CLOSED: Place or Space?

[jalley73]

My family of four is headed to Disney for the first time in Nov/Dec (7 nights). We have 2 daughters, ages 4 and 7. We will also be traveling with my parents. We do plan to purchase the dining plan.

We were hoping to split a 2bdrm at BCV, but they are booked. My question is, do I go for 2 studios at BCV, or opt for a 2bdrm at another resort. A one bdbrm and a studio is too much for our budget. There are 2 bdrms available at OKW, SSR.

What are your experiences with BCV vs. OKW and/or SSR? Are studios that much bigger than a regular hotel room at a moderate or value resort? Should a studio be big enough for a family of four who is planning to eat on the dining plan? What would we be happier with, the resort we really want or the space we think we need?

I realize everyone is different and we have to decide what is right for us, but I would greatly appreciate your personal opinions.

Thanks alot,
Jen from Maine

 

[DisneyDVCdad]

At an OKW studio you will get 2 queen beds instead of a queen bed and a pull out sofa bed at the other resorts. If you don't mind sleeping in the same room for a week it's fine. I got a one bedroom for our stay this year just so my wife and I could get a little private time. So you have a total of 6 people? Would your parents rather stay with you or be close?

 

[jalley73]

Yes, a total of 6 people. I don't think it really matters to my parents if they stay with us or in a seperate room. I'm just trying to figure out if I will be disappointed that I opted for the extra space and gave up the BCV or the other way around. Thanks for the reply! Two beds vs a bed and a pullout is certainly something to consider.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Get the two bedroom at OKW. You will be amazed by all the space.

 

[BroganMc]

I feel like it's more of a family vacation if all my family is staying in the same room. When I travel with my sister's family (she's got two boys ages 6 & 8), my dad (the grandpa) is with them and me (the favored aunt). Sis gets one of the bedrooms and then we spread out through the rest of the room. We almost never eat in except breakfast cereal and perhaps leftovers as late night snacks.

What we would miss in studios are the washer/dryer. I find with the more people the dirty clothes grows exponentially. Plus you're not getting fresh towels daily (just every 4 days) and I find I hate reusing dirty washcloths after a day or two. You could use the community laundry in BCV's building (4th floor, I believe) or pay $6 a day for an extra towel pack.

As far as location is concerned, it depends what you're seeking in a vacation. BCV puts you in the middle of the Boardwalk area. You'll have StormAlong Bay and a short walk to Epcot. But when I was there last December I found just as many activities at SSR. DTD has Santa and several nighttime concerts. I did all my Christmas shopping there. Also the pool is zero entry which is better for disabled and young children. And there's the ability to resort hop via a DTD bus instead of having to transfer at some park, TTC or DTD when you stay at other DVCs.

OKW will give you a unit with a bigger dining table and two beds in the studio. But it's also a farther walk to DTD so feels more remote to me.

Bottomline, I think I'd do my split stay option: the first 2-3 days in a studio at BCV and the remaining days in a 2 bedroom at SSR. That way I could enjoy the location advantage of Boardwalk and yet leave before my towels got stinky and I tired of knocking on a door or calling just to tell my family something.

Keep in mind, studios aren't connecting nor adjacent. Best you can hope for is to be a couple doors down from each other.

 

[MiaSRN62]

The space at OKW in a 1/2 bedroom is wonderful.

But, with that said, if your heart is set on being able to take advantage of the Stormalong Bay pool and be within walking distance to Epcot, then I'd go with the 2 studios at BCV.
Personally, when we traveled with my mil, it brought our traveling party to 6. For years we'd have to get 2 rooms....often requested connecting or adjoining or even close proximity and didn't always get this. This is what prompted us to buy DVC. We loved all staying in the 2 bedroom at OKW. It was plenty roomy for us all and the balcony is nice and big. Also, you won't get the kitchen, laundry or jacuzzi if you go with 2 studios so you really need to weigh what is important to you.
I know alot of people always say it's "location...location.."....but this never really impacted us. For us, keeping the family together and space usually wins out. But there are a few things to weigh in your decision.

 

[UConnJack]

My family of four is headed to Disney for the first time in Nov/Dec (7 nights). We have 2 daughters, ages 4 and 7. We will also be traveling with my parents. We do plan to purchase the dining plan.

We were hoping to split a 2bdrm at BCV, but they are booked. My question is, do I go for 2 studios at BCV, or opt for a 2bdrm at another resort. A one bdbrm and a studio is too much for our budget. There are 2 bdrms available at OKW, SSR.

What are your experiences with BCV vs. OKW and/or SSR? Are studios that much bigger than a regular hotel room at a moderate or value resort? Should a studio be big enough for a family of four who is planning to eat on the dining plan? What would we be happier with, the resort we really want or the space we think we need?

I realize everyone is different and we have to decide what is right for us, but I would greatly appreciate your personal opinions.

