with the kids.

We're very politically conservative- Go Bush, go home Kerry. We are very adament about sending our children to private Christian-based schools. I teach Sunday School and cook for the church every week. Anyone interested in the Alpha program- just email me!!!

Typical suburbanites- ballet classes, mommy & me...DH considers himself the King of the BBQ and wants to be buried inside his Weber.

We bought in '98 (pre-kids) when DH and I took our first trip to WDW together. Travel is a huge priority to us since it cemented our relationship and we try to instill the thrill of experiencing other cultures to our children. We really bought DVC for the flexibility to travel elsewhere. WDW is the only place we like to repeat visit, every other year or so- too many places in the world to see.

DVC helps us budget out our vacations while allowing me to stay home and send the kids to private schools.

 

[Buzz's Buddy]

DW and I are both in our late 30's. We have 2 children, DD is 13 and DS is 7. We are both college grads, I work for the State of NJ while DW works part-time for a major financial newspaper.

We honeymooned at WDW in 1988 and returned the very next year. For various reasons, we didn't return again until Nov. 2001. As much as we loved it, we didn't think we return for a while. Of course, we found ourselves back in June 2002. From there, it only gets worse (better!). We bought annual passes for Christmas 2002, and took 4 trips during that year. During our last trip in Oct 2003, we took the plunge and bought 200 points at SSR. 2 weeks after we got home, we were on the phone to DVC increasing our points from 200 to 300!

We're looking forward to our first trip "home" at the end of June, and many more to follow!

 

[Dreamfinder2]

Bumping this one up in case any new neighbors would like to make our acquaintance!

 

[Luvmyfam3]

I'm REALLY late to this party, but I want to introduce myself:

My husband (then) and I bought DVC in 2000, somewhat in hopes of helping revive our marriage with family time. Unfortunately, that wasn't enough. But, I asked him if he would be willing to let DVC be mine as part of the house settlement. I knew it would be the only way for me to be able to take my DDs on vacations. Thankfully, he agreed. It's been VERY difficult financially because of that decision, but WELL worth it.

I have three gorgeous girls (12,12,10). The four of us went to WDW last May and it was very healing for all of us, I think. They never tire of going or ask why we're going there again instead of somewhere else. We are planning on another trip this Christmas.

I think by most standards, at this point in my life, I'm probably towards the bottom of middle class financially. It hasn't been easy, but DVC helps me keep focused on my goals toward family time. I have a b.s. in marketing and am working as an office manager for an orthodontist.

So, I'm now single and am leaving this week to take my boyfriend of a year and a half to WDW for the very first time. We're both so excited! He's excited because he's never been (yes, they do still exist). And I'm excited because I've never taken an all-adults trip to WDW and the whole mood from the planning tells me it'll be totally different.

I have really enjoyed reading all the posts! Hope mine isn't too long! Kim

 

[cman]

I'm new to this board so here it goes.....

I'm 37 and my wife is 36. We have a a 13 year old daughter and a 12 year old son.

Our first trip to Disney together was in '89 on our way back from our honeymoon to Aruba. My wife had been there as a child but Iit was my first time. In '91 we retuned as I had a business trip to Orlando. Both of these times we stay off property.

In '95 we took our children (3 and 4 years old at the time) and again stayed off property. The thing that amazed me the most was how much they remembered from that trip. You would think that being so young, they would forget most of what they saw.

In '98 I left a career at IBM and started with a consulting firm. We took two weeks in between jobs and traveled with my parents and in-laws. This time we stayed at All-Star. On our last day there we had some time to kill so ew took a tour of the BWV show unit. WOW!! After having just spent 14 days at the All Star Sports I told my wife that I would never go back to Disney unless it was to a place like we had just seen.

I still wasn't convinced though. We had to make the finances work and I had just taken I new job. Another decision was NOT what I needed at the time.

