question for richyams (and others)...

[dianeschlicht]

We have brought family and friends with us on all but two of our trips. It is such fun to share the fun, and we know many of them would not have an opportunity to stay on-site if we didn't invite them along. It is more fun to experience WDW with new people through first time eyes too. We tend to get in a rut with what we do around the world, but when we have newbies with us, we can play tour guide and enjoy things like it is our first time all over again. Our guest usually take us out for a nice meal, or prepare something in the villa one night. We don't ask them to pay for anything for the accommodations. It becomes much more affordable to them when they only have to do admissions, food and transportation to Florida. We once had a total of 12 in a GV and had a blast. This same group is planning another trip with us in a couple of years when the oldest children in the group are seniors in high school. We plan to do a few days at Vero that trip too.

You didn't ask about food, but we usually have our guests help plan any in villa menus for breakfast etc. If we have guests with us who are on a tight budget, we will cook in the villa more, but we tell them up front that we like to eat out when we are at Disney!

Hope this is what you wanted to know.

Disneydiane

 

[FreeTime]

You all are making me feel terrible! We have taken family members along with us who would never be able to afford staying on site. And being young ourselves with a 1yr old and 1 almost here, we would charge them for the accomodations. But what we charge is very, very, minimal. What we would do is figure out the number od points that we use, what the annual dues are on those points, then divide that by the number of people. They would then have to pay the annual dues on the number of points their share was. We would then put this few dollars toward our dues for the next year, towards our tickets, or toward buying THEIR KIDS souverniers since they couldn't afford it. We bought DVC with the intent of being able to go a few times a year by ourselves. We have managed to go once a year alone, and once with family. I'm going to take one of the responders advice this year (bec I am selfish and like to go with my immediate family) I am going to say we are going to WDW on this date, you have until such and such to let me know, I won't ask you again, you will have to let me know if you are going. The reason why also is that this same part of the family stuck us on the last trip and a week ahead of time said that they couldn't go! How upseting to be stuck with more room than we needed, knowing that we were wasting points! We ended up taking their kids with us at our expense. Am I really the only bad person out there who doesn't like taking family?

 

[fkj2]

No,you're not. Sometimes the family you inherit isn't exactly the one you would pick for yourself.

 

[FreeTime]

Thank you. I feel better now!

 

[mrsdon]

We have asked my sister 5 times to come with us and 5 times she has come up with excuses. I finally gave up. I'm selfish. I like having the DVC jsut for me and my DH and boys (18& 16)
We work so hard that when vacation time rolls around all we want to do is get away and be a family again. My DH used to be in the navy and he would be gone for 4 months at a time. Because he was gone so much of the time wwe tended to spend his home time with each other and not other couples. We also come from small families and dont really have anyone to share with.
I feel bad sometimes when I have all the fun, but then I remember my sis and she could be with us also.

 

[larry_poppins]

Don't feel bad about not taking family. I am not close with my family. Therefore I prefer to take friends. I let the family make their own reservations. DVC and WDW is too special for me to go and not have a great time!
Sincerely,

Larry

 

[sumessefui]

I share the DVC with my sister. The first trip I took my nephew and a friend of his as a college graduation present. On the first trip with my sister & BIL we got a grand villa and took friends with us.
This past January we got 2 two bedrooms and took 8 family and friends with us. We never charge them for accomidations. We also take trips by ourselves.

 

[tarzanman]

My DW and I joined on our Honeymoon with the intent to share it (not without us though). Our first trip was with my MIL to BWV. We took the cruise by ourselves, which we are going to again. We have a Dec. 2000 trip planned with 3 teenage cousins of my DW who wouldn't have otherwise been able to go anytime in the near future. We are looking to plan for a big family trip but everyone is so busy and doesn't seem as organized as we are with vacation planning.

some trips as a child
DxL 4/00
DVC member 4/00
BWV 9/00, 12/01
VB 9/00, 5/01
DCL 1/01, 12/01-1/02 New Years Cruise
OKW 1/01

http://gennaroworld.topcities.com