Bonnet Creek 2 Bedroom or Boardwalk Studio

Captainkidd76

DIS Veteran
Joined
Dec 7, 2017
Curious what others think. We currently have Bonnet Creek 2 bedroom booked. It's myself, wife and twin 12 year old boys. Never stayed at Bonnet Creek. Have stayed at Boardwalk a few times and love it. Boardwalk would be a bit more expensive for a studio, but with rental car and parking fees would be a wash. My biggest concern about staying at Bonnet Creek is feeling outside the Disney bubble. I love Disney transportation, so that's a factor.

Opinions please?
 
I never feel outside the bubble there, one reason is you can only get there from inside the bubble, so it feels like another resort. AND with the lack of imagineering on current construction it will likely feel more bubble in a few years.

The transportation is the biggest factor. We have a car and we park for free so that isn't a factor for us.

As far as the actual lodging I don't think there is any comparison from a studio to a two bedroom, two bathroom unit. Full kitchen, real living room, real beds for everyone, laundry ... BUT everyone's needs are different, just depends on what yours are.
 
After Hopperfan's advice we are going to try Bonnet Creek and see how it goes next year. I appreciate where you are coming from as my family really appreciate the 'onsite' appeal. However, we are 'monorail' resort only vacationers so that severely restricts our options and means a rather different budget!

Anyone an AP holder? That would save any parking costs at the parks. If not then just weigh up what you value more, a location that you feel offers better transportation, or more space and the ability to cook and wash etc.. As a family of 5, we really do need to use washing facilities for clothes and outfits, we go for 2 weeks usually so do not want to have to take that many clothes, so we will do 3-5 loads of washing per trip, having that in your building or even your room is such a god send! Means less bags, less air fees for additional bags etc... So that is also a saving from our perspective, often $150 round trip.

We did our first 'offsite' split stay as a family (i have done it a few times alone) and I can safely say that if you have a good location like Bonnet Creek, having a car is often a benefit! Using it to keep things in, ease of escape, and flexibility to get food and supplies etc... We loved our first week offsite and the freedom it gave us. The only better option from our experience is when staying at the Contemporary and being able to walk it, other than that it gave many of the same benefits as most hotels. I have 2 disabled children so we use disabled parking which puts you right by the TTC, which is basically the same as the walk from many of the long houses when staying at the Poly.

As Hopper says, there is no real comparison between a studio and a 2 bedroom 'suite'. But it will all depend on what your priorities are. If you truly want the vacation to be about not worrying about the car, parking, and other things, then onsite is the choice, but if you want some freedom, more space as well as comparable transportation options then bonnet creek would be the choice.

In reality, you can't go wrong with either, its just a case at looking what is the most important aspect of the trip. To my family, transportation is key, which is why we always stay at the Poly or Contemporary for a week or two. Others it isn't as important so its different for everyone.
 
we absolutely love Bonnet Creek. We only take Disney transportation to Magic Kingdom, as driving and parking for every other park is much faster than the buses.
Our new strategy has been to valet at monorail resorts on our MK days because we just can't do the TTC and we save so much by staying offsite it is a wash.
 


Taking an Uber to a resort within walking distance of a park is another good option. Won’t work for AK obviously. We saw hundreds of Uber’s picking up guests at the BW portico Saturday night after Epcot fireworks.
 
Taking an Uber to a resort within walking distance of a park is another good option. Won’t work for AK obviously. We saw hundreds of Uber’s picking up guests at the BW portico Saturday night after Epcot fireworks.

Uber or rental car is the question. Uber we're figuring $60 aa day at least, if we go back and forth top the park and another park or Disney Springs. That's without Surge Pricing. That's really the X-factor. If it's surging, prices could skyrocket.
 
The resort is next to the exit for Caribbean Beach, which is really nice. There is a bit of a different feel, but the service at Wyndham was just as excellent as Disney service (and without daily room checks). I am not sure what your family prioritizes. We enjoyed the space of a one bedroom Presidential, the w/d, balcony, pools/hot tubs, and the space in the full kitchen . The Boardwalk studios are only about 353 sq. feet, if that makes a difference. We also love Disney transportation. We did rent a car when we stayed at Bonnet Creek, but if we stay there again, I would probably use Uber and have groceries delivered instead. The suite was spotless and the furnishings looked updated. We did not hear our neighbors at all, and had a lovely stay overall. I don't think you can go wrong at either property--the Boardwalk is also a beautiful resort.
 


I have stayed in a number of 1 bedroom presidential units, but it’s been 3-4 years. Those units were thd same price as the 2 bedroom deluxe.
It was a very good deal.
 
DW and I made many vacation visits to the Boardwalk. Love the theming and the location. If we decided to go back on site, that is where we would go.

That said, I'll agree with HopperFan:

As far as the actual lodging I don't think there is any comparison from a studio to a two bedroom, two bathroom unit. Full kitchen, real living room, real beds for everyone, laundry ... BUT everyone's needs are different, just depends on what yours are.

My biggest concern about staying at Bonnet Creek is feeling outside the Disney bubble. I love Disney transportation, so that's a factor.

For a couple of years before my retirement we vacationed to our future snowbird home and discovered we didn't really feel completely "out of the bubble". We were still "at Disney". I didn't find the drive to parks that bad. Except perhaps at the MK where the trip through the TTC is certainly longer than the walk in from the bus stops. But I have come to enjoy the ferry ride. The only thing we really missed were the evening strolls from the Boardwalk to Epcot.

