Guide to Becoming a DVC Member - What is a DVC Membership

Disney Vacation Club Brochure Logo 

     Hello everyone, this is the first article that will be part of a series of post entitled ‘Guide to Becoming a DVC Member', which is dedicated towards explaining what exactly is a DVC Membership as well it will plainly explain everything you need to know about becoming a DVC Member. This chain of posts are geared towards non-DVC Member but for those of you that are all read a member it may be a good idea to review everything and who knows you may learn something that you did not know before. In this article I will tackle the questions what exactly is a DVC Membership, what some of the benefits are and who can access the membership plan.

      The first questions is “What is a DVC Membership?” Well Basically a DVC Membership (DVC stands for Disney Vacation Club) is a time-share program that is owned and operated by the Walt Disney Company. Which allows you to buy real-estate interest in one of the 13(soon to be 14) DVC Resort Hotel:

Walt Disney World (Orlando Fl)

     1) Bay Lake Tower - at Disney Contemporary Resort

     2) Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas 

     3) Disney’s Beach Club Villas

     4) Disney's Board Walk Villas

     5) Disney’s Old Key West Villas - originally named Disney Vacation Club Resort

     6) Disney Saratoga Spring Resort & Spa Villas

     7) Tree Houses Villas - at Disney’s Saratoga Spring Resort & Spa

     8) The Villas’s - at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge

     9) The Villas’s - at Disney’s Grand Floridan Resort & Spa

    10) The Villas’s - at Disney’s Polynesian Resort (at the time this article is being written the villas have not opened)

Disneyland Resort (Anaheim CA)
     11) The Villas’s - at Disney’s Grand California Hotel & Spa

Non Park Location
     12) Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort (Hilton Head Island, South Carolina)
     13) Disney’s Vero Beach Resort (Vero Beach Florida)
     14) Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa (Ko Olina, Hawaii) 

Saratoga Spring Resort & Spa - by Chad Dewey

       The way the Membership plan works is like this: once you invest a set number of vacation points at a Disney Vacation Club resort hotels you own those points until the resort’s DVC status expires(which form this moment, when the post was written, is 41 year, I will explain more about this in another post), with no additional costs aside from the initial cost and the annual up keep fees. So it’s like owning your own apartment in one of the DVC resort hotels! (I will explain more about costs and the point system in the next post in this series)

      One question you might be asking yourself is, what if I buy a time share form Disney’s Grand Floridan Resort & Spa but you want to stay at Disney’s Animal Kingdom for your next trip? Well no problem ones you invest in a time share in one of the resorts you can stay at any DVC authorized resort. And as we learnt above their are 13 Disney built resorts that you can stay at and it does not end their the good news is Disney has joined up with over 500 resorts/hotels around the world and you can use your points to stay at those as well! 

Inside the 3 Bedroom Grad Villa at Saratoga Springs
Resort & Spa - by Chad Dewey

     What do these DVC resorts look like and what do you get? Well all of the DVC owned resorts are of course 4 stars to even 5 star resorts and they have some of the most gorgeous living areas from spaciest deluxe studios that sleep 4, to one to two bed room villas that sleep up to 4 to 8, consecutively, and they even have 3-Bedroom Grand Villas that sleep up to 12! 

     And of course the DVC Resorts have an extra dash of pixie dust, as I like to say and like every part of Disney it has the Disney Difference! What is the Disney Difference? Well if you have been to a Disney park/resort/restaurant then you have experience the Disney Difference! Basically it’s the extra mile Disney takes to make your stay more magical, it’s the happy, eggier to help cast members. The once that welcome you home and serve you in the restaurants, the once that make your day so much more enjoyable. And that’s what makes up the Disney Difference!

    And as a DVC member you will get an extra dash of the royal treatment! Once you become a DVC member their is a whole team of cast member that are dedicated to helping you plan your next vacation. So no more long calls to Disney you will receive help in maters of minuets, on most days. As well you get Disney discounts on annual passes and merchandise and you get first pick at the resorts! You even get heads up about new attractions and stuff before the general public does!

Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa the Grounds
- by Chad Dewey

     Know that we know some of the benefits, their are still quite a bit more, who can get it? To answer that question any one can! All you have to do is invest in some point and know you are a DVC Member and can start tapping into all of the benefits! It’s that simple! And the great thing about it is you can go and purchase these points at any DVC kiosk at any of the Disney parks or at any of the DVC resorts or on the phone. If you are interested please visit the official DVC website and you can sign up and receive a free Disney Vacation Club disc which will explain to you everything you need to know. And feel free to call Disney and they will be glad to help you! Here is the website.

    Hope you enjoyed this article as much as I’ve enjoy making it! If you have any questions please feel free to ask me and I will answer them the best I can in either a comment or in another article. The next article will explain more about cost and the point system.