Torn between 3 resorts... help

[SDSorority]

I am torn between 3 resorts.... which would you choose?

We're looking to visit in September (2013...haha planning early...). Just DH and me, we'll have a car, and we'll be renting points.

BWV Standard View Studio
AKL Standard View Studio
WL Standard view Studio

Opinions would be great! We have only stayed at Values and SSR (and the Swalphin). So all of these hotels are new to us!

TIA!

 

[nolanboys]

For an adults only trip, I would go with BWV. Lots of fun stuff to do at the resort. My next vote would be for AKV. It is so beautiful and relaxing there. If you are going to relax, that would be a great option. DH and I did a spliff stay by ourselves at those two resorts and loved them both. One for the entertainment and one for the relaxation!

 

[sleeperclan]

Since it is just the two of you, I'd go with BWV! The convenience to both EPCOT and HS, the nighttime activities at the BW, and just the atmosphere is great for an adults only trip I say this even though my favorite is AKV!!

 

[RocketEAR99]

Since it is just the two of you, I'd go with BWV! The convenience to both EPCOT and HS, the nighttime activities at the BW, and just the atmosphere is great for an adults only trip I say this even though my favorite is AKV!!

I am with sleeperclan here 100%. I would choose BWV due to the location. But AKV is very relaxing if you plan on hanging around the resort more than at the parks.

 

[SDSorority]

HAHA looking from the comments and votes, BWV it is!!! That was my top choice, but DH wanted to do WL because of how cool the lobby is

....we could just drive to WL and sit in the lobby a while....

 

[Julie711]

I can give you my opinion once we visit both of these resorts this yr! We are going in 5 weeks for a kid free vacation @ AK in a studio and then in Nov for a family trip and staying @ Boardwalk in a 1 bedroom villa. I have read good reviews on both places, alot of reviews for BWV are good for the night life and being so close to Epcot and HS!

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

I voted for Boardwalk Villas because in my opinion they have the best theme and atmosphere among any WDW Resort. Plus you will have walkways to both Epcot and Hollywood Studios, which you won't have at Wilderness Lodge or Animal Kingdom Lodge.

 

[LittleStinkerbelle]

We've stayed at the BW for our past two adults-only trips and really loved it so that's my vote!

 

[jjohnson]

I love AKV but if it were just DH & I definitely BWV. Make sure you stop by Jellyrolls a couple of nights + you have a short walk home.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Make sure you get that BWV Standard studio booked in Oct 2012 otherwise you might not get it. They go very quickly. Same with AKV Standard.

Just a matter of terminology. There is no standard studio at VWL. It's just a studio. There are no specific booking categories other than villa size at VWL.

Having said that, BWV is my least favorite DVC resort because of the parking situation. We always have a car and the one time we stayed there, parking was awful so we valet parked a lot. Of course, valet parking was free for DVC members at the time, so we just had to tip each time we took the car. If you are going in late September (running into F&W Festival), you might wind up parking across the street if you take you car out for the day. Especially on the weekend. Lots of people not staying at the BW try to park there to save the parking fees at Epcot.

There is only one bank of elevators at BWV, so you could wind up at the end of a very long corridor. You'll want to request near the elevators, but it is just a request and might not be granted.

They just did a renovation at the BWV about two years ago, so they are pretty nice. They won't look anything like the BWI rooms, though. DVC resorts seem to be more strongly themed.

There was a former DIS member (he died several years ago) who said the one good thing about the BWV was that you could sit on your balcony and reach into the refrigerator and get a cold drink without leaving your chair. (He was a big OKW fan)

 

[Mrs D]

I have stayed at both VWL and BWV. For an adults only trip I would choose BWV then perhaps AKV.
We enjoyed VWL, the theming was nice and the proximity to MK was great with the kids - I think BWV would be WAY more fun for adults. VWL does feel very secluded and rustic. With BWV you can have a World (Showcase) at your feet!

