BLT vs BWV vs AKL

[PaintsWithAllTheColors]

Hi everyone! I'm currently NOT a DVC member but my husband and I are looking to take the plunge sooner than later. We're really torn about where to buy for our needs. I've researched and read a lot of threads but am to get some advice for our specific situation. Thanks in advance!

Background Info: Recently married and in our early twenties, no kids but definitely planning on some in a few years. We do have some family that we would want to take with us occasionally, as they're Disney fans, have two small boys, but wouldn't have the means to go otherwise. In the past we've stayed at BWV, BLT, and AKL. We loved all three for different reasons. Parking won't be a consideration for us, as we come from the West Coast and don't rent a car, at least not for more than a day or two. Below I've listed my thoughts/pros/cons for each, and I'd love some input. I also want to ask about strategy for buying, which I'll do below.

AKL: My husband is a HUGE animal lover, and I enjoy the relaxed feel of AKL. The theme is my favorite of the three resorts. The price per point is great, and we wouldn't feel disappointed staying there. However, it's less conveniently located, and while that's fine for now, will it be more of an issue when we have small kids?

BLT: Classically Disney, we love this resort for it's walk to the MK and the sheer proximity to other resorts and transportation. We also do like the pool, it's much better than BWV in our opinion. The issue we have here is that we don't love the theme and it's the most expensive of the resorts we're considering.

BWV/BCV: Location is what makes this resort for us. EPCOT is important to us and with the expansions at DHS right now and soon to come to EPCOT, we think this might be one that becomes hard to book at the 7 month window in the future. The biggest downside is the duration of the contract. We're fairly young, and a short contract isn't necessarily good for our future plans.

In summary of the "pros":

AKL: Theme, Duration of Contract
BLT: Location, Duration of Contract
BWV/BCV: Theme, Location

Which combination would be the "winner" for you and why, given our considerations?

Finally, we have the most flexibility in the first months of the year, so a April/June use year is best for us. We eventually want to have 200-300 pts but want to work up to it. Would it be wise to buy 100 pts now and add on later? Or will it be too difficult to find the same use year? Along those lines, would you recommend getting all of the points at one resort, or splitting between two?

Thank you!!

 

[kboo]

Is it just me, or has there been an explosion of "we're going to buy DVC and help us decide what to look for" posts recently? (I am one of them). We don't own yet, but having been to WDW a few times with little kids, I can give you my perspective as a parent and how I've been thinking:

AKL - gorgeous resort and the first place I stayed on site with DH. But not gonna lie, folding that stroller and unfolding it, getting it on and off that bus, it's a pain. Then again remember they're really only in strollers until 5 or 6 or so. We've gone to AKL for Boma and Sanaa meals on most of our trips recently, so I do love the food and walking around the resort, but ugh, the strollers! We'll stay there sometime, I'm sure - but probably not for another 4-5 years unless it's a short trip or one where we plan to spend more time at the resort. (Also, with small kids we are still a "midday break" touring style, so THAT is a factor too)

BLT - this is probably going to be our first choice to buy. We stayed there 2x, once when DD1 was almost 3, and again when she was 4.5 and DD2 was about 4 months. on that second stay, there was no question that that was the only place where we were going to stay. I happen to like the decor, maybe just because I have fond memories of riding the monorail through the hotel as a kid... but we are a family of walkers, and we walked to MK most days. Also you can take strollers on the monorail without folding them or getting the kids out. We love the boat access too. And - it's the easiest resort to travel to/from to anywhere else in WDW. Like, say, Boma or Sanaa...., or the Boardwalk, because you walk to the MK bus stop and then take a bus to your destination.

BWV/BCV - in most instances, the conventional wisdom on the boards is not to worry about only 25 years left on the contract. BUT - you are young! By 2042 you'll be around my age! (We are old parents.) We love this area too, but I feel like it's sort of pricey per point because of the fall frenzy. OTOH, I think our oldest daughter is getting to the age where the BCV pool is going to be a big draw for her. And we're likely not doing much of our traveling during fall frenzy since our kids will be in school with no vacation time during that period. Also, with little kids where MK is a big draw, I think it would just be hard to be that far away from MK for so long. Together with the HS construction, I think we will wait for a while until kids are bigger, or maybe buy a 2nd contract later down there for use during fall frenzy/Thanksgiving (2d daughter's bday).

