West Coast DVC family takes on 7 states, 2 countries, 1 world and more points!

[Brancaneve]

Hi DVC friends! We are a family of four from California that feels blessed to have had some wonderful vacations due to our DVC membership. Our kids talk often about their experiences on our Florida vacation and the adults(mom and dad) see those moments as a beacon when life gets a little stressful.

I am a teacher and mom of two kids. DD is 8 and DS is 6 and they are a lot of fun! We keep reminding our kids how lucky they are to have all these experiences. Our parents, as wonderful as they are, could not have provided us with these types of vacations. My wonderful partner in crime is my DH, who loves our vacations just as much as I do!

Being that we live in Northern California, we travel to Florida about every other year. So when we go, we go BIG.

Here is a quick synopsis of our trip: We flew to Ft. Lauderdale direct because it cost significantly less than flying to Orlanda. We rented a car(which we needed to do anyway) and drove to Orlando where we stayed in 1 bedroom villa at Animal Kindgom Lodge-Kidani Village. After 5 days in WDW, we went on the Dream for a 4 night cruise. Then, back to DVC at the Beach Club Villas for one night so I could wash clothes and regroup. The next day, we rented a van and drove cross country back to California!

Ok, I think we jumped in with both feet on this trip. I will be back soon to talk about our first leg of the Amazing Race!

 

[burnsoc]

Looking forward to hearing about your adventure! That's quite a trip.

 

[nunzia]

sounds like a great trip! Looking forward to it

 

[jakenjess]

Wow, that sounds fantastic! I'm in!

 

[Muushka]

Looks like a promising trip report!

 

[supersuperwendy]

Sounds like an awesome adventure you had!!!

 

[ACDSNY]

Can't wait to hear how the rest of your trip went!

 

[Brancaneve]

On the first leg of the race we spent 5 nights at Kidani Village in a 1 bedroom villa with a pool view(by request). This is our 3rd trip to WDW but only our first in a 1 bedroom as we have usually stayed in a studio on our prior trips. Wow! What a difference! The villa was so relaxing and comfortable that it enhanced our time here at the parks tremendously. So much so, that I could have easily skipped a park day just to hang out in the villa.

I was born in a former Portuguese African colony and my family left due to a civil war that left us feeling very unwelcome in our own country. So, Animal Kingdom Lodge makes me feel like I am truly coming home. It is such a special place for me because I don't know if I will ever make it back to where I was born.

Pool view

On our first night we had dinner at Sanaa which I absolutely loved. Make sure you order the bread and dipping sauces! The Tandoori chicken was delicious and the South African wines are fun to try. After dinner we headed outside and although it was hot and humid, I had to spend some time sitting around the fire pit. Here is a view of the hotel from a rocking chair.

I'll be back with more about the Disney Cruise.

 

[arthur06]

The next day, we rented a van and drove cross country back to California!

That's a long way!

We did a 4 night DCL cruise last year and it was wonderful. Can't wait to hear all the details...especially the "more points" part!

 

[Brancaneve]

Hello DVC friends! After 5 nights at Kidani Village, and some memorable visits to all the parks, we simply could not believe that we were topping it off with a Disney cruise. I was having such a good time in WDW that I could have come back to California, completely satisfied with the vacation I had just had.

As west coast residents, I can highly recommend sleeping in, using the pool and then heading to the parks around 5:00 for dinner and attractions at the parks that close late in the evening. For some reason, it took awhile to adjust to the time change.

WDW highlights include my daughter being chosen as "Artist of the Day" at the gallery in Epcot, the Coke store with the international selection of carbonated beverages(don't ask me why) and my kids' sudden bravery in riding attractions. No longer did we have to split up because one of them was to scared to ride an attraction! As they get older, it's a whole new experience. Of course I must mention the awesome experience of riding the new Star Tours attraction. Just hearing and seeing everyone scream and shout in delight was priceless.

A lowlight was the expensive tab at the German Biergarten! The food isn't really up my alley but I loved the music, the comraderie, the beer and the festive atmosphere. I just didn't love the $148 tab! It made me terribly miss my little kitchen in Kidani Village.

