A sense of Place

[dwelty]

We will be spending part of our vacation at our first DVC property that is not SSR (Beach Club) this March. We will spend 2 days at AKL (one of our home resorts), 2 days at Beach Club, and 7 days at SSR (Our other home resort where we own the majority of points). I know that we will have a great time at these other locations, but I have mixed felings about it. So far all of our family trips have been to SSR, and my kids LOVE the place. Many days they would rather spend all day at the resort than go to the theme parks! I think they have developed a \"sense of Place\" if you will. A place that will always be special to them as the family vacation destination. We plan on two trips a year to SSR, and 1 trip in the spring to AKL. (where we own a small amount of points) I was even of mixed emotions about buying points there, but my wife really wanted to. My heart is still at SSR, and I want my kids to always have a familiar place to go to every year. Anyone else feel the same about their home resort?

[PoohsPal]

Yeah. Funny, we\'ve only been to SSR once, but it is our home resport and where our first DVC stay was. It always feels liek home. We usulaly do BCV because of convenience for events at marathon time, but we\'ll go to DtD adn I\'ll see SSR and miss it.

You will like BCV, I\'m sure adn the kids will love SAB. I was surprised at how comfy I felt there. Still, it\'s not home.

[KNWVIKING 2.0]

I consider WDW my \"sense of Place\".

I stay at OKW in May, BCV in Oct and VWL in Dec. Each has its own sense of Place for me for different reasons.

What happens if your kids fall in love with AKL and don\'t want to go back to SSR ?

[Stitch]

Great thread.

While HHI is our home resort, when we go to WDW we\'ve stayed at BCV most often. The kids were/are very familiar with BCV, have special places they like to visit, and of course could spend the entire week at SAB and be very happy.

But this last trip we stayed at BWV for the first time. We had a very good time there. We spent a lot of time exploring, looking at the pictures (Atlantic City has a special history for DW since she vacationed at the Marlborough Blenheim for many years). And of course the pool area is fun. Well, we worried that the kids would miss BCV, but they really didn\'t. We did swim at SAB (shhh, yes we pool hopped) and had ice cream at B&C, etc. But they really enjoyed seeing a new resort.

Now, HHI is truly home, truly our sense of place. My kids honestly prefer to go there than WDW.

There I said it. The truth is out.

[TimK]

KNWVIKING 2.0 wrote:

I consider WDW my \"sense of Place\".


Good quote, viking. I have to agree with that sentiment.

Going back to my first adult trip to WDW, we used mears and then theme park busses to get around. Over the weeklong trip I never had much of a sense of what WDW really is. And I think the vast majority of guests feel the same--they rely on busses, boats and footpaths to get to the parks / DTD and never really gain an appreciation for the massive place that is \"Walt Disney World.\"

More recently we\'ve always had a car and I really appreciate the fact that I can get around WDW pretty well. I know it\'s become a cliche, but just being that familiar with the territory makes me feel like I\'ve come home again.

The resort we stay at doesn\'t really factor into that that sense of place. In just the last 3 years we\'ve stayed at SSR, OKW, BWV, BCV, and AKL. Certainly I like some better than others, but so far I\'ve never felt out of place. In fact most often, no matter where I stay, I seem to come away thinking that the resort we just stayed at is our new favorite.

[idratherbeinwdw]

Anyone who\'s read my posts knows my answer to this one: It\'s not a WDW trip to me if I am not at BWV. The trip I took last week was awesome, and yet I still felt like something was missing because I wasn\'t at BW. I walked past on the way to MGM and on the way back and walked through the lobby both times.

I do get attached to places, and BW is \"it\" for me. Off Kilter may be gone someday, but BWV will always be my happy place within my happy place. :goodvibes:

[mwehttam]

Having only been to WDW 4 times, I have yet to have a specific resort that is my \"sense of place.\" My first two trips were at OKW and the other two was SSR. My Home Resort is SSR but I love OKW as well. As time goes on and I start to take more regular trips, I see us staying at OKW or SSR a majority of the time. We love SSR but will always have a special spot for OKW (1st trip, Honeymoon).

So right now I think of all of WDW as this \"place.\" No matter where I am, I have that feeling. As time goes on though I can see this changing.

