Who is a WDW snowbird????

[a742246]

I am just wondering how many of you are WDW snowbirds???
I am 10 years away from retirement and I am debating whether to
buy a condo and spend 3-4 months down in florida or buy enough dvc points
to stay around 6 weeks(1 bedroom). I figure the expenses for each will be about the same (per year).
Questions... What resort would be the best to stay at (OKW)?
or- What condo area would you recommand?

Here is my concerns..
If I stay in a condo will I get stir crazy? Did you?
The thought of staying for a shorter length of time at WDW with all its life
seems better to me. But am I missing something????
Do you think it would be better to stay 6 straight weeks or 2 three weeks stays? I don't know?? I am hoping that someone else had the same concerns???

Any suggestions?????????

 

[hakepb]

Either is an interesting option.

OKW is certainly bang for the buck, but you have to decide on factors like dining. Do you mostly eat @ home, or how much dining out do you want? Your lifestyle can make a big difference. You might want to rent a few weeks before making the decision.

As far as a condo, I'd lease a place for a year before making the plunge, and even then I'm not sure you would be in it enough of the year to make the headaches of ownership worth it.
And while I'd love to have a place on the beach, you start dealing with maintaince where everything that might be able to rust, will... due to salt in the air. (And that can take a toll on your car..)

 

[Candace]

I am just wondering how many of you are WDW snowbirds???
I am 10 years away from retirement and I am debating whether to
buy a condo and spend 3-4 months down in florida or buy enough dvc points
to stay around 6 weeks(1 bedroom). I figure the expenses for each will be about the same (per year).
Questions... What resort would be the best to stay at (OKW)?
or- What condo area would you recommand?

Here is my concerns..
If I stay in a condo will I get stir crazy? Did you?
The thought of staying for a shorter length of time at WDW with all its life
seems better to me. But am I missing something????
Do you think it would be better to stay 6 straight weeks or 2 three weeks stays? I don't know?? I am hoping that someone else had the same concerns???

Any suggestions?????????

My husband and I have thought about this as well. Right now, we only have enough points for 4 weeks in a one bedroom, without moving on weekends. I don't think we could do a studio for any length of time, so we will be looking for more points. I prefer this to buying in Florida, because maintenance fees, though very high, cover everything. (Even maid service) I wouldn't want the upkeep of a place when we are not there. Hope this makes sense! LOL

 

[SamSam]

DH and I had the very same debate. We have opted for enough points to stay in a 1 bedroom for 6 weeks. We stayed 3 weeks last year and it was wonderful

Our reasons for not going the condo or vacation home route were varied.
1. We like staying on Disney property, and didn't like the idea of having to drive to WDW every time we wanted to go for an hour or two.
2. Living as far away as we do we would need to hire a property management firm to handle renting it out for the rest of the year.
3. Again, living so far away we would need to hire someone to do maintenance and repairs.

There were other reasons that I can't think of right now, but those were the main ones.

The Biggest factor is that we LOVE staying on property.

 

[a742246]

Thank you for your reply.We would have a car and we would do alot of "home cooking". We are currently DVC Members so we are familiar with everything about DVC. We are at a "beginning crossroads" so to speak, and we are in the thinking stage right now.
My concern about condos is the worry about leaving it alone for 8 months, and driving everytime we want to do something. I think we would be happier living a fun 6 weeks rather then a longer mellow 3-4 months. We are both active and healthy right now and our family genes looks like we can stay active into our early 80's.
Also if for one year health becomes an issue it would be easier and safer renting dvc points out then a condo.

Like I said we are in the thinking stage right now, and I just looking for input now.

 

[a742246]

DH and I had the very same debate. We have opted for enough points to stay in a 1 bedroom for 6 weeks. We stayed 3 weeks last year and it was wonderful

Our reasons for not going the condo or vacation home route were varied.
1. We like staying on Disney property, and didn't like the idea of having to drive to WDW every time we wanted to go for an hour or two.
2. Living as far away as we do we would need to hire a property management firm to handle renting it out for the rest of the year.
3. Again, living so far away we would need to hire someone to do maintenance and repairs.

There were other reasons that I can't think of right now, but those were the main ones.

The Biggest factor is that we LOVE staying on property.

Thank you, I like your thinking. Are you staying 6 weeks this year?

 

[Mtnman44]

What if you got a third floor room? Those stairs at OKW would get really, really old over 6 weeks.

 

[chalee94]

unless money is no object, i'd also consider looking at off-property timeshares - especially ones like marriott and hilton - as cheaper alternatives.

if you buy a marriott timeshare that locks off, you could stay in the 1BR and most likely trade the studio for a 1BR the next week. if you are in FL while the kids are in school, you would likely have little trouble renting a couple of additional weeks to get to 4 weeks at the same resort...at considerably lower cost - both upfront and annually - than DVC. (but you wouldn't be on-property, so i understand that can be a dealbreaker for some.)

