The last time I did this was 22 years ago.
My addiction to Disney had hit new heights. I lived in New Jersey and traveled to Disney as often as I could. My every waking minute was spent thinking about, planning, strategizing, reading, watching and consuming all things Disney. That ‘addiction’ led me to start a small website as a way to share my passion for something I loved. I called it the DIS, and the site became more than I ever could have imagined and changed my life in ways that are still difficult to describe.
That was 1997.
Fast forward 22 years and I find myself in a familiar place. Having only recently bought into DVC for the first time, I find myself reliving the kind of excitement that originally led me to Disney. I’m finding it difficult to put that into words, and even more difficult to explain. It’s not that I didn’t know about DVC before now. It’s not like I’ve ‘discovered’ some secret gem or anything. Why I’m having this kind of emotional reaction eludes me, but as I’ve learned over the years, sometimes it’s better to accept and lean in then to try and figure it out. So, here I am, a proud owner at Copper Creek (and Boulder Ridge and Bay Lake Tower and Beach Club). Yeah, when I said ‘lean in’ I meant ‘dive in head first’.
I can’t honestly tell you what I want this site to be, other than a blog about thoughts and experiences with DVC – both mine and others. I can get into a mindset that says I have to plan out every aspect of a new project to within an inch of its life – but for this, I feel the need to just go wherever it takes me. I hope you’ll come along for the ride.
Hey Pete – Love the new site… My wife Amy and I are new DVC owners ourselves as of January 2018. On our first trip we actually resort hopped to five different DVC resorts and find ourselves now just as entranced by it as you are. Would love to help in any way we can to make this blog what you want. Look forward to reading more as you dive into the world of DVC!
Love this. Your enthusiasm is contagious! Looking forward to following along. Welcome Home!!
Howdy Pete! I am loving all the recent DVC content and I just wanted to say a quick thank you for the recent shows and now this blog. I am soaking up all this content like a sponge and I hope to buy DVC within the next 2 years as soon as I get some other financial priorities out of the way. Keep up the great work!
Hi Pete and Welcome Home. Like the others that have commented, I am loving all the new DVC content on the Dis and can’t wait to hear about your trips “home” !!! As a DVC member myself, I fully understand the enthusiasm and look forward to following your journey (and maybe picking up some useful tips ) Thanks again !
Love that you’ve finally taken the dive into DVC. We’ve been owners since March 2017. We own at Poly and so far have only stayed there. We’re anxious to try other properties just haven’t been able to travel down. Congrats and Welcome Home
Hi Pete and congrats on your many DVC purchases. The wife and I have been a members since 1998 with our home resorts at Beach Club and Animal Kingdom. We are purchasing the Rivera Resort this week as another add-onitis. Can’t wait to stay there and even though I am already a member, I am excited for that resort (like waking up Christmas morning as a kid). Love your shows and thanks for the knowledge you provide.
Welcome Home!! (It never gets old!). Super excited about this site, great side kick to the DVC show. I bought into SSR ( my fave resort – it really is despite it being the red headed stepchild of DVC) in 2011 on my first solo Disney trip. Looking forward to all the great things to come on the blog!!
Congrats Pete, we bought over the phone back in 2006 at Saratoga Springs. We never saw the place or any DVC homes till we showed up for our first vacation as members. A good friend of mine had bought in at the floor price at Old Key West and mentioned it a few years later. By the way , love your dedication to GKTW. This is a phenomenal facility doing great things. My wifes school in Louisiana is going to GKTW to make their annual donation and volunteer trip at the end of May. This year we will break the one million dollar total for the twenty years the school has been doing this trip. The kids donate all the proceeds from a 5 k run, golf tournament and concessions from school events.
We joined in 2008, we started small and as of about an hour ago we are up to 925 points….my wife just bought 500 at The Riviera….I am actually mad she didn’t put us over the 1000 point club, I guess I will never retire…welcome home Pete….
Seriously, at that point, what’s another 75 points LOL. Congrats on Riviera!!
Thanks Pete, I am a huge fan of the show and of you and your story…My wife and I plan on building up enough DVC points so that when we finally do retire, we will spend as much time as we can in Disney…I agree with you DVC has changed us in so many ways, we can spend more time with our family and stay in the best resorts. Disney feel more like home to us than our real home in NY..again thanks for this site and all that you guys do…..
Are there additional perks if one hits the 1000 point club (besides bankruptcy)?
I’m only at 260 points so I know I’ll never be there haha!
