Top 10 Disney Vacation Club Member Perks
Beyond the benefit of saving money on accommodations offered by Disney Vacation Club, there are valuable perks at Walt Disney World, Disneyland, and beyond. This list ranks the 10 best DVC Membership Extras, and how they might save you more money or time, or enhance your vacation. (Updated February 1, 2024.)
Disney Vacation Club calls these its “Membership Extras,” which are usually discounts, special events, or other (honestly) random things. When looking at Disney Vacation Club’s official site, it’s difficult to tell which of these benefits are truly beneficial, and which are thinly-veiled marketing.
As of 2024, there are currently 301 Membership Extras according to DVC. But peruse the list and you’ll immediately spot stuff that either isn’t valuable or even real, such as 10% off at 1900 Park Fare (a restaurant that has been closed for 4 years), 10% off Big River River (a permanently closed restaurant), or access to 2024 Disney Cruise Line Member Cruises in Europe (okay, some people like that last one, but we don’t really view it as a value-add).
Before we get going, we should offer a caveat. To be eligible for Membership Extras, you must be a “blue card” Disney Vacation Club member, meaning that you purchased directly from Disney or bought before the resale restrictions were implemented back in April 2016. It’s all-digital now, so “blue card” member is a misnomer, but that’s what most DVC members still call it.
Point being, if you have a member card (or accompanying digital status), you’re good. This also means that anyone renting Disney Vacation Club points to save money is not eligible for Membership Extras. (Technically, a couple of entries on this list are not Membership Extras and are instead perks attached to the reservation.)
Disney spins it as a way for Members who purchase directly to “receive a premium advantage — in addition to all the magic that Disney has to offer.” In reality, it’s one of their efforts to ‘encourage’ prospective buyers to purchase directly instead of via the resale market. The end result is that this effectively changes the math of buying DVC via resale vs. buying directly. Fortunately, there are ways to circumvent this restriction, which we cover in that post.
We would strongly discourage anyone from buying Disney Vacation Club on the basis of Membership Extras. As Disney itself warns: “Membership Extras…are incidental benefits. These incidental benefits are subject to change or termination without notice, may require the payment of a fee and cannot be combined with any other offers or promotions. Membership Extras are also subject to availability and block-out dates may apply, including high periods of demand such as Christmas and New Year’s Day.”
This is not just a boilerplate CYA legal disclaimer. Several of our favorite Membership Extras are now extinct, and we’ve included them on this list as something of a ‘cautionary tale’ about getting too attached to these perks. In fact, this list has been almost entirely rewritten because there have been so many changes to both the substance of Membership Extras and access to them.
The biggest one has been Annual Passes, which went from having deep discounts for DVC members to not being available at all for a few years. Point being, Membership Extras can and do change. For other things to consider before purchasing DVC, we suggest reading our comprehensive Disney Vacation Club Buying Guide.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at the best Disney Vacation Club Membership Extras, so you can better understand whether buying into ‘da club’ is right for you!
T10. “Free” Laundry
Every Disney Vacation Club resort has a dedicated laundry facility, and the use of the washers and dryers is no charge for Members. In my experience, these laundry rooms are fairly nice and have sufficient capacity (I’ve never had to wait to wash or dry my stuff). Even better, 1-bedroom villas and larger-sized rooms have washers and dryers inside the rooms.
I’m not a fan of cooking or cleaning while on vacation, but I’ve taken advantage of the free laundry a few times. My socks are basically a biohazard after a long day in the parks, and having access to the laundry facilities means I was everything on our last morning before heading home so I don’t have to quarantine my suitcase or throw the socks in a hazmat bag. It’s also nice for longer trips, as it means packing less.
Air quotes around free because you’d better believe your annual dues are funding this. So you’re paying for it one way or another, you’re just not being charged at the time of use. Pretty similar story with the next entry on the list…
T10. “Free” Parking
This perk is not nearly as valuable as it was for a few years when Walt Disney World was charging for parking on the hotel side, as it meant that those staying on DVC points (not just members–rentals counted, too) were not subject to the overnight parking fees at resorts.
