Disney Buddies Golf Trip questions

[gpts@disney]

I'm considering taking me and my 3 buddies to WDW to play their 3 golf courses (Palm, Magnolia and Buena Vista) next September for our 18th annual golf trip. I am a DVC member (home resort BWV). For those of you that have done a similar trip, I have a few questions:

1) Did you / can you use Magical Express for golf clubs + normal luggage ? Or would you recommend a rental car?
2) Any recommendations on where to stay - thinking a 2 bedroom in BWV, OKW or SSR (proxmity to DTD)?
3) It says that Disney provides complimentary taxi vouchers to get to and from the golf course each day. Anyone experienced that and how did it work out?
4) We usually play 4 rounds each trip - which course would you recommend playing twice ?
Any other advice is appreciated. Thanks in advance!

 

[nkosiek]

I'm considering taking me and my 3 buddies to WDW to play their 3 golf courses (Palm, Magnolia and Buena Vista) next September for our 18th annual golf trip. I am a DVC member (home resort BWV). For those of you that have done a similar trip, I have a few questions:

1) Did you / can you use Magical Express for golf clubs + normal luggage ? Or would you recommend a rental car?
2) Any recommendations on where to stay - thinking a 2 bedroom in BWV, OKW or SSR (proxmity to DTD)?
3) It says that Disney provides complimentary taxi vouchers to get to and from the golf course each day. Anyone experienced that and how did it work out?
4) We usually play 4 rounds each trip - which course would you recommend playing twice ?
Any other advice is appreciated. Thanks in advance!

I just bought in this past June so haven't had the opportunity to do the golf trip yet but have golfed down there.

SSR has the clubhouse for LBV so that could be really convenient if that was the course you wanted to play twice. If not doing any park time, I don't know that I'd use the points for BWV unless you really like the feel of hanging out there after a few rounds.

They cab thing is SUPER easy. Let Bell Services know, they'll call the cab, hand you a voucher, and off you go. WHen done the round, let the pro-shop know, they'll do the same thing as Bell Services. Never had a problem or longer than a 5 minute wait (and that was only at the course).

My understanding with the clubs and DME is that you just have to go to the DME desk before boarding the bus and let them know you had clubs checked so that they go to the oversize area otherwise they may get left behind for an hour or two.

 

[drusba]

As noted you can use Magical Express but you need to assure they know you brought clubs. Using the free taxi service at the resorts is also fairly easy. Another service is that if you play at one course and know where you are going to play the next day the pro shop will have clubs delivered to the next day's pro shop for overnight storage.

Personal view though, if you are four golfers, is that you should rent a minivan, with pick-up at the airport, and use it for all trips to the courses. That allows you quick transportation, particularly if you decide to play a second round in a single day at another course. Moreover if you decide to do that, check with pro shop to make second tee time and ask about any same day/second round discount since there usually is one and it may give you a price less than you otherwise get with DVC member card.

Note that currently, if you intend to use DVC discount which is about 35% off the resort guest rate, you can make tee times in advance but you need to do them by phone (407-WDW-Golf) because on-line system is not surrently set up to take tee times when using a discount price. You will need to provide a credit card to preserve the reservation and there is a penalty if you are a no show. You need to cancel by the day before, or if the cancellation is caused by weather, the morning of.

As to the courses, Palm is the most difficult, Lake Buena Vista the easiest (none is overly hard or easy), and Magnolia the longest (with the widest fairways). Any of them would be fine to play twice. Personal preference would be the Palm which is my favorite of the three but it is the more treacherous of the three to play (many water hazards and palm trees that literally eat golf balls). If there are daily thunderstorms like usual in Sep, you might have some issues with Lake Buena Vista since it takes longer to drain than the others and creates the biggest threat of the three for cart path only.

If you are actually going to play four rounds in four different days then before deciding to use the DVC discount, you need to check on the two-round discount that anyone staying on site can purchase (and you can purchase multiple two-round discount cards). The reason to check is that sometimes the price per round in that two-round discount is less than it is with the DVC discount.

As to which resort, SSR has the clubhouse for Lake Buena Vista and thus it is easy to stay and play there. OKW would provide the lowest point cost for any sized room you get, followed by BWV standard view if you could get standard view. As to Downtown Disney, that would be fine for the evening but what I do not know is exactly what a mess it will be next year (and the year after) while they redo the marketplace area pursuant to the announced Disney Springs project. My personal preference for a buddies golf trip is actually BWV but as an owner I can get low cost standard view booking 11 months out. I prefer it because of the many restaurants at the Epcot resorts all of which you can walk to, including the ESPN Club where you can watch football and baseball in Sep.

 

[gpts@disney]

Excellent information from both nkosiek and drusba. Thanks a bunch to the both of you!

