Calling on Experts DVC vs Poly

[searlproudbottom]

Hello all

I am thinking on taking the big jump to DVC but I have some reservations. So I am requesting some advice from you experts out there. A little history about myself. Like most of you I am a Disney Fanatic. My DW along with my two DD ages 8 and 5 are also Disney Fanatics. We live in Ca. and visit either Disneyland or WDW every year. Although I don't consider myself wealthy. We can afford visiting WDW every year. We do this by using air miles and by purchasing annual passes. But we have been spoiled by staying at either the Poly concierge or the Contemporary.

Here is my Questions

How would compare your stay at the DVC resorts, to the poly and Contemporary?

If it is a downgrade is it worth the savings?

Are the rooms kept up and clean?

Is not having maid service a big deal?

How is the transportation?

How do your children like the pools?

How is the food?

And last what are the things you dislike most about the DVC and resorts?
I sorry this is long your help is greatly appreciated
Searl

 

[Doug Wolfe]

I've stayed at Poly concierge and I am now a DVC member. In my humble opinion, Poly is great, but DVC blows it away. My home resort is Beach Club Villas, and here are some answers to your questions:

~ DVC 1 & 2-bedrooms are far bigger than Poly or Contemporary rooms. I don't think I would ever do a regular hotel room again. I am very spoiled now.

~ Not a downgrade. DVC is a big upgrade.

~ The rooms are very clean & comfortable, not to mention spacious.

~ I thought maid service would be an issue. It is not. In fact, I really like the fact that Mousekeeping does not interupt my day when I am getting my beauty rest!

~ Transportation at Beach Club is perfect. Frequent buses to Magic Kingdom, the water parks and Downtown Disney. A very short boat ride to Disney Studio's and less than a 5-minute walk to Epcot and Boardwalk.

~ The pool at Beach Club Villas is the largest pool at Disney World. The kids go nuts over this and actually like the pool better than the rides. The pool, Storm-A-Long Bay (SAB), is a 3-acre pool and Mini-Water park...with a ship wreck as a waterslide.

~ The food is great! Or, you can cook in your own room.

The only thing I dislike is, I should have joined years earlier. Go to www.disneyvacationclub.com for more information and pictures. You can also order a free video!!!!

 

[Richyams]

We have stayed concierge both Poly and AKL. I haven't been in my favorite unit for almost two years. That is the three bedroom Grand Villa at OKW. We will be there again in November.

Stay in one of those, or an OKW two bedroom and you will never ask that again.

Its true, the rooms at BCV, BWV, VWL are tiny and really don't offer much of a vacation experience, but some find them pleasent, get yourself to OKW once, you won't look back.

 

[searlproudbottom]

Dear Doug Wolfe

Thank you for your Prompt reply. Your answers to my questions were very helpful. I f you don't mind I have a couple more.

Do you like the Beach Club over the other DVC resorts? Or do you feel that they are pretty much equal, and Why?

How many Points would you suggest for a family of four. If you wished to stay for ten days once a year?

What Type of room would you suggest for a family of four?

Searl

 

[searlproudbottom]

Dear Richyams
Thank you for responding. I guess I am a little confused, I was thinking the Beach club and Boardwalk were one of the same. I gather from your post your favorite is the OKW. Can you tell me why?
Thanks Searl

 

[Maistre Gracey]

Hi, searlproudbottom. From my sig you can see that I have stayed at the Poly many, many times. It was our favorite resort, and that was the one thing that almost stopped us from buying DVC.

On our last trip we stayed three days Poly concierge before moving to VWL. This was the smartest thing we ever did, because we got a first hand, back to back comparison. It really was no comparison, as VWL was clearly the better choice. That put my mind at rest as far as missing the Poly goes, HOWEVER, we will still spend some nights at the Poly once in a while (can't get it out of my blood completely).

You asked about which DVC resort to choose...
Just my opinion here, but if you are a big Poly fan, than you may want to check out VWL. My wife and I enjoy the resorts that are most heavily themed (Poly, AKL, WL), and that is why VWL is our personal favorite. Certainly all DVC resorts are first class and beautiful, and you will not go wrong with any of them.

Good luck with your decision...

