Disney Vacation Club has launched its timeline for room refurbishments, resort reimaginings, and different development tasks at Walt Disney World, Disneyland, and past in 2023 & 2024. This useful resource supplies the scheduled dates and particulars for work on the Deluxe Villas, and what to anticipate from every overhaul.
Typically, resort refurbishment schedules are launched on the annual Condominium Association Meeting. During this, Disney Vacation Club executives current their plans for updating villa interiors over the following 2 years. There’s often a timeline shared as a part of the presentation that signifies every resort scheduled for updates, and the dimensions of the undertaking.
The previous couple of years have thrown a monkey wrench in these plans, with a number of resort refurbishments being delayed as a result of closure and its aftermath. Perhaps on account of that, a timeline was not introduced throughout final 12 months’s annual assembly. Fortunately, a brand new timeline was unveiled for 2023-2024 on the Disney Vacation Club Condominium Association Meeting held in mid-December 2022. Here’s what we discovered from that…
First, a number of Disney Vacation Club resorts will obtain a smaller scale refreshes subsequent 12 months. If you’re acquainted with our Walt Disney World Hotel Construction Tracker, you’ve most likely seen this known as a delicate items refurbishment. This sometimes means updating furnishings, together with however not restricted to wall coverings, flooring, linens, decor, and a few furnishings.
In current years, the definition of a ‘soft goods’ refurbishment has “evolved” and I imply that in a great way! (All too usually, utilizing air quotes round evolve in relation to Disney means a downgrade. Not on this case.) Both the Grand Floridian and Polynesian Villas acquired delicate items refurbishments within the final year-plus that included set up of the brand new Inova pull-down couch mattress and sofa combo. This characteristic first debuted at Disney’s Riviera Resort, and was subsequently added to Saratoga Springs Resort throughout its full refurbishment.
It’s unclear whether or not resorts receiving delicate items refurbishments in 2023 and 2024 will proceed to have the Inova pull-down beds added, however we definitely hope so. This is a colossal improve over the pull-out couches, and has been an enormous hit with Disney Vacation Club members. It has been one in every of a number of practical enhancements which have actually improved the ‘quality of life’ of DVC rooms–whereas Imagineering has additionally carried out a strong job weaving themed design into the upgraded items.
There are additionally a handful of Disney Vacation Club resorts slated to obtain full refurbishments within the subsequent two years. Typically, this can be a full gutting of the room, and ends in a completely new villa inside. The footprint of the room often stays the identical, and its general sq. footage measurement at all times does. Changes sometimes embody new furnishings, cupboards, counter tops, home equipment, flooring, tiling, fixtures, and extra. Some objects will be reused from the prior rooms, particularly little particulars that members take pleasure in, however these are often thought of “new rooms” whereas delicate items refurbishments end in “reimagined rooms.”
Disney Vacation Club makes an attempt to schedule resorts to obtain a delicate items refresh each 7 years and a full refurbishment each 14 years. In the previous couple of years (since round 2018, so even earlier than the closure), they’d began to fall behind this schedule. That drawback solely bought worse within the final couple of years, nevertheless it seems DVC is lastly turning the nook…possibly/hopefully.
If you’re not a Disney Vacation Club member, this submit nonetheless might need relevance to you! For one factor, all of those lodging are bookable immediately from Walt Disney World or Disneyland through the “Deluxe Villa” tier, which is handled identical to a conventional resort. For one other factor, you should utilize our Tips for Renting Disney Vacation Club Points to step into the sneakers of a DVC member–and get monetary savings within the course of. (We strongly suggest the second route, as Deluxe Villas are often considerably overpriced, whereas renting DVC factors provides great financial savings–they’re mainly like polar opposites.)
We do common resort stays at each Walt Disney World and Disneyland, often emphasizing properties the place there are new issues, modifications, or ongoing development to see how that harms, improves, or in any other case impacts the visitor expertise. If you’ve but to e-book lodging in your trip in 2023 or 2024 and need to be notified about the entire newest resort modifications, enroll right here for our FREE Disney publication right here.
When reserving a Walt Disney World or Disneyland trip, we extremely suggest considering recently-completed and ongoing development tasks on the varied resorts, as these completely can influence the standard of your journey. Booking a resort with a closed pool or development noise and cranes proper outdoors your window is clearly going to be a worse expertise than a resort that simply completed its huge refurbishment and nonetheless has that recent feeling and ‘new hotel’ odor.
Suffice to say, a lot is going on on the Disney Vacation Club development entrance on each coasts. Let’s check out the entire present and upcoming tasks which have the potential to influence friends…
Now Through 2024: Polynesian Village Resort Villas – Work is at the moment underway at Walt Disney World to construct a new DVC tower at Polynesian Village Resort, changing Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show, between the present Polynesian longhouses and Wedding Pavilion, close to the Grand Floridian.
