Meet Tim Krasniewski, owner of DVCNews.com. Home Resorts: Saratoga Springs and BoardWalk Villas. Tim shares his family's journey in DVC and the backstory behind DVCNews.com.

Tim has been a member of the Disney Vacation Club since 2003 when the family bought into Saratoga Springs Resort. He has turned his love of Disney and DVC into a business, as he owns and operates the DVCNews.com website.

Tim, who lives in the Midwest with his wife, a son, and a

daughter, first came to Walt Disney World during his honeymoon in 1997. Tim’s

wife likes to tell a story from when they stayed at Port Orleans French

Quarter: while on the bus to the resort, they passed the Disney Vacation Club

sign that is on Bonnet Creek Parkway near Old Key West. Tim’s wife said that

they should look into DVC, and Tim responded, “When we make our first million!”

He laughed and said they ended up purchasing despite not hitting that financial

milestone.

Tim says one of the most memorable parts of the honeymoon

trip was when he and his wife participated in the sea scene from the old

Backlot Tour at Hollywood Studios – Tim was the one who had gallons of water

dumped on him, for those who remember that attraction!

After the honeymoon trip, Tim and his family came to WDW in 2002, when his son was 18 months old, along with his parents. They rented points to get a two-bedroom villa at Old Key West. Five months later, they rented points again for a one-bedroom villa. After that, Tim and his wife went through the familiar process of making spreadsheets to determine whether it was worth buying into the Disney Vacation Club.

Tim and his wife decided to buy points at Saratoga Springs,

right when that resort became available. He was attracted to the resort by its

design and feel, along with its location in what is now the Disney Springs

area. He was thrilled to get his shares for $79 per point, locked in for 50

years. Most of the other resorts at the time had a contract length of only

around 40 years. Tim called the purchase a “no-brainer” due to the extra years

that he would have ownership. He remains happy with the decision, especially

with the expansion of the resort – including a stay at the exclusive Treehouse

Villas only a week after they opened.

Tim’s son was 2 years old and his daughter was 6 months old

when they joined DVC. The family later bought into the Boardwalk, as it’s a

resort that they all enjoy, and the standard rooms provide great value – just

be sure to book them 11 months out if you plan on visiting during a busy travel

period! Tim called the sitting area outside of the Ample Hills Creamery and

ESPN Zone his favorite place on property to unwind and enjoy a drink or dessert

after a busy day, and he says the Boardwalk is his favorite resort due to the

proximity of so many areas – Epcot, Hollywood Studios, and the Yacht &

Beach Club. It will be interesting to see if that intimacy remains once the

Skyliner gondolas begin operation this fall.

Away from Walt Disney World, Tim bought points at the Grand Californian at Disneyland right when they went on sale. His family went on to use them with friends to rent two-bedroom villas for several years before selling the points for a tidy profit. Tim said this is one of his favorite resorts, especially due to the proximity to the back entrance of the California Adventure park, which provides a level of convenience that can’t be matched at WDW, as you can go from your room to being on an attraction in just a few minutes.

Tim purchased his points at Grand Californian at the right time,

as sales were slow at the beginning due to people in southern California not

being exactly sure what DVC was. The sale also began in the rough economic

period of 2008, and it came around the same time as the opening of Bay Lake

Tower at the Contemporary, which was a hot property due to its being the first

DVC at a Magic Kingdom-area resort. It has since exploded in popularity.

Aulani and the re