Accommodation: on site DVC vs WBC

TerriNZ

Earning My Ears
Joined
Aug 23, 2022
Messages
7
Hi all,

Thanks for some of your help already.

We are locked in to WDW for 7 nights in May now - yay!

I’ve read lots about benefits of on and offsite and wondered if anyone had experience to say what is better from the following options:

Wyndham bonnet creek 2 bed - $1175
OKW - $1659 studio
AK - $2139 studio
Beach club - $2576 studio

Thanks so much - it’s such a hard decision to work out if ubering is too much of a hassle but then most of these are quite far??

Thanks again
Terri
 
Hi all,

Thanks for some of your help already.

We are locked in to WDW for 7 nights in May now - yay!

I’ve read lots about benefits of on and offsite and wondered if anyone had experience to say what is better from the following options:

Wyndham bonnet creek 2 bed - $1175
OKW - $1659 studio
AK - $2139 studio
Beach club - $2576 studio

Thanks so much - it’s such a hard decision to work out if ubering is too much of a hassle but then most of these are quite far??

Thanks again
Terri
WBC is an off-site resort. So booking any ILL$ won't be possible at 7 AM (that privilege is reserved for Disney resorts, S&D, Swan Reserve and SOG). You would not be able to take advantage of ETE or EEH. If you have a vehicle, you will pay for parking at the theme parks. You will need to add that cost if you haven't considered it yet. Also, check to see if there are parking or other resort fees at the resort.

However, there's a big difference between staying in a 2BR villa and staying in a DVC studio. On one hand, you have all the benefits of being a DVC hotel guest but you are in a very small space. I'm not sure that the benefits of staying on-site are worth spending so much more for so much less space.
 
I think the cheaper price is too much of a temptation especially with such a larger room.

How many people in your party and any kids? Those are the things I would also consider.
 
Like Marionnette said above, I would add up the potential costs staying off-site and try to get a rouch estimate. Uber or parking fee. I also do think time = money in this scenario as Disney is so crazy. For instance, getting to MK from off-site, you have to factor in the travel time from the parking lot and TTC and wait for the ferry to the main entrance to check in with security. Depending on when you go, you may have lines to get into the parking lot.

If there are small kids, you have to factor in packing up the car with strollers or all that. Does anyone need a nap, etc.
 

Bonnet Creek is a very nice resort and I have stayed there several times. I believe they offer shuttle service to the parks, but I don't know if it is free.
 
I think the cheaper price is too much of a temptation especially with such a larger room.

How many people in your party and any kids? Those are the things I would also consider.
We are four - two adults and two kids.
 
Bonnet Creek is a very nice resort and I have stayed there several times. I believe they offer shuttle service to the parks, but I don't know if it is free.
I worked out all the potential Uber costs (with buffer) or renting car with parking and it’s still cheaper than OKW. Then when I did reading most people recommended having a car at OKW or at least allowing a lot of time going to parks anyway.

We do have the option to split our stay. The great rate on WBC is for the first 6 nights ($150) and we could potentially do two nights at the end on property to make these magic kingdom days. But annoyingly those days are Fri and sat which would be very busy at MK
 
Like Marionnette said above, I would add up the potential costs staying off-site and try to get a rouch estimate. Uber or parking fee. I also do think time = money in this scenario as Disney is so crazy. For instance, getting to MK from off-site, you have to factor in the travel time from the parking lot and TTC and wait for the ferry to the main entrance to check in with security. Depending on when you go, you may have lines to get into the parking lot.

If there are small kids, you have to factor in packing up the car with strollers or all that. Does anyone need a nap, etc.
100% about time = money but our options of OKW and AK are still quite far away and sometimes Uber looks like it’s faster than Disney transport from what I’m reading.
I did all the rental/parking or Uber costs with buffer and it’s still much cheaper at WBC. Half an hour early entry is a great perk but it’s only half an hour so probably only one ride? The evening extra hours might be too much for our kids as they are only 10 and 7.
So much to think about. I appreciate everyone’s thoughts :)
 
It sounds like you have really run many of the numbers and WBC sounds like it makes more sense.
 
May has great pool weather in central FL. A week is a nice, long stay and it'll be tiring and hot at the parks. Most 7- and 10-year-old kids love swimming pools, playground slides & pool slides, and kid-friendly activities on vacation. You'll likely want to plan on either daily pool/rest breaks or a resort/pool day or two during your May trip. You won't have strollers to unload for buses or pack into a car, so that's not a concern. Most kids like the monorail and ferry rides (some ask to ride them, even if they don't need to), so I don't consider the need to use them, neither pro nor con, except when you're in a hurry.

