The GypsyNesters

If you consider yourself a die-hard Mickey fan, you’re far from alone. Worldwide, Disney parks saw over 155 million visitors in 2019!

For frequent visitors, it’s hard to pass up on an annual pilgrimage to their favorite Disney properties, even with the lower park capacity in recent months. Of course, securing lodging and planning a trip for a group can be difficult year over year. If this sounds familiar, you may want to consider one way to make your vacations a little smoother: Disney Vacation Club.

If you’ve never heard of this program—or you’re not sure what it includes—you may be missing out on the opportunity for exclusive events and easier travel. Let’s take a look at the basics of Disney Vacation Club, what it includes, and whether it’s right for you.

What is the Disney Vacation Club?

As the name suggests, the Disney Vacation Club (DVC) is a vacation program operated through Disney. This popular program is Disney’s answer to the concept of timeshares—but there are a few differences between the two vacation programs.

In essence, DVC offers easy prepaid vacations for its members.

What Makes the Disney Vacation Club Different From Timeshares?

There is one major difference between timeshares and DVC resorts: ownership.

With timeshares, owners often have what is called “fractional ownership.” With their purchase, they have the right to use a unit at a specific time during the year. This time period may vary from timeshare to timeshare.

Unlike many timeshare programs, members of the program do not own or control their Disney Vacation Club rental unit. Instead, the Walt Disney company retains exclusive ownership, and members have access to a property for a specified amount of time.

How Does the DVC Point System Work?

Members pay for annual points up front—or with financing—and receive a certain number of points once a year. They can then spend these points to stay at Disney resorts, as well as other types of vacations.

Members will also select what’s known as a “home resort.” This resort is your home base, meaning that you can make a reservation up to nine months in advance, in contrast to other resorts that require six months of advance notice. That extra time means that you can jump in and secure reservations at your favorite resort before they sell out!

If you decide not to take a Disney vacation in a specific year, you can save your points and use them in a subsequent year. You can also borrow the next year’s points to put them toward a current vacation, meaning that you’ll have fewer points to spend on your next vacation.

Where Are the Disney Vacation Club Resorts?

The DVC operates fourteen total resorts. Eleven of these are in Walt Disney World:

• • Animal Kingdom Villas
  • Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort
  • Beach Club Villas
  • BoardWalk Villas
  • Boulder Ridge Villas at Wilderness Lodge
  • Copper Creek Villas and Cabins at Wilderness Lodge
  • Old Key West
  • Polynesian Villas and Bungalows
  • Riviera Resort
  • Saratoga Springs
  • Villas at Grand Floridian

In addition, there is one resort in Disneyland in California, The Villas at Disney’s Grand Californian. The three remaining resorts are located near beaches throughout the United States: Disney’s Vero Beach Resort in Vero Beach, Florida; Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort in South Carolina; and Aulani, a Disney Resort and Spa in Ko Olina, Hawai’i.

It’s worth noting, however, that members can also choose to travel to both Disney-owned and Disney-partnered hotels and resorts around the world. This includes DVC Disney Cruises that sail to destinations in Europe, Alaska, and the Caribbean, as well as the hotels in Disney’s robust Destinations Around the World Collection.

Is Disney Vacation Club Worth It?

The answer to this question, of course, depends on you! For many die-hard Disney fans as well as those who love arranging their travel in advance, the DVC program is well worth the expense. Others may not want to join a program that fences them into a pre-planned vacation.

To understand if the program is right for you, let’s take a look at a few of the benefits and downsides.

Pros of the Disney Vacation Club

When you join the DVC program, you’re joining a points-based timeshare system that allows you the freedom to choose from a spectrum of Disney properties while planning your trips in advance. You’ll enjoy priority booking at your home resort, which makes it easy to decide where you want to travel months in advance.

Long-term Disney Vacation Club membership can also offer great value, as it allows members to avoid high price increases year over year.

DVC members also have access to a number of exclusive perks, like Signature Dining Experiences. Additional perks include character meet-and-greets, pool-hopping, spa treatments, tours, movie screenings, and free exclusive events.

Cons of the Disney Vacation Club

The most prominent disadvantage to the DVC program is for those who don’t take Disney trips on a regular basis. The DVC program benefits repeat visitors, not those who prefer more freedom and flexibility to take non-Disney vacations.

Upfront costs can also be a disadvantage, though Disney does offer financing for those who can’t pay in cash all at once. It’s also worth noting that points tend to depreciate, so selling on the Disney Vacation Club resale market may not earn you as much as you spent.

The intensive pre-planning can be a downside for some members as well. Members need to choose their resorts, restaurants, shows, and attractions months in advance, which leaves little room for spontaneity.

How Can You Get Started With the DVC Program?