Nevertheless, one valuable perk of Disney Vacation Club is not having to pay for overnight parking at other resorts where it is currently charged (basically everywhere but Walt Disney World). In fairness, that’s because members are already paying for it–indirectly–via the portion of their dues that covers parking upkeep and so forth. Still, I’d rather pay pennies for that as opposed to $40+ per night.
And since dues cover parking lot or structure maintenance (etc.), that means that free parking is essentially locked-in for those using points, no matter what future changes Disney decides to make to its fee structure for regular resort guests.
Here are the DVC resorts where members will not be charged for standard overnight self-parking—regardless of whether they use Disney Vacation Points or another form of payment:
- Disney Vacation Club Deluxe Villas at Walt Disney World Resort
- Disney Vacation Club Deluxe Villas at Disneyland Resort
- Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa in Ko Olina, Hawai‘i
- Disney’s Vero Beach Resort
- Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort
Disney Vacation Club Members who wish to shop, dine or enjoy activities for the day at a Disney Resort hotel are not subject to self-parking fees. (Good luck actually taking advantage of this day-use perk. Security at many/most resorts–especially those near or with non-bus transportation to parks at Walt Disney World–will turn you away.) Charges for valet parking will still apply.
9. Pool Hopping
One perk that Disney Vacation Club members can enjoy regardless of how they purchased is pool hopping. This concept has long been a point of contention among all Walt Disney World guests, but it’s officially sanctioned for members per Disney Vacation Club rules.
Basically, this means DVC members can use whatever pool they want, regardless of the resort at which they’re staying. There are a few exemptions, though: Bay Cove Pool at Bay Lake Tower, Uzima Pool and Samawati Springs Pool at Animal Kingdom Lodge, Stormalong Bay at Yacht & Beach Club, the leisure pool at Disney’s Beach Club Villas, Lava pool and the leisure pool at Polynesian Village, Copper Creek Springs Pool at Wilderness Lodge, and all pools at Art of Animation. Other than those, capacity restrictions still apply, and blockouts will be implemented during busier times.
8. Tour Discounts
This is a pretty broad category, but Disney Vacation Club members receive a 15% discount on theme park tours–like the Keys to the Kingdom tour at Magic Kingdom, Wild Africa Trek at Animal Kingdom or the exceptional Behind the Seeds at Epcot tour.
Members also received flat-rate discounts on some upcharge shows and activities (stuff at Disney Springs), as well as rentals and excursions at Aulani. There are also a couple of morning ‘mindfulness’ offerings at Disneyland Resort that are held in the park; these used to be free for members, but now charge a small (by Disney standards) fee to DVC members.
This also extends to a bunch of other stuff, including upcharge events during the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival (those haven’t been offered for several years, but here’s hoping for 2024 given the debut of CommuniCore Hall!), among other things. It’s best to check the DVC website before booking anything, as this changes.
7. Top of the World Lounge – Villain’s Lair
This used to be one of our absolute favorite Membership Extras, but has become more of a hassle over time. Nevertheless, if you’re staying at Bay Lake Tower or another monorail resort, or you want an evening escape from Magic Kingdom, Top of the World Lounge can be a great option.
On paper, this may not seem so special. After all, Top of the World Lounge is “just” a bar in Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort. However, it’s so much more than that. First of all, it’s a classy, exclusive location only for DVC members. Second, it has a delicious 7 Layer Cake.
Most importantly (yes, even more important than cake!), Top of the World also offers sweeping views of Walt Disney World comparable to those of California Grill. This means great views of the fireworks, including those shows during special events and seasonal shows. Avoiding those crowds and seeing “free” fireworks? Now that is pure Disney magic!