Since you are so young, you very well could be active WDW-goers in 25 years, so that would take BWV/BCV off my list. Since you don't have kids but are planning on it, I'd either get BLT for the location or AKL for the cost per point and hope to find good availability at 7mo elsewhere.

 

[kboo]

Also, my parents bought their first timeshare (RCI) in 1983 (?) and still own it, though they haven't been to that resort in over 20 years. So yeah, some people *do* own timeshares for a long time!

 

[PaintsWithAllTheColors]

Thank you so much for your input! I know, I felt bad adding to the fray but in my experience, DVC members usually seem excited to discuss so I thought I'd go for it.

And this was perfect, it helps having input from a parent of young kids! We totally forgot about "midday breaks" haha so that was a really good reminder to consider that aspect as well. Thanks again, and good luck to you in your own DVC purchase

 

[kboo]

I think it's been really helpful to read responses to other people's posts, too, since sometimes they'll bring up something that I hadn't thought of.

And I also just talked to DH for a while and he's wondering what about VGF... because that is probably all of our favorite resort, but it seems like a high price to pay for an 11 mo booking window. (But wow, I do love that resort.)

 

[PaintsWithAllTheColors]

For us, that's Polynesian.... We've never stayed there but it checks all of our boxes for Theme, Location, and Duration of Contract. We just can't seem to justify the price, especially as there's no 1-bedrooms and that will be a necessity as time goes on. We hadn't really considered VGF as the theme just doesn't appeal to me outside of Christmas, but I know my husband loves it We considered VGC more, since we're So Cal residents, but the point of owning at VGC is being able to book at the 11-month window and since we're ~20 minutes away we're much more likely to want to have a spur of the moment weekend getaway - and I can't see the availability working in our favor for that!

 

[Nie0214]

We stayed at AKL with our son at 17 months and again at 2.5. It was fine, even with midday breaks. The most challenging bus ride was always Disney Springs because the bus was often full and the ride was long. He loved walking around the resort and seeing the animals, the fire pit, etc. and the community room and kids play area are huge hits too.

If you ever rent a car, you can get around the bus concerns because you park right under your room basically.

We ultimately decided on BLT because of proximity to MK and theming (I actually love the decor). MK is our favorite and the idea of walking over to get our Sorcerer cards every day is nice. but I think our first trip might be to an AK Grand Villa anyway. Haha.

 

[CarolMN]

In the interests of full disclosure (and potential bias) I will tell you that we own at the BWV.

My advice is to go with the BWV. The location just cannot be beat. Easy walk to both EPCOT and DHS. With Star Wars land and Toy Story Land coming soon, DHS is going to become a lot more popular and difficult to book at 7 months. Can't say enough how nice it is to NOT have to wait on a bus and how nice it is to use the boats when convenient or when the feet are just too tired to go on.

AKV is lovely - we enjoyed our stay there (at Kidani in a 2 bedroom savanna view) with my sister's family (included two kindergartners). But the bus rides were relatively long, except those to the AK. I don't remember waiting too long for them and since we stayed at Kidani, we always got seats to the parks, at least). AKV is easier to book at 7 months than any of the near-park resorts like BLT & BCV/BWV.

We also enjoyed our stays at BLT (in studios). Again, walking to the MK is great. But the studios are small (OK for 2 but I wouldn't want to spend much time in one with more than an infant). Also, we didn't find the monorail much of an advantage. Faster to walk to the MK and since you have to switch trains to EPCOT, the trip to get there could be very long! We only stayed a few nights at BLT and then moved to BWV so we didn't ride the buses to DHS or AK. When the MK is open, you have good access to all the o site resorts if you want to visit or dine.

If you want to stay at VGF, you most definitely need to buy there. If you want a studio, for some times of the year, even the 11 month window doesn't get you a studio. It's small and very popular. Location is good - boat to the MK, walk to TTC and grab the monorail to EPCOT. When the MK is open, you have good access to all the o site resorts if you want to visit or dine. IMO, VGF is expensive and not one to buy if you see yourself wanting to try other resorts at 7 months.

It's a good problem to have. Whatever you decide, you can't go wrong. Good luck with your decision.

P.S. Be sure to consider annual dues in your decision.

