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OT: Disney World

Been there several times and you need to make a plan for what you kids can handle. When our kids were younger we would do a park and then go back to the room and hit the pool and then do another park in the afternoon or evening
Wilderness lodge is awesome if you are going to spend most of your time at Magic Kingdom. If you don’t mind the bus I would suggest the Yacht or Beach club. It has an awesome pool and is a walk to Epcot and Hollywood studios. We liked Epcot for food but Disney springs is also very good.
Kids probably adjust better than most adults even the young ones. It’s parents and grandparents who lose patience more so. Only saw a few kids who were out of control but I saw many dad’s and mom’s ready to commit Herikari under a hot Florida sun.
 
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At least! Unless he is going ultra-cheap. Our weeklong WDW trips cost $13-14K. Room/villa, plane tickets, park tickets, food, extras.

I was just doing the math on this myself. If we went 1 bedroom at BLT that's around $4500. Add in $2000 (and that might be conservative) for 5 plane tickets. Throw in $3000 for park tickets for 6 days. Throw in another $2500 for food, transpo, etc. And when we went last time, in November, we paid for one night of the Disney Christmas Party and that's gonna run a family of 5 around $900 bucks. So $13K would be dead on for us.

We probably wouldn't do the Christmas Party again although I recall the night we did it, the kids had a blast and we were able to ride a bunch of the rides late with little to no lines. Kids loved Big Thunder Mountain in the dark and we were able to ride it like 5 times in a row in under an hour.
 
I was just doing the math on this myself. If we went 1 bedroom at BLT that's around $4500. Add in $2000 (and that might be conservative) for 5 plane tickets. Throw in $3000 for park tickets for 6 days. Throw in another $2500 for food, transpo, etc. And when we went last time, in November, we paid for one night of the Disney Christmas Party and that's gonna run a family of 5 around $900 bucks. So $13K would be dead on for us.

We probably wouldn't do the Christmas Party again although I recall the night we did it, the kids had a blast and we were able to ride a bunch of the rides late with little to no lines. Kids loved Big Thunder Mountain in the dark and we were able to ride it like 5 times in a row in under an hour.
The night we do a special party (Halloween or Christmas) we don't get a normal park pass for the day. You can enter the MK with only the event ticket at 4pm. We normally schedule this day for shopping/Disney Springs, water park, or mini-golf.
 
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For you Disney pro's Two questions

Is it worth it to get the Park Hopper or even better to get the Park Hopper plus option? It seems that the flexibility would be worth it

Should we look to spend some time at Disney Springs? If so how much time do you usually spend there?
We haven't used park hopping the last few trips. With a little planning, it's easy to stick with one park per day even if you visit it twice.

As per my message above, we normally spend some time in Disney Springs and Village Marketplace on the day we are attending a special MK event. Please note, Halloween parties where you can dress up and go trick or treating throughout the park starts in August. It will be available for your trip.
 
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For you Disney pro's Two questions

Is it worth it to get the Park Hopper or even better to get the Park Hopper plus option? It seems that the flexibility would be worth it

Should we look to spend some time at Disney Springs? If so how much time do you usually spend there?
Park hopper isn't necessary and you can certainly plan without it, but we liked the flexibility and you needed it to have dinner at a different park (like Epcot).
 
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How many of you own Vacation club points and how does that work?

Let’s say instead of planning to spend $25,000 2 years from now I took that $25,000 now and bought points what does that get me?

How many points do you have?
 
How many of you own Vacation club points and how does that work?

Let’s say instead of planning to spend $25,000 2 years from now I took that $25,000 now and bought points what does that get me?

How many points do you have?
It doesn't work like that. When you buy into DVC, you commit to an annual amount of point that comes with an annual maintenance fee.
 
It doesn't work like that. When you buy into DVC, you commit to an annual amount of point that comes with an annual maintenance fee.

My brother in law is a DVC member.

He paid, I think, around $35,000 up front for 180 points and then has like a $75 maintenance fee monthly. Or something like that. But some years he just sells his points. How much can you actually make selling points? I know it's resort specific but it seems even if you sell your points in a given year, you aren't going to net all that much (relative to what you put into the membership).
 
