Create Your DVC Special Request

Why Buying the Right DVC Contract Matters

Purchasing a Disney Vacation Club membership is one of the most exciting investments you can make in your family's future vacations. However, not all contracts are created equal. Choosing the right contract from the start can mean the difference between years of magical vacations and costly frustrations. DVC members purchase points rather than fixed weeks, giving them more options when planning vacations. Points can be used at any DVC resort, subject to availability, allowing members to tailor their stays based on their preferences.

The Power of Home Resort Priority

Your home resort isn't just a name on your contract—it's your booking advantage. Your home resort determines where you can book earliest, typically 11 months in advance, compared to just 7 months at other DVC properties. Those extra four months are crucial, especially for high-demand periods like Christmas, Spring Break, and Halloween.

If you dream of staying at the Polynesian during the holidays or want a specific room type at Boulder Ridge, you'll need that 11-month window to secure it. Popular resorts such as Grand Floridian, Aulani, and Bay Lake Tower offer unique themes and amenities. Review each resort's expiration date, annual dues, and availability before deciding. Buying at a less desirable resort just to save money often backfires—you'll find yourself unable to book where you actually want to stay.

Finding Your Goldilocks Point Count

Owning the right number of points is equally important. The number of points you need depends on how often you plan to vacation and the type of accommodations you prefer. Larger accommodations, such as one-bedroom villas or grand villas, require more points than studios. Peak seasons like holidays and summer months also require more points per night.

Too few points, and you'll constantly feel limited—unable to book the room types or length of stay you truly want. You may find yourself borrowing points from future years, creating a cycle that's hard to break. On the flip side, too many points mean higher annual dues and the stress of trying to use them all before they expire. The ideal contract size matches your realistic vacation habits—not your dream scenario, but what you'll actually use year after year.

Understanding Banking and Borrowing

With the flexibility to bank, borrow, or transfer points, members can customize trips to fit their schedules and needs. Banking allows you to hold unused vacation points from your current use year for use in the following year. Banked points combine with your next year allocation, giving you more flexibility for larger trips or extended stays.

Borrowing allows DVC members to use points from their upcoming use year during the current use year. If you need more points than currently available for a reservation, you can borrow from your future allocation to cover the difference. However, understanding your banking deadline is essential. Banking deadlines fall on the last day of the fourth month of your use year. Missing your banking deadline means losing those points forever.

Let Us Help You Find the Perfect Match

That's why we created this Special Request tool. Tell us exactly what you're looking for—your preferred resort, point count, use year, and budget. We'll monitor our inventory and notify you the moment a matching contract becomes available. No more endless searching, no more settling for less than you deserve.

Buying through the resale market often provides the same benefits at a lower price compared to buying directly from Disney. For buyers focused on affordability, our DVC compare prices tool is helpful to see the difference. Our team is here to answer your questions and guide you through every step of the purchase process. Your perfect DVC contract is out there—let us help you find it.