Why we joined DVC.

[Mickey'sApprentice]

My husband and I are both 30 years old. I had been to WDW 20 times from birth to 12 years of age. He had only went one time when he was 16 years old. We decided that it was time for us to go back and just returned about two weeks ago from our trip. Before going I had done plenty of research on the parks and DVC so we took the tour.

Our reason for joining is because we do hope to have a child, maybe 2, in the next few years. We loved our trip so much that we had already started planning our next trip while still in the parks. We figure that we already know we will be going back at least once and maybe twice a year, so it was in our best interest to join. This is especially nice for us if we take family or if we do have our children, DVC membership will allow for us to obtain a larger space and over the years as we see inflation in prices, we'll still have our points... (dues inflation aside lol!) We both work at my family's collision repair center and I manage along with my dad. Owning our business has allowed us to take more time off over the years and I'm finally in a very stable position there. It just seems perfect for us! Plus knowing that we've bought in to this, we WILL never deny ourselves WDW again as long as we own lol!

Just noticed your 1st post, and new DVC membership.

 

[dwelty]

We had been taking regular vacations every year (about 3 times a year) To national parks, The San Juan Islands, Etc. Two trips were to the Disneyland Resort (Staying on Disney Property)
we finally realized that these trips were the best family vacations we had! We have a 16 year old son, a 4 year old daughter, and a 10 month old Daughter. As someone else posted, Disney is the best vacation to take to make all age groups happy. We bought in August, and have already taken 2 trips. We have 3 more booked for November, December 2007 and April of 2008. I do not see us taking a non Disney vacation for a while.

 

[spiceycat]

a little different - I was looking at timeshares. have gone to several sales pitch but haven't brought.

I wanted a place where not only I but Spicey would be welcomed.

we (me, Spicey and mother) had been going to WDW for years. So buying DVC was a no brainer for me. He was 3 months old on his first trip to WDW.

Spicey still got the best kennel at FW, Epcot - that he was used to. and I got my timeshare!!!

these days I might have brought CWR first.

got my investment out of DVC long, long ago - well NEVER get my investment out of Westgate - my other timeshares Landmark got the investment out in my second visit.

almost forgot - didn't buy DVC in 1992 because I got talked out of it by friends and family. Did buy in 1993 after spending more than $4,000 (more than the DVC deposit in those days) for 5 days at POR (then Dixie Landing) for DM, DB, DSIL, DNc, DNp - plus me.

I can't believe that I spend that money instead of buying DVC before that trip

 

[jodifla]

We bought because we wanted to stay in REALLY NICE accommodations without having to spend all that money for it! One visit to a one-bedroom enticed us!

We also wanted to travel with family and friends, and DVC is PERFECT for that.

 

[ransom]

Since we just entered ROFR on our first contract, I guess my answer is to a slightly different question - "Why we are joining DVC."

We're doing it because it makes our stays cheaper. We're deluxe resort folks, and even with a AAA discount it can get pretty expensive to take 8-12 night vacations as we like to do! Buying enough points for that long of a stay in a studio is pricey lets us do that for a far smaller annual cost.

Well, okay, okay. I'll tell the truth.

We spent four months debating this, as I mentioned in another thread. We examined this from every angle we could think of, and worried over every possible outcome. Frankly, we spent as much time on this as we did buying our house!

But that's not the important part. The important part is when those four months of consideration occurred.

They occurred from mid-January through yesterday.

What's so important about that?

Well, we made our first trek to WDW last December.

One month later, we were in the post-trip doldrums, bad!

So we immediately booked a trip for this coming December, then began looking at our options for the long term.

From there, it was just a process of rationalizing the purchase.

The cost savings is the excuse.

Walt Disney World is the reason.

 

[disneymom8589]

In regard to telling our family (not huge Disney fans, like us) we were a little concerned what they would think of our purchasing the DVC. So to ease into it we were discussing their return from Hawaii and how much they enjoyed just walking through the Marriott on Maui (it is a favorite walk of theirs when they visit the islands), but could never stay there. So we began to discuss their 50th anniversary coming up in a few years. We asked them if they could stay at the Marriott for a full week at no cost would they. Without skipping a beat my father-in-law said "absolutely". So I offered it as our gift to them when they have their 50 years celebration. They were a little speechless and thrilled at the thought. We have also promised our two kids 160 points each for their honeymoons as our gift to them, which our daughter is already planning her use of the points, with no groom yet. So using our points this way is a solid reason we are part of the DVC family.