 

[kboo]

For us, that's Polynesian.... We've never stayed there but it checks all of our boxes for Theme, Location, and Duration of Contract. We just can't seem to justify the price, especially as there's no 1-bedrooms and that will be a necessity as time goes on. We hadn't really considered VGF as the theme just doesn't appeal to me outside of Christmas, but I know my husband loves it We considered VGC more, since we're So Cal residents, but the point of owning at VGC is being able to book at the 11-month window and since we're ~20 minutes away we're much more likely to want to have a spur of the moment weekend getaway - and I can't see the availability working in our favor for that!

On our recent trips at BLT and GF, we spent a lot of time at the Poly! It is beautiful! but yeah, the fact there's no 1BR pretty much nixes that for me. As for GF - I always thought it was too "old lady style" (haha) for me, until we stayed there. We loved it. Then again, this may mean that I am just turning into an old lady... Unless we see a really great contract and buy something because I get too excited, we may wait until we stay there this summer (in a studio, rented points from a VGF owner at 10 months), just to make sure we are ok with NOT having VGF as our home resort. (Note, our DD1 is 5 and she says GF is her favorite resort.)

CarolMN has a point about BWV - it might be better to buy at an EP resort now, before the HS expansion happens. Because I know we will be coming back for Star Wars Land for sure. So maybe I wait until after August when we will have stayed at VGF and BCV as well.

 

[Nie0214]

I would buy at the Poly in a heartbeat if they had 1BR! That's how we ended up at BLT. I don't know that we'd stay in a studio much because we like to cook while on vacation.

 

[kniquy]

will it be more of an issue when we have small kids?

First off I would not buy with the intention of bringing other family. If you choose to take them, then you forgo a trip one year, bank your points to be able to get a bigger room or another studio. Everyone loves to complain about the buses from AKL - from what many have mentioned on this board, yes it might take a few more minutes but it is probably not a significant amount of time out of your day. Your concern about strollers and buses - once you have kids you just go with the flow. If you are at WDW no matter what resort you are staying at you will have to take a bus at some point -- so if at BLT and you want to go to AK park -- you have to get on a bus. It isn't the end of the world to take a bus and we find it rather relaxing taking the bus to/from a resort. I guess it is all in how you look at it.

As for where you should purchase - you should first determine what your budget is. There is a significant price difference between a BLT contract and AKL. Plus the points needed to stay in a room are sig more at BLT than AKL, so if you choose BLT and you need a studio - not only are you paying more per point, you also need more points. Take a look at davids DVC rental -- they have a good way of entering travel dates and being able to see the points requirements for each resort and room type. Then look at some of the resale companies to see what would be the size contract you would need to get the room you want in the season you want. BLT might sound great to be at the park but if that contract cost thousands more -- is that really worth it to you? All things to factor in. I would look at what you have to spend, then see what resort fits in your budget. Keep in mind that paying cash is ideal, many do use financing to purchase direct and resale, but any potential savings is eaten up by finance charges.

 

[aoconnor]

There are several websites that publish the bus drive times from all the resorts. If you look it up, you will find that AKL is actually only a couple minutes longer than the other resorts or even faster in some cases. Of course this doesn't factor in the ability to walk to a park that you get from some resorts, which is an undeniable plus.

But, don't underestimate how much Uber has improved transportation at WDW! It is readily available and cheap ($7-10 to go virtually anywhere within property). If you're not in a rush, take the bus. If you want a mid-day break and just want to get back to the hotel, an $8 Uber is well worth it for a comfortable private ride on demand.

I like you was a younger buyer in my 20s, so the 25-year duration at the 2042 resorts was a turn off. If you don't plan to have kids for say another 5 years (then another couple years til they are park-going age) a 2042 resort might barely get them through high school.

If you can't decide on one, consider getting points at two different resorts eventually. It would give you flexibility with an 11 month advantage at two places, and personally I am a fan of split stays. They make it very easy with bell services-- drop your bags on the way to the parks, return to your next resort later in the day and you're all set.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

The reality is that AKV is more centrally located to every park except MK; the MK area resorts are less central to every park save MK. It's about the shape of the campus. But since MK was first, people use it as the standard of measurement.

AK doesn't share buses, which puts it one up on some of the MK resorts for anywhere but MK.