We used to play 27 / 36 holes a day, but a few years ago we decided to stretch our trips from 3 to 4 days and play only 18 holes a day. This gives us more time to hang out, have nice dinners, play cards, relax, etc and catch up with great old friends. As a result, the accomodations weigh more heavily now than when all we did was sleep in them. So still trying to determine if Boardwalk or DTD (OKW / SSR) would provide the best evening entertainment location. I guess we can always bus / boat over to pretty much any destination.

We live in MI and we have always gone "up north" to play the beautiful courses in northern MI. This would be our 1st out-of-state trip. Thanks again for the info.

 

[pinnocchiosdad]

When you leave your resort each morning for your round, the bell desk will hail you a free cab. They will give you a voucher to give to the driver. This voucher INCLUDES GRATUITY. When your round is over the pro shop will call you another complimentary cab back to your resort. Magical express does indeed transport golf clubs.

 

[pinnocchiosdad]

P.S. I enjoy there driving ranges because you get to hit off grass and not a mat.

 

[paults]

Excellent information from both nkosiek and drusba. Thanks a bunch to the both of you!

We used to play 27 / 36 holes a day, but a few years ago we decided to stretch our trips from 3 to 4 days and play only 18 holes a day. This gives us more time to hang out, have nice dinners, play cards, relax, etc and catch up with great old friends. As a result, the accomodations weigh more heavily now than when all we did was sleep in them. So still trying to determine if Boardwalk or DTD (OKW / SSR) would provide the best evening entertainment location. I guess we can always bus / boat over to pretty much any destination.

We live in MI and we have always gone "up north" to play the beautiful courses in northern MI. This would be our 1st out-of-state trip. Thanks again for the info.

I'm booked for magnolia for this OCT with DVC/AP (same prices) . There are 3 prices for times. I am playing at 11 am . cost $69 + tax = $73.48 for golf, I'm renting clubs for $ 20 a set ( they use only taylormade R11 and RBZ) now. Shoes if you need them are $10. Bring your own.
This is with DVC discount.
Regular prices are at 11 am $94.78 for golf, $55 for clubs and $10 shoes.
Later times get a little cheaper but I don't remember them.

Just call and they will give you prices over the phone for each time frame during the day. Don't forget to ask about the 2 round discount DRUSBA talked about.
Since your playing 4 rounds I guess you want your clubs but they do have taylormades now.

 

[NewJerseyDVCMembers]

Looks like others have answered your questions, so I only have a little piece of advice. Most of the rooms at OKW have a golf course view, some better than others. That being said, if you choose SSR ask for a room located in the Grandstand area, most rooms there have a view of 10, 17 or 18 on LBVGC. It is the only section "on" the course. One Paddock and both Carousel buildings may look at 10, but it is from across the street and the trees down the right side have grown in. Just a thought.

 

[Pirate Granny]

Hubby always takes his clubs and we never stop to tell ME to pick them up, they always arrive with the luggage I the room. We normally have to call to get extra luggage tags as they only send one per guest now. Another thing not mentioned is that Disney will keep your clubs and transport them to your next Disney course...so you really don't need a car, taxi to and from each round, and clubs out of the room . I would go with OKW, best views, lowest points and boat to DTD...

 

[Simba's Mom]

I'm considering taking me and my 3 buddies to WDW to play their 3 golf courses (Palm, Magnolia and Buena Vista) next September for our 18th annual golf trip. I am a DVC member (home resort BWV). For those of you that have done a similar trip, I have a few questions:

1) Did you / can you use Magical Express for golf clubs + normal luggage ? Or would you recommend a rental car?
2) Any recommendations on where to stay - thinking a 2 bedroom in BWV, OKW or SSR (proxmity to DTD)?
3) It says that Disney provides complimentary taxi vouchers to get to and from the golf course each day. Anyone experienced that and how did it work out?
4) We usually play 4 rounds each trip - which course would you recommend playing twice ?
Any other advice is appreciated. Thanks in advance!

DH golfs every day when we go to WDW, so lots of duplication of courses. We always rent a car, so we have no personal experince with taxi vouchers, but others he's golfed with say they've worked out great. His favorite to play twice a trip are either Palm or Magnolia. And we love OKW when golfing. It's great to know your villa is on the course, and several times he or other golfers have stopped "at home" briefly to get a soft drink or use the bathroom. And of course, if I'm in the villa, DH always waves as he goes by.

 

[The big Disney nerd]

He have owned of OKW for 20 years and I have done a golf buddy trip almost every year. I must admit that it was much more fun when Eagle Pine and Osprey Ridge were available. I have not done one since the management changed to Arnold Palmer though. We found a rental car to work much better. Taxis are okay. But the occasional rush to make a dinner reservation makes the independence of the care useful. It also allows you the option to go off property. There are many good courses in the area. Disney is able to store and transport clubs without problems (except if you have the first tee time in the morning... we occasionally had to wait at the course for them to arrive from the night before. OKW and SSR have the feel of being on the course in some of the units. It is a walk to the clubhouse on LBV from most units though.