Recent Activity

Just checking back on this one. We purchased the SP a couple of months back when they were available online, and will be…

Just checking back on this one. We purchased the SP a couple of months back when they were available online, and will be going down this weekend and will be activating them. We are fully prepared to have to pay the difference if they require us to do so, but I was just curious how its been working for other people in the last couple of months? On FB people have reported that Disney took ownership of the error and upgraded people to the IP at no cost, but they will have to pay the full IP cost at renewal. If somebody had a similar experience, I'm wondering where the best place to activate would be? We have party tickets for Sunday night so we figured we would stop at the MK ticket window and activate the AP's on the way into the party, but we are open to going to springs or anywhere else if it would be advantageous to do so.

We just got back from 5 night at Riv on 10/30. Such an amazing trip. It was our first trip back staying at the resort af…

We just got back from 5 night at Riv on 10/30. Such an amazing trip. It was our first trip back staying at the resort after we added on in 2024. We loved it just as much (maybe more) than we did two years ago.

Hello! It sounds like you already went on this trip. If so, I would love to hear about your experience! My family is goi…

Hello! It sounds like you already went on this trip. If so, I would love to hear about your experience! My family is going to Universal Hollywood for the first time ever at the end of the year. What attractions would you recommend, and what would you skip? We have 2 teens. However, one loves rollercoasters, and one does not like rollercoasters or anything scary. Do you have any tips for first timers? Based on the map, we would be most interested in the Upper Lot, and maybe SNW in the Lower Lot.

We just spent 5 nights at Riviera, and if I could change one thing about all DVC resorts, it would be to give every reso…

We just spent 5 nights at Riviera, and if I could change one thing about all DVC resorts, it would be to give every resort a QS as amazing as Primo Piatto. It "feels" like a TS restaurant, but I don't have to plan ahead. One day, we sat at a table out by lake. Hubby waited with the pager till the food was ready, and a CM carried it out to our table. Such a wonderful experience. I will admit that QS across all of WDW is amazing compared to 20 years ago. But Primo Piatto is over the top because of the menu variety, and the real plates and silverware. Not to mention the beautiful restaurant itself.

This is tough...we just did it, but we chose to stay at a Universal Hotel. In January we did drive over from SSR for one…

This is tough...we just did it, but we chose to stay at a Universal Hotel. In January we did drive over from SSR for one day. You have to park and walk through City Walk, which is a big undertaking...but not any worse than parking at MK parking and making your way through the TTC. The lines can be atrocious. In Jan, we just went in one evening a few hours before closing. We were able to get on Escape from Gringots very quickly. But usually the lines for the headliner attractions are really bodacious. In September (with supposedly very low crowds), we stayed at Helios Grand. We went into IOA one afternoon, then Epic the next day. Our final day was half US/half IOA. The Harry Potter areas of all three parks are amazing. Being able to ride the Hogwarts Express from "London" in US to Hogsmeade in IOA is such an amazing experience. Just being there is fun to me. But the lines for the headliner rides can really be long. In Epic, it has a Fantastic Beasts/Paris vibe. The cafe is amazing, and the queue to the ride is so cool (you enter the Ministry through the Floo Network). All in all certainly wonderful to experience. But my teens saw up close and personal that it's not Disney. As much as they love HP, Nintendo and Dragons (and they do!), they aren't keen to put up with the way the parks are handled. I think they spent all their money building the areas, but there aren't enough attractions. It would be if Disney had built an entirely new park with Galaxy's Edge, Toy Story Land and the new Monster's Land (with about 2 main attractions each) and didn't have the rest of HS to provide other things for guests to do. If you have the funds, you can buy 2-day Express Pass for all 3 parks, and it will make your experience wonderful. We didn't plan on doing that, but realized part way through our Epic day that it was the only way to not spend our whole day in lines (the HP ride and Donkey Kong ride kept going down, causing the lines to build out of proportion).