But, don't underestimate how much Uber has improved transportation at WDW! It is readily available and cheap ($7-10 to go virtually anywhere within property). If you're not in a rush, take the bus. If you want a mid-day break and just want to get back to the hotel, an $8 Uber is well worth it for a comfortable private ride on demand.

I will say that with young children, Lyft and Uber are not viable regular options mid-day. The lack of car seats is an issue; Uber Family only provides one, and it generally isn't an infant seat.

 

[glencoe]

Hi everyone! I'm currently NOT a DVC member but my husband and I are looking to take the plunge sooner than later. We're really torn about where to buy for our needs. I've researched and read a lot of threads but am to get some advice for our specific situation. Thanks in advance!

Background Info: Recently married and in our early twenties, no kids but definitely planning on some in a few years. We do have some family that we would want to take with us occasionally, as they're Disney fans, have two small boys, but wouldn't have the means to go otherwise. In the past we've stayed at BWV, BLT, and AKL. We loved all three for different reasons. Parking won't be a consideration for us, as we come from the West Coast and don't rent a car, at least not for more than a day or two. Below I've listed my thoughts/pros/cons for each, and I'd love some input. I also want to ask about strategy for buying, which I'll do below.

AKL: My husband is a HUGE animal lover, and I enjoy the relaxed feel of AKL. The theme is my favorite of the three resorts. The price per point is great, and we wouldn't feel disappointed staying there. However, it's less conveniently located, and while that's fine for now, will it be more of an issue when we have small kids?

BLT: Classically Disney, we love this resort for it's walk to the MK and the sheer proximity to other resorts and transportation. We also do like the pool, it's much better than BWV in our opinion. The issue we have here is that we don't love the theme and it's the most expensive of the resorts we're considering.

BWV/BCV: Location is what makes this resort for us. EPCOT is important to us and with the expansions at DHS right now and soon to come to EPCOT, we think this might be one that becomes hard to book at the 7 month window in the future. The biggest downside is the duration of the contract. We're fairly young, and a short contract isn't necessarily good for our future plans.

In summary of the "pros":

AKL: Theme, Duration of Contract
BLT: Location, Duration of Contract
BWV/BCV: Theme, Location

Which combination would be the "winner" for you and why, given our considerations?

Finally, we have the most flexibility in the first months of the year, so a April/June use year is best for us. We eventually want to have 200-300 pts but want to work up to it. Would it be wise to buy 100 pts now and add on later? Or will it be too difficult to find the same use year? Along those lines, would you recommend getting all of the points at one resort, or splitting between two?

Thank you!!

Don't forget to consider maintenance fees!!! Those can out weigh the initial price per point!!!!

 

[PaintsWithAllTheColors]

In the interests of full disclosure (and potential bias) I will tell you that we own at the BWV.

My advice is to go with the BWV. The location just cannot be beat. Easy walk to both EPCOT and DHS. With Star Wars land and Toy Story Land coming soon, DHS is going to become a lot more popular and difficult to book at 7 months. Can't say enough how nice it is to NOT have to wait on a bus and how nice it is to use the boats when convenient or when the feet are just too tired to go on.

AKV is lovely - we enjoyed our stay there (at Kidani in a 2 bedroom savanna view) with my sister's family (included two kindergartners). But the bus rides were relatively long, except those to the AK. I don't remember waiting too long for them and since we stayed at Kidani, we always got seats to the parks, at least). AKV is easier to book at 7 months than any of the near-park resorts like BLT & BCV/BWV.

We also enjoyed our stays at BLT (in studios). Again, walking to the MK is great. But the studios are small (OK for 2 but I wouldn't want to spend much time in one with more than an infant). Also, we didn't find the monorail much of an advantage. Faster to walk to the MK and since you have to switch trains to EPCOT, the trip to get there could be very long! We only stayed a few nights at BLT and then moved to BWV so we didn't ride the buses to DHS or AK. When the MK is open, you have good access to all the o site resorts if you want to visit or dine.

If you want to stay at VGF, you most definitely need to buy there. If you want a studio, for some times of the year, even the 11 month window doesn't get you a studio. It's small and very popular. Location is good - boat to the MK, walk to TTC and grab the monorail to EPCOT. When the MK is open, you have good access to all the o site resorts if you want to visit or dine. IMO, VGF is expensive and not one to buy if you see yourself wanting to try other resorts at 7 months.

