Beach Club or AOA with teens

[eeyora68]

I just found out we will have a foreign exchange student with us for our Christmas trip we are booked at Beach Club but we can switch to AOA for the same price that we are paying for at BC currently. My kids have stayed at AOA but not BC they are 17,13 and 11 the student is 16. We stayed at BW last time and loved walking to Epcot. I feel bad to ask for too much money from her family as they already pay so much so I was only asking for the tickets. We will be there 12/19-27 any advice is appreciated

 

[DisneyWishes14]

With teens and during Christmas week, BC, hands-down. Transportation and the roads surrounding the parks are quite packed that week. Being able to walk to two parks and the restaurants at three other resorts will make your trip so much easier. We stayed at BWI during Christmas week a few years ago and it, literally, saved our trip because getting anywhere via any type of transportation was not fun. What type of room do you have at BC? Just make sure you are within occupancy limits.

 

[Trinity88]

We stayed at BC last Dec with a 15, 13, and 8 year old. We loved it, but the teens were a bit annoyed with the lack of quick service at night. We're trying POP (2 rooms) next month, so we'll see how they teens feel about the quick service there. But we did love the location of BC and the resort itself.

 

[SillySallySews]

If you will all fit in whatever room(s) you have booked, I’d stick with BC. We have stayed at both of these resorts and while AoA is very nice for a value resort, it doesn’t even compare to BC. If I went back to AoA it would be for my little kids because my teens personally would not be all that impressed with it.

 

[goofyintoronto]

I just found out we will have a foreign exchange student with us for our Christmas trip we are booked at Beach Club but we can switch to AOA for the same price that we are paying for at BC currently. My kids have stayed at AOA but not BC they are 17,13 and 11 the student is 16. We stayed at BW last time and loved walking to Epcot. I feel bad to ask for too much money from her family as they already pay so much so I was only asking for the tickets. We will be there 12/19-27 any advice is appreciated

If AoA is the same price as BC, then im sorry, i'd go with BC hands down. There's absolutely no question about it. No ifs ands or buts! Beach Club!!!!!

 

[AllieBoo]

Having stayed at both, I would choose BC hands down. The pool, the rooms, everything is nicer at BC. AOA is a basic hotel, BC is a resort. Plus, being able to walk to two parks is a huge plus for me

 

[eeyora68]

If we stay at BC we will have to ask for more money from our students family and get a second room. I am very excited to stay at BC but I do like AOA but the main pool will be closed I believe. Our student arrives next week I will wait and ask when she gets here but I will go ahead and reserve the extra room now just in case.

 

[Amanda999]

Absolutely, 100%, BC over AoA with teenagers. I have 2 teens, and they would much rather go to the BC pool than AoA's - AoA's is very nice, but geared towards little kids. The BC pool is the best pool onsite for teens - biggest slide, volleyball game basically all the time, hot tubs (all but 1 allow kids). There's a little kid area at one end, so they are separated from big kids (mostly). And lazy river (rarely see little kids in there). Not to mention being able to walk to TWO of the parks, well for sure worth it to me at least.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

If we stay at BC we will have to ask for more money from our students family and get a second room. I am very excited to stay at BC but I do like AOA but the main pool will be closed I believe. Our student arrives next week I will wait and ask when she gets here but I will go ahead and reserve the extra room now just in case.

A couple of thoughts - you may want to call WDW and ask what the AP discount is on the BC rooms. If it's substantial, it may be worth it to upgrade one of your tickets to an AP. You may also want to price out a two-bedroom villa at BCV and BWV with the fall/holiday and AP discounts to see if one of them would be cheaper than two rooms at BC.

Also, consider staying at the Swan. You would need to get your own transportation to and from the airport, but I just plugged in your dates and you could get two queen rooms there for about the same cost as one room at BC. Swan/Dolphin has a fantastic pool complex and is right on the Boardwalk so, like BC, within walking distance to EP and DHS. I would also suggest calling them directly (Swan/Dolphin - don't call the WDW line) and ask them to price out a 2-bedroom Executive Suite at the Swan. We've gotten 2-bedroom suites there for about the same price as one standard room at a monorail deluxe. The prices seem quite low for that week right now, so I would call sooner rather than later, if you are interested, as their prices tend to fluctuate. I suggest Swan over Dolphin as the Swan would give you queen beds as opposed to doubles at the Dolphin.

 

[goofyintoronto]

If we stay at BC we will have to ask for more money from our students family and get a second room. I am very excited to stay at BC but I do like AOA but the main pool will be closed I believe. Our student arrives next week I will wait and ask when she gets here but I will go ahead and reserve the extra room now just in case.