Given your list, the ages of your children, the time of year, and the length of your stay, I'd eliminate the AKL/AKV studio. If your kids are adventurous eaters, there's very good food but very little variety for a weeklong vacation. This may or may not matter, depending on how often you expect to eat in your room, in the parks, at other resorts, or at the resort where you're staying. With numerous bus rides to/from the parks for a week, I think the waits for buses and long bus rides (especially to/from MK) would get old fast. Also, most of the rooms are a loooong walk from the pool areas and/or from the bus stop. Time and energy.

In your case, I'd also eliminate the OKW studio for similar reasons. While the bus drives are not as long to the parks, add time for the 5 different resort bus stops, sometimes delayed for boarding/exiting ECV's. Again, the food options are not varied for a weeklong vacation. Also, while there are several pools, only the main pool offers a pool slide and other kid-friendly activities. However, you're not likely to get a room near the main feature pool because it's popular and a points upcharge to reserve in that area of this sprawling resort. So from your room, easy access to a pool will be to a basic, quiet, hotel-style pool. It's a loooong walk or an internal bus ride to go to the feature pool area. Time and energy.

The BCV studio is in an excellent location for your situation. Super convenient to 2 parks (especially for midday breaks) and wonderful pools for your kids. Ouch, that's expensive, and the room is small. But the location is absolutely awesome, including plentiful restaurants nearby, within walking distance. You just need to decide whether the higher cost is worth the convenience of the location, next to EP/HS, for your family. Note that at times, the buses to the other 2 parks (MK, AK) may make stops at YC and BWV, which adds time to the ride. So if your family will focus on those 2 parks more than on EP/HS, the convenient location will be less significant for your situation.

The WBC offers wonderful pools as well. IMO, the layout of the pool slides and floating rivers are better here for families with 7 & 10 yr old kids than at BCV. Also, the walk from any room to a pool with slide and/or floating river is about the same as it would be at BCV (shorter than at OKW or AKV). WBC has more kid-friendly activities within easy walking distance of all rooms than any of the other resorts listed with a good playground, onsite (free) mini-golf, etc. Restaurant food options within walking distance are limited to the resort and adjacent Wyndham Grand hotel. But the kitchen is fully accessorized so easy breakfasts and convenience dinners can save time and money, especially if the kids are picky or unpredictable eaters. Driving to/from the parks takes no longer from WBC than it does from OKW or bus rides from other onsite resorts. The time taken to walk from your car to theme park gates is a wash, vs. standing in line to wait for a resort shuttle bus (except at TTC/MK). The flexibility of your own car (or Uber) is a plus.

Most importantly for us, having a separate BR for the kids makes it a better vacation for everyone... the kids settle down for better sleep behind a closed door, while parents can still be up with lights on, can prepare for the morning, and can have some privacy during precious vacation time off from work. A week in a studio/hotel room with kids is really not conducive to adult relaxation, IMO. YMMV.
 
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A week in a studio with kids having to share a bed (all the disney resorts on your list except BCV) sounds not fun to me. A 2 bedroom at Bonnet Creek is nice a big. We love it. There are a bunch of pools with 2 different lazy rivers.

Of the Disney resort on your list the only one I'd stay at with your group would be Beach Club because it has the 3rd bed and the really, really nice pool! However, we stayed at BCV in fall 2020 and it was really tight. My kids were 10 and 13 at the time so a bit bigger than your kids. It was SO convenient to get to EPCOT and DHS though. I can't imagine paying the price difference between WBC and BC though for so much less room.

Maybe try the 6 days at WBC and then spend 2 at Beach Club. Even with renting a car and having to pay for parking WBC is still a lot cheaper than on property at BCV.
 
I've stayed in a 2BR at WBC, and in your case, that's where I'd stay again. The pools are just as nice or maybe nicer than Stormalong Bay, and having privacy from the kids, each kid having their own full size bed (instead of fighting over who gets the queen size bed and who gets the smaller-than-a-twin bed), a living room to spread out in, and a full kitchen (cheap, quick breakfasts if nothing else) far outweigh the benefits of BCV location. I'd rent a car, to make transportation to and from the parks easier, but rideshare will work fine too - it's a short drive! If you're going to do a split stay with 2 nights at BCV and the rest of the nights at WBC, try to put WBC at the end, because I'm afraid the tiny BCV studio will be a letdown after a WBC 2BR.
 



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