Magic Kingdom’s Frontierland may be home to “the wildest ride in the wilderness,” but it also now holds “the frontier’s best-kept secret.”Disney Vacation Club McKim’s Mile House: A Member Lounge. The new lounge opens March 18, 2025, in the space previously occupied by the Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade.
The pioneer-inspired DVC Member lounge offers plenty of nods to the history of Disney Imagineering and Frontierland attractions, and we were among the first to see McKim’s Mile House before its official opening.
Here’s everything you need to know about the new wild west-themed lounge at Magic Kingdom:
The Magical Story Behind McKim’s Mile House
McKim’s Mile House is named after Disney Legend Sam McKim, a Western film actor and artist who later became an Imagineer, creating concept artwork not just for Frontierland, but for attractions throughout the Disney Parks.
FUN FACT: In addition to being named a Disney Legend, Sam McKim was honored with a window on Main Street U.S.A. in Disneyland.
Many pieces of concept art drawn by McKim are on display inside the lounge, which is themed around an 1850s boarding house operated by the fictional McKim family (though his real family is pretty incredible too).
According to the story, the family operated their boarding house during the height of the Gold Rush, and travelers who were headed out West via stagecoach were known to stop for a spell during their journey.
“Another term for a boarding house is a mile house,” explained Amy Regan, a senior manager of marketing strategy at the Walt Disney Company. “We’re super-excited to honor [Sam McKim] in this space and to have a new member space in the heart of Magic Kingdom.”
The backstory of the boarding house is that it has hosted traveling guests from Frontierland, with guest room doors upstairs labeled for “B.T. Bullion (AKA Barbanus T. Bullion), the owner and founder of Big Thunder Mountain Mining Company and “M. Davis,” which of course, honors Disney Legend (and legendary Imagineer) Marc Davis.
Did you know that Barbanus T. Bullion was a member of the Society of Explorers and Adventurers? It’s true! Bullion, along with Lord Henry Mystic who resides in Hong Kong Disneyland’s Mystic Manor, Harrison Hightower of Tokyo DisneySea Tower of Terror fame, the Jungle Cruise’s infamous Dr. Albert Falls, and many others belong to the mysterious secret society.
Curious? Read all about it here:
The Beginners Guide to Disney’s Society of Explorers and Adventurers (S.E.A)
Guest Amenities Inside McKim’s Mile House
Inside McKim’s Mile House, guests will find dark wood, low lighting, and cold air conditioning, three things that make for a perfect respite from the heat of a sunny day at Magic Kingdom.
Tables inside the lounge offer built-in chargers, and cast members have charging cords to loan to guests who need them. In addition to Coca-Cola Freestyle soda machines, there’s a coffee station stocked with Joffrey’s coffee and tea, and snacks.
But it’s not just amenities like Wi-Fi and cold drinks that’ll greet DVC members and their guests inside McKim’s Mile House, the decor is worth taking the time to look at. In addition to several framed Sam McKim sketches, there’s a stunning hand-carved fireplace, period-appropriate floral wallpaper, leather-backed seats and booths, and all the tiny touches we’ve come to expect from Disney Imagineering.
We couldn’t find any hidden Mickeys during our time in the space (not for lack of trying), but we’re sure they’re there. Also spotted: A framed photo of Wild West heroine Annie Oakley and a door marked with the name “Hoot” in honor of Hoot Gibson, the owl who was set to be the narrator of the designed-but-never-built Frontierland attraction Western River Expedition.
And don’t hurry past the Instagram-worthy mural outside that reads, “The Frontier’s Best Kept Secret,” a nod to Disney Vacation Club’s former slogan proclaiming the program to be “Disney’s Best Kept Secret.”
This “secret” hide-out for DVC members is sure to become a favorite place to cool off, take a rest from the Orlando sunshine, and recharge both electronic devices and theme park-weary bodies.
How to Visit McKim’s Mile House at Magic Kingdom
McKim’s Mile House is exclusively available to Disney Vacation Club (DVC) members who are eligible for Membership Extras, part of the program’s Membership Magic benefits. Members can bring up to four non-DVC guests into the space with them at a time; however, if more than four guests are on a shared hotel reservation with the DVC member, the entire party can enter.
Hours for this DVC-exclusive lounge are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.
McKim’s Mile House joins Walt Disney World-based DVC member lounge, Disney Vacation Club ImaginAtrium at EPCOT, and a DVC lounge in Tomorrowland at Disneyland, Disney Vacation Club Star View Station: A Member Lounge.
Thinking about joining Disney Vacation Club? Read all about it here:
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Let’s Hear From You!
Are you a Disney Vacation Club member or have considered joining? Are the increasing number of in-park DVC lounges a perk that would make membership extra valuable for you? We think it’s wonderful that Imagineer Sam McKim has been honored with McKim’s Mile House. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below… which other Disney Legends you’d like to see featured in the parks!
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