Advice on best DVC rental for family of 3

[Erin F.]

Planning my 40th birthday trip this coming Dec with my family and looking for a studio or one bedroom DVC rental that can sleep my husband and I plus 4 year old son on a small bed / pullout chair with an additional pullout couch should anyone else like to join us. We went last year with family and had a great time at AKL in a 2 bedroom villa, but don't think we need that much space this time around. Because it's my 40th, I'm wanting to step it up and stay at GF, but worried about pricing and availability. Is it worth it to spend the extra $$$ or are we better off going elsewhere. If elsewhere I'm between Boardwalk, Beach Club and WL. Any/all advice welcome. Thank you!

 

[Liv&Leah]

Any studio would work for the 3 of you guys. All stuidos sleep at least 4 and some of them sleep 5. What parks do you frequent the most? Is theming important to you? We own at the VGF and love it. We have also stayed at BCV and BWV and enjoy the proximity to Epcot.

 

[meekey7197]

Availability at VGF for December is probably already limited. I’d say among the three you named at the end, a one bedroom WL (Boulder Ridge, not CCV) meets your needs the best and will probably be available.

 

[JETSDAD]

Planning my 40th birthday trip this coming Dec with my family and looking for a studio or one bedroom DVC rental that can sleep my husband and I plus 4 year old son on a small bed / pullout chair with an additional pullout couch should anyone else like to join us. We went last year with family and had a great time at AKL in a 2 bedroom villa, but don't think we need that much space this time around. Because it's my 40th, I'm wanting to step it up and stay at GF, but worried about pricing and availability. Is it worth it to spend the extra $$$ or are we better off going elsewhere. If elsewhere I'm between Boardwalk, Beach Club and WL. Any/all advice welcome. Thank you!

We're also a family of 3 (daughter is 13). Any studio will work fine so it just comes down to personal preference. The studios with the pull down bed are kind of nice.

When in December is your trip? That could affect availability as many studios are already booked up.

 

[Erin F.]

Availability at VGF for December is probably already limited. I’d say among the three you named at the end, a one bedroom WL (Boulder Ridge, not CCV) meets your needs the best and will probably be available.

Any studio would work for the 3 of you guys. All stuidos sleep at least 4 and some of them sleep 5. What parks do you frequent the most? Is theming important to you? We own at the VGF and love it. We have also stayed at BCV and BWV and enjoy the proximity to Epcot.

I was really hoping for a studio or 1-bedroom at VGF but am finding that availability to be very limited. I think the proximity to Epcot at BVC and BWC would be great as well -- any advantage to one over the other? May be leaning towards a 1-bedroom vs studio so I have the added space should we take one of my parents or a babysitter so my husband and I can enjoy a few Epcot adult evenings as well...

 

[Erin F.]

Availability at VGF for December is probably already limited. I’d say among the three you named at the end, a one bedroom WL (Boulder Ridge, not CCV) meets your needs the best and will probably be available.

Yeah so far I am only finding a 1-bed VGF avail a bit later than my current ideal date range. So the question is - go earlier in Dec to avoid the bigger crowds but don't have the option of VGF - or go a bit later in the month when there is a 1-bed avail but the crowds will likely be brutal...hmmm.

 

[Erin F.]

We're also a family of 3 (daughter is 13). Any studio will work fine so it just comes down to personal preference. The studios with the pull down bed are kind of nice.

When in December is your trip? That could affect availability as many studios are already booked up.

I am currently looking to go from 12/7-12/15 so we bookend two weekends...debating a 1-bedroom as well so there's an extra bed should I bring along a babysitter or one of my parents for extra childcare (my son is 4). I was also considering 12/12-12/20 but understand the crowds will be worse the deeper we get into Dec? Is that the case?

 

[Granny]

Yeah so far I am only finding a 1-bed VGF avail a bit later than my current ideal date range. So the question is - go earlier in Dec to avoid the bigger crowds but don't have the option of VGF - or go a bit later in the month when there is a 1-bed avail but the crowds will likely be brutal...hmmm.

Not sure how much later you are talking about, but you will also be looking at a more expensive trip. December 14 is the last day of the "cheap season". It then swings into a slightly more expensive season for DVC.

 

[Granny]

I am currently looking to go from 12/7-12/15 so we bookend two weekends...debating a 1-bedroom as well so there's an extra bed should I bring along a babysitter or one of my parents for extra childcare (my son is 4). I was also considering 12/12-12/20 but understand the crowds will be worse the deeper we get into Dec? Is that the case?

The crowds are fairly large throughout December, but certainly the closer you get to Christmas the more crowded the parks get. I'd say December 21 - January 2 are the heaviest crowds (wall to wall).

 

[meekey7197]

Yeah so far I am only finding a 1-bed VGF avail a bit later than my current ideal date range. So the question is - go earlier in Dec to avoid the bigger crowds but don't have the option of VGF - or go a bit later in the month when there is a 1-bed avail but the crowds will likely be brutal...hmmm.

Go earlier

 

[JETSDAD]

I am currently looking to go from 12/7-12/15 so we bookend two weekends...debating a 1-bedroom as well so there's an extra bed should I bring along a babysitter or one of my parents for extra childcare (my son is 4). I was also considering 12/12-12/20 but understand the crowds will be worse the deeper we get into Dec? Is that the case?

Actually 1 Bedrooms won't have any extra sleeping surfaces than a studio and in some resorts you actually have less sleeping surfaces than you would in a studio. Unless you're wanting to have time to do stuff as a couple I don't see the need for a babysitter.

 

[amymgould]

I guess it depends on your preferences... outside of the actual room, proximity to MK is BLT! We love walking there. However, you could also do BW or BC and walk to 2 resorts. And WL is just gorgeous! Not really helping, but I don't think you could go wrong in the choices you have.

 

[starry_solo]

Which theme park do you like best? AK, EPCOT/HS, or MK? That would help narrow down the choices.

For proximity to EPCOT/HS, BCV has the Murphy bed in the studios so there are three sleeping surfaces (queen bed, sofa bed [full] and the Murphy bed (twin). Using all three at the same time will significantly decrease the amount of walking space, but we (3 adults) found there to be sufficient space in the area near the doors (the entry door and the lock-off door) that we could put our luggage there and other miscellaneous items over there. We had 4-5 suitcases between the three of us, only two were "large" - the rest were "carry-on" sized.

For proximity to MK, the studios are nice at BLT, but there are only two sleeping surfaces. The queen bed and the sofa bed. Again, with three adults (although we are small in stature, no taller than 5'3"), we fit fine. I liked the separate kitchenette area and we did manage to put our suitcase of snacks over there I believe BLT was some-what recently remodeled, so it only sleeps four.

 

[cruisin5]

Go for the 1 bedroom, you can enjoy the "living room" when your son is napping. A child size air mattress on the master floor works too.

The studios at BLT are small, mostly because of the layout. A 1 bedroom at BLT gives you a second bathroom too.

We love the full kitchen and having laundry facilities.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

With an understanding that checking availability is something not done on this sub because it shifts, as a renter, once units are gone they tend to be gone forever for you. There are no waitlists for a renter to pick up a day if another owner drops them.

For 12/7-12/14, you are already late for almost all studios. I only see full availability for studios at two resorts. Frankly, 1BR is not a lot better either. Were I you, I would contact a rental agency ASAP and simply ask what IS available, and pick from that list. Pondering the full array of DVC for that time period, right now, is not useful, and will have you wasting time on a debate about the wrong thing - because once you talk yourself into one resort or another, it's highly likely you'll find you can't get it anyway.