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The rules say, if you do not have a room or dining reservation you cannot park. This rule is very fickle depending on th…

The rules say, if you do not have a room or dining reservation you cannot park. This rule is very fickle depending on the resort and the individual security guard at the gate. To be on the safe side, you can park at the TTC, take the express monorail to the MK and take a boat to Wilderness Lodge. It is actually closer to Geyser Point than the walk from the parking lot. Some resorts even with a dining reservation (GF) you end up in an overflow lot across the street. As always YMMV (Your Mileage May Vary)

My Plan: Charge $250 at Guest Relations towards my AP, put the rest on my room folio. Charge all of my wife's AP on the …

My Plan: Charge $250 at Guest Relations towards my AP, put the rest on my room folio. Charge all of my wife's AP on the room folio. Those two on the room should be about $1700-$1800 leaving me only a few hundred in "general spending" to get me to the "$2k". I am hopeful this plan will work to maximize the $300 in rewards ($100+$200). I will report back after my Way Back Wed trip over the 55th at WDW.

Our biggest gripe with the program is that MMB does not carry over to those on the membership. We have gotten our monies…

Our biggest gripe with the program is that MMB does not carry over to those on the membership. We have gotten our monies worth for the last 2 years, especially with MM and waiving of the $95 conversion fee.

If i had to sit with josh and tell him what we miss I would say main street electrical parade, the marching band at epco…

If i had to sit with josh and tell him what we miss I would say main street electrical parade, the marching band at epcot and I also liked the parade that animal kingdom at with the water they did. I would also bring back Illumnations so far I am not impressed with the new Epcot nightime show.

Oh great, now i get to stress about this for the next 68 days ( but whos counting!) Who doesn't love a surprise when you…

Oh great, now i get to stress about this for the next 68 days ( but whos counting!) Who doesn't love a surprise when your trying to rope drop...lol. . I probably shouldnt post this, but we noticed on our last trip that when we did mobile merchandise checkouts at world of disney it automatically gave is the DVC direct discount.. curious if it will happen again.

See the latest from Letters. I think this resort is going to be a lot like the Poly Tower and even the Riviera. People m…

See the latest from Letters. I think this resort is going to be a lot like the Poly Tower and even the Riviera. People may not be crazy about the exterior design but the inside, especially the rooms, everyone will love it - https://disneyparksblog.com/wdw/lakeshore-lodge-disney-world-updates/

I just stayed at disney and we hit the 2k in spending at WDW, not including the hotel of course since we are DVC. Nothin…

I just stayed at disney and we hit the 2k in spending at WDW, not including the hotel of course since we are DVC. Nothing counted towards that 2k to get the 200 dollar gift card. You have to use it toward booking hotel rooms or DCL cruises. The card is still worth it to me but significantly less so as a DVC member.

My guess is Disney only checks at the time of purchase. IMO, since they didn't, they won't penalize you. That said, I wo…

My guess is Disney only checks at the time of purchase. IMO, since they didn't, they won't penalize you. That said, I would be surprised if they let you renew them. Worst case, they make you convert to IncrediPass.

I was able to purchase 4 sorcerer passes about 4 weeks ago as a non direct member, i was super caught off guard that it …

I was able to purchase 4 sorcerer passes about 4 weeks ago as a non direct member, i was super caught off guard that it went thru. We booked our parks for our November trip already. We have 2 contracts both resale. The first bought in 23 and the 2nd in 25. Should I be nervous now??

That everything has to reference characters, movies or attractions wasn’t my point because I don’t agree with that eithe…

That everything has to reference characters, movies or attractions wasn’t my point because I don’t agree with that either. Perhaps I shifted too abruptly from my dislike of the restaurant’s name to my dismay that the appearance of the restaurant and resort don’t seem very Disney or lodge-like as does Wilderness Lodge with its Disney character touches like the totems. We all know that the concept renderings often bear little resemblance to the finished design. I dearly hope that proves true for Lakeshore Lodge. A Poly Tower-like structure beside a lake doesn’t say lakeshore lodge (generic) to me at all. Marriott with bizarre sculptures is my opinion of the current Disney design trend that regrettably began with Riviera. A fine exterior with those gorgeous murals but a lobby that reads “upscale hotel with weird chandelier” for me. I’m the outlier here and will wear that label. As ever, YMMV = Your mileage may vary.

A couple side notes not related to the Bash. - I didn't know that the Grand Californian had so few rooms for DVC! It's n…

A couple side notes not related to the Bash. - I didn't know that the Grand Californian had so few rooms for DVC! It's nice being able to go into the park from the hotel too. - Disneyland Hotel Villas were really nice. You can tell that they are newer and it has some nice modern touches. - Trader Sam's was neat - different drinks, more eats, but less entertainment/show.