It doesn't work like that. When you buy into DVC, you commit to an annual amount of point that comes with an annual maintenance fee.
Yes I understand that

But let’s say I buy $25000 worth of points in 2023. My understanding is I can carry them over so I could use them to book my 2024 vacation. And then have them going forward.

I understand there are other fees but I looked at those costs and they are not prohibitive.

Do you own the DVC? I just read an article and see some advantages. I do worry about things like the year ownership ends etc but there might be some overall value to consider making the purchase

To be honest I have a decent investment coming due over the next few months and I was considering making a not so needed purchase. For example a boat crossed my mind but the DVC might make more sense.
I would really buy it for my daughter and granddaughter
 
Looking at these posts and reading all the information it really seems that going to Disney is a lot of work

They make it seem that if you don’t overly plan even while you are there you will have limited access to the rides/shows and you will pay a lot to stand in lines

Don't overthink this, or over plan this. In fact I will recommend that you really limit your advance planning. You are planning your trip around your 5 year old granddaughter. She will have a meltdown, and that meltdown will happen as you are trying to get from one side of the park to your next ride reservation on the other side of the park.

You granddaughter is not going to remember the rides. She is going to remember the experiences. With very few exceptions, she is not going to care if she went on the Snow White Mine Train or Peter Pan's Flight rides. But she (and you) will remember the awe she feels when she first sees Cinderella's castle, her dancing to the music at a parade, or making a wish at the Wishing Well.

Sure, you will go on some rides. But don't fret about it. Take your time and walk around. Admire the details. Listen to how the music changes as you go from Main St to Tomorrowland. Look at the flowers. And make sure your granddaughter has enough downtime that she has fun with fewer meltdowns. Downtime could mean going back to the hotel for a midday nap or pool time, finding a bench to sit a while, or going on a low-stimulus ride like the Riverboat.

You can't make Lighting Lane ride reservations until the day you are attending, so don't worry about it. And other than Frozen Ever After in Epcot or Slinky Dog in Hollywood Studios, you probably won't even need to make those reservations at 7 am (when the ride reservation system opens), if you need reservations at all. So just walk around. Figure out which rides to ride as you go through the day. And don't feel like you need to ride it all.

There is some good advice in this thread:

- Use a travel agency or planner, especially if there is no additional cost. Disney World is huge, and since you have no experience there, a professional can help guide you and save you some legwork. Also, there are constant changes at Disney, so a professional can hopefully keep you informed of things that will be available in August that aren't available now.

- Character meals are a great way to see characters. The photo's might not be as great, since you are in a restaurant instead of in front of a backdrop. But your granddaughter is more likely to remember having lunch in the Castle with Cinderella, versus standing in line for 45 minutes for a 2 minute photo shoot.

- Contemporary/BLV is really convenient to the Magic Kingdom; you can walk, monorail, or boat. That makes it really easy to go back for midday breaks. Also, you can get a great view of the fireworks from the walkway between the two buildings. You can't go wrong staying here, if your budget allows it. Nonetheless, I like Wilderness Lodge/Boulder Ridge Villas a whole lot better, because I like the theming of the hotel, pool, etc. (But even if you decide to stay at a less convenient, lower priced hotel, Disney has a really good bus system. And you always have the option of Uber/Lyft.)

- Plan to take a day midweek that is a low-key day for everyone to refresh. Spend some time at the pool. Go to Disney Springs for some shopping. Maybe check out some other hotels to see how you like them. If you go to Animal Kingdom Lodge, you can view some of the Safari animals from Animal Kingdom in the back of the hotel.

- The things that need reservations need to be planned in advance. Hotel rooms, obviously. Which park on which day, since Disney World now requires a reservation to get into the park as part of their way of managing crowds (but for the most part, it is easy to change park reservations, especially a month in advance for non-holidays).