Thanks alot,
Jen from Maine

If you don't mind me asking, are you a recent DVC member, are you renting, or are you going through CRO?

Also, what are your goals for the trip? Park-oriented, resort/leisure oriented, or a combo?

 

[CarolMN]

My advice is to get a 2 bedroom at OKW - the washer/dryer alone would make it an easy choice for me, especially with 2 little ones. Little people just need so much stuff and it's really nice not to have to pack as much clothing.

Even though you'll be using the DDP, you'll still be glad to have the refrigerator for leftovers and drinks.

There's a slide at the OKW main pool and even though it's not SAB, the kids will enjoy the pool. After a day of park activites, it's nice to stay in a place that feels less busy - easier for all to wind down.

And finally, I agree with Brogan - assuming you get along well with your parents, it will be so nice to have everyone together. If you can, don't have anyone sleep in the living room - it's really nice to be able to have that space for those who stay up late or get up early.

Enjoy the trip!

 

[starbox]

What are your experiences with BCV vs. OKW and/or SSR? Are studios that much bigger than a regular hotel room at a moderate or value resort? Should a studio be big enough for a family of four who is planning to eat on the dining plan? What would we be happier with, the resort we really want or the space we think we need?

The studio is much bigger than a value and bigger than a moderate room. Also, almost all studios have balconies.

We are a DDP-eating, family of four that stays happily in a studio. We just don't ever hang out in our room when we are at Disney. We wake up early to get to our chosen park at rope drop, come back to the room to change for dinner, eat out and then either swim or walk around DTD until bedtime. The one time we stayed in a 2 bedroom, I honestly felt that the space was a waste (although I did the washer and dryer).

But that's just our lifestyle. Try catching us at home on a weekend and you won't be able to do it. We are just always out and about. My fantasy is to live on a boat or in an airstream motor home. Teeny-tiny living space - but I'd be roaming free all the time!

 

[jalley73]

Thanks for the response.

We are going to be renting points from DVC member. I happened to stumble across this website doing a search and couldn't believe we might actually be able to get into a villa and stay within our budget.

We really don't know what to expect on this trip -- we are going to let the kids lead the way. I am guessing we might be more likely to spend more time at the resort or in the room with them at these ages (7 and 4) vs a trip with 9 or 10 year olds. I expect the trip to be mostly parks orientated with some down time in between for liesure around the pool/resort.

 

[UConnJack]

Thanks for the response.

We are going to be renting points from DVC member. I happened to stumble across this website doing a search and couldn't believe we might actually be able to get into a villa and stay within our budget.

We really don't know what to expect on this trip -- we are going to let the kids lead the way. I am guessing we might be more likely to spend more time at the resort or in the room with them at these ages (7 and 4) vs a trip with 9 or 10 year olds. I expect the trip to be mostly parks orientated with some down time in between for liesure around the pool/resort.

Since this is your first trip, and you are not a DVC member (yet ) who will be going every year, I say immerse yourself in the Disney experience and stay in two studios at BCV or BWV (or maybe even VWL for the spectacle of it). I am sure I'll get flamed for this, but although OKW and SSR are nice resorts, they are more remote, laid back, and the theming is much more....subtle. Unless your main priority is a quiet, relaxing vacation, or you really want DTD to be a large part of your trip scared, go for the location near the parks. I think OKW and SSR are more appreciated by the frequent Disney traveller who isn't as focused on the parks anymore. I don't think you will be spending a huge amount of time in your room anyway, and you will never feel like you are far from the action at BWV or BCV.

What I would do, however, is ask your renting owner to book the two studios at BCV or BWV, BUT put in a waitlist request for a 2-br with an automatic cancel/rebook if it becomes available. Of course if the waitlist comes through, it would cost more, so you would have to make sure your renting owner would have the points available and would be willing to work with you on payment.

 

[Deb & Bill]

However, this entire discussion is moot if what you finally decide upon is even available to you as a non-member. You'll need a member to find out what is available and then make the reservation for you. I'd advise you to do that quickly because you are rapidly approaching the 7 month mark when any DVC member can make a reservation at any DVC resort and not just their home resort for your time period.

 

[lisareniff]

I would go with the 2 bedroom. The location would be better with BCV but a vacation is soooo much better when everyone is getting the sleep they need. This is hard to do in one room. A studio is a hotel size room with an added microwave, coffeemaker and toaster and one of the beds will be a full(double) sized pull out sofa. I know our two wouldn't be able to sleep together on the smaller sized pull out. We have a 5 and 11 yro and really enjoy being able to put them to bed and let them wake up as they need - and us as well! Which you can do with 2 rooms (either a 1 bedroom or 2 bedroom).

The washer/dryer are very nice to have right in your room. You can throw a load in and not spend a couple hours running to the laundry room. You can let the kids be kids and not worry it's their last pair of clean pants. No problem! Also pack half the clothes.

