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<?xml-stylesheet type="text/xsl" media="screen" href="/~d/styles/rss2full.xsl"?><?xml-stylesheet type="text/css" media="screen" href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~d/styles/itemcontent.css"?><rss xmlns:feedburner="http://rssnamespace.org/feedburner/ext/1.0" version="2.0"><channel><title>the Disney Driven Life - Comments - Community for Neurotic Disney People</title><link>http://thedisneydrivenlife.com</link><atom10:link xmlns:atom10="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/thedisneydrivenlife/comments" /><description>Back in January 2009, JL Knopp wrote a trip report about her family’s first vacation as Disney Vacation Club members. It was written much like a novel with the story centering around her own character (which she affectionately dubbed the Neurotic Disney Mom). It described the rituals that she had her family conduct during their vacation as well as chronicled the hilarious incidents that took place when all her best laid plans went awry.&#xD;
 &#xD;
Unexpectedly, many contacted JL to declare that they, too, participated in the very same rituals and could be described as a “Neurotic Disney Person.” It was then that the Neurotic Disney Community was born and the Disney Driven Life was launched.&#xD;
 &#xD;
Evolving from a blog where JL continued to depict her family’s Disney-centric lifestyle to the home base of the Neurotic Disney Community, the Disney Driven Life is now a community blog where a wide variety of Disney fans submit articles about their particular area of expertise to help coach as well as connect with others who want to “bring Disney to their door.”&#xD;
 &#xD;
The site also hosts a Confessional where Disneyphiles can admit their mouse-loving idiosyncrasies as well as other Disney-esque type secrets. And not to be overlooked are the Disney Driven Life Principles where the community has begun to compile an amusing code to live by and laugh at.&#xD;
 &#xD;
If you find that the Disney Driven Lifestyle resonates with your Inner Mouse, we hope that you will stand with us by Being Counted as a Neurotic Disney Person. We’d love to add you to our growing number and learn about your personal style of leading the Disney Driven Life.</description><language>en</language><lastBuildDate>Sun, 19 Feb 2012 13:02:00 PST</lastBuildDate><sy:updatePeriod xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/">hourly</sy:updatePeriod><sy:updateFrequency xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/">1</sy:updateFrequency><atom10:link xmlns:atom10="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/thedisneydrivenlife/comments" /><feedburner:info uri="thedisneydrivenlife/comments" /><atom10:link xmlns:atom10="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" rel="hub" href="http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/" /><image><link>http://thedisneydrivenlife.com/</link><url>http://thedisneydrivenlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/ddl.jpg</url><title>Comments for The Disney Driven Life</title></image><feedburner:feedFlare 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src="http://image.excite.co.uk/mix/addtomix.gif">Subscribe with Excite MIX</feedburner:feedFlare><feedburner:feedFlare href="http://www.webwag.com/wwgthis.php?url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2Fthedisneydrivenlife%2Fcomments" src="http://www.webwag.com/images/wwgthis.gif">Subscribe with Webwag</feedburner:feedFlare><feedburner:feedFlare href="http://www.podcastready.com/oneclick_bookmark.php?url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2Fthedisneydrivenlife%2Fcomments" src="http://www.podcastready.com/images/podcastready_button.gif">Subscribe with Podcast Ready</feedburner:feedFlare><feedburner:feedFlare href="http://www.wikio.com/subscribe?url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2Fthedisneydrivenlife%2Fcomments" src="http://www.wikio.com/shared/img/add2wikio.gif">Subscribe with Wikio</feedburner:feedFlare><feedburner:feedFlare href="http://www.dailyrotation.com/index.php?feed=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2Fthedisneydrivenlife%2Fcomments" src="http://www.dailyrotation.com/rss-dr2.gif">Subscribe with Daily Rotation</feedburner:feedFlare><feedburner:browserFriendly>Back in January 2009, JL Knopp wrote a trip report about her family’s first vacation as Disney Vacation Club members.  It was written much like a novel with the story centering around her own character (which she affectionately dubbed the Neurotic Disney Mom).  It described the rituals that she had her family conduct during their vacation as well as chronicled the hilarious incidents that took place when all her best laid plans went awry.&#xD;
&#xD;
Unexpectedly, many contacted JL to declare that they, too, participated in the very same rituals and could be described as a “Neurotic Disney Person.”  It was then that the Neurotic Disney Community was born and The Disney Driven Life was launched.&#xD;
&#xD;
Evolving from a blog where JL continued to depict her family’s Disney-centric lifestyle to the home base of the Neurotic Disney Community, The Disney Driven Life is now a community blog where a wide variety of Disney fans submit articles about their particular area of expertise to help coach as well as connect with others who want to “bring Disney to their door.”&#xD;
&#xD;
The site also hosts a Confessional where Disneyphiles can admit their mouse-loving idiosyncrasies as well as other Disney-esque type secrets.  And not to be overlooked are the Disney Driven Life Principles where the community has begun to compile an amusing code to live by and laugh at.&#xD;
&#xD;
