Attached to resorts--or "stand alone" DVC

[Sammie]

OKW does not have full deluxe amenities and it is the WDW DVC resort located the fartherest from a WDW park or attraction.

I know everyone has their preference in resort and rightly so. What appeals to me does not necessarily appeal to others and that is as it should be. All the DVC resorts have their benefits and disadvantage.

However can we at least in discussing these pros and cons get our facts straight.

Distance to Parks: Basedm on info from the DIS Resorts Section
OKW to:
MK: 5miles
AK: 7 miles
Epcot: 1 mile
MGM: 3 miles (thanks Spicycat )

BCV:
MK: 7 miles
AK: 6 miles
MGM: 1 mile
Epcot: walking distance to International Gateway
To the main entrance: 3 miles

BW:
MK: 6 miles
Epcot: 1 mile
MGM: 1 mile
AK:5 miles

WLV
MK 1 mile
Epcot 6 miles
MGM 6 miles
AK 10 miles

Based on these facts from the "DIS distance from resorts to parks" info, actually OKW is much closer to some parks than the other DVC resorts and bascially is centrally located to "all" parks. Only VWL is closer to MK than OKW.

 

[Sammie]

Prime location is a personal preference but Disney seems to put value into staying close to the parks. Its no mistake all the deluxe resorts are strategically located near the theme parks. Some people don’t want to be close to the action and that’s fine.

I don’t put much importance having my car close to me. I would rather have Disney outside my door (rather than my car). While some people prefer buses, I prefer the slow boat to WDW. I also love to rent the boats for recreation.

As far as placing a DVC stand-alone resort on the front door of the next theme park, what would Disney gain by this?? SSR is selling well located near Hotel Plaza Blvd. Disney can sell the “magic” without giving up real estate that brings in higher rack rates. I think Disney gets the best of both financial worlds when they split a resort.

Deluxe resorts are located near a theme park. No resort is close to all of them and based on the distance info I shared in my other thread, OKW is the very centrally located.

As to SSR's location I would consider it closer to Downtown Disney than Hotel Plaza Blvd. So yes I like to be close to all the action Disney has to offer and OKW and SSR offer that location.

If some prefer to be close to some of the action that is understandable, but I can't understand why some seem to think SSR and OKW are out in the boonies, when the mileage charts state differently.

 

[Beca]

I know everyone has their preference in resort and rightly so. What appeals to me does not necessarily appeal to others and that is as it should be. All the DVC resorts have their benefits and disadvantage.

However can we at least in discussing these pros and cons get our facts straight.

Distance to Parks:
OKW to:
MK: 5miles
AK: 7 miles
Epcot: 1 mile
MGM: 7 miles

BCV:
MK: 7 miles
AK: 6 miles
MGM: 1 mile
Epcot: walking distance to International Gateway
To the main entrance: 3 miles

BW:
MK: 6 miles
Epcot: 1 mile
MGM: 1 mile
AK:5 miles

WLV
MK 1 mile
Epcot 6 miles
MGM 6 miles
AK 10 miles

Based on these facts from the "DIS distance from resorts to parks" info, actually OKW is much closer to some parks than the other DVC resorts and bascially is more centrally located to "all" parks. Only VWL is closer to MK than OKW.

Sammie, I don't mean to argue semantics here, but I don't know how, by looking at your stats that you can say OKW is more centrally located to "all" parks? I'm not trying to be argumentative, I really just don't understand.

Using your stats above, if you were to visit each park once, here's the number of miles you would travel per hotel:

OKW 20 miles
BCV 14 miles
BWV 13 miles
VWL 23 miles

It would seem to me that BWV would be the big winner, with BCV close behind...then OKW and VWL.

What am I missing?



Beca

 

[MiaSRN62]

DVC is a lot of money to buy into if all you want is a nice "condo resort". The full service DVC Resorts are our preference as well.

We specifically bought DVC for OKW and the stand-alone resort feel. We like more of a neighborhood/community feeling of OKW (and hope to try SSR soon). Makes it feel more like "home" to us. We don't enjoy the hotel atmosphere nearly as much. We felt our money was very well spent at OKW.
As for full-service. You don't need valet at OKW because you can park right outside your door, and Bell Service is right outside the lobby. In fact, we were offered Bellhop service when we checked in this past August without having to ask for it. We find Bell Service to be quite visible and very accessible at OKW. As for room service----it's so overpriced at BWV (and most hotels). We'd rather dine-in at a nice restaurant for those prices (but this is just us). And if we really do want some sort of room service, there are several pizza places and even a nice Italian restaurant that delivers right to the door----they offer soups/salads/pasta dishes etc. We have everything we could ever want at OKW.

 

[Sammie]

Sammie, I don't mean to argue semantics here, but I don't know how, by looking at your stats that you can say OKW is more centrally located to "all" parks? I'm not trying to be argumentative, I really just don't understand.

