Boardwalk, AKL, and Thanksgiving at Disney Questions...

[bradpga]

Hi-
I just booked a one bedroom at Boardwalk Villas (never stayed there) for Sun-Thurs. This is a standard view room. This was the last one available so I am excited to get it. What can I expect from a standard view???? Also- There is NO AVAILABLE DVC rooms for Thursday night. We are departing on Friday so I need to book a non-DVC room for one night. Has anyone done this??? Is it a pain to move resorts for just one night??? A moderate room rate (CRS, POR, and etc) is 18 points (cheap). Deluxe rate is 32-60 points. I am leaning towards Animal Kingdom or the Contemporary. Anyone stayed at AKL and what rooms offer a view of the wildlife? I hear that Thanksgiving day is VERY crowded at the parks so I would prefer a resort with a nice pool and entertainment for the kids. Any advise would be appreciated. Brad

 

[CarolMN]

Hi-
I just booked a one bedroom at Boardwalk Villas (never stayed there) for Sun-Thurs. This is a standard view room. This was the last one available so I am excited to get it. What can I expect from a standard view????

The SV rooms overlook the resort entrance and the driveway leading up to it. There is quite a lot of grassy area, flowers and pretty landscaping between the building and the black topped areas. Some SV rooms actually have a view of the higher level IllumiNations fireworks from the balcony. If that interests you, your request should be for an upper floor across from the bus stop. (Keep in mind that those rooms are not close to the elevators, and if you are traveling with strollers, wheel chairs ECVs or anyone who doesn't do stairs, you may prefer to be close to the elevators).

There are many stairwells scattered throughout the resort. If you don't mind stairs, they make great shortcuts to the pools, the walkway to the bus stop, the self parking lots, and the walkway to MGM.

IMHO, the SV rooms are the best bargain on property! That 's why they generally book up so quickly - congrats on snagging one.

Also- There is NO AVAILABLE DVC rooms for Thursday night. We are departing on Friday so I need to book a non-DVC room for one night. Has anyone done this??? Is it a pain to move resorts for just one night??? A moderate room rate (CRS, POR, and etc) is 18 points (cheap). Deluxe rate is 32-60 points. I am leaning towards Animal Kingdom or the Contemporary. Anyone stayed at AKL and what rooms offer a view of the wildlife? I hear that Thanksgiving day is VERY crowded at the parks so I would prefer a resort with a nice pool and entertainment for the kids. Any advise would be appreciated. Brad

Hope your waitlist comes through - I personally hate to move and the Boardwalk area has lots to do with kids. Besides the pools and the activities/games on the Boardwalk (surrey bikes are a kit with the kids), it has Community Hall. You will find several activities available there for the kids.

If your waitlist doesn't come through, my advice is to try the AKL. I think you and the entire famiily will enjoy exploring the resort. There are several animal viewing decks/locations scattered about the resort - so don't worry if you can't get a savanah view room. The gift shop is fun, there are storytellers around the campfire (ringed with rocking chairs) and the pool is quite interesting. If you run out of things to do at the resort, you might brave the crowds at DD for awhile or give one of the mini-golf courses a try.

Have fun!

 

[bradpga]

Thanks for the advise. Yes, I do feel lucky to have gotten a room at BWV this late of notice. We are Saratoga Springs owners and my goal is to stay at all the DVC resorts (we stayed at SSR in March and loved it). AKL looks very appealing as well, but as you said, hopefully a waitlist bwv room will become available. Thanks-Brad

 

[Simba's Mom]

Hi-
I just booked a one bedroom at Boardwalk Villas (never stayed there) for Sun-Thurs. This is a standard view room. This was the last one available so I am excited to get it. What can I expect from a standard view???? Also- There is NO AVAILABLE DVC rooms for Thursday night. We are departing on Friday so I need to book a non-DVC room for one night. Has anyone done this??? Is it a pain to move resorts for just one night??? A moderate room rate (CRS, POR, and etc) is 18 points (cheap). Deluxe rate is 32-60 points. I am leaning towards Animal Kingdom or the Contemporary. Anyone stayed at AKL and what rooms offer a view of the wildlife? I hear that Thanksgiving day is VERY crowded at the parks so I would prefer a resort with a nice pool and entertainment for the kids. Any advise would be appreciated. Brad

I ran into this same problem at HHI. No room available Thursday nite on points. What I didn't know (until I read here) was that even though I couldn't get anything on points, I could stay right there on "member's cash" for that night. So, yes, we're paying for a room Thursday nite, but no, we're not moving resorts (and hopefully not even rooms MS said). However, we're still on the waiting list for the same room on points.

 

[bradpga]

What is the price for a one bedroom on "memembers cash"?

 

[CarolMN]

If available, members receive a 25% discount off rack rate if they book for cash via MS.

Best wishes -