6. Special Ticket Discounts
Discounts on standard park tickets are less common with DVC, but they are offered from time to time, usually as a way of spiking park attendance. Several years ago, there were some really good offers. Unfortunately, there hasn’t been anything since–the good deals have all been reserved for Florida residents.
Currently, there are discount tickets on hard ticket parties and special events, such as After Hours at Magic Kingdom or After Hours at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The reason these tickets are offered is to incentivize DVC members, who are more likely to be Annual Passholders, to purchase tickets.
Likewise, there are typically DVC discounts for select non-peak dates of Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. This has been scaled back over the years, and we wouldn’t be surprised if it vanishes completely if the Halloween and Christmas parties keep selling out every single day every single year. DVC only offers this to incentivize people to purchase tickets…if no such incentive is needed to sell out the event…why offer the discount?
5. Restaurant & Shopping Discounts
Disney Vacation Club members save 10% to 20% off dining and shopping throughout the Walt Disney World theme parks, resorts, and Disney Springs. While these discounts are always offered, sometimes they are bumped to as much as 30% off when dining is slow.
We would not be shocked to see these higher discounts return. Now that pent-up demand has largely been exhausted, there’s a lot more ADR availability and certain restaurants are struggling more to fill tables. That’s precisely why Walt Disney World has done V.I.Passholder Days.
4. Annual Pass Access
Walt Disney World radically overhauled its Annual Pass program a few years ago, and by “radically” we mean introduced massive price increases (pretty much a given), rolled out nonsensical new names, switched up the benefits, and changed purchase eligibility. That last one is the big one, as there’s now only one tier of AP–the top one–that the general public residing outside of Florida is eligible to purchase.
Here are the Walt Disney World Annual Pass options for 2024:
- Disney Pixie Dust Pass – This is the lowest tier pass for Florida residents costs $439 plus tax.
- Disney Pirate Pass – This is the next tier up for Florida residents only, costing $799 plus tax.
- Disney Sorcerer Pass – Available only to Florida residents or eligible Disney Vacation Club members, costing $999 plus tax.
- Disney Incredi-Pass – The top tier with no blockout dates, and is the only tier of AP available for anyone to purchase, including non-Floridians and non-DVC members. It costs $1,449 plus tax.
Disney Vacation Club members being able to purchase the Sorcerer Pass is absolutely huge. It essentially amounts to a $450 savings per person if you don’t need or want the AP with no blockout dates. For most members, that should be an easy call–the Sorcerer Pass offers much better value for money.
3. Moonlight Magic Special Events
At one point, these were infrequent events held a couple of times per year at Walt Disney World. Not ‘big’ enough to justify a trip down for them, and not regular enough that they’d coincide with already-planned trips. Unless you were a local or happened to get lucky, the special events were not a selling point of Disney Vacation Club.
That changed starting with Disney Vacation Club’s 25th Anniversary a while back. That year, we attended the Typhoon Lagoon Beach Bash, Safari Spectacular at Animal Kingdom, and Birthday Bash at Disney California Adventure. Moonlight Magic is still scaling back up following the closure, and hasn’t reached the same heights as ~2019, but it remains very good.
While I would not fly out just for one of these parties, I could see tweaking the dates of a trip to make it fall within one of these events. There are usually rare characters, unlimited ice cream and refreshments, special entertainment, or some other selling point. We absolutely love Moonlight Magic, and make a point of attending whenever possible. (Just be warned, registration requires joining a virtual queue, and some members do get shut out.)
We expect DVC to keep these events going for the foreseeable future. These Moonlight Magic events are not just a nice perk—they’re a potential selling point for those who are leaning towards saving significant money on the resale market. Events aside, the only perk that really matters is the Annual Pass discounts, and that doesn’t matter if you’re not buying an Annual Pass.
2. Star View Station Lounge at Disneyland
The newest Disney Vacation Club member lounge is located in the Star Wars Launch Bay building (formerly Innoventions and Carousel of Progress) in Tomorrowland at Disneyland. Inspired by Walt Disney’s vision for the future, Star View Station Lounge features a retro-inspired mid-century modern design.