 

[disneymom8589]

We purchased the DVC points in August, purchased more in September and will be using the system for the first time in July, as we celebrate our daughter's graduation from college and our son's graduation from high school. We offered to let them go with friends to Disney World but they wanted to go with mom and dad instead. Disney is a place for families and this proved it to us. We are also taking the Disney Cruise for three days before we hit WDW with other famly members.

 

[bobbiwoz]

My DMom wanted to spend her 85th birthday at WDW, and this was the only way I could think of doing it! We had looked into DVC in 1996, but it wasn't right for us then. However, in 2003, it just seemed right and it was!

We are praying that our 2nd (annual) "4 generation WDW Trip" will take place in October. We have the rooms, DM is failing, but we have hope.

Bobbi

 

[Liljam]

We are praying that our 2nd (annual) "4 generation WDW Trip" will take place in October. We have the rooms, DM is failing, but we have hope.

Oh dear! I certainly hope and pray that your DM and the rest of your family get the chance to go there together in Oct. I will definitely keep this post (and you) in my thoughts. I wish I could have had one more time in WDW with my Gram but it just didn't go that way! She was my reason for loving Disney so much and I'm sure she is part of the reason we became members.

 

[disneymom8589]

ScubaD (starter of this thread) is my DH and he accidentally posted 2 posts under my name, but I second everything he said, so it's O.K.!!!

 

[DisneyFreaks]

We are praying that our 2nd (annual) "4 generation WDW Trip" will take place in October. We have the rooms, DM is failing, but we have hope.
Bobbi

Prayers and pixiedust that you all make that trip and it's more special than you could ever hope it to be!

 

[mikeandkarla]

It's great that you empty nesters are enjoying your DVC. We bought for a different reason; the birth of our 4th child and the fact that we could no longer fit into a deluxe room. I'm 40 and DH is 47. I can't imagine ever having an empty nest. It's nice to know that we will still enjoy our DVC when the nest does empty.

We are in a very similar situation. We are due to have our fourth boy any day now (due date May 19) and standard resort rooms are too small. We decided to join the DVC for the flexibility to get whatever room size we want when our children grow. It also forces us to go on vacation, without the worry of paying for the resort portion every year. Seems to be a no brainer.

 

[Pootle]

Bought 11 years ago when our son was 16 and encouraged us to do so - we already had 8 years' worth of trips to WDW under out belt by that time, so knew, despite the transatlantic trip involved, we would be happy to commit for the long term as empty nesters.

To be honest though, I don't love all things Disney, but I do appreciate the quality of whatever they touch and think it's worth paying for, and I do love OKW .

I also feel an affinity with the USA - think my 4th July birthday was the start of that - and I'm happy to visit regularly and immerse myself a few times a year. Europe is on our doorstep and we are lucky enough to visit other places frequently too or just maybe DVC wouldn't be so appealing.

 

[Goofy's apprentice]

We bought on the advice of friends who bought near the beginning. We love going to Disney and this forces us to take regular vacations. We previously went only to our family cottage in Northern Ontario (which is wonderful, don't get me wrong), but kept avoiding other trips when we tallied the cost.

Our kids are 12 and 14, but we only take them once a year. The rest of the trips are ours! It is a great getaway and because it is like coming 'home' my husband gets into vacation mode when we walk off the plane. Other vacations, he was so busy 'getting the lay of the land' that it would often take almost to day 3 before he was relaxed. Now it happens right away and I couldn't be happier.

We often travel with a larger group of friends and this makes it fun as well.

 

[bobbiwoz]

Liljam and DisneyFreaks, Thank you! DM is coming home from rehab today...and I've asked her to use the October trip as a goal!

Bobbi

 

[WendyinNC]

We are in a very similar situation. We are due to have our fourth boy any day now (due date May 19) and standard resort rooms are too small. We decided to join the DVC for the flexibility to get whatever room size we want when our children grow. It also forces us to go on vacation, without the worry of paying for the resort portion every year. Seems to be a no brainer.

