Inside are a few final notes to conclude our coverage of the December 2024 Disney Vacation Club condo meetings including details on future meeting format and steps DVC has taken this year to improve villa availability.
During the week of December 12, Disney Vacation Club hosted individual meetings for all of its condominium assocations. This format is a departure prior years which consisted of a single consolidated meeting. The move was largely driven by a new Florida mandate that condo associations host individual quarterly meetings for its members.
Going forward, DVC will host meetings for the Florida associations about every three months. However, the schedule is expected to be inconsistent since they are at the mercy of Disney's convention schedulers to obtain facilities for hosting the sessions. Florida legislation requires only 14 days notice for each quarterly meeting. Dates for the first quarter of 2025 have not yet been published, and DVC stated that they could occur anytime in March or even February if necessary.
The December meetings are expected to remain more consistent, given that the Board of Directors uses the session to approve annual dues budgets for the coming year. Expect those sessions to continue around the 2nd week of December. The format should be similar to 2024 with individual meetings for the owners of all associations--including those outside of Florida--along with a Member Gathering and Reception.
Bill Diercksen speaks to Ryan March
The condo meetings took place over the span of 2 days. Each session allowed for up to 30 minutes for attendees to ask questions. Board members stated that they were pleased with the forum to hear from so many members, but also reiterated that owners are always welcome to use feedback options on the website to correspond with management. All comments submitted by owners are reviewed and taken into consideration.
DVCNews offered recaps of seven of the association meetings, all of which can be found below:
- Aulani, Disney Vacation Club Villas
- Bay Lake Tower at Disney's Contemporary Resort
- Copper Creek Villas & Cabins
- Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas
- Disney's BoardWalk Villas
- Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort
- The VIllas at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort
The sessions featured some lively discussions regarding commercial renting and the so-called "walking" of reservations. In both cases, DVC indicated that it was aware of the issues and is considering action to address the behavior.
There was a great deal of member appreciation for Moonlight Magic and the Welcome Home Weeks which debuted in late-summer 2024. 2025 brings one Moonlight Magic event per month through September. Regarding the scheduling of Moonlight Magic and somewhat modest advance notice, Shannon Sakaske, Vice President, Member Experiences & Club Management acknowledged that not all members can be accommodated, but stated that "we think doing it on a random basis is the best way to give everyone a chance." Although no announcements were made, there was a strong inference that Welcome Home Weeks will return.
The individual meetings featured various praise for Cast Members, including resort dining staff who went to great lengths to assist families who must deal with food allergies.
Member Reception
On the topic of room availability, managers reinforced the need to book as far in advance as possible and to use the waiting list if accommodations are not immediately available. Steve Wittington, Director of Strategy and Development indicated that DVC has become more proactive in re-capturing rooms that are earmarked for cash reservations if they remain unsold. "When we see those rooms that we've put aside for cash renters...as we recognize that those rooms won't get rented, those are released back to members to be able to use." According to Whittington, this is a change which has occurred with greater frequency in the past year. DVC is looking to identify rooms which remain unsold 30-60 days prior to arrival, and move them back into member inventory.
The Member Gathering hosted on the final day was a well-produced affair. Hosted by Disney Files Magazine Editor Ryan March, the event featured one-on-one conversations between March and a variety of Disney Vacation Club executives. The discussion largely recapped prior topics including Moonlight Magic, the current and new DVC lounges and other noteworthy DVC developments throughout the year.
Vice President - Resort Operations Alison Armor joined the session to provide an update on upcoming resort refurbishment projects. Three resorts were completed in 2024 including Disney's BoardWalk Villas, Disney's Hilton Head Island Resort and Disney's Vero Beach Resort. Seven more projects will occur across the next two years, from the in-progress Bay Lake Tower at Disney's Contemporary Resort refurb to Disney's Old Key West Resort in 2026.
At the conclusion of the Member Gathering, board members made themselves available for one-on-one interaction with members during a short reception. Refreshments were available, along with several photo opportunities including a Moana-themed outrigger.
Attendees were also given an opportunity to tour Island Tower at Disney's Polynesian Villas & Bungalows several days before its opening, along with The Cabins at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort.
The resort association meetings are open only to all owners, regardless of direct vs resale purchase status. Members can only attend association meetings for properties that they own. The consolidated Member Gathering and Reception is open to all DVC owners.
