What is a Disney Timeshare and is it Worth Buying?

disney timeshare

Disney Vacation Club is perhaps one of the most popular timeshare brands among families, and of course, Disney adults. The Disney timeshare brand revolutionized vacation ownership as we know it today, offering flexible points-based ownership, special perks and discounts, and beautiful resort properties around the country.

Currently, there are fifteen DVC resorts. Each one dazzles owners with various unit sizes, fun amenities for everyone, world-class dining experiences, and even character appearances.

What is a Disney Timeshare?

Known as Disney Vacation Club, or DVC for short, Disney timeshares allow Disney lovers and families the ability to own a piece of their favorite resort with priority access to make reservations. Owners can stay in the top Disney resorts in Orlando, California, Hilton Head Island, Hawaii, or Vero Beach.

The first Disney Vacation Club property opened its doors in 1991 and has since massively grown with fifteen resorts across the United States. To become a member of the Disney Vacation Club, you can purchase DVC points while on a timeshare presentation or the DVC resale market.

Disney Vacation Club Timeshare Resorts

There are fifteen Disney timeshare resorts within the United States, eleven on Walt Disney World property in Orlando. When you buy a Disney timeshare, you select one of the resorts as your “Home resort,” which is the property where your ownership deed is.

Your home resort is the property you have priority booking access to, so choosing the one you plan to travel to the most is essential.

15 DVC Home Resorts

  • Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas – Orlando, Florida
  • Aulani, Disney Vacation Club Villas, Ko Olina, Hawai’i – O’ahu, Hawaii
  • Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort – Orlando, Florida
  • Disney’s Beach Club Villas – Orlando, Florida
  • Disney’s BoardWalk Villas – Orlando, Florida
  • Boulder Ridge Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge – Orlando, Florida
  • Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge – Orlando, Florida
  • The Villas at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel – Anaheim, California
  • The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort – Orlando, Florida
  • Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort – Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
  • Disney’s Old Key West Resort – Orlando, Florida
  • Polynesian Villas & Bungalows – Orlando, Florida
  • Disney’s Riviera Resort – Orlando, Florida
  • Saratoga Springs Resort – Orlando, Florida
  • Disney’s Vero Beach Resort – Vero Beach, Florida

Besides stellar locations, every DVC resort has a unique magical theme that transports guests with each atmosphere. For example, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas is a favorite because it makes guests feel like exploring the savannas on an African safari. With real exotic animals on the property, you can spot giraffes, zebras, flamingos, and more.

The newest resort to join the Disney timeshare portfolio is Disney’s Riviera Resort. The theme of the Riviera comes from the inspiration that Walt Disney himself found while he was visiting Europe’s Mediterranean coast. You’ll find grand archways, 20th-century furnishings, and various influences of the Mediterranean throughout the property. Of course, the best part of owning a Disney timeshare is using points to stay at any of the resorts and experience each of them.

How Disney Timeshare Works

Disney Vacation Club works by offering points-based ownership, meaning owners receive an annual allotment of points that they can spend like vacation currency. When you purchase a DVC timeshare, your contract indicates how many points you receive every year.

Things like your average party size, the time of year you prefer to travel, and which resort you plan to vacation to the most can determine how many points you will need. One of the benefits of DVC is the ability to also bank points that you don’t use for the year into next year’s allotment or borrow points from next year instead.

What is a DVC Use Year?

Every owner is assigned a “Use Year” when purchasing their DVC points. Despite what you may think, DVC Use Year refers to a month, not a year. Your Use Year (UY) is the month in which you receive your annual allotment of points. There are eight Use Years to consider: February, March, April, June, August, September, October, and December.

Not every resort offers the same Use Year contracts, but no Use Year is better than the other. Ideally, you’ll want to choose a Use Year that coincides with when you usually travel. Also, it’s best to travel as soon as possible once you enter your Use Year. That is because if you cancel your reservation within 30 days of check-in, your points will go into a holding account. When points enter a holding account, you must spend them by your next Use Year, or else they will expire.

You cannot bank points in your holding account and can only use them to make a reservation no more than 60 days in advance. DVC points are valuable, so you don’t want to let them go to waste!