 

[dvc_john]

I'm a WDW snowbird, but do it a little differently. I book generally week long stays at various resorts, including all the DVC resorts, and several off-site Marriott and Hilton timeshares. That way I get a little more variety, and I don't mind moving. I'm at a Hilton timeshare now, and move over to BCV Sunday. My time at DVC is spent mostly on property, while my time off-site is a mix of WDW, Universal, Seaworld, and other off-site activities. I'll even schedule a little beach time here and there, and time in the Tampa area visiting relatives.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Can't see us being "WDW snowbirds". That's because we live in an area where snowbirds, or as we call them "Winter Texans" is the leading force in our economy. However, I certainly can see us specing 6 weeks settling in at OKW, perhaps for the entire 6 weeks of the F&W festival.
Then I'd love to go to Disney's HHI resort for at least a month.

 

[a742246]

Thank you for your replies, I thought about other timeshares but what I like about Disney is the expiration date of the points. I wouldn't want to pass on a timeshare to my children that has no expiration date. We will be in our 80's in 2042. Which is perfect for us.

I like all your feedback, thank you.

 

[a742246]

I'm a WDW snowbird, but do it a little differently. I book generally week long stays at various resorts, including all the DVC resorts, and several off-site Marriott and Hilton timeshares. That way I get a little more variety, and I don't mind moving. I'm at a Hilton timeshare now, and move over to BCV Sunday. My time at DVC is spent mostly on property, while my time off-site is a mix of WDW, Universal, Seaworld, and other off-site activities. I'll even schedule a little beach time here and there, and time in the Tampa area visiting relatives.

Good for you! You are giving me some ideas.

 

[Mtnman44]

Just a note: you can make any deed "expire" when you do. Simply will it, or Trust it, back to the timeshare management co or to a charity.

Thank you for your replies, I thought about other timeshares but what I like about Disney is the expiration date of the points. I wouldn't want to pass on a timeshare to my children that has no expiration date. We will be in our 80's in 2042. Which is perfect for us.

I like all your feedback, thank you.

 

[a742246]

Just a note: you can make any deed "expire" when you do. Simply will it, or Trust it, back to the timeshare management co or to a charity.

I didn't know you could do something like that.

Thanx for the info.

Anyway keep the ideas flowing...... Thank you

 

[OhioDVC]

My wife and I are almost Disney snowbirds.

I just retired from the AF in Sept after 33 years. My wife is quitting work June '11 and then we are going on a 2 1/2 year vacation. We have 2570 DVC points and I planned ahead and banked 2010 points into 2011.
We hope and plan to stay at Disney World, Disneyland and Aulani about 6 months out of the year for 2011-2012-2013. By banking and borrowing I should have four years worth of points or around 10,000 to spread out over 30 months. We also have four other timeshares to use and plan to spend a lot of time at the beach.

We can't think of a better place to retire to then Disney World. It would be great to build a house at the Four Seasons property, but I don't have a spare 2-3 million laying around for the house

 

[a742246]

My wife and I are almost Disney snowbirds.

I just retired from the AF in Sept after 33 years. My wife is quitting work June '11 and then we are going on a 2 1/2 year vacation. We have 2570 DVC points and I planned ahead and banked 2010 points into 2011.
We hope and plan to stay at Disney World, Disneyland and Aulani about 6 months out of the year for 2011-2012-2013. By banking and borrowing I should have four years worth of points or around 10,000 to spread out over 30 months. We also have four other timeshares to use and plan to spend a lot of time at the beach.

We can't think of a better place to retire to then Disney World. It would be great to build a house at the Four Seasons property, but I don't have a spare 2-3 million laying around for the house

Good for you!!!! and, Thank you for your service to our country.

I will probably never have 2570 points unless I hit the lottery, but it sounds like you had a plan and stayed with it. I am truly happy for you. May I ask
"How did you come up with this plan? and when did it start????

 

[ChiSoxKeith]

When we were down there, I ran into an older couple that lives in the same town I do. They have a condo down there and they actually work at Disney two or three days a week during the winter. That would be my dream I think. They both work at the restaurant in the American Pavillion.

 

[OhioDVC]

Good for you!!!! and, Thank you for your service to our country.

I will probably never have 2570 points unless I hit the lottery, but it sounds like you had a plan and stayed with it. I am truly happy for you. May I ask
"How did you come up with this plan? and when did it start????

My family and I all love Disney, my kids were raised there (almost, 125+ trips in 18 years) I can't think of a place where we had as much fun and have such great memories.

I am not in the greatest of health and I am waiting on the VA for my disability rating. My doctors told me to expect 100%, but who knows. We figured that we would take our "lifetime" vacation now while I am still able to traveling

 

[a742246]

When we were down there, I ran into an older couple that lives in the same town I do. They have a condo down there and they actually work at Disney two or three days a week during the winter. That would be my dream I think. They both work at the restaurant in the American Pavillion.

It sounds like it would be ideal... Does Disney hire snowbirds??????

 

[a742246]

My family and I all love Disney, my kids were raised there (almost, 125+ trips in 18 years) I can't think of a place where we had as much fun and have such great memories.

I am not in the greatest of health and I am waiting on the VA for my disability rating. My doctors told me to expect 100%, but who knows. We figured that we would take our "lifetime" vacation now while I am still able to traveling

Sorry to hear about your health, but maybe this is what you need to get back on the right track. Positive location, positive atitude, who knows
this could be the start of brighter days....
Good luck....