The funny thing was that, having worked at IBM for 13 years, I had to make a choice between waiting until I was 62 (30 more years at the time) or taking a montly pension check right away. Obviously the monthly check would be much larger if I waited until 62. I had a month to decide so I put the paperwork aside. In a seperate pile I had all the paperwork and financial data for DVC. It wasn''t until about three weeks after our return from Disney that one day I had both stacks of paperwork together on my desk. It was like a light bulb went off suddenly in my head. My monthly DVC payment was within a few dollars of what my IBM pension wold be if I started collecting right away at age 32.

The rest is history!! Within a month my pension check was being electronically deposited and immediately withdrawn to pay for DVC and we have been members ever since. Each time was use points for something, up here in New England or at Disney, I think of the time I spent at IBM and what it affored us.

Our first trip as members was in Oct. 2001. Three weeks after 9/11. We booked two 2-bed units at OKW. Took 12 other people with us - parents, in-laws, sistern-in -law's family.... It was the BEST vacation we've ever had. Being so close to 9/11 it was really special to be with family and enjoying time together.

I just booked two 2 bed units at BWV for school vaction in Feb. All the same people are coming and can't wait!

And that's my story..........

 

[Tennesotans]

My wife and I are in our early 40s (two cats, no kids). I work with computers and she is an interpreter (we consider ourselves proud members of the middle class). Our families know about our DVC membership but aren't sure what to make of it. (My family is a collection of Disney nuts, hers not so much).

Our first real trip is in August -- we are taking two of our nieces -- and I'm certain I'm the most excited of the four of us. I've been to The World eight or nine times, my wife twice, and this is the first trip for our nieces (9, 10). DVC is still a big experiment for us (we did go for a quick trip to Vero earlier this year, a very good start). I'm looking forward in trying different resorts/restaurants/pools, bringing different friends and family along, hard to stay in the moment -- I keep wanting to plan out the next three trips.

I really enjoy this board -- plenty of expertese and I get to live vicariously a little (until I rack up a few more Welcome Homes myself).

 

[DiznEeyore]

Welcome to the new folks! Nice to meet you!

 

[Paula H]

How have I missed out on this very interesting thread for YEARS now? Thanks for bringing it back. DH and I are pretty much boring, middle classers struggling to stay afloat in very expensive Connecticut. We are both 34 (we bought at VWL 3 years ago). We have two kids (DD5, DS2). Both of us have BAs. DH is a respiratory therapist at a children's hospital and loves working with NICU patients. I'm a "retired" litigation paralegal, staying home with my kids until we can't afford it anymore, and at that point I'll find a new career. To cover park passes, etc. for our vacations, I have a Creative Memories business, and we usually drive instead of fly. We bought DVC when we had two incomes coming in. When I stopped working after DS was born, we had to cut back on alot of things, but the few times we've tossed around renting our points or even selling them, we say "no way." We're currently comtemplating a move to central Florida, but will still keep our points if we go.

I've been going to WDW since the year it opened, and I love sharing it with my family. After our trip in December, our DVC investment will have more than paid for itself.

 

[pjshaff]

Paula H,


Can I ask you some ?'s about being a paralegal? I am studying to be one. You can PM me if you'd like.

Thanks,

Pam

 

[mac521]

We are new to DVC. Just signed on during our May trip. We are in that middle income bracket somewhere. DW is a Bus Mgr for a local church, I am a technician for the local phone company. We have two DS 11, 9. Looking forward to our first visit home sometime next year. DW and I are in our mid to late 30's.

 

[Mr Poohbrain]

We just closed this past week. My DW and I got engaged at Wilderness lodge 9 years ago and wanted to join ever since. We could finally afford it and joined after a business trip to BCV this May. Staying at Disney just feels good!!
DW is in sales/account management and I am a account manager also, not rich by any means. We have a 2 yr DS and DD due in a month.

