They think we're nutty or are they just jealous?

[Pooh Pooh]

We have friends also who think we wasted our money until we ask them why they go to Vegas twice a year.
Our family loves WDW, and the BWV's. Even if you don't visit the parks it's a great place to come, and relax.
The one thing that really sold us on DVC was the savings over the years, and the free transportation.
Our daughter is a big Disney fan, and will make good use out of it when we pass it on.

 

[DVC Sadie]

ETA: I was just being silly, i hope I didn't offend.

 

[byoung]

Pooh Pooh I totally agree with you.

 

[Punkswife]

I know I get tired of the people saying "are you going there (WDW) again??!! Don't you ever get sick of the same place? Don't you want to go anywhere else?" So I realllllly try not to say anything to anyone and just plan plan plan. BUT it gets so hard for me (us WDW LOVERS of the MOUSE) to keep my mouth shut. When all you think about is your next trip and what you are going to do, sometimes it just slips out before you can stop yourself. AND then you have someone looking at you with that dumb look on their face wondering what it is that makes us want to go no where else. It is just MAGIC

 

[bearbear]

We just bought this year and are going in December. People are always quick to criticize about going back. We did go in January and are on the count down until December. I just have to ignore the chatter. We travel with my three children and MIL. The kids will be 1,5, and 7 when we go in December and people can't understand that my kids are great while we are there. (Not that my kids are ever really bad) It's the Disney magic that takes over and we all have a great time. I've learned after buying DVC that people who aren't Disney people will never get it.
Before we bought DVC we would go every two years. Than was our only vacation. I told someone to figure out how much it costs to go to the Jersey Shore for a week in the summer and times that by two and I still make out better because I don' have to cook or bring my own bedding.
Can't wait until December and our first trip home.

 

[Blue&Gold]

I have a bit of a cover story in that my parents pulled the snowbird routine and live in the Orlando area, but my actual justification is that as an Active Duty Navy Officer, I want my kids to have a reliable and high-quality family tradition unrelated to geographic location. I grew up in NE PA---my family spent a week every year at the Jersey "shore." Guess which DVC resort we call home?
My wife and I celebrated our 8th Wedding Anniversary this past week and we are getting ready for our 5th move together this coming summer... Makes it pretty tough to establish an "every year" memory for my kids. WDW/DVC will allow us to do that.

 

[DisFlan]

We get the Eye Roll if we talk about WDW around most of our family and friends. So we don't. I haven't told them about our DVC. I'd be afraid they'd suddenly grow a keen liking for Disney visits - with us.

DisFlan

 

[PinkTink63]

Folks either get the Disney thing or they don't. No sense wasting your time trying to convice those that don't get it.

I completely agree!

Of the 5 kids in our family, I was the only one who got hooked on Disney (I'm 42 now with 3 kids and one grandkid). My two youngest are 9 and 10, and we're going down in May. We last went about 15 months ago at Christmas. It's time to get back home, so I can't wait for the May trip.

There was only 3 kids in my family and I'm the only one hooked!

Of course, I have friends who when I mentioned I'd be taking a week vacation to go to Disneyland questioned me as to why I'm going there again, since I "just went there" (15 monts ago!) "Why not go to the Grand Canyon or someplace else." We are taking a week vacation to Eastern Oregon this summer. We do go other places than Disneyland. But for me, an annual pilgrimage is pure heaven.

We get this also! We switch between DL and WDW, but now that we own DVC, it will be way more WDW! We always do Disney then go somewhere else too.

I'm hoping my daughters pick up the Disney bug. Our son already has! It has become kind of a tradition.

My sister who also has 3 kids went (I believe) about 3 years ago, and they plan on going again when the kids are in their teens. So for her, going to Disneyland *twice* during the entire time her kids are growing up is sufficient. And other relatives are even worse. They figure *one* trip is plenty enough for any kid growing up. After that trip they can check Disney of their "list of things to do with their kids", and move onto the Grand Canyon, or Yosemite, or other places.

My brother who also has three kids took them about 7 1/2 years ago. (DL)
I think they feel about the same way! They did go to Yosemite last year.

