In spite of several informational kiosks sprinkled throughout Disneyland Resort and a gorgeous new resort nestled in an idyllic beachfront location on the island of Oahu in Hawaii, Disney Vacation Club (also known as DVC) is still arguably Disney’s best kept secret here on the West Coast.
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| DVC members book spacious, luxury accommodations to suit their needs. |
If you’re not familiar with DVC, it is a flexible vacation ownership program that’s a convenient and cost-effective way for members to see the world while staying in top-notch, family-friendly accommodations —now and for years to come. It is based on a Vacation Points system. Members receive an annual allotment of points—based on the size of the real estate interest purchased—to use toward stays at Disney Vacation Club Resorts and more than 500 other destinations worldwide, as well as for voyages on the Disney Cruise Line. The more points you own, the more days or bigger the accommodations you can enjoy, and each year means a new allotment of points. Members can also “save” for special vacations that require more points than their yearly allotment by banking them from one year to the next, or by borrowing some of next year’s points for a trip this year.
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| Vacation Points can be used for sailings on the Disney Cruise Line. |
My husband and I spent many years staying at nearby “Good Neighbor Hotel” properties in the vicinity of the Disneyland Resort, and while they usually met our needs, we hated having to leave the magic and convenience of the resort every night. When we heard that a Disney Vacation Club Resort was to be built at Disneyland, it felt like membership was still a pipe dream. We didn’t even consider it as something that could be financially feasible for us as a young couple, and our idea of a timeshare was being forced to pick one or two specific weeks a year to stay at the same property for every vacation, which also didn’t fit our lifestyle.
During a visit to Walt Disney World in 2009, we scheduled a meeting with a DVC Guide. Quite honestly, we went into it with absolutely no expectations to become members and only struck up a conversation with the Cast Member at a DVC kiosk because we wanted to check out his pin lanyard! He offered us FASTPASS vouchers in exchange for an hour of our time, so we figured we had nothing to lose.We were pleasantly surprised by the no-pressure sales experience and friendly customer service (not to mention the free Milano cookies and Diet Coke). He talked with us about our vacation habits and explained simply and specifically how we could benefit from membership in DVC—including what we could reasonably afford and how to finance our purchase through Disney. It was certainly not the high-pressure, lock-the-doors-until-you-sign atmosphere we’d experienced with other timeshare programs. He helped us understand how customizable the DVC experience is, from where you stay, to when you stay, to how you stay—that is, the size of your accommodation and how you like to spend your time while there.
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| We love seeing the parks through the eyes of our son. |
We were proud members of DVC before that trip was over, and our “home resort” for those initial points is the Villas at Disney’s Grand Californian Resort & Spa, where we can book stays 11 months in advance. As frequent Disneyland-goers who enjoy staying close to the parks, we saw why essentially pre-paying for 50 years’ worth of vacations in spacious, luxury accommodations (and not just on Disney property) at a fraction of the cost would be a great investment. DVC membership made sense for us even then, as a couple without children of our own. Now that we have our son, we appreciate even more the amazing amenities and benefits DVC properties have to offer, specifically the Villas at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, which is where our family stays most frequently.
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| The view from a fifth floor Villa balcony at the Grand Californian. |
Proximity:
Disney Vacation Club Villas place you as close to the action and magic of the parks as possible. The Villas at the Grand Californian are located directly adjacent to Disney California Adventure Park, and there is a private entrance into the park especially for hotel guests. All of the Villas have outstanding views—either of the sparkling pools or of the park itself!
Disney Vacation Club Villas place you as close to the action and magic of the parks as possible. The Villas at the Grand Californian are located directly adjacent to Disney California Adventure Park, and there is a private entrance into the park especially for hotel guests. All of the Villas have outstanding views—either of the sparkling pools or of the park itself!
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| Pictured here is a Deluxe Studio, which sleeps four adults. |
Space: Units at the Villas at the Grand Californian come in a variety of sizes, from a Deluxe Studio, which sleeps four, to the Grand Villa, which sleeps 12. As a family of three who often travels with our extended family or friends, we typically reserve a One-Bedroom Villa, which sleeps five adults plus a baby or toddler in a portable crib (provided in every Villa). Even the smallest Villa is larger than a standard hotel room, and the Two-Bedroom Villa, which sleeps nine adults, has three full bathrooms! All Villas larger than a Deluxe Studio have an in-room washer and dryer—a definite plus for travelers with kids or those on longer stays.
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| Larger Villas at the Grand Californian offer kitchens like this. |
Kitchen or dinette: Every Villa has either a dinette with a sink, mini refrigerator, microwave, toaster, coffee maker, plates and flatware or a full kitchen with an oven, stove, dishwasher, dining table, and everything necessary to cook and serve a meal right there in your room! Groceries can even be pre-ordered from a local store and delivered to your Villa upon arrival. There are also gas barbeques on the property so you can grill your own food. Having a kitchen at your disposal is a big money saver and in-room dining can be much more relaxing than wrangling a toddler (or two) at a restaurant after a long day of fun at the parks. Every Villa that has a kitchen/dining area comes equipped with a restaurant-style high chair, as well.
