Grand Floridian

[Sharon Mayberry]

Thoughts on the rooms at the Villas or Big Pine Key building ? I know the Villas are a little further away , but are the Villas newer ? Which would you recommend ? Thank you.

 

[The Jackal]

I’m pretty sure BPK was redone after the Villas got refurbished. They are completely different rooms. BPK has no kitchenette and has 2 regular queen beds and a single bathroom, the room is also little larger. Villas has a kitchenette, Murphy couch bed and a split bathroom with 2 places to shower. Both only have 1 toilet.

 

[lowlight]

BPK location is better, but it’s just a hotel room. If that’s what you want, that’s fine. The noise level between rooms at BPK is basically, imagine having walls made of paper mache.

 

[CarolMN]

The noise level between rooms at BPK is basically, imagine having walls made of paper mache.

You are not the only one who has had noise issues at BPK. However, we've stayed there twice now and have not had any issues with noise and we spend more time than most in the room. My belief is that noise has a lot more to do with your neighbors than the construction.

FWIW, we prefer the BPK resort studios over the deluxe studios in the original building, so no need to worry about us competing with anyone for the deluxe option. My guess is that there are more of us in that category than some may think.

 

[Sandisw]

We prefer the villas when doing a studio. It’s slightly longer but you can get from them to the main building under cover if raining. Can’t do that with BPK.

Plus, we like having the couch face the TV and the real kitchenette, plus split bath.

But, I know plenty who really like the two actual beds.

 

[lowlight]

You are not the only one who has had noise issues at BPK. However, we've stayed there twice now and have not had any issues with noise and we spend more time than most in the room. My belief is that noise has a lot more to do with your neighbors than the construction.

My concern is actually more for myself than my neighbors. Having a bunch of preschool kids, things get loud no matter how hard you parent. It’s stressful for me to worry about being “that neighbor” and disrupting someone else’s vacation, and at places like Riviera and BLT you don’t have to worry, but at BPK I felt like I was in my neighbors room, so I can only imagine how they felt.

 

[Debbie Jean]

You are not the only one who has had noise issues at BPK. However, we've stayed there twice now and have not had any issues with noise and we spend more time than most in the room. My belief is that noise has a lot more to do with your neighbors than the construction.

FWIW, we prefer the BPK resort studios over the deluxe studios in the original building, so no need to worry about us competing with anyone for the deluxe option. My guess is that there are more of us in that category than some may think.

I agree with you, Sue. I also prefer the resort studios… even traveling solo… like the location and have never had issues with noise.

BTW, while there is no kitchenette in the resort studios, there is a keurig, beverage refrigerator and microwave.

 

[Judique]

I agree with you, Sue. I also prefer the resort studios… even traveling solo… like the location and have never had issues with noise.

BTW, while there is no kitchenette in the resort studios, there is a keurig, beverage refrigerator and microwave.

Thanks for mentioning the microwave! We are staying in March and I have stayed before and couldn't remember if there was a microwave. Saves me the trouble of looking for a youtube video.

We had no noise issues. I liked the room and I also like the deluxe studios. The resort studios have the edge in actual space. Large bathroom. We had the water view but this time I've got resort standard view to save the points. Actually booked the water view first and then added a night.

 

[tidefan]

You are not the only one who has had noise issues at BPK. However, we've stayed there twice now and have not had any issues with noise and we spend more time than most in the room. My belief is that noise has a lot more to do with your neighbors than the construction.

FWIW, we prefer the BPK resort studios over the deluxe studios in the original building, so no need to worry about us competing with anyone for the deluxe option. My guess is that there are more of us in that category than some may think.

We are the opposite. Love the original Deluxe Studios but have no desire for the hotel rooms.

 

[sndral]

The resort studios are converted hotel rooms in the Big Pine Key building, that building was constructed as part of the Grand Floridian resort which opened in 1988. The DVC Grand Floridian Villas building was a new construction that opened in 2013, so in that sense the villas building is newer than BPK. BPK’s conversion to DVC happened in 2022, but it wasn’t a gut and redo like the Poly conversion, it was more of an update. They also refurbed the villas building in 2022.
I stayed a couple of nights at BPK at the end of 2022 & was surprised at how convenient the location was - I loved its‘ central location. I didn‘t notice any noise issues & in the years before DVC, when BPK was hotel rooms, I don’t recall reports of excessive noise. I’ve not stayed in a villas studio (we like 1 br.s) so can’t comment on studio layout differences.

 

[Debbie Jean]

Thanks for mentioning the microwave! We are staying in March and I have stayed before and couldn't remember if there was a microwave. Saves me the trouble of looking for a youtube video.

