We discovered the perks of staying at a Disney Vacation Club resort during our most recent trip to Disney World. The 1 bedroom villa at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn was perfect for our entire family! Ever since that vacation, I recommend it to my friends and family. Thus, here is everything you need to know about Disney Vacation Club (DVC) while being a nonmember!
What is DVC?
Founded in 1991, DVC is one of the highest-rated vacation-ownership programs in the industry! This program is perfect for families who vacation in Disney World annually for an extended period of time. Members receive an annual allotment of vacation points that are used in a variety of ways toward a stay at a DVC resort. However, nonmembers are able to vacation at these DVC resorts and take advantage of the accommodations without needing to buy into the program!
What are some benefits of DVC for nonmembers?
First and foremost, staying at a DVC resort as a nonmember means you get deluxe accommodations for a VERY reasonable price! We saved a lot of money booking our stay at a DVC resort for our last trip. So much so that we are very hesitant to book a regular Disney room in the future! Additionally, you can save money by purchasing groceries since the villas have a full-sized refrigerator and kitchen for food storage! We saved money by eating breakfast in our room and purchasing water bottles in bulk (each water bottle is now $3.50 in the parks!). Be sure to check out my previous post about saving money on a Disney vacation!
Not only can you save a lot of money, a DVC resort also provides you and your family with more space! Their studios and villas are extremely roomy and, therefore, very convenient to stay in. There was space for everyone and no fighting over the bathroom! My son loved coming back to our 1 bedroom villa and just running around! He also slept peacefully in the bedroom while we enjoyed fireworks from our balcony every night!
So much room- that’s a full sized crib!
Just like a regular Disney resort stay, a DVC resort stay offers you all of the perks. You can book FastPasses 60 days in advance for the length of your stay, make Advanced Dining Reservations (ADRs) 180 days in advance for up to 10 days of your stay, receive complimentary Magic Bands, and have access to free Disney transportation!
How can a nonmember book DVC?
There are 2 ways a nonmember can book a stay at a Disney Vacation Club (DVC) resort: via a 3rd party rental company or directly through Disney.
1. 3rd Party Rental Company
Remember those points DVC members receive annually? Well, sometimes they do not use them and instead rent them out. There are several 3rd party businesses that mediate this rental process and 2 of the biggest ones are: dvcrentalstore.com and David’s Vacation Club Rentals. There is just one catch with this… Since these businesses are dependent upon DVC members deciding to rent out their points at specific DVC resorts, the resort you want may not be available. For example, I contacted dvcrentalstore.com several times and, unfortunately, they did not have the resorts I wanted!
2. Directly through Disney
The other option is to book a DVC resort stay directly through Disney. Disney calls this a cash reservation. We booked our stay at the BoardWalk Inn this way and it was as if we reserved a regular Disney hotel room. We received an excellent price for our villa because we are also Annual Passholders. Thus, the direct-through-Disney price may not be as competitive as renting through a 3rd party company.
Will a nonmember get daily Mousekeeping?
The answer to this question is dependent upon how you book your DVC stay…
If you book through a rental company, Disney perceives you as a substitute for the DVC member. Thus, you will only get daily trash removal by Mousekeeping. Full housekeeping and towel replacing occur on Day 4 (for stays of 7 nights or less) or Day 4 and Day 8 (for longer stays). You do have the option of paying for daily full services which ranges from $30 USD to $75 USD per day (depending upon the size of your room).
If you book a cash reservation through Disney directly, you will receive full housekeeping (including towel and trash removal) daily for the length of your stay!
What are the DVC resorts at Disney World?
The current DVC resorts at Disney World are:
- Animal Kingdom Villas at Jambo House
- Animal Kingdom Villas at Kidani Village
- Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort
- Beach Club Villas
- BoardWalk Villas
- The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian
- Old Key West Resort
- Polynesian Villas and Bungalows
- Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa
- Boulder Ridge Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
- Copper Creek Villas and Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
- Disney’s Riviera Resort (coming December, 2019)
That is everything you need to know about Disney Vacation Club (DVC) while being a nonmember! I highly recommend it!!
Cheers!!