The Disney Vacation Club
Disney's Version of a Timeshare
Disney's lighter version of a vacation timeshare offers several interesting deviations from the classic timeshare experience. With their very unique point system, flexibility is a wonderful advantage of the Disney Vacation Club. Your points can be used in any way you like, at any time of the year, for a short vacation or a long one, at any of the DVC Resorts as well as any other Disney Resort.
There are seven DVC Resorts: Old Key West, Boardwalk Villas, Villas at Wilderness Lodge, Beach Club Villas, Saratoga Springs, Vero Beach (Florida Coast), and Hilton Head Island (South Carolina).
It works like this: you buy a certain amount of points (the min. is 160, and typically, that's what people purchase) at the going rate ($112 per point) so every year you'd have 160 points to apply toward accommodations.
Example Point Values:
A one-bedroom at Old Key West, weeknights during the off-season might cost you 15/pts. a night. Alternatively, a two-bedroom at the Boardwalk weekends during peak season might cost you 100/pts. night.
Important!
These point values are just examples, as these numbers change all the time.
Studios (with a kitchenette and access to laundry facilities), one, two, and three bedroom villas with kitchen and laundry facilities are offered, and as with all resort rooms, your point rate is affected by size, view, location, season, and day.
In addition, you pay annual dues based on the number of points purchased. This rate varies, depending on which resort is your "home" resort. Per point dues vary from $4.34 to $6.41 per point, so the dues on a 160 point purchase would be $694.40 - $1025.60 annually.
If you add up all of the costs of a DVC membership and compare it to renting the same resort rooms at a non-discounted rate, it could take about five years to recover the value of your purchased points. But, after that, vacations might cost half of the current rental rates.
Advance Reservations:
At your "home" resort you can make reservations up to 11 months in advance. At every other resort, you can make reservations up to 7 months in advance. Non-members can book vacancies at DVC Resorts just like regular resort reservations. This can make it difficult to use your points at a resort if you intend to arrive 60 days away or less.
Points can be used at any Disney Resort in the world! Like Disney Cruise Line, Disney Land Paris, luxury hotels, and adventure travel vacations. Or, you can barter points for a "swap" at a non-Disney resort.
DVC members also receive many discounts on things like annual passes, resort rooms, dining, guided tours, etc.
While point values for various resorts and seasons may fluctuate from year to year, the average point value of all DVC rooms can't increase. Staying Sunday through Thursday nights gives you maximum value for your points.
Make sure your unused points don't expire! You must contact DVC member services if you have unused points. Points expire at year's end. If you have extra points you're not going to use, you can "rent out" your points; and non-DVC members can try out DVC by "renting" points. The best place to go if you're looking to rent out your points or try out DVC by renting is- DVC-Resales.com
Just as you can save unused points until next year, you can also borrow points from the next year. You can also buy more points from Disney at the going rate, or you can buy/sell points on the open market. (DVCbyresale.com 800-844-4099)
For more info on DVC, or to become a member:
800-500-3990
Most parks and resorts have a DVC info kiosk where there will be a representative to answer all of your questions.
Suite models and sales offices are located at Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort.
