Why DVC Members Should Book Split Stays in 2025

Walt Disney World just announced a new amenity for guests. While this bonus won’t arrive until next year, it’s something that clever Disney Vacation Club owners can use to their advantage. Here’s why DVC members should book split stays in 2025.

Disney Announces a New Amenity

Last week, the Disney Parks Blog revealed an entirely new incentive for next year. Guests who stay at official Walt Disney World resorts gain free Disney water park access on their arrival date.

Here’s the full announcement: “Disney Resort hotel guests arriving in 2025 can enjoy admission to one of our water parks, Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park or Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park, on their check-in day – included in their stay…

“The fun can start on day one at a Disney water park when you stay in the Disney Resorts Collection! And, yes, to all the Disney Vacation Club Members, Annual Passholders and cast members, you can enjoy this benefit on check-in day for your Disney Resort hotel stay, too!”

So, Disney has already addressed your biggest concern. This amenity is available to all DVC members, and the rule remains the same for everyone.

Courtesy of Disney Parks Blog

In 2025, on your first day of a hotel booking, you can visit an official Disney water park for free. Disney provides you with access to Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon and Disney’s Blizzard Beach simply for booking your DVC reservation. 

We still don’t know important details like how the process will work. Do you need to check into your hotel first, or can you fly into Orlando early enough to enter the water park when it opens?

Also, does this announcement signal that Disney will operate both its water parks simultaneously in 2025? Walt Disney World hasn’t done that in five years. 

How Much Is This Amenity Worth?

Still, one point remains clear. Disney has provided a tremendous new amenity for DVC members. 

Standard water park admission currently costs $74 for standard admission of $64 for admission with blockout dates. Disney also recently removed water park admission from annual pass sales.

Yes, you can still purchase this option, but it’s a $99 add-on now. So, you’ll pay more than $100 (including tax) per person to include water park admission with annual passes. Due to this new amenity, you no longer need to do that.

Something larger is happening here, too. For the first time since 2022, Walt Disney World will increase the cost of admission. Those pricing changes will occur next year, with Disney officials determining that the water park amenity will counterbalance the predictable negative headlines. 

As a reminder, you can always buy discounted Disney admission tickets here at DVC Resale Market. The recent announcement of impending price increases makes that option look even more appealing, especially for 2025 travel. 

Disney’s goal here is to make casual fans increase their vacation spending on necessary items like admission tickets. DVC members know how to beat the system, though, starting with those cheaper tickets. But that’s not the only way…

DVC Split Stays Are Already Great

I suspect some of you have already guessed where I’m going with this line of thinking. Some DVC members are like me. We enjoy Split Stays during Disney vacations.

A Split Stay occurs when you book multiple resorts during your Disney trip. For example, you may prefer to stay at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas for Animal Kingdom theme park days, followed by Disney’s Riviera Resort for Hollywood Studios and EPCOT days. 

When you book a Split Stay, you guarantee that you experience more of DVC’s finest amenities like the animals at Animal Kingdom Villas and the Disney Skyliner at the Riviera. You’ll also visit a different set of gift shops, hotel lobbies, and restaurants. 

In the process, you get towel service more frequently, presuming you spend less than four days each at the various resorts. I consider that a happy bonus. Overall, Split Stays are appealing due to the logistics and convenience. 

But Split Stays Will Get Even Better in 2025

Now, Disney has added a new reason, a kind of DVC exploit. When you schedule DVC split stays in 2025, you’ll receive the water park amenity each time you switch hotels. 

Let’s say that you start your vacation at Animal Kingdom Villas. On your arrival date, you can visit Blizzard Beach, which is only 2.6 miles from the hotel. After you move to the Riviera, you’ll find that Typhoon Lagoon is only 1.7 miles from the hotel. 

Courtesy of WDWNT

Since you’re technically spending your first night at the Riviera, you regain that free water park admission amenity. Unless Disney states otherwise at a later date, you can repeat this trick as often as you want!

So, DVC Split Stays now double or triple the number of days you gain free Disney water park admission. That’s not just a phenomenal financial savings but also a way to enhance your vacation. 

Disney water parks are the industry’s gold standard. And now they’re free to you on the first day of your visit! Even better, during Split Stays, you gain that amenity each time you switch DVC resorts!