×
You’ve spent a lot of your hard-earned money proving your Disney fandom. You didn’t just invest in the Disney Vacation Club program but instead went all-in. As an owner of hundreds of DVC Points, you enjoy a plethora of options, all of them great. So, let’s discuss how to maximize the value of a big DVC contract.
What’s a “Big DVC Contract”?
I’m a firm believer that even if you own 25 DVC Points, you’re a huge winner. You can stay at a deluxe Disney villa simply by spending your points. Still, like everything else in life, membership has its privileges, and you will benefit from favoritism when you own more points.
So, for the purposes of our discussion, let’s presume that you own 350 DVC Points. That’s roughly 50 percent more than the mid-sized contract we previously discussed. When you spend that much more money, you typically receive better benefits.
In the specific example of DVC, you’ll add even more luxury to your future Disney vacations. This isn’t like buying better wheel rims or paint protection on a new car. You’ll directly improve your trips when you own more points.
Generally speaking, you’ll benefit in five ways. You’ll spend more time at Disney, visit at more popular times on the calendar, stay at Disney’s finest resorts, choose better accommodations, and sometimes even book hotel rooms that the average DVC member will never even try. Let’s explore each of these benefits to understand the best ways to maximize the value of a big DVC contract.
Spending More Time at Disney
As discussed in earlier articles, Disney provides an entry price point for DVC contracts of all sizes. So, a 25- or 50-point contract can provide value when a member knows how to use the points effectively.
Here’s the thing, though. That idea scales up more than you’ve probably ever considered. For example, you can spend a week at Disney’s Old Key West Resort for as little as 71 DVC Points. It’s a tremendous value and a vacation I’ve personally done several times.
Now, consider the math from the perspective of someone who owns 350 DVC Points. With that many points, you can spend nearly five weeks at Walt Disney World! I’ve spent two weeks at Disney before, and even I wouldn’t do that.
However, we should presume that people who own at least 350 DVC Points likely possess significant discretionary income. Also, they can probably vacation more than the average person.
For these reasons, someone with a large DVC contract could spend a week at Disney every quarter. Would people want to do that? Of course! Is it feasible for most tourists? Probably not.
Fortunately, the program stretches and contracts to fit those needs and considerations.
Visit during the Most Popular Times
I said you could spend a week at Old Key West for 71 DVC Points, which is true…as long as you don’t mind visiting in September.
Should you have your heart on a different month of the year, the conversation changes. With a smaller or even a mid-sized contract, using your precious DVC Points during the holidays will cost a lot. That same Studio at Old Key West costs 162 points from April 13th through the 20th and December 24th through the 31st in 2025.
Disney meticulously calculates the DVC Points Chart each year. DVC officials must do so because many national holidays double as popular tourism opportunities.
Travelers will spend anything from a three-day weekend to a week at the park during these holidays. As you know, some holidays vary based on the date, though.
For example, July 4th, 2023, fell on a Tuesday, which led to a shocking turn of events. Walt Disney World was so empty that the media panicked and wondered what had gone wrong. In reality, only two factors applied.
One was that it was “the hottest day on record.” The other was that July 4th fell on a Tuesday, which is arguably the worst calendar configuration for holiday travel.
When you own 350+ DVC Points, you don’t care! You can stay where you want for a week, at least in a Studio. Even The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa max out at 343 DVC Points for a week, and that’s with Theme Park View!
I’m getting ahead of myself by saying that, but those two points are the subjects of the next two sections. The underlying point is that when you have that many points, the bare minimum is a week at your favorite DVC resort. Those of you who prefer properties with less expensive Points Charts can spend up to five times as long at Disney in a year!
Staying at the Finest Resorts
In the previous example, I used one of Disney’s least expensive and priciest resorts for comparison. That’s how DVC works. When Disney evaluates its new properties and creates DVC Points Charts based on their perceived value.
The Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort, DVC’s newest property, falls on the cheaper side of the equation. Conversely, the second-newest addition, The Villas at Disneyland Hotel, falls closer to the middle, save for one Room Type, the Duo Studio.
When you own tons of points, you never need to sweat the details. You can stay at the finest DVC hotels ever built. At worst, you’ll vacation in a spacious Studio for at least a week. Nothing is off the menu, either.
You’ll have your choice of the monorail resorts, both Disneyland Resort properties, and even Aulani, Disney Vacation Club Villas. So, you can stay close to Magic Kingdom, Disneyland Park, or virtually anywhere else in the DVC program. You basically own a skeleton key that works for Studios at all the plush Disney hotels.
Booking Better Accommodations
Of course, that’s not all. You may not want to stay in a Studio. Many members, including the friend I referenced last time, will ONLY book a Villa.
A good rule of thumb about One-Bedroom Villas is that they cost 50-100 percent more than Studios. However, you get 50-100 percent more space as well. In some instances, like the Villas at Old Key West, the rooms are substantially bigger.
Remarkably, with a 350-point contract, you can easily afford a One-Bedroom Villa. Even at Disney’s Riviera Resort, a Standard View Villa costs 321 DVC Points or less during 50 out of 52 weeks each year. For a Preferred View, you can book a room for 30 out of 52 weeks. Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, arguably the most desirable location at Walt Disney World, charges 352 DVC Points for a one-week stay in a One-Bedroom Villa. So, that’s on the menu as well…and that’s for all 52 weeks! You could even book Theme Park View for 30 of those weeks.
In short, your accommodations improve when you own more DVC Points as well, presuming that’s your privilege. In fact, you could do even more…
Spending Times in Disney’s Bucket List Suites
Now we get to the fun part. Every Disney fan knows that some upsell experiences are rare and profound. I’m talking about eating at Victoria & Albert’s Restaurant, experiencing a VIP Tour, and the like.
Well, one of the ultimate Disney bucket list items is a hotel stay in one of the most decadent rooms. Thanks to the DVC program, this seemingly unattainable goal is more than possible. When you manage your points well, you can do it more than once if so inclined!
I’m talking about options like Grand Villas and the specialty Room Types in the program. Let’s start with the Three-Bedroom Villas. Circling back to Bay Lake Tower, these suites start at 606 DVC Points.
So, if you take a modest trip one year – for example, the week at Old Key West in September – you can bank the extra points. Then, you can take the baller vacation the following year.
I mean the one where you spend the week in a hotel room generally reserved for people like Princess Diana, who famously slept in a suite at the Contemporary. Some would argue that’s not even the ultimate at Disney these days, though.
Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Wilderness Lodge is one such property. You can spend a week in a Cascade Cabin for as little as 620 DVC Points. By booking this Room Type, you’ll have your own cabin in the woods right by Magic Kingdom for a week!
I would argue that’s not even the best option near Magic Kingdom, though. At Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows, you can Bank/Borrow points as needed to schedule your dream vacation.
The Bungalow Room Type is a two-bedroom suite built into the waters beside the Polynesian. These rooms feature an outdoor mini-pool where you can stare across the water at Magic Kingdom. It’s as magical as Disney gets.
Polynesian Bungalows start at 824 DVC Points for a week. So, you’ll need to dip into three different Use Years to book this vacation. Don’t forget that it doesn’t need to be a week, though! You could also spend a romantic three-day weekend here and then book somewhere else for the rest of your trip.
Conversely, if you do want to treat yourself – and you deserve it! – you can book a week here for up to 994 DVC Points. That requires you to Bank one year and Borrow another, but it’s possible. More importantly, it’s a vacation you’d never forget!
All these things are possible as long as you use the tips you’ve learned to maximize the value of your DVC contract! You can stretch any number of DVC Points to make them feel like much more.
Posted By: