DVC Resort Help Needed-Please! :)

[Muppet_Girl]

I'm planning a trip over the Easter holiday for my family. It will be my dad, mom, brother (15), and myself (23). We are DVC-ers and will be using points for our stay. We are staying 4/16-4/24. Here are the options we're considering:

AKL- 1 Bedroom Savanna View (K or J?)
AKL- 1 Bedroom Concierge
SS- 1 Bedroom or 2 Bedroom
Bay Lake Towers- 1 Bedroom w/ MK view
Board Walk Villas- 1 or 2 Bedrooms w/ Boardwalk view

I would appreciate everyone's opinions on these different options. Our home resort is SS and we like it but also wouldn't mind a change- I love trying out new resorts. All of the above options are in a points range of 356-525 (and we have enough due to banking). We've never stayed at any of the above besides SS.

My big question is what's worth it?

ALK: How's the concierge? Is it worth the extra 100 points?
BLT: What's it like being near MK? Do you use the monorail alot?
BWV: Is the addition of the board walk a big plus?

Also, what are the benefits of each resort? How are their table service resturants? How are the room sizes for a group of 4?

Thanks for all of your help! We can start booking 9/16, so I hope you can help me decide.

 

[snyderla]

If you don't mind the possibility of having a really long walk down a really long hall at the end of the night, considering your ages I might choose BWV. It's a nice environment, and close walks to Epcot and DHS. There's stuff to do at the Boardwalk in the evenings. But that long walk can be a bear at then end of the night when you are tired. AKV is pretty neat, but really remote. A long bus trip to all parks except AK. Will you have a car? In that case, I might go with a 1BR at OKW because there is a lot more space for you all.
Considering it will be very crowded during that time, BWV will offer activities besides parks on crowded times.
One of DH and my favorite WDW trips was an Easter holiday trip with just the 2 of us. It was very crowded at the Magic Kingdom one day, so we took a boat over to Ft. Wilderness and ate at Trails End, then rode over to the Poly and rented a little water mouse boat for an hour and had a blast doing that. Another night on that trip, because the parks were open so much later, we watched Illiuminations on the bridge near International Gateway in Epcot, then QUICKLY walked to the studios and got there just in time to see Fantasmic that same night! We took breaks in the afternoon when the parks got shoulder to shoulder crowded and hung out at resorts, or renting watercraft, and such.

I've never stayed concierge at AKV, but the Boardwalk view catagory at BWV is awesome!!!

DVCLori

 

[adminjedi]

AKL- 1 Bedroom Savanna View (K or J?)
AKL- 1 Bedroom Concierge
SS- 1 Bedroom or 2 Bedroom
Bay Lake Towers- 1 Bedroom w/ MK view
Board Walk Villas- 1 or 2 Bedrooms w/ Boardwalk view
Our home resort is SS
Also, what are the benefits of each resort? How are their table service resturants? How are the room sizes for a group of 4?

My guess is barely a chance for AKV concierge. It will most likely be a wait list with a last minute cancellation for you to get it. We prefer Jambo over Kidani for closer amaneities - 3 restaurants and bar. The savanna view experience is so unique!

Our personal preference is not SSR. DDT doesn't have that much draw for us and if you get stuck in an outlying building it is frustrating.

BWV and BCV are same location, but BCV has the better pool experience. The restaurant options are amazing, with the 5 hotels, Boardwalk and World Showcase all within walking distance!

Haven't stayed at BLT.

We get 2bdrm villas for our family. Any 1bdrm should be fine for 4, as long as the 2 in the living area aren't uncomfortable being "in public" or on a sleeper sofa.

Have a great trip!

 

[rlovew]

My top 2 choices for your group in a 1 bedroom would be AKV- Kidani or Bay Lake Towers- both of these choices have 2 nathrooms and that would be nice with a groups of adults getting ready.

I am guessing that AKV-Conierge and BLT-MK view will be nearly impossible to get at this point- those are really spaces that you need an 11 month window to get most of the time- you may have a chance if you are the first waitlist of the 7 month window.

That beiong said BLT has very nice Lakeview rooms and you can always go up to TOTWL for fireworks viewing (and even have a drink and snack).

Also in both BLT and AKV you will have 2 beds in the living area- meaning if your parents take the bedroom you and your brother each get your own bed- their is a sleeper sofa and a sleeper chair.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Make a reservation at your home resort now if you don't already have one. That way you won't be disappointed if you can't get what you really want.

 

[Sandisw]

We love BLT and if going to MK is something you do a lot, this is a great resort. We love being able to walk to/from it in about 10 minutes time.

I might also like BWV as it is close to Epcot and DHS. Both can be gotten to by walking.

We are not fans of using the bus system so any place we can be where we can walk is really what we prefer.

We did both BCV and BLT this summer and it was great. We did stay at BWV last summer. It was a nice resort but the options for CS were limited and I didn't like that I had to go outside all the way to the Boardwalk Bakery to get my coffee in the morning.

I have not stayed at AKV so I can not help you there.

 

[TisBit]

Make a reservation at your home resort now if you don't already have one. That way you won't be disappointed if you can't get what you really want.

That is the best advise I can give you. If SSR is your home resort, make a reservation there, then see what is available at the 7 month mark. As for the other options, I would consider BWV or BLT myself. AKV was nice, but being close to the parks means you and your brother can jump over whenever you want without a hassle.

Don't sweat the walks at BWV, honestly our BCV walk was worse...LOL

 

[CarolMN]

You are visiting during a very busy period. For the parks, only the week between Christmas and New Year's is busier than the week before and the week after Easter. DVC resorts tend to fill fairly quickly, too for Easter weeks.

Absolutely get a reservation asap at SSR (your home resort) now unless you will not be going if you can't stay at one of your other choices.

FWIW, I think concierge at AKV, MK view at BLT and Boardwalk view at the BWV are very unlikely to be available at 7 months. Plan on having to waitlist for those. There are more savanna view villas at AKV, so that is the most likely to be available at 7 months.

FWIW, I think the 1 bedrooms at BLT and AKV (Kidani) will be most comfortable for your party. Those have 2 bathrooms and a sleep chair. You'd need an aerobed or similar for the other 1 bedrooms. (Assuming you and your brother do not want to share a sleep sofa). Non-value 1 bedrooms at AKV (Jambo) have the sleep chair, but not the extra bathroom. I think the SSR & BWV 1 bedrooms are doable, but not nearly as comfortable since they have only 1 bath and no sleep chair.

Since you only get to have 2 active waitlists, you are wise to decide on your first and second choices now. Good luck!

 

[Muppet_Girl]

Thanks for all the advice. Follow up question- how does it work when you book your home resort and then want to change? Is there a fee?

 

[Deb & Bill]

Thanks for all the advice. Follow up question- how does it work when you book your home resort and then want to change? Is there a fee?

No fee. You just call back at 7 months out and see what is still available for your days. If it is still available you'll have to cancel your existing reservation and then use the points to book the new one. Unless you have a whole pile of points.

 

[Muppet_Girl]

No fee. You just call back at 7 months out and see what is still available for your days. If it is still available you'll have to cancel your existing reservation and then use the points to book the new one. Unless you have a whole pile of points.

Thanks for the quick reply! I'm going to get on that asap!!!