WDW Daily News

Disney Vacation Club is pleased to announce an enhanced name for The Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge that deepens the Resort’s roots in Disney storytelling.

Since welcoming its first Members home in 2000, this rustically elegant Disney Vacation Club Resort has celebrated the optimistic journey of Americans who rode the rails west to forge a new way of life. The villas draw inspiration from the quaint residential communities established by those pioneers along the tracks that enabled their mass migration.

The Resort’s new name – Boulder Ridge Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge – gives that rustic community a more distinctive identity and allows Walt Disney Imagineers to bring the community’s story to life in new ways, including through the re-imagined (and soon to be renamed) Hidden Springs Pool area.

The new, more richly themed name also distinguishes the Resort’s condominium association from any proposed new Disney Vacation Club developments at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge.

The naming evolution is not new to Disney Vacation Club.  Disney’s Old Key West Resort, which opened in 1991 as Disney Vacation Club Resort, later adopted its more richly themed name as other Disney Vacation Club Resorts joined the neighborhood. Just as the Disney’s Old Key West Resort name distinguished the Resort from its neighbors and allowed Imagineers to more deeply explore the Resort’s thematic connections to the Florida Keys, the transition from The Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge to Boulder Ridge Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge allows Imagineers to further explore the Resort’s rugged roots.

Look for updates to signage and other materials at the Resort in the months ahead, and watch future editions of Disney Files Magazine for more details about the enhanced pool area and its connections to the story of Boulder Ridge.

As Disney Vacation Club nears the midpoint of this 25th anniversary year, Members have discovered an historic array of new offerings, with even more on the horizon.

During the past five months alone, Members have enjoyed complimentary “25 and Beyond Bash” parties at Magic Kingdom Park, a special ticket offer that added a free Theme Park day to multi-day ticket purchases, new Member merchandise items (including limited-edition MagicBands), complimentary anniversary buttons and commemorative photos, and new Membership Cards that unlock an ever-evolving world of Membership Magic…and that’s just scratching the surface.

Up next is the highly anticipated Member Lounge at Epcot, scheduled to open on June 6 and welcome Members and their guests home daily throughout this anniversary year!

Hidden on the second floor of the Imagination pavilion at Epcot (with a Member entrance through the pavilion’s merchandise shop), this centrally located lounge surrounds its casual seating areas with complimentary beverages (including Coca-Cola Freestyle machines), device-charging stations, Wi-Fi, computer stations with printers and mounted tablets pre-set to easily access select Disney websites, including MyDisneyExperience.com.

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Early this morning, Disney announced further restrictions for new buyers who purchase their ownership on the resale market, in addition to the resale policy announced in 2011. As of April 4, 2016, owners who purchase from anyone other than Disney will not have access to DVC incidental benefits (also known as Membership Extras) such as Member discounts on dining, shopping, Member-exclusive events, and certain special Member offers. With this change comes quite a few questions from current owners, buyers under contract, and prospective buyers.

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It doesnt look like much now, but take a look at some construction photos from the area where Disney Vacation Club Cabins will be coming to Disney’s Wilderness Lodge

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Great news! Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa has been named “World’s Best Family Beach Hotel” in the Travel + LeisureWorld’s Best Awards 2015.

What better way to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Disney Vacation Club than with all-new Member merchandise? Members can look forward to a wide variety of exciting items coming throughout the year such as 25th anniversary apparel, Dooney and Bourke collection with an all-new pattern and MagicBands designed exclusively for the celebration!

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Disney Vacation Club, a leader in vacation ownership, celebrates its 25^thAnniversary this year. Since its debut in 1991, Disney Vacation club has offered a flexible, points-based vacation system rather than the traditional fixed-week timeshare model. Today, Disney Vacation Club has more than 200,000 member families, from all 50 states and approximately 100 countries, who have discovered the joys of membership.

Members are able to choose from a variety of exciting vacation destinations, including a stay at any of the 13 Disney Vacation Club resorts or at thousands of other resort destinations around the world. Vacations at a Disney Vacation Club resort can last anywhere from one night to several weeks. When purchasing directly from Disney, members can also use their membership points to take trips on Disney Cruise Line or guided vacations with Adventures by Disney.

In 2016, Disney Vacation Club will debut new special member events and offers at Disney theme parks and resorts as part of its anniversary, plus new exclusive membership enhancements that make vacation planning even easier. These new offerings complement an already exciting and extensive lineup of offerings for members called Membership Magic.

“Membership Magic gives families even more to love about Disney Vacation Club,” said Ken Potrock, senior vice president and general manager, Disney Vacation Club. “Now, for our 25^th Anniversary, we’re introducing even more amazing membership extras, exclusive experiences and other enhancements that only members and their guests can access. It’s our special way of thanking our members for being such a valued part of the Disney Vacation Club family throughout these past two and a half decades.”

For the 25^th Anniversary, Disney Vacation Club is creating a new, exclusive Member Lounge at Epcot, opening Spring 2016. Included with paid admission to Epcot, this space gives members and their guests a place to relax, access device charging stations, enjoy complimentary refreshments and other offerings, and mingle with other members.

To further celebrate this milestone anniversary, members will also be offered complimentary theme park and water park events throughout the year, discounts on multi-day theme park tickets at Walt Disney World Resort, quarterly giveaways, fun surprises throughout the year and new memorable experiences at Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resorts, at Aulani and onboard Disney Cruise Line. A new personalized Disney Vacation Club Membership Card will make it possible for members to enjoy all these new benefits, and recognition programs, such as special anniversary buttons, photos opportunities, unique merchandise and more, allowing members to display their pride.

Disney Cast Members will also show their appreciation to members throughout the year, starting with the launch of new services to help simplify the vacation planning process for members. This includes a reimagined website, accessible on any device, that provides members with personalized vacation advice, as well as the brand-new “Last-Minute Magic” webpage designed to help members explore last-minute vacation possibilities at select Disney Vacation Club Resorts.

Over the past 25 years, Disney Vacation Club has been a leader in the vacation ownership business. From opening its first property, Disney’s Old Key West Resort, to its 13^th resort, Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows, which debuted in 2015, Disney Vacation Club continues to explore new ways to grow and evolve. Plans for a proposed 14^th resort are already underway at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge at Walt Disney World Resort. Current plans call for the resort to feature deluxe accommodations, including cabins. More information and project details will be shared at a later date.

www.disneyvacationclub.com

Take a look at the 2015 Disney Vacation Club Merry Mixer.

Disney is introducing a new charm from PANDORA Jewelry coming to Disney Parks and the online Member Marketplace just in time for the holiday season!

Created with Members in mind, the new PANDORA dangle charm is eye-catching and crafted in sterling silver, inlayed with blue enamel composition, featuring the Disney Vacation Club logo. Attaching to PANDORA bracelets, sold separately from the charm, this special charm is the ideal holiday gift for PANDORA fans of all ages.

Available beginning December 8, 2015, the Disney Vacation Club charm will be available in PANDORA locations across Disney Parks as well in the online Member Marketplace, while supplies last. For more information, please visit the Member Benefits & More section located under the My DVC Membership tab on disneyvacationclub.com.

Take a look at photos from inside a studio room at the DVC wing of Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort.

Click on the photos for larger views.