Your best DVC trip...

[UsedtobeSmith]

Lots of us have a few trips under our belts.... Which one was your favorite.... Not your favorite resort, but your fave trip... best memories... the one that went smoothly....

And which one was your least fave....

If you need too... expand your horizions to WDW trips beyond DVC stays...

[ripleysmom]

Hmmmm..... It would either be our trip to VWL or HHI. Both of those trips were wonderful.

[PoohsPal]

NOt DVCtrips, but honeymoon at BWI was awsome. That was my first trip to WDW.

Last trip, the weather stunk, but a day at Epcot with mom and dad and 3 chance character photo ops made it very special. Especially, with my bestest pal! No one was anyone where us when we found him!

[cruise-o-matic]

Out of default, it would have to be our 1st trip home to HHI two weeks ago. :) That may change when we go to BCV in December. :)

Also able to procure a studio for Spring Break at HHI...inside the 7 month window :D

[UsedtobeSmith]

I would have to say, our first family trip to HHI was hands down the best family vacation we ever had. Great family time... lots of talking and hanging out.

Although staying at the Poly laggoon view Concierge on points was wonderful also, out first stay on points....... My husband discovered the free iced tea in the CL... and as a caffine free person, chugged 8 glasses... yes 8.. his first time drinking unsweetened tea... he pounds 8 glasses.... at 9 at night. The poor guy.... he was up until 3 am! LOL BUT we spent that night out on the balcony watching the castle changing colors and we knew buying into DVC was right for us.

[lllovell]

lol Laura!!! Poor guy indeed! I do drink caffine (but in moderation) and 2 glasses with dinner would have me up for a long time! I can't imagine 8...ot to mention the trips to the potty (yes - I have small children...no one around me can use the restroom anymore...we all "go potty" :p )

Our only trip as DVC members was to OKW last April for spring break. It was fantastic! (April 2nd is also the day my mom passed away in 2004, so it was extra nice to me because I was able to be with my family AND to get to remember our trip together in February of 2004 with Mom to WDW all around a time that is hard for me). I think our spring break trip is going to become a tradition! I already have us set for OKW next spring break as well!

Trip #2 is coming soon as DVC members....SSR for Christmas. I firgure we will just work our way around :) I'll have to let yo know if my "best" or "favorite" trip changes!

Laura

[TW1]

Obviously each trip has special moments, things you remember or symbolize your appreciation of Disney's magic. For me, finding the 'perfect' one is difficult, since its often bits and pieces of trips that stick out.

But to point to examples of why the magic works time and again for me and my family I have to highlight a few examples.

A few years back we were doing a land/sea trip in late October, kids were pre-school ages. The day we were flying out, DD awoke with a swollen eye, not thinking much of it and determined that nothing would spoil this adventure, we flew to Orlando. By the next day she had a raging fever that a nurse in the MK helped bring down. The nurse showed some true compassion for her, was very gentle and kind. Before leaving the nurses station she handed DD a balloon, stickers, a pin, etc. Strolling out with that balloon, we must have caught a CM's eye and she somehow made Chip and Dale appear out of no where. Those two spent a few minutes with our very bleary-eyed kid and made her smile in a very memorable way.

Fast-forward a few years and this same DD is hooked on card-tricks. Those that have been to HHI may know B'Lou Crabbe, the local CM who does a magic show, tells ghost stories, takes care of Shadow, etc. Well, after a magic show, DD stops B'Lou on his way out and asks if she can show him a trick. He hesitated saying he was late for something, but then got down on one knee and let her show him her trick. Its a cute trick that he got a kick out of. He then proceeded to spend about 20 more minutes with her teaching her more tricks and even gave her a "magic pen". These 20 minutes probably made him late, but he seemed not to care. In true CM-spirit, he gave her the time and shared his own talents and really made her day.