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| The dining table comfortably seats eight to ten people. |
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| The master suite includes a large shower and jetted tub. |
Luxury: Disney’s attention to detail and theming is apparent in every Villa. The Villas at the Grand Californian feature the same decor as the hotel rooms in the original structure and continue the Californian Craftsman motif—with that signature touch of Disney sprinkled throughout in the art, carpeting, bedding and wallpaper. These are gorgeously-appointed, modern accommodations with all the comforts of home…and then some! A One-Bedroom Villa has granite countertops, modern stainless steel appliances, two flat-screen LCD televisions, and a walk-in shower and jetted tub in the master suite.
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| The Grand Villas at Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa in Hawaii feature mirror TV technology. |
Recreation: Aside from the 4,000 square-foot fitness center, Mandara Spa, three pools, a Redwood Tree-themed water slide, and poolside bar service, the Villas at the Grand Californian boast a variety of recreation opportunities for kids and teens. The Grizzly Game Arcade is conveniently located along the corridor to the wing of Villas, as is Pinocchio’s Workshope, a childcare facility offering crafts, games, story time and videos under the supervision of trained staff members.
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| See World Of Color from the exclusive viewing deck. |
Perks and discounts: Being a part of Disney Vacation Club also means having access to many perks and discounts. Members save on select dining at Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort, in addition to discounts on spa treatments, watersports rentals and golf membership discounts at Walt Disney World Resort. Members also save on select merchandise, park tours, and Theme Park Annual Passes. As a member, you also receive several publications and digital communications to stay in the loop on the latest Disney Vacation Club news and previews of Disney events, attractions, and other exclusive sneak-peeks. Guests staying at the Villas at the Grand Californian have access to a private viewing deck that offers spectacular views of Paradise Pier by day and World of Color by night.
We enjoyed our DVC vacations so much that we later added on more Vacation Points to our membership to accommodate our growing family. We made Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa, our second home resort with advance booking priority. Aulani is located in the Ko Olina area of Oahu, Hawaii and opened in August of 2011. We visited Aulani for the first time this past October and were blown away by the resort. It was every bit as beautiful and respectful to Hawaiian culture as we anticipated from the promotional materials and commercials we’d seen. Only Disney can Imagineer a way to make tropical paradise even more magical! |
| All of the 21 Grand Villas at Aulani have oceanfront views. |
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| One of the water play areas at Aulani is pictured above. |
There is something for kids and adults of all ages at Aulani. Even babies can go for a float down the 900-foot-long lazy river on a raft with mom or dad or take a dip in one of the sprawling beach-like pools. School-age kids and teenagers will love the water playground, two water slides, and protected snorkeling reef. For adults, the infinity spa is the perfect place to take in the picturesque beachfront view with a Mai Tai in hand.
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| The two-tier infinity spa is the perfect spot to enjoy the Hawaiian sunset. |
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| This is the living room of a One-Bedroom Villa at Aulani. |
We stayed in a One-Bedroom Villa, and the layout was similar to the Villas in California, but a bit smaller and with only one bathroom. However, it was still ample space for the six of us because—let’s face it—when you’re in paradise, most of your time should be spent out enjoying it! We had access to a full kitchen with a dining table, which families with children will love. Costco and Target are just a few miles down the road and there is a market within walking distance, in addition to the shops on site at the resort. My son is one of those kids who can nap anywhere—the car, the stroller, a baby carrier—but the Villas are perfect for little ones who need to stick with their normal naptime routine. Portable cribs are available and the rooms and sliding glass doors are well insulated so noise from the water play areas below is undetectable to your snoozing little one.
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| My little “Russell”got to trick-or-treat at Aulani on Halloween. |
Our stay at Aulani was during Halloween, and the staff there went above and beyond to make sure the holiday was just as fun and memorable for families visiting the resort as it would be at home. There were over a dozen trick-or-treat stations throughout the resort for kids to show off their costumes and fill their treat bags, a family dance party, and special activities all day long.
After three years as DVC members, we’ve never had a moment of buyer’s remorse. We can’t wait to see the places that our membership will allow us to explore with our children (and maybe even grandchildren) in the years to come. Disney Vacation Club has a signature phrase when greeting members at DVC properties, whether it’s for the first time or the fiftieth—“Welcome Home.” Every time I hear it I smile, because it’s true. With DVC, we own a piece of the Disney magic that we can enjoy for decades to come, and the more memories we make at the Villas, the more it truly does feel like a pixie-dusted version of home.
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| My family made priceless memories on our first visit to Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa. |
For more information about Disney Vacation Club membership, feel free to call my DVC Guide, Rene Solorio, at (714) 956-6851. You can also check out this guest post for more on the ins and outs of membership or visit the Disney Vacation Club website.
You can find Courtney on Instagram and Twitter (@2courtney).
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I want to be a DVC member so badly! And Aulani looks like heaven. Great pics!
Thanks, Jessica! Becoming members was best travel decision we ever made! 🙂
Aulani is heaven on Oahu. I live in Hawaii and even I was amazed. I stayed on the hotel side and wish I could stay more frequently. I am not a DVC member yet, but after reading your blog you bet I’m going to give those DVC cast members the time of day. Mahalo!