Youll Be Assigned A Home Resort
Youll be assigned one resort which will be your home resort. You will probably have some degree of choice in what resort is your home. For the last few years, Aulani in Hawaii been one of the choices, along with one Walt Disney World Resort. Currently, the other resort being offered up as a home resort is Disneys Riviera Resort.
Saratoga Springs isnt our home resort but it felt like home when we stayed there!
You have to pick from the choices they give you. You cannot just randomly pick Grand Floridian because you like it.
This doesnt mean you always have to stay in your home resort. If youâd like to stay at other properties besides your home resort, you can.
You can make reservations at your home resort up to 11 months out. If youd like to stay at another resort besides your home resort, you can make reservations seven months out. This gives everyone the chance to book their home resort during that four month window.
These time standards are no joke. It is not unreasonable to get online at midnight at exactly your 11 month mark. One of the takeaways I want folks to understand after reading this Disney Vacation Club 101 article is that understanding your booking windows is important.
I recommend making the reservations at your home resort at the 11 month mark and then checking availability for any other resort you might want instead at the seven month mark.
North Pole Residents Spend Off
LAKE BUENA VISTA , Fla. — Santa and his elves have joined Walt Disney Imagineering to create Disney’s Winter Summerland, a 36-hole miniature golf course located near the entrance to Disney’s Blizzard Beach water park.
The wacky, elf-sized golf course is divided into two 18-hole experiences. One course carries the zany, snow-clad Florida look reminiscent of Blizzard Beach , while the other takes a more tropical, holiday theme, with ornaments hanging from palm trees.
Like all Disney attractions, this miniature golf course has a story behind it.
Late one moonlit Christmas Eve, as Santa was flying over Florida on his way back to the North Pole, he glanced down and could not believe what he saw. Santa found snow in a place that is usually hot. After surveying the strange location, he decided to build a vacation destination for his off-duty elves — a Winter Summerland.
The only thing Winter Summerland lacked was a golf course. So the elves divided into two camps, one that enjoyed the warm Florida sun and another that preferred the snow and cold of the North Pole. In this Winter Summerland, the elves built two distinctly different 18-hole golf experiences — a summer course and a winter course.
Winter Summerland is the second themed miniature golf course at Walt Disney World Resort. Fantasia Gardens, Disney’s first miniature golf experience, is located along Buena Vista Drive adjacent to Disney’s BoardWalk resort.
How Dvc Points Work
This is an important part of Disney Vacation Club 101. Like anything, theres a learning curve but this is overall really easy to navigate.
Youll have access to your allocated number of points in your use year. Your use year is from September to August.
You can bank or borrow points, which means you can move your points forward to the next year if you dont want to use them or dip into next years points if you need more points for what youre planning. You can also make a one-time purchase of points to cover a special or unusual trip.
If youre taking a special vacation or celebrating a milestone event and want to splurge on something you dont have the points for, you can buy points specifically for THAT vacation.
We are currently planning a more extra trip than we usually take, so we banked our points for this year and will use them and borrow from the following year if we need to.
You can also add points at any time. You dont have to go to a presentation to buy them theyre easy to buy through your member portal and you can always call Member Services if you have quesitons.
I absolutely love the simplicity of the way theyve got everything set up. If I dont understand something, the website usually explains it. If I need extra help, their customer service is stellar and no one talks over my head or in circles. Its very Disney in that respect.
Also Check: Universal Orlando Vacations Promo Code
Best Candidates For Dvc Membership
DVC membership might make sense if you meet most or all of these criteria:
- You have the cash in hand to pay all of the upfront costs of membership without borrowing.
- The cost of dues does not appear to present a financial hardship based on your current expectations.
- You vacation at Walt Disney World, Disneyland and/or Disneys beach resorts frequently: ideally at least once every two years.
- You plan to continue staying at DVC resorts far enough into the future to make the membership at least break even.
- You prefer to stay in Deluxe or DVC accommodations and/or you stay a long time .
- You are able to plan your vacations well in advance ideally 7 to 11 months out.
Park Tickets & Annual Passes
These discounts can vary depending on limited time promotions, but DVC owners generally receive special rates on Annual Passes, Premium Annual Passes, and renewals. The same goes for special events at the parks, such as Mickeys Not So Scary Halloween Party, and Mickeys Very Merry Christmas Party. Also, make sure you keep an eye out for the occasional special offers on park admission available exclusively to the DVC family!
Transportation DVC members get free parking on Disney property and may be eligible for up to a 20% discount on car rentals from Alamo.
Tours Ask about a 15% discount on tours of Disney property
Recommended Reading: Sale Of Vacation Rental Property
Disney World Water Parks Tours & More
11/18/21
If you buy a multi-day ticket to the Walt Disney World theme parks and stay for a week or less, youll probably find that you cant begin to explore all the entertainment options that are INCLUDED in the park passes, between the rides, parades, fireworks, and a zillion other Disney World activities.
