With Membership Magic Ever After generating a flood of Member-experience headlines in 2017, one could liken the process of consuming those headlines to drinking from the proverbial fire hose. So with about two thirds of this newsworthy year now behind us, I thought it might be helpful to take a breath and recap some 2017’s most impactful news while there’s still time to take advantage of these enhancements to the Member experience.

Member Lounge: Launched in 2016 as part of our Disney Vacation Club celebration of “25 years and beyond,” the Member Lounge on the second floor of the Imagination! Pavilion at Epcot became an instant hit, welcoming more than 180,000 Members and special guests to this secluded (and delightfully air-conditioned) space during its first year. The lounge’s popularity prompted its extended operation in 2017, and I’m pleased to report that it’s currently scheduled to remain open throughout 2018. Stop by the lounge (entering through the Imagination! Pavilion’s merchandise shop) between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. daily to enjoy comfortable seating areas, complimentary soft drinks, Wi-Fi service, device-charging stations, computers with printers, a children’s play area, access to Member Service Advisors and more.

Enhanced Member Services: Members continue to enjoy the new option of updating an existing reservation by directly contacting the same Member Service Advisor who helped book that reservation in the first place. And, beginning Sept. 10, Member Services will expand its operating hours to 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Eastern on weekdays (currently 9 a.m.-7:30 p.m.) and 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Eastern (previously 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m.) on weekends.

Member Events: Complimentary after-hours parties that turned Disney Parks into personal playgrounds for Members and special Guests in 2016 continued this year. Disney Vacation Club Moonlight Magic events kicked off this spring with parties at Magic Kingdom Park and this summer at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park. This year’s remaining Moonlight Magic slate includes already-booked-to-capacity parties at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park and yet-to-be-booked parties at Disneyland Park (Nov. 15) and Epcot (Dec. 4 and 11). A variety of specially ticketed seasonal events, meanwhile, have allowed Members to celebrate everything from Mother’s Day and Father’s Day to New Year’s Day and Independence Day in distinctive fashion. Upcoming ticketed events at or near Disney Vacation Club Resorts include Halloween parties and winter-holiday dinners, while additional holiday offerings include discounted tickets for select nights of Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party at Magic Kingdom Park. This year’s sold-out Disney Vacation Club Member Cruise (sailing Aug. 26-Sept. 2) will sail for the first time aboard the Disney Fantasy with the event’s first Eastern Caribbean itinerary, while the 2018 voyage will sail for the first time in the heart of summer (July 23-27, 2018). At the time of this posting, a limited number of staterooms remain available for the 2018 Member Cruise.

Ticket Offers: Members still have time to take advantage of two special Walt Disney World ticket offers, including a discount of at least 25 percent off the purchase of a Disney Platinum Plus Annual Pass and a 7-Day Magic Your Way Ticket for the price of a 5-Day ticket. Both offers are available for purchase through Jan. 3, 2018.

Waived RCI fees: Members looking to travel the world may continue to book RCI Resort reservations without paying the $95 reservation fee by making reservations between now and the Dec. 31, regardless of travel date.

Visit disneyvacationclub.com to learn more about Member offerings available as part of Membership Magic Ever After, including reservation and purchase details where applicable.

In the meantime, what has been your favorite Membership Magic Ever After offering, and what are you excited to experience next?

You should not purchase a real estate interest in a Disney Vacation Club Resort in reliance upon the continued availability of these Membership enhancements. Some, such as discounts, offers, and special events, known as Membership Extras, are incidental benefits and are subject to change or termination without notice and cannot be combined with other offers; some require a fee. New Members after April 4, 2016 who do not purchase their ownership interest directly from Disney will not have access to Membership Extras.