- Pick a handful of important experiences and restaurants which can be reserved in advance and book those as soon as you can (currently up to 60 days in advance, but the lead time could change). If your 5 year old granddaughter is into princesses, you might consider reserving a princess makeover at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique (not cheap) with lunch at Cinderella's Castle or at Be Our Guest restaurant a few hours later. That means your granddaughter might not go on a single ride between 10 and 2, but it will be one of the best days of her life.

Speaking of restaurants, I usually only book one or two restaurants early. For the most part, I don't know what I want to eat 60 days in advance. You won't starve, because there are plenty of quick-serve restaurants. Also, people cancel reservations, so you can always go online the day before and pick up reservations for most restaurants as people cancel. Don't forget about restaurants at the hotels, or dinner shows like the Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue.

While I know a lot of people who swear by the Dining Plan, I don't like it. I think it locks you in to set meals each day, and I prefer more flexibility. Also, I can't eat enough to make the Dining Plan cost effective. I might not want an appetizer or dessert, but with the Dining Plan, that is all pre-paid. If you are traveling on a budget, you might like the certainty of locking in your meal price in advance. But I'd rather pay for what I want, when I decide I want it.

Also, if you have a Disney Rewards credit card, you can get a discount at some restaurants (and gift shops) if you use your card. There are some other perks as well.
 
It doesn't work like that. When you buy into DVC, you commit to an annual amount of point that comes with an annual maintenance fee.

I mean technically you can buy points from certain resale companies, and then use them when you want barring availability.
 
Yes I understand that

But let’s say I buy $25000 worth of points in 2023. My understanding is I can carry them over so I could use them to book my 2024 vacation. And then have them going forward.

I understand there are other fees but I looked at those costs and they are not prohibitive.

Do you own the DVC? I just read an article and see some advantages. I do worry about things like the year ownership ends etc but there might be some overall value to consider making the purchase

To be honest I have a decent investment coming due over the next few months and I was considering making a not so needed purchase. For example a boat crossed my mind but the DVC might make more sense.
I would really buy it for my daughter and granddaughter
FYI:


Second FYI - I think annual maintenace fees are $1-2K per year (depending on how many points you buy).
 
Yes I understand that

But let’s say I buy $25000 worth of points in 2023. My understanding is I can carry them over so I could use them to book my 2024 vacation. And then have them going forward.

I understand there are other fees but I looked at those costs and they are not prohibitive.

Do you own the DVC? I just read an article and see some advantages. I do worry about things like the year ownership ends etc but there might be some overall value to consider making the purchase

To be honest I have a decent investment coming due over the next few months and I was considering making a not so needed purchase. For example a boat crossed my mind but the DVC might make more sense.
I would really buy it for my daughter and granddaughter
Sorry, forgot to add. We do not own DVC and have no plans to do so. We enjoy the flexibility of renting points without longer term commitments. That's our preference. Overall, DVC ownership is popular, so I assume it is a good deal if you understand the details and use the points wisely.
 
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Sorry, forgot to add. We do not own DVC and have no plans to do so. We enjoy the flexibility of renting points without longer term commitments. That's our preference. Overall, DVC ownership is popular, so I assume it is a good deal if you understand the details and use the points wisely.
This morning my daughter was telling me about a few friends that had DVC membership. That is what put the idea in my head.
If it was my wife and I would not consider it but coming into some discretionary money and looking for something that is a fun use it may make sense.
I do not need a car, I am not sure I would use the boat enough so I either put it into a “vacation account” or do something like this

I do not want a vacation home
 
I should add I did look into back in the 90’s when we were there on vacation

Timing was not right financially because I would never finance that type of purchase but the point cost now in comparison is huge

Having the extra fun money is the only reason I would even consider it
 
I should add I did look into back in the 90’s when we were there on vacation

Timing was not right financially because I would never finance that type of purchase but the point cost now in comparison is huge

Having the extra fun money is the only reason I would even consider it
DVC is very interesting. I believe they are 50-year deals. At teh end of 50 years, they expire. Might be different now. I suppose that is also what they figure the life of a resort is, though Polynesian and Contemporary are past that now, DVC resorts came pretty long after.

