After DVC membership - how has visiting WDW changed for you?

[DVCOwner]

Before I became a member of DVC, I treated every trip to WDW as if it was going to be my last. Now that I am a DVC member I know that within a year or so I will be back to WDW and it has changed the way I visit the parks.

Before I would try to ride every ride I could and visit every park serveral times. Now I know if I do not ride it this year there is always next year. I take my time and see the little things that I never had time to do before. I walk slowly in the ques and look at the way each is themed to the ride. I enjoy sit down meals and not just get fast food in order to hurry to the next show or ride. I am more relaxed during my trip and do not need a vacation after my vacation.

How about you?

 

[googilycub]

I am with you. I no longer to the sun up to sun down death march at the parks. I take it easy, knowing that if I miss something I will be back in a couple of months to see it.

 

[Pioneer Hall]

I agree...I don't rush like I used to. I spend more time at the pool and also doing recreational things. I am a fan of details, so I also find myself just walking around the parks and reading signs and looking at the scenery.

I also have a much stronger sense of entitlement because I am a DVC member paying big bucks...:lookaroun

(sorry, it was too easy)

 

[bgraham34]

The thing that changed for me is just knowing that I have the ability to come back every year and I don't need to wait for discounts to become available.

 

[TomHendricks]

Like other said, we have slowed way down. We were just down for 8 days and 4 of the 8 days were spent at the resort and at the pool. We also had to change plans because of the heavy rain and tornado, which is easier to do when you can be more flexible.

 

[disneyeater]

Our next trip will be our first as members, so it will be interesting to see how long the transition takes, but I imagine we will end up slowing down at some point as well. Maybe one day it will even feel like a relaxing vacation.

 

[jim1051]

We also are moore relaxed. We do our favorite attractions, and the new ones since our last trip, then we go about enjoying ourselves however we feel like.

Last trip I went bass fishing with 2 of our adult sons while others slept in or shopped. That sort of thing.

 

[dizzney]

We've been members for twelve years now, its our second home and feels that way, we love making plans from one trip to the next. The kids have discussions with us as to where to eat next time. Its a different perspective. We're having a family reunion there in August (rooms on us) and my cousin received the information from me yesterday with reservations etc. and called me to thank and said you answered every quetion we had (they're bringing young kids) before we could ask you.

yes, we could becuase its our second home now. Absolutely love it!

 

[britdaw]

But doesn't being a member of DVC kinda take away some of the magic? Knowing you're going back every single year doesn't really seem as special.

 

[MaxsDad]

Before I became a member of DVC, I treated every trip to WDW as if it was going to be my last. Now that I am a DVC member I know that within a year or so I will be back to WDW and it has changed the way I visit the parks.

Before I would try to ride every ride I could and visit every park serveral times. Now I know if I do not ride it this year there is always next year. I take my time and see the little things that I never had time to do before. I walk slowly in the ques and look at the way each is themed to the ride. I enjoy sit down meals and not just get fast food in order to hurry to the next show or ride. I am more relaxed during my trip and do not need a vacation after my vacation.

How about you?

We joined in 2007, and took a trip that summer. We approached that with the go-go-go mentality,as we always had. In 2008 we had trips booked for June, August, and December. (Back in the days when weekdays in a studio were a steal!) We stepped foot in the MK on Sunday night in June and my wife immediately knew things had forever changed. She couldn't believe that I wasn't rushing us around everywhere, trying to do everything. Have been able to go twice a year since then. Am booked for April this year, the suppossed crowded season. Used to be, I would be hard at work figuring out how we are going to see what we want. Now, I figure so what if it is massively crowded. I'll just sit somewhere and chill!
(But, yes I have looked at crowd calendar and have a plan. Some habits don't die.)

 

[bgraham34]

But doesn't being a member of DVC kinda take away some of the magic? Knowing you're going back every single year doesn't really seem as special.

