Top 3 DVC Memories......Go!

[BEASLYBOO]

Before the DIS I never paid attention to villa#, location etc.

1. Arriving at OKW , walking into the 1 bd villa with my 2 1/2 year old son (he's 16 now) and knowing that I'd finally done it! I was a DVC owner or should I say "we" !

And you know that awe factor is still there even after 35+ DVC trips, I still love to hear! Home!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2. Our 1st family reunion w/ the family from France, which was also our first time staying in an OKW GV ! The awe factor, the 8 of us walking in and seeing that immense living room with it's cathedral ceilings, the beautiful upstairs, the huge patio/balcony, awesome! We stayed 6 days, grilled by the quiet pool, took 100's of photos, and had the best time! It was supposed to rain all week, it rained once for 20 minutes.

3. 3rd family reunion w/ the American side of the family.... 13 of us, (TN, NY, FL), GV bldg. 15. I booked an Epcot Illumination Cruise , we commandeered the whole boat, 10 of us! Had champagne on board w/ chocolate covered strawberries and other snacks! The Captain was fun and took around the lagoon, letting my then 9 year old son , steer the boat! The fire works were spectacular!

 

[a742246]

My top memories are:

1) Getting off the magical express at the boardwalk Villas and immediately
being greeted with a "Mr and Mrs Simek welcome to the Boardwalk". I guess that is an advantage of getting a very early flight.

2) Seeing a mature Bald Eagle flying over the World Showcase in Epcot.

3) Seeing our GC see the castle at MK for the first time. She was so excited we almost had to put her tongue back into her mouth.

 

[PoohsFan1]

Love this thread

1) May of 2011 first time staying at a DVC resort as new DVC owners, however we didn't stay at our home resort of BLT, but our second favorite resort of BCV. We were sitting out on our balcony enjoying our surroundings and saying to ourselves that we should of done this much sooner.

2) In November 2011, my DH surprised me with an add on...it was my birthday/Christmas gift. We had been talking about adding on for a couple of months, but on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, he got our kids and I in the car and drove to the Doorway to Dreams store in Schaumburg IL where we did the tour and then out of nowhere he started asking prices for the different resorts. Before I could comprehend what he was doing, we were signing another 100 pt contract for SSR. The best birthday/Christmas gift ever .

3) January 2012 staying in our first ever 1 Bedroom Villa at our new home resort of SSR. We had never stayed at this resort before but have walked around it and have seen it from DTD and had always thought how nice of a resort it is there. We stayed in Congress park and had an awesome view of DTD Westside, our villa was also on the top floor of the building which added to the view. We fell in love with the resort the moment we walked into our villa and cannot wait for our next stay in 2014. Our most favorite part of the resort was walking to DTD to do a little shopping and having dinner at Earl of Sandwich a couple nights during our stay .

 

[LSchrow]

LSchrow - Hugs to you and your family on your recent loss.

lilpooh108 - Thank you for your hugs earlier in the thread.

While my key DVC memories are tied to sad events, I'm thrilled for the storehouse of great travel memories built with my folks and family. Even as adults, we kids considered our parents our favorite travel partners. We have lots of happy memories, too!

to you too.
i agree: some of the most memorable, happy moments are because of DVC - without it, we would have not been able to do the vacations we have, and built the memories we treasure.
for all the things we take for granted, i know from the way we still get goosebumps every time we see the B O A R D W A L K arch, hear that oldtime music, smell the BW scent, bask in the glory of its lobby, owning DVC is something we will always cherish for all the wonderful memories it has given us
(not to exclude the other resorts: we looooove the uniqueness of each, it's just that BWV really is "home" for us, despite owning additional resorts).

geez, how come may is sooooo far away??!!

 

[Greysword]

These may be updated at a later date, but so far...