Yikes, i didnt read the whole thing. if it means asking for more money then I dunno. Although the pool will be closed...not sure i'd want to stay there if it means the pool will be closed (im guessing youre going in sept-dec 2020?). Have you considered other resorts that would fit the budget (and avoid you asking for more money?). Such as a moderate resort?

And since you want an extra room, have you just considered staying at Pop? You did mention that you wanted to make sure they had QS options later at night (pop food court is open til midnight). Their rooms have been refurbed and are quite nice, 2 queen beds in each room. Just throwing it out there. As you would save a ton.

 

[Ksquared]

Not sure I would do 2 rooms at Beach Club esp if it meant asking for more money from the exchange student's family. You could probably do 2 connecting rooms at another resort, like Coronado Springs for allot less. We just stayed with our two teens there and they loved it. Personally, my two teens would not want to stay at AOA, but that's just us. Also, even though the rooms sleep 6, I think you will find it may not be suitable sleeping arrangements for your teens. I don't think the pull down bed would fit 2 teens.

I also like the Swan/Dolphin idea too. We almost stayed there last time but chose Coronado instead.

Honestly, it's nice you are taking the exchange student with your family and I'm sure they will have a fabulous time no matter which resort you choose.

 

[Hi Pluto]

BC is amazing and doesn't even begin to compare to AOA. Can I ask, when is your trip and what is the price comparison?

 

[Karebear]

If we stay at BC we will have to ask for more money from our students family and get a second room. I am very excited to stay at BC but I do like AOA but the main pool will be closed I believe. Our student arrives next week I will wait and ask when she gets here but I will go ahead and reserve the extra room now just in case.

I vote for BC....it is an amazing resort and is my favorite along with YC. Being able to walk to 2 parks is so worth it and we all love the pool. I just wanted to add that we had an exchange student from France this June. We went to Hawaii on July 1st and had a hotel on Oahu and a condo on Maui. The student was supposed to leave at the end of June and We asked her parents if she wanted to extend her trip and go to Hawaii with us. We needed 2 rooms on Oahu as the hotel had a 4 person max. We kind of felt weird at first talking to her parents about the trip and the extra expense but they were very happy with her having an opportunity to travel to Hawaii and they were more than happy to cover some of the cost. We had offered to stay at a lesser price hotel but they wanted us to keep the more expensive hotel on the beach and have their daughter experience that. It ended up being an amazing trip. Good luck with your planning!

 

[DisneyWishes14]

I also wanted to add to my Swan, Executive Suite suggestion (if it's in your budget range) - it's one of the most affordable ways at WDW to be able to participate in the club level, 90 day, 3 extra paid FP+ program. I know that would add to your expense, but over Christmas week, it might be worth the splurge.

 

[BLTtinkerbell]

Have you looked into renting DVC points at Beach Club or Boardwalk Resort? It might be cheaper.

Edited to add, If there is DVC availability.

As someone else suggested, you could look at 2 rooms at Swan or Dolphin, to stay in the Boardwalk area.

Maybe a cabin at Fort Wilderness? It is beautiful there around the holidays.

Happy planning.

 

[cinnaminny]

I wouldn't ask for more money. I love DisneyWishes14 suggestion.

 

[VAfamily1998]

Ok my response is more about the "asking the student's family for money" and not the resort choice.

I don't think you should ask the student's family for money AT ALL. My family has a LOT of experience with hosting exchange students. We have long term relationships that started with my grandparents hosting a student in the 70's and our families are still friends to this day. My parents just visited them (in Spain) last week!

Stay in whatever resort will allow you to host this student without asking the family for money.

 

[kaytieeldr]

You could probably do 2 connecting rooms at another resort, like Coronado Springs for allot less

You could probably do request 2 connecting rooms at another resort, like Coronado Springs for allot less, but have a backup plan for it there aren't connecting rooms available.

For that matter, if considering two rooms, look at Caribbean Beach. The Skyliner will be open by then, giving you continual access to Epcot and DHS.

I don't think the pull down bed would fit 2 teens

believe it or not, full size mattresses were intended for two sleepers. No, you can't sprawl. Yes, it may tight. But they sleep two each.

 

[eeyora68]

BC is amazing and doesn't even begin to compare to AOA. Can I ask, when is your trip and what is the price comparison?

12/19/2019-12/27 it is right over 9,000 for the five AOA would be the same for the 6 of us

 

[eeyora68]

12/19/2019-12/27 it is right over 9,000 for the five AOA would be the same for the 6 of us

I didn’t read it before I posted so BC is about the same price as AOA but BC only sleeps 5 AOA sleeps 6