 

[Happy Birthday Cat]

You will love any of the DVC resorts if you are a WDW fanatic. My family always stayed at the Poly before buying into DVC. We now own at three different DVC resorts and find each one gives you a different experience. It is without a doubt as good as anything that the Poly has to offer. (Except for the monorail line, but then if you get unlucky and get a room down by the transportation and ticket center it doesn't even feel like you are staying at the Poly).

Good luck.

HBC

 

[CaptainMidnight]

One suggestion is to go over to the rent trade board and rent some DVC points for your next visit and try it out for yourself. You can test a couple of resorts out that you might be interested and see if you feel they are deluxe or not, and have the level of amenities your looking for. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. Personally, I would check out BWV, BCV and WLV as potential options, and stay in WLV and either BWV or BCV. At WLV you'll have boat transportation available to MK and BCV and BWV you'll be within walking distance and have boat transportation to MGM and Epcot.

You can visit OKW while your there to see if you like the removed feel, plain pools, dependance on bus or cars only, and absence of amenities. For us the larger rooms don't make up for those detractions, but the OKW 3 bedroom accomodations, quiet golf course views, larger rooms and relaxed feel are certainly something to consider, despite OKW's age.

Many people on this board have thier favorite resorts, and poke fun at resorts where they don't own, there is some "who's home resort is better" comments that you can use to help decide which home resort you might want. You'll need to take that into consideration when reading some of the responses you get, like mine.

 

[Doug Wolfe]

Hello Again.....

Beach Club and Boardwalk are right across from each other on the lake. They are different properties. Boardwalk also has a great pool with a nice slide.

Rich is correct, Old Key West rooms are bigger. I am staying at Old Key West on my next trip.

I would disagree with Rich on one account. Yes, rooms are smaller at the other DVC resorts, but they are large compared to the standard Disney rooms. Rich loves OKW, which I understand, but I think all of the properties have big positives that outweigh hotel stays. This is a personal decision for you, but I think all of the DVC rooms are large enough for me. Rich is one of my favorite posters, because he knows OKW better than most. Although, my family loves BCV.

One negative on OKW is the main pool. It is nice, but no slide, a major factor with my kids...and much smaller than Storm-A-Long Bay.

I have 300-points and a family of five. This can get me into a 2-bedroom for seven days most times of the year. Or, I can break up my stays for multiple trips. At OKW in July I think I will use 270-points for seven-days, Beach Club would require a few more. How many points you will need is something you have to determine. Ten-days will obviously require a few more points, plus with kids most of your trips will be in the summer unless you pull them out of school during times when you can use fewer points.

Definately click on the web site address I gave you in my previous post and order the free video. Feel free to use my name as a referral.

If you can get to Orlando, call DVC and ask for a tour of the models. And while you are at it, visit each property. You may find OKW best meets your needs, or you may find Beach Club, Boardwalk or the Villas at Wilderness Lodge better suit you.

Also, don't forget, through exchanges you can use your points at over 300 locations worldwide....including for stays at DisneyLand & California Adventure. There are no DVC properties there, but you can stay in the hotels.

 

[CaptainMidnight]

Oh, by the way, BWV and BCV are not the same, although similar. Some of the differences are:

BCV Advantages
I like the BCV room layout better. Table seats 8 whereas BWV, WLV does not. Bathroom layout nice, Desk in bedroom in BCV.
BCV is newer.
Seemed slower and a little more quiet and relaxed than BC, YC and BWV, yet still close to activities.
Distance to the elevator is better.
Nice Quiet pool
Lots of nice internal spaces for when it's raining, drawing room, breezeway, solarium, BC lobby.
Sandcastle club availability
Outstanding location, boat to MGM, walk to Epcot, Baordwalk area activities closeby, swan and Dolphin restaraunts.
Love the Beach Theme
Great at access to Beach Club amenities, and restaraunts, Jellyrolls, stores, Beaches and Cream, Arcade, etc.
Prefer the sand beach along crescent lake instead of the boardswalk
SAB is nice
Nice Beach Club Workout facility.
Nice access to the parking lot
Bus service fine.
Hotel services available like in-room dining, valet services, front staff.
Nice entrance to the resort walking in BC entrance with large fresh flower arrangements, sometimes music in lobby (saw harpist) front door greetings.
Marina activites, can take boats to see illuminations.
Nice access to parking lot for villas, closer than valet for many units. Just go in the back door or walk along the canal to the middle elevator
Second elevator available in the middle of the resort for pool, parking access.
BCVs has access to a marina along with the YC and BC. WLV and OKW also has a marina. BWV does not.
For us, the circus theme isn't as appealing as the beach theme, circuses don't have a good reputation for cleanliness or humane treatment towards animals, or the most friendly workers, but that's just us.

