Disney Vacation Club (DVC) 101
One way we have been able to save money while still staying at luxury resorts is the Disney Vacation Club (DVC). In hindsight, we wish we would have bought into DVC earlier but we felt overwhelmed by the details and shied away. We had visited Disney several times before and had very nice reps talk with us, trying to help us understand why this was a good fit for us. I mean, we got married at Disney! Honestly, when we hear the word “timeshare” our eyes kind of glaze over, and we run in the opposite direction. But a trip to Hawaii made us dig in, do some research, and ultimately led to us buying not only one, but two contracts.
What Exactly is DVC?
Now don’t let your eyes glaze over but DVC is a timeshare and it is important to understand what you are buying when you purchase DVC. However, it is unlike any other timeshare we know. When you purchase DVC, you are making a real estate purchase, but instead of getting a fixed unit or week, you receive a specified number of points.
The Basics:
- Pricing: You pay per point. Costs vary based on the resort you choose and any current Disney promotions.
- Expiration Dates: Unlike many timeshares you’re stuck with forever, DVC contracts expire. Typically, they last 50 years from the resort’s debut. Older resorts may only have as little as 16 years left, while brand-new ones extend much further.
- Accommodations: Points can be used for anything from a standard hotel room to a three-bedroom suite depending on how many points you want to use.
- What’s Not Included: DVC covers your room, but does not include park tickets or meals.
- Other Perks: Depending on how you buy your contract, it can include discounts on some food and merchandise as well as member only events, lounge access, and other perks.
Where Can You Stay?
All DVC resorts are in Disney’s Deluxe or luxury category. While you can pay cash to stay at these resorts, DVC rooms are reserved exclusively for members. Each resort has its own unique theming and features so you can pick the one that works best for your family based on location, room types, and resort features. As a DVC member, you can access all the same amenities as any other hotel guest while staying at the hotel.
Disney World Resorts include:
- Magic Kingdom Area: Grand Floridian, Polynesian, Bay Lake Tower, Boulder Ridge, Copper Creek, and the Fort Wilderness Cabins
- Epcot Area: Beach Club, Boardwalk, and Riviera Resort
- Animal Kingdom Area: Animal Kingdom Lodge (Jambo House & Kidani Village)
- Disney Springs Area: Old Key West and Saratoga Springs
Beyond the Parks: You can also use points at the Villas at Disneyland Hotel and the Grand Californian in California, or beach destinations like Aulani in Hawaii, Vero Beach, Florida, and Hilton Head, South Carolina.
Comparison Table of Disney Vacation Club Resorts with Considerations
Resort | Location | Expiration Date | Considerations |
Aulani, Disney Vacation Club Villas | Ko Olina, Hawaii | 2062 | Hawaiian Themed; Transient Tax; Infinity Pool; Easy Beach Access; On-Site Luau and Character Visits |
Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort | Disney World, Magic Kingdom Area | 2060 | Newly renovated with Mary Blair-inspired Art; Monorail Access; Walkable to Magic Kingdom; Rooftop Lounge; Firework Views |
Boulder Ridge Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge | Disney World, Magic Kingdom Area | 2042 | Railroad, Rustic Theme |
Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort – A Disney Vacation Club Resort | Disney World, Magic Kingdom Area | 2075 | Pet-friendly; Stand-alone Units; Can Use a Golf Cart |
Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge | Disney World, Magic Kingdom Area | 2068 | Pacific Northwest Theme; Includes Waterfront Cabins as a Room Type |
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas – Jambo House | Disney World, Animal Kingdom Area | 2057 | African Safari Theme; Savanna View Rooms Available |
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas – Kidani Village | Disney World, Animal Kingdom Area | 2057 | African Safari Theme; Savanna View Rooms Available |
Disney’s Beach Club Villas | Disney World, Epcot Area | 2042 | Seaside Beach Theme; Shared Amenities with Yacht Club; Stormalong Bay (Considered One of the Best Disney Pools); Walkable to Epcot and Hollywood Studios |
Disney’s Boardwalk Villas | Disney World, Epcot Area | 2042 | Atlantic City Theme; Walkable to Epcot and Hollywood Studios |
Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort | Hilton Head, South Carolina | 2042 | Lowcountry Lodge Theme; More 2-bedroom Options; Limited Dining Options on Property; Separate Beach House Access with Shuttle |
Disney’s Old Key West Resort | Disney World, Disney Springs Area | 2042 or 2057* | Florida Old Key West Theme; Largest DVC Rooms; Lower Point Cost; Very Spread Out and has Internal Bus Loop |
Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows | Disney World, Magic Kingdom Area | 2066 | South Pacific Theme; Includes Overwater Bungalows as a Room Type; New Tower Opened in 2025; Dole Whip Available at Resort; Monorail Access; Firework Views |
Disney’s Riviera Resort | Disney World, Epcot Area | 2070 | European Riviera Theme; Skyliner Access; Rooftop Dining with View of Fireworks |
Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort | Disney World, Disney Springs Area | 2054 | New York Theme; Walkable to Disney Springs; Internal Bus Loop |
Disney’s Vero Beach Resort | Vero Beach, Florida | 2042 | Atlantic Coast Theme; Sea Turtle Conservation Area; Easy Beach Access |
Villas at Disneyland Hotel | Disneyland, California | 2074 | Classic Disney Animation Theme; Transient Tax |
Villas at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel | Disneyland, California | 2060 | Flagship California Resort; Craftsman Style Theme; Private Entrance to California Adventure |
Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort | Disney World, Magic Kingdom Area | 2064 | Flagship Florida Resort; Victorian Theme; Monorail Access; Michelin Star Restaurant; Firework Views |
*Old Key West had an original expiration date of 2042. Disney once offered an extension for then-current owners to 2057. Many owners did not extend their contracts. Any new contracts bought direct will have the 2057 expiration date.
