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Sadly, Elise and I cannot make it to Winterfest 2027. I feel bad, as I had previously been bugging Paul to schedule more…

Sadly, Elise and I cannot make it to Winterfest 2027. I feel bad, as I had previously been bugging Paul to schedule more DVC Fan events and I am SO THANKFUL that DVC Fan has done so. But...we are scheduled for a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Sicily in late-January/Feb that will keep us away. We are very much excited for FallFest 2027 and we are very likely to make the trip to Massanutten next summer as well 👍

When I bought direct in 2002, the minimum you could buy direct was 150. After many many hours of studying the points cha…

When I bought direct in 2002, the minimum you could buy direct was 150. After many many hours of studying the points charts for BCV, I decided 0n 200 points. I have often wished I had bought 230, which would be about one extra night in a one bedroom when I like to travel. But I have learned to love my 200 points. They have given me lots of fun WDW and DVC vacations. I like how far 200 points go at the older DVC resorts, and am less happy at how much less far they go at the newest resorts. 😂

Our resale contract (2nd one) is SSR. No regets. We bought during COVID when we were not sure when we would be able to u…

Our resale contract (2nd one) is SSR. No regets. We bought during COVID when we were not sure when we would be able to use it, but the timing was right. It was our 25th anniverasy present to each other. We love staying here when we are not doing a big theme park trip. We love walking to Disney Springs and how spacious it is. Also love the low point charts and dues!!

Yes! My son has been watching ride throughs lately and, even though he loves thrill rides, he was excited about the Alic…

Yes! My son has been watching ride throughs lately and, even though he loves thrill rides, he was excited about the Alice in Wonderland, Snow White, and Mr. Toad rides they have out there. Looking at the eternal line for Peter Pan's flight shows how much people love a simple story ride!

OP here just checking back to thank everyone. Great advice and I appreciate all of you. Trip is around the corner: Grand…

OP here just checking back to thank everyone. Great advice and I appreciate all of you. Trip is around the corner: Grand Cal and Aulani combo adventure will be a real treat for this Florida boy!

99 days until my first DCL!!!!!! We were hoping to spend the weekend before at a DVC but since I am out of points I cant…

99 days until my first DCL!!!!!! We were hoping to spend the weekend before at a DVC but since I am out of points I cant borrow until 10/1 and there isn't going to be much if anything left. If I can grab the night before I'd be happy

No desire to stay there . I know its just a what if, scenario anyway.. but NY cant have certain Marvel characters until …

No desire to stay there . I know its just a what if, scenario anyway.. but NY cant have certain Marvel characters until the deal with Universal expires ( which is why DL can have some of the Marvel characters but WDW cant, east of the Mississippi)

I've never stayed in the Tree Houses but I've visited them on more than one occasion because I knew somebody staying the…

I've never stayed in the Tree Houses but I've visited them on more than one occasion because I knew somebody staying there. They are great and I recommend staying there. The only thing I will say is that having a car when staying in them is essential whether you drive or rent a car. My understanding is the Treehouse bus route takes you over to the main resort where you board another bus. Regardless, if I was staying there I would want the option of being able to drive to the theme parks. Also, given that the nearest dining options are a bit of a hike, you are probably going to be eating a lot of meals in the Treehouse which means you are going to need to go to the grocery store. That's my only advice, definitely stay there and have fun but have your own car.

Welcome to the Comma Club! We are also mulling adding on more points at AKV or adding yet another Home resort at SSR for…

Welcome to the Comma Club! We are also mulling adding on more points at AKV or adding yet another Home resort at SSR for the Tree House Villas. Addonitist is real! Love playing the what if games.

OK SSR Owners, I need a bit of your wisdom. Way back in 1996 we stayed at the Tree House Villas. Of course it was not DV…

OK SSR Owners, I need a bit of your wisdom. Way back in 1996 we stayed at the Tree House Villas. Of course it was not DVC back then and SSR was still the Disney Institute. Good TImes! I looked at videos of the recently refurbished Tree Houses and wow. Very nice! I showed my DD and my Grandkids (ok the Grandkids Mom). She remembers the trip fondly, especially chasing down lizards! Too bad the took out the lower bedroom. So now my questions. We have been hit with a great big nostalgia stick. We currently own AKV, BLT and BWV. Dont really want to add another home resort. So anyone know how the availability of the Tree Houses are at 7 months? From the DVC web page, it looks pretty good, but that can be deceiving. If the availability looks ok, then we would add on SAP at AKV that we could use at the Tree Houses. Also anyone stay at the tree houses lately, How is the bus or boat transport. In the old days it was pretty bad and we drove to Down Town Disney to park and catch a bus. Thanks in advance.