We had no noise issues. I liked the room and I also like the deluxe studios. The resort studios have the edge in actual space. Large bathroom. We had the water view but this time I've got resort standard view to save the points. Actually booked the water view first and then added a night.

My microwave was on a small table by the balcony doors. I had a standard view accessible so I don’t know whether that is true for all resort studios. Really appreciated having it, for sure!

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Thoughts on the rooms at the Villas or Big Pine Key building ? I know the Villas are a little further away , but are the Villas newer ? Which would you recommend ? Thank you.

The original Villas building was refurbed at the same time they were converting BPK to DVC so the age of the decor is virtually identical. As mentioned the original VGF building itself is newer. Completely different layouts so what is preferable might depend on that.

 

[AstroBlasters]

Does anyone have an opinion of if the Lake View is worth the extra points over the Standard View for the 2BDs?

 

[Boardwalk III]

You are not the only one who has had noise issues at BPK. However, we've stayed there twice now and have not had any issues with noise and we spend more time than most in the room. My belief is that noise has a lot more to do with your neighbors than the construction.

FWIW, we prefer the BPK resort studios over the deluxe studios in the original building, so no need to worry about us competing with anyone for the deluxe option. My guess is that there are more of us in that category than some may think.

Same, on all fronts! Love the BPK rooms, and purchased our first add-on at VGF (after 20 years at BWV) because of these rooms. The decor, the size, the two beds, and especially how close they are to the quieter pool and GF main lobby are all wins for us. I am even doing my first ever 2-night solo stay next month at BPK before meeting up with family at BWV .

I’ve also stayed twice and never had a noise problem. But in the event that I do, I understand placing a towel on the floor between the connecting doors can be a good fix.

 

[js]

We prefer the villas when doing a studio. It’s slightly longer but you can get from them to the main building under cover if raining. Can’t do that with BPK.

Plus, we like having the couch face the TV and the real kitchenette, plus split bath.

But, I know plenty who really like the two actual beds.

Wow and thank you.
I was thinking about the next time I go with my mom to try BPK since there are two dedicated beds, but I do LOVE being in the villa section. Not having the cover if raining and not having the beds/couch face tv is a big deal since we do like to watch tv at night. I don't mind the pull out but I thought it may be nice to do something different but I'm not going to book BPK if the tv doesn't face beds/couch or the covers.

Thank you.

 

[Sandisw]

Wow and thank you.
I was thinking about the next time I go with my mom to try BPK since there are two dedicated beds, but I do LOVE being in the villa section. Not having the cover if raining and not having the beds/couch face tv is a big deal since we do like to watch tv at night. I don't mind the pull out but I thought it may be nice to do something different but I'm not going to book BPK if the tv doesn't face beds/couch or the covers.

Thank you.

TV faces the beds. But not the couch and when we do watch TV, we do like to sit on the couch!

 

[sndral]

Does anyone have an opinion of if the Lake View is worth the extra points over the Standard View for the 2BDs?

Post 3 on page 1 of this thread https://www.disboards.com/threads/t...idian-resort-spa-owners-lovers-group.3813125/ has links to standard/lake views. I tend to book standard to save points. The lake views are a bit more serene IMO, but in my mind it’s basically a question of do you want to see the Poly over the lake or the GF not over the lake.

 

[grahf1234]

Wow and thank you.
I was thinking about the next time I go with my mom to try BPK since there are two dedicated beds, but I do LOVE being in the villa section. Not having the cover if raining and not having the beds/couch face tv is a big deal since we do like to watch tv at night. I don't mind the pull out but I thought it may be nice to do something different but I'm not going to book BPK if the tv doesn't face beds/couch or the covers.

Thank you.

If you're lucky and get a request for one of the few turret rooms in BPK granted, then you can end up with a bigger room that has a couch and a chair facing a second TV!

 

[lizdis1]

Does anyone have an opinion of if the Lake View is worth the extra points over the Standard View for the 2BDs?

I have done both and like a standard view on a high floor just as well if not better than the lake view. The boat horn can be loud, but I have learned to always use a light white noise machine at any hotel.

 

[Disney Spaz]

We really enjoyed our stay in the Resort studios last year. Without a kitchen it makes a huge difference being closer to Gasparilla's. Our VGF are meant for a 1 bdrm in the OG building but we have extra's when we added on and went with BPK std studio and have zero regrets. Our DD is usually content with the Murphy beds but she very much appreciated the real bed in BPK. We have now agreed any studio trips to VGF are in BPK. That being said if we didn't need 2 beds we may go back to the OG building because of the couch and facing the TV so we didn't have to watch TV in bed, but we DD around it will be years before we are there.

Either choice I think you will be happy.