Profile of a DVCer ...

[lck33]

Jerry & I are regular middle-class folks. We live in a modest home in the lower hudson valley of new york. We have an old pickup and a new aztec. he also has a company car. He does floor plan investigations, and I am a regional sales manager for a multi-lot manufactured housing dealership. We have one 4yo DD and hope to adopt another child within the next year or two. We bought into DVC, like many of you, to build strong family memories and bonding experiences to share for generations to come. We don't go out to eat very often and we pretty much keep things on a tight budget so that we can afford our trips to disney every year to splurge, relax and bond!

 

[Tink10]

My Hubby & I are also a very suburban middle class type of family........

We just bought at SSR & BWV about 2 weeks ago. I've been on these boards for a long time, but have just recently found the DVC area.

We're both 35 & he's is ex-Air Force & now in IT & I'm an Ex Disney CM & now am a stay-at-home-mom with a little Ebay thing that I do.....

Actually, it's the Ebay thing that's paying for our DVC

We have a very atypical 13 y/o daughter who loves WDW....Especially Epcot!

2 dogs
2 cats
&
3 ferrets....

 

[travelbug]

It's been a while since this thread was around. Anyone new care to introduce yourself?

 

[TammyAlphabet]

My husband and i are early 40's, with DD7 and DS13. We honeymooned at Disney and that was my 1st trip. I have been back several times over the last few years and now own 150 points at the BWV purchased in February of this year. We are taking our first trip on points in August at VB.

My husband is a restaurant manager and I am a full time student working on a Ph.D. in Accounting. I have another six months or so until I am finished. When I get a job, I definitely plan to add on more points.

My husband is not a disneyphile like me but he puts up with it for my and the children's sake. We went ten years without a vacation of any kind, so DVC is definitely going to rectify that situation.

It is great to meet everyone this way, lets keep this going!!!

 

[beagle744]

We are new DVC owners as of this month (VWL). DH and I are in our mid-40's, DD 14, DS 8, 3 dogs and a cat. I work at a university as a policy analyst and DH is a teacher. DH also has an MFA in Sculpture and all the Disney magic is an endless source of fascination for him.

I had been to Disney as a teenager a few times but 1999 was the first trip for the rest of the family. We explored DVC then but kept putting off the purchase in favor of other trips/things until now.

We love to travel to Disney and elsewhere. DVC just ensures that Disney will be a regular stop for us.

 

[Simba's Mom]

I guess I missed this thread. We're empty nesters-one DS is graduated, engaged to be married, the other DS is in college (well, right now he's doing an entertainment internship at DL, but he's got a year to go). We joined for different reasons: for me, the thought of owning real estate at Disney did it. DH has a 24 hr work day as a plant manager, rarely vacations, and looked at this as a way to force him to take much-needed vacations. Best thing we ever did! Oh, and DS who's engaged is planning to honeymoon at DVC.

 

[JeanJoe]

Interesting thread! As a new-comer, it was fun paging through the responses and skimming the posts from 3 years ago of people who are still "regulars" now. Thanks for bumping the thread.

DW and I are mid-30's with 2 kids, DD3 and DD11mo. We met in graduate school in San Francisco, where I also did medical school. We've since moved out to Boston, so I could do a pediatrics residency. DW is now working in genomic research (don't ask, but if you must know, part of her job at one point involved calling zoos around the country and getting lineages of chimpanzees to figure out which should get DNA sequenced), and I'm now completing fellowship in newborn intensive care while also doing basic science research.

Other interests, at one point or another? Going on cruises, scuba diving, Lego, Star Wars, lockpicking, theory of blackjack (can't actually count worth a darn), shooting pool, college hockey, computer games, flight simulators. More recently, I've been sucked into Disney's new Virtual Magic Kingdom, and a strange word called Hanname .

