Disney Vacation Club Overview
Disney Vacation Club Sign Photo owned by Well Hello Disney
If you are on the fence about purchasing Disney Vacation Club because you have heard timeshares are a terrible investment. Or you are thinking to yourself, DVC is really expensive, and you are just sure you will not get the value out of it. Let me help you decide if Disney Vacation Club is right for your family.
Here are my honest, unbiased reasons why you should and should not purchase DVC!
We have two contracts, a direct buy from Disney at Copper Creek at Wilderness Lodge and a resale contract at Animal Kingdom Lodge Kidani house.
If you want to learn about DVC, click this link, and you will receive an information packet and $500 towards your DVC purchase if you choose to own a piece of magic.
What is Disney Vacation Club?
Disney’s Boardwalk Villas owned by Well Hello Disney
Disney Vacation Club, also known as DVC, is a timeshare program that allows members to enjoy vacations at Disney resorts using a point system. These points can be used at Disney properties at Walt Disney World, Disneyland Resort, Aulani on the island of Oahu, Hilton Head Island in South Carolina, and Vero Beach Resort in Florida. In addition, you can exchange your points for affiliated resorts (Interval International) and Disney Vacations such as Cruises, Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser, National Geographic Expeditions, and Adventures by Disney.
Who is DVC for?
Disney Vacation Club is for those who travel to Disney yearly and want more from their Disney vacation. DVC may fit your family if you already pay for Disney's Deluxe Resort on vacations or every other year. Disney Vacation Club will make sense since you already spend thousands on the Deluxe Resorts. If you love Disney, can afford to pay for DVC, and can still travel to other places, it is also a great fit. If you love Disney and see yourself growing old taking your kids and grandkids to Disney, DVC is well worth the investment.
How do you Purchase DVC?
If you decide to purchase into DVC at their newest resort, you will buy a 50-year timeshare for the specific Disney Deluxe Resort.
Each resort's 50-year contract starts the year the building begins selling. So if you call and buy an Animal Kingdom Lodge contract, your expiration date will be 2057, whether you buy today or when it opened.
When we bought direct Copper Creek, it was an entire 50-year contract. But when we purchased Animal Kingdom Lodge in 2020, we bought a 37-year contract.
Exceptions to the Rule
The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian owned by Well Hello Disney
Disney will sometimes do additional refurbishments to old resort buildings. Some of those contracts at not 50 years old and align with the current expiration date of the contracts at that resort. For example, the Grand Floridan is going through an expansion currently, and the contract is not 50 years but will expire when the current Grand Floridan contract expires.
There are two markets to buy DVC.
Direct from Disney with all the perks and no restrictions. Or the Resale market - typically a decent saving, but you do not get the perks and incentives from Disney. Also, there are restrictions on the new resorts. I advise 1st contract direct, 2nd resale - You will need to buy more points the first time. We plan on getting a 3rd contract soon because now two is insufficient as our family has grown.
There are different ways to purchase DVC, and if you buy direct from Disney, they have their internal financing that will not go on your credit report. Instead, they will run your credit score to determine your interest rate. But if you need to finance, it's a great option because it does not affect your credit, but interest rates are terrible!
If you buy on the resale market, there is also another place to finance your contact that does the same thing named Monera Financial, and they connected up with Jeffery C Sweet. This attorney will handle all the paperwork if you do not go through a broker.
You can finance, pay cash or put it on a credit card. Some resorts have incentives; typically, the newest resort has the best deals. But I always say the goal is to pay 25 - 50% down if you plan to finance and pay it off within five years. That's the greatest value. But honestly - the value is in going to Disney and staying at amazing resorts.