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

To the OP if you end up staying at Boardwalk Villas and it happens to be during the Food & Wine Festival you won't be forced to park across the street, because as Boardwalk guests they won't force you to do that. If WDW security does their job, people who go to the the Food & Wine Festival would not even be allowed to park at the Boardwalk.

Last month when I stayed at the Boardwalk Inn and was returning one afternoon there was a sign in front of the guard shack which said parking that day was restricted to guests staying at the BWI/BWV and those with confirmed ADR's. Then just before pulling into the self parking lot across from the Convention Center there was a Cast Member standing there who checked our BWI parking pass and our Key To The World card. So I would assume during the Food & Wine Festival they have the same procedure.

 

[carlton the bear]

aThere is only one bank of elevators at BWV, so you could wind up at the end of a very long corridor. You'll want to request near the elevators, but it is just a request and might not be granted.

What do you think is worse, possibly walking through a very long corridor at BWV, or a three story climb lugging your suitcases / groceries at OKW if you don't get a ground floor villa?

 

[SDSorority]

Make sure you get that BWV Standard studio booked in Oct 2012 otherwise you might not get it. They go very quickly. Same with AKV Standard.

Just a matter of terminology. There is no standard studio at VWL. It's just a studio. There are no specific booking categories other than villa size at VWL.

Having said that, BWV is my least favorite DVC resort because of the parking situation. We always have a car and the one time we stayed there, parking was awful so we valet parked a lot. Of course, valet parking was free for DVC members at the time, so we just had to tip each time we took the car. If you are going in late September (running into F&W Festival), you might wind up parking across the street if you take you car out for the day. Especially on the weekend. Lots of people not staying at the BW try to park there to save the parking fees at Epcot.

There is only one bank of elevators at BWV, so you could wind up at the end of a very long corridor. You'll want to request near the elevators, but it is just a request and might not be granted.

They just did a renovation at the BWV about two years ago, so they are pretty nice. They won't look anything like the BWI rooms, though. DVC resorts seem to be more strongly themed.

There was a former DIS member (he died several years ago) who said the one good thing about the BWV was that you could sit on your balcony and reach into the refrigerator and get a cold drink without leaving your chair. (He was a big OKW fan)

Thanks for the tip!! We won't be running into F and W-- we'll be doing Sept 14-21 (LMAO I KNOW MY DATES ALREADY... OMG WE'RE NUTS.) so I'm hoping BWV won't be booked up by that point. I'll start my booking in October though, thanks for the heads up!

 

[SDSorority]

What do you think is worse, possibly walking through a very long corridor at BWV, or a three story climb lugging your suitcases / groceries at OKW if you don't get a ground floor villa?

To the OP if you end up staying at Boardwalk Villas and it happens to be during the Food & Wine Festival you won't be forced to park across the street, because as Boardwalk guests they won't force you to do that. If WDW security does their job, people who go to the the Food & Wine Festival would not even be allowed to park at the Boardwalk.

Last month when I stayed at the Boardwalk Inn and was returning one afternoon there was a sign in front of the guard shack which said parking that day was restricted to guests staying at the BWI/BWV and those with confirmed ADR's. Then just before pulling into the self parking lot across from the Convention Center there was a Cast Member standing there who checked our BWI parking pass and our Key To The World card. So I would assume during the Food & Wine Festival they have the same procedure.

 

[Herbie]

BW... for the location....

 

[Deb & Bill]

What do you think is worse, possibly walking through a very long corridor at BWV, or a three story climb lugging your suitcases / groceries at OKW if you don't get a ground floor villa?

I don't believe the OP had asked about OKW as a choice. That's why I didn't mention OKW in my response.

To the OP if you end up staying at Boardwalk Villas and it happens to be during the Food & Wine Festival you won't be forced to park across the street, because as Boardwalk guests they won't force you to do that. If WDW security does their job, people who go to the the Food & Wine Festival would not even be allowed to park at the Boardwalk.

It would be nice if this was always the case, but another DIS member did report last fall that they found no parking places available at all and had to pay to valet park instead. It's a difficult job to control the parking at the BW.