Welcome home has taken on a new meaning for me. Several years ago, I had daydreamed about what it would be like to be a DVC retiree, but I didn’t quite anticipate where my DVC journey would lead me: moving away from my home state of New York for the first time in my life. Within DVC Fan alone, I know my story is not unique. There are plenty of other DVC Members who have made the decision to move to Florida and, based on posts that come up in the DVC Fan Facebook group from time to time, plenty of others who are considering moving, but what is it about DVC that makes it the gateway to becoming a Floridian?
DVC Is (Typically) Based Upon Deeded Property
Most DVC Members who have a home resort at Walt Disney World already own a little property in Florida. While owning a DVC contract certainly doesn’t make you a Florida resident, your DVC ownership is based on the purchase of a deeded real estate interest. Sure, your ownership may be as small as a door knob or tile of a DVC unit, but it is still direct ownership interest in a resort. (The exception here is the Cabins at Fort Wilderness since that is sold as ownership into a trust instead of a specific property.)
Florida Holds a Special Place in the Hearts of Many DVC Members
DVC Members are among the most ardent Disney World fans! After all, you wouldn’t spend thousands of dollars for decades worth of vacation time at Disney World if you didn’t enjoy being here. Disney World (and by extension, Central Florida) is the happy place of many DVC Members, and who doesn’t like to spend more time in their happy place?
DVC Leads to More Stays
With many years’ worth of DVC points, DVC Members visit Florida at least once every other year. Many even visit multiple times per year. The higher frequency of trips makes visiting the Orlando area feel like coming home. For some, more frequent visits also translates into more time to explore beyond the Disney bubble, be it to check out other theme parks like Universal or get to know the neighborhoods in Central Florida.
More Stays Get You Acclimated to the Weather
For a while, a personal deterrent to living in Florida was the heat. Prior to DVC, I visited once, maybe twice a year if I were lucky, and I avoided the summer months in Florida like the plague. However, after joining DVC, I found myself traveling year-round to experience the different seasonal offerings at Disney World or take advantage of the lower points charts, such as those in September. Those August/September trips taught me how to better cope with the heat. By no means do I feel comfortable in the extreme heat, but I did eventually find it more bearable.
The DVC Fan Community Truly Feels Like a Community
I honestly don’t know if I would have been brave enough to take this leap of faith without the amazing DVC Fan community. While I’m fortunate to have extended family already here in Central Florida, it is comforting to have a circle of friends nearby who share my passion for all things DVC and just get it when it comes to my excitement over Disney.
Moving has been a gradual transition for me, and I already know that being local is bound to change how I use my DVC points. As of now, I’ve learned two things:
1) Moving to Florida does not cure add-on-itis. If anything, you want more points because it’s always tempting to book a last minute staycation when you don’t need to fly down.
2) It’s not always vacation life just because you live in the sunshine state; everyday life can still be stressful. The good news is that my happy place is mere minutes away, and my Disney countdowns have never been shorter.
Let me know in the comments: Has becoming a DVC Member made you more likely to move to Florida?
Sue E
July 30, 2025It’s actually made us much less likely to move to FL – owning DVC for over 30 years has let us determine that there are times of the year we want to be there (early Dec to mid March with keepout zones for holidays & races) and times we don’t want be there (mid March through November).
As we approached retirement, we loaded up on less expensive resale contracts at our two favorite resorts (best purchase ever was the 350 AKV points that ended up grandfathered) so we can visit every year in early Dec, late January and early March in 1 or 2BR units (we often bring friends or family). We find 3-4 weeks a year in FL is perfect for us – we enjoy our time there but have no inclination to relocate.
Peter
July 30, 2025DVC definitely makes one feel connected to the state. My story, however, is the opposite direction. I became a part time resident and then realized DVC makes sense because I’m sometimes local. Soon I’ll be a DVC retiree and living here full time. Yes, I plan to look into last minute getaways. Lucky for me, I own at and love SSR!
Patricia McGahee
July 30, 2025Yes you are so right. I have lived in Florida but that was before WDW was built. Yes I do want to move back. Yes because of my DVC ownership. My children also want to move and in the near future we plan to.Thanks for your comments good to know I am not only one who wants this.
Rick Blair
July 30, 2025Back when we first became members in 1996, we fantasized about living in Orlando in the Winter and Seattle in the summer. Fast forward to today. Not so much. The political climate, insurance rates, shadow taxes and weather have brought reality to the fantasy. Dont get me wrong, we love being DVC and visiting the resorts. Yes even Universal. But as a place to live, not so much anymore.