First DVC stay, which resort brings the most AWE feeling?

[DianaMB333]

Hi.. we are planning our first visit to a DVC villa (party of 5) next June 21...

Today I have reservations in AKL (home resort).. but I am wondering which resort would you say creates the most AWE feeling when your first walk into the lobby and the room?

thanks!

 

[Sandisw]

I think it is very personal but my favorite is VGF...and while I have not stayed there yet, I got that feeling walking around the grounds of RIV last year!!!

 

[BillPA]

I would say, CCV/BRV has the best WOW lobby. AK-J would be a close second choice.

 

[WildernessMickey]

I would say Wilderness Lodge (both CCV and BRV) is our favorite, and AKL is our second favorite. Truthfully I like them all, but these two always stand out.

 

[cedricandsophie]

We love OKW for the staff and the recreation facilities. We love wilderness for the lobby and the proximity to The boats. We love boardwalk for the proximity to restaurants and nightlife. So it depends on what’s more important to you.

 

[DisneyGal24]

We have liked just about every DVC resort we’ve stayed in (OKW, SSR, AKV, PVR, BWV, BLT). We have different things that we like about each one. Probably the one that had the biggest AWE moment for us was BLT. It was our first DVC stay and we were so close to the magic! Seeing MK from the bridge between Contemporary and BLT was so special. Being able to walk across the road to get to the park and being on the monorail loop was great. Watching the electric water pageant was another plus.

 

[sethschroeder]

Hi.. we are planning our first visit to a DVC villa (party of 5) next June 21...

Today I have reservations in AKL (home resort).. but I am wondering which resort would you say creates the most AWE feeling when your first walk into the lobby and the room?

thanks!

For AKV:
Jambo > Kidani (although I like Kidani more for staying)

I would say CCV/BRV lobby is probably the best. VGF is really nice but honestly is "stuffy". Poly is pretty good.

We like BWV simply because we like the resort and how it feels like Epcot is almost like an extension of your resort.

RIV hits more from the grounds feel I think than the interior (its DVC only so has a smaller not as grand lobby).

 

[RoseGold]

For me, that's VGF. Location is just incredible and you really feel like you are IN Disney and there's an orchestra, and I miss the lobby already...

 

[Brett Wyman]

I think it is very personal but my favorite is VGF...and while I have not stayed there yet, I got that feeling walking around the grounds of RIV last year!!!

I LOVE staying at Riviera, love it. But for walk into the lobby impact it’s WL/GF/AK for me. With Poly as a runner up for the general “feel” more than the impact.

 

[lovin'fl]

Well....SSR and OKW didn't wow us upon arrival. BLT is also kinda meh....like a skyrise hotel anywhere. BRV, walking into it's own little building wasn't very wow-ing but the main lodge is. So when CCV opened we were very excited....added points there. AKV Jambo is also very wow-ing and Kidani still wows but just not AS much as Jambo. BWV wows. It is more subtle than Jambo or CCV's main lobby. But it was our first choice stay when we bought our OKW points in 2006. We liked the Jersey waterfront theme. Even the clown slide. Now BCV is odd man out. The DVC building is modest and meh. But the whole resort; the SAB and main lobby and dining and proximity to Epcot back gate..it boosts the feel of the resort to me.

Never stayed at VGF or Riviera nor been in those buildings. The GF main building wows. Oh, and Poly wows. Loved our 1st visit to Poly for for the Luau back in 2007. Walked into main lodge and loved the theme there. Hate the DVC buildings being removed from main lodge though. But the room decor is nice. And I do love that layout of the studio there. Some don't but I do.

So just based on WOW factor....AKV- Jambo and CCV are best 2....IMO. Then Poly, BWV and BCV and Kidani...all kinda comparable. Then BRV and BLT. Then OKW and SSR.

 

[Deb & Bill]

OKW might not have such a great lobby, but when you walk into a one bedroom villa and see all the space you have for your stay, it's pretty nice. IT makes walking into any other villa kind of a let down. VGF are very pretty and luxurious, but not as big as OKW. BRV, BWV, SSR, BCV all are pretty much the same layout with different furniture. BLT- it depends on if you are inside or outside the C. If you've only been on the inside and then you stay on the outside, it's a lot nicer. Except you don't have the large laundry room, just the laundry closet.

 

[marx]

Hi.. we are planning our first visit to a DVC villa (party of 5) next June 21...

Today I have reservations in AKL (home resort).. but I am wondering which resort would you say creates the most AWE feeling when your first walk into the lobby and the room?

thanks!

Aulani.

But I assume you are asking about the WDW resorts
Then it would be Jambo.

 

[NeedMoreMickey]

It depends on your style preference they all have a special feeling. Stayed at 7 different DVC and the resort with least AWE feeling for me is Bay Lake and the most is Wilderness resort. For years my favorite resort has been BC but now Boardwalk is a very close second. The Crescent Lake resorts give me a complete bubble feeling.

 

[Donna M]

For me, it is VGF and Wilderness Lodge's lobby, but they are so different.

 

[GoingSince1990]

Lobby with the most awe: Grand Floridian main lobby.
Room with the most awe: VGF Grand Villa.
View with the most awe: BLT Grand Villa Theme Park View. (Honorable mention: Kidani Sunset Savannah).

 

[jvalic33]

I think the first time you stay in any DVC villa after becoming an owner is WOW.

Our first visit as a family was the Poly and that was when we decided (on that trip) to buy into AK and BWV. When we returned the next year, actually less than a year later, and arrived at Kidani and walked into our massive 2 bedroom villa, the whole experience was WoW! At least for me and definitely my Mom who we brought along with us as well and each subsequent visit as we tried new resorts we loved them just as much.

My son picked the Contemporary one year and we complained the whole way there, but when we opened the door to our theme park view room and enjoyed the walk to MK, what was there to complain about? Not to mention being able to see the fireworks in our PJs each night!

 

[Lorana]

Best walk-in Lobby WOW factor is a tie between the Wilderness Lodge and Jambo House of Animal Kingdom, in my opinion.

 

[miTnosnhoJ]

For me, it is VGF. But we also really like AKL and Poly.

 

[princessbride6205]

My perspective, having been to all the DVC resorts except HHI, RIV, and VGF...

If you are looking for WOW factor the moment you enter - I think it's AK Jambo. We've been members there for years, but my sister (a former Studios CM and frequent guest at Beach and Contemporary) had never been there. We took her to the hotel to hang out in our room, she walked in the lobby and was impressed, then as we got halfway through the lobby, she goes "WAIT! There are animals right there?!"

Poly just has an amazing feeling of home for us - we love it so much, but I don't know if it's a wow right when you walk in. I think the great rooms and the proximity to monorail and MK are WOW factors.
Whatever you choose, your welcome home trip will be great!

 

[Aussie RJ]

I’ll give this a crack in no particular order;
1. Monorail coming into the contemporary (BLT)
2. Top of the world lounge (BLT) and the cake..
3. Orchestra (VGF)
4. VGF - The Aura of the place.. it just has something.
5. Poly Studio
6. WL - Lobby & Theme
7. BCV - SAB pool
8. Boardwalk Villas - atmosphere & proximity
9. AKL - Savanna
10. 1 bedroom - BLT (Theme Park View)
11. 2 Bedroom - debatable... Boardwalk (boardwalk view)

All wow moments in my book!