Welcome Home, Donna--and welcome to planDisney! Congratulations on your new
Disney Vacation Club Membership. I hope that your family will enjoy many years of magical memories. We're going on ten years since joining and have never regretted it! I'm happy to help with your question and offer a few tips to help get the most out of your Membership.
I am not much of a camper, Donna, but the new
Cabins at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort may convince me otherwise! The cabins offer unique accommodations for Members with plenty of space for a larger family and a peaceful place to relax after a busy day in the
Walt Disney World Resort theme parks. It's a very cool Home Resort and I am sure you will have so much fun exploring all of the activities that Fort Wilderness offers. From horseback riding and archery to a foot-stompin' good time at
Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue and nighttime s'mores by a campfire, there is so much to do that you can easily spend a day or two enjoying the resort.
The two shops at Fort Wilderness are
Meadow Trading Post and
Settlement Trading Post. I spoke with Cast Members at both locations and they shared that currently there is no merchandise in stock specifically themed for the DVC Cabins. They do have some general DVC merchandise--I've seen some really cute items recently at both Walt Disney World and
Disneyland Resort including luggage, apparel, pins, and holiday ornaments that I've added to my wish list. Don't forget, Members do enjoy a merchandise discount at many locations!
The Cast Members said they haven't heard any news on when resort-specific merchandise may be coming to Fort Wilderness, but in recent years I've seen these items coming to all of the DVC resorts I've visited--so hopefully we'll be seeing some new stock soon! You'll need to book another vacation to monitor the situation, right?
While you wait to make your Fort Wilderness collection complete, let me offer a couple of resources that I use regularly that may help you navigate your new Membership:
- The Points Charts are a necessity when planning any DVC trip! I have this page bookmarked on my computer so I can refer to it anytime.
- Before we head out on our next Disney adventure, I take some time to check out the Member Benefits site. This list of deals and discounts for Members is updated regularly so you'll be up to date on all of the latest and greatest offers!
- If you need to bank Vacation Points (a great option if you're planning a longer trip or wish to stay in accommodations that require more points), it's important to know the correct deadlines! This chart listing the banking dates is super helpful.
Donna, I hope you're busy planning your next trip "Home"! Thanks so much for stopping by planDisney, and please come see us again if we can help with other questions and add a little extra pixie dust to your travels.
Stay Magical!
Susan