 

[UConnJack]

I would go with the 2 bedroom. The location would be better with BCV but a vacation is soooo much better when everyone is getting the sleep they need. This is hard to do in one room. A studio is a hotel size room with an added microwave, coffeemaker and toaster and one of the beds will be a full(double) sized pull out sofa. I know our two wouldn't be able to sleep together on the smaller sized pull out. We have a 5 and 11 yro and really enjoy being able to put them to bed and let them wake up as they need - and us as well! Which you can do with 2 rooms (either a 1 bedroom or 2 bedroom).

The washer/dryer are very nice to have right in your room. You can throw a load in and not spend a couple hours running to the laundry room. You can let the kids be kids and not worry it's their last pair of clean pants. No problem! Also pack half the clothes.

Most people do their Disney vacations out of a hotel room, you don't NEED a multiple bedroom villa to thoroughly enjoy it. 1- and 2-brs are great, but even the studios are a definite upgrade from a normal hotel room at a value, moderate, or off-site. Keep in mind, we DVC members get spoiled the moment we stay in a 1 or 2-br. The OP is a renter who is looking for an upgrade from a hotel room. Even with a couple studios, he absolutely gets that and the location (which I think he will ultimately appreciate more) to boot.

I admit the laundry would be nice, but doing a few loads in the evening one night in the laundry room isn't a big deal. Also, I don't think the pull out sofa bed will be an issue with a 7 and 4 year old, especially if it one of the new ones. I personally still only get studios whenever I am at WDW (w/ DW, DD4, DS1) because we don't spend enough time in the rooms to justify it. OTOH, I almost always get 1-brs at HH or VB when we go there.

 

[BroganMc]

I admit the laundry would be nice, but doing a few loads in the evening one night in the laundry room isn't a big deal. Also, I don't think the pull out sofa bed will be an issue with a 7 and 4 year old, especially if it one of the new ones. I personally still only get studios whenever I am at WDW (w/ DW, DD4, DS1) because we don't spend enough time in the rooms to justify it. OTOH, I almost always get 1-brs at HH or VB when we go there.

No wonder we disagree so much. My family never vacations like that. Staying in hotel rooms (which all studios are) is what we lovingly call "roughing it".

On one vacation to Williamsburg, I once got a studio for my brother and his wife and two kids (5 & 2 at the time) while the rest of us (two families of 6) had two two-bedroom units. We felt so bad that he got stuck with the tiny room while we were having ice cream and movie parties in our rooms after days at the water park and Busch Gardens.

OP, is this the first time you've ever been to Disney? Are you used to All Star or Pop rooms with commando park touring? If so, settling for the two studios at BCV may be what you're looking for. I doubt you're going to be wowwed though. The rooms are just a bit bigger than regular hotel rooms and come with a tiny kitchenette. They aren't conducive to staying in your room for relaxation. It's simply a stop, drop and sleep pit stop. You won't get that home-away-from home feeling until you stay in an apartment with kitchen, laundry and separate living room for family gatherings. And staying at OKW & SSR is not anymore removed than BCV from the one park you'll frequent with young kids: Magic Kingdom. Both are a short bus ride away.

MGM tends to have more things for young kids, but my sister is forever skipping Epcot because there just isn't enough there to keep her boys happy. Adults like me love it though.

BTW, if you're renting OKW's 2 bedroom will be significantly cheaper for you than SSR. If price is a strong motivator, you may want to go there instead. As the owner to request a building near the Hospitality House so you feel closer to the action at that resort.

 

[UConnJack]

OP, is this the first time you've ever been to Disney? Are you used to All Star or Pop rooms with commando park touring? If so, settling for the two studios at BCV may be what you're looking for. I doubt you're going to be wowwed though. The rooms are just a bit bigger than regular hotel rooms and come with a tiny kitchenette. They aren't conducive to staying in your room for relaxation. It's simply a stop, drop and sleep pit stop. You won't get that home-away-from home feeling until you stay in an apartment with kitchen, laundry and separate living room for family gatherings. And staying at OKW & SSR is not anymore removed than BCV from the one park you'll frequent with young kids: Magic Kingdom. Both are a short bus ride away..

The OP did indicate that it is their first trip, which is why I was pushing the studios. I am guessing they will end up out and about more than a regular would be (except me, of course), and I think the location would outweigh the room itself.

That said, you make the studios sound like a Best Western! They are more spacious than you average hotel room, and the kitchenette, while not "big", is more than adequate for someone who is on the dining plan anyway. You have a fridge, sink, microwave, and a few cabinets which is more than adequate in this case. Yes you may get a fridge and microwave in some normal hotel rooms, but they are sitting on top of each other in the middle of the room, not in a dedicated kitchenette space.

