Grand Floridian Big Pine Key Studio Was Eh

[CarolynFH]

Thank you. We are considering Poly DVC. I’ve heard that the Tower isn’t as nice as the OG long buildings? Is this true?

I'm surprised by this - the Tower is brand new and, by everything I've read, beautiful! Can you elaborate on what "isn't as nice" refers to - is it the bathroom setup in the studios, the finishes, or what?

 

[Mirabell Rose]

Thank you. We are considering Poly DVC. I’ve heard that the Tower isn’t as nice as the OG long buildings? Is this true?

IMO the tower is stunning. The longhouses only have studios for DVC. The longhouse studios are plainer, and they don’t have dishwashers or real dishes and silverware. But the longhouses have large studios that sleep 5, versus 4 in the tower studios. I think it’s a beautiful resort. I would have liked to buy there, but I just struggle with how high the points charts are, and both my direct and resale contracts work for Poly at 7 months. So we will do stays every few years when we can snag one at 7 months.

 

[Dakota731]

IMO the tower is stunning. The longhouses only have studios for DVC. The longhouse studios are plainer, and they don’t have dishwashers or real dishes and silverware. But the longhouses have large studios that sleep 5, versus 4 in the tower studios. I think it’s a beautiful resort. I would have liked to buy there, but I just struggle with how high the points charts are, and both my direct and resale contracts work for Poly at 7 months. So we will do stays every few years when we can snag one at 7 months.

Thanks for the info! I’ve heard it gets very crowded/congested more so than other resorts - is this the case? I’m trying to justify the higher amount of points so want to make sure it’s special enough for the extra money!

 

[Girlstar30]

Thanks for the info! I’ve heard it gets very crowded/congested more so than other resorts - is this the case? I’m trying to justify the higher amount of points so want to make sure it’s special enough for the extra money!

It is very crowded but so is og poly.

 

[Anthony1971]

Thanks for the info! I’ve heard it gets very crowded/congested more so than other resorts - is this the case? I’m trying to justify the higher amount of points so want to make sure it’s special enough for the extra money!

Personally as far as crowded. The morning and nights-more so the nights can be as many come to dine and see the fireworks from the Beach. The rest of the day is fine and even during these times there are many parts of the resort that you will not see other people. For the fireworks we watch them from the pool as CM will be around to check for those not staying at the resort and we have always found a nice laying chair with a view, the music for the fireworks is played throughout. Out of all the resorts we find Poly to be the most worth for points. But we like theming, Both Poly and WL are huge wins in this area as is AKL but I consider that more of a destination. Jambo also gets crowded for both breakfast and Dinner.

 

[sndral]

Personally as far as crowded. The morning and nights-more so the nights can be as many come to dine and see the fireworks from the Beach. The rest of the day is fine and even during these times there are many parts of the resort that you will not see other people. For the fireworks we watch them from the pool as CM will be around to check for those not staying at the resort and we have always found a nice laying chair with a view, the music for the fireworks is played throughout. Out of all the resorts we find Poly to be the most worth for points. But we like theming, Both Poly and WL are huge wins in this area as is AKL but I consider that more of a destination. Jambo also gets crowded for both breakfast and Dinner.

Interesting analysis. I tend to visit the Poly for meals (walk over from the GF villas building) & the main lobby feels very crowded then IME, much like the GF & BC lobbies get crowded at meal times. PIT is so new it’s hard to predict how crowded it will be. We ate at Wailua mid day & it didn’t seem too bad - there were a lot of folks checking out the new area, but I expect that foot traffic will go down over time.
I’ve never noticed crowding due to restaurants in the AKL Jambo lobby, the podiums for Jambo’s restaurants (Boma & Jiko) are located on the first floor & don’t seem to spill over into the lobby on the second floor IME. It is crowded in that first floor podium area though.

 

[bbn1122]

Staying at RIV for the 3rd time this June. It is my favorite resort, I travel solo or with adults, kids are all grown.

RIV main living area is huge in the 1 & 2 bedrooms. I will be trying a deluxe studio for the first time.

I had the pleasure of staying at the VGF Resort Studios when they first open in summer of 2022. I though it was lovely and I received a lot of pixie dust on my first solo trip. So, I have a real soft spot for GF & VGF.

I also have stayed at VGF in a 2 bedroom. GF is goregous, it just gets a lot of non-guest with all the restaurants and folks just wanting to check it out. Probably proximity to MK and being on the monorail.

While RIV is quieter and I love the Skyliner. RIV is my favorite resort. I love that it is hotel type building and only DVC,

But everyone is different and that is what makes DVC great!

 

[bookbabe626]

@sagosto
Do you remember what type of coffee maker you had in your BPK studio? Was it a Keurig, or one of the flat pod coffee makers? Thanks!

 

[muppets3d]

@sagosto
Do you remember what type of coffee maker you had in your BPK studio? Was it a Keurig, or one of the flat pod coffee makers? Thanks!

It’s keurig

 

[bookbabe626]

It’s keurig

In the Big Pine Key studios? How recent was that stay? All the online videos show a flat pod machine, so I’m hoping that’s a recent change.

 

[Sandisw]

In the Big Pine Key studios? How recent was that stay? All the online videos show a flat pod machine, so I’m hoping that’s a recent change.

I had the flat pods in January.

 

[muppets3d]

When did they switch to flat pods? I was in BPK in 2023 just as the resort was selling out, and it was a single-serve Keurig, and I was in the original Villas building in January and it was also a single-serve Keurig. I'm staying in BPK in July and I'll be disappointed if it's flat pods, I prefer keurig. I may bring a small Keurig machine with me. I thought the flat pods were a value resort thing, I figured DVC was all 12-cup or Keurig.

 

[bookbabe626]

When did they switch to flat pods? I was in BPK in 2023 just as the resort was selling out, and it was a single-serve Keurig, and I was in the original Villas building in January and it was also a single-serve Keurig. I'm staying in BPK in July and I'll be disappointed if it's flat pods, I prefer keurig. I may bring a small Keurig machine with me. I thought the flat pods were a value resort thing, I figured DVC was all 12-cup or Keurig.

No idea when they switched, but recent reports have all been that they were flat pod machines, which is why your Keurig answer threw me off. I was just hoping that they’d given up on what seems to me a downgrade from a Keurig at what’s supposedly their flagship resort.

In the interests of self promotion, to see what coffee makers are where, my Ultimate Thread is here:

Thread 'In-room Coffee makers, the Ultimate Thread'

Sep 7, 2024

Okay, so I know there are dozens of threads on “what type of coffee maker is at X” but I am hoping people will help me out with creating an Ultimate thread listing all the resorts’ coffeemakers to consolidate all the info.

Please post what kind of coffee maker you had, ideally recent, at least since the last refurb at that resort, and post a pic if you have one.

Example:
YC/BC have regular Keurig machines in the regular and club rooms, may also have a Nespresso in bigger suites
BCV have Keurig duos (pot and single cup) in the 1 bedroom villas and up. Not sure what the BCV studios have...

• bookbabe626
• Replies: 104
• Forum: Disney Resorts

• 

 

[matt and beth]

We were just there and it was flat pods. It was a double serve if wanted. Honestly, it tasted better than the plastic chemical taste you get.

 

[muppets3d]

Seems like this is the only DVC building to use flat pods. Why? Odd.

 

[walt34]

Seems like this is the only DVC building to use flat pods. Why? Odd.

Maybe it has to do with the limitations of the electrical installation? People wanted microwaves so they installed those but had to remove the Keurig?