It was 1991. Walt Disney World celebrated its 20th anniversary and the animated film Beauty and the Beast debuted to much success. Many memorable Disney World restaurants, shows and attractions opened like Sci-FI Dine-In, Muppetvision 3D and Spectromagic. It was quite a time for The Walt Disney Company. As the year came to a close, on December 20th, 1991, The Disney Vacation Club Resort opened. It all started with a.. single resort!
‘Memberships in the Disney Vacation Club will start at $11,730 and will be good for 50 years,’ the Orlando Sentinel printed. The paper went on to share property maintenance would be covered by ‘an annual fee of $500 to $700’ and ‘owners will receive free admission to the Magic Kingdom, Epcot Center and the Disney-MGM Studio Tour until Dec. 31, 1999.’ What a fun blast from the past. In original press releases the ‘197 luxury accomodations’ were referred to as ‘vacation homes.’ At launch, Disney Vacation Club points were priced at just about $50. Prices steadily rise every year and in 2007 DVC points first passed the $100 mark. The name was later changed to Old Key West in 1996.
In 2021, the resort got an upgrade with the Old Key West lobby refurbishment. The brightening up and modernizing of the space wasn’t fully celebrated as some fans preferred the classic, dark and wooden lobby. What’s been a delight since the beginning is Olivia’s Cafe. The homestyle food cooked just right makes it a favorite among Disney Vacation Club Members and Disney guests alike. Olivia’s Cafe has tasty grits and a brunch menu and seafood specialties like conch fritters and crab cakes. The Southernmost Buttermilk Chicken is the fried delight you’ll want to return for. For more of the culinary delights at this resort see our Old Key West dining guide.
Disney’s Old Key West Resort has a unique transportation offering with a boat taxi to Disney Springs. The lighthouse pool and Mickey water slide are treasured details at this resort. DVC Members love that the rooms at Old Key West are bigger than you’ll find at other resorts. Congratulations on 30 years to the resort that started Disney Vacation Club.Old Key West has been sold out for years but you can still become a member through resale DVC points. See the current DVC Resale Experts Old Key West listings and get in touch for more information.
