Best DVC Resort in Various Categories

[bwbuddy5]

I plan to retire in a couple of years, and want to take my whole gang to WDW,9-10 total family members: 2 60ish grandparents (that's me), three additional married couples 28-32yo, 1-3 grandkids 2-5YO. I'm thinking of renting DVC points, have watched most all of the DVC videos, and like each resort in a different way. What would you say is the best DVC resort in each of theses categories (different resort for each category):

1) Resort Theming
2) Location
3) Transportation Convenience to Parks/Activities
4) Bang for the Buck
5) Unusual Extras (pool table, mirror TVs, etc)
6) Sit-down Restaurant
7) Quick Restaurant
8) Pool

 

[hakepb]

I plan to retire in a couple of years, and want to take my whole gang to WDW,9-10 total family members: 2 60ish grandparents (that's me), three additional married couples 28-32yo, 1-3 grandkids 2-5YO. I'm thinking of renting DVC points, have watched most all of the DVC videos, and like each resort in a different way. What would you say is the best DVC resort in each of theses categories (different resort for each category):

1) Resort Theming
2) Location
3) Transportation Convenience to Parks/Activities
4) Bang for the Buck
5) Unusual Extras (pool table, mirror TVs, etc)
6) Sit-down Restaurant
7) Quick Restaurant
8) Pool

1) AKL (how many other resorts in America have a savanna?)
2) Poly (easy parking, boat and monorail to MK, short walk to TTC for direct Epcot Monorail access)
3) BCV (walking distance to EPCOT and boat to DHS)
4) OKW
5) Jambo GV
6) AKL (I'm sure Grand Floridian is technically better)
7) Poly
Dole Whip!
Mickey Waffle and Tonga Toast for breakfast, what more do you need?
Amazing, nice dinner variety from flatbreads and burgers to fish tacos and pork fried rice ...
And you order at the counter, get a pager, sit down ... And the food is brought to you like BOG lunch!

8) BCV (although the water play areas at Kidani, SSR Paddock and Poly are better suited for the young grandkids. BCV is more like the ultimate pool for 10yo+ kids)

For that group, The Grand Floridian grand villa is the only single unit that would give each couple their own room, as the media room kinda functions as a 4th bedroom .. Otherwise a couple would need to sleep in the living room.
The other option is (2) 2BR units

 

[Granny]

I plan to retire in a couple of years, and want to take my whole gang to WDW,9-10 total family members: 2 60ish grandparents (that's me), three additional married couples 28-32yo, 1-3 grandkids 2-5YO. I'm thinking of renting DVC points, have watched most all of the DVC videos, and like each resort in a different way. What would you say is the best DVC resort in each of theses categories (different resort for each category):

What you will find among the DVC owners that each has a different bias and none are right or wrong. Every DVC resort has people who absolutely love it, and many people who don't care for it. So don't be surprised if your answers are all over the board on this.

Also, if you want your entire group to be in one villa you will need a 3 bedroom Grand Villa. That would be the most economical. Personally with four married couples I wouldn't want to do it that way and would prefer possibly a Grand Villa and a studio or possibly two of the 2Bedroom villas. Or 4 studios if you want everyone to have their own space.

For what it's worth, here's my thoughts assuming you are looking two years out:

1) Resort Theming...Villas Wilderness Lodge or Animal Kingdom Villas. VWL is amazing but under construction until 2018. So if you are going that year, it would be a good choice.

2) Location...this question is similar to question 3. Bay Lake Tower is walking distance to Magic Kingdom and a monorail (with transfer) to EPCOT. Very convenient. Boardwalk Villas and Beach Club Villas are walking distance to two parks, though BWV is better located for short walks to both.

3) Transportation Convenience to Parks/Activities...Bay Lake Tower, Grand Floridian Villas and Polynesian Villas all have monorail access to two parks. Hard to beat that.

4) Bang for the Buck...Boardwalk Standard View is the best bang for the buck (location and low cost) but hard to get. Saratoga Springs and Old Key West are great resorts with low nightly costs.

5) Unusual Extras (pool table, mirror TVs, etc)...some resorts have a Community Hall for the kids. A free place with lots of activities. Those resorts are Old Key West, Saratoga Springs, Boardwalk, Bay Lake Tower and Animal Kingdom Lodge

6) Sit-down Restaurant...this is the area that is clearly subjective and opinions will widely vary. Some peope love Jiko at Animal Kingdom Lodge but we don't like it at all. With kids in tow, we like Whispering Canyon at Wilderness Lodge for the entertainment factor.

