Did you know that the most-visited theme park in the US is the Magic Kingdom at Disney World? In 2018, over 20.8 million people visited it!
It shouldn’t be a surprising figure really, considering people of all ages love Mickey Mouse and his cohorts. In fact, there’s a very good chance that you and/or your family members love visiting Disney too!
In that case, you might want to think about joining the Disney Vacation Club.
Are you interested in hearing more? Then read on to find out what it is and how it works!
What Is the Disney Vacation Club?
The Disney Vacation Club (DVC) is a vacation ownership program that’s specifically for Disney. It was first started in 1991 by Disney Vacation Development, Inc.
The purpose of this club is for people to enjoy what the Disney resorts have to offer. While many people liken it to a timeshare, there are some key differences.
For example, with a timeshare, you buy “ownership” of a property and share it with others. You buy the right to go stay at the property at a given time in the year.
With the Disney Vacation Club, you buy a set amount of points. You can then redeem it whenever and wherever you wish, so long as you have enough points. So this means you don’t have to book your vacations around when your allotted time is, because there isn’t one!
Every room in a resort is given a point value, but it’s not static. The points associated with a particular room can go up or down, depending on the time of the year, so you’ll have to be aware of that when booking your stays.
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 you’ll 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 you’re buying directly through Disney, then you’ll 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 year’s. Or if you didn’t 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 you’ve picked as your home resort.
Disney Vacation Club Benefits
As we’ve mentioned earlier, you have the flexibility of staying at Disney resorts all over the world, whenever you wish. But that’s not it!
With your membership comes DVC Member Services. This gives you things like:
- Vacation planning help
- Grocery deliveries to your room
If you’re planning on staying near Walt Disney World, then a DVC membership allows you the privilege of using pools at different resorts, even if you’re not staying at them. Of course, always check with the front desk before just hopping into a pool! You never know if some rules have changed.
As a DVC member, you’ll get the Disney Files magazine for free. In it, it discusses anything new with Disney, from their parks to their movies.
Do you get tired when you’re visiting Disney theme parks? Then you’ll be pleased to know that DVC members get exclusive access to lounges.
There’s one in Epcot and there’s another at the Contemporary Resort Bay Lake Tower. When you kick back and relax at either place, you’ll enjoy a complimentary drink and wifi.
Last, but certainly not least, you’ll get discounts on various things. They include:
- Disney Quest
- Annual passes
- Shopping
- Golf
- Breakfast tours
You never know if something will be discounted, so it never hurts to flash your DVC card! There are also plenty of DVC member-only events, so keep your eyes peeled for them.
Is the Disney Vacation Club Worth It?
We simply can’t answer “yes” or “no” to this question. Honestly, whether the DVC is worth it for you will depend on several things.
For instance, are you able to get a good deal through a Disney Vacation Club reseller? Then it just might be worth it for you.
Also, do you go to Disney theme parks a lot? Do you treat yourself to stays at their resorts often? Then you might save some money by becoming a member of the DVC.
Truth be told, only you can determine whether or not the DVC is a good way to spend your money. So sit down, calculate the costs of your vacations, and then weigh them up with how much it’d cost to buy some points at the Disney resort of your choice. If joining the Disney Vacation Club costs less, then it could be a good idea to go for it!
Join the Disney Vacation Club Today
Now you know what the Disney Vacation Club is and what benefits you can get from joining.
If you’re someone who loves taking vacations to Disney theme parks often and/or you enjoy staying at their hotels, then being a member of the DVC just might be it for you. So take a look around at what Disney and resellers have to offer, and get yourself a great deal on your membership!
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