DVC resort help!

[cmsnyder77]

I might be able to snag a GF studio with points for next summer. I'm already booked in a Poly studio. It will be myself, DH, and 2 DD's 17 and 8. I am also enticed by Kidani village 1 BR villa, because of the extra space it will give (separate sleeping space and 2 bathrooms).

Sooooo.... between the 3, what are the pros and cons? We will be renting a car, so how much of a hassle will it getting to the parks if we drive as opposed to being closer to MK? I would love to do BLT 1 BR, but money wise that is probably out. We will likely spend a lot of time at MK and will have multiple ADR's at the monorail resorts.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

From AK, I would still argue for bus to MK, as parking for MK is the TTC and it's a nuisance.

GF is most convenient to MK; getting to other parks is king of a nuisance. Epcot is three stops on monorail and change. AK and HS is a bus shared with Poly.

Poly is, of the three, the most universally convenient. It's two stops monorail to MK, you can walk to the Epcot monorail, and while the bus to HS and AK is shared with GF, Poly is always the first stop of those buses.

I'd go for the extra space, though. I like the Kidani 1BR. I have stayed in a Poly studio, but not a VGF studio.

 

[TowMater92]

You'll have more travel time from AKL and MK is the one park that you don't save time driving to. The bus is actually easier since you have to go to the TTC park then hop on a tram and then ride the monorail or boat to the MK and do the same on the way back. A 1BR does not have two bedrooms it has a bedroom and a living room with a couch that turns into a bed and it only has 1 bathroom but you do get a full kitchen and a washer/dryer in your room. A 2BR villa has 2 bedrooms and 2 bathroom. Between the GF/Poly Poly is the easier of the two for transportation only because you can walk to the TTC to get on the Epcot monorail so I would choose the one with the theme you like better.

 

[gzmtlock]

OP is correct, AKL 1 BR has 2 bathrooms; some other info here is a bit confusing. We stayed in one with our 2 GKs, DGS13 and DGD9; he slept on the fold-out sofa, she on the chair that folds out into a single bed. Both were very comfortable.

I've never stayed at GF or Poly, so can't offer opinions there. We love AKL, don't mind the buses at all. And at your kids' ages, I would recommend the space at AKL over the geographic convenience of Poly or GF.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

To be entirely precise about stuff:

An AKV-Kidani 1BR has 2 bathrooms.
An AKV-Jambo 1BR has 1 bathroom.

 

[Deb & Bill]

GFV are hard to get at seven months out. Heck, sometimes they are hard to get a ten months out or even ten months and 28 days out. A one bedroom might be more possible at seven months out. I know I booked one for late May at exactly seven months out.

 

[addiln]

I prefer the extra room and bathroom that Kidani provides. We stayed there a couple years ago and the transportation was not in issue to any of the parks. The studios may seem a little cramped. When in doubt for me I always go with the more room then the location.

 

[TowMater92]

OP is correct, AKL 1 BR has 2 bathrooms; some other info here is a bit confusing. We stayed in one with our 2 GKs, DGS13 and DGD9; he slept on the fold-out sofa, she on the chair that folds out into a single bed. Both were very comfortable.

I've never stayed at GF or Poly, so can't offer opinions there. We love AKL, don't mind the buses at all. And at your kids' ages, I would recommend the space at AKL over the geographic convenience of Poly or GF.

Ok I'm wrong I even went and looked it up but it showed up as a 1 bathroom like most other 1br villas. I looks like AKL has both and I don't see where Jumbo and Kidani are separate points charts so you could get either unless one has savana views and the other doesn't?

 

[gzmtlock]

Jambo and Kidani are booked separately, have different villa layouts. Jambo 1BR has 1 bathroom, Kidani has 2. There are good summaries in the Disney Vacation Club section of these boards, if you'd like to learn more.

 

[lovin'fl]

I'd go with Kidani though it's one of our favorites. The extra bathroom is nice too especially with a DD-17 (I have two of them). I never found the busing there to be all that bad but it is nice to walk to TTC so I'd say Poly studio would be a good option too. I'd forgo the VGF as it costs a lot of points for a regular studio... Poly studios are quite large and have the 2-piece bathroom deal. You can walk to TTC to get many transportation options.