Do you know how/when to find out about next year's dates? We went to Epic for the first time in September, but had such …

Do you know how/when to find out about next year's dates? We went to Epic for the first time in September, but had such a "meh" experience, we likely won't repeat again soon. We loved the park, the theming, the IP. But in September, when the crowds are theoretically some of the lowest, we had to spring for Express Pass to ride things. And rides kept going down all day. The way you did it sounds ideal!

For the first 16 years we were members, we took 1-2 trips a year, but on the longer side. Now that life has settled quit…

For the first 16 years we were members, we took 1-2 trips a year, but on the longer side. Now that life has settled quite a bit, we have the predictability to plan more trips. This was the first year we went 4 times to WDW, but 5-6 nights each. Of course we bought more points to maintain this pattern. Initially I thought "oh, we'll splurge for the cabins or bungalows," but then I realize more points means more trips if I keep staying in 1BRs like always 😂 It's a tough call!

As I always tell my family when we are at Disney when it is raining, " a rainy day at Disney is better than a great day …

As I always tell my family when we are at Disney when it is raining, " a rainy day at Disney is better than a great day at work!" Hope it was a typical 20 minute shower and you could then enjoy without the humidity that typically comes after the rain there.

there were some items that we mentioned that could wait until we left. Example: there were several chipped dishes and no…

there were some items that we mentioned that could wait until we left. Example: there were several chipped dishes and not a full set of some items (2 little spoons) and the sliding door did not lock. It was the more major items that we had them fix during our stay. As an owner, I feel it is part of our responsibility to let them know about the issues, otherwise they won't get fixed. And we spend about $8/pt on maintenance every year

I don't know if there is a sweet spot. We visit Florida when we can tolerate the weather. The week we were there, the we…

I don't know if there is a sweet spot. We visit Florida when we can tolerate the weather. The week we were there, the weather was perfect. Staying in the bungalow for 5 days used almost 3 years worth of points for us. We want to stay in the cabins at some point as well. And now the A frames. The fireworks view was amazing. The biggest drawback is the horns from the watercraft in the early morning (we like to sleep in). From my understanding, all 20 were booked the weekend we left (marathon weekend).

were you in the Bungalow the whole 5 days? We've never stayed at the Bungalows or Copper Creek Cabins, but hope to one d…

were you in the Bungalow the whole 5 days? We've never stayed at the Bungalows or Copper Creek Cabins, but hope to one day. But I'm curious about the "sweet spot" for enjoying them without spending all the points.

I have some recommendations for restaurants in Vero beach area these are both about 20 minutes away American Icon Brewer…

I have some recommendations for restaurants in Vero beach area these are both about 20 minutes away American Icon Brewery. The mozzarella sticks are very good and food was excellent. Oceanside grill is awesome and right by the ocean. Food is pricer but service was excellent. if you are in the mood for Italian I recommend The Italian kitchen. When the waitress said big calzone I did not believe her this thing was as big as a book. Ended up having it the next day for breakfast

epic universe universal nights was 100 percent worth the extra money. Ride times were minimal and got to do what we want…

epic universe universal nights was 100 percent worth the extra money. Ride times were minimal and got to do what we wanted to do. similar to Disney's mickeys not so scary Halloween I would recommend going in with a game plan. They did include parking as long as it was after 6pm which was nice and drinks and popcorn. The popcorn I did not really care for but the pop was worth it. We had done a similar experience at Disney's not so scary and thought they included drinks which they stopped after covid. I would personably say do half the amount of candy and bring back the ice cream bars and pretzels and pop.

We do not own here but we love it. OKW was our first DVC stay when some friends let us borrow thier points. Needless to …

We do not own here but we love it. OKW was our first DVC stay when some friends let us borrow thier points. Needless to say, we were owners by the end of the year. We love the room sizes and the memories that we have created there so far. We do not have a trip planned for there in the future, but we will be staying there again. Home Sweet Home is what my DH and DD call it!