DVC Resorts and Expiration Years
Aulani, Disney Vacation Club Villas, Ko Olina, Hawai’i 2062
Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort 2060 (Walt Disney World)
Boulder Ridge Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge 2042 (Walt Disney World)
Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge 2068 (Walt Disney World)
Disney’s Beach Club Villas 2042 (Walt Disney World)
Disney’s Boardwalk Villas 2042 (Walt Disney World)
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas - Jambo House 2057 (Walt Disney World)
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas - Kidani Village 2057 (Walt Disney World)
Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort 2042 (Hilton Head, SC)
Disney’s Old Key West Resort 2042 or 2057 (Walt Disney World)
Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows 2066 (Walt Disney World)
Disney’s Riviera Resort 2070 (Walt Disney World)
Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort 2054 (Walt Disney World)
Disney’s Vero Beach Resort 2042 (Vero Beach, FL)
The Villas at Disney’s Grand Californian 2060 (Disneyland)
The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian 2064 (Walt Disney World)
The Villas at Disneyland (Disneyland)
DVC at Walt Disney World vs. Disneyland
Disney’s Grand Californian Resort Photo Courtesy of Disney
Disneyland is a very different park from Walt Disney World.
Disneyland only covers 510 acres - THE ENTIRE THING. There are 100s of hotels built up around Disneyland that are MUCH cheaper than their three onsite hotels. We typically stay at an Airbnb or Hilton hotel that is cheaper and just as close as Disney Hotels.
There are only a few benefits to staying onsite at Disneyland, like early morning entry. When we visited Paradise Pier, we found that they got us reservations for the Character Breakfast even though we did not have them. Additionally, the Grand Californian has direct access to the park and its security terminal. Other than that, there are few benefits to staying on property.
Also, the price per point is exceptionally high, and the cash price is very high to stay at Disneyland Resorts. They are beautiful resorts, but for the cost, it may not be feasible for most people.
On the other hand, Walt Disney World is 27,000 acres (covers almost 43 square miles) it has over 26 Disney Resorts Collection Hotels. So there are NUMEROUS perks to being onsite and staying inside the Disney bubble.
Value, Moderate, Deluxe villas Cost Breakdown
Let's Break down DVC by my cost. I checked these dates this morning, 9/4 - 9/8, this year. I did a one-bedroom suite since we still do those until our youngest is 3. Also, September is not a peak time of the year, so I knew I could find available rooms.
Start with my first home resort Copper Creek at Wilderness Lodge.
For four nights, it will cost me 100 of the 200 points I have at that resort.
I paid $1546.28 in dues this year for Copper Creek. If I divide that in half, add the cost of my yearly points per the contract I brought for 50 years. My cash value for a one-bedroom at Copper Creek is $1124.00
From DVC RENTAL STORE Rentals
DVC Rental Store is my preferred agency for many reasons, but mostly because it is the most trusted and has the most extensive inventory of rentals.
One Bedroom room is $2100.00 (but you will need trip insurance to add $75 - $175 depending on the company you use for insurance)
Direct from Disney
One Bedroom room is $3145.52 after tax.
For my other home resort Animal Kingdom Lodge, it would cost me the following:
80 points for a one-bedroom standard view or 108 for a safari view.
My yearly dues for AKL were $1928.10.
When you do all the math.
One Bedroom Standard view 80 points cost me $956 cash value
One Bedroom Savanna view 108 points cost me $1290.60 cash value
From DVC RENTAL STORE Rentals
One Bedroom Standard view 80 points = $1680.00
One Bedroom Savanna view 108 points = $2,268.00
Direct from Disney
One Bedroom Standard view = $3118.52 after tax
One Bedroom Savanna view = $3,649.48 after tax
Let's compare the cost of other resorts with a family of five on the exact dates.
Caribbean Beach 5th Sleeper: $1301.63
AOA Lion King Suites: $1990.14
All-Star Music Family Suites: $1383.57
Cabins at Fort Wilderness: $2106.00
How do you book a room?
You can start booking at your allot window at 8 am Eastern with your purchased points. After that, the booking window opens and stays up to 7 nights.
This is why your home resort matters, for example. If I wanted to be at Wilderness Lodge or Animal Kingdom Lodge for Christmas, I could book for 11 months since those are my home resorts. But If I want to be at Beach Club, one of the most different reservations to get, I can only book at the seven months since it is not my home resort
The Waitlist
If you are searching for a resort and cannot find a room, you always have the waitlist as an option. Cancellations happen constantly, and we have been lucky enough to have many waitlist reservations come through at the last minute. If you have some flexibility, waitlist your desired resort, and you may get the night you want.