Thanks to the valiant efforts of DVC Derek we defeated the ROFR monster last month and added on another 250 at OKW. This…

Thanks to the valiant efforts of DVC Derek we defeated the ROFR monster last month and added on another 250 at OKW. This will take us to a family total of 1005. Sounds like a lot...BUT...IDK, Riviera looks awesome so you never know!?!?!? We like studios because we like to stay as long as possible and we are hoping for an truly "extended stay" in early 2028 of 6 to 8 weeks.

Thanks for the responses. @Sorceror Scott I appreciate this view point gives us flex, but we wouldn’t get 2025 points an…

Thanks for the responses. @Sorceror Scott I appreciate this view point gives us flex, but we wouldn’t get 2025 points and the savings in dues is minimal compared to the point value. @Kkarmah my challenge is if we do September we have to use 500 points in August-September 2027 or go in August again in 2028, which we always try to avoid because of cost, crowds and heat. Or we could just blitz the 500 points on the 2027 trip, but my worry is if we go to 1BR to do this on our 2 week trip my wife will never want to go back to a studio and it becomes an even more expensive endeavour 😂 The final option is we do a Dec use year and that way it’s only the august month we are at risk of cancelling for future trips. Argh!

It's an enormous risk to travel in Sept on an October use year. I have a June use year and in over twenty years of owner…

It's an enormous risk to travel in Sept on an October use year. I have a June use year and in over twenty years of ownership have only traveled once in May and that was due to weird circumstances. I worried the entire time. Personal travel patterns change though and we now travel in Feb, which is past our banking window but enough room to book something if we cancel last minute and go into holding. I would stick with September use year.

I'm not sure we actually have an "ownership strategy" 😂 We planned an Escape wedding at WDW in 2008 and wanted to stay …

I'm not sure we actually have an "ownership strategy" 😂 We planned an Escape wedding at WDW in 2008 and wanted to stay at the Poly. But since it was last-minute, there was no availability, so our wedding coordinator booked us in a 1BR at Boulder Ridge. We knew nothing about DVC, but when hubby saw the W/D and I saw the tub, we were done for 😂 7 months later we bough direct at BLT (it wasn't open yet), and those 300 points served us well for over 15 years with a trip about once a year (sometimes twice). Hubby retired from the military in 2020, and we now have more flexibiltiy (and predictability) in our travel time. In 2024, we bought 300 direct at Riviera after staying there. We didn't consider resale, because we fell in love with Riviera, but wanted the flexibility we'd come to enjoy over the years. Then, this year, we stayed at VGF for the first time ever and fell in love again. We also have 4 trips planned this year (one where we got a 2BR to bring friends), so we were burning through points very quickly. So we bought our first resale at VGF last month! I think we're good for a while, but we'll probably end up buying more when we bribe our kids and their families to come vacation with us 😜. They're teens now, so we have a few years.

Since Lakeshore Lodge is so large, I'm hoping it will be relatively easy to book at the 7-month window. Not really inter…

Since Lakeshore Lodge is so large, I'm hoping it will be relatively easy to book at the 7-month window. Not really interested in owning, if it can be had at 7-months. But I also expect it to be high points. We always stay 1BR, but have opted to not try Poly Tower yet (even though we can snag 1BRs at 7 months) because the points are cray cray. We feel pretty spoiled to often stay at high-point resorts like Riviera and VGF, but Poly is even higher 😳. Hoping LL isn't that high.

