Grand villas...never stayed in one, got questions

[jimmytammy]

We are hoping to book a Grand Villa within the next couple yrs and looking for some feedback.
It will be 11, possibly 12 of us, and we are currently looking at OKW as the choice. But we are open to Grand Villas at other resorts as well. We currently own pts at Wilderness Lodge(not the new resort)and also BWV.

Please share any thoughts or input to help us decide which resort to stay. We also have to factor in the 11/7 mos window and how likely we can get what we want.

 

[crisi]

We've stayed in a BW Grand Villa (the one level) Very nice, but the most we've had in it is six. Its set up to be pretty much six units in size - a Master bedroom, two units worth of living space, one unit worth of kitchen and dining space, and then two bedrooms. The laundry room is huge.

If you have more than ten, you have the sleeper sofa going in the living space.

The kitchen is a little cramped, and the dining room table only seats eight - so with a big group you'll be using the counter and the living spaces if you all eat at once.

Its hard to get at seven month, so you'd want to save your BW points.

 

[BillPA]

We have many stays at OKW in GVs. Lots of space on the main floor, LR with Q sofa, twin Sleep Chair, love seat, table with 4 chairs ( the kids table). Dining area with large table and 8 chairs, full kitchen, large laundry room with full size W & D. Also on the main floor is the master with King bed, large bath w/2 person jetted tub, in the hall to the MBR is a bath w/shower. I nice large patio/balcony with a big round table, 4 chairs, ceiling fan and light. Upstairs are 2 BR each with their own bathroom. 1 has 2 Q beds, the other 2 Double beds. NOTE: all but a few you enter on the 2nd floor, so if you have any one with problems using stairs, request the H.A. units.
Youtube videos,
NOTE: OKW will have a full referb starting this summer and will last about 2 years. The new décor will most likely be different than o this video.
BWV GV:

OKW GV pt 1:

OKW GV pt 2:

 

[DenLo]

If you can afford the points I would consider a VGF grand villa. The dining room seats 10 plus there are 3 stools at the kitchen counter nearby, so all can dine at the same time. Since there is a room for TV watching with a pullout couch, there is no need for anyone to sleep in the living room, there are no pullout couches in the living room. It is all on one floor.

The second GV to consider is at BLT, it has an extra pullout bed in the loft so the sleeping arrangements are more flexible since it has beds to sleep 14 even though like the other resorts it is limited to 12. Also the second floor can be reached via elevator so people coming or going from each floor will not disturb those on the other floor.

The CCV one might be pretty nice too. However, I might consider 2 cabins at CCV instead that are next to each other for your family gathering.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

What month are you looking to do this Jimmy? That helps with what might possibly be available.

We've done one GV stay -at Jambo - and I'd easily recommend it if filling it up with 11 or 12. There are 4 baths so the ones sleeping in the living area will have their own too, and 3 large balconies. And the dining table is big enough for everyone.

Kidani or BLT both have a sleeper in the space at the top of the stairs so it gives flexibility in sleeping arrangements. They would be my second choices. Well, VGF is up there too but point requirements are higher. There is the media room there that has a sleeper sofa so almost like getting a 4 bedroom. The new CCV GVs look great. SSR would be my last - 3 baths and one small balcony from what the layouts show and the pics and reports I've seen state.

 

[disneynutz]

If you are booking at 7 months, availability of lack there of will be your deciding factor.

Bill

 

[Deb & Bill]

SSR might have better availability

 

[drbayside]

We are hoping to book a Grand Villa within the next couple yrs and looking for some feedback.
It will be 11, possibly 12 of us, and we are currently looking at OKW as the choice. But we are open to Grand Villas at other resorts as well. We currently own pts at Wilderness Lodge(not the new resort)and also BWV.

Please share any thoughts or input to help us decide which resort to stay. We also have to factor in the 11/7 mos window and how likely we can get what we want.

Grand villas we stayed at are: AKL several times - the one with and without the pool table - very large - great balcony's overlooking animals. Also stayed at OKW, SSR, and BLT. We like BLT because it's on the Monorail (large grand villa). Although you can walk to back of EPCOT from OKW. We are local and do a lot of Staycations and don't always go to the parks. If you ever go with less than 12 - Polynesian Bungalows are incredible. We've stayed there twice now and my daughter just stayed there with her friends for her 21st - they (like most of the locals) went around the World (Epcot) for 21st birthday and since it's at Polynesian Resort they have the monorail. I guess my least favorite would be SSR Resort, We love the size of the Grand Villas, usually available like previous post (Deb & Bill) mentioned, but it's so remote from everything.

 

[las3888]

Availability will be your issue. OKW is actually tough to get because it is a bargain as far as GV's go...but it all depends

 

[jimmytammy]

Thanks for all the replies!!
KAT, to answer your question about when we are going, we aren't sure right now My BIL will be retiring next year about this time from the AF and we will probably wait until they get settled into the next faze in life before we decide a time. Also, they have 3 littles still in school so that will factor in as well. We felt like we could at least get the ball rolling and start experimenting with points and such. We have enough pts to make it happen at VWL(or whatever they are calling it these days)but alas, as we all know, no GVs at the ol place. We may could swing it at BWV if we can bank and borrow, but it really depends on time of year. Decisions, decisions

 

[Donna M]

BWV have always been full when we tried for them since there are only 6.

 

[jekjones1558]

BWV have always been full when we tried for them since there are only 6.

There are 7 BWV GVs. 5 are 1-story and 2 are 2-story.