Welcome to DVC Fan Forums!

Hello all! Proud DVC Members since 2004! Been listening to the podcast for many years now. We always pick up new tip and tricks as we listen. Myself and my Disney wife spend as much time in the bubble as we can. We have even donated our youngest, he did his Disney College Program and is now an official Florida Resident.

We are from the Jersey Shore and can't wait to relocate to Florida upon retirement. I added a photo of the wife and I at Epcot, with proof that it DOES get COLD in Florida.

Great to have such a wonderful community! Thank you!

Was this from earlier this year? When the fountains were frozen at WDW that was crazy! Pretty much all of the vegetation in our community died during that time

Excited to share that we put an offer in on a resale contract at Bay Lake Tower and it was accepted. Now we just wait for ROFR! :)

Congrats! We're eyeing BLT for our next contract, most likely resale :)

Hi Everyone! This is me....not the greatest photo, but I have a face for radio....

My name is Kristen and I am a DVC member from West Michigan. My husband and I bought 100 points at AKV in 2008 and added 50 points at HHI in 2011. We have 2 daughters who are now 22 and 20 and we enjoyed several trips with them throughout their youth. By 2018, by husband was "done with Disney" so my best friend of 25 years stepped up and took over....

This goofball (on the right) is Arlene...she is "in a relationship" with Mickey Mouse. Her husband is also "not a fan" of DIsney so she happily leaves him back in Michigan and we make our annual pilgrimage to The World together. We go every year in October (my birthday trip!) , and last year, we decided that once just isn't enough so now, we need to go in December too! Arlene is a veteran and her husband is a retired veteran so she qualifies for the Military Salute tickets. I provide our lodging, she provides the tickets and we are like kids in a candy store!

Arlene and I are both career paramedics who have worked 25+ years at the same company. We both work full-time (40+ hours/week) so coming to Disney World is truly our escape from reality. We love to come down and just relax. Each trip, we try to incorporate something new, either an experience or a restaurant. We love the DVC bass fishing trip and try to do that every trip. We have done the DVC fireworks cruise and we have even lucked out and had our trips align with a Moonlight Magic event and DVC Fan's Oktoberfest! Last year, I even made my first visit to a Disney water park!

This year, we are heading to WDW October 11-18. We are doing a "Tour de Jambo House"...1 night resort view...4 nights CLUB-LEVEL..2 nights savanna view. I put in a wait list for the last 2 nights in club-level but it will take an act of God for those to come through. You never know, luck has been on our side since this is the second year in a row I have managed to snag club-level studios for consecutive nights. We also got first-class flights on Delta for about $700 round-trip. This will be our first (and probably only) time flying first-class so this will be an extra-special trip. The second trip of the year is still in limbo. The planned dates are December 6-11, but since I cannot book yet, I don't know if what we want (SSR pref 1BR) will still be available. I booked a "backup" reservation for December 14-18, but it's not ideal. First, it's in a studio. Second, the flight arrives at 10pm which means we lose the entire arrival day. FInally, our park tickets expire on the 18th so adding a day on to the end of the trip really does not do us any good. So, we are REALLY hoping that the 1BR at SSR stays available on May 6 when I can finally book it:)

That's all I have to say about me (and Arlene!)....I am a chatterbox so I am sure you will see more from me.

Thanks for reading....Have a magical day!

Hi Folks!

Decided to join the forum after listening to this week's podcast. Mostly a lurker, but thought I'd stop by and say hi.

My partner and I are owners at VDH. We're local to Disneyland (15 min drive), so we are there quite often. I've always wanted to join DVC, but the Grand Californian was beyond our budget and I did not want to commit to a timeshare in Florida, so when I heard the VDH was being built, I was ready to buy as soon as it became available to the public. As such, we have been members/owners since its inception and have been able to enjoy several staycations so far. We've also used our points in ORL once and have gifted weekend stays to family and friends.

We are DINKWADS and not really looking to start a family, so studios are fine with us. Although the 1-Bedroom was nice for the longer stay in Florida. Some people have asked why become owners to a property that is essentially in our backyard, but we are happy so far with our membership and have used a lot of the membership magic already. The lounge on our weekly visits are a nice perk and have been lucky enough to attend two Moonlight Magics at DCA. For me, the potential expansion of Disneyland Forward was a big pro in committing to VDH. I also appreciate that the Transient Tax is not included in dues, so that it can be paid by others if we gift the stay. (I tell my parents that it's their magic tax when they visit.) And you also won't pay the tax if you use your points elsewhere.