Your Use Year also indicates when your points must be banked by if you choose to do so for the following year. For example, if you plan to bank your points, you must do so within the first eight months of your Use Year.

How Far in Advance Can You Make Reservations at a Disney Timeshare Resort?

Disney timeshare owners can make reservations up to 11 months before check-in at their Home resort. That’s why taking the time to choose your Home resort is so important! Often, Disney properties sell out fairly quickly, especially during the holiday seasons or spring. So if you’re hoping to make a reservation, say during Christmas week or New Year’s, you should plan to make your reservation in January.

If you plan on staying at a different resort other than your home resort, you only have up to seven months in advance to make reservations. Unfortunately, it’s not easy to make reservations outside your Home resort during highly popular seasons, so planning is key.

DVC Contract Expiration Dates

Some may see this as a drawback, but all DVC contracts have an expiration. Every owner that owns points at the BoardWalk resort, for example, will have an expiration date of 1/31/2042. Despite what you may think, it’s not because DVC sells right-to-use (RTU) timeshares. Disney Vacation Club leases land for each resort property from Disney Vacation Development, Inc. Every resort contract has the same expiration date for every owner, making Disney timeshares different from RTU timeshares.

Typically, every resort contract lasts up to 50 years from the time of opening.

ResortExpiration
Vero Beach Resort1/31/2042
Hilton Head Island Resort1/31/2042
BoardWalk Villas1/31/2042
Boulder Ridge at Wilderness Lodge1/31/2042
Beach Club Villas1/31/2042
Old Key West1/31/2042 – or – 1/31/2057
Saratoga Springs Resort1/31/2054
Animal Kingdom Villas1/31/2057
Bay Lake Tower1/31/2060
Grand Californian1/31/2060
Aulani1/31/2062
Grand Floridian1/31/2064
Polynesian1/31/2066
Copper Creek at Wilderness Lodge1/31/2068
Riviera Resort1/31/2070

No one knows what will happen when we approach these expiration dates. Also, Old Key West has two expiration dates listed because, in 2007, Disney gave owners the option to pay to extend their contracts for 15 years.

How Many Disney Timeshare Points Do You Need?

If you go on a Disney timeshare tour, the sales representative can help you best determine how many DVC points you will need. It’s best to research the DVC point charts that Disney releases every year, showing how much each resort costs in points during every season and unit type.

Some things to keep in mind when you are wondering how many DVC points you will need includes:

  • The season you are most likely to travel during every year. High seasons at Walt Disney World resorts include the holiday months, fall, and spring break. If you plan to make reservations during these times, expect to spend more on points.
  • The number of people traveling with you. Larger families will need more space, of course. One of the many benefits of Disney timeshare ownership is the spacious accommodations with multiple bedrooms, fully-equipped kitchens, and even living room areas.
  • The popularity or demand of your Home resort. The newer Disney Vacation Club properties tend to be in higher demand than others, so they cost more in points.

How to Buy a Disney Timeshare

If you decide that a Disney timeshare is worth it, you can buy DVC points directly from Disney Vacation Club. At every DVC property, there is usually a desk or kiosk in the main lobby where you can inquire about membership and sign up for a tour.

On a DVC timeshare tour, a sales representative will walk you through how the Disney timeshare program works, how to use DVC points, and even let you see inside of a DVC villa on the property. By the end of the presentation, you’ll be able to purchase right away and begin the closing process.

DVC Resales

Some savvy customers or repeat buyers will browse the DVC resale market before purchasing a Disney timeshare directly from DVC. You can find DVC resales for sale at a fraction of the cost instead of retail prices. However, it can take a bit more work on your end to find just what you’re looking for, as well as find a brokerage and title company to assist with the closing process.

Timeshare resales are a bit more complicated than traditional real estate. Before signing contracts, you have to verify all ownership details, find a reputable title company to hold funds in escrow, sign and notarize documents, go through the Right of First Refusal (ROFR), and more.

It’s best to use a licensed real estate brokerage specializing in timeshare resales, especially one that handles DVC resales in particular. You might find DVC points listed on eBay for $1, but once you send the contracts to Disney, they’re more likely to repurchase them during the ROFR review. Various forums online like Disboards.com or Tug2.net are great places to research the best timeshare resale companies or connect with owners looking to sell.