Like everyone here, we've always been Disney fanatics. On a trip a few months ago, we decided to find out what this DVC thing was all about, and within a week of getting back, we had discovered the DVC DIS boards. After a week of intensive DVC self-education, 2 weeks ago we became DVC members at BWV, with our first trip Home scheduled at BWV in 4 months. Can't wait!

 

[lenshanem]

Wow! Funny how things change. My post was from over two years ago! I should probably do a new profile!

 

[Duckfan-in-Chicago]

Ok...I'll bite.

I'm in my middle 30's. My wife will turn 30 early next year. We have a son that turns 1 in two weeks. We're having an Incredibles party, because as leader of this small cult, I believe in indoctrinating the young ones early into my way of life. I do construction, my wife currently stays home with our son. I went to WDW what seemed like every year since I became a teenager, and a few times before that. My wife went there one time, and to her WDW was the MK. They were there for 1/2 a day then went to the ocean. The first time I took her to WDW I showed her the light, and we purchased 200 points at the BWV. We also got engaged on that trip at the Wilderness Lodge-I figured that if she hated WDW she'd want to come back just because that's where I asked her. The following year, on our Honeymoon, we purchased another 100 points at the BWV. Later, since we got engaged at the WL, and its my wifes fav. we added 350 points at the VWL. I knew that in the long run that move would pay off! I only wish that AFTER I asked her to marry me, we had gone to Beaches & Cream for dinner instead of Victoria and Alberts. I'm fine when the radio or television is on, but when the house is really quiet, its almost like I can hear the BCV's calling to me. 'Add on..add on'. My wife is a Tinkaholic, she loves the Lime Rickey at B&C and she loves her son, who would really like the pool at the BCV in a few years. We're taking a trip in Oct. for 16 nights, so these are the tools at my disposal to either convince my wife to buy 100 points at the BCV outright (ideal) or to sell the smaller contract at the BWV and buy 100 points at the BCV.

 

[WithDisneySpirit]

Wow, Duckfan! Here is more evidence that you think very carefully in advance You and yours must get to go pretty often; I hope you get those BCV points too

 

[bongo59]

OK............I passed on this thread in 2002 when Richyams posted....but i think i am more ready to share it now because i think some of you now know a little bit about me......but i have followed it...............We are a nuclear family of 4. Wife is 46 two kids 11 and 4. The 11 yr old is by my first wife. He is no doubt the luckiest kid i know. Me and my first wife both bought into DVC in 1991. Prior to that my Ex was a Disney freak via her parents. My first Visits to WDW were because of her and her family. I took one trip and felt that i would become part of the Disney Corp right there. I bought 5000 dollars of Disney stock on a Credit card no less. Turned out pretty good. After multiple visits we decided to jump into DVC right out of the gate. We bought 250 points at OKW..........The 11 yr old came in 1993 and we just kept adding slowly..........we started going 2 -4 times a yr then in 1995 we split.............Jobs was a big reason, she was finished with her educational training and working making solid cash...........over 6 figures and i was still in my educational training and really knew she was not right for me and i should have cut it off long ago before i got into too deep................well enough rationalizing........I meet my new wife on a blind date..........and after 2 yrs we marry.............we take a honey moon on a Carnival Cruise ship and go right into a hurricane.............I told her right there that our vactions plans were going back to something old school. I explained to her i owned half of a DVC memebership that i had not used in 3 yrs............infact sold the points............She had not been to Disney in over 20 yrs ...............Well we went and let us just say I knew she was the girl of my dreams because the day i finished my training we closed on 500 more points and we have over the last 8 yrs added every DVC resort to our total via DVC and the TTS (Another Plug) and we have over 2000 points for our whole family of 22. My son's mom also has kept the bug alive in their family and they have over 750 points.............My 11 yr old has been to Disney 32 times and he goes with both of us multiple times a yr ...............so he is the luckiest kid i know of anyway.............if you can double dip at Disney your living right by me. We fully utilized our points now but will rent out some if we decided to cruise for vacations in a yr......We are also Carnival Vacation Club members and we have several properties in HI and in Mexico..................2005 has been a cruising yr for us......................but we are leaving for a 4 day DVC quickie tonight................we are packing now and i decided to share a little bit of who we are........................I am 40 and i am the president and CEO of my own company. Financially we are set for life. And i am still madly in love with my wife and my kids are my greatest achievement to date. I come from the Streets of Queens, New York and was the child of separated parents that destroyed our family finances and that put my mom on Welfare. It was that single experience of being an outcast, according to my family at that time, that drove me to become successful and never have to rely on anyone again. My own cousins, aunts, and uncles and family ridiculed my mom and me and my siblings for being downtrodden and lazy. These folks have been forgiven long ago, and now they have been my guests many times via DVC. And yes, i do at times rub their noses in it at times. The price of pennance to me for them I believe. Their kids come too, and i invite their kids more than them anymore. Should be obvious to you and them why by now. Yes, I have still have issues, but i live with them just fine thanks. I have shared with them and their kids many times why i was so driven to become self made and successful. I never had any luxury growing up and Disney was like neverland to us. My first trip there kinda solidified in a microcosm my life as i wanted. I wanted the Disney life and DVC was the method to the madness. With DVC i had it always and anytime for me and my family because i could never have had it when i was young. I never wanted my kids to grow up wanting it as bad as i did. But i maybe should now rethink that position. That very first trip i said to myself this is the first but wont be the last for me and my family. Everytime i go it is like i am 11 or 12 yrs old.............The pack of kids is always around me because as i have been told i transform back to a kid when i get there...................everytime no matter how pissed off i can get due to work. It represents alot of meaning to me and what i had to endure to climb the mountain...................Now i get to do it on my terms...............and i take them along for the ride of their life. If you ever see a guy covered in pins and a small crowd around him with DVC hat and clothes with DVC logos all over it....................You just saw Bongo.

