It’s possible to save thousands of dollars on deluxe Disney resort hotel stays with Disney Vacation Club. Becoming a member can mean different things depending on how and where you buy your contract. With Disney Vacation Club resale, the savings are even better when compared to buying directly from Disney. However, it does not include everything you get when you buy from Disney directly. So what does Disney Vacation Club include? Let’s go over the different options depending on the details of your purchase.

What is included with Disney Vacation Club?

There is more than one way to buy Disney Vacation Club. Where you buy determines what's included.

• You can go through Disney directly and purchase from Disney Vacation Club.
• You can also purchase from a member who has chosen to sell their contract. As you can imagine, these can cost much less than the Disney DVC direct contracts. Resale contracts don't include all the perks though.

So what does a each kind of Disney Vacation Club membership come with?

When you purchase a Disney Vacation Club membership, you are purchasing future Disney resort hotel stays. You’re guaranteed a certain number of points each year. The number of points you purchase populates every year for you to use, allowing you to book stays at your home resort or other properties if you’re eligible.

Direct contracts allow you to book at other resorts based on availability.

Resale contracts allow you to book at other resorts if you purchase at one of the original 14 DVC resorts. Owning at one of those allows you to book at the other 13 in that category. Basically if you buy at Riviera, Disneyland Hotel or Fort Wilderness Cabins, you can't book outside of your home resort. You can't book at those newer properties with resale unless you own at them. There's still a lot of room for flexibility if you purchase at one of the resorts before Disney's Riviera Resort. Resale contracts Riviera and later offer the most time on the contract though.

Are annual passes included with Disney Vacation Club?

Annual passes are not included with Disney Vacation Club no matter how you purchase. Many years ago there may have been promotional opportunities where DVC members were provided with annual passes or tickets. That kind of opportunity has not been around for a long time.

Depending on how you purchase your contract, you may have the opportunity to purchase an annual pass for a lower cost. Disney Vacation Club owners have access to the Sorcerer level Disney annual pass. This is otherwise just for Florida residents. When you do the math, the amount you save with resale could be much more than what the ability to purchase the DVC annual pass saves you. This is also a type of benefit that can go away and has in the recent past.

Is there an annual pass discount for direct Disney Vacation Club members?

In the past, Disney Vacation Club members were able to purchase an annual pass at a discounted rate. This was a huge consideration in joining for many members. The savings could really add up if you had a family of four or five especially. Things changed a few years ago and while there is a special incentive on annual passes for DVC members, it’s questionable if it still has value.

Instead of a DVC discount on annual passes, DVC members are now given access to purchase the equivalent of a certain Florida resident pass. The Sorcerer Pass has blackout dates but only during a couple of the busiest periods throughout the year. The option for DVC members is sometimes referred to as a DVC Sorcerer Pass. Disney has said it will continue to be available, beyond when the Florida Resident Sorcerer Pass is, if sales were to be paused.

This isn’t a perk at all for DVC members who are Florida residents and already have access to buying this pass.

Does DVC come with special events?

You may have seen that there are special Disney Vacation Club member events inside Disney theme parks. These are exclusive member events where special entertainment and food may be available. Wait times might be shorter and a special firework show might be shown at these DVC events. Not all members have access to these. However, they're not guaranteed even to those who have access and member opportunities like these sometimes come at an extra cost.

First, you have to meet the minimum threshold for points available if you’re becoming a member. Membership Extras, as these kinds of perks are called, are only available to those who purchase 150 points directly from Disney. This is the current number of points needed for this. Those who purchased in the past may have been eligible by purchasing a smaller number of points. That minimum number could go up in the future. Yes, it’s possible to purchase 100 points from Disney. That alone does not make new members eligible for membership extras though. They must have the minimum of 150 points.

When you purchase a DVC resale contract, you can save an exciting amount of money. The Disney timeshare works nearly the same. There are just a few restrictions you'll need to be aware of first. Membership Extras is the big one. No amount of resale points qualifies you for Membership Extras. You can purchase 150 points or more on the resale market but you will not be able to attend DVC events, special cruises, or the Disney Vacation Club lounges.

If you purchase Disney Vacation Club from Disney, and meet the 150 point minimum, Disney Vacation Club has Membership Extras and the special set of perks that includes.

It’s good to be aware that purchasing 150 points from DVC directly makes you eligible for Membership Extras if that's important to you. These aren't technically included though as they're considered incidental and can go away.

Also good to note, when you’re eligible for Membership Extras there may be additional costs not included in your contract price or annual dues. For example, being eligible for DVC member cruises only gives you the option to book it and these are not typically found at discounted rates. When there are DVC events, you may need to have a room booked already, using your DVC points, in order to attend. Membership Extras can also include DVC member previews. The catch is that you may need to have a room booked for these as well. Sometimes, you need to have had it booked by a certain date in order to be eligible. The thing to know is, just because DVC direct can include access to Membership Extras, it doesn’t mean you’ll actually get to use them.

DVC Includes Pool Hopping When Available

Something that is included with Disney Vacation Club is DVC pool hopping. This gives Members the opportunity to enjoy pools at other resorts when they are staying on their points. Disney says:

"Complimentary alternative pool use (pool hopping) is not considered a Membership Extra. This benefit is offered to all Disney Vacation Club Members, regardless of how they purchased."

Unfortunately, pool hopping at DVC resorts is one of the things that did not come back after the pandemic. While some offerings have been completely removed from Disney's websites, others are listed as temporarily unavailable or something similar.

Right now, "Pool hopping is currently suspended." However, if and when this changes, DVC pool hopping is included with Disney Vacation Club, regardless of if you own direct, resale or a combination of both kinds of points.

How much time is included with DVC?

Something else to consider is the length of a DVC contract. There is sometimes confusion about how long DVC contracts are. Whether you buy a brand new contract from Disney Vacation Club directly, or a contract from another member, your resort determines the length of your contract.

All DVC contracts at a resort end at the same time.

There is one exception to this rule. Disney’s Old Key West Resort offered contract extensions at one point. For those who opted in, an additional 15 years was offered for purchase. This means you have the opportunity to purchase a contract that expires in 2042 or 2057 at Disney’s Old Key West Resort.

At all other DVC resorts, the DVC resort deed expirations are the same. It will be January 31 of the year it expires. The length of a contract determines how many years of vacations you get.

DVC Resale Experts Can Help

DVC Resale Experts is a licensed real estate broker with a team that specializes in resale DVC. Whether you’re adding on points, buying or selling Disney Vacation Club, the Experts can help you find the right price to place a bid with or list your contract for. Our independent, licensed real estate agents are former Disney Vacation Club Guides. They have decades of pixie dusted experience selling DVC and delight in providing excellent service to their clients. The Experts have seen it all and are happy to answer your questions throughout the process.

DVC resale prices can pleasantly surprise members interested in selling DVC. See our resale DVC listings for a look at real time availability and pricing.

Ready to sell DVC? Get in touch for a complimentary valuation of your specific contract today. There may be someone waiting on our Buyer Wish List for a contract just like yours.