What Are the Considerations with Expiration Years

All good things must come to an end…eventually. In the case of a Disney Vacation Club contract, the soonest anything will end is 2042, which is two decades from now. So, it’s not a pressing concern.

Still, DVC members should think about all phases of our ownership interests. What are the considerations with Expiration Years? Let’s talk through a few essential aspects.

What Are DVC Deed Expirations?

You’re probably aware that your DVC ownership interest doesn’t last forever. Instead, it comes with a finite end date, which DVC Resale Market lists here. Independent of your contract’s year, it finishes on January 31st. 

So, at some point between now and 2070, you’ll enter your Expiration Year. Once you go past that date, you’ll no longer gain access to your precious annual supply of DVC Points. 

On the plus side, that won’t happen to anyone until 2042. Even then, you’ll find 10+ other DVC resorts that will still sell you a contract. In fact, we’ll likely have several more DVC properties by then. 

As such, many DVC members treat Expiration Years as a curiosity more than anything else. Nobody knows quite how the system will operate by then. 

Some expect that Disney will eventually sell extensions as once happened at Disney’s Old Key West Resort. However, those of us around at the time remember that this process *ahem* didn’t go smoothly. So, I’m not counting on it. 

Unless/until something changes, I fully expect my Disney’s Old Key West Resort contract to expire on January 31st, 2042. Since I’ve got access to other DVC Points, that won’t bother me as much as it’ll make me nostalgic for my first DVC contract. Still, you’re probably wondering how much you should worry about Expiration Years.

Should You Buy a Contract with a Later Expiration Year?

As with everything else in the DVC program, this answer isn’t finite. It depends entirely on your personal situation. For example, I’ll mention that I’m a middle-aged man without children. By the time my Old Key West contract expires, I may not be walking around Walt Disney World comfortably anyway.

However, I’ve got several nieces and nephews I adore, and I quite like the idea of gifting them Disney vacations long after I’m gone. So, a contract that lasts longer has appeal to me, even though I’m not the target audience per se.

The First Consideration with Expiration Years

For you, the first consideration is your own age. How old will you be in 2042? Also, do you expect that you’ll still love visiting Disney at that age? Not everyone is the same here. 

For example, I was more of a Cedar Point “roller coaster capital of the world” type until I was 35 and then developed my Disney theme park love later. More accurately, I visited EPCOT during its first year, aged out of Disney for a time, and eventually circled back to my first love. 

I strongly believe that Disney appeals more to the 40+ crowd than it ever had in the past. All of Disney’s emphasis on high-quality restaurants, EPCOT festivals, and Disney Springs/Downtown Disney entertainment has paid dividends. 

If you think you will age out of Disney, the Expiration Year doesn’t matter at all. Conversely, if you are confident that you will love Disney theme park visits until you’re elderly, it’s a concern.

The Second Consideration with Expiration Years 

Similarly, you likely know that DVC contracts are Deed-able, signifying that you can leave your ownership interest to someone in your will. In my case, my nieces and nephews will share the DVC Points. Parents with one or more children will likely take the same approach.

As such, you’ll care about Expiration Years, not for yourself but for others. In that example, paying for a newer resort with a later Expiration Year is worth a bit more money now. 

Specifically, the following DVC properties expire after 2065:

• Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge (2068)
• Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows (2066)
• Disney’s Riviera Resort (2070)
• The Villas at Disneyland Hotel (2074)

Since the latter two resorts come with those indefensible DVC resales restrictions, your best bets are Copper Creek and the Polynesian. I’ll also toss in The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa as another possibility. Those contracts expire in 2064. 

So, forward-thinking parents enjoy three different Magic Kingdom DVC resort options. All of them will take care of a ten-year-old child right now until they’re at least 51 and possibly as old as 57. 

You can stretch their Disney vacations until they’re 61 by buying at Disneyland Hotel, but I wouldn’t necessarily recommend that. As usual, I strongly recommend the Polynesian as your best option. Your kid may be living on Mars by 2066 anyway, right?

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