Disney Vacation Club Expansion Ideas
Disney Vacation Club expansion. A divisive topic among fans, but a fact of life given the success and profitability of DVC. As a Member, I have a wish list of places where I hope Disney Vacation Club is added. For this post, I thought I’d rank my top DVC expansion ideas, giving some weight to what’s actually feasible in terms of locations, but throwing in some of my own wild, blue sky scenarios.
Note that these are not actual rumors, but rather, my ideas for what I’d like to see. Since it’s very unlikely that we’ve seen the end of Disney Vacation Club expansion, some could become a reality…eventually. Sales have been slowing, but it’s quite likely that Disney will keep adding on to existing resorts to “feed the beast” in the near term.
Long term, we fully expect new resorts to be developed. This is especially the case given that most of the Deluxe Resorts where adding on was possible have already done that. In the future, we some stand-alone DVC (like Disney’s Riviera Resort) plus mixes of hotel and villa properties (like BoardWalk or most of the legacy resorts). While some of you might not like the idea of more DVC, it doesn’t have to be a bad thing.
I can understand many of the complaints about Disney Vacation Club expansion, particularly where it has been disruptive to the integrity of Walt Disney World. However, I think other complaints revolve around Disney’s keenness on developing more timeshares “at the expense” of new attractions.
I put air quotes around that because I believe this complaint to be misplaced–it’s not an either/or scenario. Disney could do both, one or the other, or nothing at all. Past builds of DVC haven’t precluded simultaneous construction of new attractions. In other words, it’s not DVC’s “fault.”
With this in mind, I think it’s fascinating about what could be…and what could have been. The River Country project has been on-again, off-again a couple of times (might Reflections – A Disney Lakeside Lodge still be cancelled?) over the last decade.
Before that, there was Disney’s Vacation Club And Resort At Eagle Pines announced in 2001 that failed to get off of the drawing board due to the post-9/11 tourism slump. Other resorts have no doubt been proposed or discussed internally.
Here’s what we’d like to see from future DVC developments…
Manhattan Club Villas – Disney Vacation Club has been utilized at Walt Disney World as a way to reduce (supposedly) superfluous hotel inventory. Nowhere could this same strategy be more valuable than at Disneyland Paris, which definitely has a surplus of hotel rooms.
Of the hotels, Hotel New York seems like the most viable candidate. It’s presently in the midst of being converted into Disney’s Hotel New York – The Art of Marvel, and while it’s too late for half of those rooms being made into DVC villas from the get-go, the new room style would be easy enough to quickly convert a wing of the hotel into DVC if the Marvel style doesn’t give a big enough boost to occupancy numbers.
The only reason this one doesn’t rank higher is because this list factors in practicality, and I just don’t know whether Disney Vacation Club is viable in France. Are there enough diehard European Disney fans to buy ownership interests? Would enough Americans be interested? My guess is that this would have already happened by now if Disney thought the answers to either of those questions were “yes.”
Newport Beach Club – No, we’re not staying in Disneyland Paris with another DVC takeover at Newport Bay Club. Rather, I’m suggesting a standalone Disney Vacation Club property in Newport Beach, California. (Seal Beach and Huntington Beach are also viable, but Newport is the nicest of the bunch for upscale developments.) While other standalone DVC properties have encountered challenges, we feel this one would be better-poised for success.
Being only 25 minutes from Disneyland Resort would be a big selling point, and we suspect many Disneyland visitors are taking Southern California vacations with Disneyland being part of that trip (as opposed to Walt Disney World, which is a destination unto itself for many/most). Additionally, this makes sense from a logistical perspective, as Disney owns less real estate in the Anaheim Resort District that it could dedicate to a DVC property.
This is hardly an original idea. In fact, it almost happened back in 1994 when Disney announced plans for “Disney’s Newport Coast Villas.” Marriott eventually purchased the land and opened the similarly-styled Marriott’s Newport Coast Villas, which still operate today.
Port Orleans Resort – After seeing how incongruous Disney’s Riviera Resort is with Caribbean Beach, I hesitate to even think about this. It’s probably better to let sleeping dogs lie. However, the idea of more Port Orleans goodness scratches me right where I itch, particularly in hypothetical form where I can dictate that it blends perfectly with Riverside and French Quarter.