If you find that The Disney Driven Lifestyle resonates with your Inner Mouse, we hope that you will stand with us by Being Counted as a Neurotic Disney Person.  We’d love to add you to our growing number and learn about your personal style of leading The Disney Driven Life.</feedburner:browserFriendly><item><title>Comment on DVC – Why the Numbers Don’t Add Up for Me by Mark</title><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thedisneydrivenlife/comments/~3/4GuFSYpEF7Q/</link><dc:creator xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/">Mark</dc:creator><pubDate>Sun, 19 Feb 2012 13:02:00 PST</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="false">http://thedisneydrivenlife.com/?p=19329#comment-5288</guid><content:encoded xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"><![CDATA[<p>Wow, everyone, thanks for reading and thanks for all the comments!  Your input and experiences have added so much to the discussion. The two main takeaways for me are 1) DVC doesn&#8217;t work for everyone.  It depends on your individual preferences and vacation habits.  And 2) If you do decide to take the DVC plunge, you might save considerable money by buying resale, waiting until you can afford it without financing, or both.</p>
<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/thedisneydrivenlife/comments/~4/4GuFSYpEF7Q" height="1" width="1"/>]]></content:encoded><description>Wow, everyone, thanks for reading and thanks for all the comments!  Your input and experiences have added so much to the discussion. The two main takeaways for me are 1) DVC doesn't work for everyone.  It depends on your individual preferences and vacation habits.  And 2) If you do decide to take the DVC plunge, you might save considerable money by buying resale, waiting until you can afford it without financing, or both.</description><feedburner:origLink>http://thedisneydrivenlife.com/2012/02/15/dvc-why-the-numbers-dont-add-up-for-me/#comment-5288</feedburner:origLink></item><item><title>Comment on DVC – Why the Numbers Don’t Add Up for Me by Jeff</title><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thedisneydrivenlife/comments/~3/qJK3lSk0oSE/</link><dc:creator xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/">Jeff</dc:creator><pubDate>Sun, 19 Feb 2012 11:06:00 PST</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="false">http://thedisneydrivenlife.com/?p=19329#comment-5287</guid><content:encoded xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"><![CDATA[<p>A really well written post &#8211; thank you for sharing.  I have always thought about DVC year after year &#8211; but there always seems to be some kind of discount I can use be it annual pass or even friends I have that are cast members &#8211; so as of yet I&#8217;ve been able to avoid it &#8211; but I imagine it will be something I look into annually. Thanks again for taking the time to share!</p>
<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/thedisneydrivenlife/comments/~4/qJK3lSk0oSE" height="1" width="1"/>]]></content:encoded><description>A really well written post - thank you for sharing.  I have always thought about DVC year after year - but there always seems to be some kind of discount I can use be it annual pass or even friends I have that are cast members - so as of yet I've been able to avoid it - but I imagine it will be something I look into annually. Thanks again for taking the time to share!</description><feedburner:origLink>http://thedisneydrivenlife.com/2012/02/15/dvc-why-the-numbers-dont-add-up-for-me/#comment-5287</feedburner:origLink></item><item><title>Comment on DVC – Why the Numbers Don’t Add Up for Me by Mark</title><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thedisneydrivenlife/comments/~3/3V6QK_P46_o/</link><dc:creator xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/">Mark</dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 16 Feb 2012 16:29:00 PST</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="false">http://thedisneydrivenlife.com/?p=19329#comment-5286</guid><content:encoded xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"><![CDATA[<p>That brings up a point I edited out of my blog due to it running long&#8230;we looked at the housing market in the Orlando area and could buy a condo or townhouse (that we would own forever, not just for 45 years or so) for only slightly more than the lifetime cost of DVC.  Of course, that&#8217;s not taking into account real estate taxes, insurance, and utilities&#8230;</p>
<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/thedisneydrivenlife/comments/~4/3V6QK_P46_o" height="1" width="1"/>]]></content:encoded><description>That brings up a point I edited out of my blog due to it running long...we looked at the housing market in the Orlando area and could buy a condo or townhouse (that we would own forever, not just for 45 years or so) for only slightly more than the lifetime cost of DVC.  Of course, that's not taking into account real estate taxes, insurance, and utilities...</description><feedburner:origLink>http://thedisneydrivenlife.com/2012/02/15/dvc-why-the-numbers-dont-add-up-for-me/#comment-5286</feedburner:origLink></item><item><title>Comment on DVC – Why the Numbers Don’t Add Up for Me by Kait Rubin</title><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thedisneydrivenlife/comments/~3/XdGJ16OG0Pk/</link><dc:creator xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/">Kait Rubin</dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 16 Feb 2012 12:59:00 PST</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="false">http://thedisneydrivenlife.com/?p=19329#comment-5285</guid><content:encoded xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"><![CDATA[<p>My family bought DVC in 1991, back when it first started with only one resort. Since then, we&#8217;ve added points, so we now have Old Key West, Saratoga Springs, and Bay Lake Tower points. Each year, my family of 6 goes for Thanksgiving and then various other smaller trips throughout the year. We&#8217;re all annual pass holders.</p>
