Which DVC Resorts Are the Best for Walking Around?

Every Disney Vacation Club resort will dazzle you with its splendor. Disney Cast Members maintain the grounds to ensure that every step you take will amaze you. The sights and sounds at the various hotels will immerse you in the beauty of nature and the majesty of Disney. 

I warmly encourage you to explore every nook and cranny of the hotel where you’re staying and, if possible, even do some Resort Hopping at other properties. You’ll never go wrong visiting Disney’s most exquisite hotels. So, which DVC resorts are the best for walking around?

Disney’s Beach Club Villas

Obviously, there are no right or wrong answers here. The places you enjoy the most likely differ from mine, and that’s okay! We’re simply celebrating Disney and the DVC program today by evaluating a few locations where the vibes are immaculate. 

Let’s start with Disney’s Beach Club Villas, a place where you can feel the sand beneath your toes. Disney designed this property with an artificial beach as well as the overall beachy aesthetic.

So, when you roam the grounds here, you’ll get the same feeling that you would while vacationing at the beach. This sensation’s better, though, because you know that you’re only five minutes from EPCOT’s World Showcase!

To a larger point, the shipwreck, the swings, and other oceanfront elements of Beach Club add to its appeal. It’s such a fun place to lose yourself for an hour. Once you’re done, you go eat, drink, or shop at Disney’s BoardWalk, or you can re-enter EPCOT. There’s always a reason to walk with purpose here!

Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort 

As usual, I’m prioritizing Walt Disney World hotels since that’s where most DVC members usually stay. Still, I’d be remiss if I overlooked one of the best properties for nature-walking.

Technically, DVC offers several of them, including Disney’s Vero Beach Resort and Aulani, Disney Vacation Club Villas. Both made the shortlist before I settled on my favorite, Hilton Head. 

Frequent guests here know why, as it’s one of the most breathtaking hotels in the south. The combination of the surrounding trees and marshes creates a unique backdrop. 

When you study distant shots of Hilton Head Island, you realize it’s in the middle of nowhere, the place where the land ends. Disney’s landscaping geniuses have used this odd locale to their advantage, crafting a visually stunning campus. 

Since the hotel grounds stretch out so much, you’ll walk around here a lot, yet it never feels like an effort. In fact, that’s part of the southern charm of Hilton Head. Walking is encouraged here, with several shops relatively close to where you’re staying. We ditch our car at Hilton Head frequently. It’s that much fun to walk here. 

Disney’s Old Key West Resort 

I couldn’t very well leave off the classic Disney Vacation Club resort. Old Key West has been with us since the beginning, and it continues to be a fabulous place to hang out. 

Disney emphasizes casual sports here, as demonstrated by the tennis/pickleball courts and golf course. So, golfers are going to walk here no matter what. 

Meanwhile, hotel guests can follow along with the action by following various foursomes as they play through the Old Key West section of Disney’s Lake Buena Vista Golf Course. 

Besides, with this many hotel buildings at Old Key West, you’re going to walk sometimes anyway. When you’re in the Hospitality House section, you’ll eventually head over to The Gurgling Suitcase. 

Meanwhile, if you’re staying anywhere other than the Hospitality House, you WILL go to Olivia’s Café and Conch Flats General Store. During your walk, you cannot help but admire the throwback beauty of this campus. Ernest Hemingway would feel right at home here. 

Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort 

Since Walt Disney World debuted in 1971, park officials have directed guests to the Polynesian. This resort even hosted celebrities, dignitaries, and journalists for the grand opening ceremonies. At the time, executives believed the laid-back island vibe here exemplified the best of Disney.

More than half a century later, nothing has changed in terms of ambience. I say this despite the fact that the hotel grounds have changed dramatically over the past year. Disney introduced the Island Tower, which provides guests with a pristine view of Magic Kingdom.

Now, walking around the campus is even better than ever, which is really saying something since I already considered the Polynesian the gold standard in Disney vibes. This is THE best place to watch the nighttime fireworks when you’re not in the park. You’ll stand in the sand by the water, and you’ll gaze upon the starry skies. It’s as magical an evening as you can have on vacation. 

Disney’s Riviera Resort 

Here’s my current favorite hangout spot at Walt Disney World. It’s my lunchtime go-to when I’m spending a park day at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, as the food is notoriously not great there. 

Whenever I reach the Riviera via the oh-so-convenient Disney Skyliner, I always marvel at how much fun it is to walk around here. During our most recent visit, Donald Duck and Goofy arrived. We watched the two of them wander the hotel grounds, interacting with excited guests. Goofy even played oversized Chess against one of the children and was a sore loser to boot!

The genius of the Riviera’s design is that you can explore so much of the front-facing part of the hotel. It’s a glorious place to escape the parks for a couple of hours and decompress. 

Everyone is always having the best time, too, which is fitting. This hotel’s very existence pays tribute to Walt and Lillian Disney’s European vacations. When DVC members hang out here, we’re experiencing a Disney-fied version of their 1930s vacations!