DVC Resale Restrictions

While buying a DVC resale is an excellent idea if you are looking to save some money, there are certain DVC resale restrictions to be aware of. In January 2019, Disney Vacation Club announced a major change to resale buyers.

If you purchased DVC points on the resale market now, you could only use them to make reservations at DVC properties built before the Riviera Resort. Furthermore, if you purchase Riviera points on the resale market, you can only use those points to make reservations at the Riviera.

DVC also announced that members must now own at least 150 points purchased directly from Disney to be eligible for a Blue Membership Card. A Blue Membership Card is what gives owners access to incredible discounts on dining and shopping, members-only lounges, and even booking access to the Disney Cruise Line with DVC points.

Wrap-Up: Is Buying a Disney Timeshare Worth It?

With any timeshare ownership, it’s unwise to consider purchasing for any financial benefits. Timeshares do not usually appreciate. Disney Vacation Club has shown promise on the resale market, with some owners even making a profit. However, making a profit should not be your end goal when you decide to purchase.

Disney lovers, families, and frequent travelers consider Disney Vacation Club worth it because they use it every year and reap considerable benefits. However, if you don’t think you’ll make reservations every year, or maybe you aren’t that big of a fan of Disney, it’s probably not a good idea to buy. Some families decide to sell their DVC points on the resale market.

However, Disney timeshare owners love owning a piece of their favorite resorts and experiencing the magic every year. With over 200,000 owners worldwide, it’s easy to see why DVC is one of the best vacation clubs out there.

This post originally appeared on Savoteur.

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Disney Timeshare

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Disney Timeshare

Learn about Disney Timeshare

About Disney

Disney Vacation Club is the timeshare for families, couples, and even solo travelers that love all things Disney. With seventeen resorts in DVC’s portfolio, owners can travel to Orlando, Vero Beach, Hawaii, Hilton Head Island, and California. Use Disney timeshare points to book at your Home resort for priority reservation windows, or travel to each resort until you reach them all! Not to mention, Disney timeshare resorts have luxurious and comfortable accommodations to welcome any size travel party.

15+ Resorts

Disney timeshare resorts each have different magical themes

5+ Destinations

Travel to DVC destinations in Orlando, California, Hilton Head Island, Vero Beach, and even Hawaii

Points-Based

You get to decide when, where, and for how long you want to vacation

II Exchange

Trade your DVC timeshare points for thousands of other options

What is Disney Vacation Club?

Disney Vacation Club is a timeshare ownership club under Disney Vacation Development. With regular Disney World travelers that retreat to the parks every year in Orlando and California, Disney Vacation Club brings the magic back to their accommodations with them. There are seventeen resorts within DVC’s portfolio, with twelve located in Orlando with direct access to the Walt Disney World theme parks.

How Disney Timeshare Works

Disney timeshare owners receive an annual allotment of points that equate to their deeded ownership. When you buy a Disney timeshare, you buy a unit at your Home resort, and the ownership is converted to DVC points. The amount of points you receive each year depends on multiple factors. This can vary by the popularity of your home resort, the unit size and type you own, season, and more.

Disney timeshare points are used like vacation currency. With your annual allotment, you will be able to spend points for vacations at any one of DVC’s resorts and at any time of year. Not to mention, your stays can vary based on how much space you will need, as well as how long you plan on vacationing. A reservation at Hilton Head Island for one weekend in a Studio will cost fewer points than a trip to the brand new Riviera Resort for an entire week in a three-bedroom villa. The flexibility and freedom owners are afforded to make Disney timeshare truly one of the best vacation clubs out there.

Not to mention, your Disney timeshare points can be banked and borrowed so they never go to waste. Not traveling this year? Bank your points to use next year on even more stays, or a longer vacation. Or perhaps you already spent your points, but you need just one more weekend getaway to refresh. That’s when borrowing points from next year’s allotment becomes useful.

Your Disney timeshare points can be banked and borrowed so they never go to waste. Not traveling this year? Bank your points to use next year on even more stays, or a longer vacation. Or perhaps you already spent your points, but you need just one more weekend getaway to refresh. That’s when borrowing points from next year’s allotment becomes useful.