Thus far, land has been cleared and the foundations are beginning to be poured for this new tower adjoining to the present Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort. The proposed Disney Vacation Club tower addition that’s being constructed at Polynesian Village Resort is at the moment slated to open in late 2024 at Walt Disney World.
If you’re staying at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort (resort facet) anytime within the subsequent 2 years, this development may influence you. As such, we suggest requesting a room that’s not within the Aotearoa, Fiji, or Tuvalu longhouses. Those buildings are adjoining to the development website, and the one ones that must be impacted in any materials means.
However, the Polynesian Villas are all on the opposite facet of the resort, so the influence to anybody staying within the current Disney Vacation Club lodging on the Poly shouldn’t be impacted. (A bit ironic that these least impacted by DVC development are DVC friends!) The DVC tower development will likely be seen from different places within the resort as soon as it goes vertical, however the influence ought to in any other case be minor.
Prior to this tower, work wrapped up on the Great Ceremonial House, porte-cochère, new monorail station, and gardens. Room refurbishments had been additionally a part of the Poly’s overhaul and people at the moment are completed. See our Review, Photos & Video: New Moana Rooms at Polynesian Village Resort for a tour and ideas on the modifications from our most up-to-date resort keep. If you’re trying on the DVC rooms, see our Review, Photos & Video: New Rooms at Polynesian Villas.
Now by means of 2023: Villas at Disneyland Hotel – Another tower that’s at the moment beneath development–however a lot additional alongside–is the Villas at Disneyland Hotel. This new 280,000 sq. foot tower is positioned immediately subsequent door to Frontierland Tower, behind the characteristic pool and subsequent to Goofy’s Kitchen.
The new 12-story Disneyland Hotel DVC tower will (supposedly) mirror the present 1955 design of the opposite Disneyland Hotel towers. Those are styled after Adventureland, Fantasyland, and Frontierland. The new DLH tower is not going to substitute any of the present towers or guest-facing amenities. It will characteristic 350 rooms, with 253 being deluxe studios, 20 two-bedroom villas, 19 one-bedroom villas, and two Grand Villas. It’ll additionally supply 38 two-person studios which are much like these launched at Disney’s Riviera Resort.
Despite being very far alongside, Disney has introduced little or no in regards to the undertaking. There had been a few press releases again in late 2019 and early 2020 revealing the proposed (on the time) DVC undertaking. Most particulars have come from public evaluate in entrance of the Anaheim City Council, throughout which Disney submitted a 198-page data packet in regards to the Disneyland Hotel DVC tower. More just lately, Disney Vacation Club had a sales space on the D23 Expo in Fall 2022, however not a lot of substance was proven there. They revealed the resort’s emblem however had no new data.
As for when the Villas at Disneyland Hotel will open, that’s anybody’s guess. When initially introduced, the timeline merely referred to as for a 2023 opening. To our information, Disney has not publicly modified that or formally pushed the undertaking again into 2024. However, that was earlier than the year-long closure and gradual reopening of the parks, however it seems that had a negligible influence on plans. Given all of that, our guess is that the Villas at Disneyland Hotel received’t open till Late 2023 on the earliest, with Spring 2024 additionally being a chance.
Late 2022 by means of Spring 2023: Boulder Ridge Villas – Finally. The authentic Wilderness Lodge DVC room renovations had been initially slated for 2020, however delayed as a result of closure after which to prioritize tasks on the Polynesian and Grand Floridian. Earlier this 12 months, DVC management emphasised that this undertaking was time slated to happen, and permits had been filed over the summer time.
Since then, work has began in earnest and the primary spherical of rooms must be wrapping up and reopening very quickly. If the sneak peek images of the brand new rooms at Boulder Ridge are any indication, it’s going to have a giant edge over Copper Creek. The overhauled rooms will likely be redone equally to Polynesian and Grand Floridian villas in format, however clearly not type.
We are big followers of Wilderness Lodge and themed design, and as such, are sometimes skeptical about modifications to this property. However, we’re excited for these new rooms. They must be huge upgrades in each type and performance. While an finish date for this undertaking has not been introduced (to our information), we anticipate this to complete by early Spring 2023.
2023 (TBD Date Range): BoardWalk Villas – Walt Disney World introduced earlier this 12 months that Disney’s BoardWalk Inn will likely be reimagined over the following few years. No timeline has been given for when the work will begin or finish on every part of the undertaking, however some modifications have already been made.
Walt Disney World is including and altering parts of the beloved turn-of-the-century promenade and contained in the Deluxe Resort, together with a brand new foyer design, close by espresso bar, delectable eating choices, refreshed visitor rooms, and extra. The greatest change is that the new Cake Bake restaurant will substitute ESPN Club, and can open in 2023.