I discovered the DVC Fan-iverse after becoming members, but have enjoyed listening to the podcast while walking my dog in the mornings. The banter is amusing and enjoyable to hear. It's also fun to see that there are others out there that are equally Disney/travel/research obsessed. I've seen the website and videos pop-up on my reddit feed for a long time and have enjoyed the content there.

I'm looking forward to the next 48 years of membership. Haven't been bit by the add-on-itis bug yet, but I hear the repellant wears off after a few years, so I'm saving up. We've got a staycation planned for a weekend in Aug (for Halloweentime) and Dec (for the Holidays) this year, but will bank the rest of the points for 2027, when we plan on going on our first DCL vacation to Castaway and Lookout Cay. We'll be using our points for a night or two before and after the cruise. And hopefully we'll get to visit Aulani in the next few years.

Thanks for reading! Looking forward to all the future conversations.

Hello DVC fan peeps!! I’m Marc and our family is from the suburbs outside of Chicago. We’ve been members since 2008 when we bought into Kidani.

We then added BLT shortly thereafter.

We have a 22 year old daughter and a 20 year old son, both in college. Thankfully they still love going to WDW and it’s been our preferred destination for over 20 years now.

We ran the 2018 Marathon weekend 5 and 10k as a family and after hating running all my life, I got hooked! Just the idea of setting goals and the accomplishment of meeting them has really locked me in to Run Disney. We’ve taken multiple trips during Run Disney weekends just to participate. This would have never happened without DVC.

So glad that the DVC fan has put this together and also so appreciative of all their content throughout the years.

Kevin, I was born and raised in Park Ridge! My office is in Park Ridge. We moved just a little west, just off 90.

Small world for sure!

Derek,

I love when you bring up the Doorway to Dreams location at Woodfield Mall in the podcast! Brings back the memories of our first purchase and the events you would have in the comedy club.

I remember for the AK event they had African inspired small plates and such a great presentation/slide show, we were hooked.

Then I remember we were invited for the BLT event a year or 2 later. My wife and I kept repeating "we're not buying, just looking....its all free stuff, let's just get the swag and get out". Oh, we added BLT, went on

our incentive cruise and used all the extra points.....that was almost 20 years ago. We were so sad that they closed but honestly it probably saved us $$ because that store always was a temptation when we went shopping!

Thanks for all you do!

I am from the Boston area I am a direct owner at Riviera and resale owner at grand Floridian. I have made so many memories at Disney and I love all the memories I’ve made with my DVC family.

Hey there, my name is EJ and I'm a Riviera owner from West Michigan. Been a Disney fan all my life, but decided to take the plunge into DVC a little over a year ago when my parents approached me and offered to split the contract with me. I've only used the points on one trip at the Polynesian so far, but looking forward to my next trip in June to the cabins (plus my first moonlight magic event at typhoon lagoon)!

Looking forward to exploring these forums more and learning from all you more experienced owners!

My family helped start SOS Galgos out of Barcelona . Thankful you support these beautiful greyhounds !

WHAT?!?!?! THIS IS SO COOL! I @Mimi Mouse , I need more of this story! SOS is where our boys, Emerson and Cinders, are from and we were fourtunate to go to SOS Galgos in 2024 when we took a cruise out of Barcelona and Anna gave us a tour and we brought five of their dogs to the US with us on the way home. It was so rewarding. We love SOS in Barcelona! They were wonderful and do such amazing work.

Hi everyone. I’m Janet from Northern Ireland. I’m married to Mo. We’ve been DVC members since 2018. We are hybrid members We love it and wish we’d done it sooner. Looking forward to all the great discussion on here.

I KNOW YOU GUYS!!!!

So....no pictures with ME? Sigh...I see what's happening here....;) - SO good to see you guys here and big hugs and hope to see you soon!

Awwwwwww - this makes me so happy to read Marc :) - I SO love when Doorway folks and I can connect! Those events were the BEST and so much fun and having that piece of WDW right there in the Midwest was so awesome - so glad you're here my friend and lets stay connected!

Hello DVC Fam!

My name is Brittany and my family and I are from Ohio (the Columbus area). We have been DVC members since 2016 and own at the Polynesian! While we typically save our points for trips outside the Orlando resort area (like Disneyland, Aulani, Hilton Head, etc) we are at Walt Disney World often since we are Annual Passholders. Looking forward to meeting new DVC friends here and learning about more ways to maximize our contract!