[mickeysimzac]

Although we hope to stay at all of the resorts someday, being \"stuck\" at our home resort OKW will always be just fine as we love it there. And that\'s with only having stayed there once since becoming members 2 years ago.

[DBorges]

Having owned for a nuber of years i have stayed all over the property ..

But my love is AKL and BWV.

I love just be be either in a quite spot or just right smack dab in the middle of the POOH lol

[KNWVIKING 2.0]

DBorges wrote:

........... or just right smack dab in the middle of the POOH

That\'s the reason I left MO. Seems I was always in the middle of some deep POOH with whatshername.

[DBorges]

KNWVIKING 2.0 wrote:

DBorges wrote:

........... or just right smack dab in the middle of the POOH

That\'s the reason I left MO. Seems I was always in the middle of some deep POOH with whatshername.

Lmao ya sucks to be in the middle of POOH :woohoo:

[dwelty]

KNWVIKING 2.0 wrote:

What happens if your kids fall in love with AKL and don\'t want to go back to SSR ?

I live 2 hours from the Mexican border, you would be suprised the price you can get for healthy children down there.

[KNWVIKING 2.0]

Probably pick up a couple of new ones for yourself real cheap also.

[DBorges]

KNWVIKING 2.0 wrote:

I consider WDW my \"sense of Place\".

I stay at OKW in May, BCV in Oct and VWL in Dec. Each has its own sense of Place for me for different reasons.

What happens if your kids fall in love with AKL and don\'t want to go back to SSR ?


Damn looks like you spending some of that hard earned money to get more points at akv..

Shake the dust out:rotfl2:

[BlueNGold]

Some of you have heard this before... Being in the Active Duty Navy I\'ve developed a different sense of \"home\" than most folks... My wife and I have been married just under ten years and in that time we are on our 6th assignment, 6th city, and 7th house. I grew up in PA, my wife is from a Navy family and has no real home town---we met while I was stationed in Washington, DC where she had settled after college. \"Home\" to me is wherever she and the kids live while I\'m \"at work.\"

One of my main motivations for buying into DVC was to give my kids a \"sense of place.\" I felt there needed to be one place where they could build memories from year to year and feel secure. WDW is that place. I want them to have a place they can get confused about when they are telling stories to their families long after I\'m gone. \"What year was it that Andrew fell asleep in his macaroni and cheese at the Big River Grille?\" That kind of stuff...

[dwelty]

BlueNGold wrote:

Some of you have heard this before... Being in the Active Duty Navy I\'ve developed a different sense of \"home\" than most folks... My wife and I have been married just under ten years and in that time we are on our 6th assignment, 6th city, and 7th house. I grew up in PA, my wife is from a Navy family and has no real home town---we met while I was stationed in Washington, DC where she had settled after college. \"Home\" to me is wherever she and the kids live while I\'m \"at work.\"

One of my main motivations for buying into DVC was to give my kids a \"sense of place.\" I felt there needed to be one place where they could build memories from year to year and feel secure. WDW is that place. I want them to have a place they can get confused about when they are telling stories to their families long after I\'m gone. \"What year was it that Andrew fell asleep in his macaroni and cheese at the Big River Grille?\" That kind of stuff...

I come from a Navy family so I know what you are talking about. Thank you for your service. Where are you stationed now?

[jiggerj]

Great thread :goodvibes:

My heart belonged at the BW before I even bought or set foot there. Riding by on one of the boats years ago I just knew I NEEDED to own here.

One of my favorite warm and fuzzy feelings was when I overheard dd talking on her cell to one of her buddies. \"Getting ready for MNSSHP...just sitting out on my balcony\" MY balcony not THE balcony. :goodvibes:

On my dream trip from Roz earlier this month, I made a special visit over to WL. Warm, comfy and totally at home.:goodvibes:

[jiggerj]

BlueNGold wrote:


One of my main motivations for buying into DVC was to give my kids a \"sense of place.\" I felt there needed to be one place where they could build memories from year to year and feel secure. WDW is that place. I want them to have a place they can get confused about when they are telling stories to their families long after I\'m gone. \"What year was it that Andrew fell asleep in his macaroni and cheese at the Big River Grille?\" That kind of stuff...