DVC members can cancel their rooms up to 1 day before the reservation. Some specific things happen when you cancel that close, so I do not recommend it. Our points return to holding; hopefully, you can still bank the points. But before canceling that close, you always want to call the dedicated DVC member services.
That is right, Disney Vacation Club has its dedicated member service team.
What other resorts can I use points?
Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort Photo Courtesy of Disney
Disney has numerous properties at Walt Disney World, two at Disneyland Resort, one on Hilton Head Island, and one in Vero Beach, FL. But, there is also an exchange program with Interval International where you can convert unbankable points to book with them. I have never done this because we use all our points for Dinsey.
Disney Collection Exchanges
You can also trade your points for other Disney experiences like Adventures by Disney, Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser, and Disney Cruises. However, I do not suggest this. The point conversion is very high, and it's not worth trading points for these experiences. Instead, renting your DVC points and taking the cash value to pay for these experiences would be better.
What does it mean to bank and borrow points?
Banking and Borrowing deserve its own blog, but to simplify it, it gives the owner some flexibility with their points. Disney Vacation Club Members can bank Vacation Points from the current “Use Year” for use in their next “Use Year” or borrow Vacation Points from the following “Use Year” to book a reservation in their current “Use Year.” (CLEAR as mud!)
Borrowing: For example, if my use year is August, I have 100 points yearly. The year is 2022, but I need 150 points for an extended trip. I can borrow points from 2023 for the 150 points needed for my stay.
Banking: This is when you save leftover points. So let’s use the same example, its 2022 and I have 50 points left, and we are not going to use the 50 points this year, I can go ahead and bank those 50 points in 2023, and those will be the first points used out of my Vacation Points next year. But I must use those 50 points in 2023, or I will lose them. But in 2023, I have 150 points to book a vacation versus my allotted 100 points yearly. What if I am short on DVC points?
Sometimes you are just short points if you have gone to Disney a lot in one year. There is this thing called "one-time use Vacation Points", where you can call the DVC line and purchase 24 additional points once a year. The rate has changed yearly but only by cents. So call member services if you need additional points. Right now, it is $22 per point.
*I will update this if it changes.
Disney’s Wilderness Lodge owned by Well Hello Disney
Yearly Dues
There are yearly dues when it comes to DVC for maintenance and taxes. This is where you decide if DVC is worth it for you. Each resort pays different maintenance fees, so research that before you buy. Some resorts like Vero Beach and Hilton Head have excellent resale and low price per point costs but have extremely high maintenance fess. Be sure to check this information before deciding to purchase a contract.
Does it make sense for your family?
Are the Deluxe resort where you want to stay?
Will you use the Deluxe Resorts?
One year of dues will get you to Disney at a Value and sometimes a moderate resort when Disney has specials.
Don’t buy for the perks!
That’s right. I said it. DON’T DO IT. The “PERKS” are never here to stay. What you are purchasing when you buy into DVC is Deluxe Resorts at Value Resort prices. Also, the guarantee is that you will visit Disney for 50 years and build a lifetime of memories.
I just told you DO NOT buy DVC for the perks, but some are pretty good!
Moonlight Magic
This is an event where Disney closes the park to only Disney Vacation Club guests. This is how we first rode Avatar Flight of Passage when it opened. We only had to wait 20 minutes in 2019 when people waited 4 hours during the park day. These events have free snacks and treats and are a blast.
Member Only Cruises
Then we have DVC member-only Disney cruise and Star Cruiser experiences, where they offer DVC members a percentage off! For example, the Star Cruiser was recently offered to DVC members at 30% off!
DVC Previews
We get to preview rides before the public. My husband and son went down for the Guardians of the Galaxy preview and got to ride it twice in a row and had a blast being some of the first Disney guests to ride it.
DVC Discounts
Disney Vacation Club Lounge EPCOT owned by Well Hello Disney
We get 10% off all table service and 20% off Disney merchandise at the parks, resorts, and Disney Springs.
DVC Lounges
We have a DVC Top of the World Lounge at the Contemporary and a Member Lounge at EPCOT, where we can rest at the park and get beverages and snacks.
Discounts on After-Hours Events
We get a discount on ALL After Hours events - Halloween Parties, Christmas Parties, After Hours, and even H20 Glow!
