Probably by the title, you’ve found your way here thinking that this will be an epic rant about all sorts of things I dislike about Disney Vacation Club. As Kenobi would say, “this is not the blog you’re looking for.”
After a recent two-night stay at Disney’s Beach Club Villas, I thought of a few things it would be nice to see return as a Disney Vacation Club Member.
So – Dear DVC, Here’s What I Want Back.
1) Decorative Bedding
With the world beginning to emerge from the pandemic that has rocked our norm for the past two years, things all across Walt Disney World are feeling more and more like normal. Everything except for the rooms.
Gone are the decorative throw pillows that used to adorn the couches. Gone are the bed runners that brought character to the sterile white linens. I recently saw a video from Disney Cruise Line and have to believe that if bed runners can return to cruise ships, we can get them back at our Disney Vacation Club Resorts.
2) Mugs and Dishes
One of my fondest memories as a Disney Vacation Club owner is my first ‘welcome home’ stay at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa. I woke up, made coffee, poured it into a REAL porcelain mug, and sat on the balcony for hours. These dishes continue to be available in 1-Bedroom and 2-Bedroom Villas, but I fear they may be gone for good from Deluxe Studios. Do my coffee mugs, and dishes really cost me an extra 20-30 points per night now? As I write this, I’ve added a coffee mug to my Disney packing list just in case. Coffee is just not the same in a paper cup…
3) In-Room Dining
Here’s one I never understood. Amid a pandemic, when overall you are discouraging people from being around other people, room service disappeared! It has made brief appearances here and there but has been very inconsistent over the past year. On one of our first trips back, we had a wonderful in-room dining experience at Beach Club. It was a wonderful breakfast and, at the time, delivered with physical distancing and current health and safety in mind. This trip? No room service at Beach Club. At this point, I’d order coffee to the room just to get a real mug! Take my money, Disney!
As I said, to begin with, these are not major issues but are some of the small things that make being a Disney Vacation Club Member so special.
Let me know if you enjoyed this article and would like to see more “Dear DVC” topics that might be a bit more ‘controversial’ in nature.
Also, share what small things you wish would return to your DVC Villas in the comments!
Is Covid why we have lost the fluffy comforters too? It’s a thin flat blanket now….
I totally agree. The bowls in the studios have long been paper (I have a picture of the kids flipping them inside out and making them into hats circa 2005), but nothing beats a good coffee mug to wrap your hands around as you sit on the balcony in the morning.
Great wish list.
As an OKW owner since 1996 and a many time studio user, I don’t ever recall there being real mugs and such in a studio anywhere we have stayed at WDW. The small kitchenette sink is just not that great a place to properly wash things like that. I have never missed them though because I’m not a coffee or tea drinker. That said, we prefer a one bedroom where all that stuff is included if we should happen to need it. We’ve never, ever used room service so again, I’m neutral on that and the extra decos on the bed to me are just something we toss aside and don’t have use for. All that said being as a Greyhound owner, sitter and lover of both Greyhounds and Galgos, I’m pleased to see you have both. 🙂
I’m pretty sure DVC studios all had real mugs because I have a specific memory from AKV studio of my sister trying to wash our mugs every morning before we were finished, lol. The studios also had real silverware and glasses. We visited 3 different studios since the pandemic started and now all of that is disposable, but they leave a notice saying we can get these items on request.
Amen to the real cups and dishes. Not only does it make for a nicer stay, it would be ecologically better than the single-use stuff.
I whole-heartedly agree with the mug issue. In fact, we just left the Boardwalk Villas and the paper cups say not to microwave. Hmmm. Also, a Keurig would be more convenient and far less wasteful since I drink coffee, my wife drinks tea. So making an 8 cup carafe makes little sense. And how about a few tea bags. We both enjoy a cup just before bed. I’ve been bringing a box from home every time we come. And lastly, Paul, you are right on about the colorless bedding. The rooms have become “antiseptic white” in nearly every resort. Not very inviting!
We hated not having mugs too. After buying mugs for one trip then forgetting to bring them on our next trip, we discovered that if you stop at the front desk or call guest services and request mugs, they’re happy to bring mugs to your room. We’ve never been denied when we request them. Give it a try!
I can’t believe that’s never occurred to me! Going to try it it next week.
Agree with you wholeheartedly
I couldn’t agree more with this. I’ve always tried to purchase a new souvenir coffee mug on day one of our trips as the villa mugs are small. Now the mug selection is terrible, all either small or odd handles (supply chain issues definitely play a part) but they are largely generic. Not resort or park specific unique. Anyway. Can’t buy a new fun one and have to use paper. Nothing beats coffee in a real mug and the plastic soda refillable mugs, while they will do, just aren’t the same as ceramic.
I would really like the RunDisney option back.
Paul, great article! I totally agreed with everything and miss the colorful bedding. The antiseptic white is annoying in it’s blandness. Just added “coffee mug” to my own packing list for next month!
Purchased Poly in 2017. We had been making 2 trips a year, spring and fall. The difficulty of traveling with small kids has increased exponentially for my family. We fly in from different cities. For example, getting to and from the airport last month – Frontier Airline broke my daughter’s gate checked stroller – making luggage pick-up and getting through the airport much more difficult. We added a BVP night at the end of our trip to help get her and her toddler through the airport since the stroller was no longer useful. The car service the hotel recommended missed our pick-up time and sent another car without a child car seat.
For us, it’s gone from very easy and convenient to a huge scheduling headache. Having the luggage service and Magical Express was a great benefit for my family.
Amen to the return of more colorful decor, sofa pillows and real mugs and silverware! Another thing I’d like to see return is the small stack of paper WDW coasters we used to find on the bar or coffee table in the rooms. I’m sure the furniture is coated to protect it from hot cups, or glasses dripping condensation, but coasters keep drinks from sliding around and absorb any drips, making them just nice to have. We tend to visit in January and there have been a few years we had to break out the extra bedding just to have another blanket, so yes to the comforters as well!
I would also like them to return the shampoo, conditioner and body wash to the tubs/ showers in the rooms. It is really unsanitary. A soap company did a study on refillable soap containers used in hotels, restaurants and offices. You really don’t want to know what they found in the soap containers.