I know a couple that live closeby to the parks. before moving there they had several DVC deals and still have points to use each year. Get this.. they book rooms.. and do not use them. They prefer their house.. many people would agree. They have annual passes and book a room for one night. That gives them the scheduling/reservation and early park entry advantages for 2 days.. arrival day and departure day. When they have family members visit they basically book almost every other day for different resorts and different parks. They did similar things when they travelled to DW and used the rooms. Disney moved their bags from one resort to another for them. They'd check out one place and check in the next every couple days. Its a bit of a chore, of course, but they could experience many DVC resorts every trip.

I see you also mentioned park-hopping. I have been told there was a recent change with park-hopping and genie+/LL.. and that was, before, you could schedule for your morning and afternoon parks as if it were one big park. You can park hop at 2pm, attendance limits permitting. But now you cannot use your Genie+/LL powers in the 2nd park until you scan in through the games after 2PM. This is deemed more fair to people already in the park people would hop-to.

I would suggest a good candidate for park-hopping would be doing Animal Kingdom as early as possible.. then hop anywhere else. Another combination is between Hollywood Studios and Epcot.. as you can take the Skyliner between parks.. or resorts near Skyliner's mid-point base. Skyliner-friendly resorts are the new Riviera.. which is DVC.. Beach Club, Boardwalk is walkable to Epcot and its skyline station. And the economy resorts like Art of Animation or All-Star.

For a kid, walking around Art of Animation is kinda cool. Lots of giant Disney figures around. And there is a free drawing class inside near the lobby. Check times it is offered. A similar drawing class is offered in the petting zoo area of Animal Kingdom. It's a train ride inside the park and called Raffiki's somethingorother... Conservation Station? Yeah.. I think that's it. Fair amount of free educational activities for kids in Animal Kingdom.
 
Yes they are 50 year deals

I was thinking if we bought in we would have our daughter listed as an owner so she could pass it to our granddaughter

I am really not sure if we will buy but I figure looking into this stuff is harmless
 
Yes they are 50 year deals

I was thinking if we bought in we would have our daughter listed as an owner so she could pass it to our granddaughter

I am really not sure if we will buy but I figure looking into this stuff is harmless
I wonder if you could by into the new Polynesian DVC and use points/member status for your 2023 stay at Bay Lake. (The new DVC tower at Disney's Polynesian Village Resort has a planned opening in 2024.) Like you said, doesn't hurt to get teh pitch. I think they'll send you fancy gizmos to sell your. Years ago they sent an electronic brochure booklet that played a video when you opened it. I have since changed the video that plays to my dogs playing. Its kinda funny.
 
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DVC owner at Copper Creek. If your interested in purchasing DVC, I would highly recommend stopping and a kiosk at whatever resort you stay at or in one of the parks or check out Disney's DVC website. There's lots to the point structure that can be better explained there.
I will say this though, after 6 trips in the last 7 years, all at different DVC villa's, I'd never stay in a regular hotel room again. The flexibility and options that the villa's give you makes all the difference. Increased living space, proximity to the parks and the quality of the resorts make all the difference. Not to mention extra park hours and lounge access that aren't available to other guests. It is a long term investment and you should do your research. If you plan on going annually or every other year, it's a no brainer.
 
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If disney is not your kind of vacation, don't stay at adisney hotel.

I really recommend the jw marriott bonnet creek. You enter disney property to get there but its not a d8sney hotel. There's not one friggen mouse in the hotel. What they do have are a fabulous steakhouse, bourbon bar, great pool and overall luxury hotel feel.

As a Marriott person I've tayed at the swan and the new swan reserve mostly because they were closer to the parks. After dropping 30k steps a day, the last thing I wanted to do was walk back to my hotel. The Jw is isolated and essentially in the woods. They have disney shuttles but i have zero interest in waiting for a bus on vacation. That is not vacation to me.
Its also a 5 min drive from disney springs with hundreds of restaurants and shops.
I can tolerate disney for a day or two, but need to go back to being on vacation when I leave the park. This hotel has provided that for me several times.
 
The JW Marriott Bonnett Creek is 5 miles from the MK is this the resort? How is that convenient with a 5-6 year old in tow? Oh well to each his own.
 