Prior to becoming DVC members, we had visited Disney about every three years, on average. The trips were always great but Disney is not cheap. We’ve been members since 2023. In that time, we’ve used our DVC contract for eight trips that include long weekends in Hilton Head and Disney World, up to a 10-day trip in Hawaii. It is great when we check out and the total due is $0 because we are DVC members. One thing to note, Aulani and the Disneyland Hotel do have transient tax that is charged by the locality. We’ve also been able to stretch our points by staying in hotel rooms or splurge staying in two-bedroom rooms.
It is easy to get spoiled as a DVC member. When you stay in one-bedroom units or larger, you get in room laundry, kitchen, and living room area. Many DVC members take advantage of this and will make meals in their rooms to save money. There are also several resorts that have grills on site if this interests you.
Direct vs. Resale: Which is Right for You?
There are two ways to become a member, and we actually have done both.
- Buying Direct from Disney
You can buy over the phone or in person at the parks, or even on the Disney Cruise ships. It’s a seamless process, and points are usually loaded into your account within a few days.
- The Perk: You get “Blue Card” benefits, including discounts on food/merchandise, access to member lounges, and exclusive events.
- Buying Resale
You can buy a contract from an existing member through a resale professional.
- The Perk: It is significantly cheaper (often 30–50% less).
- Consideration 1: You don’t get the “Blue Card” perks
- Consideration 2: There are restrictions on where you can use your points. If you purchase now and moving forward, any resale contract cannot be used at Riviera, the Disneyland Hotel, or the Cabins at Fort Wilderness unless the points are for those resorts specifically. If you buy points from one of those three resorts, you can only use those points at those resorts. However, if you buy from any of the other resorts, you can use your points at any of the other Disney World resorts, the Grand Californian, Hilton Head, Vero Beach, or Aulani.
- ROFR: Disney reserves the right of first refusal (ROFR) meaning once you put your offer in, it is reviewed by Disney and they can actually purchase the contract for themselves to then sell direct. If the deal seems too good to be true, Disney may exercise ROFR.
Our Strategy: As of 2021, you need to own at least 150 points purchased direct to access member perks. We bought one contract direct to hit that minimum and a second via resale to save money!
Pro Tips for New Buyers
- Buy Where You Want to Stay
When you purchase, you are choosing a Home Resort. This is vital because you can book your home resort 11 months out, while other members have to wait until the 7-month mark. If you want a specific resort, especially during peak times, you may need that 11-month advantage if you are particular about where you stay.
- Understand Annual Dues
Every year, you pay dues per point. The rate of these fees vary by resort. For example, Vero Beach has a lower entry price but higher annual dues, while the Grand Floridian is more expensive upfront but has lower dues.
- Length of Contract
The amount of time left on the contract may be important for some people. Many of the resorts have a 2042 expiration. However, others have longer contracts with the newest currently extending out to 2075. While you get more value for your initial purchase with a longer contract, you may not want to keep a contract that long or, you may just prefer a different resort. If you’re wondering what happens when the contracts expire, join the club. No one knows, probably not even Disney yet. They have some time to figure it out. But it does mean that you no longer receive points and you are no longer obligated to pay dues. Your ownership is terminated at that point.
- The Use Year Puzzle
Your “Use Year” is the month you receive your points. Disney assigns a use year to each contract (though you can ask for your preferred use year when you purchase direct). For example, we have a December use year so we receive our points in December of the current year. Disney offers use years in February, March, April, June, August, September, October, and December. If you always travel in November, try to avoid a December Use Year. For some people, use year may not matter much. However, if you always vacation at a similar time of year, use year can be really important. If you have to cancel a trip late in your use year, your points could expire before you have a chance to rebook them. Disney recommends avoiding trips in the last four months of your use year for this reason. That said, you can still travel, just be careful about cancelations.
- Banking and Borrowing
You may also be wondering, what if I don’t have enough points for the trip I want to take? Good news, DVC is flexible! If you don’t use your points this year, you can bank them for next year. If you’re planning a bigger trip, you can borrow points from next year to use now. Specifically, if you have a 100-point contract, you can use your 100 points for the current year, borrow up to 100 points from the subsequent year, and use banked points from the previous year. Let’s say you didn’t use all your points in 2025 and you banked 50 of the 100 points from that 100-point contract. In 2026, you then have 150 points to use for 2026 plus up to 100 points from 2027 if you wanted. You must bank points by specified dates based on your use year and they must be used in the subsequent year or they will be forfeited.
There are some other point options including renting points, using your points for Interval International for other timeshares and hotels, and they can be used for Disney Cruises and Adventures by Disney if you bought direct, but these may not be the best value for your points.
Is It Worth It?
We really love DVC and it works really well for our family. We have saved thousands of dollars in the short time we’ve been members. That trip to Hawaii that started this all for us? It would have cost us more than we pay for our annual dues and instead we were able to take that Hawaii trip as well as Hilton Head and the Grand Flordian in the first year of ownership. We continue to find great value and get the opportunity to make great memories! We definitely recommend it for any family that enjoys Disney as it allows you to visit the Disney World parks, Disneyland, and explore other attractions. It’s great for park trips and resort only stays. It has even changed the way we visit Disney because we know we can always come back soon.
Do you have questions about point charts, specific resorts, or the math behind the investment? There’s a lot to learn but we have found it worth the time. If we can help answer any questions, feel free to reach out or leave a comment below!
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