We are relocating to Orlando, How to use DVC Now???

[lovinthemouse]

I know I have seen a thread on this subject, I just can't find it. For those who have relocated to Orlando or who live there, How do you use your DVC? I love my DVC and don't want to sell it. I will still love Disney when I live there too. Any info greatly appreciated

 

[Anthony1971]

I will be more than happy to stay at your villa open to all dates

 

[lovinthemouse]

I will be more than happy to stay at your villa open to all dates

Thank You so much for your sacrifice, but I will keep my villa thank you though

 

[teras75]

We live about an hour away...not quite Orlando but still close enough. We are new DVCers but we definitely plan to use our DVC quite often at WDW. We have always gone for a few days and taken mini vacations throughout the year. We stay on property and don't get in our car and take the bus everywhere. As far as I am concerned WDW could be 2 blocks away and it would still be a vacation!!! You also have HH and VB you could use for those times you want to go somewhere different and of course the trades!!

 

[bwvBound]

Various threads on relocating to Orlando ... some address DVC but not all.

• Anyone relocate to Orlando area?, April-04
• How do locals use points, Nov-06
• Does living in Orlando "ruin" Disneyworld for you?, Apr-07
• For those of you who relocated to Florida, Sept-06
• FL Resident discount questions, Jan-04
• Relocation - calling all FL residents!, Feb-05
• More help with my plans on moving to Orlando, Oct-05
• DVC owners living in Orlando, Apr-04
• Owning DVC and living in Fla, Apr-05
• We are moving to HH AND have our DVC home there, Aug-03 (sorta related in thought)
• Would you move to Central FL and sell your DVC if you could?, May-05

Edited to add: We live about 90-minutes from DL and use points from one of our other timeshares to stay in nearby condos several times each year. I book weekend visits whenever I see them online and then make my final "go/no-go" decision just before the final cancellation window. We enjoy eating at the Downtown Disney restaurants, pin-trading, and gazing at the nightly fireworks show. The trip doesn't have to include a park visit to deliver the Disney magic.

 

[starbox]

We live in Atlanta and frequently stay in upscale hotels for spur-of-the-moment "getaways". For us, it's all about the pool/spa/dining and convenience of location during events when parking downtown would be an issue.

I would think that you could still really enjoy your DVC membership - for your own "get-aways", to treat visiting family, and for VB/HHI trips. If I were in Orlando, I think I'd want even MORE points! Remember, on holidays the park often closes due to capacity to non-resort guests - so it might be very nice to be able to stay on property. I'll bet you'll find yourself enjoying the resorts themselves even more - since there won't be pressure to spend all your time in the parks.

 

[disney junky]

We just settled on a second home in Orlando and suddenly the whole complexion of our DVC ownership has changed. DD is going to school down there so the idea is for us to have a second home where she will live while attending school and we wait for retirement in a few years. At this point we do plan to retire there (though likely working for a few more years in a different field than we currently are). I suspect we will still use our BW points, but we can extend our vacations while staying in our home. DW and I have discussed it quite a bit and I also discussed it with my guide. I suspect we'll be doing more VB and HH trips. Our guide says she uses her points all the time for exchanges, skiing in CO, other trips and at times she'll use her points for a villa and invite all her female siblings for a girls' weekend.

I can also see us looking at shorter, getaway trips at all the resorts using points on short notice...

 

[ADP]

All I can say is lucky you and good luck!

As for your DVC I would keep it and use it each year. If anything it will get you away from your normal home environment and give you a change of scenery. And what better scenery than Disney icons such as Cindy's Castle, or the Seven Seas Lagoon during an early morning sunrise!

 

[DisDaydreamer]

Well, heck... You now live within driving distance of VERO BEACH! How else would anyone use their points!

 

[loveswdw]

Our guide says she uses her points all the time for exchanges, skiing in CO, other trips and at times she'll use her points for a villa and invite all her female siblings for a girls' weekend.

You must have Carol Ann as a guide. She's told us these same things... oh, just checked the "Who is your guide" thread... yep, she's your guide too.

We have friends that live about an hour away from WDW. They bought SSR last year. We actually gave them the "I don't know if DVC is right for you" speech since they lived so close. We didn't discourage them but wanted them to have angles covered. They use their DVC a lot. In fact, they've been at WDW the last 2 weekends and they will be there this upcoming weekend too. Not sure how they use their points--I would say they do all studios on the weekends to save the points (they're a family of 4). I'm very jealous that I can't do 3 weekends in a row at WDW! We're lucky to get there once a year!

 

[JimC]

We moved from PA to Orlando last June.