About $20K. LOL
I would love to add more points but even looking at resale it is hard to find something practical that doesn’t cost as much as a car. And then to be able to maintain them with the dues is another thing. Ahhh wish I was rich. Haha! *O*
Completely understand your enthusiasm. And look forward to tagging along on your journey. Enjoy and embrace. 🙂
Hi Pete! The new site looks great! I love my DVC too and am the proud owner at BLT and The Poly. Owning DVC has changed he way we vacation in that we take a much more relaxed approach since we know we’ll be back. Like you, I also sometimes travel with my mom. She never had a vacation in her life until we went to WDW in 2010 and she loves it just as much as me now. Can’t wait to see your mom’s youtube debut!
Hi Pete, I have been a fan of the WDW podcast for a couple years and when you started your DVC voyage it rekindled our desire to purchase so thanks, I think! Congratulations and thank you for everything you and the crew do for us!
I am so happy you started this website. I can never get enough DVC news, stories, etc.
Welcome home Pete!!! We purchased at the original Disney Vacation Club (now Old Key West) over the phone in 1995 without ever having set foot on a DVC property. We had heard about it during a 1992 vacation, but never did the tour. Fast forward to 1995. I got a rather nice bonus check and decided that I wanted to go to Walt Disney World right away. The only way to make that happen was to buy an interest in DVC. It turns out to be one of the best decisions that I ever made. When we opened the door to our 2 bedroom suite at what is now Old Key West, my wife burst into tears of joy. Our family has enjoyed many Disney trips thanks to DVC. My children are part of the photos displayed at Olivia’s restaurant at OKW. Both of them ended up in the Disney College Program and my daughter still works for the company. She even appeared in a DVC recruitment video. None of this would have been possible had it not been for DVC.
Hey Pete, my wife and I just jumped In late 2017 and purchased at Copper Creek. We have been coming to Disney together since we met. We fell in love with each other and Disney is a part of our bond. We love it as much if not more than our two boys. Frankly, we are still kicking ourselves for not buying into DVC back during our first trip 15 yrs ago. Would have been far less expensive and believe it or not, they were giving away a free cruise on DCL if you bought in. So here were are, we bought 75 pts direct and as I type this, I am anxiously awaiting ROFR on a Saratoga contract. I love that you started this site. Love Disney and DVC. Looking forward to joining in the fun and who knows maybe we’ll run into you one of these trips. I’d certainly enjoy doing a member spotlight if the time comes.
Best
Jim
Great forum to share all things DVC. We rented points for more than a decade before we purchased. Within 24 hrs of signing papers on Beach Club we also purchased Boulder Ridge. Our sentimental favorite is Old Key West where we should’ve bought in 1993 when we first walked in the door. 610 pts later I debate while sitting here should we add on Copper Creek?
Love this site and the podcast! My wife and I bought into DVC eight years ago with our daughter and son-in-law (he actually talked us into it). Keep up the good work!
We listened to the DVC deal last fall. I was curious about it and the extra fast passes were appealing. We met with our sales guy and he was very low pressure. Afterwards he told us he would let us talk and would be back in a little bit. I thought we would wait to sign up but then dh blurted out (in front of the sales guy), “I think we should do it”! Um. Ok. So that was it
We met at the office at Boardwalk Villas and never even saw the inside of CCV! In a few weeks we will be at WDW and we will finally get our tour of CCV!
Congratulations on your DVC purchases and the new site venture. We have been active WL lovers on the DIS since our honeymoon there in 2007, and purchased at Copper Creek in 2017. Since then we’ve been able to compile the entire room location layout for Copper Creek before it was fully declared. We also got to stay in a cabin for three nights on our first official DVC stay in September 2018, and can’t wait to return this September. It is great to own a piece of our favorite resort.
welcome home and congrats to all. i became a member in 2006 and have been guilty of investing more and more. i find my homes at disney vacation club a very important part of my life. i am now the proud owner of 1000 pts, with saratoga being the first. founding member at animal kingdom lodge, founding member at bay lake towers, grand floridian and a resale at beach club.
i spend as much time with disney as possible with adventures by disney, disneyland paris, california, tokyo and one cruise. as i get older and can not travel as far, i can still get to disney world in florida and am always happy that i have a home there.
i also find resort hopping a pleasure. every resort is so different.
Thank you for helping us along this DVC journey. We are awaiting word on our 2nd attempt contract. Your DVC show and this site have answered many of our questions. We are so looking forward to owning a DVC and can’t wait to start making memories! Thanks again for sharing your experiences!!!