Perhaps it's like skiing. I know plenty of folks who go skiing, hiking, or rock climbing several times a year. A few who go skiing every other week during the winter. They love it. Perhaps for us, Disneyland is like skiiing. It's not something you do and are done with. It's something you enjoy so much that you just want it to be one of those lifestyle things that you do on a regular basis because you enjoy doing it, you get away from work, and spend excellent time with your family and loved ones.

My brother, who has the 3 kids, is really into quads. There vacations consist of quad riding/camping about 3-4 times/year! Yes, his 3 girls and his wife like to do this, because this is pretty much what they know. They have a really nice camper/trailer and truck to pull it all. The money they have into all that stuff, they could have vacationed quite nicely for 20 yrs. (To each their own!) I feel kind of bad for the girls, because I know they would really like to come with us. They were supposed to come this summer to DL with us, but ended up flaking out! He thinks WE are crazy for the money we spend for our vacations. We haven't come close to what he has already spent!
Mind you, he has a timeshare in Mexico that he bought 17 yrs ago and hasn't used it in 16 yrs. He has never taken his family there. Go figure! He is the type that once he gets into something, he goes all the way! If I could only get him to WDW once!
We go camping with his family once in a while, but a few days in the dirt, cleaning, cooking, setting everything up and taking down, and then having to clean all the wet, sandy, and dirty clothes, cars, camper, etc., is enough for me! I'll take my DVC any day! I told his wife last time we went with them, "You need a Real vacation!"

BTW, we do have one friend of the family who does get it. She was married at WDW, and if you are ever playing Disney Trivia -- you want her on your team! Unfortunately, it's never worked out that her famiy and ours have gone at the same time. She'd be great to go with. Hopefully we can make it happen someday.

I did get my younger brother to take his kids with us to DL over Christmas. Unfortunately, the weather was absolutley awful! It was also extremely crowded and he wasn't exactly feeling the "magic!" We still had a good time! Hopefully our trip this summer will be better!

Some song says "make the world go away". Disney not only does that, but puts us in a whole new magical world for a while.
-Shawn

Ditto! It is a happy and care free place for us as well!

I am curious Shawn- where do you live at in Oregon?
Stephanie

 

[LouisianaDisneyFan]

We are still saving for DVC... but some day an unexpected expense will not swoop down and suck up all our savings just before that lovely purchase can be made. This time it was Hurricane Katrina coupled with a wedding... our daughter was married in January. However, we can't complain. The wedding was our own fault. We invited that interloping boyfriend to come along for our last Disney vacation (his first trip to WDW), and he decided to join the family! Sheesh, what some folks won't do to get a second free trip to Disney!!! (He's coming with us again, with our daughter of course... along with the rest of the fam for our vow renewal this December.) ~Ev

 

[Suzi Q]

Ditto. I agree wholeheartedly. To each their own. I'm glad everyone doesn't want to own at DVC. Think how crowded it would be then. I just wish they wouldn't criticize those of us who enjoy it.

 

[Sherri]

We love our traditon of going to Disney. We also go other places to. I find that people in general are skeptical at best about any type of time share idea. Not everyone though. Disney is not your typical timeshare though but the mere thought of it is a turn off for some.
I'll confess when my sister offered her Smugglers Notch time share for us to use and trade to go to Spain I was happy but a bit skeptical (you know the whole timeshare thing). As soon as we got back from Spain we decided timeshares can be fun, and maybe you get to go places you wouldn't have thought of. That summer we headed to Florida for the sole purpose of purchasing one. Now please don't be thinking: Loser .
We were in for a rude awakening with some of the presentations. We did buy one in Orlando then another. We use them to trade for cool places in other parts of the world. BUT once we came to Orlando and stayed off site, we were so sad and just had to buy DVC. We LOVE our DVC, and though we get people who just can't understand, we can and thats all that counts. We are Disney people and love it!

 

[AFMom]

Most people we know think Disney is something to do once when your kids are young. Ahhhhh! My nieghbors have made the comment "Well - they saw you coming from a mile away, didn't they?" When we told them about DVC.
They really don't get the DVC thing - I think part of that is because of the word 'Timeshare' and the bad connotations ot still holds for many people. MIL and FIL will hopefully change thier minds after they come stay in a 2bdrm with us in Dec!!!! They believe in dirt cheap accomodations, though - my MIL thinks a Motel 6 is a step UP! She can't get why we drop so much money on a place to sleep.
Anyway - we try to just ignore the comments and enjoy!

