110 GF Or 140 AKL

[ahward]

You use the Lyft app to order the vehicle. They pull right up to the park/resort and whisk you away. It saved us so much time. I'm honestly not sure about three car seats. I know they do have two, although Florida's car seat rules are more relaxed than our state's, and my son did not have to use a car seat.

Ah cool and how expensive it ?

 

[Rm4OneMore]

Ah cool and how expensive it ?

As I recall it varied according to the distance. At one time I believe it was a flat $25, but then they switched it. I'm not sure what the rates are now in 2020.

 

[MICKIMINI]

Have you tried the Minnie Van service yet? On our last trip in 2018 we made heavily use of the service, especially after waiting 3 hours with our, at the time, 6 & 3 year old for a bus after the Magic Kingdom fireworks.

Minnie Van service suspended from what I have read. Hopefully, by the time you go it will be restored. Sleep on it. It is a big financial purchase and choice of resort is a huge family decision. AKL has so many options and is a great resort to enjoy - adults and kids alike. Bus service is a negative, but as OP's have said you really can't get away from it depending on the parks you visit. Good luck with your decision!

 

[CaliAdventurer]

If you don't want to deal with busses (and you do have to fold the stroller) then AKV is the last on the list. I believe it is the only resort you cant get anywhere save the bus. AKL is actually pretty remote and that's what makes it our least favorite to stay at. Whatever you save in points per stay, you pay in Minnie vans and Lyfts. Its 20 mins in a Lyft to GF.

If it were me I'd consider SSR. The refurb looks fantastic and at least you can go to DS by foot. The more points you have, the easier it is at 7 mos to trade out. Also, BWV. My kids adore BWV as we all do. Walk to Epcot at DHS. The Boardwalk is so fun. So many dining options within a walk, even nightlife. Only demerit is the expiration but I'd be happy in that one. Kids get older, they can venture on their own. Points per night are low. Impossible to get into at 7 in the fall so the home resort advantage matters.

 

[Lorana]

AKL is actually pretty remote and that's what makes it our least favorite to stay at.

As an AKL owner, AKL is really only "remote" to the Magic Kingdom - about 18 minutes by bus (same as SSR). I'd note that from the Polyneisan to the MK it's 15 minutes; it's just you're on the Monorail instead of a bus!

AKL is only 2 minutes to the Animal Kingdom. It's faster to Hollywood Studios than SSR is (12 minutes AKL vs 16 minutes SSR), and the same travel time as SSR to Epcot (12 minutes).

SSR does allow for walking to Downtown Studios, but if you're not staying at the first bus stop, there's also extra time added on for where you are in SSR - it's very big. (Add about 4 minutes for Kidani at the AKL, though, as the bust picks up first at Kidani and then stops at Jambo).

AKL has amazing theming, food, and of course, the animals. While I do wish it had more than just the bus, or a nice walking trail to the Animal Kingdom, the distance to Epcot or Hollywood Studios isn't all that far.

Obviously choose what resort is best for you and your family, but I often hear people talk about how remote AKL is, I just feel the need to jump in to correct it. Having stayed at nearly every resort, I'd personally give SSR and OKW that label before AKL. Admittedly, though, ever since the Adventurer's Club went away, I don't prioritize DS closeness as much as I used to. ;-)

You only mentioned MK and Epcot as parks. Are they your favorite and the only ones you plan to go to? If so, and if buses are a no, then you're going to want to be on a monorail resort. Otherwise, no matter where you select, you are going to be subject to buses for at least some of the park transporation.

 

[ldo]

There are tons of posts of pros/con for each resort. I'd rescind tomorrow and then take some time to research and think about trade offs for both short and long term.

 

[Cfrone]

Yeah, I'd agree, probably best to back out of your contract and do a little more thinking/research. Unfortunately, trying to avoid the stroller/bus issue is going to be a challenge. Also, we tried using the MinnieVans during our most recent visit but the fleet is so small (as of Nov. 2019) that trying to get a MinnieVan during peak hours (early AM, dinner time, late evening) proved to be a challenge.

 

[limace]

Just Uber/Lyft. And to be honest, if it’s the stroller issue you’re struggling with-well, you’ll have to get em out for a car, too.

 

[ahward]

Thanks for all the advice. Having a car with 3 car seats would help with this and is an option. I think best thing to do would be to writhdraw and think about options a bit more. I am considering just renting DVC now as we are only thinking of every 3 years

 

[RoseGold]

I am considering just renting DVC now as we are only thinking of every 3 years

Every three years is tough to do and a lot of hassle when you could just rent at AKL -- or get a normal hotel, especially if you'd be happy in a Finding Nemo suite (really stinking adorable BTW). The Lyft and the hotel are only a small part of the insane cost of a trip to Disney. It's a big commitment far beyond a hotel room.

If you are having doubts, DON'T DO IT. There is no rush.