However, the time may come when youll want to get out of the Disney theme parks and do something different, like riding the wild slides at Disneys water parks, taking a backstage tour, getting a relaxing massage at one of the Disney spas, playing a round of golf on one of Disneys award-winning courses, or enjoying any of the dozens of other Disney World attractions.
Naturally, Disney has plenty of ways to separate you from your money if you want to enjoy these extras. There are some discounts, deals and bargains available for almost every activity you can name, however, and weve gathered them in one place here! Disney World vacation packages include discounts and vouchers for some of the activities on this page as well. Check our Disney Resort Hotel vacation package details page to see the current discounts that are included with a vacation package.
Please note: Due to current health and safety guidelines, some of these activities below are modified or temporarily unavailable: check the Walt Disney World Know Before You Go page for the most current information.
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Exceptions Exclusions And Limits
You probably already know that we didnt create these discounts, were just reporting them to you based upon our research. All of the offers are subject to the conditions set by Disney, but weve tried to include all details that we know to apply above.
As mentioned earlier, these are just the discounts that we could find officially documented there may be other discounts and special offers that were not aware of, so you should always ask to be sure.
Have you used DVC Discounts? Tell us about it!
What about your experience? Have you found any discounts that werent listed above? Share them in the comments section below!
If youd like to learn more about the perks of Disney Vacation Club ownership, download our FREE ebook A Family Guide to Disney Vacation Club, or, if youre already an experience DVC member considering adding points to your current package, create an account to get live updates on the latest DVC listings on our site.
Recommended Reading: Sunset Vacation Rentals Oregon Coast
Access To Dvc Member Services
DVC Member Services offers vacation planning assistance if you need it, to include help with flights, car rentals, room requests and priority seating for meals. I consider myself as very knowledgeable on all things Disney but the DVC Members Services peeps know way more than I do and theyâre able to answer questions or make suggestions that can help me plan my best trip.
Disney Vacation Club 101 Is The Disney Vacation Club Worth It
A simple way to explain the Disney Vacation Club is to call it Mickeys time share. If youve visited the Disney Parks or resorts or been on a Disney Cruise, youve seen the kiosks or maybe been approached to ask if youre interested in a presentation. Deciding if the Disney Vacation Club is worth it is a complicated decision. Youre putting yourself in the best possible position by getting all the information you can before you go to that presentation. Im glad youre here.
Consider Logistics Of Getting To Disney World Before You Buy
What is getting to Disney World on a regular bases going to look like? How much will it cost?
If you live in the Southeast USA and are within reasonable driving distance to Orlando, using your membership might be pretty easy and inexpensive. For us, Disney World involves four round trip plane tickets every time we visit. This works out OK for us and were able to fit this into our travel budget but youll need to consider what is feasible for you long term.
If you know youll need to fly and youre near an airport that offers direct flights to Orlando International, youre going to have an easier time getting to the magic and spending less time on travel.
Of course, we all know Disneys Magical Express is going away at the end of this calendar year. Some people, including my husband, believe that the removal of this perk takes away from the value of staying on property.
Harmony Barber Shop On Main Street Usa
Please note: Due to current health and safety guidelines, Harmony Barber Shop appointments are temporarily unavailable: check the Walt Disney World Know Before You Go page for the most current information.
Located on Main Street, U.S.A. in the Magic Kingdom, the old-fashioned Harmony Barber Shop offers a relatively low-cost and definitely fun experience. Haircuts start at $19 for adults, $18 for kids 9 and under, and $25 for My First Haircut package.
The barber shop also offers a fun service of decorating kids hair for a nominal charge. They will put gel and glitter in a childs hair, and sculpt the hair into a crazy do, for just $7.50 plus tip.
You can walk up and wait your turn, though waits can take awhile at times.
You can make an appointment in advance at on the Harmony Barber Shop page or by calling .
Let Us Help You Make Magical Memories At Disney World
Our Disney-focused travel agents can help with every detail of your Disney vacation – from resort and dining reservations to FASTPASS+ selections to theme park touring plans that keep you ahead of the crowds and out of the long lines. We can even tell you where to find your favorite characters. The best part is that all this expert help doesn’t cost anything extra.
Lets start planning a great vacation!Our Quote Request form is the easiest way to start planning your trip. Just fill in as much or as little information as you know at this time and one of our agents will be in touch soon. Theres never any pressure or obligation.
Whats Different About A Dvc Stay
A DVC stay works a little bit differently than a regularly booked Walt Disney World Resort hotel stay. Also to note, there are some resorts that are designated DVC resorts, which means there will only be Deluxe Villas at that particular property. Examples of this are Disneys Riviera Resort, Disneys Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa and Disneys Old Key West Resort.