When we lived in PA we would visit WDW for a week or longer with each visit. Now that we are so close we stay Sun to Fri and save on the weekend points. Get more trips that way. We also take many more day trips and enjoy more of the Epcot concert series in the Spring and Fall.

We added on at AKV when sales began so our interest and enjoyment of DVC has not diminished. The only changes we are considering are selling two of our Marriott weeks that no longer fit well with our current needs.

 

[disney junky]

We moved from PA to Orlando last June.

When we lived in PA we would visit WDW for a week or longer with each visit. Now that we are so close we stay Sun to Fri and save on the weekend points. Get more trips that way. We also take many more day trips and enjoy more of the Epcot concert series in the Spring and Fall.

We added on at AKV when sales began so our interest and enjoyment of DVC has not diminished. The only changes we are considering are selling two of our Marriott weeks that no longer fit well with our current needs.

Where in PA?

That's what I sort of envision. Really, I can imagine using points to go over to and eat at Boma or Whispering Canyons and then just staying over for a day or two. Two hundred points can go really far....imagine just trying all the resorts. Lining up days for families and friends....it's really a nice luxury to have.

 

[Fitswimmer]

Mom and Dad retired to The Villages in Florida 8 years ago. They LOVE WDW and visit often, and we always go when I visit for holidays. (it's about an hour away) Since I bought DVC, we make short visits around Thanksgiving and Christmas, usually 2-3 nights. The shorter trips mean we stay in 2 bedrooms instead of studios and we don't have to do that hour drive after the fireworks!

 

[spiceycat]

meet some members who lived in Orlando. I asked why they brought.

there answer "SALES" - at Downtown Disney and nearby outlet malls.

they say they could shop until they dropped and come home to DVC which was around 15 minutes from offsite outlet - there home was over an hour (might have been more) away.

plus they were there in Dec - doing the Christmas stuff.

the wine & food festavial (where you don't want to drive home)....

lots of reason to kept it.

however these people probably gave the best reason. you will have guests (family, friends) that will appear at your door. the nice one will call first - the no so nice will suddenly appear. She say she could send them to Disney and not mess up her home. but I would go to Disney myself.....

 

[disney junky]

however these people probably gave the best reason. you will have guests (family, friends) that will appear at your door. the nice one will call first - the no so nice will suddenly appear. She say she could send them to Disney and not mess up her home. but I would go to Disney myself.....

I hear ya...here are the keys, we'll be over at the BW.

 

[lovinthemouse]

I hear ya...here are the keys, we'll be over at the BW.

I agree let them have my house, I go to WDW.

Thank you all for your input. We will keep our DVC. I love it way to much to let it go. I love the thought of weekend trips and seeing illuminations when I want.

 

[JimC]

Where in PA? .....

Downingtown in Chester County

 

[jdvm]

I think the short answer is that clearly it changes. We've owned Old Key West since 1992. I'm from Kentucky but I was living in England at the time and I bought enough points to stay there about 6-8 weeks per year. We've lived in Orlando (Celebration) for about 2 years now and we're still sorting out what's best for us.
I'm usually of the school of thought that says that if you wouldn't buy it today, you should sell it. And, I still can't answer that question. So we're experimenting with using OKW as a spare bedroom. a weekend getaway, a place for our daughter in college to bring friends. I suspect we'll sell some points as I really feel that the only effective use of DVC points is staying at DVC.
John

 

[WolfpackFan]

I am so envious. I'd love to live in Orlando (or some town just close to WDW). I absolutely hate cold weather and even though we live in NC which doesn't get anywhere as cold as some other places, every year I just hate the approach of winter. If we lived within a short drive of WDW, I'd be over there several times a week. Plus I'd love to just pick up and move to somewhere I've never lived before. We're in our 50's and have basically lived in this area all our lives. I think it would really be neat to live somewhere different for a change.

I wonder if I could ever convince DW to move???

 

[JimC]

...DW and I have discussed it quite a bit and I also discussed it with my guide. I suspect we'll be doing more VB and HH trips. Our guide says she uses her points all the time for exchanges, skiing in CO, other trips and at times she'll use her points for a villa and invite all her female siblings for a girls' weekend.

I can also see us looking at shorter, getaway trips at all the resorts using points on short notice...

We thought the same about HH as well. We are at HH right now. And I suspect we will not return. Nothing wrong with the resort, except why drive six hours when I can get everything HH offers within two hours of Orlando and better weather all year long. Now VB is another story. We will probably make that our "beach" resort as it is only a 90 miunte drive from our home.

We would not use DVC points to trade out, except possibly for another Disney resort if the AP rates were not favorable. Trading is an expensive use of the points. That is why we bought into Marriott -- for non-Disney vacations with a system that is consistently high quality.