If you’re considering joining the DVC program, there are a number of ways to get started.

First, some prospective members find it helpful to purchase an initial vacation through the resale market. This can help you understand if a DVC rental is right for you in the long term.

If you’re happy with your experience, it’s time to make your DVC purchase and select your home resort!

Make the Most of Your Disney Vacation

If you’re a frequent Disney visitor, it’s worth considering joining the Disney Vacation Club. After all, membership offers the ability to plan your trips in advance, get exclusive access to events and venues, and do more of what you love during your trips! Do your research to decide whether this opportunity is right for you.

Want more of the helpful guides you need? Check out our other posts for additional insights.

Vacating with your friends and family is always a slice of respite from the hustle and bustle of work, whether at the office or at home. But cabin rental-hunting isn’t always so easy. You might find yourself browsing through accommodation after accommodation without really deciding on which one to go for.

For this reason, our experts have come up with another list you can follow as you choose your cabin rental, no matter the season.

1. Your Rental Needs, Not Rental “Deals”

It can be quite the invite— rental deals that are too good to pass up on. Yes, those exist, if you are able to partner with agencies such as the Twain Harte property management group. But our own specialists will tell you to prioritize rental deals above jaw-dropping discounts (we will get to the latter below).

Everything from the number of travellers (adults and/or kids), exact number of days you’ll be staying at the accommodations establishment (and a little room for an extra day or two, for backup), meals (all-inclusive or otherwise), places with in-house restaurants if this, too, is what you’ll necessitate, the list can go on and on according to your travel plans.

2. Check The Property Out

This doesn’t necessarily mean you have to travel to the actual lodge to do some property and/or room reviewing. And this will spell completely unpractical if its hundreds and thousands of miles away from where you reside.

The best approach to this is by accessing the property’s website. Your green light will be a property management and rental platform that has photos and/or videos of key portions of the lodging facility.

Another green light is how updated said websites are. Content should be regularly and consistently brought up to date. Blogs should be relevant to rentals, renters, and related information that will help you with your vacation-planning needs.

3. Plan With The Fam

For family and friends trips, don’t feel as though only you are to bear the weight of the planning necessities and other imperatives. Involve the travellers in the decision-making process, too. Let them have their say on the list of potential lodging facilities you and your property manager have discussed. In fact, have them join you in these meetings.

Having others giving you their insight on the clan’s getaway-accommodation plans can aid in swaying towards decisions that are more advantageous for the fam than the rest.

4. Rental Associations

Here’s a qualifier that may not exactly be a make or break towards the deal. That being said, it’s a definite plus. Loding establishments that are affiliated with accredited rental associations are ones you can trust. Why? Because this means that they, like Fun Cabin Rentals Twain Harte California relies on, adhere to strict standards for accommodating guests, codes of cleanliness, etc.

5. Divide A Large Travel Group Into Smaller Ones

This isn’t about what we have mentioned earlier regarding collecting input from the other members of the travel-tribe. What we are pertaining to here is how renting one ginormous house can work for equally gigantic clans. On the other hand, it might be more convenient to break up the group into smaller ones for the purpose of finding accommodations easily.

It will also be less stressful to scout for lodging that has the specific amenities the large group wants. With smaller clusters, said clusters’ amenities can be streamlined and aligned to small-to-mid-sized cabins.

Are you considering diving into the world of freelance work? Before you do, we’ve put together a list of the top four things for you to consider…

1. You set your prices and your salary

If you think you deserve more money, you can increase your rates. If you are snowed under with work and customers are fighting for your attention, you can hike up the prices. You have full control over where the profits go, how much salary you get and how much is invested back into your work. You can assess each project as an individual and price it as such, charging more for particularly time-consuming ventures. With a handy invoice maker, you can easily create your own invoices with costs broken down exactly how you want them – creating professional invoices is essential for keeping track of your finances and will be necessary once tax season comes around.

2. You are your own boss

If you have ever worked in an office, I’m sure you have some experience with clueless management – superior staff with no idea what exactly their employees do. This can mean you get dumped with tons of work and given a completely unrealistic deadline which will require you to work overtime with little to no appreciation or recognition. Sometimes you can even be lumped with tasks without an idea why you are being asked to do it.

Big office environments are notoriously bad when it comes to communication and this can cause you to waste your time on a task that will later need to be redone or completely scrapped altogether. These are just a few of the problems you might have to deal with when working as an employee for a company. When you are self-employed you have full transparency – you are in control. And although you may not have a manager breathing down your neck, you do have to answer to your clients, but they can often be much easier to appease.