 

[ericamanda01]

Our family doesn't undestand our disney trips, we don't have kids yet. So we havn't even told them about our DVC membership. We will one day but it will probably be when we are all staying in a villa at SSR for vacation, and they ask us how we could afford to get a room like that for 15 people.

 

[shantay1008]

I have a bit of a cover story in that my parents pulled the snowbird routine and live in the Orlando area, but my actual justification is that as an Active Duty Navy Officer, I want my kids to have a reliable and high-quality family tradition unrelated to geographic location. I grew up in NE PA---my family spent a week every year at the Jersey "shore." Guess which DVC resort we call home?
My wife and I celebrated our 8th Wedding Anniversary this past week and we are getting ready for our 5th move together this coming summer... Makes it pretty tough to establish an "every year" memory for my kids. WDW/DVC will allow us to do that.

What a wonderful thing you're doing for your kids...they're lucky to have such a great home-away-from-home base, no matter where they live.

As for all of you who were talking about your rich friends and relatives, I just finished reading The Millionaire Next Door and got some insight into how the flashy rich live. I'd rather be a frugal DVC owner any day.

 

[beachblanket]

I don't know if it's because I position DVC as a "not-just- Disney-properties" program, or don't ballyhoo every visit we make, but outside my brother in law we've gotten little grief from family or friends about DVC or repeat visits to Disney destinations.

As for my BIL, he pigeonholes -- gently, but still pigeonholes -- us in the fashion others here have described ("you're going to Disney again? I guess that's O.K., since your kids are still young...")

I then remind him he goes to Palm Springs like clockwork every fall, and the discussion ends.

 

[browniemtb]

One family member that recently went down to Orlando for a business trip stopped in BWV (while staying at the Swan) and returned with a report saying "Boardwalk was ok I guess, but Swan was really nice."

I've stayed at both the Swan and Dolphin and returned yesterday from BWV. I must tell you the BWV is much better in my eyes. Granted I am comparing a one bedroom villa to the Swan and Dolphins basic hotel room though. My family is the same way about the WDW.....I think their jealeous. But some of the comments can be rude. But now I don't care...my kids are happy and we have a lot of fun when we go.....
Brownie

 

[wscato]

My family thinks all timeshares are evil. They have no idea we own DVC. DH's family knows, but I don't think they understand the concept. A few friends know but they've never said anything negative or positive.
We don't know anyone else who owns DVC. But that's ok, we love it and that's all that matters.

Ginger

 

[DisneyTarheel]

Of course we are nutty -- and what a grand thing it is! (passing the kool-aide)

 

[NYCDVClover2000]

When we first bought into DVC we have family that had nothing good to say about it. It's funny 2 years later they were a part of the DVC family. If it was so bad then why did they buy it, and because they waited it cost them alot more money then us.

Scott (36) Stacy (36) Brittany (14) Madison (9 months)

 

[corinnak]

Disfamily2006,

It feels really frustrating to share news that you find joyful or exciting with someone only to have them rain all over your parade.

I have one set of friends who I know would like to have DVC themselves and they never say bad things about our getting it just because they want it themselves and don't have it - granted, they DO have a lot of class.

I think that people who say negative things about other people's vacation choices are just being obnoxious and trying, as my mom always used to say "to get your goat". How does it harm them if you want to go see The Mouse on a regular basis rather than go "up north" or to Vegas or whatever ?

There are many places that I have no interest in traveling to for vacation. If someone else goes there, though, why would I say "Gawd, I would NEVER go there!" What is the point of that except to be mean and/or arrogant? So they think we're nutty. Yeah, I am sure they do. But maybe we think THEY are nutty also! No jealousy necessary.

I am with you on not telling - we haven't told a lot of people of our purchase because (and I am going to go hide under a desk after saying this) I figure that owning DVC is pretty much paying for a "hotel room" in an unconventional way. Granted, a really nice, really well equipped apartment-like hotel room.....but the fact is, no one really CARES that my family stays in a hotel or wonders how we pay for a hotel or questions if we go back to a hotel year after year. It is not news when we stay at a hotel or rent a condo, even. So I figure that esentially pre-paying a portion of lodging and planning to return to the same location again and again does not constitute actual news that I really NEED to share with most people. Or maybe I am ashamed....I can't tell.