By Bill Diercksen, Senior Vice President, Disney Vacation Club & Aulani
Earlier this year, Disney Vacation Club did something we’d never done before. We commissioned a song.
Titled “Where We Belong (Welcome Home)†and originally intended as a jingle for Disney Vacation Club Member Celebrations aboard Disney Cruise Line ships, the stirring song became a broader tribute to the magic of Membership. And when its music video debuted on our Disney Files On Demand YouTube playlist, Members’ enthusiastic response (the video has attracted more than 250,000 views at press time) prompted the tune’s release to music streaming platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Pandora and YouTube.
Now, as this magazine mails, the song has reached another magical milestone – its first celebrity performance. The incomparable Kissy Simmons, a Member Cruise veteran who holds the record for the most performances as Nala in Disney on Broadway’s The Lion King, signed on to elevate the anthem on stage at the grand opening press event for The Villas at Disneyland Hotel. And as she did, these lyrics never felt more fitting: “Where we are is right…right where we belong.â€
Disney Vacation Club may not exist today were it not for the groundbreaking Disneyland Hotel. It’s hard to imagine a time when Resort Hotels weren’t woven into the fabric of the Disney experience, but when it all began back in 1955, skeptics questioned whether families would want to visit Walt Disney’s magic kingdom for a day, much less spend the night.
So the ensuing success of the Disneyland Hotel became a profound proof of concept, paving the way for the rise of Disney Resorts and, ultimately, for Disney Vacation Club to invite families to not just stay the night, but to stay magical year after year.
Your newest vacation option extends our magical community’s deepest roots, welcoming you “home†to where it all began…and promising a story in every stay. As all of us at Disney Vacation Club eagerly await your stories from this special place in the years ahead, we do so with the comforting, exhilarating feeling that where we are is right…right where we belong.
Dec. 7 Condominium Association Meeting: Watch disneyvacationclub.com for additional details for the annual condominium association meeting for all condominium associations, scheduled to take place on Dec. 7 at Disney’s Contemporary Resort.
Snap this QR code to enjoy the original music video for “Where We Belong (Welcome Home)," now streaming on the Disney Files On Demand YouTube playlist!
