greenban POLL: Have your DVC vacations changed with time?

[greenban]

Dear gentle MouseOwners.

Over time our lives usually undergo some drastic changes........

So......

Has your DVC vacation style changed?

In out case when we only had 400 DVC points, we were very miserly. Off-site weekends, 5 in a 1 Bedroom, etc. Now we are more (I hate to say this word) LIBERAL (BRB, gotta gargle!) with our points. We stay in 2 BR Villas or GVs and don't move out weekends to save points.

So what do you do.

Sorry newbies, you only get to read this poll.

-Tony

[tomandrobin]

We use our points the same as if were paying cash. Meaning we want to vacation, not stressing on whether that Friday stay cost us 6 extra points for the night.

We stay weekends, during holidays and always get a two bedroom when the kids are with us. Point frugal...I think not!

[greenban]

Congrats to TOM & ROBIN. They are #1 pool respondents in two greenban POLLs in a row!

No one has ever made the ellusive greenban POLL HAT TRICK!!!!

Can T&R do it?

What amazing prized will I offer them if they do?

Stay tuned!

-Tony

[tomandrobin]

Congrats to TOM & ROBIN. They are #1 pool respondents in two greenban POLLs in a row!

No one has ever made the ellusive greenban POLL HAT TRICK!!!!

Can T&R do it?

What amazing prized will I offer them if they do?

Stay tuned!

-Tony


Points! Points! I'll take points! :dancingba

[JimP]

We bought in with the intention of 12 day trips... with no moving during the middle weekend. We pretty much follow to that pattern... unless we get an inbound II exchange.

We will also do occasional smaller trips... usually when I am in the area for work... but that was also part of the plan.

/Jim

[dmiller109]

We are thinking about adding on more points.
This year we decided to do one big trip and 2 or 3 small trips on the weekend. We found out it can be a quick fix doing a couple short trips and a big one. Our DD enjoys counting down the days.

[glypnirsgirl]

I bought my points (230 at DVC in 1994) when I was single and had a 12 year old son. I also had a sister and brother in law who I dearly love and enjoy hanging out with. My brother is loved and I rarely get to see him. Neither my sister nor my brother have children. My child is their only nephew ... and there are no neices.

As a singly mom, of an only child, I wanted my son to have "family" vacations. This was the family that I had to share, so be it. I bought enough points to rent a Grand Villa --- but not every year. I would bank and borrow and we would all go on vacation together and we would bring along a friend or second cousin for my son to have to play with. It was a great way to travel and I enjoyed it very much. --- Especially because for the first few trips we had the free passes to go with our stays!

In 2002, I broke tradition for the first time. Ian and I were dating, seriously. I needed to find out if he would enjoy Disney. He did not have to love it as much as I do, but I really did not want to marry someone that did not appreciate it. (I had brought another man that I was engaged to several years earlier and he used the reflections from the fireworks at Illuminations to see whether or not he won a prize in his Sprite cap --- he was toast. Before I had a chance to break up with him, my brother told him, "My sister WILL NOT marry you.:" "Yes, she will we are engaged." "No she won't, I know her. She may not tell you today or tomorrow, but I can promise you that she will not marry you." I used a few points to send him and his wife to Vero Beach for their honeymoon, he got married about 6 months after I broke up with him.)

Any way, Ian was a serious world traveler. The only person that I have ever known that had to have pages added to his passport because they were all filled. I was concerned that he would not like Disney World. I wanted to give him the chance to like it and I varied by renting a studio at WIlderness Lodge Villas. I thought that he would enjoy the Pacific Northwest theming. He never did care for the resort, but LOVED Disney World.

On our honeymoon in 2003, Ian and I used points to stay in the Sequoia Lodge at Parc Disney in Paris.

We used the rest of our 2003 points for a points stay at the Polynesian. I love the Polynesian. It is my favorite Disney hotel. Ian did not care for it much. But he loved being on the monorail. And he enjoyed Kona Cafe for breakfast.

After that, we tried a massive family trip, adding Ian's two children to our normal family trip and had to move up to two two bedrooms rather than trying to cram everyone in to a Grand Villa. That trip was the least enjoyable trip I have ever had to Disney World. Ian did not have much fun either.

So the big change has been this year when we have been on 4 trips so far. We used points for the Contemporary (Ian's life long ambition from watching the Walt Disney show (whatever it was called), stayed cash in early December at POR. Then a studio at SSR. Then a studio at OKW. I love OKW. But I find that I do not like studios. Even for just the two of us, I would prefer to be in a one bedroom. Ian has not yet converted.