Sorry you had that experience but glad you voiced your expectations and had them fix the issues. We stayed at the Poly b…

Sorry you had that experience but glad you voiced your expectations and had them fix the issues. We stayed at the Poly before we were DVC in 2009 and I did not share with them the awful housekeeping we walked into. There was food in the refrig and the slider to go onto the balcony was full of little kids hand prints, along with other items. Since we were paying for the room, I didn't want to complain and then have them come into our room each day. I wish I had said something because it was not okay and how is management to know if we do not point it out. As a DVC owner we do share anything we see. Sometimes we will say please fix after we leave and other times we want the item fixed ASAP.

Several Creators have content on various aspects, my parents have done it (twice!), Addicted to the Mouse on YouTube hav…

Several Creators have content on various aspects, my parents have done it (twice!), Addicted to the Mouse on YouTube have done a few videos and DVCFan has posted some info about where to look based on your priorities. Maybe some guidance on if you are looking for a move with kids, empty nest, or retirement?

January 27 will be our first visit as well! Also Poolside :) I hope we get nice weather in January...it will be fabulous…

January 27 will be our first visit as well! Also Poolside :) I hope we get nice weather in January...it will be fabulous regardless. I found the above link to view the room locations super helpful. Thank you Mickmey08!!

Week of 10/24/26 – 10/30/26 A famine. Not a single contract worth my attention. The buyers slipped past me — I'll rememb…

Week of 10/24/26 – 10/30/26 A famine. Not a single contract worth my attention. The buyers slipped past me — I'll remember their faces. I'll be lurking. Sweet dreams, buyers. — The ROFR Monster

While many of our cruises cannot be booked with a TA. We had a lot of questions on our first cruise, also first cruise w…

While many of our cruises cannot be booked with a TA. We had a lot of questions on our first cruise, also first cruise with Disney. Our TA was very knowledgeable and helped us understand the entire process. While many people may not find a TA necessary, for someone with lots of questions, they can be a great resource.

Had a great time last week at the poly resort, but we also had a major hiccup. We were very disappointed on our trip las…

Had a great time last week at the poly resort, but we also had a major hiccup. We were very disappointed on our trip last week. For our first time staying at the Poly, our room was less than what was expected. We had issues, and not just minor ones, that had myself on a first name basis with the front desk. Issues ranged from the toilet being not secured to the floor, the dishwasher not attached to the cabinets, to major trip hazards on the trim between carpet and hardwood floor. the front desk and engineering were amazing. Everyday they were in the room making repairs. They were willing to move our room, but no bungalows were available due to the event over the weekend. The resort manager apologized profusely and admitted that the room should never been released and that they will be working to retrain staff to look for the types of issues we reported. As an owner, I expressed how we felt disappointed to see our resort maintenance fees, about $6000, had not been put to use to maintain the room to the Disney standard. While the room had issues, the resort was amazing. The staff were wonderful. We look forward to revisiting the property soon.

We just returned from a whirlwind trip that had us at the Poly for 5 days and a cruise on the Destiny for 5. This was su…

We just returned from a whirlwind trip that had us at the Poly for 5 days and a cruise on the Destiny for 5. This was supposed to be a "once in a lifetime" a stay in a bungalow. We loved the room, even with al of the issues (even the front desk manager said the room should have not been released). Through everything, we are looking at how to manage our points to revisit the bungalows on a semi-regular basis.

We are so excited to be new Riviera owners! We just purchased direct earlier this month after loving it forever. This is…

We are so excited to be new Riviera owners! We just purchased direct earlier this month after loving it forever. This is also our first direct purchase. We are hyped! Hello neighbors!

We're back at Riviera for the first time since we added on in Nov 2024. Happy to report that we're just as in love with …

