What do you do when you go to WDW multiple times a year for multiple years?

[Figment2]

I went back to work for a bank only because as an Officer I get 22 days vacation. Working elsewhere crimped my vacations.

My friends and I go for different events. We all collect pins so we went in February for the Princess Ball, then April for the Animal Kingdom event. Friends are going in August for Disneyana, then joining me in Sept. for the Main pin event at Epcot, then in Oct. for the Happy Haunts Ball, the Food & Wine festival and MNSSHP. Christmas we like to go down to see the Osborne family lights, the Candlelight processional and MVMCP. When we went in April the Flower & Garden show was on so we also visited that.

We still like to make a point of going on our favorite attractions and visiting our favorite restaurants and there is still not enough time to do everything we want to do but with DVC we know we'll be back.

We've gotten some great airfare from Chicago ($135 RT in Sept. and $172 RT in Oct). We have annual passes so all we are paying when we get down there is (sometimes) a car (but not always) and food. Once you go a lot, you tend to not buy a lot of souvenirs (although we do spend a fortune on pins).

I am so sorry I didn't buy DVC sooner.

Cyn

 

[mikesplash]

There is only the two of us most of the time 53 and 44. We both work so she sleeps late and I take a nice peaceful walk in the morning. We go to one park in the late morning and go slow we know that we don't have to do it all. The parks are much more fun if you don't have to do everything in a day or two. You can really enjoy the shows and people watching.

Will go to the water parks some afternoon or to the pool.

At night most of the time we go to EPCOT with PS for supper. The little shows are great. England has a group the plays Beatle music, China has the acrobats, France the living statute.

I like to go to Norway and get a "little treat " before supper. Just having my treat and watching the sun go down across the lake or watching the kids on the viking ship is a nice way to relax.

Watching the kids faces at ToD parade when a puppet interacts with them is one of the best parts of EPCOT.

Later go to PI and the Adventures club for some adult fun and watch the bands on stage.

When you know that as DVC menbers that you will be back, so some how things go much easier and is much more fun.

 

[Simba's Mom]

I agree definitely-as DVC members, you know you're going back, so things are easier and it's much more fun. I don't know how I would have reacted to all the rain a few weeks ago, if it was my only trip for a long time. However, I'm going back in November, and here are 2 things I can't wait to do-1. Go out to Tom Sawyer Island, buy some duck food, sit in a rocking chair and feed the ducks, 2. Buy an ice cream cone on Main Street, sit in a rocking chair, and watch the world go by. Can you tell I love those rocking chairs at the MK?

 

[mickey7861]

WDW is our main vacation spot. Other than long weekends in Waterville Valley, NH our vacation time (and $$) is spent in WDW. DH has 6 (flexible) weeks plus personal time and comp time each year. I teach so I'm off all summer and school breaks. Since the kids entered high school we've been taking our major vacation in the summer. We stay 2-3 weeks at a time and we drive down so there's no airfare or rental cost. We have AP's so we only have to buy passes every other year. Technically we were in WDW 3 times last year but they were all on the same AP, 3 weeks in August 2000, 1 week in April 2001 and 2 weeks in July 2001. We'll start our cycle again this August. We love to rent pontoon boats, sit on our deck at OKW and watch the golfers, sit in a rocker on the BW verandah and people watch. We don't have to dig too hard to find things to do, there's so much in WDW.

 

[JimB.]

What do we do?

Since we KNOW we'll be going back, we RELAX!!!

If there's a long wait for a ride, no big deal, we'll do it NEXT time!!

& THAT"S an excuse to come back, too!!

 

[disneydawn6]

Originally posted by DVC1996
We love the national parks and the last four years we have visited many of the western national parks and stayed in the park lodges.