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DVC owner at Copper Creek. If your interested in purchasing DVC, I would highly recommend stopping and a kiosk at whatever resort you stay at or in one of the parks or check out Disney's DVC website. There's lots to the point structure that can be better explained there.
I will say this though, after 6 trips in the last 7 years, all at different DVC villa's, I'd never stay in a regular hotel room again. The flexibility and options that the villa's give you makes all the difference. Increased living space, proximity to the parks and the quality of the resorts make all the difference. Not to mention extra park hours and lounge access that aren't available to other guests. It is a long term investment and you should do your research. If you plan on going annually or every other year, it's a no brainer.
I think this is key. I always like to stay at a nice hotel. The issue is my wife and I will probably not go every year but if my daughter was to use it that would make it worthwhile
 
DVC owner at Copper Creek. If your interested in purchasing DVC, I would highly recommend stopping and a kiosk at whatever resort you stay at or in one of the parks or check out Disney's DVC website. There's lots to the point structure that can be better explained there.
I will say this though, after 6 trips in the last 7 years, all at different DVC villa's, I'd never stay in a regular hotel room again. The flexibility and options that the villa's give you makes all the difference. Increased living space, proximity to the parks and the quality of the resorts make all the difference. Not to mention extra park hours and lounge access that aren't available to other guests. It is a long term investment and you should do your research. If you plan on going annually or every other year, it's a no brainer.
When you purchased did you consider going to the resale market?

Also did you consider the year that the specific DVC resort expired?

That is what confuses me should you buy the resort that goes the furthest out before it expires? I believe the Riveria is out to 2070. They have a discount until November 16 but I will never make a decision by then
 
When you purchased did you consider going to the resale market?

Also did you consider the year that the specific DVC resort expired?

That is what confuses me should you buy the resort that goes the furthest out before it expires? I believe the Riveria is out to 2070. They have a discount until November 16 but I will never make a decision by then
I looked in to resale options but there are a few differences between direct through Disney and resale. Most of it has to do with member perks. Merchandise and dining discounts that are available to direct members plus other benefits are only available to direct members. Disney is also adding other restrictions to resale purchases. They know there's a huge resale market and they are trying to control inventory and make it more attractive to buy direct. However you can save a good chunk of change buying resale.
I didn't worry about how far out the length of the contract was. I know that Disney has reached out to members whose contracts are close to expiring about extending their contracts.
 
I looked in to resale options but there are a few differences between direct through Disney and resale. Most of it has to do with member perks. Merchandise and dining discounts that are available to direct members plus other benefits are only available to direct members. Disney is also adding other restrictions to resale purchases. They know there's a huge resale market and they are trying to control inventory and make it more attractive to buy direct. However you can save a good chunk of change buying resale.
I didn't worry about how far out the length of the contract was. I know that Disney has reached out to members whose contracts are close to expiring about extending their contracts.
It is good to know about the extension.

If I buy my initial purchase would be through Disney. I might purchase additional points resale later as I come to understand how everything works

Looking at the Riveria it seems to have a good location and multiple transportation options. Epcot seems to be the center of all the parks and you can use the Skyliner to get to Epcot and Hollywood Studios. You can catch the monorail at Epcot to get to Magic Kingdom. Also Disney Springs and Typhoon Lagoon are fairly close

I might take a look at that resort and see how it stacks up in cost and yearly fees
 
It is good to know about the extension.

If I buy my initial purchase would be through Disney. I might purchase additional points resale later as I come to understand how everything works

Looking at the Riveria it seems to have a good location and multiple transportation options. Epcot seems to be the center of all the parks and you can use the Skyliner to get to Epcot and Hollywood Studios. You can catch the monorail at Epcot to get to Magic Kingdom. Also Disney Springs and Typhoon Lagoon are fairly close

I might take a look at that resort and see how it stacks up in cost and yearly fees
The Beach Club Villas are wonderful, great relaxing vibe and decor. Also, it's right next to the back entrance of Epcot (international gateway) and short walk to skyline/boats to Hollywood Studios. Before the little one, my wife and I mostly stayed at there.
 