Another low was the impossibility of riding TSM! Fast passes gone, and 90 minute waits confirmed that DLR California Adventure isn't the only place where this travesty happens. Do any of these "lows" deplete the excellence of my vacation? No, not at all! I just know that next time I will rethink ADR's and play TSM on the Wii.

After hugging the villa a few times, we got in the rental car and drove over to Cape Canaveral where we dropped off the car and then shuttled over to the ship. The Dream is exquisite and it will be love at first sight for just about anyone.

We booked the 4 night cruise on points for my husband and myself, and paid cash for the kids which amounted to about $900 including the $95 booking fee. When we booked the cruise, there was little availability and we were left with only a veranda, category 6a to choose from. Poor me. My DH grumbled at the extra points, but secretly I cheered inside.

As soon as we entered our room, our kids were playing pirates in the bathtub(yes, it's that roomy). Meanwhile, mom and dad admired the aft veranda on deck 7. Before I bore you with more details, let me show you a few pictures.

Imagine this and a cup of coffee....and a Kindle.

The towel, Sleepy chocolates and tons of DVC gifts were a nightly occurence. We received anything from lanyards in a wood box, prints worthy of being framed and lots of other goodies that sent some sort of subliminal messages, begging us to "buy more points, buy more points!"

Which we did! But I will come back to tell you a little more about that.

 

[rentayenta]

Great report. Can't wait to hear about the cruise and your new home!

 

[ACDSNY]

More! More! Inquiring minds want to know!

 

[franandaj]

I'm looking forward to the rest, especially how you get back to CA and what that is like. We hope to do some cross country drives ourselves. Love to get some first hand experience knowledge!

 

[Brancaneve]

After lunch at Cabanas and a quick tour of our room, we headed over to Evolution in the District to be welcomed by DVC. We were each given a really nice, white baseball cap with a red silhouette of Mickey and DVC written on the brim. Nikki, a guide I have seen on the webcasts, hosted the fun event while cruise employees passed out champagne and sparkling cider.

With each free gift, the beverages, and Joe Rhode giving his passionate description of Aulani, I felt my grip on my Disney Visa getting looser. The guides were still trying to sell BLT, AKL and of course, Aulani, but spent most of the time discussing the deals on BLT. We were all told(between the fun team games that tested our DVC geekness) that the price on BLT would go up considerably after we got off the cruise ship......"so act now" was the underlying message. After not winning the $300 shipboard credit, the grip tightened on my Visa card and we took off for dinner at Enchanted Garden.


Dinner was a little uneventful and Enchanted Garden proved to not be my favorite restaurant on the circuit. I loved the details and feel of the restaurant and we got to sit in the high backed booths versus a table. The evening was a blast, although I had to hear my kids begging to go to Oceaneer's Lab and Club(sarcasm). I relented and DH and I took off to watch the show, The Golden Mickey's, and then to check out the scene at the District.

My absolute favorite bar is the Skyline Lounge. The background behind the bar shows a different skyline every 15 minutes and the drink menu reflects the personality of the city. I spent most of my time drinking in Rio, until I was convinced by the bartenders to try New York. The bar is cozy and the drinks are delicious! My DH is a beer drinker and like in a prior cruise on the Wonder, he purchased a reusable glass beer mug, and was able to get a discount on future beer purchases. Since the bartender had not heard of this, he charged him only $4.75 for the mug and beer. Keep in mind, they only have these mugs at the 687 sports bar.

By this time when reading a trip report, I am always curious as to what the OP looks like. Do they have permanent Mickey Mouse ears? Do they always look dreamy as they imagine future vacations, or do they look like this: ? Well, you are probably wondering the same thing. This is me drinking a martini that changes color every few seconds. I am hoping I do not look like any of the above choices.

After the hilarious, Match Your Mate game show, we took off to pick up the kids as it was getting rather late. They weren't too keen on leaving but chasing them down gave me an opportunity to tour the club. One word: AMAZING! I wouldn't want to leave either if I was 6 or 8 or 36.

The next day was Nassau.

After a little bit of research prior to boarding, we decided to spend the day at the Sheraton in Nassau. We walked into town and took the 10a city bus($1.25 per person). The driver asked if we were going to cable beach and I said we were going to the hotel. As we sat down he said something but I honestly could not understand him over the radio and noisy bus. I didn't even think he was talking to us. In retrospect, we was talking to us and he probably said, "This bus ride will take you through the non tourist areas of Nassau and it will take 30 minutes to get there! It will be a bumpy ride and I hope you have taken your dramamine this morning."

