Best of DVC in 2024

Happy holidays, my many loves! I hope that you’re spending the last few days of the year with your ‘ohana and feeling the warm embrace of the family you have and the family you’ve chosen. 

Since we’ve reached the final few days of the year, it’s time to take a look back at one of the most memorable years ever. Here’s the best of the Disney Vacation Club in 2024.

The Cabins at Fort Wilderness Resort Debut

A few years ago, I had the pleasure of taking my in-laws to Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue as part of their 50th anniversary vacation. While we walked around Fort Wilderness, I couldn’t help but feel bittersweet about the place. It’s a wonderful playground for children and adults alike.

Sadly, not many Walt Disney World guests ever visit here, though. As of this past summer, DVC members have discovered its greatness, though. The Cabins at Fort Wilderness Resort joined the DVC lineup then and immediately became one of the most stylish places to visit. 

Don’t take my word for it. Here’s current WWE tag team champion Johnny Gargano, his wife, Candice Lerae, and their small son, Quill, staying at the hotel.

Notice the way Quill’s eyes light up on that bunk bed. His palpable joy exemplifies the happiness DVC members have discovered in these Cabins. They’re standalone tiny houses that empower us to feel like our family is alone at Disney. 

This is one of the most innovative DVC additions ever. In addition, staying here incentivizes DVC owners to explore Fort Wilderness more. You’ll find countless thrilling outdoor activities here. 

Disney Expansion and Other Improvements

During 2024, Disney’s American theme parks opened two versions of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, rebooted Country Bear Musical Jamboree, and announced several upcoming expansion plans. We’ll focus on that last one in just a moment, but let’s forget the other theme park changes in 2024.

For starters, the Disney Dining Plan returned, as did Park Hopping in its true form, not the modified version used during the pandemic. Disney removed the need for theme park reservations with date-based admission tickets. 

Since those tickets are standard now, Disney effectively abolished theme park reservations for most guests. You may have forgotten, but 2024 proved seminal for Disney theme parks returning to normal after a few shaky years. 

Somehow, that’s not the best part, though. Disney also confirmed several expansion projects in the offing, all of which will fundamentally change upcoming theme park visits. 

Every American Disney theme park will add new attractions over the next few years. Highlights include an Avatar area and boat ride, a Coco boat ride, a Cars thrill ride, a Monsters, Inc. roller coaster, and an entire themed land based on Disney Villains.

Disney announced the closure of Muppet*Vision 3D but offset the move by moving the Muppets elsewhere. Basically, Aerosmith will end its world tour with The Muppets as the replacement. They’ll become the new stars of Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster. 

We already knew about other staggering improvements like the Tropical Americas at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. However, Disney provided more context about the new attractions coming here, one of which is the magical Casita Madrigal from Encanto. 

Disney Cruise Line has also gotten into the action by promising it will more than double its fleet by 2031. In fact, DCL just hosted the maiden voyage of the Disney Treasure. Now, the Disney Adventure and Disney Destiny will set sail in 2025. DCL consisted of just one or two ships during its first 12 years. By 2031, the fleet will expand to 13! 

Disney is investing in the future of its parks, resorts, and cruise ships. As DVC members, we benefit the most from these expansions.

The Island Tower

This one’s a late entry to the list, but it’s clearly one of the most important highlights of 2024. When Walt Disney World opened in 1971, two resorts hosted guests. Both those properties, Disney’s Contemporary Resort and Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, later joined the DVC program. 

While I’m an evangelist for the Polynesian, a percentage of members immediately locked onto a singular complaint. There’s no mid-tier option in the classic Studios, Instead, guests choose between a Studio or an expensive Two-Bedroom Bungalow. 

Then, DVC announced an expansion tower on the hotel campus. Management tore down Luau Cove and constructed the new facility, which opened on December 17th. Here’s The Island Tower at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort:

In reading other comments across the internet, there’s a pervasive sense of shock. For whatever reason, people underestimated Disney’s ability to deliver a beautiful new tower that fits the Polynesian’s vibe. They were way off-base here, as the Island Tower features breathtaking designs. It has a unique style and vibe, too. 

This new facility looks like a masterstroke, and it even comes with a hidden benefit. Due to the Island Tower’s location, it shortens the walk to Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa.

The Switch to Quarterly Membership Meetings

Here’s a small update that’s actually a mandate from Florida’s government. The state negated annual meetings as an option for qualifying programs such as condos and DVC. 

So, Disney has dutifully switched to quarterly meetings. Folks, they’re better. Like, I’m shocked at how much better these meetings are for membership communication. The reality is that we live in a constant news cycle. Waiting a year between meetings simply isn’t satisfactory. 

Now, Disney interacts with owners at several properties each quarter. The end result is that we learn much more about DVC’s plans for improving each resort. We also find out more specifics about refurbishments. 

Management hosts Q&A sessions that have already led to a host of insights about the program’s minutiae as well. In short, the new quarterly meetings guarantee that members feel fully informed about their Home Resorts. 

The Undead DVC Resort 

“What is dead may never die!” The Game of Thrones quote feels applicable here, as DVC Resale Market has covered the rise and fall of Reflections: A Disney Lakeside Lodge. 

Announced at a D23 panel in 2018, this DVC hotel promised a nature setting by the waters of Bay Lake. Members instantly identified the location as the former home to Disney’s River Country, a water park lost to history. 

Fans excitedly tracked the groundbreaking ceremony at the resort, but then the pandemic crushed our hopes and dreams. Disney cut nearly $1 billion in capital expenditures during the early days of COVID-19. Reflections was one of the earliest losses.

Since then, we tracked Disney filing the paperwork to shut down the build at Reflections. All hope seemed lost at that point, but something strange happened along the way. Disney never fully abandoned the idea.

Construction site of Disney’s Lakeside Lodge (Photo Credit: WDW News Today)

Earlier in 2024, eagle-eyed reporters noticed a filing on this land. Sure enough, DVC had once again decided to build this hotel. Now named Disney Lakeshore Lodge, this resort’s broad strokes seem eerily similar to Lakeside Lodge. 

We’ll track the story for the next two years, as Disney indicates an opening date of 2027. So, even after more than six years, we’re still in the early stages of this development. On the bright side, we already know one of the DVC highlights of 2027!