Using your stats above, if you were to visit each park once, here's the number of miles you would travel per hotel:

OKW 20 miles
BCV 14 miles
BWV 13 miles
VWL 23 miles

It would seem to me that BWV would be the big winner, with BCV close behind...then OKW and VWL.

What am I missing?



Beca

You are not being argumentative at all, I see your point. I guess I was not clear, that happens sometimes.

Yes BW seems to have the better distance to the 4 theme parks upon reexamination, but OKW is certainly not in the boonies as some would have you believe.

I just feel that many on these forums want to put SSR and OKW down because they are not located within walking distance to a park. While upon examination to all that Disney has to offer, 4 parks, 2 mini golf courses, golf courses, water parks, shopping, movies, and dining both SSR and OKW are very centrally located.

And it seems to me at least that the majority of those putting SSR and OKW down are owners at BC and BW and I will be the first to state their convenience to Epcot and MGM is nice, but Magic Kingdom certainly has to be a park visited by most everyone and SSR and OKW's location to it and AK seem never to even be considered.

Thanks for the note on the total distance to the 4 parks, I will correct my previous statement.

 

[Beca]

Sammie...thanks!!

I didn't know if you were referring to a map rather than the distances...I just didn't think I was understanding what you were saying. But, hey...it's been a long day!!! We just took our dd to see "Princesses on Ice"...it was fun....but, man am I tired!!!



Beca

 

[DizWacko]

I know everyone has their preference in resort and rightly so. What appeals to me does not necessarily appeal to others and that is as it should be. All the DVC resorts have their benefits and disadvantage.

However can we at least in discussing these pros and cons get our facts straight.

Distance to Parks:
OKW to:
MK: 5miles
AK: 7 miles
Epcot: 1 mile
MGM: 7 miles

BCV:
MK: 7 miles
AK: 6 miles
MGM: 1 mile
Epcot: walking distance to International Gateway
To the main entrance: 3 miles

BW:
MK: 6 miles
Epcot: 1 mile
MGM: 1 mile
AK:5 miles

WLV
MK 1 mile
Epcot 6 miles
MGM 6 miles
AK 10 miles

Based on these facts from the "DIS distance from resorts to parks" info, actually OKW is much closer to some parks than the other DVC resorts and bascially is centrally located to "all" parks. Only VWL is closer to MK than OKW.

OKW to MGM cant be 7 miles can it? From BCV to Epcot entrance 3 miles? (Maybe if you are driving).

 

[DizWacko]

I much prefer the villas attached to Deluxe resorts. OKW definitely has the condo feel to it .. The theming at the OKW, SSR standalones seem very sterile to us (compared to the Disney feeling at the attached villas) .. just IMO.

 

[Beca]

OKW to MGM cant be 7 miles can it? From BCV to Epcot entrance 3 miles? (Maybe if you are driving).

Yes, I think Sammie was putting driving distances in there. When you think about it, driving distances are the ones that matter.



Beca

 

[BCV23]

Interesting figures to be sure. But how many people staying at BCV actually drive to the Epcot parking lot? We never have and it would have to be a rather unusual scenario to make us do so.

Now I have a dumb question especially from someone who enjoys driving around property as much as I do. What route do you take to get to Epcot from OKW? Does that road across the bridge provide access? I guess it must?

I have never thought OKW was out in the boonies. The roads around it are some of the least congested and a pleasure to drive on. Same is true of SSR as long as you are heading West and not into the mess around DTD.

 

[Sammie]

Yes, I think Sammie was putting driving distances in there. When you think about it, driving distances are the ones that matter.



Beca

They are driving distances and they are listed here on the Resort Info section of the DIS. So yes the distance from Beach Club to Epcot would be driving to the Front Entrance.

My point is I like all the resorts. I just at times feel the new owners at SSR and those that own at OKW are treated at times on these forums like second class DVC citizens by some, not all, because their resort is not within walking distance to a park.

VWL is not within walking distance and based on the info provided by the DIS, the distances from any of the DVC resorts to AK and MK (excluding VWL) are pretty much equal. I will never disagree that BCV and BW have the advantage to Epcot or MGM but that is only half of the parks. Not all of the parks.

I just wish at times, for the benefit of the new owners especially, that people could share what they like about their home resort, without feeling the need to disparage any of the other resorts. It seems at times it is almost like saying my resort is better because yours is lacking. When each resort should be able to stand on it's own merits. As they all benefits and they all disadvantges.

Ok, that's all about that, Happy Thanksgiving to all.

 

[BCV23]

I just wish at times, for the benefit of the new owners especially, that people could share what they like about their home resort, without feeling the need to disparage any of the other resorts. It seems at times it is almost like saying my resort is better because yours is lacking. When each resort should be able to stand on it's own merits. As they all benefits and they all disadvantges.

Ok, that's all about that, Happy Thanksgiving to all.