Gosh I've been doing the same thing for the last three years. I bought a book about the Great Lodges of the West at WL Mercentile four years ago and just loved the look of all those lodges.. So each September we have been flying to a location and spending at least one night at each of them. Did Yellowstone Old Faithfull Inn first It was so much like WL. Then Grand Tetons and Mount Rushmore, . Last year was Glacier National park,, Stayed at Glacier National Lodge, Old McDonald Lodge, Many Glaciers and Prince of wales in Waterton. The authur has written 2 other books, Great Lodges of the Canadian Rockies and Great Lodges of the national parks. So of course we had to stay at the Fairmont in Banff and Lake Louise and saw Jasper.. after we saw Glacier. This Sept we go to Victoria to Fairmont Empress, then Paradise Lodge at Mt Rainier, Timberline Lodge at Mt Hood, Crater Lake Lodge and Oregon Caves Lodge. Next Sept I already have ressie for Bryce, Zion, North rim, El trovar south rim and Vegas... I leave 200 miles from Yosemite and have been to the Awhannee yearly, So I will have been to all of them next year

 

[DVC1996]

Originally posted by disneydawn6
I leave 200 miles from Yosemite and have been to the Awhannee yearly, So I will have been to all of them next year

Disneydawn.......I am so jealous You have been to so many and I have been to so few We were just discussing yesterday that we need to go to Yosemite. Btw.....don't forget to watch the PBS series on the park lodges. I think the dates and times may vary by location so check your local listings. Glad you posted

 

[disneydawn6]

Yosemite is my favorite national park.. Of course it must be cause I've been camping there for a week every year since I was 2.. But when we stayed at the beautiful WL and saw that wonderful book I knew we had to go visit some more parks.
My DH says I usually only go to DL and WDW but this is a little Disney related since I bought the book at WDW
If you have not been to Grand Californian make sure you go one day, It reminds me of sitting in the lobby of the Ahwahnee hotel.. Very Elegant!! The WL was just like Old Faithful Inn. It's beautiful but alittle more rustic..
I'll make sure I watch the show..

 

[Disney Doll]

Actually, one of the benefits of owning at the DVC is it takes away that feeling of urgency that you have to see it all and do it allon every trip. You know you'll be going back, so you have the time to mosey around, do different things(ie-rent a boat, play golf, play mini golf, resort hop to check out all the resorts), and just take your time relaxing and enjoying the "ambience" of WDW.

 

[disneychic]

We joined DVC while on our honeymoon in 2000. We tend to go to WDW quite a bit. We've already been 3 times this year, with another trip planned for September. We just love WDW so much, that we look forward to every trip more than the last. I agree with other's on who've replied that, when you go to wDW as a DVC member, it just lets you go at a more leisurely pace. You don't have to run around like a chicken without a head to see everything because you know you will be back to WDW soon.

 

[OKW91]

We go several times a year and just being at WDW and OKW resort is great, we do the parks maybe 1 day out of 5 day visit. There are so many other things to do at the different resorts, and just hanging around the pool/jacuzzi is fine with us! We find that vacations are much more relaxed and lot more fun, knowing that you will be coming back in a few months. We have made WDW are main vacation spot, so much that we have just purchased add on points at BCV!! It's the Happiest place in the World!

 

[DVCajun]

It doesn't have to be expensive-- Southwest flies into Orlando and we get tickets for close to $100 each. Our room is "paid for" because we're DVCers, and the rest of the expense is up to us!

Do we get bored? NO.

Am I ready to go back? YES.

As far as what draws me back time and time again, it's the atmosphere. Not the attractions, not the "obvious" stuff. Just the atmosphere of friendliness, of cleanliness, of perfection. It's where I go to take a deep breath and remind myself that there is good in the world. People seem to be at their best at WDW. Or maybe *I'm* just at my best there. Regardless, I would live there if they'd let me. As it is, I'm aiming for Celebration.

 

[luckytso]

Thanks for all the responses. It is fun to read what you do and what you enjoy the most.

It is a little more reassuring to know that you can go that many times, even in one year, that you call still enjoy it so much each time.

The other thing that I am always curious about is, based on the poll, it seems that most of the people have under less than 500 points, or even less. However, when I look at how many trips people are taking, between DVC stays and the cruises, it seems like many people have gazzilion points. Why is that?

