AKL Villa rental pay OOP vs Coronado with free DDP

[gweninwb]

Ok so I am starting to plan my Oct 2014 trip and am considering two different possibilities. Early yes....but I love planning. We will be staying 7 nights. The last two days would be spent at Universal. Option one would be to rent DVC points at a discount at AKL for a value studio and pay OOP for meals (We did with last time with great success). OR we will book a magic your way stay at Coronado Springs with hopes of free dining when we stay. I have tallied the totals for each option by looking at where we are most likely to eat if we end up paying OOP. If we get the free dining option the extra credits we will have for the universal days will be spend having breakfasts and upgrading some of our dining to signature restaurants. Here are the numbers. What do you think? Am I forgetting important details?

Option A: Renting a DVC members points to rent an AKL value studio and pay for meals OOP.

Hotel: $897
Food: Disney-$989 Universal-$260
Park tickets: Disney-$1080 Universal-$596
Flight: $1600
Total: $5422

Option B: Book MYW trip at Coronado Springs with FD included (hopeful)

Hotel + Disney tickets: $2607
Universal tickets: $596 Universal Food: $260
Flight $1600
Total $5063

I used this years prices because, of course, next years are not published. Of course I kind of assume the expected price increases will kind of be relative so might not make much difference. In the event we booked the Coronado Springs and free dining wasn't offered we probably rebook with a room discount somewhere and cut our losses. If you were in my shoes which would you choose?

 

[spiceycat]

would go with AKV.

have food allergies that most people do NOT have. So going to restaurants is not something that I enjoy.

definitely enjoy the kitchenette in the studios

 

[MinnieSummer]

When I first looked at this my immediate reaction was AKV. But then I looked again and thought how nice it would be to have the extra food credits. But then I realized you were talking about CSR (which used to be our favorite moderate but after our Christmas stay it isn't). BUT then I looked at the price difference. The price difference is pretty big but you are looking at 2014 so you have plenty of time to save.

I am going with my first reaction. AKV!!!

 

[gweninwb]

Ohhhh what happened at Christmas???

 

[MinnieSummer]

Up until this trip we have rarely had any issues when we stayed at CSR and we have stayed probably 20+ times. This trip was bad across the board. Mousekeeping barely cleaned the room. Twice we walked in and the towels were piled on the bad rather than on the rack. Trash cans were randomly emptied -- one was one wasn't or none were. The girl that checked us in didn't even crack a smile the whole time I was with her. And when I asked a question she rolled her eyes and referred me to the concierge desk. The transportation was a disaster. I used the phone at the bus stop everyday but one to complain about the lack of a bus. I never called until I had waited 45 minutes but after 45 minutes I get a little testy. On one day they said a bus would be there in 5 minutes. I called back ofter 15. Getting back to the resort was OK. The food situation created a problem. The last time we were there I was still able to get Mickey Waffles at the Pepper Market and take them back to the room for my DD's breakfast. Not this time. Absolutely nothing from the Pepper Market could be purchased "to go". It was ridiculous. I asked them why I could take the food outside to eat it but not back to my room and was told that I couldn't eat it outside. The fast food place doesn't have waffles, only pancakes which my DD really doesn't like. And since I hadn't planned for this little mess, my DD didn't eat much for breakfast the entire time we were there. Finally, this won't be an issue for you though, the Christmas decorations were a huge disappointment. We have stayed there before and loved the decor but for some reason this year they didn't decorate nearly as much and it was very sad. All of this came on the heals of last years stay at POFQ which was a huge success on every level. SOOOO POFQ is our new favorite moderate.

 

[gweninwb]

Ohh my gosh. I'm so sorry to hear all of that! It certainly does NOT sound like a good stay. I have stayed at POFQ and we loved it. The CM were friendly and though small we found the resort very charming. Not to mention I have heard that the transportation there is probably the best of the moderates. We were a teeny bit disappointed in the pool but that's it. That's the main reason I was considering Coronado Springs...the pool. Sounds like I might stand by my POFQ if I decide against AKL. I hope your next trip more than makes up for your last!

 

[MMS1125]

is it for 4 people? if so I'd go with CSR a studio is too small I think for more than 2 people

 

[dansdad]

Since Fee Dining is a part of your details above, I just wanted to add something. The prevailing thought from a poster on the discount board who is right more times than he's wrong is Free Dining is going to be heavily scaled back going forward. As in not offered nearly as often, and when it is offered it will be available for Moderate and Deluxes only and will be the QSDP.

 

[spiceycat]

is it for 4 people? if so I'd go with CSR a studio is too small I think for more than 2 people

only BLT - the others are bigger than a moderate room. (okay AKV value is probably about the size of a moderate room)

BLT is really bigger than a moderate - but the space is not used properly.

 

[DevonsDisneyMom]

You know you can add the dining plan to the rental if you like too... We are doing that in June when we rent points at AKV. It ending up working out to almost exactly what it would cost to stay at POR with the dining plan.

 

[MinnieLovesMickey12]

On our next (adults only) trip to WDW this November we had originally planned to stay (7 nights) at CSR and hope for free dining. Then we priced out renting points to stay at OKW and paying OOP for dining. It worked out about the same price either way for us so we are going to try to go for renting OKW points and staying at a DVC resort. We also are doing 2 days at US/IOA.

We were going to buy into DVC this year but have never stayed in any DVC resorts so DH and I decided we will stay at OKW this fall first then if we love it we will buy into DVC early next year.

The rack rates for an OKW studio are over $300 a night but by renting points at $13 per point you can get it for $130 night weekdays. OKW is the lowest point requirement and we like the look and feel of OKW best so far.

I am going to wait until around April before I try to book our DVC rental so if something happens and we can't get the room we want for the dates we want we may go for our back up plan of staying at CSR with free dining. If they offer free dining for this fall. It seems the free dining promo is being scaled way back.