Hurricanes may not be the norm where you live; however, as DVC members, most of us own at least one timeshare in central Florida. Every time a hurricane warning comes into effect, DVC message boards light up with questions. In episode 034, we talk with DVC members about their hurricane experience. We are creating a reference page for helpful information that Disney Vacation Club Members need to know about hurricanes and Disney.

The cast for today's show is

Shannon Ford, native Floridian, DVC member since 2016 and the current Mrs. Florida 2019Chris Salata, host of the “Behind The Ears Podcast” and DVC Member since 2007Jeremy Murray, DVC member since 2018Chad Pennycuff, host of the My DVC Points podcast

If you had to pick a resort to ride out a hurricane in Walt Disney World, where would you pick and why?

Shannon – Foremost desire is to stay in a resort where the rooms connect to the main lobby with internal hallways. Animal Kingdom Jambo House would be her top pick due to the restaurant choices. Copper Creek over at Wilderness Lodge would be her second pick. BoardWalk Villas would be her third pick. When there is 80+ miles per hour wind, you cannot leave the resort building. If you're staying at Poly, the buildings are all separate, and you cannot get to the lobby. If you're stuck inside the building for 36 hours, you will appreciate walking the inner halls of the resort. Disney will be running events, have characters for the kids, etc.Chris chooses a three-bedroom Grand Villa at Animal Kingdom Jambo House because they have a pool table inside the villa for extra entertainment options. Chris also commented on the lobby and restaurant situation at Jambo.Chad – Animal Kingdom Kidani Village because of the covered parking, extra bathroom, connected lobby, community hall for additional indoor activities and Sanaa. Jeremy will seek shelter from the storms from the safety of Bay Lake Tower. He pointed out that the tower would be a great place to observe the wind.

Official DVC Policy on Hurricanes

Annually, from June 1 to November 30, in the event a hurricane warning is issued by the National Hurricane Center of the Orlando area, Vero Beach area, Hilton Head Island, O'ahu or for the Member’s place of residence within 7 days before the scheduled arrival date, the Member may call Member Services at (800) 800-9800† or (407) 566-3800† prior to Check-in to cancel or reschedule, based upon availability, their Disney Vacation Club Resort reservation without any cancellation or modification penalty.Note: This policy pertains to hurricane warnings only. Other weather advisory levels are handled on a case by case basis and Members should contact Member Services.

As Shannon noted, DVC seems to be very fair and generous in the event of a hurricane, and they typically go above and beyond what's required by our contract. However, we cannot expect this to happen every time. Pro Tip: Kindness and respect go a long way when asking favors!

DVC Renters should know that most rental contracts offer zero flexibility for cancellations or changes without some type of extra insurance. If renting through a company, you need to inquire about hurricane policies and cancellation insurance. As a renter, the upside is that you typically save about 40% off the rack rate of the room. The downside is that most contracts prohibit cancellation for any reason. The rental contract does not obligate the member to pass along any points that DVC returns to their account. Most likely, the member has already spent or reallocated their rental income by the time the storm comes.

DVC Members: Travelex created a policy just for us! Please note. Travelex is not a sponsor, and our only relationship with them is as a policyholder. As fellow members and consumers, we honestly love the peace of mind that comes with their product. See the links on the DVC site above for more information about the policy.