Why DVC, Part 1: The Deluxe Resorts
This topic feels both necessary and too predictable. Nonetheless, it’s a good one to tackle early on. It’s also one that is too extensive to handle in one post. So, here we go with part one of my first series.
But first, an editorial note. As promised in my first post, I will use a bulleted list to get readers up to speed before I dive into details. I think this will make for a better experience than slogging through the extensive prose that often precedes blog posts and recipes. This list will be known as The Speedway.
The Speedway
DVC is Disney’s vacation ownership (i.e. timeshare) program
DVC owners are referred to as “Members”
Members have an ownership interest in Disney’s deluxe resort hotels (hereafter referred to as “deluxe resorts”)—annual dues include property taxes in addition to maintenance fees
Buyers can purchase DVC contracts directly from Disney via Disney Vacation Development (DVD), Inc., or on the resale market
Qualified buyers using the direct purchase method can finance up to 90% of their DVC contract via a 5- or 10-year mortgage with DVD, Inc.
A Disney Deluxe Resort is the Ultimate Retreat
Why is Part 1 of the series about the Disney deluxe resorts? Well, good news! If you’re purchasing a DVC contract, the thing you’re buying—access to the deluxe resorts—is the best part of being a DVC Member.
Put simply, Disney’s deluxe resorts are in a class of their own—truly exceptional. Each is a picturesque retreat. All rooms and common areas are luxurious, fastidiously themed (the themes vary), and immaculately maintained. There are numerous dining options and family activities. The service is impeccable. And of course, the resort areas are super fun—so much fun that, in fact, many DVC Members do resort-only stays at WDW. That’s right, they don’t even visit the parks!
I hear you. If you’ve only visited WDW a few times, especially if you’ve had to manage kids the whole time, you’re saying, “A retreat, at WDW?” And my answer is yes, absolutely. Though the offerings vary by resort, a DVC membership provides you access to multiple properties with (in no particular order):
Acres of open space for parents to leisurely stroll and for kids to exert themselves to the point of exhaustion
Amazing feature pools that keep kids occupied for hours (including poolside lunch and adult beverages), and also leisure pools for a more “chill” experience
Fitness centers
World-class spas
Large, airy lobbies for milling about, or just taking a moment to sit and relax
Sport courts, including basketball and tennis
Grills
Jogging trails
Boating and fishing
Structured family activities in community halls, lobbies, and even poolside (some with a small fee)—things like corn hole, arts and crafts, pool races, and roasting marshmallows
This list as long as I allow them to get, so for the rest (yes, there’s more), go here. At the risk of overdoing it, some context that may help make my case: Even before we had kids, we always splurged on vacations. In fact, we took our “babymoon” at a resort in California that, at the time, was Tripadvisor’s number one rated resort in the United States. The services and accommodations were outstanding. And yet, I would rank at least five of WDW’s deluxe resorts above it.
In addition to all that, each deluxe resort has at least one quick service restaurant and one casual restaurant. Some also have a fine dining restaurant, and several have a restaurant with character dining. It is easy to make a reservation at any restaurant requiring one using the My Disney Experience (MDE) app. Moreover, mobile ordering via MDE is available at all resort quick service restaurants and, as of this writing, at least two casual restaurants—Olivia’s at Old Key West and Kona Cafe at Polynesian Villas and Bungalows (PVB). The sheer range of dining options at any one resort is hard to beat, and their quality and ease-of-access put them over the top relative to non-Disney resorts. And of course, as I’ll address in Part 2 of this series, being a DVC Member means not having to go to a restaurant for every meal!
As for the picturesqueness of the deluxe resorts, here’s a pic I took at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, home to DVC’s Copper Creek Villas & Cabins (CCV):
If you can’t believe this is WDW, my point is made. I hope it suffices to say that you can spend a week at a Disney deluxe resort and forget you’re at WDW. Or, even better, you remember you’re at WDW and a world-class resort at the same time!
The Cast Members are the Secret Sauce
If you follow any content creators on the Disney beat, you know Disney’s employees—known as Cast Members (CMs)—are an essential ingredient in the Disney experience. The secret sauce, if you will. This is as true at Disney’s deluxe resorts as it is anywhere else in the Disney ecosystem. As of this writing, my family has spent a total of 25 room nights at Disney deluxe resorts, in rooms of varying sizes. (More on the variety of rooms in the next post.) In that relatively short amount of time, we have accumulated a lifetime of memories of CMs making our stay extra magical.
For instance, when Mrs. DVC Dad dropped her adult beverage at PVB, minutes later a CM who saw it happen brought her a new one, having had paid close enough attention to know exactly what she was drinking. The CM absolutely refused to let us pay for the fresh drink. It was a small act of kindness that made two weary parents of tiny tots feel taken care of.
Also, during a visit in 2019, a PhotoPass CM was in the lobby at CCV, taking pictures of guests at The Wilderness Lodge’s legendary Christmas tree. (PhotoPass CMs coming to deluxe resorts is yet another perk of DVC, by the way). My brother-in-law proposed to his then-girlfriend at the tree, and the CM took numerous high-quality photos before, during, and after the proposal. In essence, Disney gifted my brother-in-law and his now-wife an engagement photoshoot, right there at our resort. And she absolutely insisted on doing so!
I must share one more memory. One of our trips to WDW began with an unthinkable experience: a 10+ hour flight delay. It was one of those mechanical delays the airline kept thinking would be resolved shortly, so it’s not like we could leave the airport or even the gate. If I can convince Mrs. DVC Dad to write a guest post, her heroics in drawing up and executing a battle plan on the fly to manage our toddler and baby that day would be very worthwhile reading for all traveling parents. For now, I will share how a CM at PVB made that utterly exhausting day magical, even in the middle of the night.
We arrived at Orlando International Airport (MCO) in just enough time to catch one of the final Disney Magical Express shuttles to PVB. We did not have the usual level of confidence that our bags would make it to our resort. But, we were too tired to worry too much, and thankfully all four of us fell fast asleep when we got to our room. I happened to wake around 2:30 AM, and I noticed a flashing light on the phone. I checked the voicemail, and in the kind of enthusiastic tone you normally hear only first-thing in the morning at a corporate retreat, I was greeted with: “Aloha! This is [CM] calling to let you know your bags are here at bell services when you are ready for us to bring them to you. Have a good night, and a magical day!” I’m not a cryer, but after the day we had, I may have teared up a bit before going back to sleep. As always, Disney had our back in a special way.
I could go on. But, the point is this: As a DVC family, we frequently experience magical moments that would be exceptionally rare at a non-Disney resort. In the next two parts of this series, I will make more explicit comparisons between Disney deluxe resorts and other resort types, including non-Disney resorts.
Next in this Series
In Part 2 of this series, I will focus on the flexibility DVC offers, in terms of room type/size and the timing of your Disney vacations. Flexibility on both dimensions really sets DVC apart from other timeshare programs. Most importantly, it makes Disney vacation planning fun, not yet another source of stress for a family.
Have an idea for a post? Write me at thedvcdad@gmail.com. And, please share this post, follow me on twitter, and subscribe (free, of course).