?'s for DVC members that are also Central FL homeowners.

[thelobstershanty]

We have owned property in FL for many years and have also been BIG WDW fans for many years. We always liked our original home in FL but it was/is located about 90 minutes from WDW, so when we stayed at that home we did different FL stuff. When we took a WDW trip, we were die heart "stay on property" only, type people.
When DVC came about we were among the first to buy, once they opened BWV's doors; and we have loved every minute of it. We had many opportunities to invite family and friends for great WDW vacations, over the years.
Almost 2 years ago, we sold our original home in FL and bought another home about a year later. Our new FL home is literally almost in WDW's back yard. We can watch Illumintations and MK fireworks everynight from our home. If the wind is right we can even hear the music faintly in the background. We absolutely love everything about our new Fl home. We still love Disney with all our hearts and go to Disney quite a bit, but we have not stayed on WDW property since we bought the new house. We have no desire to stay on property when we have our own gorgeous and roomy house less than 5 minutes away. For the past 2 years I have either given away or rented my DVC points to family/friends.
Has anyone else gone through this when they bought FL property? I keep debating if I should just sell the points and make a nice little profit, or sell off some and keep some, or just keep renting them or giving them away and leave everything as is. I know I am emotionally attached to our DVC points.
However, I know we will never again stay at WDW for a week or 2. I can see doing a weekend or 3-4 days tops, but never a week again. I love the DVC resorts, heck I love all WDW resorts, but I love my home even more.
Anyone else feel this way? I read on Mouseplanet how Brian B. is sometimes sorry that they sold their DVC pts when they moved to FL. I do not want to make the same mistake.

 

[jdvm]

If the Florida property is a second home, I'm not sure DVC makes sense for you because DVC is in many ways a second home. If the Florida property is your primary residence (like ours is) then DVC is a nice escape. We originally bought in 1992 when I was based in Europe. Though we certainly use it differently now that we live here, we sure do still enjoy it.

John

 

[thelobstershanty]

If the Florida property is a second home, I'm not sure DVC makes sense for you because DVC is in many ways a second home. If the Florida property is your primary residence (like ours is) then DVC is a nice escape. We originally bought in 1992 when I was based in Europe. Though we certainly use it differently now that we live here, we sure do still enjoy it.

John

Technically, my FL home is a 2nd home and my home in the north is my primary home. I say technically because I spend almost 50-50 in each home per year. When we owned a home in FL that was an hour and a half away from WDW, DVC was a nice escape, but now with a house so close to WDW, it feels like we would be staying down the street.
Eventually my houses will flip flop and my FL home will be technically my primary and the home up north the 2nd home, but even then my time will be almost evenly divided between the 2 homes.
I will most likely always have a home in FL and a home up north, what I am trying to decide is if we still need DVC points.

 

[madcoco]

Hello neighbor. We did the flipflop. We used to rent on the Treasure/and or Space Coast where I still do some sidework and DW has relatives. Also used to stay quite a bit on site throughout the year traveling from our home in Las Vegas. We own most of our points at VB. Usually the child leaves the parents but the parents followed the child when she graduated highschool. We decided to build a home in the Disney area. My main work for the time being is based in Las Vegas so still traveling but DW and DD both PT CM's are only a couple of miles from their parking lot and DD only 30 miles from college. Really convenient for them. Can't see us selling any of the points at VB as it is like having a third Oceanfront home without all the hassle and $ and just less than 2hrs away. However if all our points were onsite,we would probably sell some of them. It's a hard call. Living close to the parks does have it's advantages not having to pay for lodging and coming and going as you please. But on the other hand having points for a weekend/midweek getaway has it's advantages too.

 

[Cap]

We relocated from Michigan and now are in Mount Dora, about 50 minutes from WDW. We're just using our points more for Hilton Head, Vero Beach, and for exchanges and less for staying at WDW. We also use our points to book at WDW for our kids when they visit us. That way, they can stay on property and do the evening / late evening experience while we older folks can drive home and get a good nights rest.

 

[disney junky]

We own in Metrowest. We bought in May of last year and we still own our BWV points. DW says, use them at HHI or VB. We are doing five days with friends in June at BWV, but I can see some day in the future putting them on the market. There are so many options though, and now we can consider DL and Hawaii when it's ready, so it's not an easy question. Our property in Metrowest is a second/vacation home though our dd lives there as she finishes college and works at WDW. We can see Universal fireworks from the balcony, but we saw this as a stepping stone to retirement. It's a condo, and we'd really eventually settle into a home. Yet as silly as it sounds, there's something sentimental about owning those points.

 

[thelobstershanty]

Thanks everyone for your great replies, it really helped! Stupid me, I never thought of VB, HHI or the upcoming DVC in HI! I was just thinking of WDW or trading out with another timeshare. VB, HH and the new HI DVC will be a great use of points!
I guess I am just reacting to comments that I now hear from friends that are also die heart WDW fans; they almost make it sound like we are being disloyal to WDW because now that we have the new house we do not spend as much time at WDW. I try to explain that I love Disney as much as I always have, but now when we are at our house we do not go to WDW everyday like when we used to stay on property. I have stuff to do at my home plus I really enjoy spending time in my home and community.
Thanks again!