Disney Vacation Club: Is It Worth It
David Roark
Do you love hanging with Mickey, flying high in the air aboard Dumbo, and piloting the Millennium Falcon on the edge of the Star Wars galaxy? We mean really love it? If you just cant get enough of the Disney magic and think youll be planning regular visits to Walt Disney World or Disneyland, you might want to consider joining the Disney Vacation Club. Membership would give you and your gang a tiny slice of the Mouse House, access to all kinds of benefits, and a reason to regularly return to the resorts.
But itll cost you. And, all apologies to Dumbo, but joining the Disney Vacation Club will cost you considerably more than peanuts. Is it worth it? That depends. Lets break it down.
How Disney Vacation Works
We said above that you have to buy DVC points to join the club. When you do so, you choose a home resort where you get added perks. For obvious reasons, you want to pick a home resort where youll frequently go so you can get the maximum benefits out of joining the DVC.
Do note that when you buy points, there are limits. If youre buying directly through Disney, then youll have a minimum limit of 160 points and a maximum of 2,000.
You can also buy through resale DVC sites, which will have more flexible terms. For example, some have no minimum point purchase at all.
Wherever you buy your points, you can only do so once a year. If you run out of points, you can borrow from next years. Or if you didnt use all of them up, you can bank them to use in the year.
Generally, each point will be worth anywhere between $140 to $165. The actual value will depend on which resort youve picked as your home resort.
The Disney Vacation Club: A Beginners Guide
If youre an avid Disney fan, chances are that you have at least heard of the Disney Vacation Club, but may not really know what its all about. The Disney Vacation Club , or the DVC, is the Disney version of a typical timeshare vacation property. Instead of buying a part of one house you have to share with other owners, you get your run of multiple Disney Properties with lots more options! With DVC you can get great perks, amazing resort locations and if youre like us you take every chance to upgrade your Disney vacation to something special. Want luxury? Something Extra? The Ultimate Disney Vacation? Its time you learned about the DVC.
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The Basics Of Disney Vacation Club
Contents
Disney Vacation Club is Disneys vacation timeshare program. The Walt Disney Company runs it as a subsidiary of its parks division.
It functions identically to other timeshare programs. Participants pay money to the club, and they can own one of Disneys resorts.
They enter into a long-term contract that requires yearly fees and other expenses. This lets them book vacations for years at rates that may be lower than the normal costs of going to a park.
Disney Vacation Club Cost
Theres no one single answer for how much DVC costs. Several factors impact your cost, such as which home resort you choose .
Also, the cost will depend on if you buy directly from Disney or from a resale company. Buying directly will always be more expensive.
In addition, youre not just paying for your points. There are also dues you need to pay, which will change from year to year. For instance, the 2021 DVC annual dues will most likely be more than what they were in 2020.
Lastly, an important factor to consider is whether youll finance your membership or not. By paying upfront, youll save some money.
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Common Disney Vacation Club Terms
When you begin to learn about Disney Vacation Club, youll commonly hear the following terms:
DVC = Acronym for Disney Vacation Club.
Owners = Individuals who have purchased DVC points.
Members = Often used interchangeably with the term Owners.
DVC Contract = The contract signed with Disney Vacation Club designating your Use Year, number of points and Home Resort.
DVC Points = The currency used to book vacations within the Disney Vacation Club program.
Home Resort = The designated resort on your DVC contract. While owners can book vacations at any of the 15 DVC Resorts, booking a vacation at your Home Resort offers additional benefits. See How To Choose Your Home Resort for more information.
Use Year = The month in which your DVC points are allotted each year. Points are valid for one full year beginning on your Use Year.Learn more about Use Years here.
Expiration Date = The date in which your DVC contract expires. Each resort hold a different expiration date. See the expiration dates here.
DVC Resorts = The 15 Deluxe resorts built by Disney as part of the Disney Vacation Club program. The resorts are as follows:
Dvc Destinations And Accommodations
As with all things Disney, a variety of travel options are available to members. Members have the option to travel to Disney Vacation Club Resorts, Disney Resort Hotels , Disney Cruise Line, Adventures By Disney, Beyond Disney Around the World .
Disney Vacation Club Resorts
The following are DVC Resorts located a monorail ride away from both Walt Disney World and the Disneyland Resort in California.
Walt Disney World
- Boulder ridge Villas at Disneys Wilderness Lodge
- Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disneys Wilderness Lodge
Disneyland
- The Villas at Disneys Grand California Hotel & Spa
Other Magical Disney Vacation Club Resorts
Vero Beach, Florida
- Disneys Vero Beach Resort
South Carolina
- Disneys Hilton Head Island Resort
Oahu, Hawaii
- Aulani, Disney Vacation Club Villas, Ko Oline, Hawaii
Adventures By Disney Travel Destination Options
With these unforgettable travel destinations, members have the option to travel to destinations around the globe. With each destination, leave the guesswork to your guides who are Disney-trained Adventure Guides and local experts who will take you on guided tours to some truly magnificent sights.