It is good to know about the extension.

If I buy my initial purchase would be through Disney. I might purchase additional points resale later as I come to understand how everything works

Looking at the Riveria it seems to have a good location and multiple transportation options. Epcot seems to be the center of all the parks and you can use the Skyliner to get to Epcot and Hollywood Studios. You can catch the monorail at Epcot to get to Magic Kingdom. Also Disney Springs and Typhoon Lagoon are fairly close

I might take a look at that resort and see how it stacks up in cost and yearly fees

It is good to know about the extension.

If I buy my initial purchase would be through Disney. I might purchase additional points resale later as I come to understand how everything works

Looking at the Riveria it seems to have a good location and multiple transportation options. Epcot seems to be the center of all the parks and you can use the Skyliner to get to Epcot and Hollywood Studios. You can catch the monorail at Epcot to get to Magic Kingdom. Also Disney Springs and Typhoon Lagoon are fairly close

I might take a look at that resort and see how it stacks up in cost and yearly fees
I would look at the Grand Floridian as well. They just converted a whole building to DVC and are running promotions there as well. Stayed there in August, it is an amazing resort. Nothing like being on the Monorail line.
Be careful about using Epcot as a transfer between the Skyliner and Monorail. They are on opposite ends of the park and you would have to use a park ticket to get from one to another.
 
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The Beach Club Villas are wonderful, great relaxing vibe and decor. Also, it's right next to the back entrance of Epcot (international gateway) and short walk to skyline/boats to Hollywood Studios. Before the little one, my wife and I mostly stayed at there.
Beach Club also has teh best pool (if you go by demand).. so much so that Disney changed the rules. You used to be able to use any Disney resort pool if you stayed at a Disney resort.. well, the "luxury" resorts anyway,. but now you are limited to the pool(s) at your resort. Yes, these resorts have, say, a main pool, plus "quiet" pools... that are tucked away from high-traffic areas with good views, etc.

And, of course, Beach Club and its close neighbor Yacht Club have the great Beaches and Cream Ice Cream Shoppe as well as the brunch buffet character meal at Cape May Cafe (when I last did this it was served instead of buffet... but they'd bring whatever you want to your table.. CoVid-type accommodation).

In all these responses I have to say that I have refrained from talking about various seasonal changes to Disney properties. But one of the fun things to do is to go around to all teh reports to see how they decorate for Christmas.. or Halloween (mostly Christmas). The day after Halloween.. they convert overnight to Christmas. So if you do go DVC.. I recommend targeting various events (like Epcot's flower festival and food and wine festival) and seasons... and book a Halloween event and a Christmas event at Magic Kingdom and stay alert for the various DVC member events.

One of the best fireworks shows I saw was a short one at a DVC late-night event.. it had none of these long-drawn-out story-telling lulls.. no particular special projections on the castle other than colors.. just boom-boom-boom. Was almost like one long finale for 10 minutes or so. Speaking of fireworks.. there are plenty of videos out there of various nighttime shows from various vantage points.. inside or outside the parks.

I will say this... there was a time when it was easy to say that Disney was teh best hospitality business in the USA, if not the world. At least for its giant size. I am not certain that is the case anymore. It is still good.. but it is just not up to their old standards. I do not know if that will trend down from this point, level off, or return to their previous standards. But I'd see DisneyWorld fans being criticized for going to "fake" Disney World. But when they did, they got treated like gold.. did not have to consider possibly getting mugged.. or worse... etc etc. And while they might not have elite restaurants.. they are damn good... well, you can find the damn good ones. They get reported on daily.. or at least weekly.
 
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Beach Club also has teh best pool (if you go by demand).. so much so that Disney changed the rules. You used to be able to use any Disney resort pool if you stayed at a Disney resort.. well, the "luxury" resorts anyway,. but now you are limited to the pool(s) at your resort. Yes, these resorts have, say, a main pool, plus "quiet" pools... that are tucked away from high-traffic areas with good views, etc.