In addition to that, the space is also decorated with a variety of murals designed by Disney Legends such as Mary Blair, John Hench and Herbert Ryman. Members can also check out historic Disney gems, including the K7 Space Suit worn by the Tomorrowland astronauts from the early years of Disneyland park and the Space Station S-1 Model from the Disneyland television series.
Star View Station Lounge welcomes members to recharge from their park adventures and enjoy some out of this world amenities including, a dedicated Disney Vacation Club Member Services team, comfortable seating, complimentary Wi-Fi, device-charging stations, and complimentary drinks via Coke FreeStyle machines and fancy coffee machines (one of which is perpetually broken, it seems).
From a practical perspective, Star View Station Lounge is our favorite and most-used member perk. We are at Disneyland more than any park, so we get a lot of mileage out of it. Not only that, but the lounge is massive–especially relative to the smaller DVC population visiting the California parks. We also love that it has outdoor seating (that almost no one knows about) overlooking Tomorrowland. But it gets edged out for #1 for a sentimental favorite that’s also more popular with most members…
1. Imagination Lounge at Epcot
Our absolute favorite Disney Vacation Club perk is the Imagination Member Lounge in EPCOT. It’s located in former upstairs ImageWorks inside the Imagination pavilion, and accessible via the gift shop at the end of the attraction (you can enter through a separate door on the left side of the building…you don’t have to ride the attraction).
Almost immediately inside the door, there’s a podium with a kiosk where a Disney Vacation Club rep will ask to see your membership card and photo ID, and then allow the member (plus up to 5 guests) upstairs. The lounge is open daily from 10:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m., and offers free Coke Freestyle, coffee, and snacks. There are also charging stations.
We love the Imagination Lounge, and visit once per day while in EPCOT. First of all, unlimited free caffeine and snacks. That’s a nice plus. Second and more importantly, I have fond memories of the upstairs ImageWorks from when I was a kid, and revisiting that is always nice. The atmosphere is wonderful up there, and it’s a nice respite from the crowds and humidity.
Extinct DVC Member Perks
Annual Pass Discounts – The key Membership Extra used to be the Annual Pass discount at Walt Disney World. In the past, Disney Vacation Club members could save $100 per person on the two highest tiers of Annual Passes. At Disneyland, a discount was also offered, but it was much more modest.
This discount on Walt Disney World APs was available for everyone in the same household. For a family of 4, it amounted to a savings of $400 per year just on Annual Passes. That was a pretty significant discount–for some families, that alone justified joining Disney Vacation Club.
This is gone, quite simply, because Walt Disney World doesn’t need more Annual Passholders. Central Florida has seen its population explode, so there’s plenty of demand. Aside from that, attendance via regular guests is going strong.
Deeper Deals on APs – On occasion, there have been even better temporary discounts on Annual Passes. We once took advantage of a deal on the highest tier of Annual Pass, making it $595 after tax. A couple of years before that, there was an even better discount offering more than just a year. Both of those offers now feel like ancient history, especially when looking back at our receipts for APs then versus now.
Disney offered this to incentivize DVC members to visit more frequently–it’s a way to increase park attendance. This was last offered during a brief economic downturn and fears of a recession, and has not been seen since. Perhaps when Universal’s Epic Universe opens in 2025 and pulls people away from Walt Disney World–including DVC members who use their Disney resort as accommodations but visit Universal’s theme parks–we’ll see something like this or regular ticket deals again. I wouldn’t hold my breath, though.
Early Entry to Parties – Disney Vacation Club members used to be able to enter Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party at 2 p.m. instead of 4 p.m. with the general public. This has not been offered in several years, largely due to the explosion in popularity of MNSSHP and MVMCP.