We just used Merie's Orlando Express to get back to MCO after having some "not so great Uber" experiences. We considered…

We just used Merie's Orlando Express to get back to MCO after having some "not so great Uber" experiences. We considered Uber Black, but it was $50 more than Merie's. Great experience. https://meriesorlandoexpress.com

I'm with you. We are two Disney adults w/o kids so the character meet and greet is not a priority for us. We have never …

I'm with you. We are two Disney adults w/o kids so the character meet and greet is not a priority for us. We have never had any wait getting into the EPCOT lounge (we travel in Sept); we dont use one-time use points. We are not AP holders (but I might be if I did not need to make a park reservation). Yes, we buy date-based tickets each time we go. I might be tempted to use points for AP after they remove the "park reservation" requirement.

I get that Disney World has departed from “whimsy” architecture, and that long time WDW fans disagree (generally) with t…

I get that Disney World has departed from “whimsy” architecture, and that long time WDW fans disagree (generally) with this decision. There are plenty of people that celebrate whatever Disney does becuse they love how the brand makes them feel. But the idea that everything has to reference a character/movie or theme park attraction takes the “old” vision of the resorts too far in a tacky way. Its why “Haunted Mansion resort” would just be lazy. The bigger compaint about Lakeshore Lodge and Poly Island tower before it, is the idea that they are designing fancy Marriotts and people stay at Disney because they DONT look like those. The sooner resort designs leave this era, the better. I guess my point is theres a genuine shortcoming of this resort but the restaurant name referencing moonlight on a lake isn’t it.

You already have 200 direct points to use at 7 months. You’re planning to buy at Riviera because its hard to get the roo…

You already have 200 direct points to use at 7 months. You’re planning to buy at Riviera because its hard to get the room category you want at 7 months but your strategy is to book at 11 months and then double book at 7 months to pull out the direct points….but you just said its hard to get what you want at Riviera at 7 months? How’s that going to work? You have the luxury of multiple contracts. If you are really focused on Riviera for this bucket of points just get the most Riviera you can via resale so you can max out your stays there with no stress. And if you ever need to sell it you wont take a bath on the devaluation from the restrictions like when you sell Riviera direct.

I upgraded my Disney visa card to the Inspire when it came out. The benefits outweigh the $149 fee, and I use the points…

I upgraded my Disney visa card to the Inspire when it came out. The benefits outweigh the $149 fee, and I use the points to pay for our tickets when we come down. With the Disney+ credit, it basically pays for itself.

I have a friend that lives in Golden Oak. His place is quite nice, but not too over the top. The cool thing is getting t…

I have a friend that lives in Golden Oak. His place is quite nice, but not too over the top. The cool thing is getting to chat with the cast members at the Summer House and have a nice meal there. The building has lots of Disney touches like original animation cells and such that are cool to check out. I don't know that I would spend what is needed to own there, but it is a cool neighborhood.

Interesting thread. Always enjoy reading everyone's experiences. I know a few families who have moved down, was not for …

Interesting thread. Always enjoy reading everyone's experiences. I know a few families who have moved down, was not for them and moved back home. One it took a few years, could not afford to come back home so it took a while. One is now snow birding and some still there and loving it!! Great advice making multiple trips to different areas and being there during the different seasons. Vacation is one experience - living there is another.

We bought direct for that reason, even at the much higher price. We wanted the flexibility with the points to stay at VD…

We bought direct for that reason, even at the much higher price. We wanted the flexibility with the points to stay at VDH or use the points at WDW, Aulani or the beach resorts. We also have Boardwalk points with the same use year, so they can be combined together if needed (Aulani).

Thank you! The info above this seems to contradict itself. I am going to put the needed $200 on the card and the rest on…

Thank you! The info above this seems to contradict itself. I am going to put the needed $200 on the card and the rest on the room . That should get me close enough to get the remaining in the folio for the rest.

I'm a paddock guy myself but, I booked late and all that was left was preferred so I was like hmm unexplored territory. …

I'm a paddock guy myself but, I booked late and all that was left was preferred so I was like hmm unexplored territory. I like the idea of both areas but, I wasn't really sure if 1 was better than the other or 1 was overrated. I guess if there is no hidden issues or perks I'll let Mickey decide.

Has anyone charged their APs to their room and then paid the folio off with the Inspire card? Did you get ALL of your pu…

Has anyone charged their APs to their room and then paid the folio off with the Inspire card? Did you get ALL of your purchase amounts (APs, meals, merch...) or did you get everything except your APs credited towards the $2,000?? I am about to buy several APs and I would prefer to buy one directly to get the $100 and put the rest on the folio to get me close to the $2000, $200 reward.

