Is Disney Vacation Club Membership Worth It?

Posted December 2023

If you’re reading this, you’re probably one of the millions of people who enjoy vacationing at Disney World or Disneyland. While strolling through a Disney park or maybe you were on a Disney cruise, you noticed a Disney Vacation Club (DVC) kiosk and wondered: how much does it cost? But you were on vacation and wanted to enjoy your Disney vacation without listening to a “pushy salesperson” so you averted your eyes away and kept walking. I know that feeling, that was me too!

If you’re considering a DVC membership, I hope my travel blog informs your decision making process and answers the question, “Is Disney Vacation Club Worth It?” By writing about my experience as a DVC member, I provide a glimpse into what DVC membership entails so that you can decide if a DVC membership is right for you and your family. 

What is Disney Vacation Club?

Disney Vacation Club (DVC) is Disney’s version of a timeshare. Unlike a traditional timeshare where you buy a specific amount of time annually at a property, DVC members purchase a set number of vacation points, then use these vacation points to reserve deluxe accommodations at any of the 15 DVC resorts across Disney World, Disneyland, Aulani Resort and Spa in Hawaii, Disney’s Vero Beach Resort in Florida, and Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort in South Carolina.

Is Disney Vacation Club Worth It?

Whenever I mention to people that we are DVC members at Disney World, there’s a look of curiosity along with the question, “Is Disney Vacation Club worth it?” My simple response is “It depends.” There are three main questions to consider:

• How often do you go to Disney?
• How many people are going with you?
• How important are upscale accommodations and amenities in your vacation experience?  

After the 2008 recession, Disney had great incentives to buy into DVC. We bought into DVC Bay Lake Towers in June 2009, two months before the Grand Opening. At the time, I was a professor which meant I could only take weeklong vacations in the summer, what Disney referred to as the “on-peak” season when hotel prices are highest. We had a blast celebrating our son’s birthday at Disney World and that’s when we decided Disney vacations would be in our future.

However, summer vacations at Disney World are hot, humid, sweaty, and exhausting. One day, while we were leaving Magic Kingdom (MK) to go wait for a bus back to our hotel, my husband looked over at The Contemporary and the construction for Bay Lake Towers (BLT) nearby and commented how it would be nice to stay so close to MK. 

We chose Bay Lake Towers (BLT) as our home resort as it was the only DVC at the time that had monorail access to Magic Kingdom and was within walking distance. Similar to a real estate purchase, “location, location, location” is everything! At the time, BLT also had the lowest Annual Dues of all the DVCs.

Our plan was to go to Disney World every other year. A few months after we bought it, I was pregnant with my second baby. We knew we had made the right decision as we would need the spacious accommodations. For us, eating a relaxed breakfast with excited children in our DVC was important because we like to take advantage of the early theme park entry for guests staying on Disney properties.

3 Reasons Why Disney Vacation Club is Worth It

For our family of four, deluxe accommodations of a DVC are an integral part of the Disney vacation. The summer heat is exhausting and young kids need an afternoon nap. Ok, sometimes the adults need a nap too. When our children were younger, staying at BLT was about the convenience of being close to the Magic Kingdom. If you need reasons as to why Disney Vacation Club is worth it, here are three:

✔️ The deluxe accommodations at DVC feel like “home” while on vacation. We enjoy staying in an upscale, furnished condo with lots of space to relax in a living room with a balcony, a kitchen with a dishwasher, dining area, and a laundry room. When our children were younger, it was more convenient to eat breakfast in our DVC than waiting in line for quick service or sitting in a restaurant. If we have leftovers from dinner at a restaurant, we have a refrigerator to store it and a microwave to heat it up. In addition, there is a washer and dryer in the DVC so we can do laundry and travel lightly. 

✔️ Advance DVC reservations in 7-11 months. In buying a DVC membership, you’ll need to choose a “home resort” which is the DVC resort where you want priority when making reservations. You are not obligated to stay at your home resort every time but it gives you priority in making reservations 11 months in advance there. For example, BLT is my “home resort” which means I can make reservations 11 months in advance. For all other DVC resorts (like Grand Floridian or Disney’s Riviera Resort), I can make reservations 7 months in advance. 

✔️ Perks: Discounts on merchandise and dining at restaurants in the Disney parks and monthly DVC magazine. DVC members enjoy a 10-20% discount off merchandise and dining at participating restaurants in the Disney parks. They also have after-hours admission to Disney parks for members only such as Moonlight Magic Events (dates may vary), access to Top of the World Lounge at the Contemporary Resort or the DVC Lounge in EPCOT. These perks can change in the future and are not stated in the DVC contract you sign. Members also get the monthly Disney Files, a DVC members-only magazine that keeps you informed about new rides, restaurants, and attractions.

How Does Disney Vacation Club Work?

Becoming a member of Disney Vacation Club requires purchasing a set number of vacation points to be used for deluxe accommodations. In 2023, the minimum purchase for DVC membership is 100 points at $217 per vacation point. This will cost $21,700 before adding on closing costs of about $379 – $663 (varies by resort). In 2009, I bought into DVC Bay Lake Towers with the required minimum of 160 points. With incentives, I paid less than $112 per vacation point. As you can see from my experience, the longer you have a DVC membership, the more likely you are to see the savings. 