I so agree with you, Sammie!

And Happy Thanksgiving to everyone as well. Don't we all have much to be thankful for including our DVC home(s) wherever it may be?!

 

[RLevy29]

We like them both! We enjoy OKW in the summer for the space of the rooms and the laid back atmosphere. We like BCV for the F&W and Christmas week for the proximity to Epcot.

 

[NMW]

Location, location, location. To us the standalone/attached discussion is moot.

We prefer BCV because of its proximity to Epcot, MGM and The Boardwalk....

I agree with this. Also I just like the "hotel" feel of a vacation. I like room service, interior hallways, all the restaurants, etc. Parking means nothing to us. We would hate driving, parking, or having a car on our vacation. I like Disney transportation!

 

[dianeschlicht]

Right now I prefer the attached resorts. I love the valet service and luggage service. We take alot of stuff.I like the convienence of having several restaurants close by and I would rather walk the long air conditioned hallways then walk out the door and my glasses fog up from humidity. I would stay at any of the resorts as they are all nice, but prefer the convienence of the attached resorts.

Who said the stand alones don't have luggage service? Both OKW and SSR have great luggage service.

 

[dianeschlicht]

I know everyone has their preference in resort and rightly so. What appeals to me does not necessarily appeal to others and that is as it should be. All the DVC resorts have their benefits and disadvantage.

However can we at least in discussing these pros and cons get our facts straight.

Distance to Parks:
OKW to:
MK: 5miles
AK: 7 miles
Epcot: 1 mile
MGM: 7 miles

BCV:
MK: 7 miles
AK: 6 miles
MGM: 1 mile
Epcot: walking distance to International Gateway
To the main entrance: 3 miles

BW:
MK: 6 miles
Epcot: 1 mile
MGM: 1 mile
AK:5 miles

WLV
MK 1 mile
Epcot 6 miles
MGM 6 miles
AK 10 miles

Based on these facts from the "DIS distance from resorts to parks" info, actually OKW is much closer to some parks than the other DVC resorts and bascially is centrally located to "all" parks. Only VWL is closer to MK than OKW.

A little fact that some of us have known for some time now, Sammie!

 

[dianeschlicht]

For those of you who mentioned that you liked the "hotel" amenities experience rather than the vacation home/timeshare feel. Why then, did you buy a timeshare???? Most timeshares rely on kitchen facilities rather than on-site restaurants. Most timeshares are NOT hotels. Of course, most other timeshares are not in a theme park either, but when DVC (OKW) was first started, it was based on the other timeshares out there at the time. After a few years, it was pretty obvious that folks traveling to WDW didn't necessarily want the typical timeshare experience, so they opened the next three as add-ons to hotels. Seems with SSR they decided to go back to the timeshare idea.

 

[Beca]

For those of you who mentioned that you liked the "hotel" amenities experience rather than the vacation home/timeshare feel. Why then, did you buy a timeshare???? Most timeshares rely on kitchen facilities rather than on-site restaurants. Most timeshares are NOT hotels. Of course, most other timeshares are not in a theme park either, but when DVC (OKW) was first started, it was based on the other timeshares out there at the time. After a few years, it was pretty obvious that folks traveling to WDW didn't necessarily want the typical timeshare experience, so they opened the next three as add-ons to hotels. Seems with SSR they decided to go back to the timeshare idea.

Well, that's yet another reason why we bought the DVC timeshare....the DVC "deluxe" hotel in a pre-paid plan with a kitchen (and washer/dryer), right next to a WDW theme park!!!...the best of both worlds!!



Beca

 

[DVCajun]

I just wish at times, for the benefit of the new owners especially, that people could share what they like about their home resort, without feeling the need to disparage any of the other resorts. It seems at times it is almost like saying my resort is better because yours is lacking. When each resort should be able to stand on it's own merits. As they all benefits and they all disadvantges.

Perhaps you're taking it too personally. I'm sure that ANY of us would take ANY DVC resort if there no other options and feel great about it!

Re: walking to the parks, hey, that's a pretty big perk! How many times have we seen folks on this forum asking about buying at SSR (or Vero, yada yada) but wanting to stay at BWV? It's not just BWV and BCV owners making the big deal out of being able to walk to the parks.

I also have never considered OKW to be so very faaaar away from everything. But the fact is they don't have many options when it comes to getting to the parks, and that's usually what folks are talking about when they talk about distance and difficulty getting somewhere.

Just my two cents.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Walking to the parks might not be the best perk for some of us. I find the bus service so good at OKW, and I do know from experience that the bus from OKW to the parks is faster than driving, unless you are going to AK. I agree that it "seems" to be farther to some, but Disney is very good at making you think you are in a different place. Look at VWL. You are very close to MK, and yet you have the feeling of being transported to the Great Northwest! VWL seems isolated to me too, yet it is very close to the MK action.