AKL, CCV, SSR, or BLT

[🍀TwinsMom]

I can only speak to RR pools and kid splash pads. It’s adorable the little kid area with Fantasia elephants in tutus, and the slide whips! We did everything there; special honey marshmallow s’mores at the campfire, kids pool trivia and bingo, slide, hot tubs, quiet pool, regular pool, Bar Riva (Wave drink is my fave!) gelato cart poolside — so nice.

 

[Arthur2990]

CCV because it has the longest contract.

 

[Memorymakerfor4]

It sounds like theming is a big draw for you. I say you've just got to purchase at the place you like the best and don't worry about which one is cheapest. A few years down the road and it won't matter as much as you thought, but you may have big regret about not getting 11 month advantage at your favorite resort.

AKV and CCV are the best resorts on property for theming and both also have the big perk of being in one central building. More of a resort feel instead of a vacation condo. We find that we keep coming back to CCV and miss it when we're not there.

I have mixed feelings about BLT. Not a big fan of the theming, but that's highly personal. It was still a very nice resort to be at, just not one I want to stay at often. Dues should stay lower here as it's a tower and has less of a footprint for maintenance.

Saratoga was an unexpected hit with my family, but I think only because we had a car. Bussing around that place would've been a real bummer. Parking right outside our building after a long day in the parks was a dream. The grounds are beautiful though and I loved the renovation. Points here would be a solid choice for me. But again, I can't stress enough how much I think you need a car to really enjoy it.

 

[Prince John Robin Hood]

AKV or CCV. I'd lean towards AKV if you're going to be going in May, August and September as you'll have better pools and splash pad in my opinion. Both are great resorts though.

 

[D-Trick]

both also have the big perk of being in one central building

Depending on the circumstances, I find being in central buildings as a drawback as opposed to a perk. At least with OKW or SSR, you are guaranteed to park right outside your villa, or have a shuttle stop within a reasonable distance, as opposed to a whole building parking in a central lot.

I love AKV (as Pete says, "a friggin' savannah!"), but my stay there last month was room 7682 at Kidani. Literally the very. last. room. at the north end. That walk to the shuttle stop was so never ending passing through building after building, by room after room. Im glad my elder parents weren't with us, cause I would have definitely asked to move.

 

[Memorymakerfor4]

Depending on the circumstances, I find being in central buildings as a drawback as opposed to a perk. At least with OKW or SSR, you are guaranteed to park right outside your villa, or have a shuttle stop within a reasonable distance, as opposed to a whole building parking in a central lot.

I love AKV (as Pete says, "a friggin' savannah!"), but my stay there last month was room 7682 at Kidani. Literally the very. last. room. at the north end. That walk to the shuttle stop was so never ending passing through building after building, by room after room. Im glad my elder parents weren't with us, cause I would have definitely asked to move.

The main reason I argue it's still a perk is due to having a really negative experience navigating OKW without a car. Suffice to say, the bus system was a huge pain and cost us a lot of time and eventual Lyft charges when I gave up. Had we had a car it would have been a totally different experience.

However, the more compact resorts give you options, regardless of having a car. As far as I know, thanks to crackdowns, BWV is the only resort with parking issues for the most part. Also, at many resorts the walk to the bus stop is almost as far away as parking so that's a draw for me. BLT had fabulous parking, many times we parked so close to the building we were actually closer to the room than we were at SSR. At Jambo (I guess I assumed they'd be primarily staying there because of the reference to restaurants and value rooms) and CCV it's just a short walk to restaurants, pools, and the parking lot. Many times at CCV we've placed mobile orders and were back in the room with food in 5 minutes.

Man, Kidani. You get the short end of the stick either way (unless you get lucky with a room close to the lobby), otherwise a fantastic resort. We use valet there if we drive so I can't comment on the parking lot.

 

[D-Trick]

The main reason I argue it's still a perk is due to having a really negative experience navigating OKW without a car.

I was just giving a counter argument because when you say that a central building is a "big" perk, it implies that the SSR and OKW designs are flawed. Again, it depends on the circumstances. Your frustration with the OKW buses are unfortunate and not a reflection of everyone's experience. Personally I favor more neutral verbiage that lays out the facts, pros and cons, so that the end user can come to their own decision.

BLT had fabulous parking, many times we parked so close to the building we were actually closer to the room than we were at SSR.

I feel this statement is a bit of an exaggeration, and not a representation of the average person's experience. The only thing closer than parking right outside your OKW/SSR villa is at Kidani if both your room and parking space are right next to the elevator.

 

[Memorymakerfor4]

I was just giving a counter argument because when you say that a central building is a "big" perk, it implies that the SSR and OKW designs are flawed. Again, it depends on the circumstances. Your frustration with the OKW buses are unfortunate and not a reflection of everyone's experience. Personally I favor more neutral verbiage that lays out the facts, pros and cons, so that the end user can come to their own decision.

I feel this statement is a bit of an exaggeration, and not a representation of the average person's experience. The only thing closer than parking right outside your OKW/SSR villa is at Kidani if both your room and parking space are right next to the elevator.

I can accept that your opinion is different than mine with no qualm. I do think you are taking my opinions on here more seriously than you should, we are both on here because we love being DVC Members. As long as it stays respectful, open discourse should be welcomed. Your choice of neutral verbiage is your own, but as far as I am aware, not a requirement to post on these forums.

Sorry to hijack your post OP, I'll bow out now. Good luck choosing a home!