Activities You Should Try at DVC Resorts

When you visit a Disney Vacation Club resort frequently, you’ll find yourself spending more and more time at the hotel itself. Even the most diehard Disney theme park fans – and I’m one – eventually seek other distractions during a vacation.

Hotel management understands this behavior and has anticipated it. Here are several Disney activities you should try at some point during a DVC resort stay.

Go Gaming

Most DVC resorts offer some sort of arcade room. Generally, DVC members don’t realize this until stormy weather makes the theme parks untenable. In fact, during hurricane closures, Disney makes its arcades free for guests to play.

All of them are quite good. We’re not talking about Dave & Buster’s or anything, but most DVC resort arcades offer at least six arcade games, most of which are high-quality titles. 

You can purchase game cards with credits on them and then play full-wall Space Invaders to your heart’s content. Here’s the arcade at Disney’s Beach Club Resort:

Then, we have locations like The Game Station at Disney’s Bay Lake Tower. This place is probably better than the local arcade in your area. Seriously, check this out:

If you’re a gamer, this arcade is almost as good as visiting a theme park. 

Movies Under the Stars

My favorite resort activity by far is Movies Under the Stars. Almost all DVC hotels offer this event multiple times a week. You can usually count on it occurring every other night.

On these evenings, cast members wheel out a giant digital projection screen, one you can watch from far away. During the event, Disney plays one of your favorite animated classics or a 21st-century hit. Notably, you’ll sometimes discover titles that are still in theaters or only recently available on Vudu/Amazon or Disney+. 

I can tell you that Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort will host Movies Under the Stars on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday during February 2023. 

This resort’s current movie rotation includes Frozen II, 101 Dalmatians, Lightyear, and Hercules. The movie selection does vary by hotel, though.

The best part of Movies Under the Stars is its familial, communal nature. People bring picnic baskets and a blanket and simply bask in the ambiance of a DVC resort. It’s a terrific place to relish a Disney vacation with absolutely none of the stress. 

Here’s some video of what the projection screen looks like:

Rent a Boat 

Here’s something I’ve never personally done. My sister used to own a house on the lake, and she would take us on boat rides around the area. Imagine a family get-together like that, only at Disney!

That’s how you’ll feel when you rent a boat at DVC resort on the water. Probably the most famous example can be found when staying at Bay Lake Tower. The aquatic facility rents small boats at a cost of $45 per half-hour.  

For that price, you can sail around Bay Lake and Seven Seas Lagoon. Disney will obviously make you wear a life jacket for your own safety, and you’ll need to sign a waiver. I haven’t done it because I have zero experience driving a boat and don’t really want to learn. 

However, riding on the lakes by the monorail resorts strikes me as one of the most incredible experiences imaginable. These waters remain one of the most exclusive parts of the Walt Disney World campus. You can see the parks and resorts in a way that you never have before!

Spa Day 

Three different DVC resorts include the word spa in the title. Have you ever taken a spa day during your Disney vacation, though? 

Most people answer no because of the time constraint. You’re tying up at least three hours of your day when you book a DVC spa visit. Disney suggests that you arrive at least 30 minutes early, but the schedules often run late. So, there is a time investment.

Then again, who cares about abstract concepts like time when you’re luxuriating during a spa day at Senses Spa or Tenaya Stone Spa? You’ll receive posh treatment as a trained expert caters to your every need. It’s one of the most decadent things you can do at Disney. You’ll never regret a Disney spa day!

Take a Surrey Bike Ride

Several DVC resorts like Disney’s BoardWalk Villas and Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa have themed their campuses as throwbacks to previous family vacation destinations. Surrey Bikes enhance this vibe, especially for fans of the musical Oklahoma. 

Yes, you can enjoy the surrey with the fringe on top at several DVC resorts. It’s a throwback kind of covered dual bicycle. My favorite location for this activity is Disney’s Old Key West Resort. 

You can rent a surrey bike here for about $20 per person for 30 minutes of use, and Disney does offer DVC discounts for the activity. The best part is that you’ll crisscross the hotel campus in a novel way that’s sure to attract attention from other guests! Plus, you’ll burn a few calories!

Access all DVC resale listings and learn more about buying and selling with DVC Resale Market.