1BDR Villa - OKW or BWV?

[amyah]

Hello!

I'm new to the forums, but have been browsing the site for a few weeks as we plan our family vacation to Disney World.

Our family of four (myself, DH, DD #1 ~4 years, DD #2 ~ 6 months at time of trip) will be traveling at the end of September into October. This is our oldest daughter's first Disney experience! We've booked our FTP for a one-bedroom villa at Old Key West. However, the one-bedroom villas at the Boardwalk are also available. We're just trying to decide which setting would be most appropriate for our oldest daughter.

From others' experiences, will a 4 year old really experience the "magic" of the Boardwalk? Will it be "too" much to come back to a hotel bustling with activity late into the evening after a long day at the park? Would coming back to a quieter resort like the Keys provide necessary downtime?

If it were just my husband and I traveling, hands down we would love to stay at the Boardwalk purely because of the location and selection of restaurants and shops just a hop, skip, and jump away. However, with the two little ones, if we want to try and get them to bed early or come back to the hotel for a nap in the afternoon, I’m concerned if the noise level and activity on the Boardwalk will be too distracting for them to "settle" down.

I would love to hear about other people's experiences with small children while staying at either Old Key West or the Boardwalk Villas.

Thanks!
Amy

 

[jaysue]

Amy, welcome to the DIS!

OKW +

Close to car since you park right near your villa
1BR villas are huge at OKW with lots of space
Nice "central" area at Hospitality House - pool not themed but great kids area with sand, oversized giant sand pails
Quiet, peaceful, restful
Boat launch to Downtown Disney
If driving, reasonably central location

BWV+

If you like walking, can walk to Disney Studios and Epcot
Great themed pool - Luna Park
Close to Swan and Dolphin and Epcot World Showcase - lots of restaurant choices
Not busy in all the resort - many of the 1BR overlook Luna Park, Quiet Pool closer to Studios, across to Swan or Parking lot so a lot of quite areas as well

I stayed at OKW with my DS (3 1/2yrs old) - did not have a car even but stayed close to a bus stop and within walking distance of Hospitality House and loved it. DS loved it as well and keepts talking about the lighthouse and the yogurt bar....

Having said all of the above, we are going in November and will have DS (4 by then), D? (5 mos), DW and myself and we plan to stay at BWV since we will be walking to the two parks cited above and think it will be easier for stroller for D?. Other people would stay at OKW since their room would be close to the car and due to the 1BR being bigger at OKW.

Both are very nice resorts and I think either one will work for you

Thanks
Jason

 

[Connears]

I also would vote for OKW because of its size and convenience of having your car right there. BWV seemed so much smaller to us and we were a family of 2 adults and one child. Love BWV location, but activites at OKW and the atmosphere is more our style. Purely my opinion. Many others will tell you differently.
Connears

 

[MulanMom]

Being a DVC owner at OKW since '93, I'm kinda partial to OKW. Our children will soon be 4 and 6 and our trips to OKW have always worked out well logistically. We've never stayed at BWV, but have stayed in the WLV with basically the same layout. There's much more room at OKW and a full-size balcony. I consider the roominess important when you're bound to be hanging around the room more due to naptimes, etc.

Another few plusses for OKW, there's a bus directly to MK. No sharing with another resort. You can also request a first floor room (non-handicapped) or a room in the newer buildings (60s) with the elevators so you can bring the stroller right into the room in case the little one's asleep.

 

[brittsmum1998]

BWV DVC owner checking in....our DD is now 5 and has been to the World many times. No matter where we stay we find the convenience of the BWV to be the best. She likes to nap and stay up later on vacation. BW allows us to bus it to MK in the AM, come back around 3, nap a bit and then take the boat to another park for the evening and a change of scenery. My DD has always loved the entertainment on the BW. I love the fact that if I need a break, I can take a walk and people watch or more importantly he can take DD for an icecream etc. and I get a needed break We've gotten into such a great routine there. Although that being said we are going on a trip to OKW in October but only because I couldn't get ressies for a two bedroom at the BW. We have also never been awakened by any noise there, but we've always had std view. JMHO, Kim

 

[chris1gill]

One downside to OKW is that you have to take a bus everywhere & it does get a bit old after a while.... It's a great resort however... We've been numerous times & our kids prefer BW, it's because of the Community Hall at BW... they have free video games, they have a weekly un-birthday party where goodies are served & the kids can do crafts... there's a ping pong table & pool as well, my kids are young & not good at any of these things, they don't care however LOL....

For a first trip, I vote for BW!!!

 

[Pixie_Dust]

You don't have to take a bus everywhere. We zip around with freedom in our rental car, a MUST, imo. From OKW you can take a boat to Downtown Disney too, btw. Fun!

Idk what the original poster meant by villa, but last year we stayed in 1-bdrm unit at both OKW and BCV. OKW felt twice the size.

Presumably you could have people using the foldout couch in a 1-bdrm, but the BCV unit felt cramped when we had relatives over; I can only imagine how it would feel if they slept over and shared the bathroom! A nuclear family with a small child would be a different story. The BCV description shifts from "cramped" to "cozy and nice" when it is just a couple.

In contrast, the OKW 1-bdrm has always felt to me like an actual condo. I would love to live there! The floorplan is brilliant, and there is a ton of room. You could easily accomodate extra people without feeling crowded.