We sailed the Magic in March 2023 for the third time. We hit a big storm in the Gulf and water flooded the ship for an e…

We sailed the Magic in March 2023 for the third time. We hit a big storm in the Gulf and water flooded the ship for an entire day. They closed everything on the pool deck (including dining). We were in a concierge room at the back of deck 8 (under Cabanas) and water was pouring into our room through the sliding glass door. It soaked the carpet, but they came to attend to it and put in dryers and we were able to stay in the room. A stateroom on the other side of the hall was not as lucky...the ceiling caved in and they had to move. It was CLEARLY in need of some upgrades, but I think it went into a longer drydock a couple months later.

As @LDLC12 said, all dining and shopping is in the Contemporary, but it's such an easy walk. I love the vibe in the Cont…

As @LDLC12 said, all dining and shopping is in the Contemporary, but it's such an easy walk. I love the vibe in the Contemporary. We find ourselves walking to the MK, because BLT is closer to the park entrance than the Contemporary anyway. Plus the Resort Monorail goes away from the MK when coming from the Contemporary. And then you get off at the monorail station and still have to walk a bit to security. So we find it simpler just to walk straight from BLT. Also, we're fresh and full of energy at that point. We often ride the monorail back when leaving the park 🫠 Another thing about dining and shopping is how easy it is to pop into the MK, the Poly, or GF (or even Wilderness Lodge or FW) for a meal. BLT is very well connected in that sense.

I've got a completely different thought process. I would go with a February or March use year. With a February use year …

I've got a completely different thought process. I would go with a February or March use year. With a February use year you need to bank by 9/30 and for March you would have until 10/31. Even though you always go in September, just in case something happens, I would want until 9/30 or 10/31 to bank my points. You never know when somebody may get sick or something else may happen that causes you to push the trip out or cancel it for the year.

^ We are local now too ( as of July 2024 ) and we have Universal APs but we still haven't stayed at any of their resorts…

^ We are local now too ( as of July 2024 ) and we have Universal APs but we still haven't stayed at any of their resorts, every time we say we will something else presents itself Maybe 2027 will be the year

I want a Disney Princess dark ride. Like the princesses said in Ralph Breaks the Internet, they all sing to important wa…

I want a Disney Princess dark ride. Like the princesses said in Ralph Breaks the Internet, they all sing to important water. Give me a dark boat ride that shows highlights of all the best princess movie moments. I have to have the scene where Gramma Tala as a glowing sting ray goes under Moana's boat (she is technically the daughter of the village chief, but she was definitely in the princess room in Ralph Breaks the Internet!)

Our budget is recovering from the move to Florida (and all the things we didn't know were wrong with our new home) so we…

Our budget is recovering from the move to Florida (and all the things we didn't know were wrong with our new home) so we have been enjoying mini overnight trips to Universal as passholders. We just booked an overnight on Saturday December 5th to see all the Christmas at Universal and I cannot wait! We've never been at Christmas. Also planned an overnight mother-son trip to Universal (did a mother-daughter a few weeks ago) and I'm really excited for that 1:1 time 💙

Yes, all the dining (minus TOTWL) is in the Contemporary, as are the shops and arcade. I don't often travel during peak …

Yes, all the dining (minus TOTWL) is in the Contemporary, as are the shops and arcade. I don't often travel during peak times for opening and closing, but here are a few other tips and tricks that may be helpful if you haven't stayed at BLT before.

Shawna in the DVC Fan FB group showed this picture of the lobby: If it's helpful, here's a breakdown of the specific are…

Shawna in the DVC Fan FB group showed this picture of the lobby: If it's helpful, here's a breakdown of the specific areas that will be closed and when: https://dvcrentalstore.com/blog/construction-begins-soon-for-kidani-village-common-areas/

I don't currently see the benefit in Cotino (I live in the same area). They are expensive properties! There's some Disne…

I don't currently see the benefit in Cotino (I live in the same area). They are expensive properties! There's some Disney magic in the downtown area but the homes are tract homes by three different builders. If they did a custom home section then I'd be knocking down their door to build though! I would have enjoyed a few more Disney "magic" items. We're a couple hours from Disneyland so maybe tickets included or group excursions would have been cool. Having a private beach and a restaurant doesn't knock it out of the park for me considering the price. One of the 55 and older homes was done up with some Indiana Jones style whimsy. It was cool to see but that's not what you're buying. shrug

We ended up picking up two camp snap cameras. We'll see how they do when we make it to the park in October. They are not…

We ended up picking up two camp snap cameras. We'll see how they do when we make it to the park in October. They are not low light cameras... it's going to be an outdoor day time camera. It does remind me of growing up with the first digital cameras..... not great but it'll be fun for the kiddos.

