First Stay at VGF - Dec 2024 1BD! Plus 1 Night at BRV!

[DVCSunDevil]

Thank you! I've heard great things about the JW Bonnet Creek, so I'm sure you will have an amazing first day there. If you think of it once you're back from your trip, I'd love to hear how you liked it. Yes, we have a pile of Marriott points. Your advice is well taken about using points for the first night. Especially with how late we arrived to BRV on our first night ....future trips it just makes sense to save the DVC points and spend some Marriott points.

I hope you have a lovely trip and enjoy!!! We've only stayed on the hotel side not DVC at BCV and LOVE that resort/Crescent Lake area. Have a wonderful time!

Thanks for the well wishes! I will let you know how the JW Bonnet Creek is...maybe that can be a good option for your 1st night. At least you still have a good amount of time to decide...those non-Disney DS hotels tend to have a much more availability later in the planning process. We have booked rooms at the Hilton three months before our trip before.

 

[DVCSunDevil]

Thank you! I've heard great things about the JW Bonnet Creek, so I'm sure you will have an amazing first day there. If you think of it once you're back from your trip, I'd love to hear how you liked it. Yes, we have a pile of Marriott points. Your advice is well taken about using points for the first night. Especially with how late we arrived to BRV on our first night ....future trips it just makes sense to save the DVC points and spend some Marriott points.

I hope you have a lovely trip and enjoy!!! We've only stayed on the hotel side not DVC at BCV and LOVE that resort/Crescent Lake area. Have a wonderful time!

As a follow up, we thought the JW Bonnett Creek was good. Much better resort than the Hilton DS. We spent that evening in DS, so we didn’t eat at the JW. However, some people next to us at breakfast did and said it was great. The pool looks fantastic (it was too cold for us to swim, though). I would recommended JW for the first night!

 

[kgou]

As a follow up, we thought the JW Bonnett Creek was good. Much better resort than the Hilton DS. We spent that evening in DS, so we didn’t eat at the JW. However, some people next to us at breakfast did and said it was great. The pool looks fantastic (it was too cold for us to swim, though). I would recommended JW for the first night!

Great to hear!! I am glad you enjoyed your stay and hope you are having/had a great trip at WDW!! Appreciate you letting me know how your stay was!!

 

[radiodome21]

Great idea.

 

[radiodome21]

We just did our first stay at Grand Floridian at NYE. It was our first trip since we purchased last year. Only 1 trip and I decided to add 100 more at Polynesian direct. I regret not buying more than the 150 I bought last year. We have a February UY and going at Christmas was a box checking trip because my family wanted to experience Disney at Christmas once. I prefer spring and summer. I found the weather was good but coming from Chicago I wanted it a little warmer. We loved it though and VGF and Poly are our 2 favorite resorts. We’re heading back to WDW in July for a volleyball nationals tournament and are back to Disney. We’re doing a split stay at Riv and Poly. Can’t wait.

I’ve stayed at the JE Grande Lakes a few times for work. It’s nice. I like the idea of staying at a Marriott if I can’t get my value from a full resort day. Good tip.

 

[kgou]

We just did our first stay at Grand Floridian at NYE. It was our first trip since we purchased last year. Only 1 trip and I decided to add 100 more at Polynesian direct. I regret not buying more than the 150 I bought last year. We have a February UY and going at Christmas was a box checking trip because my family wanted to experience Disney at Christmas once. I prefer spring and summer. I found the weather was good but coming from Chicago I wanted it a little warmer. We loved it though and VGF and Poly are our 2 favorite resorts. We’re heading back to WDW in July for a volleyball nationals tournament and are back to Disney. We’re doing a split stay at Riv and Poly. Can’t wait.

I’ve stayed at the JE Grande Lakes a few times for work. It’s nice. I like the idea of staying at a Marriott if I can’t get my value from a full resort day. Good tip.

Love that!! Congratulations on the trip and the purchases! You've got two awesome home resorts with VGF and Poly. How were the incentives for Poly when you bought? I've not been keeping up with the current pricing though adding on there is tempting me. Having access to the 1BDs at the new Tower would be great.

Addonitis sure is hard to keep at bay. I too only bought 150 at VGF and really wish I bought more at the time. Maybe 200-225 or so.

I'm right there with you about the December weather this year! Though I'll say we've been in December a few other times in the past, and had temps that were much warmer ...even hot at times ...compared to the weather this year. It was downright chilly at times!

July will be here before you know it and with RIV and Poly you're certain to have an amazing time! As of now we won't be back until Nov ...we are booked at our other home resort of SSR but planning to switch elsewhere at the 7 month mark if we can. As to where, TBD!

 

[kgou]

Well, somehow I am just 50ish days away from our next trip to WDW! I'll be sad not to be at VGF this trip, but we're really looking forward to 7 days at WDW, 6 nights in a 2BD at CCV and 1 night in a BWV Boardwalk view studio! Going from a 2BD to a studio will be something, ha!

I went back and reviewed my recap of my December 2024 trip, and a couple things jumped out at me.

I went into the trip with at least one sit down dining option booked per day, and as you saw from my report I cancelled most of them as we did four sit down dining meals during our trip. Some of my old standbys, like Tusker House and Hollywood and Vine, missed the mark a bit this time. This has inspired me to try some new-to-us options on the next trip and change things up a bit.

My dining window was last week, and I have more than enough booked. I'll start a new thread for the trip and share some of these tentative plans, but it was helpful to reread that I wanted to try new to us options, and a reminder that I don't need to go crazy with sit down dining. We like counter service too, and that gives us more flexibility to enjoy more rides and attractions!

