Best DVC Winter Resorts

Not every Disney Vacation Club resort shines for the same reasons throughout the year. During the winter months, certain DVC resorts stand out with beautiful surroundings, seasonal activities, and relaxing amenities that make them especially memorable places to stay.

Aulani, Disney Vacation Club Villas 

For our purposes, we’re focusing on the start of the year, even if winter technically arrives in late December. We’ll save the holiday season for a future list. So, that rules out all the places you love for their Gingerbread-core looks. 

Instead, we’re presuming a January or February vacation, and let’s be honest. The layered look grows old fast. When you’re shoveling show, you’ll wish you were in warmer weather. Conveniently, EVERY resort in the DVC library resides in a warm-weather region. 

Personally, I consider Ko Olina, Hawaii, the best of them, though. I say this because the average high temperature in Ko Oline in January is 80 degrees, while the average low is 68 degrees. I can assure you that when 2027 rolls around, you will be wishing for 68-degree weather. That’s as cool as it gets at Aulani, which makes Aulani better than where you and I live in January.

I say all this before factoring in the beauty and splendor of the resort, as well as its on-site amenities and excursions. You’ll be turning your winter into a pleasant spring by visiting here. The only downside is that you must eventually return to your home, where you’ll once again be shoveling snow. 

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge

Realistically, most of us are more likely to vacation at a Disney theme park, though. Thankfully, the premise works largely the same. While Florida has experienced some unusual January cold spells recently, you’ll barely notice unless you’re a water park enthusiast. Disney tends to close those parks at the first sight of sub-45-degree temperatures. 

Otherwise, January and February in Central Florida embody the tourist’s dream. We can escape the everyday drudgery of winter and relish the Most Magical Place on Earth. And Animal Kingdom Lodge is better than most other DVC options.

I say this because Disney tends to keep this hotel warmer than the rest. The animals here prefer a more temperate climate, and so management obliges as much as it can. Similarly, when you stay at this resort, you’re likely to spend more time at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. As everyone knows, that park is the warmest one at Walt Disney World. 

So, you get cute animals and pleasant weather when you stay here. Frankly, Animal Kingdom is an ideal choice during all four seasons, but I like it the most in the winter. It can get too hot for me later in the year.

Disney’s BoardWalk Villas 

Then, we have another Walt Disney World theme park, one I’m picking for a different reason. The winter also signals the start of the EPCOT International Festival of the Arts. Longtime DVC members know the deal about this one.

Before this festival debuted, January was arguably the slowest month of the year. Nowadays, it’s a decidedly more popular time to visit. The logical explanation for the change is that fans love the Festival of the Arts, which will celebrate its tenth anniversary in 2027. 

When I first wrote about it here, this festival wasn’t even a daily event! Disney started it modestly, holding low expectations for the idea. Almost immediately afterward, everyone recognized that EPCOT had another hit festival on its hands. 

To maximize your festival enjoyment, you’ll want to stay at BoardWalk Villas. As diehard DVC fans know, you’ll get the best bang for your buck here in terms of DVC Points. Even better, you’ll be a short walk from your hotel room. This aspect will come in handy if you *ahem* overindulge at the Festival of the Arts.

The Villas at Disneyland Hotel 

Remarkably, the West Coast gets its own winter celebration, one based on the calendar. Okay, that’s vaguely true but not fully accurate. Disney California Adventure hosted its Lunar New Year festivities for a full month. The Lunar New Year actually occurred on a single date, February 17th. So, DCA stretches out the party a bit, which is always a good thing.

During the Lunar New Year, guests can eat all kinds of exclusive limited-time foods and drinks and buy some of Disney’s most visually interesting merch, too. Meanwhile, characters like Mei from Turning Red host character greetings. And did I mention that she’s in her Red Panda outfit?

Of course, you’ll also love a Disneyland Resort visit due to the weather. Anaheim, California, has proven more reliable with its temperatures, even though they’re a bit lower. In Orlando, the average high is 71, and the low is 50. Anaheim’s temperature ranges from 47 to 68. However, it’s less mercurial, allowing you to know what to pack. 

I will say that you should bring pants, as the chill from the ocean can get to you at night. Even so, you’re at The Happiest Place on Earth, and it’s better than trying to stay warm at home during the winter. You know it’s true!

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