BCV Dissadvantages
No community Hall and Community Hall activities like BWV, Vero, others.
Uses all preferred view point structure, no advantage of standards view lower point structure like at BWV or lower points requirements like at OWK to stretch point value
Rooms smaller than OKW, lessstorage space - OKW, Vero and HH rooms are larger.
No three bedroom grand villas available (usually requires 11 month window at other resorts)
No outstanding crecent lake views like BWV
Villas in back are too close to roadway, some noise.

Others can help you compare and contrast these opinions with WLV. Good luck. Rent some points and check them out for yourself.

 

[Mrs. Snowgod]

I didn't see this mentioned anywhere in this thread, and it was relevant to my family in choosing our DVC resort depending on our mode of transportation:

OKW has a townhouse-style set-up whereby you park your car very near your room entrance, as opposed to a hotel-syle arrangement, in which you'd unload all of your luggage on a valet cart and have it brought to your room.

When we have flown, we have preferred the BWV & BCV choices due to a minimal amount of luggage and groceries. (VWL would fall into this category - we just haven't stayed there yet)

When driving, we preferred OKW, since we tend to bring more odds and ends, and it was nice to unload things in a manner and timeframe that was leisurely for us. Particularly with a large group for a long timeframe, in which we had 3 coolers full of frozen groceries.

Otherwise, I think the other posters have done an excellent job of sharing pros and cons and comparisons.

Oh, and I finally got to stay at the Poly this past winter... I loved it, but I did miss the in-room whirlpool, W/D, kitchen, etc.

Enjoy your decision-making!

 

[dcfromva]

searlproudbottomm,

The DVC properties are beautiful. My own experience: Last Nov, we stayed at the Polynesian for two nights and then two nights in a 2BR at OKW (our first time at DVC at WDW).
I don't normally get any feedback from DH and DS from my choice of accomodations.... DH liked OKW so much, he asked me why didn't we stay at OKW the whole time?... DS didn't want to leave OKW, he just wanted to relax and hang out. The excellant cooking facilities inspired DH to cook....(He got over it by the time we returned home, though )

Of course, your results may vary

-DC

 

[jodifla]

I love the Polynesian, it's a super place. The rooms are nice and big and it's beautifully themed. However, as previous posters have described, it's nowhere near DVC accommodations. Just having a kitchen (or kitchenette in the studios) is a huge convenience/money saver.

With four people, you could easily use the studios or one bedrooms. Or splurge and get the two bedroom. There are three of us, and right now, we get by on 150 points. We break up our trips into small chunks since we live in Florida, going to WDW twice a year and to Vero for a couple of days in the summer.

Once you see a one bedroom (particularly at Old Key West) you'll never want to go back to a regular room! We love to take people, and the look on their faces when they see the rooms/resorts is just priceless.

 

[Dancind]

I'm not sure if your question about the number of points you would need has been answered. But since you are coming from the West Coast, I'm assuming you'd want to have one long stay of 10-12 days, as you stated. All of the seasons have different point requirements, but if you were travelling late May, early June, late August (a little lower points), you would need 252 points for a week, and 28 points for each additional weeknight, 56 points for each additional weekend night, for a 1 BR at BCV. After June 11, summer points would be 30 points weeknights, 60 points weekends. It pays to only include one weekend in a long stay! BCV is currently available and selling fast, BWV also has points available for sale (and going fast). With the ages of your kids, and both being DD's, you could get away with a 1 BR for quite a while. Best thing to do is spend some time at both resorts during your next visit. BCV is currently available at Annual Pass discounts for cash reservations if you want to try it. Visit the models, and check out the restaurants in the area. Be sure and ask a DVC guide if your kids can get a look at Stormalong Bay. That's the reason we added on at BVC, my DD loves SAB. We also own at OKW and enjoy that too( (and it costs less points to stay there), but it is only available through resale now. However, your home resort only makes a difference when you are booking 7-11 months out. At 7 months, you can try for reservations at any of the DVC resorts. Diana

