The doors are officially open at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event 2026 in Anaheim, California, and we already have our first look at the Disney Vacation Club booth celebrating 35 magical years of DVC.
A huge thank you goes to DVC Fan contributor Carrie Crevel, who braved the opening morning crowds and lines at the Anaheim Convention Center to get us our first photos from the show floor. We’ll be heading over to D23 ourselves a little later today, but there was enough to see at the DVC booth that we didn’t want to wait to share a first look.
This year’s D23 event runs August 14-16, with three days of experiences, panels, shopping, and presentations in Anaheim. For Disney Vacation Club fans, the booth offers a mix of nostalgia for DVC’s first 35 years and a pretty clear look toward where the club is headed next.
Disney Vacation Club Celebrates 35 Years at D23
This year’s Disney Vacation Club booth is appropriately titled “Celebrate 35 Magical Years of Disney Vacation Club,” turning the space into something of a birthday celebration for DVC.
Throughout the booth, guests will find photos highlighting Disney Vacation Club resorts and families enjoying their vacations. The imagery spans multiple DVC destinations, including Aulani, giving the display a more personal feel than simply lining the walls with resort renderings and sales materials.
There’s also an Aulani-inspired photo opportunity featuring a recreation of Moana’s wayfinding canoe, adding a little more Disney storytelling to the space.
At its heart, though, this is still a Disney Vacation Club booth at one of Disney’s biggest fan events of the year. That means there’s plenty of attention given to the resorts DVC is currently selling, including The Villas at Disneyland Hotel, Island Tower at Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows, and Aulani.
But for many DVC Members walking through the booth this weekend, I suspect another resort will attract even more attention.
Disney’s Lakeshore Lodge Has a Presence at the DVC Booth
Unsurprisingly, Disney’s Lakeshore Lodge is featured at this years Disney Vacation Club booth.
And yes, for those of us who notice these things, all of the signage and displays we have seen so far reflect the resort’s new Disney’s Lakeshore Lodge name. DVC’s newest resort is currently projected to open at Walt Disney World in summer 2027.
Among the displays is concept artwork showing the resort’s expansive pool and recreation area overlooking Bay Lake. Some of the images will already be familiar to DVC fans who have been following Lakeshore Lodge news, although seeing the artwork displayed at this scale gives us another chance to examine some of the details.
The recreation area is officially called The Wetlands, and will end up being one of the defining features of Lakeshore Lodge.
At the center is Lakeshore Lagoon, the resort’s zero-entry feature pool with a spiral waterslide. The Wetlands will also include Daydream River, a lazy river winding through the recreation area, along with Heron Shores and Otter Springs play areas. On the opposite side of the resort, Cypress Point will offer a quieter leisure pool and whirlpool spa with views toward the Magic Kingdom fireworks.
For anyone trying to picture what a stay at Lakeshore Lodge could actually feel like, these recreation areas remain some of the most interesting pieces of concept art Disney has released so far.
About That Lakeshore Lodge Model…
There is, however, one thing noticeably missing.
I’ve been holding out hope that D23 might finally give us a physical model of Disney’s Lakeshore Lodge. So far, that dream has not come true.
Given the amount of new Lakeshore Lodge information Disney has shared in recent months, this weekend seemed like the perfect opportunity to put a detailed model on display. As of our first look Friday morning, though, we haven’t spotted one at the DVC booth.
Of course, we’re only a few hours into a three-day D23 weekend. I’m not giving up quite yet.
Two Exclusive DVC Giveaways at D23 2026
Visitors to the Disney Vacation Club booth can also pick up two fun commemorative items, including one particularly nice piece for anyone following the development of Lakeshore Lodge.
The first is a Disney’s Lakeshore Lodge postcard featuring Mickey and Minnie Mouse sitting along the shore of Bay Lake and looking toward the Magic Kingdom fireworks.
What makes the postcard especially interesting is the artist behind it: Bret Iwan, the official voice of Mickey Mouse and a Disney fine artist. Iwan has served as Mickey’s official voice since 2009 and has an extensive background as an illustrator and artist in addition to his voice work.
The commissioned artwork puts Mickey and Minnie in essentially the same position future Lakeshore Lodge guests will find themselves: relaxing along Bay Lake with the Magic Kingdom skyline and fireworks in the distance. It’s a clever way to turn one of the resort’s biggest selling points into a piece of commemorative artwork.
Guests can also receive a 35 Years of Disney Vacation Club magnet. The design features a classic Mickey Mouse ear hat incorporating the DVC 35th anniversary celebration.
Neither item is going to reveal the next big DVC development, but they’re exactly the sort of little D23 keepsakes that tend to become fun additions to a Member’s collection.
What You Need to Know About the DVC Booth at D23
- The Disney Vacation Club booth is themed “Celebrate 35 Magical Years of Disney Vacation Club.”
- Displays celebrate DVC Members, families, and resorts from across the Disney Vacation Club portfolio.
- An Aulani-themed photo opportunity features Moana’s wayfinding canoe.
- Current DVC offerings including The Villas at Disneyland Hotel, Island Tower, and Aulani are prominently featured.
- Disney’s Lakeshore Lodge has a significant presence, including concept art of The Wetlands, Lakeshore Lagoon, the waterslide, and Daydream River.
- Visitors can pick up a Lakeshore Lodge postcard featuring artwork by Mickey Mouse voice actor and artist Bret Iwan.
- A commemorative 35 Years of Disney Vacation Club magnet is also available.
- And, at least as of Friday morning, no Lakeshore Lodge model. Yes, I’m disappointed too.
DVC’s 35th Anniversary Meets Its Next Chapter
It’s fun to see Disney Vacation Club with a dedicated presence at D23, particularly during a year when DVC is celebrating its 35th anniversary.
The booth manages to cover quite a bit of ground. There is plenty of nostalgia and Member-focused imagery celebrating the vacations and resorts that have defined the past 35 years, while the growing presence of Disney’s Lakeshore Lodge provides a reminder that DVC’s next chapter is already taking shape on the shores of Bay Lake.
And while my dream of walking around a giant Lakeshore Lodge model with my camera pointed at every possible angle has not come to fruition yet, the weekend is young.
We’ll be on the ground in Anaheim throughout D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, checking out the Disney Vacation Club booth ourselves and following any DVC and Disney Parks news that comes out of the weekend.
Stay tuned to DVC Fan. This is only the beginning of what should be a very busy few days in Anaheim.
Check out DVCFan.com and the DVC Fan Facebook Group for the latest updates on Disney Vacation Club and Disney News. Want to share your thoughts? Join the conversation in the DVC Fan Forums at forums.dvcfan.com!