Any tips or tricks for BLT? I'm assuming all dining is in the Contemporary but are there shops or arcades at BLT? The cl…

Any tips or tricks for BLT? I'm assuming all dining is in the Contemporary but are there shops or arcades at BLT? The closest I've been to it is the lobby after walking from Magic Kingdom to get an uber. How is monorail traffic during opening and closing? Is it difficult to get to the TTC during the morning?

This August trip we just completed was the first time we stepped foot in that area of the park. We went back in 2006 and…

This August trip we just completed was the first time we stepped foot in that area of the park. We went back in 2006 and didn't plan a thing so we didn't know what we didn't know. The next three trips just weren't planned in. We finally got to Fixture this last go and I will say that I enjoyed the time but could see how it could be better. And there is a distinct smell to the ride, correct? Not the skunk smell but everywhere else smelled different. The DVC lounge was really cool!

I've been leaning towards getting rid of all credit cards and just going 100% debit, but until then we use an Amex Plati…

I've been leaning towards getting rid of all credit cards and just going 100% debit, but until then we use an Amex Platinum for some perks like Clear+/TSA Precheck, Visa Inspire for it's new benefits and Disney Related items, and my wife has a Hilton card she uses for some other perks (we actually go places other than DW!).

So I have sailed the Wonder six times (four to Alaska) and while I love that ship, during last fall's Vancouver to Hawai…

So I have sailed the Wonder six times (four to Alaska) and while I love that ship, during last fall's Vancouver to Hawaii cruise we noticed for the first time that the ship seemed to be showing its age bit. Nothing big, just worn out furniture and some areas looking a little tired. I hope she has gotten or will get a good refit soon.

Curious what your first DCL was @Laura Gnewuch . I'm assuming Wish Class? Since you hadn't experienced Animator's Palett…

Curious what your first DCL was @Laura Gnewuch . I'm assuming Wish Class? Since you hadn't experienced Animator's Palette? We've cruised the Magic 4 times, so I totally get why you started to appreciate the smaller ship. I also really love 2/3 of the restaurants on the Magic. Rapunzel's and Animator's Palette are two of my three fave DCL main dining rooms (1923 on Wish class being my 3rd). We really hope to do the Wonder AK cruise soon.

Curious if you had any resolution. I understand your frustration. Honestly, that's why I haven't felt comfortable bookin…

Curious if you had any resolution. I understand your frustration. Honestly, that's why I haven't felt comfortable booking GTY rooms. Friends did it on an oceanview, and that's probably a lower risk. But balconies are tricky...

We'll be at BLT 3-10 Sep. It's our first time back to our OG Home Resort since 2021. BLT has always been a fave, but it …

We'll be at BLT 3-10 Sep. It's our first time back to our OG Home Resort since 2021. BLT has always been a fave, but it was looking tired by 2021. We're really excited to see the new rooms. We're also hoping to venture to Epic Universe for a day. I hate all the logistical parts of staying on WDW property and going to Universal, but our teens (and our family) are pretty crazy about HP, How to Train Your Dragon, and Super Mario.

We spent 6-nights in a 2BR at OKW with friends mid-May. We hadn't stayed at OKW in 16 years (before we had kids) and had…

We spent 6-nights in a 2BR at OKW with friends mid-May. We hadn't stayed at OKW in 16 years (before we had kids) and had the best time. Their 2BRs with two families is amazing. We also stayed one night in a BPK Resort Studio at VGF. Beautiful room, but I still like the 1BRs better ;)

2026 is a busy WDW year for us! We were able to get the Military Salue pseudo-AP, so we are taking 4 trips Jan '26: VGF …

2026 is a busy WDW year for us! We were able to get the Military Salue pseudo-AP, so we are taking 4 trips Jan '26: VGF and SSR (convinced us buy a VGF contract and that we really don't like the size of the SSR 1BR living rooms anymore) May '26: OKW 2BR with friends. Hadn't stayed at OKW in 16 years. LOVED it. Also decided to get Owner's Locker because we bought an air fryer we want in the room 😂 Sep '26: BLT just us 4. Haven't been to BLT since '21 and are excited about the remodel. Oct '26: Riviera. Haven't been to Riv since we added on after our 2024 stay.