We're back at Riviera for the first time since we added on in Nov 2024. Happy to report that we're just as in love with it as then (which led us to add on). Booked a Preferred View this time. Was curious about the difference, since it's a lot of points (and we were happy with the Resort view last time). I had emailed a request, and the AI system they used misunderstood it (I wanted a center courtyard view, as high as possible. It gave us high floor but looking out over the S'il vou Play area). I spoke with the front desk and they changed it without issue. I have to admit to loving our view! The skyliner is always moving, so the "scene" outside my window changes constantly. Primo Piatto is still hands-down best Resort QS. We ate at Topolino's for my birthday the day we arrived, and while it was amazing food, I'm just as content at Primo Piatto. I think it's the quality of food + real plates and silverware + the whole vibe. We had a weird "smell" experience when we first got into our room. We opened the closet where the vacuum was kept and a awful smell wafted out. Sort of "stored dirty diapers" smell, but no trash (or stinky culprits) found anywhere in the room. We put the vacuum in the hallway and called Mousekeeping. They were so baffled (and concerned) they sent up their manager. He was so baffled and concered he brought in the Engingeering manager. They couldn't solve it, but offered to move us (we declined) and brought in one of those diffusers they use in the lobby. So by the next morning, the smell was gone and the room smelled amazing like the lobby 😍 The daytime guest experience manager checked with us twice. And when we returned that evening, there was a plate of chocolates and macarons! The manager had noticed our "I'm Celebrating" banner on the door, and we told him it has been my birthday the day we checked in. So the chocolates had a "Happy Birthday" note, but I'm certain it was a "thanks for bearing with us" offering. All this to say Riviera may just be the best resort on property. We're so impressed with how the CMs take care of things here.

My DW is a picky eater, or should I say not adventurous eater. This leaves places like Jiko and Boma out. Bummer. As a r…

My DW is a picky eater, or should I say not adventurous eater. This leaves places like Jiko and Boma out. Bummer. As a result we generally don't do sit-down dining. The exceptions are Sci-Fi and Beaches and Cream. We also found the breakfast at Steakhouse 71 to be excellent and not too expensive. The Prime Rib Hash is to die for! We will be making it a must do for future trips.

Update. As luck would have it, I got a survey about our checkin experience. I explained how unhappy we were and how the …

Update. As luck would have it, I got a survey about our checkin experience. I explained how unhappy we were and how the room failed to meet any of our requests or expectations. I got a phone call within 10 min from the General Manager. We were offered a new room starting the following day. Bell services picked up everything including our food and refrigerated/forzen items. The room was ready when we returned from Epcot and all of our stuff was already in the room waiting for us. The new room is great and exceeded our expectations. The Boardwalk staff and management went above and beyond to insure that all of our needs were met. We even received a hand written apology and a goody basket. Really gotta love The Boardwalk!

Hey we are a family from the UK. Just bought a resale OKW 2057 extended contract never having stayed there before - eek.…

Hey we are a family from the UK. Just bought a resale OKW 2057 extended contract never having stayed there before - eek. We did loads of research and loved the vibe. We are now debating now adding on some direct points for Poly, probably in a couple of phases. Just thought would say hi 👋

Not an owner here yet... BUT, have stayed there several times and absolutely love it every time! We had dinner at Jiko l…

Not an owner here yet... BUT, have stayed there several times and absolutely love it every time! We had dinner at Jiko last week, seated at the kitchen counter with the up front and personal view of the chefs working. It was fabulous! All the dining options at AKL are top-notch. We are likely to want some points there at some point...don't tell Derek yet!

And as a proud DA I will criticize the people who take it to extremes if it is impacting my experience. For example the …

And as a proud DA I will criticize the people who take it to extremes if it is impacting my experience. For example the people who mob EPCOT on the first day of a festival and buy up all of the merchandise so they can sell it on E-Bay or the obnoxious Instragram influencer who was on our Alaska cruise in 2023 and showing zero courtesy toward everyone else when she was out and about on the ship making her videos. I know a lot of people on the cruise complained to guest services about her, not sure if anything was done.

Probably not an apples to apples comparison but when the Treehouses at SSR first came out they charged the same number o…

Probably not an apples to apples comparison but when the Treehouses at SSR first came out they charged the same number of points a SSR 2BR because square footage wise they are the same. However, the treehouses proved popular and they changed the points charts for them very quickly. I assume they were able to justify it because square footage aside, the treehouses have three bedrooms.