<p>When we first bought, it was because we were starting to have to stay in multiple rooms and Disney couldn&#8217;t guarantee attached rooms. The one-bedroom option that DVC offered meant that our whole family could stay together. Now that&#8217;s we&#8217;re older, we get the two bedroom, and it&#8217;s perfect for inviting extra friends. We never have to worry about not having enough room for all the friends that might join us.</p>
<p>The annual fee is different for each resort. Bay Lake Tower has a much a lower annual fee than Old Key West, because it&#8217;s a much smaller property. However, Disney really uses that annual fee. I&#8217;ve seen the Old Key West rooms be completely upgraded with state-of-the-art kitchens, new hard wood floors, and gorgeous updated furnishings. </p>
<p>If you only go once a year or sometimes not at all; if you prefer the value resorts, then it&#8217;s not for you. It&#8217;s not for everybody. However, I know that without DVC we wouldn&#8217;t go as much as we do, and visiting WDW a lot is the reason my family can have such a relaxing and fun vacation, without the stress of needing to do everything. Also, I have Bay Lake Tower points that will be transferred into my name when my parents can no longer use them. How cool of a present is that to give to your children? Disney vacations for life with the room basically already paid, awesome.</p>
<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/thedisneydrivenlife/comments/~4/XdGJ16OG0Pk" height="1" width="1"/>]]></content:encoded><description>My family bought DVC in 1991, back when it first started with only one resort. Since then, we've added points, so we now have Old Key West, Saratoga Springs, and Bay Lake Tower points. Each year, my family of 6 goes for Thanksgiving and then various other smaller trips throughout the year. We're all annual pass holders.

When we first bought, it was because we were starting to have to stay in multiple rooms and Disney couldn't guarantee attached rooms. The one-bedroom option that DVC offered meant that our whole family could stay together. Now that's we're older, we get the two bedroom, and it's perfect for inviting extra friends. We never have to worry about not having enough room for all the friends that might join us.

The annual fee is different for each resort. Bay Lake Tower has a much a lower annual fee than Old Key West, because it's a much smaller property. However, Disney really uses that annual fee. I've seen the Old Key West rooms be completely upgraded with state-of-the-art kitchens, new hard wood floors, and gorgeous updated furnishings. 

If you only go once a year or sometimes not at all; if you prefer the value resorts, then it's not for you. It's not for everybody. However, I know that without DVC we wouldn't go as much as we do, and visiting WDW a lot is the reason my family can have such a relaxing and fun vacation, without the stress of needing to do everything. Also, I have Bay Lake Tower points that will be transferred into my name when my parents can no longer use them. How cool of a present is that to give to your children? Disney vacations for life with the room basically already paid, awesome.</description><feedburner:origLink>http://thedisneydrivenlife.com/2012/02/15/dvc-why-the-numbers-dont-add-up-for-me/#comment-5285</feedburner:origLink></item><item><title>Comment on DVC – Why the Numbers Don’t Add Up for Me by Lucinda</title><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thedisneydrivenlife/comments/~3/zR1fjnrk2WU/</link><dc:creator xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/">Lucinda</dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 16 Feb 2012 09:22:00 PST</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="false">http://thedisneydrivenlife.com/?p=19329#comment-5284</guid><content:encoded xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"><![CDATA[<p>I definitely didn&#8217;t buy because of cost savings. I pay way more for accommodations with DVC than I used to spend without. But&#8230;I&#8217;m not a smart person with money in general and I love being a DVC member. I didn&#8217;t join thinking I was going to be saving money. For me, it was more of a way to set aside my vacation dollars throughout the year&#8230;I&#8217;m locked into budgeting for vacation accommodations, I&#8217;m obligated.</p>
<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/thedisneydrivenlife/comments/~4/zR1fjnrk2WU" height="1" width="1"/>]]></content:encoded><description>I definitely didn't buy because of cost savings. I pay way more for accommodations with DVC than I used to spend without. But...I'm not a smart person with money in general and I love being a DVC member. I didn't join thinking I was going to be saving money. For me, it was more of a way to set aside my vacation dollars throughout the year...I'm locked into budgeting for vacation accommodations, I'm obligated.</description><feedburner:origLink>http://thedisneydrivenlife.com/2012/02/15/dvc-why-the-numbers-dont-add-up-for-me/#comment-5284</feedburner:origLink></item><item><title>Comment on DVC – Why the Numbers Don’t Add Up for Me by Jeff</title><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thedisneydrivenlife/comments/~3/HlMwMFewcbs/</link><dc:creator xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/">Jeff</dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 16 Feb 2012 09:21:00 PST</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="false">http://thedisneydrivenlife.com/?p=19329#comment-5283</guid><content:encoded xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"><![CDATA[<p>We have yet to purchase into the DVC, but as you have, we have looked at it often.  