"Downgrading" from a 1 BR to a Studio

[keishashadow]

We always stay in a studio.....just DH and me.
We prefer it .........and stay longer (Dec. is 13 nights)
I don't want to cook or do laundry on vacation, so don't need those things.

we've been comfy with 3 in the studios but...

*we spend very little time in the unit, either @ the parks or poolside

*i make coffee only on vacation

*SWA allows us 2 bags pp, i can schlep my dirty duds home easy enough

*i can stretch our points to cover more trips each year

Unless I have points to burn i can't imagine ever booking a 1BR as i'm not sure i'd want to go back to a studio & need to stretch my overall vacation budget over 4 trips a year & need to be creative.

Good luck OP

 

[dvcforme1993]

i must have a one bedroom these days. spend lots of time in the villa, love the balcony, need the washer/dryer, even traveling solo as i oftentimes do.

 

[robinb]

We are a family of 3 and we usually stay in studios. They are perfectly fine. We don't cook other than breakfast so it's not a big deal to lose the full kitchen. Of course, I enjoy the king bed, the hot tub and the washer and dryer but not enough to pay twice as much for them!

 

[sweetdana]

I usually split anything over 5 nights, last 3-5 nights in a 1 bedroom rest in a studio. I rent points, or transfer in points to make it happen. I would have no problems going to a studio the whole time, it is the same size as FQ, which is where I would be without points. I love a 6 night studio in SSR trip followed by a 4 night 1 bedroom BC trip.. this is heaven to me.

 

[LSchrow]

Everyone has something that is a deal breaker for them. We were at BLT too. This year (points wise) it was a STD 1-bdrm vs MK view studio. I gotta have my view!

we (2 ppl) stay in studios, for 10+ days each vacation. i don't cook at home, and certainly am not going to start doing such chores on vaca so it's no problem with the kitchenette.
we are not fans of baths, jetted or otherwise.

our big thing is the view. i would rather have a BW view studio than a 2-bdrm without a stunning view for us, a non-view feels like anywhere - we have changed our dates when "our view" was not available....every trip, we sit on the balcony sipping coffee while the sun comes up, soak up the BW atmosphere in the afternoon, and watch illuminations and the carny games from our balcony at night, glasses of wine in hand.
y'know those magical memories that most everyone has? many of ours are of that gorgeous view - i dream about it almost every night when i'm not there
like elizabeth said, everyone has their own dealbreaker.

 

[dzorn]

I have a three night limit in a studio. After that I want the big bed and tub.

Denise in MI

 

[twinklebug]

I like the studios, particularly the layout of the ones at Kidani. I only miss the 1br unit when I make a meal as I love the counterspace. I find doing laundry to take significantly less time overall if have to bring it to the laundry room than if I do a load here and there over the trip. I set 2 loads up in the larger machines and pop in and out watching them as I wander nearby. the key is to be watchful of the loads to be sure I'm not in anyone's way and to make sure the machines (driers) are working.

For me, personally, the bigger bathtub is the sign that I am "on vacation." But that's obviously a quirk of personal taste.

If you don't have some very specific thing like that which really rocks your boat, then save the points! Longer vacations are good for getting more relaxed, clearing your head, etc. I've made some of the most important decisions in my life on vacations that are longer than 4 days -- because I was finally able to really step away from the outside world and think clearly. That has tremendous value.

Who wants to do laundry on vacation anyway?

I'm with you on both points, but unfortunately, the longer trips mean doing laundry becomes a necessity.

 

[robinb]

I'm with you on both points, but unfortunately, the longer trips mean doing laundry becomes a necessity.

So what? The DVC laundry rooms are free and it's not a burden to use them.

 

[twinklebug]

So what? The DVC laundry rooms are free and it's not a burden to use them.

I'm in a small group that agrees on this, but the point most people make is they feel doing laundry is easier in a 1 br unit.

 

[dzorn]

So what? The DVC laundry rooms are free and it's not a burden to use them.

Not sure what laundry room you have visited but the few I have have less of a view than I want. I would much rather throw a load in and go about my business than sit and wait in a laundry room and if I am going to sit and wait I want at least a pretty view to look at.

Denise in MI

 

[robinb]

I'm in a small group that agrees on this, but the point most people make is they feel doing laundry is easier in a 1 br unit.

Not sure what laundry room you have visited but the few I have have less of a view than I want. I would much rather throw a load in and go about my business than sit and wait in a laundry room and if I am going to sit and wait I want at least a pretty view to look at.

Denise in MI

Sure, the laundry in the 1BR is easier with a "prettier" view, but I don't hang out in the laundry room. I usually pop my laundry in the machines and then either hang out at the pool (at SSR, OKW, VWL, BWV) or go back to my room (AKV-J, BCV, CRV) with my view. I set a timer so I don't abandon my laundry and hog the machines. I also don't worry about someone stealing or touching my laundry so there is no reason for me to stand guard.

Having laundry facilities in the room is nice, but not a deal breaker for me when there are options that I find acceptable.

 

[dwelty]

Remember, the vast majority of WDW guests stay in standard hotel rooms that, in most cases, are not as nice as a studio.

We tend to get spoiled as DVC members. I just came back from a trip with just my wife. We normally stay in 1 or 2 bedrooms with the kids, this was our first solo trip. We had an excellent trip and did not miss the larger accomodation at all.

 

[Simba's Mom]

DH and I stayed in a 1 BR MK view at BLT on our most recent trip. We are now in the process of planning our next trip (not until December 2012 *sigh*) and we are thinking of just doing a studio this time - from your experience, will we regret this move? By staying in a studio I'm able to add a few extra nights to our trip with out borrowing or buying 1 time use points

DH and I (just the two of us) usually book a 1 BR, but occassionally "downgrade" to studio. It's OK, but we do miss our 1 BR. In April, we did it at HHI, and I was sure we'd be fine, but I REALLY missed the 1 BR there. I think that in that case, most of my problems were unique to HHI (smaller porch, ice machine further away and laundry small). But even at WDW, we miss the laundry right in the unit, and especially the two TVs. For some reason, whatever TV DH is closest to gets some problem where it will only get sports

 

[Geomom]

We usually stay in studios with our 2 kids. Since we stay at a normal hotel room anywhere else we vacation, we're used to a studio sized room. As far as laundry--the laundry room is usually near a pool--we'll bring the dirty laundry in a suitcase, throw a load in, and enjoy the pool. Figure out how much time you'll actually be in the room and whether you'd make use of a full kitchen. We're usually at the parks/pool, and just do breakfast in the room, so a studio works for us. We've got our second trip with a 2-bedroom booked for february since we invited friends along. Last time we had a 2 bedroom, we went with DH's cousin's family. By inviting friends/family, we feel like we get to enjoy the 'splurge' of having the 1 bedroom side. We like to conserve our points as much as possible so we can go to Disney more often, especially while the kids are younger...but it's definitely fun to splurge once in a while!

 

[Tiger926]

We will not go back to a Studio either, unless some extenuating circumstances. We have 360 points in order to stay in 1 bedrooms.

We absolutely love cooking in our villa, and now with hubby being diagnosed with Crohn's it is imperative for us to do that.

We also must have the washer/dryer, as well as the extra space of the 1 bedroom.

I think it depends upon what kind of trip one is planning, as well as if kids or other guests, in order to determine if one could make a Studio work.

Happy travels to all, Tiger