What types of rooms did you stay in prior to DVC?

[LSchrow]

Just since we had kids (I had gone pre-marriage):
We stayed off-site once (never again).
Once I started working at the Disney Store, we started staying at Moderates (CBR, CSR, POFQ).
Then we figured why not stay Deluxe as I was getting 50% off, & stayed at all the Deluxes (some Club Level).
Once BWV opened, we fell in love & started staying there every time.
I ran the numbers & it would cost less to buy DVC than keep using the CM discount on rooms, so we finally bought in 1999.
Over the years we added BCV & SSR prebuild, then more BWV, & finally Riviera.

 

[Happy2BMommy0812]

All of them - whatever was a good deal, or whatever hotel I hadn’t stayed at (at some point I’d done so many that I decided to try and hit them all). The only one I didn’t get to before buying DVC was fort wilderness - I’ll still have to hit that someday.

For us the turning point was the 2008 recession. Room prices plummeted and we were lucky that both our jobs remained stable. So, we could travel and stay in Deluxe rooms because they were a steal back then. We got hooked on them. Once prices started going back up a few years later, and as we expanded our family and had more people to buy park tickets for, we started to get priced out of deluxe. That’s when we did the math and realized we could do DVC and stay in a Poly studio for less than the cost of a moderate room. That sealed the deal. It still took us until 2016 though - we almost bought at SS in 2012, but backed out. When Poly came out though, we couldn’t resist. Happy we bought! We added RIV last year!

I’m still glad we bought in, but I’m disliking how expensive park tickets are these days. We’ll probably start pulling back and vacationing there less frequently, but in larger accommodations.

 

[PalmettoPath]

Always Club Level prior (mainly Royal Palm). It's why the math ultimately made a lot of sense for us.

 

[CarlyMur09]

Stayed at OKW on cash twice before buying into DVC. We (6) were all adults at that point though, and we prefer the space we have with DVC, plus the need to not worry about laundry mid-trip. We have stayed at AoA a few times since buying in, but that’s been our only one outside DVC this far.

 

[Rochester Disney Fan]

The poll choices didn't have my scenario. Back in 2007 when the kids were 4 we took our first trip and stayed at All Stars Movies. I didn't know much about Disney and had a travel agent book my trip. On the way to MK I saw the Contemporary and told myself "that's a lot closer I'm staying there next year if we come back"
The next year the travel agent booked me at the Contemporary. It was $5,500 and turned out that was for the remaining Garden wing. I learned this as I checked in and the Management said they were upgrading me to Tower Lakeview.
We bought DVC that trip after going through a DVC presentation at the MK .

 

[Disney World Dad]

We stayed at POR multiple times and have no problem with doing a split stay between POR and DVC again. We also liked Pop Century for HS/EPCOT park heavy days where we could just jump on the Skyliner and then switch to a monorail DVC resort after to unwind more and enjoy the MK.

 

[Ronaldo17]

We stayed at POFQ and CBR a few times each, but we also stayed a lot at the Disney Springs hotels as we liked the big rooms with two queens, balconies, fridge, Microwave etc.

 

[4luv2cdisney]

I chose "mostly moderate" in the poll as we were starting to not want to stay in value resorts (though we'd previously stayed in plenty).

 

[4luv2cdisney]

For many years we only stayed at Coronado Springs. We love that resort and would book it in a heartbeat if it became DVC. I know, wishful thinking.

That's the way we've always felt with POR. It was like, once we stayed there, we didn't want to be anywhere else.

However...... just stayed 3 nights at CSR earlier this year and honestly loved it!

And we're obviously happy with our DVC.

We stayed at POR multiple times and have no problem with doing a split stay between POR and DVC again. We also liked Pop Century for HS/EPCOT park heavy days where we could just jump on the Skyliner and then switch to a monorail DVC resort after to unwind more and enjoy the MK.

We are feeling pretty "done" with values, but we have absolutely no problem with mods. My DD was doing the Disney College program most of this year and got us 50% off at POFQ and CSR and I was super happy. However, it was interesting that most of our DVC stays this year were slightly cheaper than 1/2 price mods. Prices are insane!!!!

 

[Simba's Mom]

For us, it was always either POFQ or POR (umm, Dixie Landings back then). Stayed at a value once and that made DVC look so appealing! It was right after 9/11, when POR closed, and I lost my reservation. Took a tour of DVC and it looked beautiful compared to AS Music. Got home and bought.

 

[DenLo]

We stayed off property and on property at value, moderate and a few deluxe resorts. I think we were just trying out different places and locations to see what we liked. We found out we had more relaxing vacations on property than off. And also realized that although value rooms were easier on our budget, moderates at least had rooms similar in size to those off property. After staying at a couple of deluxe resorts, we realized that Disney's idea of deluxe didn't seem to match up with deluxe resorts in the rest of the country despite charging deluxe prices.

 

[Genie+]

Always stayed onsite. We liked moderates as a compromise between nicer resort but not as expensive as deluxe. From there the jump to renting DVC for similar cost was easy. Experiencing several deluxe resorts convinced us to buy in. We were late to the game and could’ve gotten a much better deal if we bought when first became interested. Waiting wasn’t so bad though, then we didn’t need to second guess precisely what and how much we wanted.

 

[Annabell]

We stayed offsite and then OKW before buying at SSR.

 

[vinmar4]

For our first trip to DW, we got a package with the the DP included and stayed at moderate PO. Once we saw the lobby at AK Jambo house, we were sold. We bought DVC and would always split our stays between AK and BW, we loved that location for the 2 parks. Once Riviera became available we bought there.

 

[Her Dotness]

Always Club Level prior (mainly Royal Palm). It's why the math ultimately made a lot of sense for us.

That was us.

Yup, breaking even on VGF in just two years was SWEET. Now, feels like our Disney stays are practically free.

I do occasionally miss the niceties like turndown service, but otherwise VGF is soooooo comfy and our usual 1br more spacious than the RPC rooms.

 

[alldiz]

Went 2x as a kid off site with grandparents budget!

1st family trip with my DD4 was at WL May 2007. Loved it so much booked again for holiday time that December.

In the meantime I researched and purchased WLV resale that Dec 2007.

Truly best decision ever!!!

 

[Starport Seven-Five]

As an adult we always stayed offsite before DVC. When we started planning for kids we knew that we would want the convenience of being onsite so bought into DVC.

 

[DVCsloth]

Mom and Pop hotels in Kissimmee as a child in the 70's. if we were lucky enough to stay overnight. Started going back around 10 years ago at Coronado a few trips, loved staying on property. Stayed at AKV cash reservation and discovered DVC. Signed up for the tour and they took us to SSR, and we bought VGF in 2014.

 

[LadybugsMum]

I had never stayed onsite before buying DVC. Growing up, we drove from my grandparents house which was 45-50 min away. I also had no idea about HS or Animal Kingdom until I was researching taking my own kids in 2018. I love DVC as it gives me a room that I wouldn't have normally paid for and I'm more relaxed about visiting the parks because I know we're coming back.

 

[PalmettoPath]

That was us.

Yup, breaking even on VGF in just two years was SWEET. Now, feels like our Disney stays are practically free.

I do occasionally miss the niceties like turndown service, but otherwise VGF is soooooo comfy and our usual 1br more spacious than the RPC rooms.

We still stay in Club Level now and then just to maintain that feeling. We'll be back at Royal Palm the week before Christmas But yes, just as you said, considering what we were paying for three weeks/year in Club Level, DVC has been a huge savings for us no matter how you slice it..