Cast of Characters

The personality of DVC. The voice of DVC. The face of DVC.


Disney Vacation Club continues to expand and evolve, and with those changes, DVC is also working towards better defining each of those three things. So what does each currently mean to its members, potential buyers and other stakeholders? Who best represents the company?

Nice place to visit...

As previously discussed, DVC uses various websites, blogs and social networking to engage the public, some more effectively than others. The blog most often used for DVC updates is the Disney Parks blog, and the entries are written to focus on the magic and wonderment most often sought from Disney as a parent company. These entries frequently feature photos or video to enhance the experience, and in my opinion, are usually indistinguishable from entries focusing on other aspects of the Disney parks. This, of course, is a good move for Disney - one blog covers all Disney Parks (and resorts), sharing the same types of news and stories.

The personality is covered, but what of the voice? For current members and those serious about considering the investment, a separate blog strictly for DVC may be a good consideration. Disney fans, and especially Vacation Club members, love fluffy news stories about pixie dust, but we're also interested in the heavier content about the refurbishment projects at our home property, updates to our perks and benefits, and changes to transportation throughout the resort. Though members have their own website, the information is updated slowly, and "news" is usually spread through unofficial websites before reaching official ones. The question of who to write this type of blog? Well, as I've mentioned before, I'd be happy to volunteer, as would the many DVC bloggers already on the web, but I also think newly named President Claire Bilby could use this as a way to engage her stakeholders.

Which brings up another question - who is the face of Disney Vacation Club?

Who else?

DVC Members, of course!

We'll sell DVC for the price
of a bag of popcorn!

Disney Vacation Club regularly recruits real families to represent the program by starring in print and video advertisements, including "specials" that air on national tv. (Tip:  Disney disguised their 30-minute infomercials as a "special" called Disney Storybook Vacations.) Even on site, through a program called "Welcome Home Wednesdays", current members are invited to bring visiting friends and families to an open-house with Deevy Cee, where they compete for prizes by answering trivia questions about the resort, membership, and their own vacation memories. What do they (ok, fine, WE, because if there's prizes to be won, you better believe my butt is in the room) get for a couple hours of their time?

A free bag of popcorn!


What better spokesperson than one who is excited about your brand and willing to work for free? 

The only celebrity that needs to attach his name to DVC is the one already attached to it - Walt Disney. The Disney name, despite occasional criticism, is generally thought of in a very positive way, especially in regards to vacationing. What celebrity is as universally trusted in the way the Walt Disney Company is? Sure, Walt may not have introduced DVC to us via his Wonderful World of Color the way he showed us Disneyland, but his legacy of commitment to quality and innovation continues through every brand with his name attached to it. Few, if any, celebrities enjoy this same general trust from the public at large.

Though I don't imagine it happening anytime soon (based on recent requests from members for photos, videos and memories), if DVC decided to select a celebrity spokesperson, it would have to be someone as authentic as their members, preferably a member themselves.  What celebrity can you think of that needs to use a timeshare for his family vacations? (Side note: I actually do know of a few celebrities who own points through DVC, but none of them would be terribly effective spokespeople.)

And of course, if DVC chose to go the celebrity route, they've got their own cast of characters to chose from who, I'm sure, would be happy to say a few nice words!