O-H!

We are Ohio members also. Still burning up all of our points at WDW but hope to schedule an Aulani trip in the next couple years! Maybe a quick trip to Disneyland as well

Well I feel right at home. I see many folks from Ohio and the Columbus area which is where we are from.

My name is Richard. My wife Jena, and sons Noah and Jonah are big Disney fans and have been for as long as I can remember. We are DVC members at the Grand Floridian and use our points to their fullest! We have been blessed to bring so many friends and family to Disney and have made some wonderful memories. Look forward to connecting with other like minded Disney Nerds!

Welcome Coopers! O-H!

Hellooo!  I’m DeeDee and my hubby of 47 yrs is Dave.  We both grew up in SoCal in the 50’s so our Disney memories go waaaay back.  I watched original Mikey Mouse Club on our black and white TV (Dave loved Darlene, I was a Spin & Marty fan).  I lived 8 miles from Disneyland and could hear the fireworks at night (only in summer then). So, you get it, I’m “vintage” and still a Disney kid.  Raised 2 daughters north of San Diego.  We’re both retired and no grandkids (yet) so we host foreign exchange students and spoil them making pixie dusted memories every summer. We had DL AP’s, when they were cheap - and purchased at Grand Californian on a whim during a mid-week visit in 2010. I love sharing Soarin’ with first timers and watching their faces, Dole Whip (sometimes with Rum) and all things Cinderella.  Headed to WDW in 2 weeks with our besties who are DL reglars, but first timers to Florida.  It’s gonna be a blast!  Staying at Derek’s favorite BLT because we want to try a monorail resort and have to save points to spoil our students from France this July at GCV!  S t r e t c h i n g those points to the max.

This one is just for you @DVCDerek

Hi - I am Spivey 378. I have been a member since 2022. I like Disney, McRibs, and DVC.

How fun! More Buckeyes to share the love of Disney with! 😉

Does your family have a specific time of the year you enjoy visiting WDW?

We really love getting down the second week of February. We’ve been during the Super Bowl and Presidents’ Day weekend and usually do a 10 day trip! The weather is fantastic. The crowds are higher during Presidents’ Day weekend, but with a 10 day trip, we usually get great lightning lane selections, especially later in the trip.

We are trying a trip in July this year as well. It will likely be a lot of resort time due to the heat, though. How about you- when is your families favorite time to travel?

Hi everyone - my wife Anne and I love our trips using our DVC points!

This is my first of hopefully many posts to this exciting new forum.

Thank you Paul and Amy for all you do for the DVC community!

Thanks DVCFan for putting this together!

Hello from Texas! My wife and I have been members since 2016. We bought resale at Saratoga Springs to start and then added on two direct contracts at SSR and Riviera. We have 3 grown children - the youngest in college at UT - Hook Em! We became grandparents for the first time this year as well and can't wait to take our grandson on his first trip to Disney World.

WDW is our happy place. I keep having to resist the urge to buy more points, so we can go more often. Plus, One bedrooms are the way to go. My constant state of borrowing sits on my shoulder whispering justification for the purchase.

Looking forward to making new DVC friends. Thank you DVCFan for creating this awesome space.

Hello! I have been with DVC fan since the beginning! We purchased our first contract direct in 2016 and then resale contract during COVID. We looked into it back when it started so we kick ourselves, like most!

I am a teacher who will be retiring soon. DH and I have adult DS and adult DD.

I am not a FACEBOOK person so thank you for adding the forum!

We have done July/August the last two years and it is HOT! 🥵 BUT, we took complete advantage of the free water park perk on check-in day last year and did a split stay so we were able to visit both water parks and that was honestly one of our favorite things about the summer! I highly recommend doing that!

My personal favorite time to go is in the fall during Halloween! We love MNSSHP and the Fall decor at Magic Kingdom. We typically go during all school breaks (so around most holidays) since my husband and I are both teachers and that’s when we have the same time of work 😜

That’s the way to do it! Good tip about the water parks. Our July stay is 10 days, 5 at Riv and 5 at Poly, so we may just try each water park. We typically pull our kids out of school for 1 week each year for the February trip. Unfortunately we don’t get a spring or fall break where we live!

Hi, my name is Ron and been a Dvc member for about 5 years not, really excited to start making core memories with my 2 littles and seeing what the parks do for them. Homing to get into a Christmas party in the upcoming season. DVC has been a huge help in deciding things to do or not do woth my membership !!!!