Expect this perk to return only if Walt Disney World starts having trouble selling out these parties. Right now, that isn’t even remotely the case. A lot of locals (presumably many of whom are ex-Annual Passholders who have been priced out) and DVC members (also presumably ex-APs) are buying party tickets as an alternative to regular admission. That’s behavior Walt Disney World does not want to incentivize. Before this returns, we’d expect to see a return of regular ticket deals or even AP offers.
Room Discounts – DVC Members used to receive a 25% discount off the regular rack rate at Deluxe Villa Resorts. This vanishing isn’t really a huge loss; if you are in a position to need this discount, there’s a good chance you’re eligible for a better deal as an Annual Passholder, Disney+ subscriber, or Disney Visa cardholder. We have used our allotment of points well before we were “done” visiting for a given year, and have always found the AP or other room-only discounts to be better for us.
This might seem counter-intuitive since the whole point of Disney Vacation Club is using your points on rooms to save money. However, if you’re particularly Disney-obsessed and burn through all of your points for the next two use years in the first three months of having them (not that we know anyone who has ever done that…), this is an option.
Overall, there are a lot of Membership Extras for Disney Vacation Club members that actually will save you money or enhance your vacation experience–and we’d file all of these under one of those categories or the other. In adding up the money we save or the value we receive from special events, we find that the “benefits” of membership outside of savings on accommodations regularly amount to over $1,000 per year for us.
That’s more than we pay for DVC dues each year. Obviously, this savings is going to differ for everyone–for some people, it might not be much at all. It’s just another variable worth considering when debating whether or not Disney Vacation Club is right for you.
If you’re thinking about joining DVC, be sure to read our Ultimate Guide to Disney Vacation Club. This covers the pros & cons, resale v. direct, how much money you’ll save, and other important things to know before taking the plunge. If you still can’t decide whether membership is right for you, “try before you buy” with the recommendations in How to Save BIG on Deluxe Disney Accommodations Renting DVC Points.
YOUR THOUGHTS
What are your thoughts about the Membership Extras that DVC offers? If you’re a member, which benefits are your favorites, and which do you take advantage of regularly? Which are not worth it for you? Any questions about DVC perks and discounts? Hearing your feedback about your experiences is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts or questions below in the comments!
While not a “blue card perk” — In-room laundry for larger units is a huge perk whether DVC or booking the rooms as cash reservations.
On recent Christmas trip, I did not want to deal with baggage claim at a jampacked MCO. Thanks to in-room washer and dryer, it was fairly easy to get a “week’s worth of clothing” into a carryon. (knowing that 4 days worth of clothes could be washed at my convenience.)
Lounges in general may be the top perk, especially if they truly do add 1 or more good additional lounges to WDW..
And a perk you didn’t mention — When tap at the turnstyle, you get a special light color!
Having done research into the perks validated our decision to go ahead and buy a resale contract. We have a family member that is a “blue card” member so we have gotten to experience the lounges and a few Moonlight parties. The lounges were nice enough , but not for us to go for blue card membership. The Moonlight parties? Our first one was at Magic Kingdom (June 2019 maybe?) and I think it spoiled us- walk on to all rides, no food lines and lined with characters were not bad (but also not our bag, so we did not wait). Having gone to DHS and DCA parties since then? Sooo crowded! Too many lines! Not as many options to disperse crowds I guess? After reading the updated list, yes, we made the right decision 100% and do not need the blue card perks and will gladly save the money we paid.
Can you use the imagination station if you purchase resale? I am trying to justify saving an buying a membership without financing so I was leaning towards resale. Thank you!! I will also read your other articles suggested. We have rented DVC points from Dave’s the last two years but after talking with an actual DVC member while at the poly he was shocked at how much we paid!
Hey Tom, first off I want to say that we LOVE your blog and read it more than we likely should, HA!
Is there anyway to can do an update of the “Top 10 Disney Vacation Club Member Perks”? While still very informative, they latest update is getting a little long in the tooth. We trust your insights so much more than other Disney sources. Thanks and look forward to reading your next post.
