richjive
Earning My Ears
- Joined
- Oct 28, 2014
Hello Everyone,
I want to start off this post by thanking everyone who has ever written a TR or contributed to this the forum. I am a fairly recent Disboard member but longtime Disney fanatic. I never knew of the site until I started doing research on DVC properties a visit a took last year during Food and Wine Festival.
History:
I would like to start off with some background on myself. I am currently in my young 30's and have been going to WDW since I was 10. During my early years, I was fortunate enough to visit WDW at least once a year if not twice for our family vacations. I was also lucky enough to experience the true magic and wonder of Disney via the old Gold Key Plans (the orginal Magic-your-way packages, except it was truly all inclusive with rooms, park passes, all onsite entertainment from golfing to firework cruises and everything in between, and most importantly breakfast, lunch and dinner at ANY and all property restaurants with tax and gratuities included). The Disney Gold Key plans were truly amazing and it was when they started changing the packages toward the current Magic-your-way that our family trips started to dwindle.
I had a 10 -15 year break from Disney when I was in High School and college. Life also just seemed to get in the way. The Animal Kingdom was just built when I started my break. I always wanted to visit but just couldn't find the time. During those many years, I found my great DW, got married, found a home and had our first DD whom is turning 2 in a few months.
My first trip back to WDW was last year during Food and Wine Festival. It was the DW, DD and I on our first family trip and what better place then WDW. We stayed 6 nights in a Hilton Grand Vacation room which I got at a steep discount because of the obligatory Timeshare pitch from them. I enjoyed the room, but felt something was missing. We purchased 10 day Park Hopper Water park and fun no expiration tickets back then and only got to use two park day visits on the trip.
This meant we were committed on having to come back and during one of the visits to the parks, I took notice of the DVC stands, took a tour @ Saratoga Springs and immediately loved the idea of DVC (as compared to HGVC or any other timeshares) but thought the prices they wanted for Alunani and GF were too high. Luckily I did my research when I returned, found this site and closed on my DVC property earlier this year.
I want to start off this post by thanking everyone who has ever written a TR or contributed to this the forum. I am a fairly recent Disboard member but longtime Disney fanatic. I never knew of the site until I started doing research on DVC properties a visit a took last year during Food and Wine Festival.
History:
I would like to start off with some background on myself. I am currently in my young 30's and have been going to WDW since I was 10. During my early years, I was fortunate enough to visit WDW at least once a year if not twice for our family vacations. I was also lucky enough to experience the true magic and wonder of Disney via the old Gold Key Plans (the orginal Magic-your-way packages, except it was truly all inclusive with rooms, park passes, all onsite entertainment from golfing to firework cruises and everything in between, and most importantly breakfast, lunch and dinner at ANY and all property restaurants with tax and gratuities included). The Disney Gold Key plans were truly amazing and it was when they started changing the packages toward the current Magic-your-way that our family trips started to dwindle.
I had a 10 -15 year break from Disney when I was in High School and college. Life also just seemed to get in the way. The Animal Kingdom was just built when I started my break. I always wanted to visit but just couldn't find the time. During those many years, I found my great DW, got married, found a home and had our first DD whom is turning 2 in a few months.
My first trip back to WDW was last year during Food and Wine Festival. It was the DW, DD and I on our first family trip and what better place then WDW. We stayed 6 nights in a Hilton Grand Vacation room which I got at a steep discount because of the obligatory Timeshare pitch from them. I enjoyed the room, but felt something was missing. We purchased 10 day Park Hopper Water park and fun no expiration tickets back then and only got to use two park day visits on the trip.
This meant we were committed on having to come back and during one of the visits to the parks, I took notice of the DVC stands, took a tour @ Saratoga Springs and immediately loved the idea of DVC (as compared to HGVC or any other timeshares) but thought the prices they wanted for Alunani and GF were too high. Luckily I did my research when I returned, found this site and closed on my DVC property earlier this year.