DVC Announces a Second Grand Californian Refurbishment

This week, the Disney Vacation Club mostly returned to the old ways. DVC returned to the previous method of Annual Condominium Association meetings, tacitly acknowledging that the quarterly meetings idea was a total bust.

During this week’s conversations, DVC announced a second phase of refurbishment at The Villas at Disney’s Grand Californian Resort & Spa. We also learned a bit more about some other aspects of DVC, including a refurbishment that’s ready to go! So, let’s quickly talk about the topics of the week.

The Grand Californian Tries Again 

As a rule, Disney doesn’t like to admit mistakes, which makes this week all the more notable. In addition to switching back to the annual meetings that we all prefer, Disney also acknowledged a second error. 

The refurbishment at the Grand Californian didn’t go quite as planned. While DVC made tremendous strides in achieving its stated goals, some plans fell by the wayside. Bill Diercksen, the Senior Vice President and General Manager of DVC, confessed this fact at the start of the meeting.

Disney’s Grand Californian Lobby

Notably, Diercksen led with this announcement before taking questions from members. It was obviously top of mind for him/DVC. According to the program leader, Disney erred on the side of caution with its refurbishment. The company understandably wanted to protect the craftsman style of architecture. It’s the underlying fundamental of the entire resort. Without it, the Grand Californian wouldn’t feel Californian at all.

Unfortunately, DVC members noted that the resort refurbishment fell far short of their expectations. Since this was a Hard Goods makeover, fans understandably shared great expectations for the project. After all, we only receive the Hard Goods refurbishment once every 14 years. So, owners feared that the current changes would hold until the late 2030s. 

Thankfully, DVC officials have heard your concerns and more than a few complaints. So, during the second half of 2026, Disney will try again. Specifically, Diercksen promised that this targeted refurbishment will prioritize the bathrooms. Members universally agreed that Disney could have done better there…and now they will! 

Disney’s Grand Californian 1-Bedroom Villa Bathroom

That’s the only confirmed change thus far, although I know many of you lament the current state of the kitchenettes. Generally speaking, the interior design could use a bit of sprucing, too. It sounds like Disney knows that it needs to reevaluate the rooms based on membership feedback. 

Since the changes won’t begin until late in 2026, you still have nearly a full year to make your voices heard! Let DVC know what you’d like in this second phase of refurbishments. Also, please take comfort in knowing that your complaints are not falling into the void. Disney is listening to you, and this decision proves it. 

DVC’s Other Refurbishment Surprise

The meetings included one piece of excellent news. The refurbished rooms at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas are farther along than anyone realized. In fact, guests can start staying in the new rooms starting this Friday! Yes, on December 12th, the resort will welcome guests to the newly refurbished rooms.

Animal Kingdom Kidani Village Deluxe Studio

As with the Grand Californian, Animal Kingdom Villas just underwent a Hard Goods refurb. So, these rooms will look quite different the next time we see them. I’d politely suggest that you check out our sister site, DVC Fan, for updates about the new rooms. They typically post photos and videos almost immediately after the refurbished rooms are available to guests.

The big excitement here is DVC’s continued rebooting of its additional bedding. Animal Kingdom Villas will reportedly add in-wall Murphy beds as well. I haven’t done a hard count, but I think more DVC rooms offer them now than don’t. 

Still, I know what you’re thinking here, and it’s a legitimate worry. None of us want the authentic feel of these hotel rooms to change. DVC officials answered multiple questions along these lines, emphasizing each time that they’ve taken care to protect the underlying theme. 

Also, please remember that should you express any dissatisfaction with the changes, this refurbishment could follow the same trajectory as the Grand Californian. I doubt that’ll happen, though, as it’s so unusual for Disney to miss the first time.

The Other DVC News of the Week 

Next, although this isn’t related to the Condo Association Meetings per se, I’ll pass along an important piece of news. Membership Magic Beyond for 2026 has gone on sale this week. As a reminder, the service costs $99 for qualifying DVC members. I recently wrote my annual evaluation of the program’s pros and cons, which may help you decide whether to buy.

Finally, the recurring topic of discussion at these meetings is the choice of DVC members to rent points. DVC has done a bit of saber-rattling over the past couple of years on this subject. So, owners are understandably spooked that we may not have full control of our points.

Based on the replies of DVC officials this week, they’ve hired staff specifically to evaluate this practice. Also, while the situation is a bit convoluted, DVC indicated that about 20 percent of all DVC Points usage comes from DVC Point rentals. Those totals include Interval International and all other membership exchange programs. So, it’s not quite apples to apples, but it underscores a simple point. As members, we like maintaining our flexibility with our points. 

DVC’s replies have indicated that they’re mainly focused on organized DVC Points rental programs. My cohort, Paul Krieger, was in the room for one of these meetings. You can read his thoughts on the topic here. As a freelancer unaffiliated with DVC rental programs, all I’ll say is that I’ll be ticked if DVC takes away that option from me. In fact, I’m thinking about cashing in some points to book a Disney cruise in 2026.