One of the reasons I love being a DVC member!

[laprana]

This past weekend, I was out shopping with my sister and mom at one of the malls in our area. I was wearing my DVC member T-shirt. As we were browsing in Macy's, I heard someone say, "Hey! A DVC member!" I looked up to see an older couple walking toward us staring right at my shirt. He asked me, "Where do you own points?" And from that point, we stood in the middle of a department store and had a 20-minute, really pleasant conversation with people we had never met. All beacuse we were all DVC members! We exchanged info about our favorite resorts, past trips, and where we'd like to stay in the future. They gave us tips about HHI (where we'd like to go someday soon) and we told them all about Kidani (where they've never stayed before). By the end of the conversation it was like we were old friends.

That's just one thing I love about being a DVC member. I feel like I'm part of a community that really gets it! Most of my friends, co-workers, and other family members usually look at me like I have 3 eyes and 4 noses when I tell them I'm going back to WDW. But other DVC members always understand why I love it so much, and never ask why I'm going back, but when I'm going, where I'm staying, and what plans I have for the trip after that. I've never encountered an unfriendly fellow DVCer (although I'm sure there are some out there) and we all just seem to greet each other as friends, even if we're complete strangers. It's just nice to be a part of!

[faline]

Very nice!

[VWL Mom]

Isn't it great! I had two similar things happen one day in the spring. I had just gotten my DVC hoodie and wore it to the grocery store. The fish man (who has barely spoken to me for the 20 years I've shopped there) started a whole DVC conversation with me. Later on in the day at my son's baseball game same thing happened with a woman I've known for 10 years but never knew was DVC.

[CajunDisneyDad]

I truly believe the people that look at us like we are doing someing wrong are one of two things... they have never been, or the are envious of us. Granted they keep nickle and diming everything, but it is still a great place to visit. I always tell people that you know how you spend money on things or hobbies you enjoy, well this is something my wife and I enjoy and the best part is we can share it with our kids

[Belle of the Ball 051411]

That's really awesome!

[DVC2004]

That is awesome! It is fun, isn't it? I was driving around once and I noticed this large truck with a tarp over the back, the kind that usually hauls gravel or dirt. He had the DVC logo painted on the back and it said DVC member, how many days til we go back? I smiled. Buddy don't I ask myself that every day. LOL

[Melanie]

Great story! All for the love of Disney....

[azcavalier]

This past weekend, I was out shopping with my sister and mom at one of the malls in our area. I was wearing my DVC member T-shirt. As we were browsing in Macy's, I heard someone say, "Hey! A DVC member!" I looked up to see an older couple walking toward us staring right at my shirt. He asked me, "Where do you own points?" And from that point, we stood in the middle of a department store and had a 20-minute, really pleasant conversation with people we had never met. All beacuse we were all DVC members! We exchanged info about our favorite resorts, past trips, and where we'd like to stay in the future. They gave us tips about HHI (where we'd like to go someday soon) and we told them all about Kidani (where they've never stayed before). By the end of the conversation it was like we were old friends.

OK, that's awesome, but I want to know the tips about HHI! We stayed there once, for one day, on the way home from WDW, and it was because we had points we had to use. I tried to book it for this summer to take my kids, and had NO luck. Everything was booked up solid. It seems that to be able to go to HHI, i'll have to either rent points from someone who has it as their home resort, or buy more points just for HHI, which I don't want to do.

[spinnerf]

Nice story!

[laprana]

OK, that's awesome, but I want to know the tips about HHI! We stayed there once, for one day, on the way home from WDW, and it was because we had points we had to use. I tried to book it for this summer to take my kids, and had NO luck. Everything was booked up solid. It seems that to be able to go to HHI, i'll have to either rent points from someone who has it as their home resort, or buy more points just for HHI, which I don't want to do.

Well, they didn't really give us tips on booking HHI, more about what to do while there and what's in the area. They did say, though, that it can be tough to book in the spring and summer if you don't own points there! We were actually booked at HHI for this December because we have 2012 left that if we don't use we will lose. But we were all kind of having second thoughts about it because we didn't know if that was a good time of year there. Talking to that couple confirmed our suspicions that there probably won't be a whole lot to do at HHI in December and they said a lot of the restaurants, shops, etc. in the area are seasonal and probably wouldn't be open then. So, we decided to change our plans and are now going to WDW for Thanksgiving! Two nights at POR in a princess room and then 5 nights at SSR! I was really surprised to find DVC availability around that time, especially only 3 1/2 months out, but so glad we did! We even got all our ADRs booked (and lots of good ones)!