I have a 13-year old (almost 14 year old) who eats like a 5 year old, so I feel the pain. We've done Christmas at WDW tw…

I have a 13-year old (almost 14 year old) who eats like a 5 year old, so I feel the pain. We've done Christmas at WDW twice (because our daughter's birthday is Christmas Day). The first year the kids were 4 and 2, so we went to Cinderella's Castle for a 9:30-ish breakfast for the Birthday Girl. We were staying at BLT and didn't rope drop (because it's Christmas morning...sheesh!), and when we hit the entrance to MK it was a WALL of people all the way to the castle. We had a stroller, so I put my 4 year old in my shoulders and elbowed my way to the Castle to make sure we checked in on time. My hubby followed with the stroller and the toddler. It was a great decision, because once we were in the Castle, it was peaceful compared to the chaos outside. We enjoyed our meal, and then did our FP+ (remember those!) and left. In 2022, we attended the Christmas Eve Vigil Mass at the Contemporary Ballroom and ate at Cali Grill for Christmas Eve dinner. It was crazy expensive, because it's pre-fixe. But they let our picky kid order the "Seasonal Flatbread" as a pepperoni flatbread for the appetizer. Then he loved it so much, he ordered it again as a Main. It's $100 for two pizzas, but he was happy and the rest of us had a lovely meal. Very worthy of Christmas Eve. On Christmas Day that year, we ate at Via Napoli. Not your typical Christmas Day, but it was delicious, and we all loved pizza! Since you're staying at Riviera, I strongly recommend Topolino's. Their character breakfast is one of our teens' top two character meals. Picky kids can definitely get what they want. But it wouldn't really work if you're trying to get into MK early. Topolino's for dinner is great too, but I would take a peek at the menu and see if your daughter would like it. If your kiddo likes traditional Christmas food like turkey, ham, dressing (ours does not), Liberty Tree is a perfect Christmas meal. I would love to do that for a holiday. But the ambience at Crystal Palace is also wonderful with a larger variety of food. It's probably our teens' fave character meal.

We bought BLT in Jan 2009 before it opened. We've loved the 1BRs for the size, the windows and the off-center MK views. …

We bought BLT in Jan 2009 before it opened. We've loved the 1BRs for the size, the windows and the off-center MK views. We also love the short walk to the MK and the monorail access to other resorts. Ironically when we first bought, BLT was a "high points" stay for us. But since our other (newer) favorites are now Riviera and VGF, BLT is our "budget" stay...unless we're at OKW. 😂

We stayed at Riviera in Oct 2024 expecting it to be a one-and-done for us. We had walked through the lobby and public pl…

We stayed at Riviera in Oct 2024 expecting it to be a one-and-done for us. We had walked through the lobby and public places and were underwhelmed. It knocked our socks off, and we added on for the first time since our original purchase in 2009!

After 17 1/2 years as DVC Members (BLT since 2009 and RR since 2024), we bought VGF resale after spending 5 nights in a …

After 17 1/2 years as DVC Members (BLT since 2009 and RR since 2024), we bought VGF resale after spending 5 nights in a 1BR this January. It was a top 3 DVC stay for us! Can't wait to go back. We're considering next September: low points and low crowds, plus air conditioned monorail to offset the heat. We love Riviera, but I don't love the Skyliner in the heat.

We bought BLT direct in 2009 with a Feb UY, and, unlike you, we never really worried about how our Oct-Jan trip put us a…

We bought BLT direct in 2009 with a Feb UY, and, unlike you, we never really worried about how our Oct-Jan trip put us at risk...until this year. We took a Jan trip this year (end of the month) and we both have 80-year old mothers. We realized we dodged a bullet by being able to take the trip. We would've had no backup plan if we had had to cancel. So when we bought a resale contract, we purposefully looked for one about 6 months off and got a August UY. I would've preferred October, because that would make Oct-May "safe," but August is good enough too. That being said, you can also ask yourself if you're going to buy more points (in that case hold what you've got...and buy the next contract with a different UY). If you're set, then maybe? But there are costs associated with buying and selling, and BLT is a good value right now.