I'm booking our November 2025 stay using the SSR points, and initially planned to try to swap somewhere else at the 7 month mark.

This stay went from a 6 night stay in a 1BD at SSR to a 6 night stay in a 1BD BWV P/G view to a 6 night stay in a CCV 2BD, plus one night tacked on at the end in a BWV studio! Phew. No particular reason for the 2BD as it's just the four of us. On this last trip, we started with 1 night in a BRV studio and while walking through the main lobby at WL my kiddos commented that they'd like to stay in the main building at WL. Truthfully, I did not anticipate that coming to fruition, but excited for our first stay at CCV and our first stay in a 2BD!

There were a few rides we did not do this go around that I want to prioritize for next time: PeopleMover, Carousel of Progress, Mad Tea Party, the carousel, Haunted Mansion all come to mind.

I am definitely planning to make sure we do these rides!

Hopefully 2026 finds us both back at VGF

I have nothing booked yet for 2026 still trying to figure out what works best with the school schedule but know I really need to get to planning to take advantage of my home resort priority at VGF!

I'm with you on more points and also am not ready to pull the trigger yet. I did see an attractive VGF contract in my UY but I am going to stay strong. I really want to get a few years of usage under our belts before making any decisions ...wish me luck!

still safe from addonitis lol. My current position is we have more than enough points for an annual big WDW trip ...but guessing I'll feel differently after my first stay in a 2bd!

 

[elliemaple]

Well, somehow I am just 50ish days away from our next trip to WDW! I'll be sad not to be at VGF this trip, but we're really looking forward to 7 days at WDW, 6 nights in a 2BD at CCV and 1 night in a BWV Boardwalk view studio! Going from a 2BD to a studio will be something, ha!

I went back and reviewed my recap of my December 2024 trip, and a couple things jumped out at me.

My dining window was last week, and I have more than enough booked. I'll start a new thread for the trip and share some of these tentative plans, but it was helpful to reread that I wanted to try new to us options, and a reminder that I don't need to go crazy with sit down dining. We like counter service too, and that gives us more flexibility to enjoy more rides and attractions!

This stay went from a 6 night stay in a 1BD at SSR to a 6 night stay in a 1BD BWV P/G view to a 6 night stay in a CCV 2BD, plus one night tacked on at the end in a BWV studio! Phew. No particular reason for the 2BD as it's just the four of us. On this last trip, we started with 1 night in a BRV studio and while walking through the main lobby at WL my kiddos commented that they'd like to stay in the main building at WL. Truthfully, I did not anticipate that coming to fruition, but excited for our first stay at CCV and our first stay in a 2BD!

I am definitely planning to make sure we do these rides!

I have nothing booked yet for 2026 still trying to figure out what works best with the school schedule but know I really need to get to planning to take advantage of my home resort priority at VGF!

still safe from addonitis lol. My current position is we have more than enough points for an annual big WDW trip ...but guessing I'll feel differently after my first stay in a 2b

We are also going back in November, this time at our other home BLT to check out the refurbed 1br. Enjoy CCV and your extra space with the 2br. And we have already booked a spring 2026 VGF trip, we had to get back there. With most of our 2027 points borrowed I sense another contract in our future lol.

 

[kgou]

We are also going back in November, this time at our other home BLT to check out the refurbed 1br. Enjoy CCV and your extra space with the 2br. And we have already booked a spring 2026 VGF trip, we had to get back there. With most of our 2027 points borrowed I sense another contract in our future lol.

Love!! I was wondering when you were going back and if you'd be at BLT! Are you there Thanksgiving week too? When my 7 month window opened, none of the 1BDs at BLT were open for the full 6 nights of my stay which is why I landed on BWV initially. It was hard to come up with two choices to waitlist - we did the 2BD at CCV and a 1BD at PIT after much deliberation and some family voting, lol.

So awesome you'll be back at VGF for your spring trip!! I am overwhelmed looking at the 26/27 school calendar trying to figure out when we can go. I need to get on it bc I really want a 1BD resort view at VGF for that trip! What room type did you land on for yours? I know we were both in the same room type for our 2024 trips!

Can't wait to hear what you think of BLT after staying there. The refurb really looks fantastic!!

 

[elliemaple]

Love!! I was wondering when you were going back and if you'd be at BLT! Are you there Thanksgiving week too? When my 7 month window opened, none of the 1BDs at BLT were open for the full 6 nights of my stay which is why I landed on BWV initially. It was hard to come up with two choices to waitlist - we did the 2BD at CCV and a 1BD at PIT after much deliberation and some family voting, lol.

So awesome you'll be back at VGF for your spring trip!! I am overwhelmed looking at the 26/27 school calendar trying to figure out when we can go. I need to get on it bc I really want a 1BD resort view at VGF for that trip! What room type did you land on for yours? I know we were both in the same room type for our 2024 trips!

Can't wait to hear what you think of BLT after staying there. The refurb really looks fantastic!!

We are going the week before Thanksgiving, 15-22, lucky for us the 1bds at BLT are usually pretty easy to book between 11 and 7 months. We are looking forwards to the new rooms. Going to VGF in May, 6 nights in a 1br resort view again and 3 nights at pop century to save on points. Those VGF 1brs are so nice and the VGF dvc building is so relaxing. We even snuck in a summer trip this year at a one bedroom in OKW, if you are near hospitality and have a rental car this is a great room and resort with two small kids. Can't really go wrong with dvc!