 

[WithDisneySpirit]

Thanks for sharing with us, Bongo I hope I see you covered in pins one day at Disney; I would like that!

and a Hanname day to you...

 

[Cinderella]

Well, I stumbled on this post by accident, whilst doing an entirely unrelated search. My ex husband, my two kids and I bought 150 WLV points early 2001. We stayed a few nights at OKW when we first bought and I have never been to WDW since. Like an earlier post i read - we bought when our marriage was already bad, and in many ways, i suppose we were trying to save it.

We used the points for some great trips before splitting up like four seasons in portugal, spain, DLP twice, and then we rented some out. Since splitting up, I have used points for a trip to Vienna.

I now have a new partner, and I'm using points for a trip in Dec and also doing disney cruise - can't wait.

I am a business owner and i suppose i have pretty high earnings, but, I don't rest on my laurels because i know that can change in a heartbeat. My partner has a reasonably paid job also, and has started a business on a part-time basis to begin with. I still have only 150 points, but will add on as i need to. Sometimes, I think i spend far too much on vacations and eating out - but we save for it on things we feel less need to have, such as expensive cars, furniture etc.

 

[cobbler]

I'll play. We live in the midwest. I am in my late 20's and hubby is in his early 30's. We have 2 kids, one together and we have custody of his son, my step-son. They are 9 and 4. I am a SAHM and my hubby is the project manager at work.

I wanted DVC for our 10 year anniversary. Hubby was less than thrilled with this idea. I had gone to Disney every year during the same week growing up and wanted to give that to my kids. My hubby's first trip to Disney was in 2000. As of now our 9 year old has been 5 times and our 4 year old 4 times. I remember growing up how everyone thought it was great that I could go all the time and they had never been. I kind of liked that little elite feeling as a child and that is something I wanted to give my children.