Buying DVC can cost thousands of dollars. With that said, Disney Vacation Club is one of the most popular vacation clubs out there. What’s not to love about resorts nearby the best theme parks, or in the most sought-after destinations? For reference, as of 2024, Animal Kingdom Villas points are going for $210 per point when bought directly from DVC, while The Grand Floridian was going for about $230 per point. Depending on how many points you will want to buy can determine how much Disney Vacation Club will cost. Not to mention, timeshare maintenance fees are required to be paid every year and can vary depending on your point allotment. While buying these points directly from DVC can be pricy, you can save thousands of dollars on DVC points by purchasing them on the resale market.

How to Buy Disney Timeshare Points

When you're ready to buy Disney points, start with browsing the resale market. You can search for the top Disney resorts and filter by points, weeks, unit type, etc. The resale process can be complex, but our team of experts can assist you every step of the way. When you find a Disney timeshare that you want to buy, simply make an offer on one of the online forms or give us a call.

Search
Filter by season, points, resort, and more. Need help? Our representatives are standing by to answer any of your questions or help you set up a search for a Disney timeshare to buy.
Make Offer
Simply fill out the online form on any of the Disney timeshares for sale. Or, call us now at
1-800-610-2734.





Closing
Fidelity Real Estate is our Recommended Resale Brokerage and can assist with all closing services to help you seal the deal.




Own
Owning a Disney timeshare will change the way you vacation forever. Enjoy your savings, freedom, and flexibility.




Buy Disney Timeshare Resale

Buying a Disney timeshare resale can save you thousands of dollars versus buying directly from Disney. Browse by top Disney resorts, destinations, points, etc. What’s more, you have more flexibility when you peruse through Disney timeshare resales because you can take your time finding just what you’re looking for.

Finance Your Disney Timeshare Purchase

You don’t have to pay all at once. Our friends at Vacation Club Loans offer timeshare financing when you’re ready to make a purchase. Fast online approval, low-interest rates, and no prepayment penalty.

Couple on a tropical beach

Best Disney Resorts

Browse the top Disney timeshare resorts that owners love to go back to every vacation. From the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, to Hawaiian adventures at Aulani, the magic is brought to you wherever you go.

Our Trusted Network

Recommended Resale Brokerage

Once you accept an offer on your timeshare, we recommend using Fidelity Real Estate to navigate the closing and transfer process. They make the transaction stress-free, preparing all closing documents and transfer of timeshare out of your name with efficiency and security.

Preferred Timeshare Financing

Want to own a piece of a timeshare resort and make low monthly payments? We recommend Vacation Club Loan for your next timeshare purchase. Simply fill out an application, select your resort, and they will send funds to your escrow agent or title company at closing.

Popular Disney Timeshare Locations

Disney timeshares can be found in the world’s most sought-after vacation destinations. 

Sell Your Disney Timeshare

With over 30 years in business, Timeshares Only can help you post your Club Intrawest timeshare for sale or rent on the resale market. Contact us to get started today.

What Our Customers Say About Us

Our reviews say it all. We are trusted and recommended to help all owners sell their timeshares on the resale market safely.

Thanks... You guys were so easy to deal with and I'll let people know that they should sell their Disney Vacation Club with you... Take care...




5/5
by Sharon
Timeshares Only staff was great! They linked me to the company that quickly sold and transferred my Timeshare. They are knowledgeable and helpful.




5/5
by William and JoAnne
I contacted Timeshares Only after taking a tour in Las Vegas. They put me in contact with a licensed real estate broker and I ended up purchasing a property in Vegas and saved $5,000!!! Now that's a coupon LOL. I heard about buying from former owners through my sister.
5/5
by Denise
Timeshares Only made it easy to transfer ownership of our timeshare.






5/5
by Martin and Cherie
I was relieved my Bluegreen timeshare was acceptable for resale through the efficiency of my rep & staff who completed the transaction in the predicted time frame.



5/5
by Evelyn
Very fast and such an easy process to get rid of our timeshares! We couldn’t be happier with this service. Very thankful and satisfied! Definitely recommend!



5/5
by Karie and Jason

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