Restaurant & Shopping Discounts
Disney Vacation Club members save 10% to 20% off dining and shopping throughout the Walt Disney World theme parks, resorts, and Disney Springs. AllEars has a good PDF comparing the current discounts .
While these discounts are always offered, sometimes they are bumped to as much as 30% off when dining is slow. We would not be shocked to see these higher discounts return. As Disney Springs has opened in a ton of new, exceptional restaurants and prices have gone up across the board, deals have been more plentiful recently.
Another option available for DVC members is purchasing a Tables in Wonderland card that offers a 20% discount on both food and alcoholic beverages at most Walt Disney World table service restaurants.
Vacation Club Members Tee Times
We appreciate our members and give them the best experience by exclusively offering Disney Vacation Club tee times. We believe that members should be treated with priority, and thats why we would like to offer our members Disney Vacation Club tee times. Booking tee times is easy! Just enter the date, number of players, and time frame you are looking to play to find your Disney Vacation Club tee time. Dont rush to book a tee time at the last minute we let our members book tee times 90 days in advance. Also, dont forget we require to show your current, valid Disney Vacation Club card upon check in as well. Book your tee time directly with us on this site, and guarantee yourself the best available pricing, and NO transaction fees will be assessed!
Miniature Golf At Disney World
For many people, Miniature Golf is a vacation tradition and Fantasia Gardens and Winter Summerland – Walt Disney World’s two mini golf courses – are ready to take your friendly competition to a new level. A round of putt putt golf is $14+tax and $12+tax . Keep your receipt because a second round is half price on the same day as the first. Disney Vacation Club members and Annual Passholders should ask about discounts.
Disney’s Magic Your Way vacation packages include a discount voucher that allows one person to play one free round at either of the WDW miniature golf courses. You must present the voucher to receive the discount. Only one voucher is included per package reservation. Don’t forget that you get a lot of great planning help and Free Custom Touring Plans when you book your Disney vacation through Build A Better Mouse Trip.
Dvc Member Annual Pass Discount:
Note: Currently Annual Pass sales are paused.
In 2021, Disney overhauled the Annual Pass program. The only option specifically for DVC Members is the Sorcerer Pass. This pass costs $899 plus tax and includes being able to hold up to 5 park pass reservations at one time and blackout dates during select holiday periods. The only other Annual Pass DVC Member can purchase is the Incredi-Pass at $1,299 which includes up to 5 park pass reservations and no blackout dates.
Below were some frequently asked questions regarding the oldAnnual Pass system and may not apply to the current one.
DVC Members are entitled to a discounted rate on Annual Passes. For more information, here are some FAQs:
Who can get these discounted passes?
Disney Vacation Club Members and their immediate family living in the same household will receive discounts on select new and renewed Walt Disney World Annual and Premium Annual Passes. Limit 8 purchases per household.
Are all members of the DVC Members immediate family included in the offer?
The discount is available to DVC Members to purchase Passes for themselves and their immediate family living in the same household.
Who is defined as immediate family?
Immediate family is defined by WDW for discount purposes as:
- Spouse/Domestic Partner
- Brother-In-Law/Sister-In-Law
- Grandparent Grandchild
Can I use my discount to buy an Annual Pass or Premium Annual Pass for someone other than myself or my immediate family residing in the same household?
Tour & Event Discounts
This is a pretty broad category, but Disney Vacation Club members receive a 15% discount on theme park tours . Members also received flat-rate discounts on some shows .
Then there are discounts on special events. This mainly applies to Mickeys Not So Scary Halloween Party and Mickeys Very Merry Christmas Party. At least, thats how we use our member tour/event discount most frequently.
This also extends to a bunch of other stuff, including events during the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, among other things. Its best to check the DVC website before booking anything, as this changes.
Top 10 Disney Vacation Club Member Perks
Beyond the potential money saving benefit Disney Vacation Club offers, there are other member perks at Walt Disney World. DVC calls these its Membership Extras, which are usually discounts or special events. When looking at Disneys site, its difficult to tell which of these benefits are trulybeneficial, and which are thinly-veiled marketing. In this post, well share the 10 best Membership Extras offered by Disney Vacation Club, and how they might save you even more money, or otherwise benefit your value.
First up, we should offer a caveat. Thanks to a rule change within the last couple of years, Members who do not purchase their ownership interest directly from Disney will not have access to Membership Extras. While existing owners were upset about this change, Disney spins it as a way for Members who purchase directly to receive a premium advantage in addition to all the magic that Disney has to offer.
This effectively changes the math of buying DVC via resale v. buying directly. Fortunately, there are ways to circumvent this restriction, which we cover in that post. For other things to consider before purchasing DVC, we suggest reading our comprehensive Disney Vacation Club Buying Guide.
With that in mind, lets take a look at the best Disney Vacation Club Membership Extras, so you can better understand whether buying into da club is right for you!