It's a good problem to have. Whatever you decide, you can't go wrong. Good luck with your decision.

P.S. Be sure to consider annual dues in your decision.

Thank you for this info! I think AKL being easier to book at the 7 month window might sway us a little bit. And I think based on this and others' responses we might get a contract at BWV and at BLT. We also enjoy split stays and this gives us the best of both worlds. It might make it more difficult to book longer stays, or stays in larger rooms, at the 11 month window but I think those have more availablity anyways.

 

[PaintsWithAllTheColors]

First off I would not buy with the intention of bringing other family. If you choose to take them, then you forgo a trip one year, bank your points to be able to get a bigger room or another studio. Everyone loves to complain about the buses from AKL - from what many have mentioned on this board, yes it might take a few more minutes but it is probably not a significant amount of time out of your day. Your concern about strollers and buses - once you have kids you just go with the flow. If you are at WDW no matter what resort you are staying at you will have to take a bus at some point -- so if at BLT and you want to go to AK park -- you have to get on a bus. It isn't the end of the world to take a bus and we find it rather relaxing taking the bus to/from a resort. I guess it is all in how you look at it.

As for where you should purchase - you should first determine what your budget is. There is a significant price difference between a BLT contract and AKL. Plus the points needed to stay in a room are sig more at BLT than AKL, so if you choose BLT and you need a studio - not only are you paying more per point, you also need more points. Take a look at davids DVC rental -- they have a good way of entering travel dates and being able to see the points requirements for each resort and room type. Then look at some of the resale companies to see what would be the size contract you would need to get the room you want in the season you want. BLT might sound great to be at the park but if that contract cost thousands more -- is that really worth it to you? All things to factor in. I would look at what you have to spend, then see what resort fits in your budget. Keep in mind that paying cash is ideal, many do use financing to purchase direct and resale, but any potential savings is eaten up by finance charges.

You make a lot of good points, thank you!! As far as costs go, I'm fairly financially savvy, and have created detailed spreadsheets showing the initial buy in cost based on the average priced per point on the resales I've seen, the annual dues projected out at a 3-5% annual increase, and then the final average cost per year based on the years remaining in the contract.

This is partially what helped us narrow down those resorts and ignore the crazy cheap buy ins at say, Vero Beach.

We'll definitely be buying cash! While I totally understand the temptation to finance, we can't justify it in our situation. We're young and debt free and intend on keeping it that way, barring any catastrophic event!

 

[PaintsWithAllTheColors]

There are several websites that publish the bus drive times from all the resorts. If you look it up, you will find that AKL is actually only a couple minutes longer than the other resorts or even faster in some cases. Of course this doesn't factor in the ability to walk to a park that you get from some resorts, which is an undeniable plus.

But, don't underestimate how much Uber has improved transportation at WDW! It is readily available and cheap ($7-10 to go virtually anywhere within property). If you're not in a rush, take the bus. If you want a mid-day break and just want to get back to the hotel, an $8 Uber is well worth it for a comfortable private ride on demand.

I like you was a younger buyer in my 20s, so the 25-year duration at the 2042 resorts was a turn off. If you don't plan to have kids for say another 5 years (then another couple years til they are park-going age) a 2042 resort might barely get them through high school.

If you can't decide on one, consider getting points at two different resorts eventually. It would give you flexibility with an 11 month advantage at two places, and personally I am a fan of split stays. They make it very easy with bell services-- drop your bags on the way to the parks, return to your next resort later in the day and you're all set.

I'll definitely be looking into those schedules of bus times, thank you!!

And the Uber tip is a good one. We'll be using Uber a few times on our upcoming trip so I'll looking forward to seeing how that goes. I believe someone else made a good point, though, about Uber not being a good option for families with kids needing car seats, but that could all change in the next 5 years so I'll keep an eye on it!

I think the contracts at two resorts is a great idea! We LOVE split stays. As long as we can get the same use year I think that's what we'll do. Maybe start at BWV and closer to having kids join us on trips get the BLT one. Thanks again!

 

[Dean]

Hi everyone! I'm currently NOT a DVC member but my husband and I are looking to take the plunge sooner than later. We're really torn about where to buy for our needs. I've researched and read a lot of threads but am to get some advice for our specific situation. Thanks in advance!