We were dropped off right out front and crossed the street and went into the lobby. We paid $25 per adult and $12.50 per child to have use of their towels, chairs, pools, bathrooms, etc. I thought this was a great deal in comparison to the Atlantis Resort excursion. We found ourselves in a very empty resort, with maybe 4 people on the beach and a few families hanging around the many pools. My kids loved the waterfall pool area where the water wasn't too deep and the could walk from one waterfall to another. The beach area had a lot of chairs but not a lot of umbrellas, which was the same for the pool area as well. After being surrounded by so much beauty on the Dream and Kidani Village, the Sheraton looked a little shabby. But it served its purpose which was to provide us with a beach, bathrooms and some peace and quiet. When the kids said they were hungry we headed back. I had read a trip report in which someone ordered a hamburger at the Sheraton pool restaurant and paid over $20 for it. I was not going to do that considering that I could find delicious food back on the ship for FREE. On the way back we took the 10 bus(not 10a) and that seemed to take us on a more direct route to the downtown Nassau area. Starving, we walked straight over to Luigi's and Flo's and ate the best Mozzarella and tomato sandwiches! I highly recommend all the sandwiches and wraps they have to eat, as they all hit the spot, especially after long bus rides and missing the mouse.

Then, off to get ready for dinner as it was "optional dress up night."

 

[ACDSNY]

Your DIS name fits...Snow White! Love the pics.

 

[Brancaneve]

Your DIS name fits...Snow White! Love the pics.

Thank you! I'm sure when I go back to work I will look more like this:

 

[supersuperwendy]

Loving your TR!! I can't wait to read more!!

 

[Brancaneve]

The great thing about the DCL is that they never use the "f" word. By that, I mean the word, "formal" when it comes to dining attire. The Nassau night is deemed "optional dress up." On this ship, you will not see floor length gowns or tuxedos, but rather, how each individual defines "dressing up." "Love it" is all I have to say on that one.

After another fun night, a great comedy show for adults only, a drink at the Skyline and more DVC gifts sending subliminal messages, we went to sleep in anticipation for a day that sets other cruise lines apart from Disney: Castaway Cay day.

Not only were we at Castaway Cay but it was pirate night and my birthday! What more could a girl ask for? I don't want to bore you with details, but once again the kids asked if they could go to the club on the beach as soon as we arrived. Of course, we tried talking them out of it(really, we did) but we figured that the overindulging shouldn't stop here. We reluctantly dragged ourselves to Serenity Bay, where may I add, Disney didn't have to get too creative on naming this part of the island.

The highlights were of course, Serenity Bay, seeing the kids have a blast in that amazing water, and the pineapple upside down cake from Cookies. I swore off calorie counting on my birthday and helped myself to more cake. During my second helping, I noticed that the island didn't seem more crowded in comparison to my trips on the Wonder or Magic. Maybe a little tiny more, but not enough to ruin such a splendid day.

There were really no low points to the day. Just be warned that Cookies closes earlier than you might think(2:00) and that hiding in the bathroom so we can live on the island doesn't work. The only dilemma was our all day debate on whether to buy or not to buy more points.

Animator's Palate was great, but the service took much longer than on prior nights. I don't know why it seemed so hectic that night, but the servers were running around frantically. So much so , that one of them knocked over a champagne bucket and ice went flying into my poor DH's lap, face and back. Am I complaining?? No. But although I tried to talk our server out of singing happy birthday to me, and he wouldn't listen, they were very sweet in how they made the evening special. Our head server, Simone, tricked me into cutting my cake with my finger.

Then off to roam the ship as we tried to solve a few crimes. I highly suggest the detective game because it took me into areas of the ship I would not have otherwise gone. More staircases, meant more calories burned and more art to be viewed. The art is amazing all over the ship!