We've stayed in a BWV 1-bdrm before too, and it is somewhere in between the other two. We liked the unit. The contrast between staying there and OKW is that at the BWV it was a long hike down a freezing hallway every time we went to our room (passing the smoking section to get to non-smoking, not a good layout!) It's also a long hike up from parking unless you use valet every time. But if you want the feeling of staying in a resort hotel rather than a condo, that is the way to go.

Cheers

 

[Dopey's twin Dippy]

I have been trying to get an answer for a week of so. We are staying 9 nts. at all stars in aug. We usually go every August. its me, dh, dd14 , dd friend 14. My husband wants 2 rooms at all star, which with AAAits around 100.00 nt for 1 room. I am trying to call OKW this weekend to see if avail. for our 9 nts.I was thinking of 1 BR or 2 BR condo. IM not sure how much more $$$$$ it would be. lol. Husband thinks that 2 rooms, 2 bathrooms, etc with the girls. would be better. I wanted to try CBR but its not much roomier than All star. Which by the way we like all stars. So if anyone has opinions, please help us. Also should we try for FTP, right now I have room only. We usually buy 5-6 day hopper, case we want to go to Sea world. Thanks Alot.

 

[ncligs]

OKW if you have a car

. The 1BR's are "HUGE". Here is a link for pictures of a 1BR at OKW below.

http://***********.com/id278.htm

 

[PamOKW]

for our 9 nts.I was thinking of 1 BR or 2 BR condo

If you get the 2 bedroom, you get two bathrooms. This would be ideal for your group but you could get by with the one bedroom. The girls would have to use a sleeper sofa in the living room but there is a long hallway to the master bedroom. Get a Unit #30 or higher so they have a seperate door they can use to the bathroom. The 2 bedroom would give them their own room with 2 queen beds and their own bathroom. A one-bedroom would have 2 TVs, a 2 bedroom 3 TVs.

Call and see what kind of deals Disney has available. It may fit your budget. Staying for a such a long time it is really nice to be able to spread out, have the washer/dryer in the room and be able to get snacks, breakfast (or even cook if you want) right in your own kitchen. Just eating breakfast in, at least some days, may make up the difference in room price.

 

[Pixie_Dust]

Originally posted by PamOKW
Get a Unit #30 or higher so they have a seperate door they can use to the bathroom.

Pam, that's a great tip! The last time our unit was less than 30 and I didn't know why I remembered a separate door when there wasn't one. That separate door is one thing that raises the OKW floor plan above the rest!

Cheers

 

[chainkid]

Well I have taken several family members to OKW and BWV on vacation and we always stayed in a two bedroom. The hands down first choice was BWV especially for the ones with kids. I tried to get a group together this year and stay in a grand villa at old key west but I was told to save my points and grand villa at BWV instead. For alot of people, the two bedroom at the BW is more than adequate and the location is in the middle of the action. I never have had a problem with noise even right on the boardwalk and find the valet parking better than trying to park at OKW especially if you are out late at night and have to park away from your unit which happens to me all the time. Both resorts are wonderful but our family and friends think you get the best of everything at BWV. I would think the same could be said for BC. If it were my first time bringing people take them to BWV and they will love all the dining options and the ability to get away on their own.

 

[dvc guy]

Both have good points. Bottom line you can't go wrong both are EXCELLENT. We are DVC members and I like the quite of OKW, DW likes the buzz of BWV. Flip a coin.

 

[hygienejean]

We just returned from BWV's a few weeks ago. My DS is nearly 3 and my DD was 11 months. We Loved BWV's! It is right in the middle of the action and a beautiful resort. when the kids went to sleep it was fun sitting on our balcony watching all the entertainment on the Boardwalk! We can't wait to go back next year! Oh and my DS especially loved watching the Illuminations fireworks from our balcony........Fun!

 

[DeeP]

I have stayed at BWV many times since it is my DVC home and I have never been bothered by any noise in any villa at BWV including those that are over the boardwalk.
If you want a resort that is super convenient to parks, restaurants, nighttime activities, etc you can not beat BWV, BCV or WLV.
OKW has a substantially larger 1 BR villa than any of the other WDW DVC resorts but also has the least convenient location to parks, restaurants, nighttime entertainment, stores etc. Also OKW is a huge resort, so having a car just to get around the resort is almost a neccesity. OKW's resort amenities are almost the same as a moderate resort: one sit down restaurant, snack/pool bars, bus service everywhere except DTD which has a boat on a limited schedule just as PO has, no valet parking, no room service but unlike the moderate resorts that have themed pools with pool slides and life guards--OKW does not have either.
It all depends on what you want on vacation. Do you want larger rooms or is location, convenience to parks, restaurants and full deluxe resort amenities more important to you?

 

[jaysue]

DeeP, we were at OKW in May and there were buses to DTD/Typhoon Lagoon during the day and DTD at night - there was the boat launch as well (agreed - small) that I think ran every 20 minutes. The one time we were going to use it, it was full and we would have had to wait so we hopped to the front of HH and had a bus within 5 minutes to DTD.

Thanks
jaysue

 

[DeeP]

jaysue,
I meant that the only alternative transportation from buses at OKW was a boat to DTD. All of the other DVC resorts offer various types of transportation or are within walking distance to parks, etc.
The boat to DTD runs from around 11 AM or 12 noon to 9:45 - 10 PM, which is a limited schedule compared to the schedules on all other forms of Disney transportation.