 

[Doug Wolfe]

In addition to the new points available through DVC at Beach Club and Boardwalk, you can also get new points over at Vero Beach, which is 2-hours from WDW. The points of course are usable at the other DVC resorts. Boardwalk's new inventory is only open to current DVC members and was created by a space conversion. If DVC does not sell out this inventory in the next couple of weeks, it will become available to the public on June 1st. Anyone can purchase Beach Club.

You can also buy through a resale. That would require a whole new thread.

Also, later this year, DVC will start selling a new WDW property called Saratoga Springs Resort. This is located near Downtown Disney on the site of the defunct Disney Institute. Saratoga Springs will open in the Spring of 2004.

 

[searlproudbottom]

To all of you who replied to my post, Thank You!! You have been Great Help.
One could only get the impression that whatever Resort you are involved in that you are extremely happy with your choice. I have taken your advice, I have checked out the Web site, ordered my tape, I am waiting for the sales staff to call me, and I will be staying one night in Oct. during our next visit. Now comes the hard part, to persuade my DW and my two DD and to pick a Resort. I have a feeling I will be glued to this board and asking a lot of questions for some time to come.

Thanks Again
Searl

 

[CaptainMidnight]

Searl,
This site has great pictures of all the resorts as well as descriptions and reviews.
http://www.wdwig.com/g_bcv.htm
It might help as you "look around." Good luck with your decision. The advice you'll hear most is pick the home resort that you'll want to stay at most often, especially during peak seasons when the 11 month booking window will be important. Enjoy.

 

[erikthewise]

searl,

Last year at this time I was in exactly the same position as you. We had a wonderful stay at Polynesian concierge a few months earlier, and I was in no mood to give up staying there.

What made it especially difficult was that on the 2001 point charts, using DVC points to stay at the Polynesian was a reasonable option (at least on weekdays). But the 2002 point charts included a major increase in the points required to stay at non-DVC resorts, so that I could no longer see us using points to stay at the Polynesian. That almost broke the deal for me, but I went ahead and bought anyway, and am very glad I did!

The solution is simple: just restrain yourself from buying so many points that you are forced to use them all the time, and continue to stay at the Polynesian from time to time. Since we can only go once a year for 8-9 days, we spend 5-6 days at BCV and 3 days somewhere else.

DVC is definitely a major upgrade from any non-suite accommodations at WDW! Last year we spent 3 days at AKL after BCV, and nice as it was, we felt *very* cramped, like we were on a cruise! Fortunately the Polynesian rooms are significantly larger.

 

[DisneyMim]

My answer is a little different from others. We bought into DVC in 1991 right when it opened. Absolutely the best thing we ever did, we had waited for this for years. We are huge Disney fans. Over the years we added on points until we got to the amount we felt was perfect for our family, BUT something happened. We found we missed the other Disney resorts, so we started spending one of our vacations at different resorts. What we did was stop adding on points (we could very easily afford to double our points at this point in our lives) and just spend part of our Disney vacations in their deluxe resorts. For example this August we are going for 7 nights at the Poly Concierge and then stay at OKW for 9 nights. This will be a long vacation for us, 16 nights at one time, but right now with my family's schedule it is easier for us to go for one long vacation than 2 shorter ones. Also we have always loved to travel and although we adore Disney we like to go other places as well. You have to do what is right for YOU! If you like to go to Disney at least once a year I think you really should look into DVC. Also, you have to know how you are about going to other places. When we first bought we liked the idea of being able to use our points at other places around the country (around the world for that matter!) but found that we just could not do it!! Disney is like a magnet for us and we have only used our points for DVC resorts. You have to be sure that if you want to travel in the future to other places you can afford to do so either by using your points or having enough cash for other trips. Sorry this is so long, I don't frequent this board much, but thought a "wanna be" would like an opinion from an "old timer"!!
I'm sure you will get lots of great advice from other DVCers.

Good Luck and I'm betting you will be hearing many "Welcome Homes"!!!