Who's done a non-park DVC vacation?

[snowbunny]

TY! That might have gotta some grumbles if I had gone to the wrong place while promising ice cream.

You wouldn't really be in the "wrong" place. All you would have to do is walk the boardwalk over to the beach club. It's farther but it's a nice walk.

 

[MagicForMe]

...

 

[delmar411]

Just curious - those who regularly take dvc vacations without going to the parks, do you not thinks its a very costly way of vacationing (initial buy-in plus MF) when you're not using the onsite acess-to-parks perks? Just curious.

well I rented the points for this trip so it will cost the same in gas and food as a week at the beach and 1/4 of what the beach house would have cost us for the week.

Other than this trip I don't plan on doing many non-park vacations other than maybe a grownup weekend escape type thing and even then we'd hit the parks even if just for a couple of hours.

But for cost wise DVC makes it pretty on par cost wise as any other resort type vacation. A week during high time at the beach can be any where from 2k-4k for a house with a pool and good amenities and location. If you even just take the value of the DVC membership awarded during the year of a million dreams I believe they valued it at 88k. So 88k / 50yrs = $1760 per year....not a bad deal and a good non-park vacation value.

 

[beachpal]

Some of the non-park activities we enjoy are:
- movies at either Fort Wilderness or Beach Club (free).

How would we go about finding out the place, times and names of the movies showing at those resorts? Thanks!

 

[keishashadow]

Have you thought about checking out the Universal Studios deal? You get 7 days of access to either of their 2 parks for about $80 a person. Our trip next year will be a mix of US/IOA and WDW.

we bought the BOGO year APs for U last year (in lieu of WDW APs , much cheaper)...

we've been using up all our left over non-expiring PHs & MYW tix, supplemented with special event tix (not quite the deal they used to be to get into the MK)

Could squeeze 2 days out of SW tix & don't forget the waterparks or take a drive to the beach

 

[MagicForMe]

But for cost wise DVC makes it pretty on par cost wise as any other resort type vacation. A week during high time at the beach can be any where from 2k-4k for a house with a pool and good amenities and location.

**Gulp** I think I'll disagree with you there.

Honestly, I was just curious, not criticizing anyone's vacation choices. For me personally, a DVC resort would be too costly (in terms of points value) to stay there without the park visits. I would rather rent my points out and use that income to pay for a different Orlando resort if I wanted to stay inland (for half the price of DVC). Or you can get a great 2 bed condo on the beach in the Gulf Coast for 800 - 1000 weekly.

 

[snowbunny]

Just curious - those who regularly take dvc vacations without going to the parks, do you not thinks its a very costly way of vacationing (initial buy-in plus MF) when you're not using the onsite acess-to-parks perks? Just curious.

We are at WDW every year for the US Open world martial arts championships, they're held at CSR and my DD competes. So no, it's not more costly for our little DVC contract than staying a week at CSR and buying 3 meals a day. We just don't feel we need to do the parks every time we are there. And we do use some of the resort perks for members.

 

[delmar411]

**Gulp** I think I'll disagree with you there.

Honestly, I was just curious, not criticizing anyone's vacation choices. For me personally, a DVC resort would be too costly (in terms of points value) to stay there without the park visits. I would rather rent my points out and use that income to pay for a different Orlando resort if I wanted to stay inland (for half the price of DVC). Or you can get a great 2 bed condo on the beach in the Gulf Coast for 800 - 1000 weekly.

Ah..we have different ideas of what a beach vacation is. We'd normally take a house for a week in the outer banks and that's the average cost for a 'good' week. I'm really particular about vacations so I didn't even 'think outside the box' so to speak about what you were saying.

and I didn't think you were criticizing at all.

 

[Halle]

DH and I did a non park trip in March. We went to St. Augustine for a day and visited the fort, took in a baseball game (preseason) at Wide World of Sports, spent a couple of hours at the Outlets (me) and spent at day at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Had dinner at the Capital Grill on International Drive and also at the California Grill. We stayed at the WLV for the first time and spent one evening relaxing in the lounge there. It was probably one of our most enjoyable trips.