Overall, for us, enjoying all of the space and amenities that an off site location can offer made the vacation more relaxing.

If it were me, I'd go with the two bedrooms.
Wishing you a pixiedust: visit!
 
We looked at this same scenario with our 16 year old daughter. A deciding factor was her having her own real bed opposed to pullout. A sofa is ok for her for one or two nights, but no longer.
 
Then the 2 bedroom Bonnet creek would be ideal. The 2 bedroom at BWV is wonderful but costs a lot more in $$ or DVC points.
 
Was watching some vids of Bonnet Creek. Looks nice, but very large and seems to be a lack of dining options. We're not a make your own meals family on vacation. I know it seems crazy but I really do enjoy Disney transportation. It's all part of the experience. Definitely struggling with this decision.
 
Was watching some vids of Bonnet Creek. Looks nice, but very large and seems to be a lack of dining options. We're not a make your own meals family on vacation. I know it seems crazy but I really do enjoy Disney transportation. It's all part of the experience. Definitely struggling with this decision.

I feel the same way. I dont' cook on vacation, and my husband doesn't like to drive in Florida, so we are happy with staying onsite.
The allure of offsite does sound great though. For now, onsite is for us, but I don't ever rule out offsite at Windsor Hills or Bonnet Creek.
 
We've done both onsite and offsite stays. When staying offsite, our preferred resort is Bonnet Creek. I love the extra room staying offsite offers us. And because of it's location, I don't think staying at Bonnet Creek really feels offsite since it's technically still on property. There are 6 pools to choose from and each bldg. has a different feel. You don't have to cook if you are offsite, but it gives you the option if you want to have breakfast in the room etc. and if you need to do laundry, it's easy but again, you don't have to just because it's there. I love sitting out on the balcony at night when we stay there. I do also love our onsite stays but for different reasons. I don't think you can go wrong either way to be honest. BTW, our next stay is Boardwalk Studio but part of me wishes it was a 2 bedroom at Bonnet Creek.
 
I don't really cook on vacation, either, but having a kitchen and a car can really open up other options. When we stayed at Sheraton Vistana in 2016, we sometimes ordered meals to go from off-property restaurants, and brought them back to eat at the unit. Kids could run around instead of waiting in a restaurant, we could re-heat as necessary, and save leftovers in the fridge. Off Disney property, you can easily find better food for less money.

There's also the option of getting frozen convenience meals, such as pizza with self-rising crust, lasagna, etc. So much cheaper and easier to get a frozen pizza for $5 at a grocery store, throw it in the over for 20 minutes while the kids swim, and then eat dinner together with virtually no clean up.

Breakfast is also super easy and way cheaper to do with grocery store items than purchased at Disney. In addition to cereal, it's super easy to toast a bagel or heat up oatmeal. My kids are currently in love with singe-serve minute muffins where you add water to the mix, microwave for a minute, and - voila - hot muffin ready to eat.
 
We have stayed at both and while I enjoyed the BW studio it cannot compare with the units a WBC. It's so nice to have space. People have mentioned having the kitchen which is wonderful. For the first time last year I got a terrible cold. It was great to have a separate bedroom so I would not keep my DH up all night coughing.
 
I also like having bedside tables on both sides of the master bed. There’s only one at the studio at BWV and DH always gets it to put his CPAP machine on. I have no where to put my eyeglasses and that throws me off.
 
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Currently wrestling with the same decision--currently booked at Poly for myself, ds 13, his bestie 13, my dd 16 and her bestie 16. Her bestie is a boy and they both go for the same kind of guy, but they still won't be sharing a bed. :-) I'd really like to have my own bed on this trip but as it stands it'll be myself and dd sharing a bed, dd gets a bed, his buddy gets the daybed, and dd's friend will use a single inflatable bed.

Or I can get a 3bdrm presidential suite at Bonnet Creek for way less but be out of the bubble and the kids wouldn't be able to hop to MK if desired and come back later than I do if I'm tired lol I think there'd still be bed issues since I think it's 2 kings and then a room with 2 queens. Upside would be the bathrooms!

Going April 10-15 with 4 day hoppers and a day at a water park.

Decisions, decisions.....
 
Currently wrestling with the same decision--currently booked at Poly for myself, ds 13, his bestie 13, my dd 16 and her bestie 16. ...I'd really like to have my own bed on this trip but as it stands it'll be myself and dd sharing a bed, dd gets a bed, his buddy gets the daybed, and dd's friend will use a single inflatable bed.

Or I can get a 3bdrm presidential suite at Bonnet Creek for way less but be out of the bubble and the kids wouldn't be able to hop to MK if desired and come back later than I do if I'm tired lol I think there'd still be bed issues since I think it's 2 kings and then a room with 2 queens. Upside would be the bathrooms!
Look at it this way: with the money you save, you can do a dinner at 'Ohana, a dinner at the luau, and a dinner at Kona... and still be ahead! Also, there is a sofa bed, so you could each have a bed, if you really wanted.

Being able to "hop to MK" is certainly a huge benefit with the ages of the kids involved. But boy you will be squeezed in there.

PS do you HAVE to get a Presidential? You'd save even more if the regular 3 bedrooms are available, and still have tons of space.
 
I've decided to just stay on property. It'll be tight but it'll make memories (right???? lol at least I'm hoping so). When I factored in the ticket cost it came to just about even, so coupled with a rental car and parking fees it swayed to Poly (BC only had the presidential 3br but 2br deluxe was available)

Thank you everyone. Sometimes just sitting down to 'talk' or type it out helps me process the decision.
 

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