Walt Disney World Disney Vacation Club Resorts

Walt Disney World’s Disney Vacation Club Resorts are eligible for up to 40% off of list prices with the Disney Armed Forces Salute Room Discount.

Old Key West Resort

DVC General Info

The Disney Vacation Club is Disney’s version of a timeshare. Members buy points for a fee and then pay annual maintenance fees on top of that. Points are sold for a specific resort, which is called you home resort

DVC resorts offer Deluxe accommodations in studio, one, two, and three bedroom suites. These suites can also be rented through the regular Walt Disney World reservation process and are eligible for the Disney Armed Forces Salute 40% off room discount, though the number available is very limited.

Points may be used at any Disney DVC Resort or traditional Disney hotel room as well as the Cruise Line and other properties.

Reservations may be made for your Home Resort 11 months in advance and for all others 7 months in advance.

Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort

How to Stay at a DVC Resort

There are 3 ways that you can stay at a DVC Resort

1. Buy into the DVC
2. Rent DVC Points
3. Reserve through Disney Reservations just like one of their hotel rooms

There are many different companies that act as intermediaries between DVC owners who are unable to use some or all of their points and those who would like to rent them. In this situation everyone wins. The company gets a fee for their service, the owner doesn’t loose the value of their points, and the renter gets to stay in a Deluxe DVC property for less than they’d pay with Disney’s general public rates.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas – Kidani Village. 3 Bedroom Living Area

Resort Categories

Walt Disney World breaks their resorts down into several categories. From cheapest to most expensive these are:

• Value Resorts
• Moderate Resorts
• Deluxe Resorts – the DVC Resorts are part of this category

You can read more about Disney’s traditional resorts on our WDW Resort Page

Disney’s Riviera Resort

Disney’s Deluxe Resorts

The Deluxe Resorts are the premier hotels of Walt Disney World. They are decorated exquisitely based upon their overall resort theme.

These hotels are for those who really want to splurge on their accommodations. They are high in both price and in services.

Standard size rooms offer 2 queen beds and in some a sofa bed, which will sleep four to five (a crib may be requested for children under 3). The Deluxe Resorts all have room entry doors from an interior hallway.

Disney Deluxe rooms are larger that the Moderate rooms and fall into 3 size groupings: 400 square feet plus (Contemporary, Polynesian, Grand Floridian), 370-380 square feet (BoardWalk, Beach Club, Yacht Club), and 344 square feet (Wilderness and Animal Kingdom Lodges). Prices in this category fall in a larger range than in the others due to the different room sizes and special amenities offered.

The Wilderness and Animal Kingdom Lodges are sometimes referred to as Moderate Plus or Deluxe Minus, due to their room size and price.

Deluxe Resorts offer a table and two chairs or a desk and chair, dresser, TV, and small fridge. The bathroom proper is separated from the double sink vanity area.

These resorts are at the top of the Disney World lineup! You’ll find all the amenities that you would expect at a first class resort, such as: Fine Dining, Table Service dining, Quick Service food court, room service, an arcade, playground, the best heated pools with slides, hot tub, a full service Spa at most, a gym, indoor and pool bars, luggage service, valet parking, balconies or porches, in room safe, iron and board, and coffee maker.

The Deluxe Resorts are all near at least one of the theme parks, which gives you easy access to that park.

All the Deluxe Resorts have a single Disney Transportation bus stop located near the lobby.

Beach Club Villas – 1 Bedroom Suite, Living Room

Disney Vacation Club Resorts

There are currently nine DVC resorts at Walt Disney World that are co-located with a Deluxe Resort and share facilities with that resort.

The Colocated Resorts are:

• Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort
• Boulder Ridge Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
• Cooper Creek Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas – Jambo House
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas – Kidani Village
• Disney’s Beach Club Villas
• Disney’s BoardWalk Villas
• Disney’s Polynesian Villas and Bungalows
• The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

And there are three standalone resorts that are not paired with a Disney World Deluxe Resort.

The Stand Alone Resorts are:

• Disney’s Old Key West Resort
• Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa
• Disney’s Riviera Resort

Disney’s Contemporary Resort 4th Floor and Monorail Station

Staying On Walt Disney World Property

Staying at a Disney owned resort comes with many benefits, the most intangible of which is that you will feel like you are at Disney during your entire trip, not just while at the parks. Staying at a Disney owned resort is an immersive experience and so much more convenient. This includes the DVC Resorts.

Check out this list of amenities that you’ll receive when you stay in a Disney Resort:

• Free Disney provided roundtrip transportation to your resort from the Orlando International Airport (Disney’s Magical Express).
• Free transportation from your resort to all WDW destinations via Disney’s fleet of buses, boats, monorails, and gondolas.
• Free theme park parking, should you decide to drive your car.
• Participation in Extra Magic Hours – early entry and late stays at designated parks on designated days. The general public is not allowed in during Extra Magic Hours.
• Property wide charging of your Disney purchases (Merchandise, Dining, etc.) to your room.
• Disney Merchandise delivery to your resort (from the theme parks or Disney Springs)
• Guaranteed theme park entry on high attendance days when the parks close due to nearing capacity
• The ability to add the various Disney Dining Plans to your vacation
• The ability to book Advance Dining Reservations for your entire trip (up to 10 days) at the 180-day mark.

Kidani Village Savanna Room View

Also See these Related Resort Posts:

• Walt Disney World Resort Hotels
• Walt Disney World Resort Guest Benefits
• Walt Disney World Resort Theming
• Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort Categories and Room Types 
• Military Disney Tips Tested and Approved Resorts
• Split Stays at Walt Disney World Resorts and Shades of Green 
• Top Ten Things You Should Know About The Disney Armed Forces Salute Room Discounts
• Top 8 Reasons to Use An Authorized Disney Vacation Planner

Let Military Disney Tips’ Recommended Travel Agent assist you with your Disney Vacation Club Resort reservation at no additional cost.

I recommend using an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner (travel agent)! Doing so can take the stress out of planning a Walt Disney World or Disneyland vacation, which can be a complicated and overwhelming task. You have probably seen elsewhere on the site that I recommend Ears of Experience as my preferred Authorized Disney Vacation Planners. They will do all the work for you!

Ears of Experience - Military Disney Tips' Recommended Disney Only Travel Agent.