 

[mom23boys]

I loved reading about everyone. My DH is 36 I am uh 35, we have three boys 10, 5, and 2. We bought DVC in December 2002, after we were outgrowing the Deluxes. I needed my own space, boys everywhere. I am a stay at home mom and my DH is a Sales Rep for a computer company. We love going to disney and love making memories my children will remember forever.

 

[RuthnPaul]

This is such a fun post! My DH and I are both in our early 50's with a 15 1/2 year old DS (also 4 other grown kids from my DH's first marriage). We are both in the computer industry. I grew up in a small Illinois town close to St. Louis; DH was an air force brat so he's lived a LOT of places. Now live in St. Charles, MO. We've been to Disney almost every year since DS was 5 years old and took the DVC tour more than once(!!); always convinced ourselves we couldn't afford it (even though we've spent enough over the years to purchase the 2 DVC contracts)!! Finally took the plunge and are looking forward to being at WDW in mid-October and over the Christmas holiday as DVC members. One of my husband's daughters is going with us in October -- 30 years old and NEVER been to WDW -- isn't that illegal or something (LOL!!)??? We're looking forward to many trips over the upcoming years!

 

[SamS]

I first posted to this thread Sept., 2002. We had just purchased 200 points at BCV having never seen it. We have now made 3 trips home (6/03/,12/03, and most recently 6/12 - 6/25/04). Our professional status remains the same - secondary social studies teacher (me) and dental office manager. Family the same - one child married , living in Pittsburgh , PA, 2 grandchildren (GD6 & GS11).
Only thing that is now different is points - added 100 points on June '03 during first trip home at BCV. Stayed at OKW last June, and really enjoyed it, just back from 6 days BCV and 6 days VWL (would like to add on here). Two years until retirement (knock on wood) and we'll do that add on somewhere. May not return until June '06 (I don't even want to start a countdown clock it's so depressing). My wife tore her ACL skiing in Vermont this past January, and has decided to do surgery June "05. (I will have to be available to help her around and get her to and from PT. She's done as well as can be expected without surgery, but if she wants to return to an active lifestyle, it has to be done. Maybe I'm straying too far from the original intent of this thread, but that injury is now a major influence on our future. Love this board; it'll keep me going for the next two years.

 

[deedle2]

wow! what a cool thread going on for 2+yrs.
well we have been dcv members since april 2003. i finally got my dh hooked on wdw after about our 3rd trip there. for our 8th anniversary he bought me 250 pts at bcv. we are middle class, not rich by any means although most friends and family think we are as much vacationing as we do. my dh is a control room operator at nuclear plant and i am a rn. vacation is just very important to us and with kids what better place then wdw. we have 2 kids dd 13 and while most of her friends have no intrest in wdw she still loves it, swears she will go to college in florida and work as lifeguard at blizzard beach. then there is ds 3 who has been to wdw 4 times already. we will be going home for the first week of oct. this year and i will bring my 2 brothers and their family my mother and my father and stepmother believe it or not. 14 of us in all, staying at the bcv. it is very nice to meet all of you.

 

[Alysa]

We have been BWV DVC members since our millenium trip. We just had a baby girl and took her for her first trip this past May. Who knew that WDW would be even more wonderful with her!?
I am a freelance art director and my husband is a chemical biologist researching vascular disease. We are the poor churchmice of the DVC world but travel is so importatnt to us that we make sacrifices in other areas so that we can see our beautiful world. We are planning two more trips to DVC in the next two years as well as a visit to England to visit friends in Liverpool. My sister especially thinks I am crazy - she thought I had grown a second head when I suggested that we go for a weekend during Halloween for a Mummies and babies trip. Her son is a month younger than our DD (and she has a friend we could bring who works at Air Canada who also has a DS the same age as DD). But she just bought a massive house in Mississauga and we still have our tiny Oakville townhouse which suits us fine! Since our girl was born, we are thinkinking of selling some of our points and "relocating" to a DVC property more us, like Vero or VWL. We have way too many now and the exchange rate gets to be a bit much. We also would like to put our girl into a private school and getting rid of the last bit of our debt by getting rid of some of our points would allow us to do that. Anyway, nice to meet all of you! Cheers.

