What DVC Studio to stay in? Family of 4, 2 Toddlers

[pkhosla]

Hi all we will be booking our DVC resort for a 4 night stay for this September very soon.

We are planning to stay in a studio to keep points rental low. However I'm very torn about where to try and stay.

Please help with any suggestions. We will likely spend our time in mK. Kids are 3 years old and 5 months old.

We had been thinking of BLT but I'm hearing the studios maybe too small and unavailable at the 7 month window.

Thoughts?

Important to is are kid friendly, descent pools and comfortable accommodations.

Thanks!

 

[guppy1013]

Do you need a crib or pack n play? Does older child sleep with you or will you need soda bed?

At AKV-Kidani. The bathroom? Ginormous. The room? Small. Especially once we took the sofa bed apart- there is no room for the cushions! We have a 4 and 2 that sleep together in sofa bed. I just don't see where there is room for a pack n play besides in the kitchenette. It looks like we will have to put the sofa bed back together every morning!

 

[chalee94]

Please help with any suggestions. We will likely spend our time in mK. Kids are 3 years old and 5 months old.

We had been thinking of BLT but I'm hearing the studios maybe too small and unavailable at the 7 month window.

late sept when food and wine hits epcot would be tougher but i think 7 months out for most of sept shouldn't be too bad. you should definitely have a shot at a lake view studio at BLT.

for a MK-focused trip, i'd lean toward booking BLT or VWL. BLT studios are smaller - i wouldn't suggest them for more than 2 adults (and it would still be tight with 2 little ones) but it depends on your personal need for space.

if you need more space, OKW studios might be a better choice (also a great point value). the downside, naturally, is that you have to bus everywhere.

 

[mrsp1030]

We stated at AKL Jambo with our kids at the same age. They used the sleeper sofa and we put it up every morning. We actually preferred that as it gave them a play area and we used the coffee table for breakfast for them. Also try WL as it is closer to MK.

 

[DreamerWDW]

BLT is HEAVENLY when spending most of your time in MK. The studios are smaller but I've stayed with 2 adults and 2 teens. Yes it was definitely crowded, but not a deal breaker for us. Not sure about a pack and play.

VWL is just beautiful and a great location for MK. The boat is magical to the MK. The WL resort is our favorite. Studios are more the typical DVC size.

For a MK focused trip I would definitely choose one of these resorts.

Have a great trip!

 

[Deb & Bill]

If you will need to open up the sleeper sofa at BLT, you are going to have a very tight space. And if you don't close it up each morning, you will have almost no room for the children to pay in the room.

Have you thought about VWL? Only a short boat ride away from the MK. A lot of hidden Mickey's in the lobby at VWL and the main lobby at the WL is really pretty neat.

SSR has some neat water play areas at the pools for little kids. You'd have more room in the studio than at BLT. You'd take the bus to MK, but I haven't had problems with the buses at SSR.

 

[cheryllarsen]

I have small kids and AKV is a favorite of ours.

 

[gdrj]

Don't think there is a bad choice, especially with little ones that you are not going to be park warriors.

1- BLT is nice since you can walk back and forth to MK for naps, pool time, snacks, or get out of the heat.
2- GFV on monorail give some of the same as BLT and room feels bigger and has larger bathroom
3- WLV a boat ride to MK or FT Wilderness and great theming and walks in shady paths.

The nice thing with both monorail locations is you can slide to EPCOT without a bus as well.

4- BCV with the sand and pool is fun, but the pool can be very crowded. Nice to boat or walk to Epcot and Studios, BWV our home resort has same park options, and boardwalk atmosphere at night.

5-OKW offers the largest studio and 2 beds and boats to DTD. Very nice for a low key time.

6-Sartaoga would not be one I personally would choose, with no direct park access and my to me has more of a condo complex feel than Disney. I do like the pool area and the QS but this would be my last choice (no offense to the many that do like/love SSR)

 

[jcrosby02]

We traveled in December with a 4 year old and 1year old. They both loved the water play features at SSR, and AKL was huge. We had a 1 bedroom (I work remotely, so after park time I was able to get work done). We are deciding on our next trip now and will do a BLT split with either SSR or AKL. I would choose VWL over BLT studio due to size. Little ones need that down time and space to play. No matter where you go it will be awesome

 

[PatMcDuck]

I would look at the point charts carefully….. check the 1BR at OKW vs. studio at BLT for example.

If you could swing the 1 BR at OKW, that would be my choice…… kids could nap in the BR for example, while you relaxed in the living area. Full kitchen, too. And the amount of space there is insane.