Week of 10/17/26 – 10/23/26 I had to settle for licking the dust off the closing tables. Nothing worth devouring this we…

Week of 10/17/26 – 10/23/26 I had to settle for licking the dust off the closing tables. Nothing worth devouring this week. See ya next week. Stay hungry, buyers. — The ROFR Monster

I miss DME too! I love pluging into the Disney bubble and staying there. We had an Uber trip this last trip that ruined …

I miss DME too! I love pluging into the Disney bubble and staying there. We had an Uber trip this last trip that ruined the "arrival" experience for me. He was talking loudly on the phone 1/2 the trip and then I had to give him directions, because he kept taking wrong turns (he was totally unfamiliar with the construction and exits up the in MK Resort area). We went back to the airport with Merie's Orlando Express because of that experience. It's not DME, but at least it wasn't a negative experience.

It would be interesting to see the true numbers from Disney. When FW opened they only declared 30 cabins of the 363, whi…

It would be interesting to see the true numbers from Disney. When FW opened they only declared 30 cabins of the 363, which seem to come out to approximately 230,000 points. They transitioned another 33 in April/May of 2024 bring it up to about 511,000 points available. Currently they have 300 cabins that have still not been declared and are for cash rentals. With the low sales who knows when they will finally declare the remaining units. If they did, I'm not sure why they would need to add more points to the existing inventory with so many points still available to declare.

Disney has done this already at Fort Wilderness. I don't expect any egregious changes but yes one of the more recent uni…

Disney has done this already at Fort Wilderness. I don't expect any egregious changes but yes one of the more recent unit declarations had more points than a prior declaration at CFW despite the units being the same.

I'm still pretty salty about the demise of Disney's Magical Express ☹️ However, since it went away we have been using Ub…

I'm still pretty salty about the demise of Disney's Magical Express ☹️ However, since it went away we have been using Uber almost exclusively. It seems...fine. We tried the Mears shuttle, didn't like it. Ubering back and forth to MCO, never leaving the bubble once we get there and getting an Instacart grocery delivery seems to be the way we currently do our trips.

I am a Disney Adult. My wife is a Disney Adult. My wife's parents are Disney Adults. My kids are now Disney Adults. The …

I am a Disney Adult. My wife is a Disney Adult. My wife's parents are Disney Adults. My kids are now Disney Adults. The book seemed to focus too much on small the minority of DA's who seem to approach their fandom in an over-the-top and to the extreme fashion. This extreme approach does foster criticism from none DA's. The book also focused greatly on defending this approach to Disney fandom from their critics. That's not what I was hoping for in this book. On a positive note, the cover of the book itself is magical and I display it prominently at home :)

We always rent a car as well. Just that much more freedom to go to the store, Steak-N-Shake, or GatorLand! Dont like to …

We always rent a car as well. Just that much more freedom to go to the store, Steak-N-Shake, or GatorLand! Dont like to depend on Uber or Lyft and the Minivans are just too expensive. So I guess I'm just old-fashioned and need a car!.

That is awesome. I'm just as excited for every trip, no matter how many times I go. I have a trip coming up in two weeks…

That is awesome. I'm just as excited for every trip, no matter how many times I go. I have a trip coming up in two weeks and can't wait. Looks like we will be there for the Disney Christmas special/parade filming. Can't wait.

WE usually rent a car. We do breakfast in the rooms, and snacks, and sometimes my DH likes to run to Chickfila. We just …

WE usually rent a car. We do breakfast in the rooms, and snacks, and sometimes my DH likes to run to Chickfila. We just like knowing if we forgot something, we can just got there. Once time we were buying my dad a pair of swimshorts because his elastic was all stretched. Our hotel did not have his size, but Coronado did. We hopped in the car and went right there. We do not drive to the parks tho. We use Disney transportation for that. I also like that I do not have to leave hours and hours earlier with Mears. I get to stay in the bubble until the last possible moment.

