Talk me into a Studio

[WilsonFlyer]

OK. I admit it. I've become a spoiled DVC brat. We are only a family of 3. Me, my DW and DD (8). We have spoiled ourselves by always staying in 1 BRs all across the DVC property.

With the cost of APs (which we keep), I'm really falling into the trap of needing to get more trips to justify the costs of continuing to keep our APs. Exactly the trap Disney wants us to fall into.

We don't cook. We make an occasional sandwich or throw a hot dog in the microwave. I don't recall staying in a studio but a couple of times, but I remember it feeling cramped. Again, I've spoiled myself and I know that.

We have about 450 points. I don't like borrowing. We want to go again maybe before school starts back, probably at Christmas, and finally to F&G. We'll skip F&W this year to go to Maine to see my wife's family.

Nothing's really left just before school goes back except a studio at SSR. I think we've stayed in one and we've definitely put friends in on in a 2BR lock-off before so the room is not a total stranger to me. I could probably start doing studios a couple of times per year and 1 BRs maybe once and have points to bank and that would be a good situation.

I know. It's pitiful and you all feel sorry for me, right?

Go less and stay in larger accommodations or go more often and stay in studios. You can't talk me off the wall, just convince me which one I ought to be jumping off.

FWIW, we are park-goers. We don't spend excessive time in the room or at the resort except we usually sleep in late and get in late from the parks.

What do you do?

 

[SUSIEQ]

I call it a "trip" when we stay in a studio and a "vacation" when we stay in a 1 bedroom. I just have to decide if I want to go on a trip or a vacation.

 

[WilsonFlyer]

I call it a "trip" when we stay in a studio and a "vacation" when we stay in a 1 bedroom. I just have to decide if I want to go on a trip or a vacation.

I like that. That actually makes a lot of sense to me too.

 

[delmar411]

Do you use the washer/dryer and/or do you use and enjoy the big tub? That would be the deciding point for me. I just stayed in a regular room in May and it felt really cramped even though it was just the 2 of us. We are used to 2 bedrooms so not having the space and the amenities was an issue for me.

But if it was a trade off between going and saying in a studio vs. not going then I'd have to get over my hang ups and get the studio. Lol

 

[Lucia_27]

Our family of 3 stays in a 1 bedroom when we stay for more than 4 days. Often DD and I travel alone and stay in a studio, but when DH is with us I feel the studio is too cramped. I like the "trip" vs. "vacation" concept!

 

[WilsonFlyer]

Do you use the washer/dryer and/or do you use and enjoy the big tub? That would be the deciding point for me. I just stayed in a regular room in May and it felt really cramped even though it was just the 2 of us. We are used to 2 bedrooms so not having the space and the amenities was an issue for me.

But if it was a trade off between going and saying in a studio vs. not going then I'd have to get over my hang ups and get the studio. Lol

Do we use them? Yes. Would we really miss them? No.

Good feedback. Keep it coming.!

 

[Figment56]

Maybe do a 1 bedroom one year, and studios the year after? That way you can activate your AP during the 1 bedroom year and then plan multiples the year after in a studio up until the time your AP expires or renews?

 

[NoleFan]

We stayed in a 2 bedroom @ Bonnett Creek & felt it was too much space for our family of 3. I prefer more trips vs. less trips & bigger space. We are ok with the studio because we don't spend much time in the room other than to sleep.

 

[DVC Mike]

Go less and stay in larger accommodations or go more often and stay in studios. You can't talk me off the wall, just convince me which one I ought to be jumping off.

What do you do?

Buy more points so you can go more often and don't have to stay in a studio!

 

[Splashboat]

What time does your daughter go to bed and what time does she wake up in relation to you and your spouse? If you have to go to bed early or lay perfectly still in the mornings so you don't wake her - it isn't worth it.

 

[spiceycat]

now okw or ssr don't work great for this plan.
if your daughter needs more sleep you can go out on the balcony or leave and go to the lobby - especially good at vwl, akl - but works at bcv, bwv and blt

or go to the community hall

you only have one tv - so if dad is used to looking at something and daughter is use to looking at something else. that might cause problems - now if you have something for them to do - forget it.

you can find games, dvd, and other stuff at the community hall (activity center)

do studios alot....

understand what you are going thru - my brother & his family went on my points for years with a 2-bedroom - each child brought a friend - recently his kids are growth up and have moved out. So he only gets a studio now....

he thinks at times it is horrible - but he would rather have a studio than not go. (also sold OKW and brought BLT - since BLT cost a lot more per point - do not have as many points)

I happen to like studio - but definitely won't spend the points for even a 1-bedroom,

 

[WilsonFlyer]

Buy more points so you can go more often and don't have to stay in a studio!

