My Family's Top Disney Vacation Club Resorts
When my husband and I were considering joining Disney Vacation Club almost 10 (!) years ago, one of the things that struck us the most was the flexibility allowed with Membership. Previously, we said no to other vacation club memberships as they locked you down into a specific place at a particular time each year. While that is fantastic for establishing family traditions, we are a bit more spontaneous and love to discover new things when we travel. So the flexibility of deciding when, where, and how we vacation was super appealing to us!
Our first Disney “home” is Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas - Kidani Village. We LOVE this Resort! Our absolute favorite is our animal neighbors - you never know who’s going to be outside of the window - and then our second favorite thing about the Resort is the FOOD! Honestly, Sanaa, Boma, and Jiko - The Cooking Place are three of our favorite restaurants anywhere, let alone Walt Disney World Resort! Besides the magnificent animals and the fantastic food, we love that the Resort feels like it’s a bit set apart from the hustle and bustle of Walt Disney World Resort, even though you’re still just moments away from everything. When we come back after a busy day in the Parks, the resort is the ultimate peaceful relaxation. We can spend hours sitting on our balcony, watching the animals, and resting up for the next day!
Speaking of the hustle and bustle, our next beloved Resort is Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort. The reason why?? Because it is right in the middle of EVERYTHING! The Monorail runs straight through the Resort, which is both jaw-dropping and super convenient. Via the Monorail, you can get to other Monorail Resort properties as well as Magic Kingdom Park and Epcot. For years, I’ve had kiddos in strollers, and we made it a point of staying here because of the ease of walking to Magic Kingdom Park. No breaking down strollers for transportation, and you can quickly return to the resort for nap time. It’s a win-win!
Along with the same “ease of transport” lines, we love Disney’s BoardWalk Villas. The resort is so close to Epcot’s International Gateway you can practically touch it! Not to mention that you’re just a short walk to the brand new Disney Skyliner station! We love that we can be inside Epcot within 10 mins, and now have not one, not two, but THREE ways to get to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Disney Skyliner is super-efficient with gorgeous views, but probably our favorite mode of transport is the boats. Our twins think they are an attraction! The Bon Voyage Adventure Breakfast is our favorite Character Meal, and the BoardWalk Bakery is my husband’s #1 choice for breakfast, always!
When we need a break from the hustle and bustle of the ‘World, we head to Disney’s Hilton Head Resort. I did my residency training in the Low Country, so South Carolina holds a special place in my heart. We love the rustic elegance of the Resort; it just exudes Southern charm. We ride bikes, swing in hammocks, and comb for shells on the beach. For the golf fanatic - you have some of the best golf courses in the country within a few miles, so it is a total win! Our kids always make it a point of finding Shadow, the resident dog at the Resort. She is the sweetest and helps us all miss our pup a little bit less while we are away.
Now that we’ve moved to Florida, we are raising beach babes. And the best place to “beach” is Disney’s Vero Beach Resort! We enjoy long weekends at the hotel, where we take full advantage of the miles of calm beach and the “not-as-calm” splash pad! The last time we visited, my kiddos spent eight hours bouncing between the splash pad and the pool, while I may have eaten my weight in Dole Whips! My husband is a conservationist, so he appreciates the Resort’s dedication to the environment. We love the Sea Turtle Conservation Program, and our kiddos are looking forward to joining the Sea Troop the next time we visit!
Anyhoo, I could go on and on about what makes each Resort special! We’ve stayed at every one save Aulani, and Disney’s Riviera Resort, and have upcoming plans to stay at both. We love that with our Membership we can “glamp” at Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, or ride the waves in Hawaii. The flexibility suits our family perfectly. We get adventure and new experiences, all combined with the comfort of a Disney “home.” It’s the best prescription for our family vacations!
Post edited for clarity.
Meet the Panelist: Rayna, Florida
Hi y'all! I'm Rayna: wife, mom, anesthesiologist, and long-time Disney enthusiast. I've lived all over the country, but these days life has my family of seven in Florida. We're fantastically close to the most magical place on earth, and as Annual Passholders and Disney Vacation Club members we couldn't be happier about it. We've visited almost every Disney Vacation Club resort, so I'm thrilled to be here doing what I do best: Helping plan magical vacations.
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