And, of course, Beach Club and its close neighbor Yacht Club have the great Beaches and Cream Ice Cream Shoppe as well as the brunch buffet character meal at Cape May Cafe (when I last did this it was served instead of buffet... but they'd bring whatever you want to your table.. CoVid-type accommodation).

In all these responses I have to say that I have refrained from talking about various seasonal changes to Disney properties. But one of the fun things to do is to go around to all teh reports to see how they decorate for Christmas.. or Halloween (mostly Christmas). The day after Halloween.. they convert overnight to Christmas. So if you do go DVC.. I recommend targeting various events (like Epcot's flower festival and food and wine festival) and seasons... and book a Halloween event and a Christmas event at Magic Kingdom and stay alert for the various DVC member events.

One of the best fireworks shows I saw was a short one at a DVC late-night event.. it had none of these long-drawn-out story-telling lulls.. no particular special projections on the castle other than colors.. just boom-boom-boom. Was almost like one long finale for 10 minutes or so. Speaking of fireworks.. there are plenty of videos out there of various nighttime shows from various vantage points.. inside or outside the parks.

I will say this... there was a time when it was easy to say that Disney was teh best hospitality business in the USA, if not the world. At least for its giant size. I am not certain that is the case anymore. It is still good.. but it is just not up to their old standards. I do not know if that will trend down from this point, level off, or return to their previous standards. But I'd see DisneyWorld fans being criticized for going to "fake" Disney World. But when they did, they got treated like gold.. did not have to consider possibly getting mugged.. or worse... etc etc. And while they might not have elite restaurants.. they are damn good... well, you can find the damn good ones. They get reported on daily.. or at least weekly.
That is what I am considering now

Lots of feedback that the experience is not the same

A lot of confusion in what would be the best resort to buy into. Location is important but so is what will the yearly fees be

Will we get the use. That hinges on my daughter because I doubt my wife and I will. Although I could go down and never set foot in a park just go to Disney Springs and stay by the pool

Can I structure the purchase with my wife and I as owners but my daughter also. If we do does that allow my daughter to pass it to my granddaughter
I asked for the sales package so we shall see
Still a long shot that I buy but I always like to research stuff
 
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That is what I am considering now

Lots of feedback that the experience is not the same

A lot of confusion in what would be the best resort to buy into. Location is important but so is what will the yearly fees be

Will we get the use. That hinges on my daughter because I doubt my wife and I will. Although I could go down and never set foot in a park just go to Disney Springs and stay by the pool

Can I structure the purchase with my wife and I as owners but my daughter also. If we do does that allow my daughter to pass it to my granddaughter
I asked for the sales package so we shall see
Still a long shot that I buy but I always like to research stuff
Yes we own DVC with my in laws. It has paid for itself many times over. We have used points in Europe, Hawaii and Arizona. It was pretty easy
 
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Yes we own DVC with my in laws. It has paid for itself many times over. We have used points in Europe, Hawaii and Arizona. It was pretty easy
That is good to hear

So as owner you could pass it to your child?

Did you buy direct or resale or both

Do you mind staying what resort

Also how many points do you think you need to make it worthwhile

Thanks
 
This thread is giving strong nastolgia feelings for my two trips to Disney 20 years ago. We stayed at the Animal Kingdom Lodge on both trips. It now seems that you need take a second mortgage on your home to stay at a Disney luxury hotel. The only advice I can give is that you should judiciously and cautiously sign your room number to pay for meals in the resort. We got sticker shot when Disney sent us the bill for our meals a week after we returned home.
 
That is good to hear

So as owner you could pass it to your child?

Did you buy direct or resale or both

Do you mind staying what resort

Also how many points do you think you need to make it worthwhile

Thanks
We have bought into two different t resorts and have about 400 points. We have Old Key West, that’s how long ago we started and the Boardwalk. We use the boardwalk as our home. We bought directly.
400 is actually kind of a good number for us but we generally use them every year in Some way. Remember you can bank points to the next year and borrow from future years as well. So if you had 200 points you can bank this years if you were not planning a trip and then go in 2023 and use you banked points, your current points and the next years points. So 200 can become 300 or 400 pretty quick.
 