[Joannelet]

It is great! I was at my sons preschool and a Dad came in putting a DVC bag on his kids cubby which just so happened to be my sons cubby as well. So I asked him where do you own? It started a conversation that lasted forever talking about our favorite hotels for our families etc. it is such a great sense of fun and ownership.

[TheDuckRocks]

Yes, it really is fun finding the other DVC nuts...er fans out there.
Our mailman left 2 copies of the DVC magazine in our mailbox. When I took a closer look the second copy was for a house across the street and down the hill a little ways. When my hubby walked it down we met a neighbor we never knew before and we now have a new friend.
Then a few months ago getting my hair done a lady noticed my Disney Visa and asked about it and in the process found out they too are DVC members. The whole salon has now become a place to catch up on all things Disney.
A side note about things being closed off season at HHI - there are about 37,000 residents there year round and another 12,000 in Bluffton (which is the area before you cross the bridges). With that many people very little of anything actually totally closes off season. Some places we have found to cut back the number of hours they are open a day or will close if the weather gets bad. But there really has been plenty to do no matter what time of year we have chosen to go down.

[epceddie]

Great stories. I'm going to buy some DVC t-shirts and sweatshirts ASAP. Wearing them will be a great way to strike up more conversations at WDW. I love talking to strangers at WDW. I'm a journalist and I've always been a question asker and I'll talk to anybody when I'm on vacation. I've met people from all over the world at Disney and 99.9999999 percent of them have been a pleasure to talk to. I haven't run into anyone wearing DVC apparel, but I'll be on the lookout during our trip in December.
We have points at Old Key West and it's our favorite resort.

[PETE FROM NYC]

We are doing our 2nd DVC vacation starting on 9/15. I am wondering where are all of you folks buying DVC merchandise? I don't remember seeing it for sale anyplace.
BTW, we will be at BLT, 2 BR.

[Checkers]

Great stories, loved hearing them. We found DVC merchandise at OKW on our last visit and it was resort specific. Hoping to pick up more when we are there in Oct.

[laprana]

We are doing our 2nd DVC vacation starting on 9/15. I am wondering where are all of you folks buying DVC merchandise? I don't remember seeing it for sale anyplace.
BTW, we will be at BLT, 2 BR.

Be sure to look in the gift shops at the DVC resorts. That's where I saw most, if not all of the DVC stuff. I don't remember seeing any in the parks or DTD. I got my T-shirt at the WL gift shop. I saw the same shirt in the gift shops at AKL, SSR and and I think in the smaller gift shop in CR. It seems that they've been coming out with a little more DVC merchandise and I really liked a lot of it! I also bought the DVC Member license plate frame!

[PETE FROM NYC]

Be sure to look in the gift shops at the DVC resorts. That's where I saw most, if not all of the DVC stuff. I don't remember seeing any in the parks or DTD. I got my T-shirt at the WL gift shop. I saw the same shirt in the gift shops at AKL, SSR and and I think in the smaller gift shop in CR. It seems that they've been coming out with a little more DVC merchandise and I really liked a lot of it! I also bought the DVC Member license plate frame!

Sounds all well and good, but there is no gift shop in BLT.

[Christine]

Sounds all well and good, but there is no gift shop in BLT.

You can find DVC merchandise at the Fantasia Market (where the sundries are~ the small little market just past the arcade). They are behind the cashier counter.

[VWL Mom]

You can find DVC merchandise at the Fantasia Market (where the sundries are~ the small little market just past the arcade). They are behind the cashier counter.

Just got myself a Tshirt there in June. They also had a mens polo, a rain jacket, and a fleece. As Christine mentions, they are behind the cashier and if I wasn't in line to buy something I would have missed it.

[PETE FROM NYC]

You can find DVC merchandise at the Fantasia Market (where the sundries are~ the small little market just past the arcade). They are behind the cashier counter.

Is Fantasia Market located in the Contemporary?
Sorry for being ignorant but we spend very little time in the hotel, it takes away from park time.