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!