Finally, our last trip in August was during our 15th wedding anniversary. I managed to booked an Illuminations cruise as a surprise to DW on our special night. Kids helped me keep it a secret until the last minute. DW was absolutely thrilled with this special experience. Out boat captain gave us a lovely tour of the lakes and parked us under the International Gateway bridge for what seemed like a private viewing of Illuminations. Adding to this special event, I knew I didn't need all 10 seats on the boat so I offered it up on the "other" board. Kathleena took the bait and joined us. She was celebrating her grand-daughters birthday that same week and she arranged for a scrumptious cake to be served on board, decorated with a "Happy Everything" message. She allowing us to take part in her own special night. Now that's Disney spirit!

Keep the stories coming! Hopefully we all ahve many more years of Disney magic ahead.

[PoohsPal]

OK, not my story, but TW1's stories reminded me of it.

My firnds, her 5YO dd and her dbf went to WDW lst year. The BF went on M:S and firned and dd waiting in gift shop. Well, dd preceded to sort all of the marbles and space rocks so that they were in the right bin. Mom was embarassed, but it kep dd occupied. Well, dd found a broken marble. Mom said that's ok and tried to let it go. That didn't fly. DD took the broken one up to the counter adn told them it was broken. They thanked her and took the marble.

They waited about 45 minutes. After every group went through the shop, dd would grumble that they messed up teh marbles and space rocks and sort them again. She turned in 3 or 4 more broken rocks. Mom nearly died of embarassment each time, but Cm was always kind and thanked her. Well, bf got off of the ride and they went to leave. before they could, though, they gave dd a Mickey's Magical Moments certificate naming her as as official Space Rock Sroter and gave her a few other little goodies.

That's what makes Disney, Disney. I love hearing these stories!

[TW1]

...one more...

First trip ever for me to a Disney park was with DW and our DD who was then just about 20 months. We went to Disneyland for a few days.

After spending a whole day chasing after characters with the camera we were heading out. A man in a colorful jumpsuit, with broom and dustpan, was cleaning up Main Street. Well, his purple and green jumpsuit caught DD's eye, and she started running after him with out-stretched arms, I guess thinking she was meeting another character. DW and I really had a good laugh over that and enjoy re-telling it her from time to time.

[gopherit]

DUnno how I missed this post, but I'm resurrecting it now!

Best trip - hmmm. THe biggest trip in terms of magnitude would have to be the trip my sister arranged for our entire family to go to WDW for xmas. 18 people (3 kids under 4, 6 kids under 18, and the rest adults!) at OKW. My mom had a fervent wish for the whole family to be together and my sis made it happen. She gave us all WDW planning guides for xmas on New Years Day and made the ressies a few weeks later. It was our boys' first trip to WDW (first of many many to come!) The family time was priceless - by day we would divide and conquer, and in the evening the adults "drew straws" to see who was on "teen patrol" in the parks. The night my SIL and I were chosen, all the teens wanted to do was ride TOT over...and over... and over again! It wasn't a trip without peril - at the end, over half the remianing family crew contracted the stomach flu :holymoly: but even that is now spoken of with humor, because the whole trip in general was just so special. I think it was this trip that really got my DH thinking about DVC, and turned me around to the idea too. It was only 10 mos later, on a second trip w/ my sister in October, that we took the plunge and bought in! A year and a few mos after that, we took our new baby dd to WDW for the first time, as proud DVC owners!

A close runner-up in great trips would probably be our trip in 2002 @ VWL. That was just an awesome place to be, with an awesome view of Bay lake and the quiet pool - just bliss. DH both agree - our points are at BWV, but our hearts are at VWL! (And this is amazing, because DH really considers himself much more of a "beachy" person than a mountain lodge man...) I have to mention our trip to HHI too, though - it sticks out in my mind especially since it isn't the "typical" Disney vacation - it's just a breed apart, with no parks, laid-back days and casual relaxed nights. Excellent family time, and my kids herald time there as on par if not superior to time at the parks. Can't wait to try Vero next summer!