2) Gathering of friends in July 2009. Returned from Afghanistan two weeks earlier, and the Welcome Home trip was to spend a week with the Parker clan (5) in a two-bedroom villa at OKW. It was awesome seeing our friends (who live in the Northeast), have sit down meals with all of us (8 total) at the big round table each evening, and enjoy the parks. Another childhood friend and his DW (to be at that time) who live in FL came for the evening to visit, so we had 10 at the table on the first night . Oh, and it was this trip we bought BLT & VGC, too.

As a side note, it was fun making ADRs from Kandahar via phone in the middle of the night. Buddies in theater thought I was nuts


1) Second stay as owners (and third as family to WDW) in 2005. The air was crisp on a cloudless morning with hardly anyone in the park. DD (10 mo) recently learned to walk, and was waddling in Fantasyland just past Peter Pan near Winne the Pooh, stopping to investigate every leaf and manhole cover in her path. DW and I looked at each other and shrugged, as DD refuted any attempt to distract her from the task at hand. I could only laugh and think, "we come all this way and spend the money to play with the leaves." It is then that I felt the real value of DVC, as the next thought was, "take your time, since we have 48 years to see the rest of the park." DW & I joined her in adoring the intricacies of the Fantasyland manhole covers .

 

[Pakey]

Long time DVC members; have owned at BCV since the beginning.

3. Sep 2012: Our stay in a 2 bedroom ocean view at Aulani. I've been to Hawaii several times and Oahu is my least favorite island and I am very partial to the Ritz Carlton on Maui but Aulani exceeded my expectations. I rented a cabana for every day (we've done the Oahu sites on prior visits) and thoroughly enjoyed the resort.

2. Oct 2011: After tons of family trips this was my first girlfriends vacation. We stayed at BCV and enjoyed F&W. I had a blast.

1. Jan 2009: It was a double whammy vacation. I had 5 studios at BCV for the family a) Taking our grandson on his first trip to WDW and b) our youngest son proposed to his fiancee at Citricos on the 2nd night of our stay so the rest of the vacation became an engagement celebration.

 

[bwvBound]

These may be updated at a later date, but so far...

Great stories and THANK YOU for your service!

I'm slightly surprised by your #2 post with a recent return from Afghanistan. It took my brother months to be comfortable in populated spaces after his return from Iraq. WDW would have pushed him over the edge. Our first outings together after his return were far from relaxed or "good times with friends." Very glad for your return!

 

[AirGoofy]

Great thread idea.

(3) 2009 - First time staying in a 1 BR at SSR. Those villas are just so big - so much space, privacy, and king bed. Never would have stayed there without DVC.

(2) 2011 - The views of MK from BLT. MK is my favorite park and Cinderella's castle represents WDW. Being able to see the castle in the morning, Wishes from TOTWL and Terrace, etc are just amazing. Never would have stayed there without DVC.

(1) 2009 - On a split stay at VBR/OKW, we had been at the Ocean for 3 days and then checked in at OKW. We went to the MNSSHP on Tuesday night. As we were walking from the MK bus stop to the entrance, youngest dd excitedly asks, "we're at Disney World?!". It truly was magical having such different experiences during the same vacation.

 

[cman]

First let me say that none of these trips could have happened without DVC. Just the cost alone would have been prohibitive.

We have been members since 1998 and have taken 6 trips - all of them have been multi-generational trips. My kids, us and their grand parents on both sides.

My dad has MS and has been on 5 of those trips and if it weren't for how accommodating Disney's is for people with challenges in their life we would have never bought DVC. It's been a blessing since 12 years after buying DVC, in 2010, I too was diagnosed with MS and feel like I'll always have a place to vacation that truly feels like home.

1. - Our first trip in 2001 was 3 weeks after 9/11. 14 people - many of who were very afraid of flying at the time and being in a crowded place like WDW. We got a few 2-bedroom units at OKW and shared ours with my parents. When we walked in my mom's mouth dropped to the floor. My folks were blue collared workers who could never afford much more then a Motel 6. We gave them the master suite. My parents walk in to the bedroom and a few minutes both came out in tears. I thought something was and then it struck me - they were in a place they could have never afforded to stay at on their own. As their son it was the best feeling in the world. Giving something back to them for all they've done for me.