I don't necessarily agree with that statement. It can change how you vacation. Like I have not been to Animal Kingdom in a few years and thats makes the time we do go back better because it will feel fresher. It also gives me a the opportunity to stay at different resorts if i so choose. Plus if you so choose you dont need to even visit a park on your trip.

 

[DVCOwner]

But doesn't being a member of DVC kinda take away some of the magic? Knowing you're going back every single year doesn't really seem as special.

I think that it adds to the magic. I was in the que for EE at AK the last trip and was reading all the signs and looking at everything that help to tell the story of EE. While there taking it all in people ran past me heading for the ride. I think the magic was there in taking my time and I got a lot more out of it than the ones that just expirenced the ride and not the whole story.

 

[fredtom]

But doesn't being a member of DVC kinda take away some of the magic? Knowing you're going back every single year doesn't really seem as special.

No. It gives me something to look forward to and get excited about from the time we initially book our stay 11 months out. It's also comforting to know that we'll be able to go back for almost two weeks without the several thousands of dollars cost for lodging. It seems to become more magical.


"An Adventurer's life is best!' :lol:

 

[Mr.Skunkape]

The biggest change I have had is that now I get tons of PIN codes that are not really usable because of being a DVC member and AP holder

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

It hasnt, except its harder to stay at WL

 

[slappy magoo]

The biggest change I have had is that now I get tons of PIN codes that are not really usable because of being a DVC member and AP holder

In a way, I'm surprised they don't think to offer more PIN codes to DVC members, not for their points, but to add on nights to existing vacations during whatever passes for offpeak nowadays. I know that DVC members can get cash discounts on DVC rooms, but I'd bet some DVC members would use a PIN code to either add anight or two at Poly or GF, OR go to a mod or a Value for a few nights.

Of course, with GF eventually getting a DVC wing (and one would think Poly would eventually take that plunge, too) I guess there's no need. Besides, most DVC members usually get annual passes, which means they often have access to good discounts anyway.

So...never mind.

 

[foreverbelle]

For us, just like most of the others, we can now take our time, we enjoy things and we can now go at our own pace, or the pace of my son. Which is always nice.

It also has changed that we take time to do the other things, last summer we were able to enjoy the activities that the resorts offer, painting pottery and making jewelery. We have ridden horses and played it lazy at other times. I don't think we would have been able to do that if we had felt so rushed.

Being a DVC member has not changed the magic because each time we go, we find something else to make it magical. Our son for instance this summer will be two and a half., and while he has already been this will be the first year that I think he will actually be able to understand a few of the things that are going on and I look forward to that.

 

[LuvtheGoof]

We bought in 2007 after a whirlwind 3 day, 4 park visit! We now take our time, and don't worry about missing anything because we know we will be back soon. We are there 2 or 3 times a year now, and always stop to actually relax and enjoy our vacation.

 

[Todd L]

We are Making plans Now for our first trip as Dvc'ers this october..ive gotta say..My mindset seems to have changed already.

I used to be an ultra-planner and stess out over every detail, What park to go to on what day, How do my dining plans match up to Emh's?

The only plans we are making in advance for this trip is where to eat on The Kids Birthdays..(they both fall in our vacation week).

I promised my wife that On last years trip Id slow down and take it all in...


Well, I did exactly that and didnt let, line cutters, Disney commandos or the Rude pushy people who insist on showing up two minutes before the parade starts and try to stand in front of you Bother me.

I did ask one guy to not stand in front of my 5 year olds stroller and he moved on with no issues.

Hope that being a dvc'er only adds to that mindset. Its much more enjoyable that way.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

The slowing down, less-rushed feeling doesn't only correlate to DVC owners. We feel very much this same way as time goes on from trip to trip. For us it has to do with having been many times now and simply not feeling that need anymore. I don't even fret with the overplanning of ADRs anymore. For September I've made one ADR per day and haven't even thought about going back to analyze or adjust anything. It's a whole relaxed state of mind....and we aren't DVC owners. We, too, are relaxed in the thought that we'll be back. And Disney feels like our 2nd home, too. :wave: