Booking first DVC trip: How important is view? And other thoughts

[Kwaschitz]

We're brand new DVC owners (long time WDW travelers). We bought VGF the first day it was available to new members, however due to other travel requirements this year (weddings, milestone birthday celebrations, a trip we took to DLR and the Radio Disney awards before our purchase, etc.) we had to bank our 2013 points.

So for 2014, I have 200 points with April use year available and will be buying APs. During the time we think we want to go, all 4 days are available at all levels at VGF. We only need a studio. Would you do standard view for 84 points, leaving 116 for a fall/winter trip (haven't decided yet between the Halloween party - our DS's birthday- and the Christmas party). OR we could do lake view for 100 points.

I'm doing all kinds of math to figure out if we could do say, 4 in the spring, 2-3 in the fall, and 4 in that first week of December (assuming I can book in that Dec. week)

We homeschool, so travel dates can be fluid although I have only one functional lung and DH has asthma so we wouldn't do a trip during the summer *ever* and sometimes September can be pushing it with the heat and humidity of central FL.

So, first - would you do the standard or lake view (84 vs. 100) in May?

Would you do something entirely different? Our last WDW trip was in 2011 ('12 and '13 were both DLR) so I'm itching to get as much out of the year as we can! Help a newbie out?

 

[twinsouvenirs]

I am a newbie too, although we stayed on rented points once. I'd say stay in a standard room for the first trip and then save the lake view for the holidays! I feel like all the views are great at most of these resorts and I'd rather not get too accustomed to the best just yet

 

[disneynutz]

Until you get your feet wet you are just guessing. Consider your first few years as a learning experience, pick a view and go for it. While you are at the resort, scout out the amenities, other views, room locations, walking paths, ice and trash locations, transportation, and pools.

Your next stay do the same at another resort. After you have stayed at all of them, you will have the knowledge for planning future vacations. Hopefully VGF will still be your favorite.

Bill

 

[Muhlenberg]

I agree with Bill. You're not going to really know until after a few trips.

We didn't find out just how important view is to us until our Dec. '12 trip, which was about our 7th trip, and one during which we were sick and spent a LOT of time in the room. We were at OKW, in a 1st floor room, and got to look at a LOT of vegetation and not much else.

That trip, I went around to all the DVC resorts looking around at the resort, as well as the Christmas decorations, and that helped me decide what I did or didn't like at the different resorts. At that point I was also looking at the view...or lack thereof!

Everyone is different, so you're not REALLY going to know until you try various places. Enjoy all your stays! Planning is half the fun!

 

[dwight16]

So I became a member in 2011 and I am about to go on my 3rd trip. I bought a loaded resale with 160 SSR points and added 60 to bwv. So my 2 cents. You want to books rooms and resorts to make your points stretch. Unless you plan on sitting at the resort all day you really just use it for sleep and pool time. I have spent many a time trying to figure out how to stay at the best places and rooms. In the end getting an extra day or maybe a bigger room is always better then a view or resort.

 

[bwvBound]

So, first - would you do the standard or lake view (84 vs. 100) in May?

As to your question, I would shoot for Std View to save the points but NOT be disappointed if the category were sold out thus causing me to book Lake View.

As to the more general question, there are 'views' or room categories I specifically dislike at certain resorts and will avoid booking. Beyond these, the "view" itself rarely bothers me unless I feel I "overpaid." Specifically,

• For a specific work-related conference visit to WDW, 'Std' view at Boardwalk Villas often means a far longer walk for me as I trek back and forth between BWV and the Dolphin's Convention center. For this reason, I generally book either Boardwalk or Pool/Garden view with a special request to be placed to the far end of the hallway nearest the Atlantic Dance Hall.
• I don't like the Clown face of BWV's Luna main pool and will usually book Boardwalk view simply to avoid seeing or hearing the pool.
• I enjoy the animals at Animal Kingdom Villas and will intentionally book a Savanna view over other options.
• I consider the Lake View at Bay Lake Towers to be better scenery than the Park[ing lot] view.
• We booked Ocean-view at Aulani and figured we overpaid as we really got a great pool view. Next time we'll be ok with pool or island views at this location.

 

[Kwaschitz]

Definitely it will be a learning experience. I'm hoping to maximize the year, knowing that we won't always have 200 points a year (until we add on at Poly per DH's request...which is why we bought in at 100). We've also never had an AP before since we make 1 trip/year normally. I'm thinking that maybe view won't matter so much if we can swing travel from NY for a possible quick trip down for MNSSHP and maybe a whirlwind run around food & wine if the timing is right.

What I'm thinking is:

May at VGF (definite).
Possible trips in Sept/Oct and Dec. We may end up with just one of those, one that's just a 1-2 night trip to do the party - those don't definitely *need* to be at VGF.

Then in 2015, we'd like to take another trip on our APs (so a week or so before they expire, but right after we get our 2015 points)

Do those of you with more experience think this is doable? Is it sensible? Or would we be better to do just two 4 day trips and bank a few points for 2015? Is a short trip (like in on Monday out on Tuesday night or Wednesday morning - to go to a party) worthwhile and enjoyable or is it more hassle than it's worth?

 

[RweTHEREyet]

Since you have been to WDW before, I am guessing you stayed on property. How important was the view to you then? That might be a deciding factor for your DVC stays.

If if would save me points, I would probably do standard view, because if you haven't had the Lake View, then you don't know what you are missing.

 

[Kwaschitz]

Booked standard view at VGF in May, added a day to the stay - Sun-Fri and have enough left over for at least one of the two other trips we want - possibly if we can get in elsewhere at the 7 month mark at lower points/night, we can get both in

Thank you all for the input!!

 

[OneMoreTry]

The view is most important if you plan to be in the room a lot. If you're gonna be in parks all day, you don't really need the view.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Good advice given on this thread. I too am one who likes to decide for myself what I like. My favorite resort is one that requires the lowest point totals, and I think it has fantastic views! I prefer OKW to almost any other DVC with the possible exception of AKV/Kidani. The only reason Kidani might win out has everything to do with having the view of the animals, and therefore Savanna view is a must. At OKW there are no booking views...just location, and that category is not my favorite, so no problems there either. Now if I could just figure out how to put OKW point schedule on AKV's GVs, I'd be in heaven!

 

[twinsouvenirs]

So I became a member in 2011 and I am about to go on my 3rd trip. I bought a loaded resale with 160 SSR points and added 60 to bwv. So my 2 cents. You want to books rooms and resorts to make your points stretch. Unless you plan on sitting at the resort all day you really just use it for sleep and pool time. I have spent many a time trying to figure out how to stay at the best places and rooms. In the end getting an extra day or maybe a bigger room is always better then a view or resort.

Totally agree. Getting standard views means we can go for Star Wars Weekend too Our basic views at SSR & BWK were both pretty.

From what I can tell VGF is angled such that the views will all be pretty nice--lake or looking over the main GFV resort/monorail/pool/courtyard, or the lake/wedding pavillion. Not too shabby either way!

 

[El&Asmom]

Savanna view at AKV is a must. We did standard view once and never again. I felt like I was at a ballpark facing the wrong way.
No we don't spend hours sitting on our balcony as we are typically in the parks or at the pool, but when we are at the resort, we like to sit on the balcony and enjoy the view.

We just stayed at BLT and had a LV. We were on the 14th flood in the first set of rooms north of the elevator facing the MK. The BEST view we have ever had at a WDW resort. There is nothing like waking up and seeing the MK and the monorails going by. Plus since we were technically lake view, half of our view was of the lake and half of the MK.
We requested high floor and north side of resort. The CM at the check in desk worked really hard to make sure those requests were met. She was awesome!

Some are fine with any old view. We prefer at least a pleasant one that we can relax and it's quiet. Hence at BCV we ask to overlook the quiet pool rather than the road.

We never make a big deal about our request and are pleasant with the check in people. Not sure if it helps getting a good view or if we have just been lucky. Though dh and I didn't make any request last January at BWV and got stuck on the first floor for our board walk view. That one stunk.

 

[bwvBound]

Though dh and I didn't make any request last January at BWV and got stuck on the first floor for our board walk view. That one stunk.

That is my DH's idea of a perfect room location for our January visits to BWV!