As a DVC member, you buy the vacation points once and choose a “Home Resort” which allows you to make reservations 11 months in advance there. At all other DVC resorts, you have 7 months of advance reservations. The home resort is where members pay their Annual Dues but the member won’t necessarily stay in the same unit every time. For example, if you like staying in a 2 BR 2 BA at your home resort, there is no guarantee that you will get the same exact 2 BR 2 BA unit again. 

There is also a “Use Year” to consider when buying a DVC contract. For example, I have a February “Use Year,” which means my annual allotment of vacation points (160) will be available for use from February 1 of this year until January 31 of the following year. The  “Use Year” is the month when you will get a new set of vacation points (for me, it’s 160 points.) The “Use Year” can start in any month. For a February Use Year, the last day that I can bank unused vacation points into the following year is September 30. If I don’t bank my unused points by September 30, I must spend my remaining vacation points by January 31 of next year or I lose those remaining points. 

The amount of points to reserve a DVC stay will vary depending on the DVC resort, time of year, and bedroom(s) unit size. A 2 BR unit will require more points than a 1 BR unit. A 2 BR unit in the same resort can vary in the number of points required depending on location of your unit (standard view or preferred lake view) and the month and day of your stay. The amount of points needed to reserve a 2 BR will be different at each DVC resort. You’ll spend less points for a weekday stay and more points for a weekend stay. The number of points required for a 2 BR also changes every calendar year and Disney provides a new vacation points chart every year.

2023 Vacation Points Chart for Disney’s Riviera Resort

Here is an example of the 2023 vacation points chart for Disney’s Riviera Resort. As you can see, a Standard View (S) and a Preferred View (P) can change the number of points of the same size room.

If life circumstances prevent you from going on a Disney vacation, you can rent out your DVC points. You can do it yourself or contact a Disney reseller agency to help you with the DVC points rental process.

When is Disney Vacation Club Not Worth it?

There are some situations where Disney Vacation Club membership may not be for everyone. Buying a Disney Vacation Club is pre-paying future accommodations at Disney parks for the next 50 years. My contract at Bay Lake Towers is good until January 31, 2060. Life is unpredictable but if you know you and your family would look forward to the magical experiences of a Disney vacation every other year for at least ten years, DVC membership may be for you. Here are (3) situations where DVC membership would not be worth it:

❌ If your family enjoys staying at one of the five Disney Value Resorts or just wants a place to sleep on vacation, a DVC membership would not be worth it.

❌ If you plan to use DVC points for a Disney cruise, DVC membership is not worth it. You must have enough DVC points to pay for one (1) person as you are not allowed to combine points and cash to pay for one (1) person on a Disney cruise.

❌ If you have to finance DVC at almost 10% interest, DVC membership is not worth it. I have to emphasize: DVC membership is NOT a financial investment nor is it a real estate investment.

Disney Vacation Club: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How often do you need to go to Disney to make DVC worth it?

You don’t need to go to Disney every year to make DVC worth it! We go to Disney World every other year and spend a week there. Your stay at DVC is determined by the number of points you have, the resort, the month and day, and the amount of bedrooms you’ll need. We’ve stayed in a studio and a 1 BR 1 BA when our kids were younger. Now that our children are older, we reserve the 2 BR 2 BA.

What happens after you pay off Disney Vacation Club?

It’s a great feeling knowing your DVC membership is paid off. However, you are still responsible for paying the Annual Dues at your home resort.

Is it hard to get approved for Disney Vacation Club?

DVC membership is open to everyone. If you want to finance a DVC loan, you need a credit score of 650 and a 10% down payment. The interest rate starts at almost 10%.

Does Disney Vacation Club have maintenance fees?

Disney calls it Annual Dues and the amount you pay depends on which “home resort” you choose and the number of vacation points you purchased. In 2023, I paid about $1100 a year in Annual Dues. Annual Dues are subject to increase each year about 2-6%.

What is the cheapest way to join Disney Vacation Club?

I bought 160 points for DVC membership directly from Disney. I did not finance through Disney but instead took advantage of promotional balance transfer with my credit card that had no interest for 18 months if paid in full. 

You can also buy into DVC from resale brokers which can be a cheaper way to DVC membership. They also rent DVC points if you want to experience staying at a DVC resort before making the big purchase. The drawback to buying resale is that you miss out on DVC perks of 10-20% off discounts on merchandise and restaurants at the parks and no access to DVC members only events. Some resale DVC points can only be used at one specific resort so ask a lot of questions and do your research.

Conclusion: Is Disney Vacation Club Worth It?

Since 2010, I’ve stayed at Bay Lake Towers, Grand Floridian, Grand Californian, and Disney’s Riviera Resort with our DVC points. Each DVC resort has its own unique theme and looking for the “hidden Mickeys” in the decor have kept my children busy and excited at every DVC we call our summer vacation home. 

Summer time is also when hotel rates are highest so DVC was how we could stabilize our Disney hotel costs. Hotels are the biggest expense of any vacation and for my family, a Disney Vacation Club membership is definitely worth it. 

If you want to try out a DVC stay before buying into DVC, read my post about how to rent DVC points.

Do you want to know which DVC resort is my favorite? Maybe you’ve already guessed–-it’s Disney’s Riviera Resort! You can read about it in my next blog post by clicking here.