- Alaska
- Washington D.C. and Philadelphia Tour
- Winter in Wyoming Short Escape
- Wyoming
Beyond Disney Destinations Around the World
With the Beyond Disney Destinations Around the World Collection, you have thousands of destinations to choose to visit and non-Disney hotel accommodations. Check out all the destinations here.
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Using Dvc Points Throughout The Year
Like we had mentioned earlier, you can book and borrow points from year to year. You can borrow points from a future year in order to have a more extravagant trip this year, or you can save points bank them in order to use them on a future trip, especially more expensive ones. Being able to bank and borrow is a factor that may make going every year not seem as demanding, and its a factor that can make Disney Vacation Club worth it for some families.
You can also do a one time purchase of points for a special vacation, giving you the ability to take an extra special trip just once in awhile.
You can also do multiple trips in a year if you make good use of the different seasons, and you have enough points that year. You could possibly do an affordable romantic weekend for 70-100 points, and still take a longer vacation at a different time for 100-200 points.
The Essentials Of Dvc
The Disney Vacation Club can offer you a premium and cheap vacation. It is Disneys official timeshare program. You pick a property and pay fees into it so you can stay at different resorts.
The prices can get rather high. It is a good option for the Disney faithful, but not for people who want occasional visits.
Each resort has its own rates, but most people buy enough points for a one-week vacation. Try to go during low-demand seasons and take advantage of perks.
The quality of your vacations will vary depending on your knowledge. Learn how to book amazing vacations by following our coverage.
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How Many Points Do I Get As A Dvc Owner Do These Renew Every Year
This depends on the resort you choose, and how many points you decide to purchase. If you choose to purchase direct from Disney, you can find out info on how much each point is worth here . If you choose to buy Disney points from a re-seller, each ad details exactly how many points you will get with purchase. The points do renew every year. And if you do not use them all in a given year, they can be banked for the years following. So, not only will you get renewed points in the new year, but if you bank the points from the prior year, you double them!
How Do The Points Work
Now is an excellent time to talk about the points and how they work. As previously stated, you will purchase your membership by buying at least 150 points. These points will be distributed annually during your use month.
You do not have to use all of your points during the year. Some or all of your points can be banked or saved, and then you have one more year to use them. You can also borrow future points, so in total, you could potentially use three years worth of points in one vacation: the previous years banked points, the current years points, and the following years borrowed points.
In this way, some DVC members take less frequent vacations but get to stay longer, stay in larger or more premium accommodations, or even both. The relative flexibility of the points is a significant selling point for the Disney Vacation Club.
DVC points expire. If you dont bank them, they expire at the end of your use year. Banked points must be used by the end of the following year, and you have a separate yearly date by which you have to decide if youre going to bank your points or not.
You, as the member, do not have to be present for each time that your membership is used. That way, if you want to let other family members or friends use your points, you can. You have to book for them, but you dont need to be there if their names are on the reservation.
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How Dvc Membership Works
When you buy into Disney Vacation Club, you are purchasing a deeded real estate interest that is represented by Vacation Points.
- You begin by choosing a Home Resort. Your Home Resort is where you will own real estate interest in and is also where you get priority booking for that specific resort.
- Once you have chosen a Home Resort, pick a Vacation Points range that best fits your familys vacation needs. These Vacation Points are what you will receive as your annual allotment. Each point range costs vary. You have six Vacation Point ranges to choose from 100-124, 125-149, 150-174, 175-199, 200-224, 225-250.
- The more you travel, the more exotic the destination, accommodation type, time of year you travel, and length of stays will all determine how many points you will want to invest in.
- The value of your Vacation Points that you purchase today will never change no matter how much Disney prices increase.
- Vacation Points can be banked, borrowed, or added to. Meaning, if you are planning a future vacation that requires more points than you currently have, you can borrow points from the following Use Year .
- Or you have the option to save the points to use for future vacations that may require more points that you currently have. Or you can add points by purchasing more.
