First timer to WDW - resort advice, please help! Go for villa at WL or suite at GF?

[TammiMcMan]

Isn't it the GF that has the most activities of any Disney resort for kids? (Pirates Cruise, Princess Teas, Great Adventures in Cooking, etc..

I would think that GF is probably one of the best resorts on Disney property for small kids.

Actually, I think the AKL might have the most "free" activities for the kids. The GF does have a story night, craft night and pool side games. I'm definitely biased towards the theme and seeing the castle from our balcony puts us right in the magic of Disney. My kids were adventurous enough to try a different resort and we stayed at the YC. Even though they loved being within walking distance of Epcot, they've already requested the GF for our next trip. I think it's wonderful that there are so many choices and a style to please everyone.

 

[Deb & Bill]

If you book through CRO (and your travel agent) you will not be able to book five people in a one bedroom villa. CRO will not allow five in a one bedroom. There is only sleeping space for four anyway.

If you rent points from a DVC member, you might be able to fit five people in the one bedroom, but you would have to bring your own sleeping materials (aerobed, whatever) for the fifth person and you would only have towels for four.

The Contemporary or Polynesian are both very nice resorts that sleep five very easily. We had five in our Polynesian room on our first trip before we bought our DVC points. Two queen sized beds and a day bed. We stayed in the Contemporary Resort this past summer and it also had two queen beds and a nice sized day bed. GF rooms seemed smaller than either the CR or the PR.

 

[Sammie]

If you book through CRO (and your travel agent) you will not be able to book five people in a one bedroom villa. CRO will not allow five in a one bedroom. There is only sleeping space for four anyway.

If you rent points from a DVC member, you might be able to fit five people in the one bedroom, but you would have to bring your own sleeping materials (aerobed, whatever) for the fifth person and you would only have towels for four.

The Contemporary or Polynesian are both very nice resorts that sleep five very easily. We had five in our Polynesian room on our first trip before we bought our DVC points. Two queen sized beds and a day bed. We stayed in the Contemporary Resort this past summer and it also had two queen beds and a nice sized day bed. GF rooms seemed smaller than either the CR or the PR.

The TA suggested a one bedroom suite at the Grand Floridian or a "2 bedroom" villa at Wilderness Lodge, I don't think a one bedroom DVC villa was recommended to the OP by the agent.

GF room are smaller than the Polynesian or the Contemporary.

 

[CaliforniaDreaming]

Not necessarily true in regards to Conch Key. My uneducated ~guess~ is that the two different two-bedroom suites that my family stayed in at Conch Key ~might~ be able to be reserved as one-bedroom suites (the secondary bedroom would be locked-off). If that is the case, they would only sleep four people since both of their master bedrooms had a king-sized bed and their parlor rooms had a sofa sleeper. Of course, the option might exist to have a rollaway bed set up in the bedroom or parlor room, but that is entirely up to the Grand Floridian. Only they can determine how many people they want occupying their suites.

I hope this helped.

In reality, though, Sago Cay and Conch Key are set up exactly the same in regards to suites. However, these 4 suites in question (2nd & 3rd floor of Sago and Conch), the 2 in Sago are set to be sold as 1BR suites, and the 2 in Conch are set to be sold as 2BR suites. That's just how they have them arranged in inventory, with their own 2 letter codes. Could they easily change their inventory and reflect it in bookings? Sure.

 

[Janet2k]

The two suites that I stayed in inside Conch Key had secondary bedrooms with their own room numbers. That meant the suite could be broken up into two pieces: a one-bedroom suite and a separate resort room. If you saw my recent posting in a thread about suites at the AKL, that was not the case with the two-bedroom suite that I stayed in at that resort. The secondary bedroom in the AKL suite did not have a room number assigned to it. Sure, that two-bedroom suite could still be booked as a one-bedroom suite; however, that second (and separate) bedroom could not be booked by anyone else. That is completely different than the Grand Floridian’s Wekiwa (sp) Suite and Cypress Suite.

I have found that Walt Disney World’s idiosyncrasies are what make vacationing there both fun and frustrating. There is never a dull moment when planning my family’s vacation.

 

[Meezers]

Since you say this is going to be your dream trip....see my signature and countdown....I would have to go with GF. Remember this trip is not just for the children....and having some of the adult amenties of the GF would be a truly memorable experience....especially as suites come with the concierge service and there is SO much you can do with that ( I am having some special deliveries to rooms...they will set up costumes in rooms for the young uns).

No matter what you do I can guarantee there will be second guessing up until the time you check in! Is there any way to do a split stay?

One of the reasons our 3 adult family will not stay in a villa is because Mom would feel the need to do laundry or cook something...hence...not a vacation for her!

 

[ducklite]

Personally, I would recommend a different option to you. As other stated the Villas have many appeals and conveinces but you may also want to consider Beach Club Villas especially if your children love to swim. The pool is it's own water park. You also can walk to Epcot (in about the distance of VWL to the boat for MK) and take a boat to MGM.

Just my 2 cents

Based ont eh childerns ages, I would not suggest BCV--Storm Along Bay is too large to really keep track of younger kids in. And they aren't allowed to wear a life jacket down the slide. Boardwalk Villas or Wilderness Lodge would be better choices if you're basing teh decision on the pool IMHO. BWV are a little bit larger than SSR, BCV, and VWL.

Anne