You know? Somehow, call it pure intuition, I just knew you'd come along with exactly that response!

 

[WilsonFlyer]

What time does your daughter go to bed and what time does she wake up in relation to you and your spouse? If you have to go to bed early or lay perfectly still in the mornings so you don't wake her - it isn't worth it.

Shameful response... She usually sleeps with us at WDW anyway, so that's not really an issue. She pretty much runs on the same clock we do.

 

[sarahk0204]

As a family of 4, we've done studios at BLT and SSR, as well as an Inn Room at VB. We definitely took advantage of the Community Halls, and I did use the community laundry. Not a problem.

We prefer to not do studios now, as my girl/boy twins are getting too old to share a bed, and I am the adult who gets stuck sleeping in the pullout because DH has back problems. However, if the alternative is not going on the trip...

 

[sweetdana]

1 split stay, when u go on 7+ day trips. 1st 3-4 nights in a studio for exciting long park days then move up a 1 bedroom for the bal. saves a few points n as long as your going a week+. 1 switch is easy. By the time you need laundry machine... You have it.

and

2 do more trips in a 12 month period using 1.5 yrs of points n skip 12- 18 months n do it again. It is a better use of ap. saves $$ ( do the ap coat per month even vrs the renewal and this is eye opening). It also gets u a trip else where. IE go to DC, Vegas, Atlantis, cruise in between.

 

[MinnieFan4ever]

Wish I could help. We are a family of 3 and always say in a 1 BR. We have stayed in a regular room twice before with her and lets just say, it was not as peaceful. She was always saying... I can hear you whispering... Daddy are you rolling over... Mommy was that you fixing the covers... What are you talking about now...Mommy/Daddy...Mommy/Daddy... But if we are in a 1 BR she goes right to sleep. Ahhhhh....peace and quiet for all.

 

[msd1776]

1 split stay, when u go on 7+ day trips. 1st 3-4 nights in a studio for exciting long park days then move up a 1 bedroom for the bal. saves a few points n as long as your going a week+. 1 switch is easy. By the time you need laundry machine... You have it.

and

2 do more trips in a 12 month period using 1.5 yrs of points n skip 12- 18 months n do it again. It is a better use of ap. saves $$ ( do the ap coat per month even vrs the renewal and this is eye opening). It also gets u a trip else where. IE go to DC, Vegas, Atlantis, cruise in between.

Love the way you think... I too was wrestling with studio vs 1 bedroom. Lots of trips now we are a family of 3 and studio is fine...except for being cramped. as much as I think I could cook....I don't want to and I want to have spontaneity without worrying that I have food in the room I need to use. The laundry is what sold me though..... . I may try this on our next "party of three" trip!

 

[3 Hobbits 2 Disney]

Okay so we're pondering the inverse. We are a family of 3 but the junior member is a DD13. We almost always do 1 BR but in flush years have done a 2. Now with a mom and a 13 DD we are looking to add on additional points to support a 2 BR with 2 BATHS. We typically eat breakfast in the room and do a load of laundry but the BATHROOM and PRIVACY of a second BR are making us think that a 75 - 100 point add on would make it a vacation.

 

[WiggleWorm]

We used to stay in studios....until we stayed in a one-bedroom! Ugh, we are so spoiled now! As some others have said, I think it depends a lot on the child. Ours still take naps and are asleep by 8:00pm. We've done the lights out thing in a studio at 8:00pm and frankly, it sucks. We sit very quietly staring at our laptop/iPad. We also do laundry everyday and eat at least one, but usually two, meals in our room. So....I could see staying in a studio again when the kids are on the same schedule as us, we don't have a ton of laundry (maybe when the kids get older we each wont go through two outfits a day), and we eat most meals at the parks. Right now, we would prefer to save up and not go until we can have enough points for a one-bedroom. In the future, I'd love to go more and stay in a studio. (Although I say that now....)

 

[brertoad]

We always stay in studios. I'd love to go bigger, but it's just 2 of us and it would eat up our points so fast.

I highly recommend the OKW studios, they are bigger and they have 2 queen beds, it's the best studio accomodation in my opinion. Us adults have trouble sleeping on the sleeper sofa, for a young child, the sleeper sofa wouldn't be as bad.

The amount of points you use with a studio is going to be less than half of a 1BR right? So you can go twice as much for the same points. That should be a pretty good incentive.

OR compromise: and do a split stay, do 2 days in a studio, 2 days in a 1BR each trip, and you can spread it out more.