I hope that you enjoy the parks this summer, even with the hotter temperatures!

Hello everyone! Agree with all - thank you for doing the forums Amy and Paul as I do not have Facebook or social media!

Got engaged in its a small world in May '94. Our wedding song was A Whole New World (hence name) since Aladdin was one of the first dates we had.

I have followed DVC Fan since the Pandemic. It helped to get through it along with adding some SSR points to our POLY points! I love the World of DVC vlogs too!

I was too embarrassed to say hello to Paul and Amy at SSR a few years back when I now think they were talking to Jeff! They heard my husband saying, "aren't they who you watch!" Thank you for waving and saying hello!

I would love to do a DVC Fan event at WDW but as a teacher my vacation time is told to me and it hasn't matched up. Retirement is soon so hopefully I will get to one!

My first trip was in February when I was in 1st grade. As one shared it gets cold in Florida. I can say it snowed that trip and we were not prepared! I actually have been to WDW twice during snowflakes. I believe both were in February!

I have been blessed with two children who are now adults and still love Disney!

We love dogs - especially rescues. Our current fur family member is a rescue!

We love sharing our Disney DVC stays with family!

Hi! Thank you for joining us. I think I remember that- perhaps when we were recording our Surrey Bike vlog. That was Jeff's first camera appearance, lol.

We hope to see you at a DVC Fan event in the future!

LOVE IT!

I'm originally from Medford! Moved down in 2024..Die hard Pats fan, have always been a die hard Sox fan too but lately not so much, LOL.....And Go Celtics!

Hi Paul and Amy!

My husband and I are big fans of your You Tube videos and website. We are members of the Forum but have a question that is not DVC!! We love you adopt your dogs and are looking into adopting a greyhound or Galgo. What advice would you give to two retired people with a two grandchildren (9 and 6) and possibly a cat. We lost our fur babies when they were older and now in the position to give a home to another fur baby. Thank you:) Maureen and Hal (GoofyFan)

Hello All! Ill have to be on a different device to load a picture but im so excited to have this forum! My husband Dennis and I have been married 19.5 years. Neither of us grew up going to Disney but i was a faithful watcher of the World of Disney every Sundsy night! I was very lucky in my 20's to support an IT software product that had their annual conventions alternating between california and florida....so of course i made a point to go to Disney. While my first marriage failed , my love for disney endured...and when Dennis married me and my 2 children , he sweetly offered to make Disney our family honeymoon. One trip and he was hooked. However life did not allow for DVC. Our youngest was halfway through college and we decided to pull the trigger on what we thought was our one and done dvc contract. Now we are up to 5 and we think we are done...but oh wow, Lakeside lodge might be my undoing! My husband is semi retired but i have few years to go! We are both in IT, live in a farming community 30 miles from San antonio, have 2 adult children and many furbabies .We try to go to disney every first week of december and have recentlh become large fans of the festival od the arts! we have stayed at aulani, hilton head, vero beach , and are working our way around the wdw resorts. This is starting to feel like a singles ad in the newspaper -but we really enjoy finding like minded Disney folsk! Thank you to dvc- we afe big fans!

Hi everyone!

My name is Scott. My wife Brianna, our son Waylon, and our foster daughter (who we hope to officially adopt soon!) are huge Disney fans from North Carolina. We’ve been DVC owners at Animal Kingdom Villas since January 2024.

Our Disney journey started in 2016, but our 2017 honeymoon was what really hooked me—my wife was already hooked, so she didn't need any convincing to come back! Fast forward to 2022: I started listening to the DVC Show, which eventually led to me convincing her that we needed a contract.

We’ll be back in the bubble in just 20 days and we can’t wait! We’re staying at @DVCDerek favorite spot, Bay Lake Tower. We were able to get a theme park view which will be a first for us.

I love following the forums and really appreciate all the content you guys put out.

Hi Everyone!

Glad to have found this forum. We are relatively new DVC owners (bought direct at Grand Floridian in 2022). I'm a mom of a large family. My husband and I parent several adopted children with disabilities, and several biological children. Most of them are now teenagers - heaven help us!

Two-bedroom villas have been a life saver.

WDW is my favourite place to be, and it's fun to dream about the next trip when digging out of the snow in Ontario. LOVE the DVCfan Youtube channel, which is how I found these forums. 😍