So I never told my family I own DVC and guess what....

[Hixski]

My DH and I bought into DVC in 2003. Most people thought it was great. But my parents could not believe we would spend so much money on something. My brother is even worse. He is 42, lives with my parents and does not spend money on anything. And I mean anything. Least of all vacations. He thinks everything everyone does is wrong. So I did not say a word to them at all that we just bought more points. That would have probably started a family WW3.

 

[funhouse8]

I actually didn't mean you. I got that feeling from the OP.

Oh my gosh no, I wasn't laughing at my nephew. Sorry you got that impression. I'm glad he bought DVC. He is the only one in the family that gets why we go to Disney so much. I was laughing because I knew to keep my mouth shut. I guess he is too young, just being married and everything. Doesn't realize how the world works. The less people know the better off you are. Well not everyone but some.

 

[Ooba]

We are in the process of purchasing - and NO we have not told family. I think everyone has a preconceived notion when you say the word "timeshare". Nobody really understands when you say this is "different". My in-laws are well off - but VERY "thrifty" shall we say? I don't feel like we need to explain our decisions. We both work very hard at very stressful jobs, and family vacations are something ALL of us look forward to. There are somethings in life that you just can't value in dollars and worth - and this is one. Someday we may let them in the secret....

 

[robinb]

Oh my gosh no, I wasn't laughing at my nephew. Sorry you got that impression. I'm glad he bought DVC. He is the only one in the family that gets why we go to Disney so much. I was laughing because I knew to keep my mouth shut. I guess he is too young, just being married and everything. Doesn't realize how the world works. The less people know the better off you are. Well not everyone but some.

Thanks for making things clear. I'm sorry I jumped to the wrong conclusion.

 

[almousefan]

We are in the process of purchasing - and NO we have not told family. I think everyone has a preconceived notion when you say the word "timeshare". Nobody really understands when you say this is "different". My in-laws are well off - but VERY "thrifty" shall we say? I don't feel like we need to explain our decisions. We both work very hard at very stressful jobs, and family vacations are something ALL of us look forward to. There are somethings in life that you just can't value in dollars and worth - and this is one. Someday we may let them in the secret....

We too are in the process of purchasing and have only told our DS 18 & 14 and one friend. We had to tell her because she went with me last week for our first trip home. If I told my family, they would think we were nuts. And I won't be telling some of my friends because then they would want to use our points to go on vacation and leave us at home. I value my vacations as well. It's what gets me through til the next time we go to Disney!

 

[LIFERBABE]

I actually didn't mean you. I got that feeling from the OP.

Im sorry, just that my post was quoted out of context, and I felt that could have given the impression that I was laughing at the nephew, which I wouldnt do either.

 

[Camping Cat]

We too are in the process of purchasing and have only told our DS 18 & 14 and one friend. We had to tell her because she went with me last week for our first trip home. If I told my family, they would think we were nuts. And I won't be telling some of my friends because then they would want to use our points to go on vacation and leave us at home. I value my vacations as well. It's what gets me through til the next time we go to Disney!

I am amazed at people who would expect a DVC member to finance their vacation because they have DVC points. Do they think these things are free? I would certainly set that misconception straight immediately if someone had the nerve to even suggest we give them our DVC points!

 

[ACDSNY]

Funhouse8 - Looks like we'll be at DLR - GC around the same time. Have a magical trip!

Most of my family thinks we were nuts to purchase DVC and they're usually the same ones that travel with us on most of our trips. Can't wait until they pay rack rates for their packages while we'll have our DVC.

 

[crisi]

I am amazed at people who would expect a DVC member to finance their vacation because they have DVC points. Do they think these things are free? I would certainly set that misconception straight immediately if someone had the nerve to even suggest we give them our DVC points!

I'm always amazed at people who describe people like this as friends. We call those people "acquaintences we try to avoid and don't go to dinner with because they forget their wallet at home."

Granted, you don't get to pick your relatives.....

 

[Granny]

Great job to the OP for keeping quiet when the topic came up!

If you ever feel the urge to tell people about owning DVC, just bookmark the thread currently on this board titled "Family bailed on Christmas trip - need to vent".

That'll put that urge back in its place!

 

[MissD]

We are in the process of purchasing - and NO we have not told family. I think everyone has a preconceived notion when you say the word "timeshare". Nobody really understands when you say this is "different". My in-laws are well off - but VERY "thrifty" shall we say? I don't feel like we need to explain our decisions. We both work very hard at very stressful jobs, and family vacations are something ALL of us look forward to. There are somethings in life that you just can't value in dollars and worth - and this is one. Someday we may let them in the secret....

Amen! Our DVC 'family memories' are priceless to us as well.

To those who understand, no explanation is necessary, to those who will not understand, none will suffice

 

[MissD]

I'm always amazed at people who describe people like this as friends. We call those people "acquaintences we try to avoid and don't go to dinner with because they forget their wallet at home."

Granted, you don't get to pick your relatives.....

 

[BeccaG]

My husband and I are in the process of purchasing at SSR and have nto told our family or friends either. The reason for this is two fold. One, we are not sure how are parents will react. One set owns their own timeshare membership (actually two of them) so they would probably be supportive the other set does not.
However, another reason we have not told is because we are planning to treat family and friends to a trip, but as their gifts from us for Christmas 07-birthday08 and Christmas 08. They have to pay for air and food but we will cover lodging and tickets. We were planning to do this anyway without DVC and stay at the value resorts and we will get so much more "bang for our buck" this way. Now I just have to wait until Christmas to surprise them, which will be hard because I am so excited!

I did see someone mention a post entitled "family bailed on Christmas trip" which I need to read, but I hope and pray my family does not do that. I mena they will have plenty of time to make a commitment one way or the other!

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

We too have not told our family that we own a DVC for fear they would want us to give them a free vacation. Plus we did not want to flaunt the fact that we could afford such a treasure. It is so nice to take a vacation and not have to shell out thousands of dollars each year. I have kept track of the money we would have spent on our vacations usually by pricing the same vacation package on some of the well known web sights- since the time we purchase the DVC and we have already taken enough vacations to pay for half of our DVC price. And that has only taken us 3 years to do. Imagine what we would spend over the course of the next 10 years if we have to pay cash for all of our vacations.
DVC is a great investment.
It is so nice to have this hidden secret that no one knows about. But it is such a great investment that sometimes I just want to blurt it out and share the Magic!

 

[corpcomp]

We have not told our family either. I learned this from a painful experience when we bought a beach house. While we kept it quiet for a year, the day my wife mentioned it to her sisters, one of them approached me and asked when she could have a free week there in the summer. Since we rent it out to cover the mortgage, I told her it was an investment and there were no free lunches during high season. She got mad, walked away and refused to look at a picture of it. She said if I can't stay there I don't want to see it.

Some of our friends who stay at the Swan keep telling us to stay there as my wife is a nurse and can get a great discount. They can't figure out why we would stay at an expensive resort like Beach Club - but they don't know we own at DVC either and we are not telling!!