Disney Vacation Club has been at the forefront of memorable vacations for over 30 years. So, there’s no doubt that DVC is a legitimate and serious player in the timeshare industry.
Are you interested in exploring your timeshare vacation options? If so, you’ve probably got one question on your mind, i.e. ‘How does Disney Vacation Club work and how can I benefit from it?’.
Find out here.
Getting Started With Disney Vacation Club
Disney Vacation Club works on a point system, whereby each week in a resort has a points value assigned to it.
Before you buy Disney Vacation Club points, you need to decide how many you need. A current DVC points chart will inform you about the number of points needed to visit each resort.
Bear in mind that you can also save your Disney vacation points for up to one year, and use these accumulated points for a more luxurious vacation.
You can also borrow points from next year to use for this year’s vacation. Besides points, there are a few other things to consider when deciding on how to make your membership work for you.
Home Resort, Annual Fees, and Contract End Date
The next important step in the process involves choosing your home resort. You get preferential booking access to this resort throughout your membership.
You can book 11 months in advance at your home resort and seven months in advance at all other Disney Vacation Club resorts.
Likewise, you’ll also pay different annual fees to DVC, depending on your home resort. These fees contribute to the annual operating costs of the property.
If your annual fee is overdue, you can’t book any resorts in the Disney portfolio, so make sure you can afford these costs for the duration of your membership.
All Disney Vacation Club resorts have an expiry date, and your membership expires at the same time. So, when the end date for your home resort rolls around, you can either renew your membership or say goodbye to DVC vacations.
Use Year
The Use Year of your points is another important consideration. Use Year refers to the month of the year in which the club reallocates points to your account. At this time, any points you haven’t used within two years fall away.
For this reason, it’s best to choose a Use Year that closely corresponds with your preferred vacation time. When you go this route, you can more easily plan to use two years’ points at once.
Your Use Year also determines the time frames for saving (banking) your points for the following year or borrowing from the year to come.
As a DVC member, you get access to a host of perks like:
- Savings on park fees, dining, and shopping
- A wider choice of resorts
- Invitations to special events
You can also rent your points out to other DVC members or members of the public.
How Does Disney Vacation Club Work For Rentals?
If you’re unable to use your points in a given year, or you want to make some money toward your Annual Fees, you can rent out your points instead of using them.
There are two ways to do this:
Advertising Your Points Directly
If you opt to go it alone with DVC rentals, you must advertise and market your points on your own. You’ll need to book the weeks your guests require with DVC and collect the money from the guests yourself.
This is a risky proposition for most DVC members.
If preferred, you can book accommodation in a sought-after resort during a busy time of year and advertise that accommodation to the public.
Working With a DVC Rentals Broker
Many DVC members prefer paying a broker commission to do all the work for them. These professionals advertise the weeks for rent on Disney forums and handle all the bookings and payments themselves.
Most people who want to rent a stay at Disney resorts, look to these forums for accommodation. That means you’ll get a lot more exposure for your weeks than you would on your own.
Can You Sell Your DVC Points?
If you’re struggling to afford your DVC membership or have no further use for it, you can’t simply cancel your membership.
The best way to get out of your contract is to sell your points via a broker or advertise them yourself.
There’s a high demand for these weeks, and your broker will also advertise them on specialized forums that attract a lot of potential buyers. There are always happy DVC members looking for ways to increase their vacation options and these people often snatch up these points.
Working with a broker is the best way to get some of your initial investment back when you want out of your DVC membership.
You must give Disney the first option when you want to sell DVC points, but they seldom take advantage of this right.
What Do Disney Resorts Offer?
A DVC membership gives you access to a wealth of unique experiences and superior service at a fraction of the cost of renting a Disney hotel.
Resorts like the Disney Animal Kingdom and Polynesian offer charming, themed experiences, and all of them offer character interactions and other delights.
Most Disney vacation club properties offer easy access to all the best Disney parks too. When you say at one of DVC’s villas or apartments, you’ll get free parking, a washer and dryer in your room, and the ability to self-cater during your stay.
All these benefits add to the cost-savings associated with staying at DVC resorts.
Discover a World of Adventures
Now that you’ve put your mind to rest about how does Disney Vacation Club work, you’re better equipped to make an informed decision about your vacation options going forward.
DVC offers a range of tempting choices for families and die-hard Disney enthusiasts, as well as the opportunity to visit resorts across the globe via exchange partners.
Do you want even more variety when it comes to getting away from it all? Browse our website for other travel options.