Of course, we stopped at the DVC desk for a Steamboat Willie pin. We were able to have a quick meeting with Kathy about purchasing additional points but the incentives were pretty much non existent unless we were purchasing 160 points(shipboard credit/fastpasses). We were looking for something to push us over the edge. Since that seemed impossible, we walked away still wondering what to do. But Steamboat Willie was whistling his tune all night in our ears.

We were too tired to be in a crowd of pirates, so we skipped the show on deck and went back to the room where I ordered decaf coffee(I'm pretty wild) and watched the fireworks from our balcony. That was a great way to end a fabulous day!

 

[supersuperwendy]

great update! I love that pic of serenity bay!!!

 

[Brancaneve]

The "at sea" day went by in a blur, although we spent the day doing my favorite thing: a little bit of nothing! With the kids at the club, we went to the Quiet Cove pool, packed and attended the "It's your last chance to buy a membership meeting". After the meeting, a few people approached us to ask the question that every newbie asks: Do you regret your purchase? While my husband was chatting with someone, I quickly filled out a referral card and casually handed it to the nice gentleman. I probably could have passed out more cards, but the whole thing made me feel a little creepy. A referral meant $200 shipboard credit and that would take care of the guilt I was feeling about my expensive facial at the spa!

We took a 9:30 p.m. appointment with Kathy, our guide on the ship. Although, most should be packing at that time, the ship is incredibly busy with all the last minute purchases in Shutters and at the gift shops. That was probably the first time that I felt that possibly 4,000 people are really on this ship! My advice is to take care of all of that a little bit each day so that you are not running around instead of packing and giving Mickey one last hug goodbye.

Kathy looked exhausted as she had a very busy day making lots of money. Being her last clients, we quickly gave her all the info which she typed into an electronic form. We purchased 110 points at Aulani. We decided on 110 because it was enough to get 6 nights in a no nonsense studio at the 11 month mark. At 7 months, we could bump it up to a villa if there were any available. We were given our Mickey wall clock as a parting gift and that was it. No form, nothing to sign, nothing! She said she would delay sending the packet of forms to fill out since we weren't going home right away. She also said that she would charge the deposit onto our AMEX card immediately and then charge the balance onto our Disney Visa soon after.

Well, it has been two weeks and we have not had any charges onto our cards and no "Welcome home! You are now poor packet". I called on Saturday to inquire and a cast member said that their records show that we had a meeting to inquire the purchase of more points but there was no indication that we actually bought anything. They forgot about us.

So now, there are two roads to choose from. We can either back out of this(the perfect opportunity) and be able to go to Starbucks everyday OR we can continue with the add on. Well, we chose to drink Folgers at home and just go for it! I felt a little twinge of sadness thinking that we wouldn't have that little piece of paradise, which I always joke is equal to a bucket of sand on this 1 billion dollar property. Also, the price per point may go up and the short term sacrifice will pay off throughout the years. All in all, it feels right.

Here's a picture to wake up your senses in case I am boring you:

Remember the referral cards? On our first night on the ship we went to the Match Your Mate game show which is always a riot. One of the couples who participated in the game was also at the "Last chance" meeting. Of course, you always recognize these contestants on the ship since all of their intimate secrets have been shared. After we bought our points we went to Deck 11 to get a bite to eat and there was that couple standing right next to us. We asked them if they bought into DVC and they said they did. We should have given them a cheesy referral card! And they insisted that they would have been more than happy to "hook us up".

The next day we walked off the ship a little sad. The rest of the day was pretty darn awful as we picked up and dropped off rental cars all day(long story). We were also crazy enough to go to Hollywood Studios for a few hours which drained us of every bit of energy we had left. Then, we shopped for snacks and drinks at a grocery store that I can't remember the name of but was priced like it belonged in a movie theater at the airport. I think it has a G in the name....someone help me out? We actually filled up the cart, became appalled and then took everything out and drove to the Super Target. On top of that, we didn't even have enough time to fully enjoy Beach Club Villas. And after a lot of princess moments, I became the evil witch that day. So all in all, it was the worst day of our fabulous vacation. The only high points was when I ate at my absolute favorite restaurant, Wolfgang Puck Express. The simplicity and freshness of the food turned my mood around.

But hey, we had to look forward to 4 days of being in the car. Make sure to add or delete the sarcasm depending on how your look at that. I'll be back with our first stop, New Orleans!