For us, we enjoy the ability to splurge on our vacations.  It would allow us to stay at a deluxe level resort, all the time.  We wouldn&#8217;t go if we could only stay at a Value because we were not comfortable with the room size.  It felt as though the walls were closing in, and the lack of amenities was a sore spot.  The one thing that you should consider is other DVC resorts.  To my knowledge, the Animal Kingdom Lodge has the HIGHEST yearly dues because of the animals there.  You are paying for their upkeep.  On the flip side, if BLT is available still, and I don&#8217;t think it is, they had the LOWEST yearly dues because the area surrounding the building is all concrete and there is little landscaping to care for.  With some of the new rumors of new DVC resorts coming it might be worth, waiting to see where and what they are going to be offering, or as already stated, buy resale.</p>
<p>We moved to the area a little over a year and a half ago, and it has been great living so close.  For us, we are still considering joining DVC because it would allow us to go to Aulani, Hilton Head, or for that matter a slew of other world class resorts worldwide.</p>
<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/thedisneydrivenlife/comments/~4/HlMwMFewcbs" height="1" width="1"/>]]></content:encoded><description>We have yet to purchase into the DVC, but as you have, we have looked at it often.  For us, we enjoy the ability to splurge on our vacations.  It would allow us to stay at a deluxe level resort, all the time.  We wouldn't go if we could only stay at a Value because we were not comfortable with the room size.  It felt as though the walls were closing in, and the lack of amenities was a sore spot.  The one thing that you should consider is other DVC resorts.  To my knowledge, the Animal Kingdom Lodge has the HIGHEST yearly dues because of the animals there.  You are paying for their upkeep.  On the flip side, if BLT is available still, and I don't think it is, they had the LOWEST yearly dues because the area surrounding the building is all concrete and there is little landscaping to care for.  With some of the new rumors of new DVC resorts coming it might be worth, waiting to see where and what they are going to be offering, or as already stated, buy resale.

We moved to the area a little over a year and a half ago, and it has been great living so close.  For us, we are still considering joining DVC because it would allow us to go to Aulani, Hilton Head, or for that matter a slew of other world class resorts worldwide.</description><feedburner:origLink>http://thedisneydrivenlife.com/2012/02/15/dvc-why-the-numbers-dont-add-up-for-me/#comment-5283</feedburner:origLink></item><item><title>Comment on DVC – Why the Numbers Don’t Add Up for Me by Jami Foster</title><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thedisneydrivenlife/comments/~3/_NNvC2D78SE/</link><dc:creator xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/">Jami Foster</dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 16 Feb 2012 07:24:00 PST</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="false">http://thedisneydrivenlife.com/?p=19329#comment-5282</guid><content:encoded xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"><![CDATA[<p>We joined DVC in 2009. It took us almost 2 yrs of reviewing the info and numbers over and over and over and&#8230; I still have my little notebook where I worked and re-worked the numbers. But at the end of the day, even with the dues and their annual increase, it just made sense. We bought in at a number of pts that we new would cover the normal 3 trips we try to take each year (1 5-day and 2 3-day weekend trips) and have already seen us breaking even. Even with our annual passholder discounts, we aren&#8217;t paying any more a year on DVC membership (monthly payment + dues) than we were on our trips. Actually we&#8217;re making a bit of money as we have friends that would travel with us on the longer trip. They were so attracted to our &#8216;discount&#8217; on the rooms that we now book a room with our pts for them (sometimes we share a villa) and they pay us. </p>
<p>At the end of the day, we joined DVC because it was the best way for us to vacation the way we wanted. Since we were paying the deluxe/moderate rate anyways, it just made sense. Plus there are times we&#8217;ll visit WDW but never step foot in a park. On those trips, I definitely want to be in a deluxe resort.</p>
<p>I believe it comes down to your personal preferences. If you take the upgrade option because it&#8217;s &#8220;only $50 more&#8221; then DVC is for you. If you opt to do Disney on a Dime, then it&#8217;s probably not. For us, a vacation is about enjoying ourselves, splurging a little since we&#8217;re frugal at home.</p>
<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/thedisneydrivenlife/comments/~4/_NNvC2D78SE" height="1" width="1"/>]]></content:encoded><description>We joined DVC in 2009. It took us almost 2 yrs of reviewing the info and numbers over and over and over and... I still have my little notebook where I worked and re-worked the numbers. But at the end of the day, even with the dues and their annual increase, it just made sense. We bought in at a number of pts that we new would cover the normal 3 trips we try to take each year (1 5-day and 2 3-day weekend trips) and have already seen us breaking even. Even with our annual passholder discounts, we aren't paying any more a year on DVC membership (monthly payment + dues) than we were on our trips. Actually we're making a bit of money as we have friends that would travel with us on the longer trip. They were so attracted to our 'discount' on the rooms that we now book a room with our pts for them (sometimes we share a villa) and they pay us. 

