Disney's Vacation Club Resorts

As well as their regular Resorts, Disney also have the Disney Vacation Club which is a vacation ownership (a type of timeshare) scheme with over 89,000 member families. Unlike some timeshare programs, which lock you into a particular sized unit for a specific time of the year, with the Disney Vacation Club, it works on a points system which gives you more flexibility in terms of when and where you stay.

Membership to the Vacation Club gives you access to over 500 destinations around the world including eight Resorts in Walt Disney World, and two nearby Atlantic beach Resorts (one in Florida and the other in South Carolina). The Villas at Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa are due to open in the Fall of 2009 and others are planned for far away destinations like Hawaii.

Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas
© Walt Disney World

However, even if you are not a member of the Disney Vacation Club, you can still stay in one of their Vacation Club Resorts if units are available.

The Vacation homes consist of one-, two- and three-bedroom studios and villa apartments and have fully equipped kitchens and separate bedrooms. They typically sleep between 4 and 8 people but some can sleep up to 12.

Disney Vacation Club Resort Room Rates

Prices start from $269 per night for 2009/2010 in the low (value) season in the smallest villa up to $2,215 in the holiday season (excluding taxes) for the largest villa based on two adults in the room but prices do vary quite considerably by resort.

If you have a large family group or want more flexibility in terms in terms of eating and coming and going as you please, then a Vacation Club Resort can be a good choice.

Disney's Beach Club Villas and Disney's BoardWalk Villas are situated near Epcot, the new Bay Lake Tower and The Villas at Disney's Wilderness Lodge are in the Magic Kingdom Resort area, the Animal Kingdom Villas (Jambo House and Kidani Village) are close to the Animal Kingdom and Disney's Old Key West Resort and Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa are both in the Downtown Disney Resort Area.

Like the Disney Deluxe Resorts, most Vacation Club Resorts also have full table service restaurants, a lounge bar and snack bars located by the swimming pools, gift shops and health clubs.

There are both adult and children's swimming pools with water slides and spas and there is also access to other activities such as boating.

Disney Seasons

For 2009/2010, Disney have defined five seasons for their Vacation Club Resorts; note there is no Summer season for the Vacation Club resorts:

• Value season runs from January 1 to February 12, from July 19 to October 1 and from November 29 to December 17
• Regular season runs April 19 (after Easter) to July 18 and from October 2 to November 28 (after Thanksgiving)
• Peak season runs from February 13 until April 3 (after Easter)
• Easter season runs from April 4 to April 18
• Holiday season runs from mid December until the end of December

Read our reviews of all the Walt Disney World Vacation Club Resort hotels - Disney's Beach Club Villas, Disney's BoardWalk Villas, Bay Lake Tower, The Villas at Disney's Wilderness Lodge, Animal Kingdom Villas Jambo House, Animal Kingdom Villas Kidani Village, Disney's Old Key West Resort and Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa.