Grand Floridian DVC Villas to open late 2013
Disney Vacation Development Inc. confirmed this winter that the Disney Vacation Club (DVC) will be expanding to the Grand Floridian. The new Grand Floridian villas are slated to open in late 2013, and will mark the 12th DVC property. An estimated 147 villas will be part of the new DVC property.
What is particularly significant about the proposed new DVC property is that it will be the second located along the monorail. For many years, DVC members clamored for a property choice that was part of the Walt Disney World monorail resorts. Their wishes were granted on August 4, 2009 when the Bay Lake Tower villas opened as part of the Contemporary resort. The soon to open Grand Floridian expansion not only gives DVC members a second choice along the monorail, it also brings the DVC experience to the resort considered the flagship property of Disney World.
Construction is well under way. The new villas will require parking lot expansion, and to meet these needs Disney has removed the tennis courts, and the adjacent parking lot. This area will be replaced by two new parking lots.
“We continually look for ways to expand Disney Vacation Club by creating resort experiences that our members will love,” said Claire Bilby, senior vice president and general manager of Disney Vacation Club. “With the continued popularity of Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, we are thrilled to offer our members and guests a new resort option along the monorail system with easy access to the Magic Kingdom Park, as well as a variety of shopping, dining and recreation experiences.”
Needless to say this is incredibly exciting news for fans of the Walt Disney World resort complex, and particularly for DVC members. The Bay Lake Tower addition to the Contemporary resort has been lauded as one of the finest vacation club properties Disney has produced. The bar will no doubt be set even higher when the flagship Grand Floridian resort rolls out its DVC expansion.
No dates have yet been announced for when property points will come to market. However rumors spread throughout two of the larger independent Disney forums suggested sales would begin in late 2012 or early 2013. In the meantime prospective and existing DVC members may still purchase points at the Bay Lake Tower, which has not sold out as of spring 2012.
How excited are you about the Grand Floridian DVC expansion? Are you planning to purchase points at the new property when they become available?