If you haven't noticed, and, let's face it you have, Walt Disney is pretty proud of their Disney Vacation Club (DVC for short). You see advertisements for it practically everywhere at Walt Disney World Resort - stickers, pins, kiosks, billboards, bus sides, and a dedicated TV channel. Unfortunately, Disney, in an attempt to keep their slogan short, sweet, and to the point, has resulted in most of these advertisements telling you nothing other than that the Disney Vacation Club is just for you - but is it? Here are a few ways to tell.
Do you have the money?
First and foremost, do you have the money to pay for a Disney Vacation Club membership? Disney claims that they will save you up to 70% with this program, but if you read all of the fine print and such, it may not be true for you. If you have to go into debt, or start a Disney Vacation Club finance contract to pay for your membership, it's a bad idea. You'll lose any savings you might earn as a member of the DVC in the interest alone. Of course, only you, not the Disney marketers know this.
Is the upgrade in accommodations worth it?
This depends on who you are - there is a good chance that you are fine with the accommodations you already have at Walt Disney World Resort. Mouse Keeping is convenient, and it's just you and a friend, so there is plenty of room. If you have a large family who loves Disney - and after all, who doesn't? - who loves to go on Disney vacations together, you may find the upgrade in accommodations invaluable, on account of the kitchen, in-room-Internet, and available laundry facilities. If you like the idea of vacationing at a home away from home, then you will most certainly find the upgrade in accommodations worth the money.
Planning Ahead
Being a member of the DVC requires you to plan your vacations ahead of time, big time. For example, most resorts are booked solid 6 - 7 - 8 months in advance. Not only that, but in order to make the cost of your DVC membership worthwhile, you and your family will need to guarantee that they will take 1 Walt Disney World of Disneyland vacation every 3 years for the next... oh, say... about 40 years. The DVC features a banking and borrowing system that keeps this number from being one Disney vacation every year. If you cannot commit to this, the DVC will not be worth the time and money that you invest in it.
Ultimately, the choice is yours. Besides getting the program itself, being a DVC member means that you get access to special DVC "members-only" events and such throughout the year. You also get a discount on the Annual Pass. Keep in mind that DVC is a program whose goal is to make Disney vacations more appealing to Disney fans - partially pre-paying for Disney vacations for practically the rest of your life. This sounds like a ridiculous concept, but keep in mind that it wouldn't exist if it were not right for many, many folks. Really do your research and talk with some people who have the DVC or some of the nice Disney Employees at one of the DVC kiosks before making your decision. You may be surprised at what you find.
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