At the end of the day, we joined DVC because it was the best way for us to vacation the way we wanted. Since we were paying the deluxe/moderate rate anyways, it just made sense. Plus there are times we'll visit WDW but never step foot in a park. On those trips, I definitely want to be in a deluxe resort.

I believe it comes down to your personal preferences. If you take the upgrade option because it's "only $50 more" then DVC is for you. If you opt to do Disney on a Dime, then it's probably not. For us, a vacation is about enjoying ourselves, splurging a little since we're frugal at home.</description><feedburner:origLink>http://thedisneydrivenlife.com/2012/02/15/dvc-why-the-numbers-dont-add-up-for-me/#comment-5282</feedburner:origLink></item><item><title>Comment on DVC – Why the Numbers Don’t Add Up for Me by Matt Hochberg</title><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thedisneydrivenlife/comments/~3/9zjof4NKwnw/</link><dc:creator xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/">Matt Hochberg</dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 16 Feb 2012 07:09:00 PST</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="false">http://thedisneydrivenlife.com/?p=19329#comment-5281</guid><content:encoded xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"><![CDATA[<p>Great argument. Really enjoyed insight into the math</p>
<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/thedisneydrivenlife/comments/~4/9zjof4NKwnw" height="1" width="1"/>]]></content:encoded><description>Great argument. Really enjoyed insight into the math</description><feedburner:origLink>http://thedisneydrivenlife.com/2012/02/15/dvc-why-the-numbers-dont-add-up-for-me/#comment-5281</feedburner:origLink></item><item><title>Comment on DVC – Why the Numbers Don’t Add Up for Me by rdeacon</title><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thedisneydrivenlife/comments/~3/XEBaNWAn8PE/</link><dc:creator xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/">rdeacon</dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 16 Feb 2012 06:58:00 PST</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="false">http://thedisneydrivenlife.com/?p=19329#comment-5280</guid><content:encoded xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"><![CDATA[<p>I came to the same conclusion you have.  I also didn&#8217;t like the point rollover or point loss part of DVC they don&#8217;t talk about.  We also came new plan.. move to FL.. its a win win  lol</p>
<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/thedisneydrivenlife/comments/~4/XEBaNWAn8PE" height="1" width="1"/>]]></content:encoded><description>I came to the same conclusion you have.  I also didn't like the point rollover or point loss part of DVC they don't talk about.  We also came new plan.. move to FL.. its a win win  lol</description><feedburner:origLink>http://thedisneydrivenlife.com/2012/02/15/dvc-why-the-numbers-dont-add-up-for-me/#comment-5280</feedburner:origLink></item><item><title>Comment on DVC – Why the Numbers Don’t Add Up for Me by BLT</title><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thedisneydrivenlife/comments/~3/ZM9Ii5Vuzhs/</link><dc:creator xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/">BLT</dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 16 Feb 2012 06:04:00 PST</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="false">http://thedisneydrivenlife.com/?p=19329#comment-5279</guid><content:encoded xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"><![CDATA[<p>It took us more than 10 years to become members because with financing it makes the break even point longer and for us harder to justify. When we could finally pay cash for the points was when we joined.  This was just a few years before the prices skyrocketed. It also only makes sense for someone who vacations in a Disney deluxe resort on a yearly or bi yearly basis. For those who prefer the values or stay in them frequently then it is harder to make the numbers work. DVC is definately not for everyone even those who love Disney.  It is simply a pre-paid hotel room for the next 40-50 years, nothing more.  As mentioned free dining and room discounts are gone. We love our DVC and it has afforded us the opportunity to go to WDW more often and to bring others along with us. However the direct pricing has gone up so much that the resale market is really the best way to go. Disney has put some restrictions on those purchases in the last year but nothing that would stop me from moving forward with a resale purchase if we decide to add on to our current membership. For anyone who is interested in DVC it really is important to do your homework. It is a long term financial commitment that can work out to your advantage but you have to research it very carefully to make sure it would work for you.  For us personally it was a great decision and we are thrilled with our membership.</p>