If you want to be closer to the walking path to Disney Springs, request Congress Park. If you want to be near the Carria…

If you want to be closer to the walking path to Disney Springs, request Congress Park. If you want to be near the Carriage House where the main pool and dining is located, request The Springs.

I appreciate that they are doing this but I sure wish they would alter it to allow you to add nights to an existing seve…

I appreciate that they are doing this but I sure wish they would alter it to allow you to add nights to an existing seven night reservation (while locking in the original check in date). This is kind of necessary for those of us who sometimes do extended stays.

That waitlist is not constantly scraping, it does it at certain times of the day (not sure how many, maybe only once) so…

That waitlist is not constantly scraping, it does it at certain times of the day (not sure how many, maybe only once) so that is why a room can come open. I have the best strategy when employing the waitlist is to also troll the DVC site at least once a day, especially in the morning to see if something has come open.

I'm new to DVC; however, I had given it some thought. So, please forgive the novel. I understand this would hurt third-p…

I'm new to DVC; however, I had given it some thought. So, please forgive the novel. I understand this would hurt third-party marketplaces, but it would provide more options to both buyers and sellers. Since Disney will never be able to stop the resale market, they might as well jump in and offer their own. It'll be more expensive for buyers than third-party markets, but it would retain the benefits of a direct purchase. Go so far as to set a price floor that would 100% guarantee ROFR isn't exercised, but it might also mean it doesn't sell as quickly. Limit purchasing to current direct owners. Non-direct owners would need to buy retail or through a third party. For example, using no actual real-world factual basis: the retail price is $250 per point. The no-ROFR price per point is set to $200. The third-party marketplace average is $150 per point. You can list it at $225 and maybe get someone willing to grab it at a discount, but it might take a while to sell since it would be limited to current direct owners; or list it for less than $200 on Disney's marketplace or a third-party marketplace, and it might sell faster, with the risk that Disney activates ROFR. For Disney, this keeps resale prices high, opens resales to its financing, and prevents a simple buyback offer by requiring buyer-seller price agreement. It offers sellers a premium, slower alternative to third-party sales, which remains an option for quick unloading. Buyers can choose to buy retail from Disney, resale at a premium with benefits, or buy cheaper on the open market, risking Disney's ROFR exercise. Also, offer a one-time "buy-up" to current resale owners as long as they have an existing direct ownership stake in the same resort.

From what I've learned from talking to member services, the waitlist mechanism does not automatically book or hold rooms…

From what I've learned from talking to member services, the waitlist mechanism does not automatically book or hold rooms at the exact time that a cancellation occurs. Instead, at some unknown interval once each day, some code on their end goes across all the available nights for all the resorts at the same time and assigns available nights to waitlist requests. Therefore, there can be a period of time where nights that are waitlisted are shown as available since that mechanism hasn't done it's daily pass through to assign that night to a waitlist request.

Many years ago we always rented a car. Have been using Mears for a long time now. Never really had any problems/issues. …

Many years ago we always rented a car. Have been using Mears for a long time now. Never really had any problems/issues. Arrive early am and never in a rush to get anywhere. We are in Disney often and will be back. No grocery stop. Now solo - prefer Mears even more. Just allow a few minutes to wait for bus. It might make two or four stops before yours. Have been lucky. Pick up is same scenario. They do pick up a bit early to get to airport. I think it's personal. Do you like to go from one resort to another often for meals, etc.? Do you go outside of the Disney bubble for meals, shopping, attractions? If you do, renting a car might be best. I believe Mears also has private transportation. Good luck.

I usually bring my own (small Travel Tide/pod/small amount in traveling bottle) - it used to be free. Good question. I w…

I usually bring my own (small Travel Tide/pod/small amount in traveling bottle) - it used to be free. Good question. I would bring some just in case. Maybe DVC chat or call? Let us know if you do.

Week of 08/29/26 – 09/04/26 I exercised some self-control this week. Just 2 contracts pulled back into the herd: Animal …

Week of 08/29/26 – 09/04/26 I exercised some self-control this week. Just 2 contracts pulled back into the herd: Animal Kingdom — 1 contract. avg price: $100 Old Key West (2042) — 1 contract. avg price: $91 See ya next week. Stay hungry, buyers. — The ROFR Monster

We're here now and have been impressed with the updated rooms. It's been 5 years since we were here, so I can't remember…

We're here now and have been impressed with the updated rooms. It's been 5 years since we were here, so I can't remember exactly how the laundry was in the 1BR, but I really like how it's in its own utility closet area. Love the artwork and the bright colors. Such a comfortable room, and the location is right in the middle of everything. It's nice to still love it after 17 1/2 years as owners.

its actually not that bad to get one - with the typical caveats of a) holiday weeks are harder and b) try to plan ahead …

its actually not that bad to get one - with the typical caveats of a) holiday weeks are harder and b) try to plan ahead - do this at 7 months. Not as high in demand due to the isolated location, but I agree thats part of the charm! plus the refurb does look great. You seem to have a ton of points so I dont see the need to add more just to do thjs once.