Background Info: Recently married and in our early twenties, no kids but definitely planning on some in a few years. We do have some family that we would want to take with us occasionally, as they're Disney fans, have two small boys, but wouldn't have the means to go otherwise. In the past we've stayed at BWV, BLT, and AKL. We loved all three for different reasons. Parking won't be a consideration for us, as we come from the West Coast and don't rent a car, at least not for more than a day or two. Below I've listed my thoughts/pros/cons for each, and I'd love some input. I also want to ask about strategy for buying, which I'll do below.

AKL: My husband is a HUGE animal lover, and I enjoy the relaxed feel of AKL. The theme is my favorite of the three resorts. The price per point is great, and we wouldn't feel disappointed staying there. However, it's less conveniently located, and while that's fine for now, will it be more of an issue when we have small kids?

BLT: Classically Disney, we love this resort for it's walk to the MK and the sheer proximity to other resorts and transportation. We also do like the pool, it's much better than BWV in our opinion. The issue we have here is that we don't love the theme and it's the most expensive of the resorts we're considering.

BWV/BCV: Location is what makes this resort for us. EPCOT is important to us and with the expansions at DHS right now and soon to come to EPCOT, we think this might be one that becomes hard to book at the 7 month window in the future. The biggest downside is the duration of the contract. We're fairly young, and a short contract isn't necessarily good for our future plans.

In summary of the "pros":

AKL: Theme, Duration of Contract
BLT: Location, Duration of Contract
BWV/BCV: Theme, Location

Which combination would be the "winner" for you and why, given our considerations?

Finally, we have the most flexibility in the first months of the year, so a April/June use year is best for us. We eventually want to have 200-300 pts but want to work up to it. Would it be wise to buy 100 pts now and add on later? Or will it be too difficult to find the same use year? Along those lines, would you recommend getting all of the points at one resort, or splitting between two?

Thank you!!

I'd say BLT is the best value here. I'd buy around 150-170 up front. Plenty for now and enough to get you moving for some time even with a family. The best UY starts just before you travel so if it's early in the year, will April/June cover that? It will ONLY if you won't travel before June.

 

[Disn3yVision]

For us, that's Polynesian.... We've never stayed there but it checks all of our boxes for Theme, Location, and Duration of Contract. We just can't seem to justify the price, especially as there's no 1-bedrooms and that will be a necessity as time goes on. We hadn't really considered VGF as the theme just doesn't appeal to me outside of Christmas, but I know my husband loves it We considered VGC more, since we're So Cal residents, but the point of owning at VGC is being able to book at the 11-month window and since we're ~20 minutes away we're much more likely to want to have a spur of the moment weekend getaway - and I can't see the availability working in our favor for that!

We own at Poly and also live 20 minutes from DL. We thought the same thing about planning 11 months out so close to home but studios are so hard to get at VGC that I wouldn't write off that option so quickly.

I would also point out that at PVB you can get 2 connecting studios for the same amount of points (236 in adventure season) as a 1 bedroom at VGC, VGF, and BLT (lake view). Also 2 pvb studios sleep 10 and have 4 showers and 2 bathrooms and you get 1000 sq ft.... the 1 bedrooms only sleep 5 with 1 bathroom (except VGF) and tend to be about 700 sq ft. Finally, Poly is the only resort you can fit 5 so staying in a studio instead of a 1 bedroom is a viable option that can save a lot of points over getting 1 bedrooms, which you have to do to fit 5 at every other resort.

 

[PaintsWithAllTheColors]

I'd say BLT is the best value here. I'd buy around 150-170 up front. Plenty for now and enough to get you moving for some time even with a family. The best UY starts just before you travel so if it's early in the year, will April/June cover that? It will ONLY if you won't travel before June.

Interesting! Okay, maybe I wasn't thinking about this correctly. I thought that since the last day to bank for a June UY is the Jan 31 (correct?) that if I ever cancelled a trip from Feb-May, I would have to rebook in those same four months. Since I have the most flexibility in those months I thought that would be safest. It's sort of hard to know when we'll travel, because we have no real limitations, just preferences. We've considered trips in Jan-Feb, late April-May, late Aug-Sept, early Dec. Knowing this, and per your advice, may a December UY would be the best?