 

[UFlawgator]

I would look at the point charts carefully….. check the 1BR at OKW vs. studio at BLT for example.

If you could swing the 1 BR at OKW, that would be my choice…… kids could nap in the BR for example, while you relaxed in the living area. Full kitchen, too. And the amount of space there is insane.

I agree with this poster. The month of September, as you probably know is the cheapest points season. A studio at OKW is only 10 points and a 1 BR villa is 21 points. If you stay here try and get near the HH house. I think the pool is great here, too and the bus service has always been very good when I've stayed here and the community hall has some nice activities. A 1 BR villa costs more points, but you can save money by cooking meals. If you do stay in a studio at OKW, though, they are roomy and are the only studios that have 2 queen beds in them, so you don't have to make up a sofa bed every night.

 

[rymahoney]

Is there a sq ft listed for different studios?

 

[lovesdumbo]

Is there a sq ft listed for different studios?

There's a chart here:

http://dvcnews.com/index.php/resorts/grand-floridian/news/2291-dvc-villa-square-footage-by-resort

 

[chalee94]

lots of info in the DVC resource thread:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2823609

OKW
Studio: 390 sq. ft.
1 BR: 1005 sq. ft.

AKV:
Studio: 316- 366 sq.ft.

BLT:
Studio: 339 sq.ft.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Is there a sq ft listed for different studios?

lots of info in the DVC resource thread:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2823609

Sometimes you have to look at more than the square footage and look at how it is laid out. BLT doesn't seem that much smaller looking at SF, but the bathroom and kitchenette take up more space than any other studio. Plus the long entrance into the studio takes up more space. So that leave less space for the living room.

 

[spiceycat]

I do love BLT - even the studios.

that say for 4 people it can be a small area. Where else have you stayed on WDW property?

if the value resorts - and you were fine - then you will probably be fine at BLT.

Otherwise might go with VWL - you can bus or boat to the MK. the big advantage that BLT ask over VWL is you can walk to the MK. It and CR are the only resorts that you can walk to the MK.

 

[rkold]

We just stayed in a standard view studio in Jambo AKV with a 3 year old and loved it. The spacing of the room felt fine, and there was a lot of storage in a small alcove where the lock off is. (We kept our stroller there.) I timed our trips and we averaged about 25 minutes from wait for bus to arrival in MK. I also though the buses back to AKV were very good except at closing time at MK, when the wait was over 1 hour. (Though to be fair we missed one bus just as it arrived because DD needed to pee >>; ) When we stayed at YC (not DVC but shares buses with BCV) the wait to get back to our hotel in the middle of the day was easily 40+ minutes.

I like the AKV pools a lot, though it was very cold when we were there and so people only really used the hot tubs. DD loved the bead activities as well as some of the other children's activities like African drumming and coloring impressions. And while we didn't have a view of the animals from the room, it was very easy to see animals from lots of look outs at the hotel. DD didn't like The Mara, but liked her food at Boma, Sanaa and Simba's Club.

We're trying a studio at BLT in 3 weeks. We've previously stayed in a 1 br. I do expect it to be small, but I'm not that worried since DD is 3. I love that it is walking distance to MK, I don't like the pools.

If I had the money/points/opportunity, I would definitely look at VGF. The rooms are bigger than BLT and it is only 1 stop on the monorail from MK. The new water play area themed on Alice in Wonderland looks amazing! We're looking forward to staying there in Oct.

 

[graueMaus]

I agree with this poster. The month of September, as you probably know is the cheapest points season. A studio at OKW is only 10 points and a 1 BR villa is 21 points. If you stay here try and get near the HH house. I think the pool is great here, too and the bus service has always been very good when I've stayed here and the community hall has some nice activities. A 1 BR villa costs more points, but you can save money by cooking meals. If you do stay in a studio at OKW, though, they are roomy and are the only studios that have 2 queen beds in them, so you don't have to make up a sofa bed every night.

As a family of 5 I concur completely. A 1 BR (no matter where it is) with the full kitchen (and dishwasher) is well worth it for the extra space and is more restful than the studio (seperate room for the kids to sleep for naps and bedtime). When the kids get older Kidani 1 BR adds the bonus of a second bathroom as well.

 

[MycatlovesEeyore]

With kids of this age I highly recommend BLT or WL. Strollers on buses are misrible! Much easier to roll onto the boat! Our kids love the lodge and we stayed there most of the time at the toddler/ baby stages.

 

[imlsherman]

We like OKW studios for the size. The bus rides are jot that long and we never had long waits leaving the park. I do agree that a stroller on the bus is not ideal. There have been many night were both of my girls feel asleep on me and my wife had to carry the double stroller off.