Across the water from French Quarter heading towards Riverside is a parcel of land that appears suitable in size for expansion. It could be a win-win for the existing Port Orleans hotels and DVC Members. The sister properties would be further connected to other another, and thematically (and qualitatively) enhanced. All of that is in theory. In actuality, I’d worry a lot about execution, and wouldn’t want Walt Disney World to mess up the most thematically-pure Moderate Resorts.
Wheel Well Villas – Even with a DVC tower slated to be added to Disneyland Hotel, more could be done. Occupancy rates for Disneyland Resort’s hotels are currently around 95%, so it seems realistic that Disneyland Resort could sustain another 2-3 Deluxe-caliber hotels. With hotel demand being a sure thing, it doesn’t seem Disney would feel the “need” to hedge its bets with a DVC wing in the new hotel.
However, once Candy Cane Inn‘s lease is up (assuming the rumors that Disney purchased this parcel are true), it would make sense for Disney to re-evaluate how it’s going to use that property. Located right behind Cars Land, a Wheel Well Hotel with an exclusive DCA entrance sounds like a no-brainer. That seems like a logical candidate for a DVC wing.
Eternal Sea Resort – Tokyo Disney Resort is another location where the Disney hotels don’t have any issue filling (98%+ occupancy) and adding DVC to those hotels would be further complicated by the fact that Oriental Land Company, and not Disney, owns them. Along the lines of the Newport Beach Club resort proposed above, Disney could develop this on Tokyo Bay outside of Tokyo Disney Resort, and it would be easily accessible by the JR line.
While it’s unlikely that there is enough demand from United States DVC members, it should be noted that DVC is also quite popular with Japanese Disney fans (many of whom own at Aulani) and this would probably be sustainable with that fervent fanbase, alone. It would also encourage more Americans to visit Japan and see how well the Tokyo parks are run (which, in turn, might cause them to hold Disney to higher standards). As for a concept, I’d love to see the resort styled after Osaka or Himeji Castles, and situated on Tokyo Bay and with internal waterways forming something of a moat around the resort.
Persian Resort – Diehard Walt Disney World fans likely know of the original Seven Seas Lagoon Resorts that were slated for construction until the 1973 Oil Embargo stalled those plans. Of those planned resorts, it seems the parcel of the Persian Resort is the only one that is still viable, and I think it would be cool to see that, or the Venetian/Mediterranean Resort, come to fruition on that plot of land.
The Persian concept really intrigues me, especially as it would be something totally unlike any other Disney hotel in the world. The striking blue and white domes and the Mughal architecture would be stunning. I do wonder whether Disney would embrace a style of architecture that is reminiscent of mosques in today’s political culture, but I think it would be cool. Alternatively, after seeing Hotel MiraCosta and the venetian gondolas in Tokyo DisneySea, I’d also welcome Disney reviving the Eisner-era plans for the Mediterranean Resort on the Persian site.
Thinking about joining DVC? First 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” and rent points from DVC Rental Store. If you are convinced a membership is for you, check out the discounted options at DVC Resale Market. Planning a Walt Disney World trip? For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know.
Your Thoughts
Where would you like to see Disney Vacation Club added? Any thoughts on our proposals? Ideas of your own? Any questions about any of the items on this list? Or…would you rather they stop building? We love hearing from readers, so please share some of your ideas, thoughts, or questions in the comments!
We are DVC members and I only have 1 complaint with how certain offers are presented. Due to Covid-19 I have now rescheduled out trip for the third time. This is not a problem, it’s how things are at this time. But I changed the date to June 22nd, and was so excited to see that “Free Dining ” is being offered. I called to have that added to our trip, (we’re bringing the grands), only to be told that it is for paying guest only! As a DVCmember we do pay, every month! Just because we are members doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t have the option to choose as everyone else does!
My thoughts exactly. Not fair we are not able to participate in free dining just because we pay once a month on our dues or once a year. That should not matter. Either way, we are paying for the rooms we are staying in. Plus we paid to buy into DVC as well as paying annual dues each year which is more than regular pay for room guests do.
I would buy a thematically appropriate Port Orleans DVC property share in a heartbeat with one inclusion: a transportation alternative to some Parks other than buses. Perhaps an extension of the Skyliner would be feasible?