So on our last trip I made hubby take the tour and he loved it. I was surprised. Told him I wasn't looking into buying now, but for our 10 year anniversary (4 years away) and just wanted to give him an idea of what it was like. Well on our drive home he told me to call the guide and buy

So here we are currently just sent back our contracts for 180 points and hubby asks me if its to late to change it and make it 220 points. So that is my job right now, to try to change our option to 220 points since they should have our papers tomorrow. Sigh!

ETA:
Oh and this is our secret investment. We are not telling any family or friends. We have some that would certainly try to take advantage of our accomodations. Plus there are members in my family who would give me a HUGE lecture on spending that much money because we "will regret going to Disney all the time in about 10 years because there are other things to do".

 

[missymagic]

Just recently became a DVC member. Maybe it was on the whim or just made sense. I have been taking my girls to DW since they were born and I have gotten divorced this past year. I kept thinking how an I going to be able to continue the tradition. So I decided this was a great way to be able to go every year by making the monthly payment instead of lump sum when I take the trip. Hopefully it works out the way I plan. I have many good and bad memories of DW. When I was preg w/ DD #2 I was 5 months along at DW and I found out my DH was having the affair. But I have decided he wasn't going to ruin the special memories I have made with my girls over the years and I will continue to have that one special trip every year. So to me this is my way of I can do this on my own I don't need him.

 

[CoasterAddict]

missymagic--my heart goes out to you. I also bought DVC right after my divorce for similar reasons, although in my case there were no kids involved. I hope you continue to have years of wonderful memories with your daughters.

 

[dvcmomdeh]

I too stumbled onto this site just this morning.

My husband and I both 29, bought our first DVC contract in 1993. We had planned a WDW vacation at Fort Wilderness (camping), bought the tent and everything. We did the DVC tour the 3rd day we were there and never looked back, having only tried to use the tent one other time. At the time our DS was going into kindergarten and our DD was only 2. My father had died when I was 8, brother was 4. My mom kept us together as a family by visiting family every summer in Vermont. Great place to visit, but didn't want to live there. I knew as a parent that I needed to have at least two weeks a year that we went away from jobs and everything to be just a family. The best decision we made was to by 230 pts at OKW, then in 01 when they offered Vero Beach (200 pts) we knew had to have ocean side property to call home, then Beach Club (150 pts) came along right at the time when the kids were starting to branch out and have some of their own fun. Now we have enough points that each kid will get to choose if they want to continue the tradition with their own families. All the while mom and dad have control of the 660 pts and can go anywhere anytime.

Thanks DVC for making all our dreams come true!

 

[travelbug]

I thought this would be a fun thread to resurrect. Any new (or not so new!) DVC members want to introduce yourselves?

 

[andriade]

OK, we just bought into DVC this summer. I had been wanting to since 2003. Convinced DH to do it after he realized that this is where we were going to take all of our family vacations for the next 17 years. I am a teacher and my husband is in sales. We have two kids, a boy and a girl. I love Disney more than anyone else in my family. I love it but we don't have a Mickey themed anything in the house. I feel it is an escape for me and I like to keep it special. I would say we are a religious family, compassionate conservatives and both grew up without family vacations. That is why DVC was the right choice for us. It forces us to take those memorable family vacations.

 

[Goofy's apprentice]

We purchased in the fall of 2004. Just used our points for the first time in November! Neither my dh or I grew up with extravagant family vacations. We both saw Disney for the first time together after getting married. 18 years later it still ranks as our best vacation ever ! Even above a trip to Europe. Not everyone understands it...but that really doesn't matter. It works for our family. We find something new each trip and really regret no buying in the late 90's when we first looked. (According to DVC records, when they called us back we told them we were too bust backing Christmas cookies to talk!!! We were fools)

Anyway, we are basically middle class, two kids (13 and 10). We plan to vacation twice each year. One week at F & W just the two of us and one week in April with the kids. We don't tell too many people as they really don't understand our choice to vacation the same place each time. They don't get that it can be as varied as you like or the same each time. It's your choice. What is constant is the Disney quality and magic. You always leave feeling special and are planning your return before you get home !