3. Flexible working hours

You will not have to stick to the strict 9 to 5 routine, which can have a lot of benefits. You can work whenever you need to and take time off whenever you can afford it. If you would rather work weekends and have time off during the week, you can. If you want to start your workday super early or maybe you would rather work in the evenings, it is completely up to you. Your clients or customers will likely set deadlines for the work, but you decide when to do it. If you have good organizational skills, then freelancing would be perfect for you as you could plan your time perfectly and maybe even afford yourself a bit more time off.

4. Work wherever you want to

As a freelancer, you do not have an office to go to every day. You don’t have to clock in and clock out. Most freelancers will work from home but there are no rules when you’re working for yourself, if you want to sit on the beach and reply to your emails or relax in a cozy café while you work – there is nothing stopping you. You can work from whatever environment is more conducive to your own productivity.

The south-western region of Aquitaine, in France, covers a wide area, and it shows when you look at the numerous places to visit, inside its border. That part of France, in the summer time, is one of the most beautiful you can choose to discover. To help you, here are a few different locations you shouldn’t miss, as you travel its roads.

Arriving in Aquitaine

The best way to prepare your travel, is to book a camping holiday in the south of France, choosing it by your family’s preferences. Are you more sea or land? There are also many activities you can chose, according to the location, you select. Just look for the one that will please everyone and book it. Once you arrive at your destination, it will be easy to just drive from that central point, to all the cities and sites you want to visit.

Bordeaux

If there is a wine lover in your party, then you simply cannot miss heading to Bordeaux, to visit some of its wineries. This city and its region have certainly earned the title of the world’s wine capital. Some of the greatest wines, ever elaborated, come from that region. Still today, all connoisseurs will tell you that you can never go wrong by serving a Bordeaux, when you have guests over.

But there is more to Bordeaux than just wine. The center of the town is a World Heritage site. Everyone walking its streets will remember Place de la Bourse, where you find the “Mirroir d’Eau” (Water Glass), a work of art by Michel Corajoud, which features a thin layer of water reflecting the beauty surrounding it.

La Dordogne

If you like history and castles, then you have to visit the Dordogne valley. It was one of the main battle grounds of the 100 Years wars with Britain, during the 14th and 15th century. It has left behind, many military castles, along the river side. If you want to travel even farther back in time, continue your visit by entering Paleolithic caves, where habitants, 20,000 years ago, painted the walls. The drawings they made can still be seen today.

Pau

If you enjoy walking, the Boulevard des Pyrénées, in Pau, will leave you beautiful memories to bring back home. It features a balustrade walkway, placed on top of the Gave River. The view of the rolling hills, with scattered castles on top of them, here and there, will remind you of movies set in other centuries.

For a westerner, going to Australia is about as far as you can travel without leaving the planet. That’s part of its appeal for a lot of travellers, but there’s a lot more to Australia than just the incredibly long flight you’ll have to take to get there. It’s a country with a unique culture, outstanding sights, and phenomenal natural beauty. That makes it a perfect destination for a backpacking trip – or indeed a trip of any kind!

If you’re considering visiting the Land Down Under as a backpacker, the first thing you need to know is that you’re not going to see the whole country in a single trip. It’s far too big for that. You can pick and choose your locations because the country is so sparsely populated, but even getting between major cities is an enormous time investment. You’re probably going to need to come back more than once if you want to see everything Australia has to offer. The good news with that is after going once, you’ll definitely want to go again.

For the purposes of this article, we’ll assume that you’re heading to Australia for the first time, and you want to know what you ought to prioritise. We’ll also tell you a few of the essential things you need to know in advance so you can have the perfect “Aussie Adventure” – a title that just so happens to be shared by a very popular online slots game. The imagery of that online slots game highlights what’s wrong with a lot of people’s impression of Australia before they go there. It’s not all kangaroos, snakes, sandy beaches and cold beers. Granted, those things do exist – which is why you see them represented on the reels of Rose Slots for New Zealand Players – but they’re just window dressing for a much deeper, more meaningful experience. By following these tips, you stand a better chance of sharing in that experience.

Have An Australian Safari

When we hear the word “safari,” we tend to think of the kind of animals you’ll find on the African plains. We think of lions, elephants, giraffes, and water buffalo. You won’t find any of those animals in Australia outside of zoos, but you will find a wide range of other exotic creatures in their natural environment. Your trip to Australia isn’t complete until you’ve seen a kangaroo, a wombat, a koala, and a dingo. Also keep your eyes peeled for emus, wallabies, platypuses, and cassowaries. Visiting a national park is a good way to go about this – especially if you can get yourself booked onto a guided tour.

Dive Into the Melbourne Suburbs

It would be easy to spend most of your Australian vacation in Sydney, which is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. It’s not the only major city in Australia worth visiting, though. Melbourne is also more than worthy of your time, and if you have an interest in the arts, you should head into the suburbs. Known as “the Melbourne laneways,” they’re a hipster’s paradise of street food restaurants, cute coffee shops, authentic Australian street art, and more importantly than all that, friendly Australian people. It will be a highlight of your trip.