2. Christmas 2007 - we took 17 family members to our home resort of BWV. It needed to be spectacular since we were bringing 17 people from their homes in New England at Christmas time - many of whom had never traveled at Christmas. At the end of the trip there wasn't a person who didn't tell us that it was one of their best Christmas memories of all time.

3. In 2011 eight of us spent 2 weeks in a Grand Villa at BWV. Everyone should have the chance to experience a Grand Villa. We still can't believe how big it was. We had the 3rd floor single level villa in the yellow building below the Boardwalk sing. The balcony was over 100' long!! More so than ever before we spent a lot of time just hanging out and enjoying time at BWV.

 

[BEASLYBOO]

What a fantastic thread!

 

[drusba]

1. The top one just never gets forgotten because it was so embarrassing. DD no. 2 was not quite 4 but already in gymnastics and could easily do cartwheels. However, she was sometimes forgetful. Just before the MK parade she went to the restroom ("Big enough to go by myself!"). She had on a Minnie dress with Minnie underwear. Afterwards we staked out a spot on the curb on Main Street. While waiting for the parade to start, we were talking to some others around us and the fact that she was in gymnastics came up and she heard the conversation. She decided to get up and do some cartwheels right in the street with a huge crowd watching her. That is when we learned she had forgotten her underwear in the restroom.

2. DD No. 3 has Down Syndrome and when younger was quite emotional if she expected something to happen and then suddenly it did not. When she was 7, we were at BWV and Easter morning it had the Bunny and Mrs. Bunny in the lobby for meet and greet. We went down to do that but just as we got there, they were starting to move away to take a break and were walking away from us and she just broke down and started to cry. They heard, came back and spent almost five minutes with her, a magical moment.

3. DD. No. 1 only got to DVC with us a few times after purchase many years ago because she was older when we purchased and then after college did not make the trips. She is married now and has kids and about 5 years ago, I got the call: she had just purchased a resale at Old Key West and thus we could coordinate some trips.

 

[jupers]

Great thread....

1. Surprising my mom for Mother's Day after dad passed with a trip to f & w at BWV. Best 4 day weekend and I will never forget her reaction when she opened the plane tickets.

2. Telling my BFF with this crazy rare cancer that after her chemo is done we want to give her some points and just pick a resort and let us know and we will book it...btw her upcoming trip is in April.

3. After a few cocktails convincing DH we should do a road trip this summer and just booking okw for our upcoming trip. It's our first family trip just the 4 of us and we are doing 3 days at Hershey then driving to wdw!

 

[mdsd8700]

Definitely a great thread. Enjoying so much reading along.

 

[DachshundFamily]

Definitely a great thread. Enjoying so much reading along.

I am a 33 year old roofing contractor.... And I've teared up several times reading this thread.

We bought a BLT contract in 2009. Being from SC, we were already making the trip to Orlando about one time per year. Although the cost is overwhelming at first, I think that our membership is the best thing I've ever purchased.

1). Our first trip we took was a weekend trip to the HHI property. At the time, my wife drove a 99 Dodge Stratus. It blew a tire on I-95 about 30 miles out from the resort. We were joking for the rest of the drive there how awkward our Stratus on a donut was going to look next to the BMW's and other nice cars. It turned out that the resort was filled with tons of other cars much like our own. Some very nice...some not so nice. That weekend the whole concept of "home" really hit for us.

2). We booked two 2BR at SSR and brought the whole family including my DW's parents from Delaware in 2010. My father passed in 2007 and the entire time all I could think about was how proud he would have been to have everyone together on a great vacation.

3). Last fall we took some great friends and their 3 year old son to DW for 5 days. The 3 year old was the ring bearer in our wedding (April 2012) and his father acted as our wedding coordinator. The trip was a gift for all of the hard work and help they gave us. We stayed in a 2BR Savannah View at AKL. My DW and I do not have children, so this was our first experience at Disney with a younger child. It was a real joy to see how excited he was, and since he had to come back to the lodge each day for a nap, the entire trip was very relaxed. We had never swam in a pool at the resorts one time in our 8 trips, and we probably hit the pool 4 times that week alone. It was eye opening to see how much fun the properties can be without even going to the parks.