Not that I want to sound like I am disparaging the OP, but he won't miss what he doesn't know. If he never sets foot in a 2-br, how would he know what he's missing (besides us telling him, of course ). On the flip side, he will immediately know what he is missing in terms of location if he visits the Boardwalk or Wilderness Lodge. I think he would be pleasantly satisfied with the studios in comparison with a normal hotel room, and blown away by the location of BVC, BWV, or VWL. I am sure he would be blown away by an OKW 2-br too (and mayyyybe SSR), but at the end of the week, when he is done with the vacation, he would look back at how little time he spent in the room and wish they had been in the middle of the action at the other resorts.

Of course, this is just my opinion base on my personal preferences, but I think we have to consider what a first time WDW vacationer is really expecting out of a trip.

No wonder we disagree so much. My family never vacations like that. Staying in hotel rooms (which all studios are) is what we lovingly call "roughing it".

Your probably right. Even for me there is a time and place for a relaxing, resort-based vacation where the room size may be the deciding factor. But now isn't the time for me and my family, and WDW isn't the place, there is just too much to do! We are still not over the commando-style vacationing, and am not sure when/if that will change. Maybe when the kids are older, but right now every year is a new experience for them and we don't have time to sit still. Of course, that said, we HAVE slowed down a little. Like I said, we usually get 1-brs at HH, and sometimes VB.............but only if we are staying for more than a few days.

 

[BroganMc]

That said, you make the studios sound like a Best Western!

I guess my bias is showing. I just remember my first timeshare vacation to Disney. For years I only stayed in hotel/motel rooms (Hampton Inn, Fairfield Inn, Courtyard, Best Western, etc.) and the last time I had visited Disney I was in All Star Sports with 9 members of my family.

Fast forward a few years and we get another chance to visit Orlando on a Marriott preview. We stayed in Cypress Harbour (very much like OKW in style, I believe) and thought we'd won the lottery when we walked into the room. We had a laundry room, a kitchen and a living room, plus two bathrooms and two bedrooms. It was still a 20 minute drive to Disney parks and we still did the commando touring 4 out of 6 days, but my mom soaked in the jacuzzi to recuperate her aching legs every night and we used our 3rd days as down days to enjoy the resort (with trips out at night to a resort for dinner).

My sister tried a 2 day commando visit the next year. She swore it off after that and now insists she have down days to enjoy the resort and go shopping at DTD. (One of the reasons she's so eager to go with us this October.)

Disney, especially for first timers, can be sensory overload unless you have some downtime built in to your stays. Add in some young cranky kids and those retreats become mandatory. As nice as the studios are, they just don't give much room to relax. But in a 2 bedroom the OP can put the kids down in the studio portion (or dedicated 2 bedroom spare room) and then stay up to decompress with the grandparents, have a glass of wine, watch the news, read the paper, or sit on the balcony and watch the world outside.

 

[donmil723]

Recently, I thought we might have to choose between 3 of us (DH, DD, and me) all adults staying in a studio at BCV or a 1 BR at another DVC resort and we all decided (including DD who can't sleep when DH snores) we'd rather be at BCV than have more room anywhere else. Thankfully, our waitlist for a 1 BR came through at BCV.

So, in light of that, I would recommend to the original poster to stay where she wants to stay! If it means having two studios instead of a 2 BR, so be it. Yes, its nice to have the washer & dryer and everyone in the same villa but I'd give all that up (and have) to stay at BCV. The pool is awesome!!!! And it is so nice to be able to walk to both Epcot and MGM (if you choose to do so) and to only have to depend on Disney transportation to MK, AK and DTD.

One of your children might even like to "sleepover" at their grandparent's studio some night???????

Good luck with your decision!

Donna

 

[UConnJack]

But in a 2 bedroom the OP can put the kids down in the studio portion (or dedicated 2 bedroom spare room) and then stay up to decompress with the grandparents, have a glass of wine, watch the news, read the paper, or sit on the balcony and watch the world outside.

Alternate theory:

The kids are running around the room because they won't go down and want to do more, they don't understand why they came all this way to sit in a stupid hotel room when there is a perfectly good pool downstairs and four parks to explore. The parents are twiddling their thumbs, bored and frustrated by cooped up kids, looking out the window watching the world outside go by without them. They too wonder why they spent $$$ to sit in the hotel room. They wish they were at BCV where they could send to kids to the Kids Club and go out to the Flying Fish and Jellyrolls. Or maybe they can pawn the kids off with the grandparents in the other room way down the hall .

Of course, to each his own. It is ultimately up to the OP to decide what category of vacationer his family falls into, and make his decision accordingly
.

 

[bobbiwoz]

I would chose the 2 bedroom at OKW because I don't think that warm days at SAB are guaranteed in November/December. For family trips like this one, we like to have a gathering place, the living room.

Bobbi