SO I have changed from Grand Villas to studios. And I hope to change again!

Elaine

[carolina_yankee]

I voted that we're miserly with our points, though we're also somewhat wasteful, and, in the process our vacation habits have stabilized. That should be a pretty good Greenbanned response. :crazy:

We bought 160 points to get 9-10 nights in a studio at SSR, but we've never vacationed that way. We've discovered we like to about every 6-9 months, and we've also used points for friends joining us so we're running a points deficit.

As a result, the next two planned trips are in Adventure season, and we've developed the habit of doing 3-4 nights in a moderate followed by Sun-Fri in a DVC studio. One more of those, and we'll be back to points surplus, which will be swallowed up by taking a 2 BR villa for 8 nights for an extended family early Christmas and start the whole 4/9 cycle all over again.

Dirk

[bruinfan]

I'm not sure if I qualify as a 'newbie' or not. I have owned at Saratoga since 2005 and things haven't changed much in our DVC visits. But we are on the verge of major changes. This August we are taking what we feel will be our last trip as a family of 4. My son will be starting his college search next year and trips to Orlando may be on the decline for the next several years as our money will be diverted away from the mouse to an institution of higher learning. My daughter is three years younger so there may be a 7 year period of heavy college bills and little travel. We are trying to convince our son to attend college in FL so we have an excuse to head to the World.

This is just a long winded way of saying I have recused myself from voting.

[dianeschlicht]

We originally purchased with the idea of a one week trip every year skewed one week one way or the other to accommodate an AP for two trips. That worked for two trips. Then we got hooked, and needed to feed both our Disney addiction and prevent our APs from burning a hole in our pockets. That's when we started going two or three times a year, and also when we added on a whole new contract. We settled into a two trips/1 trip patter where we would get 3 trips on one AP by going twice one year and once the next with a skewed date. Then we would wait a WHOLE YEAR (ugh) before we went back and purchased a new AP to start the cycle over again. We kept that up until the DVC/AP discount happened. That enticed us to up our trips to 10-12 days and maximize our APs even further. We also quite waiting that year between and just traveled when we wanted but started a new AP when we went. That is still the mode we are in. This year it is a little different, since we had 3 trips last year and so far a 2 week March trip is our only one for this calendar year. We were down for 12 days in November, so didn't feel a need to go back again after March. Instead, we let our APs expire and we ordered new vouchers which we will activate on our next trip which is planned for 12 days at the end of January. We will do another 1 week trip in May next year and a third trip in December again. That will pretty much tap us out for 2009, and we will probably not go back then until May of 2010. It does seem to change every year now. We also find ourselves inviting others along a LOT LESS! It gives us more time in a 1 bedroom when we don't have to do the 2 or 3 bedroom for guests.

[greenban]

I bought my points (230 at DVC in 1994) when I was single and had a 12 year old son. I also had a sister and brother in law who I dearly love and enjoy hanging out with. My brother is loved and I rarely get to see him. Neither my sister nor my brother have children. My child is their only nephew ... and there are no neices.

As a singly mom, of an only child, I wanted my son to have "family" vacations. This was the family that I had to share, so be it. I bought enough points to rent a Grand Villa --- but not every year. I would bank and borrow and we would all go on vacation together and we would bring along a friend or second cousin for my son to have to play with. It was a great way to travel and I enjoyed it very much. --- Especially because for the first few trips we had the free passes to go with our stays!

In 2002, I broke tradition for the first time. Ian and I were dating, seriously. I needed to find out if he would enjoy Disney. He did not have to love it as much as I do, but I really did not want to marry someone that did not appreciate it. (I had brought another man that I was engaged to several years earlier and he used the reflections from the fireworks at Illuminations to see whether or not he won a prize in his Sprite cap --- he was toast. Before I had a chance to break up with him, my brother told him, "My sister WILL NOT marry you.:" "Yes, she will we are engaged." "No she won't, I know her. She may not tell you today or tomorrow, but I can promise you that she will not marry you." I used a few points to send him and his wife to Vero Beach for their honeymoon, he got married about 6 months after I broke up with him.)

Any way, Ian was a serious world traveler. The only person that I have ever known that had to have pages added to his passport because they were all filled. I was concerned that he would not like Disney World. I wanted to give him the chance to like it and I varied by renting a studio at WIlderness Lodge Villas. I thought that he would enjoy the Pacific Northwest theming. He never did care for the resort, but LOVED Disney World.