 

[spunkylouamanda]

You use the Lyft app to order the vehicle. They pull right up to the park/resort and whisk you away. It saved us so much time. I'm honestly not sure about three car seats. I know they do have two, although Florida's car seat rules are more relaxed than our state's, and my son did not have to use a car seat.

There is only the two car seat option per Minnie Van. You could bring a Bubble Bum if you need a booster for one.

 

[pineapplepalms]

Thanks for all the advice. Having a car with 3 car seats would help with this and is an option. I think best thing to do would be to writhdraw and think about options a bit more. I am considering just renting DVC now as we are only thinking of every 3 years

It may be harder to manage your points if you're going every 3 years. Agree with others that it may be best to rescind the offer for now. We used a double stroller on our last 2 trips with our 1 and 3 year olds and it was a pain to deal with on the buses, but it's doable. We stayed at AKV and SSR on one of those trips and I was surprised to prefer SSR since we could at least walk to DS (we stayed in Congress Park so it was very close). AKV is a lot of fun with the animals, activities, and great dining, but having to bus everywhere was not appealing for me with kids this age and needing a double stroller. I think I'd enjoy it more with older kids who don't need a stroller. The good thing is, if you're planning on going every 3 years, you won't have many trips where you even need a double stroller. So perhaps in the meantime you could rent or stay cash and figure out if DVC is really right for you in the long run. In our experience, with young kids they could really care less where we're staying since they'll have fun no matter what.

I do have to say though... those larger rooms are really worth it if that's something you're considering for the future. The extra space, full kitchen, and washer/dryer have been fantastic for us and we really love the rooms at VGF since they have the Murphy bed in the larger rooms too, not just in the studios.

 

[GinnyBear's_mom]

We are a family of 5 and own at both AKL and VGF. December was our last trip with a double stroller (we used one for the last 8 years). We never had much trouble on the busses with it, not more than a single stroller. VGF studios will be very tight as your family grows but the AKL 1 bedrooms will allow you not only more space but at Kidani you get an extra full bathroom, a full kitchen (which can save you money longterm) and the washer/dryer which either saves you luggage space or time spent at the communal laundry spots. December studios can be hard to come by at VGF even at the 11 month mark but wide open in August (those are the 2 months we typically travel as well). Best of luck with your decision!

 

[GinnyBear's_mom]

Also, the bussing at AKL isn't so bad, we don't mind it. However, the monorail goes down at least once or twice everytime we stay at VGF and that is a nightmare. Their bus portico is about the size of a postage stamp and they have to scramble for more busses to makeup for the loss of the monorail and the wait for a bus can be very long. It takes away from the feeling that you are at a deluxe resort. I'm looking forward to the opening of the walking path from VGF to MK. Basically, don't count on the aging monorail to get you where you need to go!

 

[holden]

If you are going every 3 years, I'd recommend renting points. You won't have maintenance fees or the initial cost, yet still get all of the benefits of a larger room. I predict you will 100% need at least a 1BR unit by the time kids hit the pre-teen years. We only have 2 kids and wouldn't stay in anything smaller than a 1BR once our oldest was around 12.

 

[Hjs33]

I would go with Grand Floridian. It’ll be cheaper in the short run because you’ll be able to fit in a studio vs having to pay double the points for a 1 bedroom. It’ll also be cheaper in the long run because VGF dues are substantially lower than AKL and you‘ll be paying that year after year. VGF is a longer contract so you’ll have many more years to enjoy or if you sell the value should hold up better because it’s longer. Finally AKL is the 3rd easiest resort to get, so you should be able to stay there whenever you want. VGF only has a few rooms and is much harder to get most of the year.

Don’t stress too much, they are both great resorts and I’m sure you’ll be happy either way. Plus, most people love DVC so much that they get a case of addonitis, so I’m sure there’s a good chance you’ll add on at whichever resort you do not choose now.

 

[ahward]

Thank you for all advise. We have gone for AKL due to all the reasons stated. We have more room in a 1bed we have much more points which gives us more flexibility with dates. As well as having the opportunity to go every 2 years (which I am sure we will in the end ).

 

[Cyberc1978]

I would go with VGF too. I’m even a akv owner (with a vgf contract going through rofr). I do like AKV but I only own a smaller contract and I either book 7 days in a value studio each year or a week every other year in a club level.

I don’t care if VgF is close to MK or not to me it’s the look, feel and vibe that does it.

You really should choose the resort that you like the best and the one which give you the best of feelings.

However you risk running into difficulties if you only plan on going during December, rooms goes fast and since vgf hav fewer rooms they are booked faster compared to akv.

 

[ahward]

Thank you we are planning to go Christmas and summer every few years so makes sense for AKL

 

[glamdring269]

Thank you we are planning to go Christmas and summer every few years so makes sense for AKL

Good call. I don't know of too many people who dislike AKV due to the resort. I love the vibe, the animals, and their restaurant offering is arguably the best.