7) Quick Restaurant...I think Bay Lake Tower may have the best counter service with Contempo. Wilderness Lodge, Grand Floridian, Animal Kingdom Lodge and Polynesian also have good quick service options.

8) Pool...I think everyone will agree that Beach Club Villas has access to the best pool which is named Stormalong Bay. Some people don't like it because it is so big and it can be hard to keep track of kids. But it really is a great pool, almost like a little water park in itself.


Good luck with your decision. Whatever you do, you will want to be in position to book your trip at 11 months prior to the check in date to give yourself the most options.

 

[disneynutz]

VGF for Resort Theming, Location, Transportation Convenience to Parks/Activities, Unusual Extras, Sit-down Restaurant.

Bill

 

[Bullseye]

I plan to retire in a couple of years, and want to take my whole gang to WDW,9-10 total family members: 2 60ish grandparents (that's me), three additional married couples 28-32yo, 1-3 grandkids 2-5YO. I'm thinking of renting DVC points, have watched most all of the DVC videos, and like each resort in a different way. What would you say is the best DVC resort in each of theses categories (different resort for each category):

1) Resort Theming AKV We like the african theming which is everywhere: Lobby, hallways, rooms, common areas.
2) Location BLT or BC because of the proximity to the parks
3) Transportation Convenience to Parks/Activities BLT walking/monorail or BC because you can walk to park or take a boat
4) Bang for the Buck BC because of stormalong bay, access to boardwalk, Epcot, HS. Plus it's just beautiful, especially at night.
5) Unusual Extras (pool table, mirror TVs, etc) BC has pool tables and the rooms have huge tv's both in living and bedrooms. AKV has awesome huge master bath! Plus if you get Savannah view you can watch Jungle animals right from your balcony. It's pretty cool.
6) Sit-down Restaurant BC (Cape May) or AKV (Boma). Both excellent restaurants.
7) Quick Restaurant AKV (The mara) or BLT (Contempo Cafe)
8) Pool BC (Stormalong Bay is best pool on property, great slide, lazy river, sand bottom) AKV also has great pools



So you can see from my answers I'm biased to Beach Club, Animal Kingdom Villas, and Bay Lake Tower. All in all Beach club is my favorite resort for numerous reasons above. Animal Kingdom Villas is a close second!

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I plan to retire in a couple of years, and want to take my whole gang to WDW,9-10 total family members: 2 60ish grandparents (that's me), three additional married couples 28-32yo, 1-3 grandkids 2-5YO. I'm thinking of renting DVC points, have watched most all of the DVC videos, and like each resort in a different way. What would you say is the best DVC resort in each of theses categories (different resort for each category):

1) Resort Theming
2) Location
3) Transportation Convenience to Parks/Activities
4) Bang for the Buck
5) Unusual Extras (pool table, mirror TVs, etc)
6) Sit-down Restaurant
7) Quick Restaurant
8) Pool

It's like I tell my husband when he asks the waiter what he likes on the menu - "does he have the same taste buds as you?"

So, my recommendations to you might differ from what I'd answer but for us and people we travel with:

1) AKV and VWL
2) VWL, BLT, BWV, PVB
3) BWV, PVB
4) OKW, BWV (standard), AKV
5) if referring to in room - AKV Jambo GV for pool table.
6) BLT (for CR Cali Grill) and AKV
7) AKV, BLT, VGF, VWL
8) PVB, AKV, BCV

 

[Deb & Bill]

If you are going to rent points for these reservations and need multiple villas, your best bet will be OKW, SSR or AKV (not value and not concierge villas). Many of the others you may need multiple owners for enough points and early booking at 11 months out. You might not get it.

 

[Simba's Mom]

If the DGDs are young, SAB may not be the best place for them. My understanding is that little ones get out of sight very easily there. Fortunately. kids in the 5 yo age-range like any pool where they're at. We took our 5 yo and 2 yo to OKW when DH retired, and they'll probably tell you that's the best pool at WDW. It was the one they were at!

