Our Family's Investment in Memories
One snowy December, my husband and I packed our littles into the minivan and took off for a long, but single-day journey to Gran’s house for the holidays. A foot of snow later, we found ourselves pulling into a hotel for the night. This was our first time in a hotel with now three little boys. Trying to get them all to sleep in the same room, hours before my husband and I were even remotely tired, was a challenge. To add to the fun, my middle son had lost his front tooth, so who could sleep when the Tooth Fairy might visit? My husband and I found ourselves sitting on the bathroom floor, sharing a soda in plastic hotel cups, waiting (begging) for the children to fall asleep. (We also realized all we had was a $10 bill, and that the Tooth Fairy was about to see a huge jump in inflation.) That’s when we decided this was not how we ever wanted to stay at a hotel again.
That spring, while planning our next Walt Disney World vacation, we knew we did not want a repeat of our interstate adventure. I had dreamed of joining Disney Vacation Club in the past. You know that feeling when you look longingly at the DVC kiosk in the theme parks and think, “Wouldn’t that be amazing?” But planning for this trip made us seriously consider the details. When we looked at the costs for our family to vacation in a standard resort room every year and compared that to the value we would get with Disney Vacation Club, for us, DVC was the clear winner. We would spend less, and get so much more! While our boys were little, I was already wondering what life would be like in a small hotel room with three teenagers. We’d be tripping over each other for space and privacy, and that did not sound like a relaxing vacation to me. I’ve often said that Disney Vacation Club was the best money we spend on a door, the door between us and the kids!
Over the past 12 years, our family has grown as we added a daughter to the mix, and our little boys are now teenagers! The flexibility of the program has allowed our Disney Vacation Club Membership to grow with us and allowed us to fill our lives with magic, adventure, and precious family time together. My kids have grown up getting to visit the Walt Disney World Resort with friends, cousins, and grandparents. We’ve celebrated Independence Day at the Disney Vacation Club Member Party, attended special Member exclusive movie previews, and learned to play ping-pong and pool at Community Hall. My kids have dug for sea turtle nests with Disney Conservation at Disney’s Vero Beach Resort, and learned to surf while staying at Aulani, Disney Vacation Club Villas, Ko Olina, Hawai’i. And our Membership doesn't just benefit the kids. My husband and I have been able to escape for weekends to enjoy the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, and to participate in runDisney events. I’m already thinking ahead to how long we could stay in a Deluxe Studio once we are empty-nesters, where we could send the kids for future honeymoons, or which resort would choose if there were grandkids to bring on their first visit.
My only Disney Vacation Club regret is that we weren’t able to join earlier, and I am so glad we didn’t put it off any longer. We saw Membership as an investment in family memories, and we have enjoyed every minute. (After that holiday misadventure, we needed a good value on our vacations because that night set an expensive precedent for the Tooth Fairy!)
Meet the Panelist: Kate, Indiana
By day, I am a full-time wife and mom to four children. By night, I am a part-time nurse on a busy labor and delivery unit, where we help make miracles happen! I have made my home in Northwest Indiana for most of the last twenty-five years, though you can still hear a touch of my New York accent. When not planning our next adventure with Disney Vacation Club or helping a friend plan their own Disney vacation, you can find me cheering for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, driving around town for marching band, cross country and gymnastics practices, training for my next runDisney event, and spending time with family and friends.
Learn More About Kate
