Hotel Imput needed (BWV, BCV, AKL, VWL)

[PocahontasLookALike]

We are proud DVC owners and embarking on our 4th trip back to the world in February 2009!

We are beginning to plan our trip (we only have 7 months to go!) and I wanted some imput.

We've always stayed at BoardWalk Villas. It's what actually sold us on DVC. We toured the Beach Club, but I looked across the lagoon, pointed and said, "THAT's where I want to stay!" Our last two trips have been awesome trips at the BWV, but now I'm wondering if we should try something else.

So I'm asking for your list of pros and cons for each of the following:

Beach Club Villas

Villas at Wilderness Lodge

Animal Kingdom VILLAS (not the Lodge)

I am looking to my DISpeeps here to give me the good, the bad and the ugly. I want to hear about the rooms, the transportation, distances to the parks, etc!

Help me decide where we are going to stay!

ps - a little about us: we are a married couple in our late 20's, no kids, LOVE Disney, love to get up early for the rope drops, love to eat good food and would like to find a place with a decent place for a massage

 

[PocahontasLookALike]

anyone, anyone?

 

[jarestel]

So I'm asking for your list of pros and cons for each of the following:

Beach Club Villas

Villas at Wilderness Lodge

Animal Kingdom VILLAS (not the Lodge)

I am looking to my DISpeeps here to give me the good, the bad and the ugly. I want to hear about the rooms, the transportation, distances to the parks, etc!

I'll take a shot at listing some of the pros, but the cons are pretty much all a matter of personal preferences, so you'll need to experience all of the resorts to figure that out for yourself.

BCV - Easy walk to Epcot's World Showcase. This is great for catching Illuminations and then while everyone else is scrambling for buses and monorails, you can casually stroll back to your resort a mere 5-10 minutes away. If you're themed pool-people, it's generally acknowledged that the Storm-Along-Bay pool is the best on property. Also, since you already know the BW area, you probably already have some favorite places to dine in that location.

VWL - Nice location for early morning walkers/runners/nature watchers on a trip over to Ft Wilderness.. Close by MK, either by a short bus-ride or a more leisurely boat trip. Close to the WL with all of it's amenities, Artist Point & Whispering Canyon restaurants, and of course that great lobby.

AKV - Kidani Village won't begin to open until May of 2009, so if you're not interested in staying in Jambo House (the portion of AKV located in the main AKL building) then this won't work for you in February. However, any stay at AKV has one thing you can't find at any other WDW resort... animals. If you are animal people, you can't beat AKV.

Transportation at all resorts is subject to inexplicable delays at times, but most of the time it runs as expected.

Rooms are pretty much the same configuration at BCV & VWL, just decorated differently. No real difference in size or layout.

Good luck with your trip!

 

[javamom]

I will chime in on the massage question.

A) You can get one at the Boardwalk health club, but you probably knew that.

B) Saratoga Springs has the whole spa, as does the Grand Floridian.


There is also a couple of spa places over at the Swan and Dolphin.

 

[Lauralei]

We're trying the BCV for the first time this February also. We've stayed at the other 3 that you mentioned. My DH likes the BWV best for the reasons you've stated, but we have been trying different places every year and since the BCV are only across the lake you could still easily walk to the BW. Our DS is 9 and I also want to check-out Stormalongbay. I strongly liked the WLV's. The location by the MK is great, you have the Electric Water Parade, the scenery is beautiful, you can walk by trail to FW. On the downside the service in their self serve restaurant was the worst. Last year we stayed at AKV's. This is really nice, but you should only stay if you get a savannah view. Seeing the animals from your own balcony is what makes it unique. It is more remote than the others, we always have our car, and I think you need one at AKV. The pool area is huge and beautiful. Their self serve restaurant (The Mara) had excellent service, very different from WLV.

 

[AKV707]

The only one that you mentioned that I have stayed in is AKV. And I highly recommend it!

And I have to dispute the remote reputation. We just returned from there on Thursday, and the bus service was outstanding. AKV has its own buses, meaning that they do not share them with another resort. It took 12 minutes to get to Epcot, 18 to MK, 18-20 to DHS (because the bus also stops at BB) and 3-4 minutes to AK.

The resort is beautiful. We had a pool view, but we viewed the animals from all of the many viewing areas. But a savanna view would be great.

You also have Jiko and Boma on site. Since you have stayed at BWV many times, AKV would be something completely different.

Here is a link to my trip report

 

[Lauralei]

It might depend on the time of year, but last February when we sometimes took the busses from AKV we waited very long from both Epcot and the Studios to return (maybe 45 minutes). Once we were going to take a bus in the morning but we were waiting over 30 minutes and just gave up and got our car! After that experience we drove everywhere. I still say AKV is great but to be on the safe side (and not waste hours!) have a car.

 

[AKV707]

It might depend on the time of year, but last February when we sometimes took the busses from AKV we waited very long from both Epcot and the Studios to return (maybe 45 minutes). Once we were going to take a bus in the morning but we were waiting over 30 minutes and just gave up and got our car! After that experience we drove everywhere. I still say AKV is great but to be on the safe side (and not waste hours!) have a car.

That is interesting. We only had one wait longer than 15 minutes which was an early morning trip to MK when we waited 30 minutes. I wonder if the new dispatch system is having a positive effect.

 

[kato0627]

I have to agree with Ed. We just stayed at AKV from 7-3 to 7-11. Bus service to every park/ every day was wonderful. We hardly waited to or from. The only thing that became bothersome was stopping at BB on the way to DHS, but... that was the only bus that stopped. We were really pleased with transportation.
As far as resorts. They are all beautiful and unique. For a young couple with non kiddies, you may really enjoy the quiet VWL. SSR is nice and you may be able to walk to DDD. I have to admit, I LOVED AKL and that was not my choice for an add on last summer. After spending a week there, I'd like to add on more. Any resort will be wonderful. Have fun

 

[moredisneyplease]

I agree that it really is all about the preference of what you want. From reading who you two are, however, I think I would go for BCV! You'll still have the BW close by, easy access to two major parks, easy access to massages over at BWV, great restuarants and a fabulous pool to han out by.

 

[Talkingwoody]

I realize you didn't include Saratoga but it may have a bit of what you said you like to do. Very nice walking path that goes to Downtown Disney. DD has some very good restaurants. As someone mentioned already, the spa in Saratoga is a full service spa with many offerings. We have used it for several treatments. If you would like to try golfing there is a nice course onsite just off the lobby.

Based on your criteria and not including Saratoga, we would choose BCV because of its location to the Boardwalk and Epcot dining.

As you know, you can't go wrong with any option. If we can get a cheap rental car we typically do so we can drive to some of our favorite restaurants that are spread across several resorts.

Enjoy!