List Of Dvc Properties Worldwide
Disney Vacation Club properties are usually based in the Orlando area near Walt Disney World, with just a few exceptions. As of 2020, the following resorts are DVC properties:
- Bay Lake Tower at Disneys Contemporary Resort
- Boulder Ridge Villas at Disneys Wilderness Lodge
- Copper Creek Villas and Cabins at Disneys Wilderness Lodge
- Disneys Animal Kingdom Villas Jambo House
- Disneys Animal Kingdom Villas Kidani Village
- Disneys Beach Club Villas
- Disneys BoardWalk Villas
- Disneys Hilton Head Island Resort
- Disneys Vero Beach Resort
- The Villas at Disneys Grand Californian Hotel and Spa
You can book a stay at DVC-partner resorts all over the world online just visit the DVC website, and use the Beyond Disney World Collection filter.
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How Does Disney Vacation Club Waitlist Work
While looking over the availability calendar, disney vacation club will give you the option to waitlist the nights that are currently unavailable. In order to have access to the disney and concierge collections, which require a transaction fee.
Bruce Anchor Chum Animal Kingdom Disney Disney World Walt Disney
A Home Base With Extra Space
Disney Vacation Club Villas offer many comforts of home.Aulani Resort and other Disney Vacation Club Resorts feature spacious Villas that are designed to comfortably accommodate a wide variety of party sizesfrom couples and solo travelers to families and groups of up to 12 Guests. Choose from 1-, 2- and 3-Bedroom Villas with outstanding features.
A little more than you need? Deluxe Studios sleep up to 4 or 5 Guests and include a kitchenettea great option for smaller travel parties and shorter stays.
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Does Disney Vacation Club Save You Money
Disney markets their vacation club heavily on the fact that it can save you money over time. The truth is that it can. Here are a few reasons as to how:
Essentially, by buying into the Disney Vacation Club, youre paying for your next 30 or so years of vacations over ten or fewer years. Once you finish paying for your membership, you own it outright. Lets crunch some numbers to see how that works.
Assume that you choose the most affordable membership possible, which is around $30,000. If you spread that over the next 30 years , youd be spending $1,000 annually on Disney vacations. With 150 points, you can certainly stay for at least several nights each year. While you might be able to find comparable prices at value resorts for less money, remember that by using Disney Vacation Club points, youre staying at a deluxe resort with much more pleasing accommodations and amenities.
The other major factor that you must consider when weighing the financial benefits is that, in this case, inflation will work in your favor. Disney isnt getting less expensive theyve been raising hotel rates steadily for years, and even as they build more resorts, prices will most likely continue to climb. By buying into the DVC now, youve locked in the cost of your vacations for the next 30 years. Thats where you will almost certainly see the most savings over time.
How Owners Use Their Points
Hi Kevin, Kinn and Jaki,
I just wanted you to know how happy I am with your company, your service, and your knowledge of the marketplace. You helped me get a wonderful contract at Disneys Beach Club Villas and I couldnt be happier.
I was able to make three reservations this week for family vacations. I am going to Disneys Old Key West in October with my good friends, and in January I will be at Disneys Animal Kingdom Villas with my daughter and her family. Then in March my same daughter will be using some of my banked points for a vacation at the Beach Club with her good friend.
Everything went according to plan. If I can ever write a better testimonial for you, for both selling DVC or for purchasing DVC, I would be very happy to do so. You three are the absolute BEST in the business!!
Much thanks
Were available 7 days a week!Mon Fri 9:00 A.M. 9:00 P.M. ETSat Sun 9:00 A.M. 9:00 P.M. ET
International: 001-407-877-2919
This advertising material is being used for the purpose of soliciting sales of timeshare periods. Garden Views Realty & ResalesDVC.com is in no way affiliated with Disney Vacation Club, Walt Disney Company or any of its subsidiaries.
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Disney Vacation Club Financing For Bad Credit Borrowers
If you have bad credit and still want to become a DVC member, proceed with caution Disney Vacation Club financing for bad credit borrowers is limited. Bad credit personal loans, home equity loans or secured loans often have very high interest rates and can be risky. If you fall behind on your payments, you could lose your property or even your home.
If you need to rebuild your credit, focus on saving cash for a DVC membership instead. If you need your Disney fix in the meantime, you could book a single trip during the off-season to save money. Or, you could get an annual pass, which is discounted if youre a Florida resident. With this option, you can get Disney tickets and pay monthly fees, rather than an upfront lump sum, and enjoy Disney parks all year long.
Browse Dvc Resale Listings From Fidelity
Now that you know how Disney Vacation Club works, check out DVC resale listings from Fidelity. As Disney Vacation Clubs Recommended Resale Brokerage since 2005, our licensed real estate agents are experts on DVC. You can browse by resort, point allotment, Use Year, and more. If you cant find what youre looking for, make sure to create an account on our website and create a saved search. This will ensure you get all of our latest listings that match your preferences.
Subscribe to Fidelity Real Estates blog for more travel and timeshare insights. Dont forget to check us out on , and .
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