<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/thedisneydrivenlife/comments/~4/ZM9Ii5Vuzhs" height="1" width="1"/>]]></content:encoded><description>It took us more than 10 years to become members because with financing it makes the break even point longer and for us harder to justify. When we could finally pay cash for the points was when we joined.  This was just a few years before the prices skyrocketed. It also only makes sense for someone who vacations in a Disney deluxe resort on a yearly or bi yearly basis. For those who prefer the values or stay in them frequently then it is harder to make the numbers work. DVC is definately not for everyone even those who love Disney.  It is simply a pre-paid hotel room for the next 40-50 years, nothing more.  As mentioned free dining and room discounts are gone. We love our DVC and it has afforded us the opportunity to go to WDW more often and to bring others along with us. However the direct pricing has gone up so much that the resale market is really the best way to go. Disney has put some restrictions on those purchases in the last year but nothing that would stop me from moving forward with a resale purchase if we decide to add on to our current membership. For anyone who is interested in DVC it really is important to do your homework. It is a long term financial commitment that can work out to your advantage but you have to research it very carefully to make sure it would work for you.  For us personally it was a great decision and we are thrilled with our membership.</description><feedburner:origLink>http://thedisneydrivenlife.com/2012/02/15/dvc-why-the-numbers-dont-add-up-for-me/#comment-5279</feedburner:origLink></item><item><title>Comment on DVC – Why the Numbers Don’t Add Up for Me by Mbcaliciuri</title><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thedisneydrivenlife/comments/~3/2xLgFG3pWLs/</link><dc:creator xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/">Mbcaliciuri</dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 16 Feb 2012 05:04:00 PST</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="false">http://thedisneydrivenlife.com/?p=19329#comment-5278</guid><content:encoded xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"><![CDATA[<p>I have debated the cost vs. the value of DVC as well.  It doesn&#8221;t seem to add up for our family either when you factor in the interest rates. </p>
<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/thedisneydrivenlife/comments/~4/2xLgFG3pWLs" height="1" width="1"/>]]></content:encoded><description>I have debated the cost vs. the value of DVC as well.  It doesn''t seem to add up for our family either when you factor in the interest rates. </description><feedburner:origLink>http://thedisneydrivenlife.com/2012/02/15/dvc-why-the-numbers-dont-add-up-for-me/#comment-5278</feedburner:origLink></item><item><title>Comment on DVC – Why the Numbers Don’t Add Up for Me by Chris Salata</title><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thedisneydrivenlife/comments/~3/EnZAj1jhvMU/</link><dc:creator xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/">Chris Salata</dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 15 Feb 2012 21:13:00 PST</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="false">http://thedisneydrivenlife.com/?p=19329#comment-5277</guid><content:encoded xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"><![CDATA[<p>We became members because we were spending the same amount on lodging on a per year basis as what we were able to finance our membership for.  We hit our break even point in less than 5 years, even when including annual dues.  Now, with the membership paid off, I can stay in a 1 BR Villa at Bay Lake Tower for a week for what I spend in dues alone- which is around what I would pay for a value resort for the same time frame.  I could even stay longer if I chose other DVC resorts and room types that use fewer points.  So far, been very pleased with flexibility as well.  </p>
<p>At the same time, 5 years ago, their preferred interest rate was 10.5%. <br />
 If it is 11.75% now, then its time to look at alternate financing<br />
methods.  Even HELOC&#8217;s are running at 5 and 6%.</p>
<p>The thing is that I think the buy-in from DVC is rather high now.  Looking into the resale market as a way to get into DVC is a better idea, even if the memberships being sold on the resale market have some extra restrictions.</p>
<p>DVC may have its pros and cons.  For some, it may not be a good fit.  And that is OK. We researched it for at least 3 years before buying in.  And for us &#8211; it is starting to pay off.  I just wish I did it sooner when the buy-in was less.</p>
<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/thedisneydrivenlife/comments/~4/EnZAj1jhvMU" height="1" width="1"/>]]></content:encoded><description>We became members because we were spending the same amount on lodging on a per year basis as what we were able to finance our membership for.  We hit our break even point in less than 5 years, even when including annual dues.  Now, with the membership paid off, I can stay in a 1 BR Villa at Bay Lake Tower for a week for what I spend in dues alone- which is around what I would pay for a value resort for the same time frame.  I could even stay longer if I chose other DVC resorts and room types that use fewer points.  So far, been very pleased with flexibility as well.  

At the same time, 5 years ago, their preferred interest rate was 10.5%. 
 If it is 11.75% now, then its time to look at alternate financing 
methods.  Even HELOC's are running at 5 and 6%.

