2016 DVC Member Cruise Entertainment Highlights

On September 28, 2016, the Disney Magic set sail on a Disney Vacation Club Member Cruise. This exclusive DVC 4-night Canadian Coastline itinerary will visit Halifax and feature two days at sea. With just one port day, you may be wondering what Disney has planned for the vacation club members to make this sailing special. During the sail away party the following trailer, recorded by Alan Cohen, was shown on Funnel Vision.

Source video.

Legendary Beauty and the Beast film maker Don Hahn will give members a look back at the animated classic and take a look at the upcoming live action version. Ashley Brown, former Belle from the Broadway production will end the session with a live performance. Foreshadowing anything DCL? Walt Disney Animation will present a behind the scenes look at Disney’s Moana. DVC members will be treated to a sneak peak at Disney Nature’s upcoming Born in China opening on Earth Day 2017. Imagineer Joe Rhode will share a look at Disney’s Animal Kingdom from the park’s origins to future plans. Lucas Film storyteller Pablo Hidalgo will give an inside look at the celebrated studio. Disney Legend Bill Farmer, longtime voice of Goofy and Jason Marsden, will hold an interactive session focused on the time-honored trade of voice acting. Don Hahn will also share a look at the history of the Disney Studios lot including a look at Walt’s recently restored office. Additional presentations include a The Art of Good and Evil and The Disney Artists Academy. On Saturday, guests will enjoy the ESPN Sailgate deck party. Regular Disney guest performers VoicePlay will perform. The DVC member cruise will also include a Community Game Night/Cocktail Party, first run films in the Buena Vista Theatre and a special Broadway Stars at Sea closing concert, Classics to be Loved.

Alan also tweeted out the Personal Navigators for the first two days. I’d like to point out that day 2 is a full Personal Navigator, not just the insert that we have been seeing. I am not sure if this is just being done for the DVC Member Cruise or a change in course.

As guests were debarking from the WBTA sailing, preparations were in full swing to welcome on DVC Members.

 

8 Replies to “2016 DVC Member Cruise Entertainment Highlights”

  1. David Oakland

    Curious to find out thoughts from DVC members. We have done 8 cruises, our 9th coming up shortly but we are NOT members. When I had asked some folks I know who are DVC members, I heard, if you were to use your points for DCL only, it’s not really to your benefit. If you go to WDW, then absolutely. Well, we have been cruising since 2009 and went to WDW once back in 2009 but kids have no desire to go back there, they just want to cruise and I agree. So – does it really benefit if I were to become a DVC member and we do cruises only? or just not that cost effective… comments please.. Thank you

    Reply
    1. Sharon

      I’m a DVC member, it is only cost effective to use the points at the DVC resorts at Disney World, Disneyland, Hilton Head, Aulani, and Vero Beach. Anything outside of that has a $95 administrative fee in addition to the number of points used. At this point you need to buy directly from Disney in order to use the points for DCL, which is much pricier than buying resale. For our 7 night Alaskan cruise that we took this past August, in points it would have cost us at least 265 pts/adult and 169/child–that’s at least 868 pts–for a deck 2 oceanview room. We own a total of 350 pts–we would be using 2+ yrs of our points for 1 cruise–which, in case we paid $6300 for. In February, we used 337 of our points for 8 people to stay for a week in a 2 bedroom lake view at Bay Lake Tower–the rack rate for that week was $11,000. So there is your comparison. Only buy DVC if you’re going to use it for DVC!

      Reply
    2. Dennis C

      Hi, David,

      There is zero cost benefit in purchasing a DVC membership if you only intend to use your points for Disney cruises. While 150 points will get you five nights at the Polynesian over Christmas, you would need roughly 240 points PER PERSON for a 3 day cruise on the Dream and that would get you an inside stateroom during ‘regular’ season. If you wanted to sail during more desirable times or upgrade your stateroom more points will be required. Additional points can be purchased at $15 per point but it really starts to add up.

      Also worth noting is that when you buy into DVC you’re purchasing a home resort with a 100 point minimum and that will cost you somewhere in the neighborhood of $17,000. Maintenance fees follow each year.

      DVC is great if you visit Disney one or more times a year or if want that Disney touch when vacationing around the U.S. or overseas but for cruising it just isn’t cost effective.

      – Dennis

      Reply
    3. Michelle

      Hi David, We are DVC members and have gone on two cruises so far and have another one coming up at Spring Break. I’m in agreement with the others, that purchasing DVC for cruises only is not worth it. What we have done, is every 3 years we take a “big” vacation, aka cruise.. We rent out points to get the cash we need for the cruise and stateroom we want and pay cash. We make sure to save a few points so we can go to Disney World if we want…..

      Reply
  2. Dennis C

    We really wanted to take this cruise but the dates just didn’t line up with my wife’s schedule as a teacher. Bummer.

    Thanks for posting!

    Reply

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