First DVC Trip Stories

[rwrocksme]

Hi!

I spy a lot on this board, and I thought it was about time I posted. I don't own DVC (yet!!!!), but I want to, so I need something to tide me over. Tell me the story of your first DVC trip, please--so I can start dreaming!

 

[Mickey'sApprentice]

Dear rwrocksme:

Here goes!

DH and I bought 100 points resale in January of 2006. We had hoped to take our 1st DVC trip to WDW with extended family, but just couldn't wait until our planned April 2007 trip to try out DVC. Soooo....we made reservations for 3 nights in a studio at Disney's Hilton Head Island Resort for Thanksgiving Weekend 2006.

We spent Thanksgiving evening at Hampton Inn - Downtown Savannah and toured on Friday. Savannah is a must see. Christmas decorations were out, and it oozes Southern charm. It is really easy to get to and from Savannah from Hilton Head.

We checked in at Disney's Hilton Head on Friday evening. We had a studio in the Big Oak Lodge. The room was nice and spacious. We enjoyed playing pool, listening to ghost stories, and enjoying the free apple cider. We went on a dolphin tour, went to the beach, and went back to Savannah. The beach was really neat in November. The water was very calm and there wasn't anyone around.

The resort carried out a wonderful fishing camp, South Carolina low country / marsh feel to it. Disney did a great job in immersing you into that atmosphere from ghost stories to camp fires to children's activities. After really getting into all that was available at the resort, you then got an opportunity to go to the beach. It may have been the time of year (November) but I felt like I had the beach and ocean to myself. It was very nice and secluded. We stayed 2 nights on 29 points, and 1 night on $81 cash. It was pretty neat to check-out of a wonderful resort after several days with an $81 bill.

5 months later, DH and I went to BWV with my 2 sisters, their husbands, and children 9, 8, and 6. That was a DVC first as well. It was so wonderful to treat my family by providing the rooms for their 1st Disney experiences. To hear my 6 y.o. nephew say, "I'm at Disneyworld - pinch me!" made it all very worthwhile. My sisters thought I was nuts for wanting to vacation with them, and after seeing the room rates on the door, started to have me committed. After everything, everyone agrees that this was good for the family. We've even discussed renting a beach condo somewhere.

For us, DVC is very worth it.

So come on in, you'll only wish that you would have joined sooner!

 

[bobbiwoz]

We bought in '03, to have a big "85th Birthday Party" for DM in '04. Our first DVC trip was to be at VB, Spring Break '04. However, we enjoy cruising, and we had a Western Caribbean cruise from Miami already scheduled for December '03, and suddenly in October we realized that we ALREADY were going to be in Florida, how can we not try out DVC! So...we called, and I suppose things were easier then, in October we were able to book a Friday and Saturday night, December 19th and 20th in a studio at VWL!

We had a great cruise, got to see Tulum, in moderate weather, and we had used Yahoo for directions from Miami's port to whatever VWL's address is. BUT we found ourselves at the wrong Timberline Drive! Of course internet directions have a disclaimer!

We found WDW eventually, it was a much longer drive to WDW from Miami than we thought it would be. We got our tickets for MVMCP and had a wonderful time. When we got back from the party, there was a message to our room that our DGS was born. I had a premonition when we were dancing with the characters at MVMCP...I was thinking our DGC would have a ball here someday...so I like to think that that was when he was born!!!

WL was our favorite resort, VWL is our favorite DVC. This Halloween week, that DGS and his whole family will be enjoying their second WDW visit with us. We'll be at VWL again, next year we'll branch out to VB and BWV. Our DGC are 2,3 and 4, and their parents, our DS and DDiL are Disney lovers just like we are!!! We understand that the DGC swim like fish now, we can't wait to see them go down the slide and enjoy it all!!!!

Bobbi

 

[DVC Grammy]

Our first DVC trip was in '98.
We had been going to WDW just about every year since '78, starting in deluxes, but as prices rose and our family required more than one room, working our way through the mods and eventually, staying in the values (2X). That last trip, at ASMu, convinced us to finally buy DVC (we seemed to have timed our vacation to coincide with every sports/school "convention" ).
The first time we walked into BW, and were greeted with "Welcome Home", we truly DID feel at home! The atmosphere reminded us of our previously favorite resort, the YC. The lobby, the quiet, the serenity at check-in (compared to the frenetic check-in at the ASMu), all made us feel like it was the best decision we ever made. We still feel that way; our one regret, just like many others, is that we waited so long.

