What Is Disney Vacation Club | The Basics
Curious about Disney Vacation Club? Well, you’re most definitely not alone! Over the past couple of years, there have been more and more people curious about the program. So what exactly is it? How does it work? How much does it cost? Those are all great questions and today, which is why we’re taking some time to discuss Disney Vacation Club today!
Disney Vacation Club, or DVC as it is often called, is a vacation timeshare program where members buy real estate interests in Disney Vacation Club Resorts and use their ownership to book stays at those resorts [and others like it] rather than paying traditional nightly rates. While there are a number of benefits that come along with being a Disney Vacation Club Member, the main reason that people consider membership in the first place is the value and flexibility.
How does Disney Vacation Club work?
Quite honestly, explaining how Disney Vacation Club works isn’t the easiest thing to do. Even as someone who has been a DVC member for a number of years, I find myself getting confused because of all the moving parts that there are to be discussed. However, we’re going to try and tackle this question today by keeping things as simple as possible. . . . . so here goes!
Like I mentioned above, becoming a Disney Vacation Club Member meaning purchasing a real estate interest in a Disney Vacation Club Resort. This purchase is often referred to as a “contract” or some choose to refer to it as “buying points”. There are a number of things that are included in that contract, but the most important for today’s discussion is the number of “points” that the “contract” consists of. This is because the number of “points” that the “contract” consists of will determine how you can utilize your Disney Vacation Club membership.
Once all the paperwork has been signed and you officially become a Disney Vacation Club Member, you’ll be given a number of “points” each year that can be redeemed for stays at Disney Vacation Club Resorts. You can then use those “points” to book stays at Disney Vacation Club Resorts whenever you’d like, based on availability. This repeats every year for the duration of your “contract”, which could be anywhere from 20 to 50 years in length.
For the DVC Members who are looking for a bit more flexibility, there are other options for using “points” to choose from. For example, “points” from the current year can be saved or “banked” to use next year. You can also grab “points” or “borrow” from next year. This allows DVC Members who want to use their points on a longer vacation or larger room the ability to do that without having to buy additional “points” or another “contracts”. DVC Members also have the ability to use their “points” on resorts and experiences outside of the Disney theme parks. This includes non-Disney resorts around the world, Disney Cruises and the Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser.
How much does it cost to become a Disney Vacation Club Member?
The price of becoming a Disney Vacation Club Member varies, but generally speaking you can expect to pay between $20,000 and $30,000 for your DVC Membership. In addition to this, you’ll also be paying “annual dues” which must be paid on a monthly basis throughout the duration of your contract. Like the DVC Membership itself, “annual dues” vary and can go up over time.
Who should consider becoming a Disney Vacation Club Member?
Becoming a Disney Vacation Club Member is no small decision. With a price tag in the tens-of-thousands along with “annual dues” that need to be paid on a monthly basis, there is certainly an amount of financial stability required in order to become a Disney Vacation Club Member. Of course, there’s more to making the decision to become a Disney Vacation Club Member than the ability to afford it; you should really be able to use it too!
Due to the nature of the program, Disney Vacation Club is best suited for those who enjoy Disney Vacations and take them somewhat frequently. This could mean taking a big long vacation every other year or multiple short trips annually; all of which is possible thanks to the flexibility that DVC offers. It’s also ideal for larger families who might not travel frequently or for long stretches, but often require larger [or more] rooms. More than all of that combined, Disney Vacation Club is perfect for families who often find themselves regularly staying in the Disney Vacation Club Villas. For those families, Disney Vacation Club is a significant savings rather than paying the nightly rates. [NOTE: We’re not crunching numbers today, but we will go more into the details of how much of a savings you’d be enjoying at some point in the future.]
At the end of the day, Disney Vacation Club is not going to be right for everyone. There are families for whom it would be a colossal waste of money and those for whom it provides significant savings. Like anything else, what’s important is understanding the program and taking advantage of it if it is something you will be able to benefit from.
Like we said at the start of this discussion, there is a lot to say about Disney Vacation Club. While we know that this post leaves a good amount of questions unanswered, we hope that we’ve at least given you a general idea of what Disney Vacation Club is.
. . . and don’t worry! We’ll be getting into the nitty gritty right here on the website in the future so hurry baaack!
Until then, join the Jamboree and share some of your thoughts on Disney Vacation Club or any other Disney related topics that are on your mind. We hope to see you there!