Swing By A Barbecue

If you’re an American, you’ll have been raised on the idea that the world’s best barbecues are held in the American south. A visit to Australia will challenge that notion. The best thing about Australian beach barbecues is that they’re often free – they’re considered to be such an important part of Aussie life that they’re laid on by the government! That gives you the chance to sample unique Australian cuisines like camel burgers and kangaroo steaks. You won’t find many of them in Texas.

Find Free WiFi Wherever Possible

Across much of the USA and Europe, internet cafes are becoming a thing of the past. Broadband internet at home is so cheap now that there’s no reason to use them. That’s not the case in Australia, which has the most expensive broadband in the world. Even the internet cafes can be expensive because of this, though. That’s not ideal when you’re on a limited budget, and you need to stay in touch with people at home. On the plus side, almost every McDonald’s offers free WiFi to all customers. All public libraries have to offer free WiFi, too. Take this into account when you’re moving between locations, and make sure you always know where your next connection point is likely to be.

Reverse Your Weather Expectations

We tend to prioritize summer when we book vacations for ourselves. We get away with that so long as we stay in the USA, Europe, or in the northern hemisphere in general. It’s not so easy when we head to the southern hemisphere, where the seasons are inverted. In Australia, Christmas is basically a beach holiday party held at the hottest time of the year. Meanwhile, the most likely time to see snow is in July. That can be an enormous culture shock if you arrive at the height of the western summer dressed for the beach. If you visit between October and March, you’ll find most cities in Australia sweltering in a climate akin to Florida. It’s cheaper to visit during these months because it’s too hot for most tourists, but if you don’t think you can handle the heat you’d be better advised to visit in April or May.

Oh, and keep an eye out for snakes. And spiders, for that matter. If you see a snake or a spider on your journey across the outback, assume it can kill you and act accordingly. We’re not saying that all of them can, but the best way to stay out of trouble with them is to treat them all like they’re hot lava! Remember Sydney is very expensive, but rural areas are very cheap. Most of all, get to know your hosts. Australians are (for the main part) chatty, friendly, and laid-back. They’ll want to know who you are and where you come from, and they might even offer you a beer. So long as you’re in a safe environment, it would be rude to say no!

When we talk about running, everyone has different opinions. For instance, some people who train to gain muscle would say that running would decrease their gains, while others will say that it is good for the heart. However, we would like to clarify that running is not bad at all, and it won’t decrease your gains if you do it for 10-15 minutes a day. On the other hand, if your goal is to lose those fats on your body, then running is the best exercise to burn calories and lose fat. Here’ why you should add running to your fitness routine.

A Great Cardiovascular Exercise

If you want a healthy heart, then running is the perfect exercise for you. Running at least 15 minutes a day would be enough. It improves our breathing techniques along with keeping our heart and lungs healthy. If we run regularly, our body gets used to it, and it can utilize the oxygen more efficiently. Eventually, this helps to lower our heart rate while we are resting, and that’s a sign of a healthy heart. Regular running makes our heart pump more blood, which results in stronger heart muscles. In a nutshell, running is good for the heart.

It Improves Mood

Running helps to reduce stress and keep you energized throughout the day. Running would cause our body to release endorphins, which will relieve stress and pain by reacting with our brain receptors. Endorphins cause positivity in our minds, and we would not feel tired all day. This will encourage you to do everything with great enthusiasm and energy. Thus, running is good for your mood as well.

To Lose Weight Of Course

If your goal is to lose extra pounds from your body, then running could be the best exercise. However, you need to be consistent and add more minutes to your running time gradually. If you want to lose without losing the muscles, then you have to run at least 10-15 minutes a day. In order to lose fat and muscles, you have to run at least 30-40 minutes a day. Regular running will lead to lean muscles so that you look fitter and better. Nonetheless, if you want some more exercises in your routine, you can take guidance from Total Shape, where you will find tips tailor-made for you.

Good for Your Mental and Physical; Health

This goes for every exercise we do. However, running has more positive impacts on our mental health. As we already discussed, this exercise reduces stress, improves mood, and improves mental health, and these things will keep you far from depression. It can even improve your ability to focus which can be beneficial if you’re preparing for an exam. Whether you run outside or on the treadmill, it is helpful.

Talking about physical health. Running can have many benefits. It can prevent many diseases including, heart diseases, diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, and many others.

However, you need to make sure that you are eating healthy while doing exercises like running. Having a healthy and balanced diet is necessary to see the benefits of running quickly. Never forget to stretch your muscles before and after running. Plus, add more exercise along with running to get fitter and healthier.