Up till the latest Condo Association Meeting, it was unclear whether or not the DVC villas would even be included within the room refresh. Thankfully, they’re–and as a full refurbishment in 2023. This may be very a lot wanted, because the BoardWalk Villas had been the final rooms to be redone earlier than the present era of overhauls. It reveals. The previous rooms (pictured above) are the worst of each worlds: devoid of theme and persona, in addition to progressive and space-saving options. They have huge ‘nondescript chained-brand hotel from the early aughts’ vibes because of this.
2023 (TBD Date Range): Beach Club Villas – Also added to the timeline on the Condo Association Meeting was the DVC resort throughout Crescent Lake from the BoardWalk Villas. The Beach Club Villas had been final redone extra just lately than BoardWalk Villas, however undergo from a few of the similar issues in being bland and boring.
Getting the Inova pull-down beds could be a giant win right here, as would restoring some parts of themed design. We don’t dislike the Beach Club Villas as strongly as their BoardWalk counterparts, however time has handed each by. Here’s hoping this delicate items refurbishment delivers outcomes on par with the Poly’s current redo.
2023 (TBD Date Range): Hilton Head & Vero Beach – At some level in 2023, each Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort and Disney’s Vero Beach Resort will obtain delicate items refurbishments. No different particulars or idea artwork had been supplied on the Condo Association Meeting.
I’ve mixed these not as a result of they’re sister properties (they’re actually separated by states), however as a result of they’re past my space of experience. Our final keep at both of those was 2018, whereas we’ve stayed at each different property on this record within the final 2 years, and visited all of them throughout the final 3 months.
2024 (TBD Date Range): Bay Lake Tower at Contemporary Resort – Per the Condo Association Meeting in December 2022, Bay Lake Tower is slated to obtain a full refurbishment in 2024. No different particulars or idea artwork had been supplied, nevertheless it was the final resort on the timeline.
Bay Lake Tower is at the moment overdue for a refurbishment, and our earlier expectation is that this might begin as soon as the Boulder Ridge Villas undertaking is completed in Spring 2023. This was largely our assumption as a result of the BLT rooms have been worse for put on for no less than 5 years now, so this has been desperately wanted for some time.
The rooms at Bay Lake Tower had been poorly constructed within the first place and constructed simply earlier than the present ‘wave’ of progressive lodging that marry space-saving kinds with well-themed ones. The studios are additionally small by Disney Vacation Club requirements, particularly when contrasted with the Polynesian.
Consequently, BLT may benefit tremendously from getting the Riviera therapy. We actually stay up for returning to Bay Lake tower as soon as that occurs…however received’t till it does! Surprised and upset that this wasn’t bumped up into 2023.
??? (Not On Official Schedule): Villas at Grand Californian – I’m actually shocked that the Villas at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa weren’t on the official timeline. For one factor, the rooms are trying actually drained and Disneyland wrapped up an exceptionally well-received renovation to the resort facet about 4 years in the past. Take design parts of that and the brand new Inova pull-down beds and this might be an enormous win.
For one other factor, this undertaking was talked about on the final Condo Association assembly throughout the Q&A. At that point, there was a big enhance in dues (7%, I feel?) and DVC management indicated that an upcoming 2024 refurbishment was the principle motive why. Here’s hoping this isn’t delayed, and its omission was merely an oversight. We love the Grand Californian and can keep within the previous rooms if it means not paying the resort’s pricing, however they’re positively exhibiting their age–identical to Boulder Ridge was.
??? (Not On Official Schedule): Animal Kingdom Villas – Similar story right here as with Grand Californian. Animal Kingdom Lodge accomplished an superior room reimagining a number of years in the past that completely threaded the needle on type and performance. I do know on the time, the DVC rooms weren’t fairly able to obtain an replace. Some would argue that they’re now. I’m not a type of folks, but when these are carried out with the identical steadiness because the Jambo House resort rooms, I’m high-quality with it.
For complete planning recommendation, seek the advice of our Disneyland Vacation Planning Guide or our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for every little thing it’s essential know! If you’re contemplating becoming a member of DVC, first you’ll want to learn our Ultimate Guide to Disney Vacation Club. If you continue to can’t determine whether or not membership is best for you, “try before you buy” and lease factors from DVC Rental Store. If you’re satisfied a membership is for you, take a look at the discounted choices at DVC Resale Market.
YOUR THOUGHTS
Thoughts on the 2023-2024 room refurbishment timeline for Disney Vacation Club resorts? Have any current observations or experiences with resort development at Walt Disney World or Disneyland to share? Where are you planning to remain in 2023 or 2024? Any resorts you’re deliberately avoiding? Do you agree or disagree with our assessments of those resort refurbishment or reimagining tasks? Any questions we can assist you reply? Hearing suggestions about your experiences is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!