We also did 6 days in Vero as a honeymoon last year. It was great fun and should be in my top 3, but I'm typing on an IPad and its too much work to fix it.

 

[intertile]

This is a great thread...Made me remember why I bought into DVC in the first place...Memories!!

3) 2006, DW and I had just bought our first contract, during a business trip to Orlando, at SSR. I took her to Epcot center that afternoon(her first trip ever to Disney). We rode Test Track and Soarin(I believe it was first year they came out), ate in Germany and got a great Seat for the Laser Light Fireworks show along the Lake. I only wish I could have taken a picture of her face during that show(similar to closing sequence of Oceans Eleven movie in front of Bellagio)

2) Thanksgiving weekend 2011. Myself, DW, and DD(then 4) on main street during a Very Mickey Christmas Party.

1) December 2012. Used Points to pay for myself and DW, paid cash for DD to go on DCL Fantasy New Years Cruise. The most amazing experience being on Deck 11 on New Years Eve, and the fireworks coming at midnight. A cruise we never would have been able to afford without DVC.

 

[MtMinnie2]

I decided I just had to add to this thread!! There are so many wonderful memories already I can't list them all. After all that's what it is all about-the memories are priceless.

1. Watching my Mom 84 race her grand-daughters to the bus at OKW and tell them to get a leg on they were at WDW!

2. Watching Wishes with the entire family always gives me a lump in my throat.

3. Having my great grand nephew 3 tell me it wasn't a train we were riding. It was the mon-o-rail!!

4. Having my brother tell me it was the last time he was coming with. Only to have him say after seeing the villa. Can you promise, we can have the same villa the next time we come?

 

[gladdiola]

This is a wonderful thread, lots of laughs and tears.

3. Realizing weeks after a trip that my girls (4 and 6) each believed that Ellen was directly complementing their hair in the pre-movie at Universe of Energy. And tied with this-- there was an advertisement on TV for kids Star Wars shoes, telling them they could be Jedi too. Heard my girls tell DH that they didn't need those shoes because they were already Jedi (thanks Jedi Training Academy!)

2. Taking my mom to WDW and staying in a BW view room, she couldn't get over the beautiful view. When my parents took the family over 25 years ago they didn't have a lot of money, didn't research at all. We stayed at a Howard Johnson's, my parents didn't anticipate the ticket costs so what was supposed to be a week long vacation in Florida was shortened to 1 day at WDW, 1 day at Sea World and 2 days in a car. I was happy to fly her and the kids down and spoil her a little bit.

1. After much research and combing the DISAbilities board, learning on our first trip last year that my autistic son, now 7, did not need a GAC. He was great waiting in lines, pleasant at meals and he stayed close to the family in the busiest of crowds. WDW is his happy place, he loves his patio at OKW

 

[nolanboys]

1) our first DVC trip was just DH and I. We did the F&W 1/2 marathon. It was the first race I have ever done. We had such a great time and felt such a sense of accomplishment. So glad that we stayed after to relax and enjoy.

2) Our first trip with the family was a split stay at THV and BCV. The kids were blown away by the THV and we didn't have to worry about them making too much noise.BCV brought complete relaxation. No more park commando. A the kids played at SAB happily in the sand, and DH and I enjoyed reading and a cocktail. Complete relaxation.

3) On our last trip, we stayed 9 nights for my 40th. Our longest trip and none of us were ready to leave. The highlight was MVMCP and dinner at California Grille. My oldest boys, twins, are foodies. Watching them take everything is was wonderful - including the cheese plate. The 4th one was the "stinky" cheese. Quite frankly it tasted like a sweaty foot (what I would imagine it would taste like). I was so happy to see that they were willing to even try the 5th option after that. And they thoroughly enjoyed it! They also got to try sushi for the first time and loved it. What a great night!