 

[Dean]

Just curious - those who regularly take dvc vacations without going to the parks, do you not thinks its a very costly way of vacationing (initial buy-in plus MF) when you're not using the onsite acess-to-parks perks? Just curious.

It is an expensive luxury certainly.

But for cost wise DVC makes it pretty on par cost wise as any other resort type vacation. A week during high time at the beach can be any where from 2k-4k for a house with a pool and good amenities and location. If you even just take the value of the DVC membership awarded during the year of a million dreams I believe they valued it at 88k. So 88k / 50yrs = $1760 per year....not a bad deal and a good non-park vacation value.

Lets see, I've had (or given to family) the following beach or related vacations over the past few years using timeshares.

1. 1 BR Marriott's Ocean Point exchange total cost about $500.
2. MB 1 BR with Bluegreen - total cost about $300
3. HH two units HH Grande Ocean (owned) - dues uner $900 per unit.
4. HH Marriott's surfwatch - 2 units, one owned about $825, one exchange, about $900.
5. 1 BR Westin Maui, exchange, cost about $600.
6. 1 BR Wyndham Waikiki, across from the beach and on the new Beachwalk, total cost about $500.
7. VB DVC 2 BR exchange, total cost about $450.
8. HH Surfwatch 2 BR given to my sister total cost about $400.
9. 1 BR oceanfront Maui Marriott unit for my daughter total cost about $600.
10. studio Marriott's Ko'Olina HI total cost $221.
11. upcoming 11 nights in Aruba (1 week in a 1 BR at the Aruba Surf Club & 4 nights in a studio at La Cabana) total cost about $800

The above costs ignore the acquisition costs and the time value of such which really is only a significant part for the HH weeks I own and either use or rent out. So it's certainly possible to do top end beach options for what I'd consider a reasonable cost.

 

[gorilla]

Most of our vacations now consist of LIGHT park days. The rest is chilling out at resorts and outside fun.

Ice cream shop a Celebrations! Nice to drive thru that place.

There is a geocache location that allows you to see 3 parks fireworks shows at once!

There is a convention center... yes a convention center, off of I-Drive that is and INCREDIBLE place to visit! I can't even begin to describe how surprised I was at just walking around in this place. GAYLORD CONVENTION CENTER!! Thats it!! Its worth the visit! We spent about 3 hours just walking around it!

There are lots of things to do outside the parks!

 

[Halle]

Go to Celebration and have lunch.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

I couldn't do it.
I love going to the parks. That said, it's certainly not a morning entry.
It's a casual stroll, and only a few attractions are a must. If lines are long we do them later.

We also visit the resorts a lot, as well as the Adventurers' Club.

MG

 

[delmar411]

It is an expensive luxury certainly.

Lets see, I've had (or given to family) the following beach or related vacations over the past few years using timeshares.

1. 1 BR Marriott's Ocean Point exchange total cost about $500.
2. MB 1 BR with Bluegreen - total cost about $300
3. HH two units HH Grande Ocean (owned) - dues uner $900 per unit.
4. HH Marriott's surfwatch - 2 units, one owned about $825, one exchange, about $900.
5. 1 BR Westin Maui, exchange, cost about $600.
6. 1 BR Wyndham Waikiki, across from the beach and on the new Beachwalk, total cost about $500.
7. VB DVC 2 BR exchange, total cost about $450.
8. HH Surfwatch 2 BR given to my sister total cost about $400.
9. 1 BR oceanfront Maui Marriott unit for my daughter total cost about $600.
10. studio Marriott's Ko'Olina HI total cost $221.
11. upcoming 11 nights in Aruba (1 week in a 1 BR at the Aruba Surf Club & 4 nights in a studio at La Cabana) total cost about $800

The above costs ignore the acquisition costs and the time value of such which really is only a significant part for the HH weeks I own and either use or rent out. So it's certainly possible to do top end beach options for what I'd consider a reasonable cost.

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