I received an email a few days ago for our upcoming trip with instructions on how to enter. I am sure you will get an em…

I received an email a few days ago for our upcoming trip with instructions on how to enter. I am sure you will get an email. We were told to follow signs for GF and then follow signs to the tower,

They also give you numbered zipties to close the locker when you check out. That way if you take a pic of the numbers on…

They also give you numbered zipties to close the locker when you check out. That way if you take a pic of the numbers on your zipties you can see if anyone has opened it while in storage cuz the numbers wont be the same. We have 4 lockers from them, family of six so lots of stuff, and they are always great and we have never had any problems. One of the best things you can get

North side is facing Magic Kingdom, south is facing Contemporary; Even/Odd (can’t recall which is which) determines whet…

North side is facing Magic Kingdom, south is facing Contemporary; Even/Odd (can’t recall which is which) determines whether you are facing inward to the courtyard/lake or outward to MK/parking lot

The best way to see the views for the rooms is using Touring Plans room finder. This will help you decide what specific …

The best way to see the views for the rooms is using Touring Plans room finder. This will help you decide what specific area you want to request. https://touringplans.com/walt-disney-world/room-finder

Yeah great article @GreyhoundDad22 gives a comprehensive summary and analysis of the relevant parts of the call as it re…

Yeah great article @GreyhoundDad22 gives a comprehensive summary and analysis of the relevant parts of the call as it relates to guests. I was very surprised that actual domestic attendance was up in addition to revenues per guest. I was expecting attendance to be down a bit due to the increased prices and the reduced international tourists to the US more broadly, a bit like what Las Vegas is experiencing with reduced guests. Perhaps with Epic opening down the road did end up bringing more guests to Orlando who also included a Disney Park trip. I am all for more premium product options being expanded for both on and off-property if that means there is less need to nickel and dime the general family guest. Also they seem to be addressing some of the increasing cost narrative with some promotional discounting; it would be good if there were at least a few affordable food options for families. The promotional discounting approach has worked for them in the past when they have rapidly increased prices in the past, and seems to be working again (if it ain't broke, why fix it). The value proposition for Disney experiences is the positive core memories these parks and experiences provide their guests, which at the end of the day is very hard to quantify.

I am so happy for you. Yes we were lucky enough to do the tour mid last year. This was an awesome experience that I woul…

I am so happy for you. Yes we were lucky enough to do the tour mid last year. This was an awesome experience that I would strongly recommend to any Disney history buff, and one of the few off-property experiences unique to the west coast resort that really complements a Disneyland resort stay. We were fortunate to do our studio tour, learning the Studio's history and walking through Walt's office after doing the Disneyland Land of Dreams tour a day earlier, where we got to visit Walt's apartment and learn a lot of the park's history. These tours complemented each other so perfectly and provided a very unique and comprehensive experience that our whole family really enjoyed. I wish the studio tour, along with other Disney history sites like Walt's Barn and Imagineering, was able to be booked through the Disney Land Resort hotels. This would provide some unique experiences to the DL resort and would extend the DL resort stay. As for tips- -Make sure you allow for LA traffic when planning your Uber ride to the Studio, and then add 30+ minutes. Just speaking from experience (Doh!!). -Make sure you have room to buy the exclusive merch and pins from the staff store on property; you will have a short period of time after the tour for some shopping. -When at Legends Plaza (just in front of HQ) keep an eye out for any celebrities or execs that could be be walking into HQ. -Have your Oscar speach ready for when you get to hold the real Osacar (haha) Have fun it is an awesome experience.

All October use year, 350 points across three contracts. Just bought the VDH a month ago! 100 - Aulani direct 100 - Aula…

All October use year, 350 points across three contracts. Just bought the VDH a month ago! 100 - Aulani direct 100 - Aulani resale 150 - Villas at Disneyland Hotel direct We're in the West and go to Aulani every other year. DL is an easier trip, and we like all the WDW resorts - with lots of options there's always something available at 7 months.