 

[wdw1972]

My first DVC trip had a very unusual ending - not something anyone wants to experience. However, that was no fault of DVC.

I bought in spring 1997, and had several cash reservations for upcoming months that I decided to keep (remember the old Dixie Landings...that was my pre-DVC "home"). I booked a 1br for 5 nights in December, with us checking out on 12/24. The party was my son (10-11) and me in the master bedroom, and our friends (mom & son 11-12) in the living room. I believe they used the "free" park passes that came with dvc at that time.

It was a wonderful week, and we even had a view of the high Illuminations fireworks from our living room. The morning of our check-out day the phone rang - it was my dad. He'd been trying to find me since yesterday, but since he had no idea about DVC he tried to find me by calling the regular Disney reservation number...who of course had no record of me having a reservation. He was calling to tell me my mom had died unexpectedly yesterday - and no sooner had I hung up the phone there was an OKW manager at the door wanting to know if we needed anything (transportation to airport, etc).

Thankfully we've never had anything like that happen on a future dvc trip...but it's a shame my mom never got to stay at a dvc resort with us.

 

[Pakey]

My DH and I had always gone and stayed at one of the deluxe resorts. We were sitting in "Paris" one night at Epcot, enjoying a glass of wine while waiting for Illuminations and I told my DH that I thought it would be marvelous if we could share moments like this with our grown kids. We have 3 sons (now ages 31, 28, 26) all living in California who grew up going on day trips to Disneyland. We bought DVC for family vacations. Our first one was to OKW five years ago. Those "kids" had a blast. We have taken several trips since then and have now added 2 daughters-in-law and one grandson to the family which meant buying more points. My DH and I know that we are going to get too old to use our points and we are so happy that we'll have them for our kids/grandkids to use.

 

[bom_noite]

The Look on My Wife's Face!

She had battled me on numerous occassions on the DVC purchase. I had been in the rooms - she never had! When we walked in our OKW 1-Bedroom and she looked around she said: "Ok, this will work!".

She now admits: Best purchase decision "we" ever made and she is now a Vacation "Snob" thanks to DVC!

 

[jpeka65844]

DH and I visited WDW in March '05 and wondered "what the best kept secret" really was. When we found out, we said "Yeah, right...like we'd ever do that! It's so expensive!" Upon leaving, we promised ourselves we'd be back in 2 years.

We began planning our March '07 trip in June '06 and made reservations for WL. That summer, a dear friend of FIL very unexpectedly passed away. It hit the family really hard and DH decided that enjoying time sharing memories w/family was the most important thing. Not the size of our house, or the age of our automobile. So we bought VWL sight unseen and are not "keeping up with the Jones's"!

We used our points, booked a studio at VWL instead, and knew the instant we walked into that lobby we'd made the right decision. Haven't thought twice about it since....

Our DS (who is a souvenir from the '05 trip) is now almost 2 and we love the idea of him (and other future souvenirs) growing up spending summers (and autumns) at the most Magical Place on Earth!



Denice T.
Olathe, KS

 

[wdw4life]

I had looked into DVC during several trips but didn't buy in until Dec '03. I saw SSR being built and I knew I had found my new "home".

My first trip was planned for Dec '04 but one day I asked DBF if she thought her brother and his family would like to join us. He was already planning a trip for sometime the next year but I knew how special it would be for all of us to be together.

I cancelled that trip and banked my points. We all went in Dec '05 and stayed in a grand villa. We were in Congress Park room 1207 overlooking the Marketplace in DD. It was fantastic trip! The look on DBF's brother's face when he first walked into MK was priceless. It brought tears to my eyes.

Our last night there we watched the fireworks. We had waited until the end of our trip to have a magical ending. Well, that night it was so foggy we could not see a single firework. It was hilarious! So much more memorable than had it been a perfect show.

My next trip is in Nov and they will be joining us for part of it. They had such a wonderful time the last visit that they also became members!