This thread is giving strong nastolgia feelings for my two trips to Disney 20 years ago. We stayed at the Animal Kingdom Lodge on both trips. It now seems that you need take a second mortgage on your home to stay at a Disney luxury hotel. The only advice I can give is that you should judiciously and cautiously sign your room number to pay for meals in the resort. We got sticker shot when Disney sent us the bill for our meals a week after we returned home.
Yes it is expensive
The savings you may get from being a DVC member over time is not an issue for Disney because the “free” room is more than made up by the money they make from everything else.

I saw an analysis that over the 50 year contract buying the vacation club and using it every year would save you $50,000 so it really is not a great investment. Who knows if that is accurate though.

They make it clear unless you are a must stay in deluxe hotels person it is not worth buying. And if you don’t go every other year at a minimum don’t buy



But I might still buy points just because it could be a nice gift for my daughter and granddaughter to have
 
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For the OP (@tom1944 ) and others:

Get inflatable booster seats for trip from airport and between park travel if not using busses.

You blow them up by mouth.
Deflate to basically flat and fold.

Really great for any occasion if an unexpected driver will have the kids (we use for my aunt, my cousin, anyone without a carseat already).

BubbleBum Inflatable Booster Seat - Travel Booster Seat - Portable Car Booster Seat - Booster Seat for Car - Foldable Narrow Slim Design Carseat - Perfect for Kids 4-11yrs Old - Black https://a.co/d/ad9gx4F
 
Yes it is expensive
The savings you may get from being a DVC member over time is not an issue for Disney because the “free” room is more than made up by the money they make from everything else.

I saw an analysis that over the 50 year contract buying the vacation club and using it every year would save you $50,000 so it really is not a great investment. Who knows if that is accurate though.

They make it clear unless you are a must stay in deluxe hotels person it is not worth buying. And if you don’t go every other year at a minimum don’t buy



But I might still buy points just because it could be a nice gift for my daughter and granddaughter to have
Just rent the points and avoid the hassle. :)
 
Just rent the points and avoid the hassle. :)
It crosses my mind but there is some reason people buy and enjoy being DVC members

I am in position that I can make a frivolous purchase so this might be it

I ruled out a boat
 
It crosses my mind but there is some reason people buy and enjoy being DVC members
Marketing and the desire to be part of a group. It is very, very rare for Disney to leave money on the table. However, there are some legit non-financial reasons to own, like room access and being able to book your home resort at 11 months out.
 
Marketing and the desire to be part of a group. It is very, very rare for Disney to leave money on the table. However, there are some legit non-financial reasons to own, like room access and being able to book your home resort at 11 months out.
I guess one of my non-financial reasons would be providing my daughter and granddaughter a subsidized vacation every year in a way that is different than telling my daughter I will pay for whatever hotel you book.

Instead it can be we have the points you should use them

My daughter is going in a week or so and staying with some friends that are DVC members. I will see what she thinks when she gets back

I go back and forth on buy or not buy. If it was not for the fact that I am coming into found money from a surprising investment it would be a no thank you. I guess it is like I won cash from a scratch off lottery ticket why can’t I be frivolous with it. I have 65 years of being practical which has resulted in my financial house being in order
 
I guess one of my non-financial reasons would be providing my daughter and granddaughter a subsidized vacation every year in a way that is different than telling my daughter I will pay for whatever hotel you book.

Instead it can be we have the points you should use them

My daughter is going in a week or so and staying with some friends that are DVC members. I will see what she thinks when she gets back

I go back and forth on buy or not buy. If it was not for the fact that I am coming into found money from a surprising investment it would be a no thank you. I guess it is like I won cash from a scratch off lottery ticket why can’t I be frivolous with it. I have 65 years of being practical which has resulted in my financial house being in order
Good point. If they are Disney fans, this would be like pre-buying Disney vacations for them. Note.....there are also DVC resorts at Disneyland (Grand Californian), Hilton Head SC, Vero Beach FL, and Oahu Hawaii. So it's not just WDW. And I'm sure the # of resorts will increase.
 
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