The thing is that I think the buy-in from DVC is rather high now.  Looking into the resale market as a way to get into DVC is a better idea, even if the memberships being sold on the resale market have some extra restrictions.

DVC may have its pros and cons.  For some, it may not be a good fit.  And that is OK. We researched it for at least 3 years before buying in.  And for us - it is starting to pay off.  I just wish I did it sooner when the buy-in was less.</description><feedburner:origLink>http://thedisneydrivenlife.com/2012/02/15/dvc-why-the-numbers-dont-add-up-for-me/#comment-5277</feedburner:origLink></item><item><title>Comment on WDW MARATHON: A RACE REPORT by Jeff</title><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thedisneydrivenlife/comments/~3/RAm5P3s59g4/</link><dc:creator xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/">Jeff</dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 13 Feb 2012 19:28:00 PST</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="false">http://thedisneydrivenlife.com/?p=9439#comment-5276</guid><content:encoded xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"><![CDATA[<p>PS &#8211; Just signed up for the Disneyland Half in September &#8211; those RunDisney people &#8211; they just have me with their marketing <img src='http://thedisneydrivenlife.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':-)' class='wp-smiley' />  &#8211; need that coast to coast medal &#8230; (arrrrrg <img src='http://thedisneydrivenlife.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':-)' class='wp-smiley' /> !!)</p>
<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/thedisneydrivenlife/comments/~4/RAm5P3s59g4" height="1" width="1"/>]]></content:encoded><description>PS - Just signed up for the Disneyland Half in September - those RunDisney people - they just have me with their marketing :-) - need that coast to coast medal ... (arrrrrg :-)!!)</description><feedburner:origLink>http://thedisneydrivenlife.com/2011/02/07/wdw-marathon-a-race-report/#comment-5276</feedburner:origLink></item><item><title>Comment on WDW MARATHON: A RACE REPORT by Jeff</title><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thedisneydrivenlife/comments/~3/vr3eGjdgKBU/</link><dc:creator xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/">Jeff</dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 13 Feb 2012 17:34:00 PST</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="false">http://thedisneydrivenlife.com/?p=9439#comment-5275</guid><content:encoded xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"><![CDATA[<p>My heavens can&#8217;t believe you made it for the marathon &#8211; maybe someday but I am headed down for the Princess in under two weeks &#8211; can&#8217;t wait.  I did the Wine and Dine in the fall and of course I am a sucker for Disney marketing so I wanted the Coast to Coast medal &#8230; hence Princess and Disneyland Half in September <img src='http://thedisneydrivenlife.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':-)' class='wp-smiley' /> !  Are you doing the princess?</p>
<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/thedisneydrivenlife/comments/~4/vr3eGjdgKBU" height="1" width="1"/>]]></content:encoded><description>My heavens can't believe you made it for the marathon - maybe someday but I am headed down for the Princess in under two weeks - can't wait.  I did the Wine and Dine in the fall and of course I am a sucker for Disney marketing so I wanted the Coast to Coast medal ... hence Princess and Disneyland Half in September :-)!  Are you doing the princess?</description><feedburner:origLink>http://thedisneydrivenlife.com/2011/02/07/wdw-marathon-a-race-report/#comment-5275</feedburner:origLink></item><item><title>Comment on Lots To Do In Line by James D.</title><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thedisneydrivenlife/comments/~3/hzhK9KHQD2o/</link><dc:creator xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/">James D.</dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 10 Feb 2012 20:15:00 PST</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="false">http://thedisneydrivenlife.com/?p=19290#comment-5274</guid><content:encoded xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"><![CDATA[<p>That is awesome, Meredith! </p>
<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/thedisneydrivenlife/comments/~4/hzhK9KHQD2o" height="1" width="1"/>]]></content:encoded><description>That is awesome, Meredith! </description><feedburner:origLink>http://thedisneydrivenlife.com/2012/02/09/lots-to-do-in-line/#comment-5274</feedburner:origLink></item><item><title>Comment on Lots To Do In Line by Mer Pierce</title><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thedisneydrivenlife/comments/~3/DZQRDE36-zk/</link><dc:creator xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/">Mer Pierce</dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 10 Feb 2012 10:02:00 PST</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="false">http://thedisneydrivenlife.com/?p=19290#comment-5273</guid><content:encoded xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"><![CDATA[<p>Hi James, this is Meredith Pierce. I am so glad that you liked it!!! I wanted to let you and your readers know that the iPhone vershion can be found right now on iTunes. Keep your eyes out there for Disney World, I am hard at work.</p>
