At DVC Fan, we bring you our honest opinions. Sometimes that means being critical of DVC, but really it’s only because we care so deeply about this Disney product. However, it also means that when DVC gets something right, it’s only fair that we acknowledge it. While not everything has been perfect over the last few years (I’m still scratching my head over the Grand Californian “refurbishment”), DVC has made some good strides in giving Members what they have asked for.
More Member Events
Not too long ago, Moonlight Magic events were pretty much the sole Member events available as Membership Extras. Fast forward to this year, and we not only have several Moonlight Magic events, but we have the return of the Welcome Home Weeks, the Halloween Meet & Treat, the Valentine’s Day Meet & Treat, and the DVC extras at Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party and Oogie Boogie Bash, just to name a few. It’s exciting to have more opportunities throughout the year to join in on special Member events if you don’t happen to be around for Moonlight Magic. The Meet & Treats may not be as grand as Moonlight Magic, but my family had a blast meeting characters at the Halloween one, and it definitely felt special.
Fairer Virtual Queues
Speaking of Moonlight Magic, we all know these events can be incredibly hard to register for. However, DVC has leveled the playing field lately. Not only is the first round of registration now limited to guests who made resort reservations using their Membership, but using multiple devices no longer provides an advantage during this first round. Your spot in the queue is now tied to your Membership since you have to enter the number prior to joining the queue.
While this doesn’t mean that you’re guaranteed to get into the events, it does make the odds fairer for resort guests.
More Lounges
Plenty of DVC Members have stated in the past that they would love to see more lounges, especially in the theme parks. Over the past couple of years, we went from only having the EPCOT ImaginAtrium Member Lounge and Top of the World Lounge – A Villains Lair to adding the Disney Vacation Club Star View Station – A Member Lounge at Disneyland, the Gateway to Discovery – A Disney Vacation Club Welcome Home Center at Disney Springs, and the newest addition, McKim’s Mile House at Magic Kingdom. Despite its small size, the lounge is wonderfully themed to fit Frontierland and has some fun Easter eggs if you take the time to explore.
Say what you will about the lounges, but I’m always thankful for them when it’s raining or it just feels like surface-of-the-sun hot outside.
More Room Types at the Polynesian
I get that not everyone loves the Polynesian Island Tower, but it does respond to some common criticisms of the original longhouses. Think of all the DVC Members who liked the Polynesian but wouldn’t choose it as a home resort with just Deluxe Studios and Bora Bora Bungalows. Now with the Island Tower, we can book Duo Studios, One Bedroom Villas, Two Bedroom Villas, and the Two Bedroom Penthouse Villas at the Polynesian. More room options have been a game-changer!
More Accommodating Rules
On a smaller scale, I’ve also noticed some changes that make Membership Extras a little more flexible. In the past, DVC Member ride previews were limited to those who had resort reservations on specific dates. For Test Track 3.0, I was pleasantly surprised to see that DVC previews were also offered to Florida locals without a resort reservation.
A similar change was quietly made to the extended hours at the EPCOT ImaginAtrium Member Lounge, which are offered to Members who opted to purchase Membership Magic Beyond. When the program was first introduced, the extended hours with special character appearances were only available to Members when they had a resort stay made with their Membership, but that no longer seems to be the case as we’ve seen locals report that they were able to visit without a resort stay. Moreover, the benefit does not appear to be limited to once per stay anymore, based on the latest Membership Magic Beyond terms and conditions.
All of this is to say thanks, DVC. You listened, we noticed, and we appreciate it.
George
September 30, 2025Thank you for these excellent reports.
James Ritchie
September 30, 2025I agree totally with everything you highlight. Hopefully we see a meaningful clampdown or end to walking reservations. And early access to meal reservations for DVC members (was it once 180 days?). Thanks for all you do!
Vickie Bjork
September 30, 2025Can you try to get the Membership Magic Beyond to have the memory maker be for a full 30 days, instead of for 30 days after a picture is downloaded. We come twice a year for 4-5 days and only get the memory maker for the first trip basically for the $99.