I love the planning part too! Planning the vacation gets me excited and into the Disney spirit. I have driven from the N…

I love the planning part too! Planning the vacation gets me excited and into the Disney spirit. I have driven from the Northeast many times and flown many times. When driving we pull out the driveway with the Wishes CD playing or another Disney CD! We love "Welcome, Welcome, Welcome!" I have to look up the name of it but I am sure you all know which song I am referring to! When flying I get excited once I am at the airport and then once the plane leaves the gate and takes off! Then I know I am on my way. My adult children, especially my DS makes fun of me because I am always taking a picture of the Walt Disney World archway as you enter the property. He says, mom, you already have that a 1000 times! I tell him not for this Disney trip! @DVCDAN with all the driving I have done, I have never stopped at the Welcome Center. I didn't know they had free OJ! That is a treat!

As with everything it depends although generally when flying it's when we are through security at BWI and settled in at …

As with everything it depends although generally when flying it's when we are through security at BWI and settled in at our gate waiting to board. For driving, if we are staying the night (or two) at DVC Hilton Head on the way down, I tend to enter vacation mode there or if we are not staying at DVC Hilton Head, then when we stop at the Florida Welcome Center off 95 for free samples of orange juice and grapefruit juice.

For Mickmey08's' question - Below is the review I wrote about Disney Adults on Amazon. The short answer is the heavy foc…

For Mickmey08's' question - Below is the review I wrote about Disney Adults on Amazon. The short answer is the heavy focus on the social media. Since I have a minimal at best social media presence, I found those sections of the book (and they were most of the book) to be pointless: This book is okay. As a long time Disney fan and Disney Adult I was expecting something that spoke to the overall population of Disney Adults more than this book does. The book's main problem is that most of it focuses on the social media and online world which I suppose to some degree is understandable given that is where the author spends a lot of time. However, for those of us who are not perpetually online and/or active in social media the book loses relevance after the first two chapters. My biggest objection to the book is the author's focus on the supposed hatred Disney Adults experience. I have been a Disney Adult since I became an adult in 1988 and I have never once experienced hatred because of it. Sure some people find me a little quirky and at work I was known as that guy everyone came to talk to before they went to Disney World but that is it. I honestly think the hatred the author talks about so much in her book and on her blog is something that is confined to the extreme and toxic environments of the internet and social media and if you can rip yourself away from that world then it really is not a thing. Like I said, the book is okay. I certainly saw myself in much of what the author was talking about but as someone who does not live in social media there was way too much focus on that aspect of Disney Adults after chapter two. In terms of the hatred Disney Adults experience, I think the author is going overboard talking about a problem that does not really exist outside of social media.

We fly now, but when we've driven, it's definitely driving under the signs! The excitement does tend to build. As you're…

We fly now, but when we've driven, it's definitely driving under the signs! The excitement does tend to build. As you're driving closer, you start to see more billboards for Disney. Then the directional signs. Then finally the sign/banner across the road. With flying, it's also a progressive process. It is fun to get to the airport and enter "Vacation Mode." But driving onto property is still a thrill!

We used Merie's Orlando Express last month to get back to the airport (after a couple less-than-stellar Uber experiences…

We used Merie's Orlando Express last month to get back to the airport (after a couple less-than-stellar Uber experiences). They were wonderful and very affordable (not much more than Uber XXL, which we would need for 4 people and suitcases). Communication by text was great as well. We're using them again this month.

I read this book over a decade ago. I remember enjoying it and being fascinated by all that it took to set Walt Disney W…

I read this book over a decade ago. I remember enjoying it and being fascinated by all that it took to set Walt Disney World up for success. When we drive around the area today (or look at a map and see all the remaining undeveloped land), I'm reminded of the foresight (and effort) it took to make this land grab. Project Future

I wasn't tempted to read this book (despite following the Disney Food Blog). It seemed really self-absorbed and tone-dea…

I wasn't tempted to read this book (despite following the Disney Food Blog). It seemed really self-absorbed and tone-deaf (just from the blurb I read). But I'm always willing to have my assumptions reexamined. What made you and @Dan loves DVC! hate it?

That stinks. Sorry to hear about it. We only ever had one bad experience and it was with housekeeping not cleaning the r…

That stinks. Sorry to hear about it. We only ever had one bad experience and it was with housekeeping not cleaning the room before we checked in. They did make it right. We love SSR when we are doing a resort only stay. WE also love OKW too!