How do I get the rack-room 25% off discount? I booked a split stay this feb. And didn’t see that offered anywhere
Is it resale if an older family member can no longer use their DVC for health reasons and they pass it on to you? Re-deeding the ownership?
One of the most informative and objective articles I’ve read on the DVC concept and attributes. So much information you give. How am I able to access your articles for future reference as a DVC purchase and/or rental is in our immediate future?
Thank you
We are staying at the Dolphin in December, but would like to pool hop with our DVC membership. I am looking at the verbiage…do I need to be staying at a DVC resort? How would be admitted, by showing our card? Dont want to arrive with high hopes and be turned away! Faith
Looking for someone to help me with the math on the AP. If I plan to take my family of 6 down for a week every other year it looks like the platinum annual pass (with a discount) would cost me around $4.8k, but buying a 7 day park hopper is about $3k. The annual pass discount sounds like a big perk when I read about it, am I missing something?
No, your math is probably right. You have to visit at least 2x within an AP period for the pass to work out, financially.
If you’re going every OTHER year, you’ll need to buy 2 sets of APs x6ppl, which now you’re looking $10k vs roughly $6k for 7day w/PH for 6ppl twice.
If your family are WDW ppl and plan to continue visits semi-often thru the upcoming years, you can consider doing something like this:
APs bought May 2020 – Good thru April 2021. Cost = $5k
You visit May 2020 for 7 days and April 2021 for 7 days
You saved $1k off the 7dayPH tickets.
Then you wait 18 to 24 months, and buy another set of APs and go twice within that year again. Rinse & repeat thru the years.
Purchased 50 points last year for 7,000 now I want to buy another 100 points resale. What is the best way to proceed in buying resale. Any suggestions would be great ty. Norbert
My mom and i have been visiting Disney about once a year for the past 5 years. We considered doing the DVC but we also enjoy the dining plan. Part of the fun of Disney for me is calculating what i paid for the plan vs what we actually get in food (i’ve managed to pay $500 for the plan, and get $900 worth of food for 2 people for 5 days doing 2 credit restaurants).
Does the DVC allow purchase of the dining plan? i find it totally counter intuitive to get these small 10-20% discounts when i could just get the dining plan and get potentially bigger savings, with less hassle of cash/credit cards. There’s nothing better than seeing a $160 bill come to your table and sending it back with only a magic band and tip!!!
Yes, you can purchase a Dining Plan with the DVC- you have the option of going into your reservation (or calling them) any time up to three days in advance of your arrival to add it- but you will need to pay in full at the time you add it.
Haha! The pool hopping “perks” made me laugh. Basically, any pool that’s actually worth hopping to is excluded!
How does Disney know if you bought from them or resale? Are the member cards different.
I thought the top of the world was open to all DVC members then sometimes I read only to members staying at Bay Lake Towers
I read on the DVC website that even if a pool is listed in the “not ever allowed” column if not at capacity, you can go to the front desk and ask if capacity is low enough for you to swim there. AKL is not really crowded a lot and is a bigger pool. Some of the gates you have to scan your armband, but most are just lockable so after the pools are closed the gates will be locked. We have enjoyed the AKL pool when not staying there.
Pool Hopping is still currently a perk, but I think the list of exclusion pools is telling. Everyone understands why Stormalong Bay is excluded, but for the rest of the list the only real differentiating factor between ‘allowed’ and ‘not allowed’ pools is the recency of pool construction / refurb. I mean, I’m sure Copper Creek Springs is a nice pool, but I don’t think DVC members are building their itineraries around the requisite pool hop day to Wilderness Lodge.
The fact that I can’t think of a pool that has been refurbed in the last several years and not added to the list makes me think that this is just Disney’s way of phasing out this perk without coming out and saying that they aren’t going to allow it any more.
I keep hoping that as some of these pools get older, they will be removed from the list of excluded pools. Grand Floridian’s pools are not on the list, which is at least a positive.