 

[July]

My Dh & I bought because we wanted a timeshare that we could go to every year. Well we remembered the kiosk that we had seen at the boardwalk a few years back and thought why not look in to it.
When we did look into it we wanted it. But the expense of it was alot. Well after 3 days we decided that we would do it. We wanted VB because we love the beach and we could still use it at Disney occasionally.
We are not wealthy by any standards. I work 2 jobs, one at a retail pharmacy as a Pharmacy Technician and the other as a Inventory auditor. My Dh works at Publix and has for 27 years. We save alot of money towards our retirement, but hardly ever spend money to go on really great vacations. Most of the time we just camp which we love. But we get 4 weeks vacation a year. And retirement is only 12 years away, so it was time to look towards the future.
Since buying DVC we have had a blast. It is so much fun going on the trips. We feel like we have enough points (240) except for the fact that we would like to have the 11 month window at HH also. So eventually we will probably purchase a small resale there.

We have recently bought another timeshare over in Sarasota. Things are looking up for our future. There is no reason why we can't have a fabulous 4 weeks vacation every year...

Our children are grown and are not interested in the DVC or the other timeshare at this time. I'm sure when the get a little older they won't mind coming on trips with the old folks. They are at that age where they have there own lives and it would be boring to spend time with mom & dad right now. They are 20 and 18 almost 21 and 19.
So its just the 2 of us for now. Hey I don't mind!!!


July

 

[twinmomplus2new]

I am newly 35, with 4 children, dd 17, ds, 10, and twin ds's almost 4.
I am married but seperated 2 years now. My Dh is a Disney hater, and never would have bought into DVC.
As an extended family we have always traveled to disney yearly. Several family members bought DVc around 1997 or 1998? After a family wedding at The Boardwalk my brother bought into DVC. Later on that same year.... He wanted to take all his neices and nephews to disney over the Millenium, Then he found out that he could only book so many rooms on his contract. So he purchased me a second contract outright, and gave it to me no interest.

I make one large payment per year. And it has been great,
Due to my brothers generosity, I have been able to share with my mom and other family members. And I really enjoy the larger accomadations with my now larger family.

 

[MSH1420]

Love reading everone's bio. We are relatvely new to the Dis, found the board several months ago while preparing for an early May trip. love the info we get from all the boards here.

(Signing on under DW's ID) DW and I are in our early 40's with 13 and 11 y.o. DS's and a 5 y.o. DD. We live just outside of Cincinnati. We just joined DVC after our May trip. It was only our second trip to WDW as a family, but DW was there several times as a teen and I have been to D-land too many times to count as a teen. We always knew we would love going there as a family, and the 2 times we were there were great, so before this trip we did some research and took the tour while there aaand signed up. WE think this will work great for us as we can visit WDW much more frequently and still have the flexability to go other places.

I work in the insurance industry and DW is a stay at home mom. We are definatley middle income, especailly with sending kids to Catholic schools.(tuition is a killer, but our choice) Kids are all very involved in sports(DD dance) and also excellent students, so it is difficult to find time to travel. (plus the fact I tend to work too much--other then to take up my new hobby---DIS-boards). we are some of those "bad parents" and have taken our kids out of school to visit WDW. Not about to visit in summer or breaks, just too crouded from what I hear.

Other than WDW trips we are last minute planners, although we know that has to change and already has. DW and I are taking a cruise in Nov, (yes we used points--yes I know its not the smartest thing to do, but it is easy), we are going to eith HH or Vero summer of 2005( whichever one we can get at 7 months), and back to WDW in 2006 with DW sister and son.

Love the DVC cruise and transportation boards!!!!!!!

MSH 111420(DH)