Best Tip

[Colorado Belle]

I think the best tip to give a DVC member is to go to Tag's site and print up some of the 'cast appreciation cards' and spread them out liberally.

Not only was it great fun to bring a surprised smile to CM's faces, but I think it goes a long way to spread good will re DVC members.

And an even better tip: after I personalized them and printed them, I took them to Office Depot and had them laminated. I made mine wallet size...so they are super easy to carry, and the laminating costs very little but keeps them so nice! :D

[lllovell]

I think my best tip (for now anyway) is slow down and enjoy time at the resorts as well as the parks.

Years and years of vacations to come means we will all finally see it all - about 2022. :D

Laura

[cruise-o-matic]

I'm surprised no one has said

"Buy where you want to stay." :p

[ripleysmom]

I don't say that anymore because I honestly feel as though if someone is buying in now they should buy SSR. That extra 12 years can't be beat IMO.

[PoohsPal]

LOL. I was thinking about that yesterday. However, if you absolutely do not want to stay at SSR, please do not buy there! (I do not want to hear the complaints)

[withdisneyspirit]

I don't know...maybe it is because I am almost 45...but I just get a nice warm feeling when I think about being an OKW owner. I am sure I will eventually visit the other DVC resorts ( we have HHI planned for next spring break 06 :) ) but we really love OKW :D

[cruise-o-matic]

I don't know...maybe it is because I am almost 45...but I just get a nice warm feeling when I think about being an OKW owner. I am sure I will eventually visit the other DVC resorts ( we have HHI planned for next spring break 06 :) ) but we really love OKW :D

We'll be at HHI during Spring Break Sun 4/9 thru Fri 4/14 :) :) :)

[withdisneyspirit]

If only our spring breaks coincided :( Our break is Mar 20-24 and we plan to arrive on Mar 19.

How long is your drive to HHI Cruise?

[cruise-o-matic]

For us it is 350 miles, which took us 6 hours last time.

When we fly Delta out of GSO, the cool thing is the route takes us directly over HHI.

BTW, is there anywhere I can get a magnetic HHI euro instead of the the stick on?

[TW1]

If only our spring breaks coincided :( Our break is Mar 20-24 and we plan to arrive on Mar 19.

How long is your drive to HHI Cruise?

Miss us too! We're there Mar 26-31. Driving from Philly, all 721 fun-filled miles!

Best tip? Be flexible enough to cancel your plans if another opportunity arises. While this goes for life in general, I tell folks visiting the World for the first time to be loose. If the crowds are huge someplace, go somewhere else. If you can't get a comfy seat for the parade, see it tomorrow and go do something else, if you can't make your priority seating without killing someone with your stroller, skip it and grab a hot dog.

In other words, the best tip is to plan your second trip before you go on your first! We all readily acknowledge that no matter how many times we go there are always new things to do, so realizing upfront that you cannot possible do it in one trip is a big plus.

Oh, and get a mig.

[PoohsPal]

Don't wait too long for your first trip home! No matter how recently you went before joing or how often you are used to going, go soon! Waiting will drive you batty! Yes, I used to be a sane, logical person and look where I've gone in a year and a half!

[cobbler]

I think the best tip to give a DVC member is to go to Tag's site and print up some of the 'cast appreciation cards' and spread them out liberally.


Does one have a link to Tag's site??

[jiggerj]

Don't wait too long for your first trip home! No matter how recently you went before joing or how often you are used to going, go soon! Waiting will drive you batty! Yes, I used to be a sane, logical person and look where I've gone in a year and a half!

Thats a good one! I bought VWL add on in August and just couldn't stand it! SW had $49 air
each way and I booked it! Left the page up for SW ran and called MS ran back to the computer and we were on our way! We did a quick 4 day trip first week of Sept. Couldnt wait to take a first trip "home" Now just have to wait for the "big" trip to BWV for the first time in April/May. Its killin'me!!!!!!

[jnrrt]

It's just Tagrel.com.

I'm thinking a tip is to ask about every discount. My whole family was laughing at me on the last trip because everywhere we went, I was like, "Do you have a DVC discount? How about AP? DDE? Disney Visa?"

My husband said that I don't use words anymore after being on these boards - I speak acronym.

[cobbler]

It's just Tagrel.com.

I'm thinking a tip is to ask about every discount. My whole family was laughing at me on the last trip because everywhere we went, I was like, "Do you have a DVC discount? How about AP? DDE? Disney Visa?"

My husband said that I don't use words anymore after being on these boards - I speak acronym.

That is just hilarious! I do that too, even speaking acronym. When we were planning our October trip. I told my dad I bought him MNSSHP tickets. He said what the heck is MNSSHP?? HA HA HA

[jnrrt]

I think the question is if you say all the letters, or if you're so far gone that you just say them like they're words.

Like, is it M-N-S-S-H-P? Or Mnnnssip in your world?

[cobbler]

I actually say all the letters like M N S S H P.

[withdisneyspirit]

I think the question is if you say all the letters, or if you're so far gone that you just say them like they're words.

Like, is it M-N-S-S-H-P? Or Mnnnssip in your world?

:thumbsup: My DH is a member of the American Radio Relay League - ARRL! So, when I say it, its with the pirate Arrr with an L sound on the end. Some acronyms don't work as well as ARRL :D

[jnrrt]

That's a great one! My husband works at OCLC, and you're right - we just say the latters. Ock-ulck dosen't really flow.