So there are perks, but these are constantly changing.
The Cons List
New Restrictions
Disney’s Riviera Resort Photo owned by Well Hello Disney
(direct from the Disney Website)
* Important Information About Access to Disney Vacation Club Resorts
Effective January 19, 2019, Disney Vacation Club Members who do not acquire their real estate interest directly from Disney Vacation Development, Inc. will only be able to make Vacation Point reservations at Disney’s Riviera Resort if it is their Home Resort.
Members with an ownership interest at Disney’s Riviera Resort who did not purchase directly from Disney Vacation Development, Inc. may only use those Vacation Points for reservations at their Home Resort, Disney’s Riviera Resort, and for the Worldwide Villas in the World Collection.
What does this mean? It means that from now on if you buy a resale contract, you cannot use your points at the Riviera and, more than likely, any new resorts built. Additionally, suppose you sell your Riviera points on the resale market. In that case, the purchaser can ONLY book at the Riviera Resort and not experience all the Deluxe Resorts Disney has to offer.
Disney Point Exchanges are NOT worth it
As Disney Vacation Club members, there are many opportunities to exchange points for experiences on Disney Cruises, Adventures by Disney, and even the Star Wars Galactic Cruiser. However, these exchanges are NEVER worth it. The points exchange is so high. Renting your Disney Vacation Club points and using the cash to pay for the experience is better.
Annual Dues
Yep! Dues are paid yearly (or monthly), and depending on how many points you have, this can be a hefty bill! This is why DVC is only for some. Disney has done an excellent job of keeping the dues fair and not increasing them significantly year to year. But for the cost of dues, we can stay at Disney Value Resort and even a Moderate Resort if there is a discount for the length of our vacation. DVC over 50 years cost about 1/3 the price of deluxe resorts. So if Deluxe resorts are unimportant to you, DVC may not be for you!
Planning Ahead
Booking windows for DVC members is 11 months in advance for your home resort (the resort you bought your points from initially) and seven months for all other resorts. This sometimes makes it difficult to get reservations OUTSIDE of your home resort. For example, there is only one resort we have never stayed in because we can never get a reservation at the 7-month window, and that is Beach Club which is a very popular resort. So unless I rent them or am lucky, I may not get a chance to stay there.
Also, last-minute trips with DVC may cause you to have to bounce around. Of course, there is always some availability a few weeks before, but you may find yourself at OKW one night, Saratoga the next night, and AKL another night to make a reservation.
Disney For Life
Fifty years is a long time to commit to Disney. But if you, as the parent, love Disney - 50 years is not enough years of Disney, from taking kids to grandkids, and years of renting points in between. It's doable, but 50 years seems too daunting. This may not be for you.
Additionally, we all know how much I love Disney. That is why you all are here, to figure out ways to minimize stress at the parks, and even when you stay, it's to learn more and share in my love and joy for Disney. But, you should not purchase Disney Vacation Club if Disney will be the only place you can travel.
France in EPCOT is AMAZING - but I want to know what is more impressive, actually going to France. Disney is an AMAZING place to visit, and it is my favorite place on this earth, and I have been to 5 of 7 continents. But investing this much into DVC is not worth it if it is the only place you travel to.
initial investment
The initial investment for DVC can be a determining factor. It is expensive, and its value comes in the years you use DVC. Disney does have financing, and they do not put it on your credit report, but interest rates are high. Paying this off within five years is the most valuable because you avoid 50% of the interest. But Honestly - I love the idea of being able to go to Disney NOW. Sometimes it works to jump in. You have to decide what is financially best for your family.
Other Cost
DVC provides you with a room. That is it, there is still transportation cost to Disney, food and tickets. With DVC, we go to parks less and enjoy the resort more. But you still have to get down to Disney, which will require funds.
It isn't easy to decide if Disney Vacation Club is worth it for your family. The best thing is to look at your finances and determine if your family wants to invest in Disney. If you find yourself going to Disney yearly, spending money at the Deluxe Resorts, and know if you are okay with renting your points out on the years you do not go to Disney or when you want to go on a Disney Cruise. Disney Vacation Club might be for you.
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