How does pool hopping work? I’ve never tried it before, but we we’re DVC members and we have a few days in our upcoming September trip when I think it would be nice to get out of the park and sit by a pool for a bit. Do we have to check in with somebody?
Also, is there any pool at Animal Kingdom that you CAN hop to? I’m not as familiar with their pools.
We live all the perks and use them as much as possible. Our only gripe is that the member lounge doesn’t have a restroom. It’s great to have a place to get out if the crowds but it just doesn’t make sense to omit a clean members only restroom. I’ve got three girls and this was a big disappointment.
It would’ve been a huge undertaking to add a restroom to the Imagination Lounge–probably so expensive that the lounge would not exist if that had to be done.
(This could also explain why the upstairs ImageWorks never reopened to the general public. Between the lack of bathroom and the small elevator, it’s a difficult space to utilize with larger crowds.)
I am going to be the negative one on this. I pay $30,000 for my buy in, plus about $850 in dues + increasing percentage over the next 30 years. And these are good saving measures? Plus lets not skip the savings lost if I use my points at another resort. Besides 9 and 10 I can get the same or very close to the same discount being a FL resident ( I know not everyone), AP holder, and a Disney credit card.
I hope you don’t think I was rude, but not seeing the value.
Your not being negative, just sharing your opinion. While being a DVC member since 2006, I too sometimes question the savings. It sometimes seems like AP members get so many more perks than DVC.
Remember the cool welcome kits and the nice lithos they used to send after watching the new property videos…? Love my DVC, just think they have dropped the ball a tad. 😉
People ask me if it is a good deal… I look them in the eyes and say NO…
BUT! I have taken vacations with my family, sometimes a couple times per year at Disney and I have memories of everyone. The question everyone needs to answer is what is important. For us… family time.
We never use our points in the summer because I can get more bang for my points in the early spring or Fall. We always do the dining plan. The choice is for everyone to decide for their family. I would never change my mind after seeing my daughters fall in love with Disney and now… we get to do it all over again with the Grands!
It depends on where you usually stay if you generally stay at a value resort or even a moderate, your savings will not be as significant. I just spent 2 weeks at The Beach Club. Spent approximately $8,000 to do that. We generally go 1-2 times/ year. In 4 years I will have spent 32,000 on my lodging, if I go deluxe every time. I have now spent 2,000 more than your original quote of $30,00, yet with a DVC, I now have 46 more years to go that are basically free. I buy annual passes for a family of 4. Rack rate for non Floridians is a little over $800.00/ ticket. That is 3,200.00 With my DVC DISCOUT, I just paid 2,400 for those same tickets. I have now almost saved what my annual dues are. Don’t forget doc outs at Disney stores, restaurants, tours and FREE, photo pass, every time I enter the park. Isotherm my annual pass, I can go a few more times a year. I upped this over for 4-5 years before I took the plunge. Yes, you will save significant money
So it seems as though there are more perks for the Florida parks vs. the California parks. So wondering if it’s worth it if I primarily go to Disneyland?
I’ve actually read that top of the world (and I assume the Epcot lounge as well) will be available to resale members, as will the pool hopping perk.
That’s not currently the case, and it would shock me if DVC changes that. They have no incentive to give more to resale buyers–just less.
Top of the World is still available to resale buyers (even now). See here for one discussion on the matter. http://www.mouseowners.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1350236#post1350236
Thanks for the heads up on that. Previously, we’ve always been asked to show our card, but I guess (based upon that thread) that the MagicBand should be enough. Makes sense, given the (lack of) popularity of that lounge.
Top of the world is not popular?? Really??
Is it correct to assume that people who rent DVC points are not eligible for any of these perks during their stay?
You should be able to pool hop and use the no-charge laundry facilities, but otherwise, that is correct.
I rent my DVC points from Dave’s Vacation rentals and I have used all of the perks minus the food discounts
You were able to book a tour at the discounted rate? (I ask because we rented points through David’s and will be going next May and would love to have that option)