Home Away From Home

If you've ever taken a Disney vacation, chances are the hardest part about taking that trip (even worse than the credit card bills that come as a special souvenir the next month) is returning to reality when it's over. As some readers of my previous entries have noted, a Disney vacation is an immersive experience, especially when you stay at one of their resorts. Transitioning back to a place where security guards don't wish you "a magical day" and Stop & Shop cashiers aren't asking for your "autograph" and all the chocolate and cookies aren't "diet" (don't act like I'm the only one who cheats on vacation) creates a tough re-entry period. This is particularly true when you're a Disney Vacation Club (DVC) Member, and your entire itinerary becomes a trip "home".

On the bright side, even if you're not a member, DVC and Disney provide plenty of ways for you to stay connected and live vicariously through other vacationers as you count down the days to your next trip. Of course, there are literally hundreds of links to lead visitors deeper and deeper into the  Walt Disney World website, but what does DVC have to offer?

Members vote on the new design for the popular
"Member Since" buttons - blue won by a landslide

To start, upon visiting their website, you are invited to "like" the official DVC Facebook page, the only official social network produced outside of the Disney domain for the DVC brand. The page engages fans frequently, posting photos and videos of interest, updating news articles, and even polling their fans for feedback. The page is open to the public - you are not required to be a member to access any part of the site or participate in polls.

Interestingly, though several of the Disney vacation brands have active and informative Twitter accounts (including Disney Parks, Disneyland, and Disney World), there is not currently a verified account set up for DVC. Perhaps they're just waiting for the right Social Media Maven to come along and work her magic for the DVC brand?

*shameless plug*

(Note to DVC: I'm TOTALLY available.)





Though DVC does not have an official presence on any of the popular social media hubs besides Facebook, they have found ways to share information and media via Disney Parks Blog, set up for use by all entities within the Disney Parks brand. The blog is updated several times a week with interesting entries from different writers, each within his or her own specialty, including DVC. Posts tagged as "DVC" related can be searched for easy access to relevant material, or guests can search by specific resort if that is their interest. Archives include organization by popular tags, category, and date, and popular articles are recommended for reading as well.


As a fan, I particularly appreciate being able to openly comment on blog entries and receive quick responses to my inquiries. Though comments are moderated, I have seen enough negative feedback and spirited discussion on select topics to believe the moderation filters more for content inconsistent with a "family brand" blog than for criticism. I believe this interaction fosters the relationship of fans to the brand, as they are also encouraged to submit questions. Fans are also provided with shortcuts to share articles via Twitter, email, or Facebook, though other platforms (such as Google+) are not yet available.

Deevy Cee, self-proclaimed
First Lady of DVC

Again, being part of the Disney brand and particularly with roots deeply ingrained in Disney World, DVC has the luxury to access plenty of popular web real estate to host their material, and as such has not set up an active presence with many outside platforms. As noted in a previous blog, DVC provides video tours and informational pieces on both the official website and through their "spokescharacter", Deevy Cee.  Deevy's website is a truly Disney experience, and the "First Lady" herself became a popular guest at DVC events, particularly on-site at Disney World. Deevy was created to, basically, give DVC a mascot who was so over the top, members couldn't help but love her.

Except not all of them did.

When DVC leadership changed several months ago and the image (like the logo discussed in a previous blog) began undergoing a more global makeover, Deevy's future came into question. Though no official announcement has been made, it has been some time since "Deevy" posted a new video, the logo is not updated, and there is no mention of the newest DVC resort - Aulani, in Hawaii - on her site. Perhaps these would be minor details for most businesses, but Disney would refer to such outdated material as "bad show", which has fueled the rumors of Deevy's demotion.

Besides Facebook and the disney.com sites, however, DVC is often featured on the Disney Parks Youtube channel, and a special video is chosen to be featured on the Disney Parks Blog front page. Most of the videos in the collection are less than two minutes long - just enough time to take a mini vacation to, say, Hawaii, via a time lapse video showing the growth of the newest DVC resort.

Like the rest of the Disney brand, DVC is closely monitored in regards to its "webutation", but the content that is made available to those seeking information fits seamlessly with the other entities in their family. Because of the nature of the business (a time share that's not a time share), I think there are certainly going to be some questions that are better suited to speaking to an agent than searching for answers online, and DVC does offer live "chats" for basic responses. For more specific questions that would require sales expertise on a case-by-case basis, potential members can request contact by a DVC sales agent.

At any rate, witnessing the increased activity of the DVC Facebook page and Disney Parks Blogs entries indicates a growth in focus on social media for the Disney Vacation Club brand as they continue to seek feedback from not only their members, but potential members as well. As I count down towards my next trip, I'll be looking forward to those updates even more!