 

[DenLo]

1) Resort Theming - AKV
2) Location - BLT, BCV, BWV all walking distance to a park(s)
3) Transportation Convenience to Parks/Activities - BWV, BCV, VWL, BLT, PVB and VGF --all have multiple transportation options to get to a park which include ferries, buses, monorail at the MK resorts and walking for BCV, BWV and BLT.
4) Bang for the Buck - OKW-one of the lowest points per night around
5) Unusual Extras (pool table, mirror TVs, etc) AKV-Jambo Grand Villa, VGF-TV in mirrors and the GV has a fourth room for TV viewing that can be used as a BR.
6) Sit-down Restaurant - All have sit down restaurants, however the Epcot resorts and MK resorts and SSR (
Disney Springs restaurants only) give you more restaurant options due to nearby restaurants at other resorts easily accessible via transportation.
7) Quick Restaurant - I agree that BLT has one of the best Quick service restaurants.
8) Pool - for your grandchildren ages 2-5 a smaller pool would be better than SAB. Check out the pool at AKV-Kidani including the water play area at Uwanja Camp. BLT's pool is a zero entry and includes a small slide that is perfect for little ones plus a water splash area. The perfect water play area for little ones is at the Paddock pool at SSR.

 

[drusba]

1. Resort Theming: Another vote for AKV. Currently beats VWL because, for VWL, you have to walk over to the main WL building to get to most of that resort theming such as the great lobby. AKV Jambo rooms are in the main hotel building and even Kidani has its own lobby, restaurant, store and main pool.

2. Location: BWV. Any near park resort has a good location, e.g., at BLT you can walk to MK and all MK resorts have the monorail to MK, and BCV is another Epcot resort like BWV. However, BWV was built to be part of a combined hotel/DVC from the beginning -- the only WDW DVC resort that was built that way. Not only do you have a resort that is ideally located with ability to walk or boat to two parks, but you also have the best view on site with boardwalk view (BCV has no views to speak of), the main pool of the resort is on the DVC side and thus you do not have to go over to another building to get to it, you have easy access to the boardwalk, its entertainment, four restaurants at the resort (the BCV building has no restaurants), the main store, and nightly entertainment, and you can walk to two dozen restaurants (parks and Epcot resorts).

3. Transportation/Convenience to Parks: All near park resorts qualify but generally none can claim good transportation to all parks. BLT has walking to MK and MK resorts all have the monorail to MK and Epcot (although Epcot requires switching monorails). BCV and BWV have walking to two parks, short walking distance to Epcot, long to Studios, or boat to either. However, all of those suffer when going places other than the nearby parks. The MK resorts have dual resort sharing of buses (any cross-resort shared busing system is an inconvenience). BWV recently got better when it stopped sharing its MK bus with Swan and Dolphin but it and BCV still have slow trips to AKV and Downtown Disney.

4. Bang for the Buck: unless looking for GV, the best is BWV standard view with a point cost close to OKW and you get the resort with best location. However, like some other bangs for the buck, BWV standard view is often unavailable to renters because members reserve them for personal use at the 11 month window. AKV value presents the lowest cost rooms. all of which are smaller rooms than any typical DVC rooms, but still nice rooms with possbility of getting savanna view; however, those are often very difficult to get as a renter. Best value for a renter with high chance of getting a room is AKV standard view; also at low cost and usually easy to get are OKW and SSR standard. As to GVs, low cost OKW is good but one might also consider the standard view GV at Kidani which actually has a savanna view and is often open at 7 months out.

5. Unusual extras: any GV with multiple TV's, bathrooms, space better than most houses; Janbo GV has pool table; AKV and BLT 1BR's have two bathrooms and 2BRs three bathrooms; BWV boardwalk view is about as good as views possibly get; the almost floor to ceiling and wall to wall windows in BLT 1BR and 2BR living rooms is fantastic for higher floors. The new "unusual" (you did not limit the question to desirable) extra is the pull-down murphy bed added to studios in BWV, BCV and VWL.

6. Sit-Down Restaurant: you can kind of get lost with this one because it is so much a matter of personal preferences and you actually have many to choose from. Also I assume you are including both the hotel and DVC side of a joint resort. If I had to pick top favorites and leave any close seconds, it would BC's Cape May Cafe, Contemp's (for BLT) Chef Mickey's and California Grill, and AKV's Boma and Sanaa. We obviously lean toward buffets because table service restaurants can be too expensive, although Sanaa gets a bid when staying at Kidani and California Grill when at BLT.

7. Quick Restaurant: AKV Jambo's Mara, incuding because it has a lot of tables, including outside, and is accessible from the nearby pool area.

8. Pool: depends on what you are looking for. For an older person who treasures shade and a good bar, Jambo wins. For kids who need lots of activity and long slides, SAB and Kidani.