 

[DisneyRegulars]

Love this thread too!

1. My top DVC memory occurred 5 years before even buying DVC. We went to the sales pitch and we were supposed to receive 3 fast passes each for our time. We were given 3 cards each. But come to find out, each card contained 3 fast passes, and they were good at every park for every day. So we had 9 instant fast passes each per park per day. It was so awesome, we thought we had died and gone to our own Disney heaven. Unfortunately, we only had a day and a half left on our trip. The next trip we wisely scheduled the DVC presentation for the very first day hoping to score the super fast pass extravaganza again, but they had realized their mistake and we were only given our 3 standard fast passes which only worked at one park on a single day. Sigh...

2. This has got to go to our first DVC trip at OKW. We had actually bought the airfare before even closing on our resale contract so it was a nervous ROFR process for us. The 1 bedroom was humungous, but what I will remember most of all of this trip was the ridiculous dance we did every night as we picked up my son's pack and play and walked blindly in the dark to move it from the bedroom to the living room each night while trying desperately not to wake him up.

3. Our first year of DVC (just ended) we had bought a loaded resale, and we just had to use all the points that year. We went 4 times that year, 2 weeks in a 1 bedroom, 1 week in a 2 bedroom with my mil, and a long weekend at BWV in a studio to celebrate our 10 year anniversary. I loved having that time alone with my hubby in our favorite place. It would have been difficult to justify the cost without DVC.

 

[ty_n_cy]

This thread has been amazing to read! We bought into DVC in January of 2010 and have been on several DVC trips since then. Our top 3 memories (or at least mine) are below:

3. Last May, we took a trip and stayed at OKW. Our home resort is AKV, and although we love it, we wanted to try out somewhere else... and OKW was available when we booked, so... we jumped at the opportunity. We decided that we wanted to do some 'different' things on this trip since our previous trips had all been about parks. We went over to the Boardwalk one night and enjoyed a dinner at ESPN Club.

We were seated by the window overlooking the Boardwalk where when people would walk by, they would stop and play a game of Cornhole (where they toss the beanbags at the slanted board). Our son and daughters couldn't wait to finish eating so they could play. So as soon as we finished... we went outside and spent a good 45+ minutes just tossing beanbags while watching the sun set. It was a perfect evening where we didn't care about what was going on around us... we had nowhere to be... nothing else to do... and we were happy. Being DVC members allowed us to just relax and not worry about getting to the parks since we knew we'd be back many, many more times.

2. Last October, we decided to take a trip to celebrate our daughters 7th birthday. We'd never been to Food & Wine or MNSSHP and decided to give it a try. We got to experience some great times... again, because of DVC.

Unfortunately, we cut our trip short to race home before Hurricane Sandy hit. After the storm, we knew we were going to be out of power for a fairly long period of time. We called up our DVC guide and added on a 120 point Vero Beach contract... and immediately booked a return trip for the next few days. Again, OKW was available, so we booked there and spent another 4 days just soaking up the sun while watching the kids enjoy the pool and slides.

It saved us from sitting in an unheated, powerless home for a few days. It ultimately added to our love of DVC and all things Disney.

1. My favorite memory is of our first DVC trip. We'd spent 10 nights at AKV and had the most amazing time. On our final day, we were at MK just trying to enjoy the sights and sounds for one last time. We'd stopped over by the Swiss Family Treehouse to enjoy our first Dole Whip when I jokingly (okay... half-jokingly) told my daughters to chant 'one more day' to my wife.

After awhile... it worked. She agreed that if we could stay in our room... we'd be able to stay for one more day. I called up DVC Member Services and we were able to book another night in the same room category at AKV.

I'll always remember the first trip... but I'll remember even more that having the ability to borrow the extra 12 points from the next year meant no added cost for us to enjoy an extra day on our trip.

There are so many times I look at our investment and just smile because of what it allows us to enjoy.

Thanks for letting me relive these memories!

CY