Thanks

 

[Maistre Gracey]

I know that I have added three contracts since I took that poll.
I have yet to use points for a stay, but I know we will be visiting more often now that we are DVC'ers (at least 3 weeks/yr).

Have Fun!

 

[disneydawn6]

The other thing that I am always curious about is, based on the poll, it seems that most of the people have under less than 500 points, or even less. However, when I look at how many trips people are taking, between DVC stays and the cruises, it seems like many people have gazzilion points. Why is that?

Well My goal is to stay at every WDW resort, so I only stay at DVC Sunday- Thrusday and stay at a hotel I have not stayed at on the weekends... Makes your points stretch alot longer... Also I never use points for the cruise.. It's cheaper to rent your points out for $10 a point and pay cash...

 

[Regina]

We're a family of 5, and airfare can be a problem.

When we're able to plan 11 months ahead, we usually find that the airfares are very reasonable when they're first published. For instance, we'll be at OKW from 12/22 through 1/4. When those flights became available, they were $185.00 RT from Hartford.

We also use our AMEX card to accumulate miles whenever we can. We've gotten a lot of frequent flyer flights over the years.

As for what we do when we're at WDW, we look around our 2 bedroom unit and . No more vacations where we're squeezed into one room with a rollaway. No more "Mom, she took all the blankets."

We've created family traditions that I hope to continue for the next 40 years.

 

[TheMals]

We've been DVC members since 1998 and have been going 2x a year since then. We wondered if we would tire of it, but it seems that each trip has a different feel. We have invited family and friends to come and stay with us and we have fun each time. We just love it. We have also done the Sun-Thurs DVC stint so we can resort hop on Fri-Sat. This has been quite satisfying because we always go for the long trip in the summer. We also relax and plan nonpark activities. It really depends on what is happening around the World! This next rip we will be going to Vero Beach, AK, BCV and OKW and our home resort is BWV! This will also be our last long vaca without a family addition. Next year this time we will have our young son or daughter with us. So we will most likely do the adult things that babies wouldn't enjoy as much. Now that's a different lens to use for us.
Enjoy!

Kathy

 

[natcam1996]

I'm not sure what it's like going more than once a year but we're about to find out. We're wating for our package from DVC to buy at BCV and we're waiting for confirmation of a tentative reservartion at BCV for 9/1-9/7 (maybe the first night at OKW). Since we were just there in June, possibly going back within 3 months will tell us a lot about how often we'd like to visit. Going once a year for the last 4 years hasn't left us tired of going to WDW so we figured we'd go more often as DVC members.

 

[shelly3girls]

We have vacationed at WDW atleast twice a year for the past couple of years. That is why we decided to join the DVC. Call us crazy, but we have been able to fly really cheap. USAir tends to overbook flights. We volunteer to be bumped and receive free flight vouchers. We are a family of four and have flown free four times in the past year (including our upcoming trips already scheduled). Pretty nice for a two hour delay on a departing flight. I don't know if this is common on other air carriers, but it seems to happen quite a bit out of Philadelphia.

 

[spiceycat]

I go 3 to 4 times a year - I have flown, but I preferred to drive - if I drive straight (miniumum of stops) it is around 8 to 9 hours - with stops it can be as much as 12 hours (okay my cat likes to walk) - I love DVC - if it is just me (or the weekend) I stay in a studio - otherwise a 1 to 2-bedroom depending upon who I take - so I generally have enough points to share with friends and family - DVC is probably one of the best investment (and I use the word losely) I have ever made - I love it !!!!

I just came back from a quick trip two days at the Poly, and 1 day at VWL (it should have been 3 but work had problems) - I took - 2 girls - one 11 (my niece) and her friend age 9 - they had a blast. WDW is different, and so is DVC if you haven't been well try it - rent some points it should made your decision easier.

If you are planning on buying 500 points - don't get one contract - 150 points to 200 points contract seem to be easier to get rid of than larger ones (I know you don't intent to ever get rid of your contract but the future is unknown).

I have 240 points at OKW, 100 at VB, 50 at BWV and 60 at VWL - this fits my needs very well. (with banking and borrowing - I have got to quit borrowing)