On our honeymoon in 2003, Ian and I used points to stay in the Sequoia Lodge at Parc Disney in Paris.

We used the rest of our 2003 points for a points stay at the Polynesian. I love the Polynesian. It is my favorite Disney hotel. Ian did not care for it much. But he loved being on the monorail. And he enjoyed Kona Cafe for breakfast.

After that, we tried a massive family trip, adding Ian's two children to our normal family trip and had to move up to two two bedrooms rather than trying to cram everyone in to a Grand Villa. That trip was the least enjoyable trip I have ever had to Disney World. Ian did not have much fun either.

So the big change has been this year when we have been on 4 trips so far. We used points for the Contemporary (Ian's life long ambition from watching the Walt Disney show (whatever it was called), stayed cash in early December at POR. Then a studio at SSR. Then a studio at OKW. I love OKW. But I find that I do not like studios. Even for just the two of us, I would prefer to be in a one bedroom. Ian has not yet converted.

SO I have changed from Grand Villas to studios. And I hope to change again!

Elaine


Elaine:

I love reading about you and the Spectacular Macro Photographer (okay, I'll say it, "Ian") lives and Disney adventures!

But I have one small request. Could you provide some more detail. Your posts are so short and non-detailed, that I can't quite grasp the 'flavor' of your thoughts.

So if you could take the time to add a line or two more detail!

Many thanks,

-Tony

[greenban]

I'm not sure if I qualify as a 'newbie' or not. I have owned at Saratoga since 2005 and things haven't changed much in our DVC visits. But we are on the verge of major changes. This August we are taking what we feel will be our last trip as a family of 4. My son will be starting his college search next year and trips to Orlando may be on the decline for the next several years as our money will be diverted away from the mouse to an institution of higher learning. My daughter is three years younger so there may be a 7 year period of heavy college bills and little travel. We are trying to convince our son to attend college in FL so we have an excuse to head to the World.

This is just a long winded way of saying I have recused myself from voting.

I mean this in the nicest possible way, but......

You are a Newbie!! ;)

-Tony

(Owners since 2004, therefore not a newbie!)

[greenban]

We originally purchased with the idea of a one week trip every year skewed one week one way or the other to accommodate an AP for two trips. That worked for two trips. Then we got hooked, and needed to feed both our Disney addiction and prevent our APs from burning a hole in our pockets. That's when we started going two or three times a year, and also when we added on a whole new contract. We settled into a two trips/1 trip patter where we would get 3 trips on one AP by going twice one year and once the next with a skewed date. Then we would wait a WHOLE YEAR (ugh) before we went back and purchased a new AP to start the cycle over again. We kept that up until the DVC/AP discount happened. That enticed us to up our trips to 10-12 days and maximize our APs even further. We also quite waiting that year between and just traveled when we wanted but started a new AP when we went. That is still the mode we are in. This year it is a little different, since we had 3 trips last year and so far a 2 week March trip is our only one for this calendar year. We were down for 12 days in November, so didn't feel a need to go back again after March. Instead, we let our APs expire and we ordered new vouchers which we will activate on our next trip which is planned for 12 days at the end of January. We will do another 1 week trip in May next year and a third trip in December again. That will pretty much tap us out for 2009, and we will probably not go back then until May of 2010. It does seem to change every year now. We also find ourselves inviting others along a LOT LESS! It gives us more time in a 1 bedroom when we don't have to do the 2 or 3 bedroom for guests.


Thanks Diane!

I always get a proud sense when the Queen of OKW finds one of my thread worth replying to! (To newer members, I am *NOT* kidding here, Diane is one of the nicest people from over there, a knowledgable DVC Master).

But a little butterfly flew over here, and right before I ate it (I am a frog after all),http://rosesmurals.com/images/frog-with-fly1.jpg it said you own at another DVC resort! Is that true? :jawdroppi

-Tony

[tomandrobin]

And I hope to change again!

Elaine


:happybirt :rockband: :birthdayc :cheers2:

Happy Birthday!!!

[cali09]

We bought a resale thinking that we'd go during low season for points. And we did that until our DD got older and realized that we needed to start vacationing during school breaks. Which means we are now using a bunch of points to stay during Christmas! The bad years are the ones where the Friday and Saturday nights fall into "Premium" season. :faint: