Favorite DVC Property

[SergMad6124]

Animal Kingdom or Boardwalk

 

[npatellye]

How old are your kids? My kids have always loved AKV since they were 4 and 2 and still loved it this past May (8 and 6). Boardwalk was a not their cup of tea when they were 6 and almost 4 but that may be because we had a boardwalk view room and it was loud. I am assuming it’s not as loud right now since some things are not yet open.

 

[DebLovesPooh]

I think the Boardwalk slide is the best one on property. Kidani’s splash area is great for the little ones. For parking, Kidani has Boardwalk beat. Boardwalk’s quick service felt more like a schlep for those cup refills than Jambo. The food at AKV is some of my favorite.

 

[Haley R]

Definitely depends on the age. We just stayed at boardwalk with a 15 month old and it was okay but not toddler friendly. If going with a toddler I would probably pick AKL

 

[Nabas]

We are DVC members at both.

Animal Kingdom Lodge is divided into 2 different resorts: Kidani Village and Jambo House, with the hotel located at Jambo House.

I'm not that crazy about Kidani Village. The pool always seems crowded, the lobby is small, the store is tiny, and the food court is non-existent. Jambo House has all of these beat, with Boma being (IMO) the best buffet at WDW. Really, we stay at Kidani only when we want a third bathroom (in a 2-bedroom villa) or cannot get a room at Jambo House.

Jambo House and the Boardwalk have completely different theming and are two very different experiences, which is why we own at both.

The Boardwalk is in the middle of the action, within walking distance of 2 theme parks. The Boardwalk itself (pre-COVID) is hopping at night, with performers appearing throughout the evening. The Boardwalk has other entertainment, including games, snacks, bars, and restaurants. As @DebbiwLovePooh wrote, the Boardwalk has the best water slide on property.

Jambo is feels far away from everything, even though it's only a few minutes farther down the road. The lobby is gorgeous, better than the Grand Floridian (IMO). The pool is large, perhaps the largest single swimming area at WDW. (Stormalong Bay at the Y&BC is broken up into several smaller swimming areas.) As already mentioned, Boma is the best buffet on property, while just off the lobby is possibly the best hotel store. And, of course, there are giraffes!

Which of the two is better really depends on what you are looking for.

 

[GinnyBear's_mom]

I voted for AKL. We own at AKL and stay at Jambo once a year but have stayed at Boardwalk as well. Our one and only stay at Boardwalk was when we still used a stroller every day at the parks with our 3 kids. We were unlucky enough to have the second to last room at the end of the hallway. The hallways at AKL and BWV are both notoriously long but the problem with being at the end of the BWV hallway is that there's only one bank of elevators and they are located in the middle of the resort. If we didn't have the stroller, we could have taken the stairs and walked just a few minutes to EPCOT or to the parking lot where our car was but instead we had to walk all the down to the elevator. It really frustrated my husband. We love the boardwalk area but we've stayed at Beach Club instead to enjoy the area. Now that we won't need a stroller for our next trip my husband is considering trying out Boardwalk once again.

One other thing to note is the food choices- they are limited at Boardwalk if you don't want to walk outside. Not a dealbreaker for everyone but there isn't a quick service restaurant connected to Boardwalk. If it is raining, you have to go out into the elements to get food which isn't fun with little ones.

 

[Doberge]

AKL is unique and should be experienced at some point, it if you'll spend a good bit of time at Hollywood Studios and/or EPCOT then I'd recommend Boardwalk because the convenience is fantastic. Boardwalk is also an easier drive to Disney Springs.

While dining at AKL is better than Boardwalk itself, Boardwalk has great access to restaurants at Beach and Yacht and also Swan and Dolphin.

 

[Dakota731]

Depends on kids’ ages. When ours were older we loved BWI because we could walk to two parks and kids could even go on their own when they were teens. We could go to the fireworks and eat at Epcot every night. With little ones I liked AK for the animals and the fun activities.

 

[katyjeka]

Animal Kingdom without a doubt!!

 

[MamaMermaid]

What parks are you visiting? I love AK but the proximity to EPCOT/DHS is so great at Boardwalk.

 

[ElenaRN]

We own at BLT so that's our #1. We have stayed at both AKL and BW.

I voted for AKL.

I prefer the overall decor/theming and the lobby can't be beat. Its breathtaking and worth a visit even if you decide to chose BW.
You sacrifice the proximity/walking distance to a park for the animal views. I agree with both PP that the store is incredible and Boma is amazing.

Every time we stayed at BW we were ALWAYS in the last room. Those walks back after an exhausting day at the parks can be torturous. Thats the only thing I think of when we talk about BW.

 

[dvc lover 1970]

I cannot decide. It depends on kids, their interests and their ages. I love AKV and BWV. Cannot go wrong with either, but AKV is more relaxing and BWV is more where the action is. If you love to watch animals then AKV if your kids want to be in the middle of the action then BWV.