Well, you wrote this a while back, so who knows if you still check comments. But I was just curious do you see anymore resorts coming similar to Aulani? Not necessarily tied to a Disney park, but still have the Disney name.
While your post looks forward, I published a look back at 4 DVC’s that almost were – including DVC West in the Epcot area and a video of the Ft. Wilderness DVC. https://dvcinfo.com/four-dvc-resorts-that-might-have-been/
2 primary concerns for me. DVC at non park locations or non USA locations, where people will buy in and then never stay there making it even harder to stay at the Crescent Lake or Seven Seas resorts at 7 month window for current owners and oversaturation of market plummeting resale value.
For #6, I agree with you Tom, I don’t’ think DVC is viable at DLP. I got to go to DLP 2 years ago, and while it was cool, I don’t’ plan to go back unless I’m already in Europe. Being a DVC owner, have that option at any of the DLP Hotels, wouldn’t change that. I don’t think there’s enough European interest there either.
How about DVC Castaway Cay? I know that island couldn’t sustain it, but Disney must have thought about an island getaway by now connected to a cruise vacation. Castaway Cay is one of the highlights of the Disney Cruises, I could see them putting up a DVC resort on a new island, and having cruise/island packages!
Hi there, I am from Belgium and I can quite sincerely tell you that there are enough Disneyland Paris lovers who visit the park (with annual passes) quite frequently through the year. I bought into DVC because we’re fond of the Disney kind vacation and we looove WDW but we also looove DLP. I think that the New York Disneyland Paris Hotel would be an excellent choice for introducing DVC (in a seperate wing).
You all might be surprised of the ‘europeans’ willing to buy in DVC in Disneyland Paris.
It might also be good for non-europeans who are DVC members to be able to visit the park in Paris without too much Hotelcost when they are travelling in europe…
Just a thought…
There is a “Vacation Club” resort in DLP, it’s just not owned by Disney.
https://www.yesterland.com/parisvillas.html
A few other suggestions –
1) Tomorrow Tower at the Disneyland Hotel – I’m on the same page that Disneyland needs at larger DVC presence, especially given total occupancy rates and in particular Grand Californian DVC availability. I think a smart first step would be to build a fourth tower at the Disneyland Hotel, making it fully DVC suites. It would finish out the theme Disney has started with the other towers, add capacity, and add family suites to the inventory.
2) Fort Wilderness Lodge – I may be in the minority, but I liked the plans for the Fort Wilderness Lodge DVC. I liked the Animal Kingdom lodge like structure allowing great views from the majority of the rooms and the fact that it finally put the old River Country grounds to use.
3) Disney Grand Metropolitan – I remain a fan of the idea of DVC resorts in other cities not connected to a Disney park/property. It seems though many of those plans/resorts suffered due to a lack of Disney activities surrounding them. To that end, I wish they would dust off the plans for the New York City resort again. It would seem like it would be very easy to package a stay with tickets to one of their shows on Broadway.
Is Disney back to using the original logo? I observed this in the pic above.
Not sold on the Persian theme. I do like the idea for Port Orleans. An historic London theme would be intriguing.
I think I read on WDWnt.com that the Persian Resort plot will be another DVC resort but attached or connected to Bay Lake, like an additional wing.
http://wdwnt.com/blog/2016/08/rumor-another-bay-lake-tower-vacation-club-wing-constructed-disneys-contemporary-resort/
As a west coaster, and Disneyland being my home park, can’t wait to see the developments over the next few years with the new hotel and other plots of lands being developed. We have definitely noticed a lot of construction and better hotels popping up. And a lot more people coming to Disneyland since the Diamond celebration, it seems now Disneyland is becoming trendy. We went for ten days in February expecting and hoping it to be pretty empty but the majority of the time the parks were packed, similar to summer peaks. I had family go around Christmas/New Years and they said it was so packed it was hard to walk. I know SWL will bring lots of people, but I’m also excited for more space for people to go!
Love the Wheel Well idea at DCA!!
We’ve stayed at Vero Beach and have a stay at Hilton Head coming up soon so my vote is more off site locations- though that’s unlikely.
We’re not DVC members, but prefer the Villa rooms, especially with small kids. Don’t mind more DVC expansion at all!
I like the idea of ice igloos at Disney world that melt away when your stay is up
You’re a genius! Consider me a fan for life.