As for "bad" trips - I have to say, we have had some not-so-great things happen on trips, but none of them were ever "bad" enough to deem the trip a loss. Now, ask me about some of my trips to visit family members.... there's not enough room on this thread to handle THAT! :rolleyes: We have experienced the aforementioned Stomach Flu That Ate Our Family, more than a few visits to CentraCare, Hurricane Charley, stolen goods - but a bad Disney trip?

Nope. All keepers, each and every one. :yes:

[Stimpy]

I would have to say my best DVC trip was probably our first one home when I was able to take my parents to Disney World! (And Dsis and DBil) My parents took me and my sister to WDW every year since it opened (atleast until I graduated college...then I had to take my own annual trips LOL). This time I was able to give back and take them!

My favorite most emotional Disney trip for me was taking DS for his first time as a baby. I had a lot of trouble getting pregnant so for a while each Disney trip was depressing for me in a way. Walking through the entrance to Main Street and watching DS's face when he saw the castle for the first time was so awesome to me! It still brings tears to my eyes thinking about it!

Bad trips, I'm with Gopher on this one...we've had many bad things happen on our Disney vacations (DVC and "regular") but there are always good memories. We've been there for 9/11, hurricanes, 4 times to First Aid in 1 trip (and DS still has a Disney "battle scar" LOL), actual snow (ok flurries), newsmaking bad events (plane crash at Epcot, deaths).** But every "bad" trip has amazing memories. Sometimes they actually have the best memories for us.

One of my fave pics of DS is over my computer. It's from the last day of our trip from you-know-where ;)...the trip with 4 First Aid visits and 30 degree weather. (before that trip I have never been to first aid in 20+ years of going to WDW LOL) DS is 3 years old,"holding" Mickey in his hands in front of Spaceship Earth with a big giant scar in the middle of his forehead and a big fat lip. He has the most sincere, biggest smile on his face!


** Did I ever mention we tend to be bad luck to travel with??

[Rozzie]

Wow, Stimpy! I thought we had weird things happen to us on trips!

I am with TW1, It is hard to point out a favorite all time trip. Each trip gets better and better it seems for different reasons.

I remember many trips as a child, and the photos from those trips with no longer here family members are priceless, the memories keep me warmest in dark times.

I remember our trip in 2004/Nov as a very special one. It was a postponed trip from Hurricane Ivan, and we so needed to get away. It had been 2 years since we had been, as I was in nursing school, and we were financially broke. (I remember rolling quarters for gas money for school! LOL) I was finally a RN, and we had saved up for a year so we could go and never worry about about how much we were spending. We spent the week at Poly, ate at V&A, and bought everything we wanted. All our hard work and sacrifice was paid off for a truly special trip!

Other special moments--my 30th Bday at CRT. We were the only nonkid couple in there, and the princesses really made a fuss over me turning 30.

One really really really special memory for DH and I was a trip, forget when it was, just the image like it was a moment ago. Brer Rabbit was dancing with a little girl in a wheelchair with braces during the SquareDance at Frontierland. The little girls face was lite up like fireworks, she reached down to her wheelchair (she must have been 7 or 8 yrs old) and unlocked her belt, got up and danced with Brer Rabbit with her braces on. He held her little legs steady, must have used all his strength, for the entire dance. Her family got everything on film, and I have never seen such looks of gratitude on someones face. I started crying, looked over at DH, who had a face full of tears on his face also. We both agree it was magic, the best magic we have ever experienced there. We have a special place in our hearts for that crazy rabbit.


First time on EE this past Feb was also a highlight. We had been taking documented pictures each trip of it's progress, and reading on every website info about it. To finally be on it, highfiving each other at every turn, squealing like 2 kids, was a really fun memory.

I think the best part of reliving these memories, is knowing there are wonderful memories to come. Here's to magic!:dust