Love it B&G! :goodvibes: :goodvibes:

[BlueNGold]

dwelty wrote:

I come from a Navy family so I know what you are talking about. Thank you for your service. Where are you stationed now?

NAS Brunswick, Maine. I\'m a P-3 Orion driver...

What did your Dad (assume Dad) do?

[dwelty]

BlueNGold wrote:

dwelty wrote:

I come from a Navy family so I know what you are talking about. Thank you for your service. Where are you stationed now?

NAS Brunswick, Maine. I\'m a P-3 Orion driver...

What did your Dad (assume Dad) do?

Actually my Brother, uncle, nephew and Cousin. Uncle was with the Seabees, Brother went to the Naval Academy, and was a Surface Warfare officer,he is out now. Nephew in USMC, Cousin is a Lt Cmdr. Naval Avation. He is in Naval Warfare College right now in Newport RI. I knew you were somewhere up in New England. I live in the San Diego area so I have alot of Navy/USMC friends. I know the kind of moving around you guys do. I think it is great that as a DVC owner, you have one place to call home that never changes.

[PoohsPal]

Wow B&G, makes our reasons for buying DVC seem so superficial. So glad you have that place, though. Thanks for doing what you do. I know i could not live that way adn am very grateful fro teh peopl who do.:goodvibes:

[Stitch]

BlueNGold wrote:

...Andrew fell asleep in his macaroni and cheese at the Big River Grille...
I have a very strong visual here...I hope you had your camera!

I always enjoyed watching the kids zonk out after a day in the parks. DD fell sound asleep in Haunted Mansion when she was younger.

[KNWVIKING 2.0]

Stitch wrote:

I always enjoyed watching the kids zonk out after a day in the parks. DD fell sound asleep in Haunted Mansion when she was younger.

I would work all day Friday. At 6:30 pm we\'d start the drive to WDW. I\'d drive straight thru. We\'d check into our resort by 9:00 am Saturday morning and then go hit a park till our room was ready.

One year we made a BIG mistake: We did Ellens UoE in Epcot around 11:00. I snore VERY loudly. 300 or so people laughing at me woke us up.

[Stitch]

KNWVIKING 2.0 wrote:

Stitch wrote:

I always enjoyed watching the kids zonk out after a day in the parks. DD fell sound asleep in Haunted Mansion when she was younger.

I would work all day Friday. At 6:30 pm we\'d start the drive to WDW. I\'d drive straight thru. We\'d check into our resort by 9:00 am Saturday morning and then go hit a park till our room was ready.

One year we made a BIG mistake: We did Ellens UoE in Epcot around 11:00. I snore VERY loudly. 300 or so people laughing at me woke us up.

Priceless, though honestly this is easy to do without the 1,000 mile drive.

[BlueNGold]

dwelty wrote:


Brother went to the Naval Academy...

What Class? I\'m \'90...

Your family is sure doing its part... And somebody else\'s as well!

[BlueNGold]

Stitch wrote:

BlueNGold wrote:

...Andrew fell asleep in his macaroni and cheese at the Big River Grille...
I have a very strong visual here...I hope you had your camera!

I always enjoyed watching the kids zonk out after a day in the parks. DD fell sound asleep in Haunted Mansion when she was younger.

He was just a little past 4 y.o. at this point... We had a great day at AK with a big family group. There were about 11 of us having dinner and carrying on (I\'m a fan of the Rocket Red at BRG) and in what must have been a microsecond he went from talking to his Grandma to resting face down in a bowl of mac and cheese. He didn\'t snort up too much, and didn\'t cry. I carried him back to our room... Told him friends had carried me out of more than one bar in my life, but he had me beat by a few years.

[PoohsPal]

lol about faling asleep. Moday after marathon, me, dh, mom and dad all fell asleep in Nemo at AK. :-O I love that, but when you have a long day teh day before, are freezing, eat adn step into a warm theater.....

[dwelty]

BlueNGold wrote:

dwelty wrote:


Brother went to the Naval Academy...

What Class? I\'m \'90...

Your family is sure doing its part... And somebody else\'s as well!

Class of 98. 35th Company if I remember correctly.