[dizhoni]

We are members of the Gold Wing Road Riders Association---GWRRA---and we pronounce it something like "gwi-ra". We are in the minority, almost everyone else says all the letters. Maybe it will catch on---so much quicker ! Honi

[Colorado Belle]

I think GWRRA fits nicely with ARRR and should be shouted randomly while riding through POC!

[jnrrt]

LOL, CB!

I feel like I've hijacked a thread!

Okay, another tip from me: if you're planning a character breakfast and you're cheap (let's see, me, and, oh yeah, me!), you can make the breakfast the latest seating time. That way, you really use it as brunch and you save yourself buying lunch. We just do cereal in the room or something before we go to tide ourselves over. Also, then you're not wasting the more empty time in the park eating.

[DSNY FN]

My tip is this rather than driving to the parks try to rely on Disney transportation and skip valet and actually park your own car after you check in and leave it in the lot where you parked it. Unless you have offsite days planned that is.

[jnrrt]

DSNY FN

Just wanted to say "hi"! Just posted your "official" welcome home thread on the welcome board, but welcome here too!

[DSNY FN]

Thanks for the official welcome I feel at home allready.

[dianeschlicht]

My tip is to pack light and plan on using the in room washer and dryer often. It makes travel so much easier, and then you can have room for those gifts you buy while there. Oh, and for me, it saves room for all the shoes I want to bring! I need to change shoes often to save my feet. :crazy:

[DSNY FN]

My tip is to pack light and plan on using the in room washer and dryer often. It makes travel so much easier, and then you can have room for those gifts you buy while there. Oh, and for me, it saves room for all the shoes I want to bring! I need to change shoes often to save my feet. :crazy:


I bring lots of shoes to but not to save my feet just because I love shoes my wife hates that I pack an entire bag of just shoes.

[gopherit]

Hmmm... tips.

Well, tip #1 (especially good for large families or groups) - ask everyone to write down the top three things they want to do/see/eat whatever during the trip. Then plan a loose itinerary that assures those things will get done - and tell the folks anything beyond that is gravy, anything "missed" is an opportunity for next time and reason to come back!

Tip #2 - especially good with small kids - for every 1 or 2 park days, do a non-park day. Sleep in. Do a late character b'fast that day - and when everyone else is rushing off to the parks, you'll still be there, enjoying the food and fun! Explore the resorts or park-hop to explore another. Have a nice dinner at a resort... (DH and I did SHula's one night - they gave free child care for ALL 3 of our kids at Camp Dolhin for 2 hours while DH and I ate! WOnderful!) Taking some leisurely down-time will really make it a VACATION! One of our kids' best memories was a late afternoon smpent playing a game "Where to next?" We took the monorail on its complete route, then busses, a boat or two... who knew just going around in circels could be such fun (except for maybe NASCAR drivers, LOL!)
:coolcar:

Tip #3 - don't be afraid to split up! We enjoy our trips with family, but honestly, it's too hard to please everyone. Don't be afraid to divide and conquer, and meet together later for a nice meal or even back at the villa! My DH and I often split the kids between us - I have some awesome Mommy-Daughter day memories, and he has had lots of fun with boys... and last trip, he took DD swimming one evening while I went back to EPCOT with the boys for fun. My boys still talk about that and want to know if they can "have another date" with Mom! :goodvibes

[gppnj]

Here's a tip: Don't forget that DVC members get a discounts on tours. I just booked a tour, and I totally forgot to ask for the discount. Fortunately, the woman who took my reservation asked me if I was an AP holder, a DVC member, or a AAA member. I appreciated that she did this.

[athenna]

Here's a tip: Don't forget that DVC members get a discounts on tours. I just booked a tour, and I totally forgot to ask for the discount. Fortunately, the woman who took my reservation asked me if I was an AP holder, a DVC member, or a AAA member. I appreciated that she did this.

Just as an fyi....Disney Visa has a promotion right now that you can get 20% off of tours. I took advantage of this for my upcoming-World Showcase tour.

[RoyalCanadian]

I think my best tip for new members is that all of that lovely crystal seen throughout the various parks is available in the Arribas Store in DTD with a 20% DVC discount.

[KNWVIKING]

I don't think all AP holders realize they get 50% off at the mini golf locations. Speaking of which, mini golf is a great after-park-hours activety

Park tip: This tip may not last much longer, but if you want to try the new water coaster slids at TL, get there when the park opens and go straight to them. They are in a new out-of-the-way location and it seems to take the masses about an hour or more to find them. Get there early and you can hit all three slids 2 or 3 each with minimal wait times.

[JimC]

...Best tip? Be flexible enough to cancel your plans if another opportunity arises. While this goes for life in general, I tell folks visiting the World for the first time to be loose. If the crowds are huge someplace, go somewhere else. If you can't get a comfy seat for the parade, see it tomorrow and go do something else, if you can't make your priority seating without killing someone with your stroller, skip it and grab a hot dog.....

We agree slow it down and be spontaneous. We watch the flags and colored t-shirts. If we see a group coming FROM some place that is where we head next.

Other tips: Eat at less popular times. Enjoy the parks in the morning and evening -- Resorts and water activities during the afternoon. Take a picnic lunch out on the lake on a pontoon boat. Enjoy the architecture and landscaping. Enjoy the CMs -- all of them -- even those who you may consider the invisible CMs -- housekeeping, landscaping, maintenance, servers, and the like. We have had some great conversations with very nice CMs over the years. Offer to take a picture for someone so they can be in the photo as well.