Disney Vacation Club brings unlimited magic to guests and has for more than thirty years. It was 1991 when the Disney Vacation Club timeshare launched. There was just one resort at the time. Back then it was called The Disney Vacation Club Resort. It’s now known as Disney’s Old Key West Resort. Upon debuting, DVC points were around $50. Quite a few things have changed over the last three decades. Disney Vacation Club now has more than 15 resorts that span across the country in Florida, South Carolina, California and Hawaii. Point values have gone up quite a bit and decades of points have been spent making incredible memories. Let’s take a look at each of the Disney Vacation Club Resorts opening dates and a little bit of information about each property.
Disney Vacation Club Resorts Opening Dates In Order
Disney’s Old Key West Resort 1991
It’s the original and filled with Florida charm. Old Key West is quaint and relaxing with a neat Mickey water slide. The resort restaurant Olivia’s Cafe features Disney Vacation Club Member photos. Disney’s Old Key West Resort also has boat transportation to Disney Springs.
Disney’s Vero Beach Resort 1995
About two hours south of Walt Disney World Resort, Disney’s Vero Beach Resort is on the Atlantic Ocean. Relax in the sun and sand with a Mickey bar in hand! This property is home to Disney conservation efforts and has educational programs about sea turtles.
Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort 1996
South Carolina is home to Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort. This is about a four hour drive from Walt Disney World and is very woodsy in atmosphere. The beach is nearby along with great local dining options.
Disney’s Boardwalk Villas 1996
Disney’s Boardwalk Villas is close to Epcot and Hollywood Studios and offers boat transport to both. This charming, glitzy resort has its own actual boardwalk with neat dining and entertainment options. Disney’s BoardWalk Resort has views of Epcot fireworks and is just steps away from the park.
Boulder Ridge Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge 2000
Boulder Ridge is a rustic dream. It’s just a boat ride from Magic Kingdom, on the beautiful Bay Lake and surrounded by nature. The lobby for the DVC building here has a lovely fireplace and homage to Walt Disney’s love of trains.
Disney’s Beach Club Villas 2002
Beach Club has the best pool at Walt Disney World. There are great dining options at this resort and it’s just a few steps away from the International Gateway entrance of Epcot! Dining at Disney’s Beach Club Resort includes popular options like Beaches & Cream Soda Shop.
Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort 2004
Saratoga Springs has a beautiful view of and walkway to Disney Springs. This quiet, beautifully landscaped, pastel resort also has its own spa. Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa is also a great pick for golfers with its close proximity to a course and a pro shop.
Animal Kingdom Villas 2007
There’s truly nothing like Animal Kingdom with its own savanna and animals. The adventurous eater is at home here with so many different flavors. Animal Kingdom Lodge has one of the best lobbies at Disney World and the Kidani Village DVC building has an excellent pool and water play area for kids.
Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort 2009
Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort is a modern dream and just a short walk from Magic Kingdom. Monorail rides, firework views and the neat pool on Bay Lake are highlights. Bay Lake Tower also has access to some of the best restaurants at Disney World like California Grill.
The Villas at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel 2009
The Grand Californian is the first of just two DVC properties at Disneyland so far. The natural aesthetic is stunning and the lobby is gorgeous. Nothing beats how close this is to the parks with Disney California Adventure even having its own special entrance here. Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel and Spa is home to the Tenaya Stone Spa.
Aulani, Disney Vacation Club Villas 2011
Aulani brings the magic of Disney to Hawaii. With its own swimming cove on the ocean and amazing culinary experiences like a luau, Aulani is really something special. Enjoy unique treats like Mickey shave ice at this oceanside retreat.
The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort 2013
The Grand Floridian is among the most popular of the DVC resorts and with good reason. The neighboring Magic Kingdom location, eye-catching lobby and luxe dining experiences make it memorable. The Grand Floridian has a live piano player in the lobby each night and the marina is one of the best places to watch fireworks outside of the park.
Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows 2015
The Polynesian is a treasured, classic Disney resort. The palm trees, architecture and beachy location on the Seven Seas Lagoon bring a lot to this resort. With Dole Whip on hand and the popular restaurant ‘Ohana you can’t go wrong with a stay here. A new DVC tower is being built at the Polynesian resort that will massively increase the capacity for Members at this monorail loop resort.
Copper Creek Villas and Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge 2017
Copper Creek has a variety of rooms but also cabins on the waters of Bay Lake. They are absolutely gorgeous inside with an indoor/outdoor feel. Copper Creek rooms are surrounded by the resort’s two exciting pools. Lakefront dining is available at Geyser Point Bar and Grill where you can catch a glimpse of Magic Kingdom fireworks each night.
Disney’s Riviera Resort 2020
The Riviera Resort brings European charm to Disney Vacation Club. The studio rooms have views of Epcot’s fireworks and the Skyliner stop here makes it very convenient to get around Disney property. Rivera has delicious dining options like the chic rooftop Topolino’s Terrace.
The list of Disney Vacation Club Resorts opening dates keeps growing as more home resorts are added.
The following upcoming DVC resorts have been announced.
The Villas at Disneyland Hotel 2023
The iconic Disneyland Hotel joins Disney Vacation Club with a brand new tower in 2023. The Villas at Disneyland Hotel has everything from efficient studios for two to ultra luxurious three bedroom grand villas. The rooms are themed to Disney classics like The Jungle Book, Sleeping Beauty, Fantasia and The Princess and the Frog.
The Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort – A Disney Vacation Club Resort 2024
This proposed Disney Vacation Club resort will be the 17th DVC property! At The Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort – A Disney Vacation Club Resort, more than 350 new cabins will replace the existing ones at historic Fort Wilderness near Magic Kingdom. This location is a nature lover’s dream with plenty of outdoor fun and recreation like canoeing and horseback riding.
What ever happened to Reflections DVC?
If you’ve been following Disney Vacation Club news for a while you may have heard of another resort slated to be built in the Magic Kingdom area. Land clearing and some construction for Reflections: A Disney Lakeside Lodge was underway in early 2020. When the pandemic closed Disney World and time passed, the future of Reflections became unclear. Construction never resumed and we have not had any updates on this property in years. The Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort popped up as a surprise considering Reflections was supposed to be built at, or next to, this property.
Other Non Disney Vacation Club Resorts
Is the hotel you were thinking of missing from this list? There are more Disney resort hotels but they are not part of the Disney Vacation Club timeshare. At least, not yet. DVC resorts were all in the Deluxe tier of resorts until the announcement of The Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort – A Disney Vacation Club Resort. This property is unique and kind of in a category of its own but the cabins are considered a moderate. There are other Value and Moderate tier resorts at Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland Resort and other Disney destinations.
Value resorts at Walt Disney World include Disney’s Pop Century Resort, Disney’s All-Star Music Resort, Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort, Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort and Disney’s Art of Animation Resort. Moderate resorts at Disney World include Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, Disney’s Port Orleans Resort Riverside, Disney’s Port Orleans Resort French Quarter and Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort. The Gran Destino Tower at Coronado Springs really looks like it could be a DVC addition but it’s not. This resort does not have a DVC property at this time.
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