We went with February. That Jan-Feb period is usually a dead period for us when it comes to traveling, so it was the bes…

We went with February. That Jan-Feb period is usually a dead period for us when it comes to traveling, so it was the best time of year to turn over. I'm also planning our trips several years in advance, so I know when to use which points. My intent is to always borrow rather than bank, unless we are planning a big trip where we want a 2-BR for the whole family.

Quick update, we are new members! After a lot of reflection and listening to you guys and the DVCFan folks, we realised …

Quick update, we are new members! After a lot of reflection and listening to you guys and the DVCFan folks, we realised we will most likely start to be a little more fldxible in when we come so we went with a Dec use year - PVB - we signed in the property itself on September first now plan to enjoy the rest of our trip in Port Orleans Riverside and when we sre home we can prepare for a big DVC trip(s) next year! Thanks for the thoughts.

We also go for 10 days minimum in a 1 or 2 bedroom. These days it is usually a split stay so it is 2 reservations. Back …

We also go for 10 days minimum in a 1 or 2 bedroom. These days it is usually a split stay so it is 2 reservations. Back in the old days it was 11 months from your checkout time, instead of your checkin time. This is even before online reservations. I would call MS and get the initial reservation. Then call every morning to extend it. I am on the west coast so I got up really early to do so. This new rule sorta goes back to the old days after the initial reservation is made. I do hope they extend the 7 days to 10, but wont count on it. The happy thought is Disney and DVC seems to be listening to us. We have been complaining for years that walking and commercial owners are a real problem. We only got lip service. Seems like real action is being taken. Also look at all the work happening to the resorts and the parks. Lots of refurbs and more paint and polish. They listened to us owners at VGC and are redoing their botched refurb job there. As to the parks there is construction and refubs everywhere. Hey they are even fixing the YETI! A better sign would be going back to the free paper fastpass, but I dont hold my breath on that! Perhaps the new management will put guests and their experiences over profit, because in the end we are the profit. (I know I am an eternal optimist!) For now I am taking this change as a net positive. Do you think the commercial owners will start selling their holdings if they lose their edge? Hope so, I can always use a few more points!

I would think that DVC could update the language so that members can continue to add on extra days to their reservation …

I would think that DVC could update the language so that members can continue to add on extra days to their reservation to support longer stays, while keeping those intending to walk from updating their check-in date until the check-out date is within the 11 month booking window. Wouldn't that solve both preventing walking reservations, while supporting members that prefer longer stays?

We come each year from the UK so being able to book for ‘only’ 7 days could be problematic. We normall are between 10-13…

We come each year from the UK so being able to book for ‘only’ 7 days could be problematic. We normall are between 10-13 days. However we are getting jnto split stays and waitlisting at 7 months so hopefully this will give us more opportunity to cross off the resorts we haven’t yet had the pleasure of staying at.

Yes, I am so excited that the timing worked out for us to attend! We were already booked for the week starting Sunday, J…

Yes, I am so excited that the timing worked out for us to attend! We were already booked for the week starting Sunday, January 31 in a Jambo sav studio and my waitlist came through for Kidani for Saturday so we can arrive a day earlier. This will be our first meet up and my hubby is clueless about anything DVC Fan related (not unlike how I am in regard to his pin trading obsession😂). Looking forward to it!

Two particularly enjoyable views come to mind. First was at Copper Creek, we faced Boulder Ridge and had a great view of…

Two particularly enjoyable views come to mind. First was at Copper Creek, we faced Boulder Ridge and had a great view of the lake. Second was a pool view at Aulani with a peek of ocean. That was actually a great location too. Third floor Waianae tower, right off the lobby with an easy walk to the parking garage, sidewalk to go across the street, and just a flight of stairs downstairs.

We looked into this before our last Disney trip. Magical Express is gone now, so it's mainly renting a car, the Mears sh…

We looked into this before our last Disney trip. Magical Express is gone now, so it's mainly renting a car, the Mears shuttle, rideshare, or a private transfer. We booked FS Premier Transport just for the airport ride, price was set ahead of time and the chauffeur was already waiting when we landed. If you're renting a car for the whole trip that works too, but if you're using Disney's transportation once you're there like we did, a private ride for just the airport leg made things a lot easier.