<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/thedisneydrivenlife/comments/~4/DZQRDE36-zk" height="1" width="1"/>]]></content:encoded><description>Hi James, this is Meredith Pierce. I am so glad that you liked it!!! I wanted to let you and your readers know that the iPhone vershion can be found right now on iTunes. Keep your eyes out there for Disney World, I am hard at work.</description><feedburner:origLink>http://thedisneydrivenlife.com/2012/02/09/lots-to-do-in-line/#comment-5273</feedburner:origLink></item><item><title>Comment on My Yard Goes Disney by Ddltube</title><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thedisneydrivenlife/comments/~3/RqSv_tBtHUY/</link><dc:creator xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/">Ddltube</dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 09 Feb 2012 08:26:00 PST</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="false">http://thedisneydrivenlife.com/?p=19298#comment-5272</guid><content:encoded xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"><![CDATA[<p>I gotta tell you &#8211; I really hope you get it if for no other reason that we can live our lives vicariously through you and your entire family <img src='http://thedisneydrivenlife.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':-)' class='wp-smiley' /> !  Best of luck!  Keep us posted here if you are contacted!</p>
<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/thedisneydrivenlife/comments/~4/RqSv_tBtHUY" height="1" width="1"/>]]></content:encoded><description>I gotta tell you - I really hope you get it if for no other reason that we can live our lives vicariously through you and your entire family :-)!  Best of luck!  Keep us posted here if you are contacted!</description><feedburner:origLink>http://thedisneydrivenlife.com/2012/02/02/my-yard-goes-disney/#comment-5272</feedburner:origLink></item><item><title>Comment on Modern Family by Ddltube</title><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thedisneydrivenlife/comments/~3/Sess8qhB9jw/</link><dc:creator xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/">Ddltube</dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 09 Feb 2012 08:21:00 PST</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="false">http://thedisneydrivenlife.com/?p=19346#comment-5271</guid><content:encoded xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"><![CDATA[<p>Derek your secret is clearly safe with me <img src='http://thedisneydrivenlife.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':-)' class='wp-smiley' /> !  Glad you love the show &#8211; I have to say it really is a guilty pleasure and that is saying a lot because I find myself let down quite a bit with what is on TV these days.  I officially gave up on Alcatraz this week.</p>
<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/thedisneydrivenlife/comments/~4/Sess8qhB9jw" height="1" width="1"/>]]></content:encoded><description>Derek your secret is clearly safe with me :-)!  Glad you love the show - I have to say it really is a guilty pleasure and that is saying a lot because I find myself let down quite a bit with what is on TV these days.  I officially gave up on Alcatraz this week.</description><feedburner:origLink>http://thedisneydrivenlife.com/2012/02/08/modern-family/#comment-5271</feedburner:origLink></item><item><title>Comment on A Real Disney Legend – Marc Davis by Derek Hoffman</title><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thedisneydrivenlife/comments/~3/Tu8ii4ker7A/</link><dc:creator xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/">Derek Hoffman</dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:48:00 PST</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="false">http://thedisneydrivenlife.com/?p=19302#comment-5270</guid><content:encoded xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"><![CDATA[<p>Great post Bill. I had the chance to dine at Club 33 a few times and they have a bunch of original Marc Davis sketches displayed on the walls.  They gave me goosebumps!  What a tremendously talented artist.</p>
<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/thedisneydrivenlife/comments/~4/Tu8ii4ker7A" height="1" width="1"/>]]></content:encoded><description>Great post Bill. I had the chance to dine at Club 33 a few times and they have a bunch of original Marc Davis sketches displayed on the walls.  They gave me goosebumps!  What a tremendously talented artist.</description><feedburner:origLink>http://thedisneydrivenlife.com/2012/02/06/a-real-disney-legend-marc-davis/#comment-5270</feedburner:origLink></item><item><title>Comment on Modern Family by Derek Hoffman</title><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thedisneydrivenlife/comments/~3/w8sFn-qMTx8/</link><dc:creator xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/">Derek Hoffman</dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 08 Feb 2012 05:59:00 PST</pubDate><guid isPermaLink="false">http://thedisneydrivenlife.com/?p=19346#comment-5265</guid><content:encoded xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"><![CDATA[<p>I&#8217;m with you, this show is a riot! I&#8217;m finding less time for TV these days, but I always find enough time each week for my Modern Family fix.  (Don&#8217;t tell anyone, but I was just like Manny when I was a young lad!)</p>
<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/thedisneydrivenlife/comments/~4/w8sFn-qMTx8" height="1" width="1"/>]]></content:encoded><description>I'm with you, this show is a riot! I'm finding less time for TV these days, but I always find enough time each week for my Modern Family fix.  (Don't tell anyone, but I was just like Manny when I was a young lad!)</description><feedburner:origLink>http://thedisneydrivenlife.com/2012/02/08/modern-family/#comment-5265</feedburner:origLink></item></channel></rss>