Wow, any day now! Good luck with baby # 4!

Owning DVC also makes traveling with a baby much easier. When I tell people we are going to WDW this summer they look at me like I'm crazy. I tell them we have a 2 BR with full kitchen, washer/dryer, crib, high chair, and grocery delivery. It will be easier than being at home with the kids being bored and too many bugs in the back yard.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Like Goofy'sapprentice said, for DH it was all about being forced to take regular vacations. He used to be such a workaholic (DVC's cured him), always finding reasons/excuses why he couldn't go on vacation at that time. And since his company has a "use it or lose it" policy on vacations, he'd end up losing vacation time at the end of the year. For me, I love Disney and wanted any excuse to go to Disney as much as possible. Our reasons had nothing to do with whether or not it was financially a good deal, just purely emotional. And, boy, has it ever fulfilled what we'd both hoped for!

 

[CptnJack]

I had to reply to this thread, it's an awesome topic. My decision was simple. The wife and I are in are late 30's (I'm in my very late 30's at 43 ). In the fall of 2005 we took our then 2.5 yo son for his first trip. He was having eye surgery on both eyes in November and we wanted him to see Disney before the surgery (which by the way was successful). We had booked a Studio at OKW for the week for cash.

The night we arrived we met my Sis and BIL at Epcot. A hurricane was due to arrive but it was just fast moving clouds an no rain at that time. By the time we came out of the boat ride at Mexico it was raining cats and dogs. By the time we got back to OKW we were soaked beyond description. The hurricane came through that night and continued into the next day. They closed the parks for most of that day and opened only MK and only to resort guests at around 2:00PM. (I'm getting a little off topic here but this is how it all happened) After being confined to the studio with a 2.5 yo for almost a day we called the front desk and after some work, they had a cancellation on a 1BR so we upgraded for the rest of our trip. The 2.5 yo had room to run! We had a drier to dry our clothes and shoes! Our first impression of the 1BR at OKW was probably like everyone else's.. wow!

So after bell services moved our bags we headed to MK. As we walked under the tunnel and into Main Street and the square I looked at my 2.5 yo. He had a look I had never seen before. He was smiling so hard it looked like his face hurt and his eyes were huge and filled with amazement at everything he saw. I looked at the wife and she looked at him and tearfully said "We are coming here every year until he won't go with us anymore."

That was it, I knew right then and there on that exact spot what I was getting her for Christmas.

That thread is here and specifically at post #20.

It was a great gift and as many have said, its a bargain. We are leaving Saturday for a week in a 2br at SSR and that room would have cost $4200 in cash. 4.75 of those trips and our vacations pay for themselves. We are now a family of a 4 yo son, a 1 yo son and a 16 yo son. He's never been (DS 16) and we are surprising him this trip. We pick him up at the ATL airport and go, he has no idea, he thinks he's just coming for a normal visit.

So the surprises continue and the happiness increases. I bought it because I knew my wife meant it when she said "every year." I keep it because it makes us happy to enjoy Disney as a family.

 

[bradisgoofy]

Wow, great thread. We spent 2 days of our honeymoon at WDW in 1973. At that time we fell in love with it. For many years we would spend Spring Break with my parents in Ft. Myers and when we could afford it take a AAA package trip to WDW. We already had our 1999 AAA package booked when my Dad passed away in the winter of 1998. When we arrived to visit my DM before we headed to WDW she told us she wouldn't be returning to Florida the following winter. At that point we didn't know what we were going to do for Spring Break, we love Florida. When we got to WDW we talked about DVC, we almost took the tour that year, but didn't. So we took it the next visit in 2000 and knew how we were going to be able to come to Florida every Spring Break from now on. We discovered pretty quickly that a studio room wasn't for us so we now have 690 total points.

 

[ScubaD]

Great answers from everyone. I appreciate the responses and it makes me thrilled to see so many enjoying there "investment" in their future vacations as we will be in a short while. We added up all of the costs it would have been for us if we paid ala carte for the times we will be at Disney parks and cruise lines over the next 12 months and it is valued at over $9,000. Granted as new owners we are using so many points up front as we borrow from upcoming years but we are sure having fun preparing for the journeys.

Keep the posts coming.