help us compare DVC resort to POR

[gingersnapacosta]

We fell in LOVE with POR this past trip and we would like to know what your feelings are on a DVC resort that is comparable to the POR, if there are any.

Thanks much!

Ginger in Texas

 

[BoomNLeon]

Love POR and just bought into Bay Lake Tower, so love that, too.

POR vs. DVC - that depends on your needs. POR has great theming and cast, but DVC resorts offer kitchen facilities, in room washer/dryer facilities and extra space. Both are great. How many people are traveling with you? What are your dining needs? How long will you be in WDW? So many questions....

 

[Meriweather]

Love POR.....it has always been our favorite. We stayed there at least 7 times before buying DVC.
We chose to buy a resale at OKW because it had the closest feel to POR. It is different as far as the roads running through it, but we love the feel and themeing of it....and the boat to DtD.
We go to POR sometimes still to just walk around.

 

[WebmasterDoc]

It might help if you described what you like about POR. There are certainly similar themes and landscaping at some of the DVC resorts, but DVC resorts will all have Queen beds instead of doubles in the studios and King beds in the larger accommodations (1BR, 2BR, GVs). DVC resorts will also have at least a kitchenette (fridge, microwave) in Studios and full kitchens including full size fridge, stove/oven, dishwasher, clothes washer/dryer and there will be a jacuzzi tub in the master BR of 1, 2 and 3BR villas.

There are definitely similar options to POR, but in most cases you may also find that all DVC resorts will be an upgrade to your POR experiences.

Enjoy!

 

[Mickey'sApprentice]

I hear ya! POR is a great resort, with a great feel to it.

I've not stayed in the condo style DVC resorts so I can't comment on that. Many of the DVC resorts, such as Wilderness Lodge have beautiful facilities. The WL lobby will take your breath away.

However, the actual rooms are so much roomier, with such better amenities at the DVC resorts.

Since we drive, we still stay at POR on our night in and night out to save points on expensive weekend nights.

You may want to check out the treehouse villas.

 

[3amigos]

We also love POR and feel the same way about SSR similar feel IMHO.

 

[Flyerfan]

We've always loved POR. I agree with Meriweather...OKW is the closest in comparison. Our home is SSR and we love the sprawled out nature of that resort also. We loved to stroll the grounds at POR and that's what we love about SSR. But as far as the rooms go, any DVC room (especially 1BR or larger) is better than the rooms at POR.

 

[Sammie]

The only thing I can think of that we miss at DVC resorts over the moderates is the food court area.

You will not find a food court at any DVC simliar to what POR offers. What DVC does best are the villas that are one bedroom, two bedroom or Grand Villas.

I am not overly impressed in staying in a studio over a regular resort room, even with the microwave and minifrig. We went to WDW often for 13 years before buying DVC and we loved POR and CSR and the deluxe resorts. We bought DVC for the 2 bedrooms. If we did not need the 2 bedrooms, we would be content to stay at POR for our trips.

I would agree that if you like the open areas and walking areas of POR, that OKW would be a good fit.

 

[InTheBubble]

We fell in LOVE with POR this past trip and we would like to know what your feelings are on a DVC resort that is comparable to the POR, if there are any.

Thanks much!

Ginger in Texas

It was our stay at POR that put the DVC idea in our heads in the first place. It was our first stay at a moderate and we loved it! The only DVC we have stayed at so far is SSR. It's kind of an apples and oranges comparison because the theme is very different, but it was a great experience as well. Having a balcony and a kitchen is a nice plus. We'll be checking out OKW in Oct. and AKV(our home) in Feb.

 

[rutgers1]

We actually decided to buy into DVC while staying at our favorite Disney hotel, which happens to be POR. I know this might sound crazy to some of the people here who only stay at the deluxe hotels, but I would prefer to stay at POR more than any Disney hotel (including the deluxe hotels). I just love the whole look and feel of the entire place. Although it might be nice if the rooms were bigger, I can't find a single thing that I don't like about the resort.

With that said, when I took the tour of SSR, the thing that struck me was the sprawling nature of the grounds, which to me was a plus. We love to walk the grounds and feel like we are truly at a large resort. We felt that at SSR. In fact, if I had toured a hotel-like (big box) DVC like the Wilderness Lodge (which I like, but do not love), we might not have bought into DVC. For us, we need to move around during our trip and explore every nook and cranny of the resort.

As for the main difference between DVC and a place like POR, I think it is the overall amount of things offered. The main ones have been mentioned here already. In the end, though, if you aren't in desperate need of more room, then I think the decision might come down to what it was for us --- joining DVC to forge a closer connection to our favorite vacation destination. Some of our friends have beach houses, and for us, Disney is our equivalent of having a beach house. We wanted that sense of ownership, even if we can't afford an actual house near the mouse.

We are staying at SSR for the first time in August. I am hoping we can recapture the magic that we always had at POR. If not, I think we'll find an excuse to spend a few nights there someday.

 

[gingersnapacosta]

Thank you all so much for your input....wonderful information!!!

We can't put our finger on just one thing that we fell in love with at POR, but I would have to say after doing some searching, I was seeing the OKW and the SSR as a close match for the POR, and you have all confirmed it for us.

I eventually hope to be able to stay at each and every DVC resort, but wanting to do my homework before buying, I was looking for opinions on what my home resort should be and you have all given me the confirmation that I was hoping for! Thank you all so much....now I just need to find the money to buy without doing a home equity!!

Many thanks!
Ginger in Texas

 

[Flyerfan]

We actually decided to buy into DVC while staying at our favorite Disney hotel, which happens to be POR.

We are staying at SSR for the first time in August. I am hoping we can recapture the magic that we always had at POR. If not, I think we'll find an excuse to spend a few nights there someday.

We did too, sort of. We took the tour while staying at POR and discussed our options while taking a walk around the grounds that night. We didn't buy at that point but 1-1/2 yrs later took the plunge. I tell you, I love to walk and SSR is fantastic for walking. For the most part, the walkways are not along the roadways as at OKW, even though I like it there too. But SSR wins this one for me. I think you will love SSR.

 

[Bill K]

Dixie's Landing was a fav of ours before dvc and it being devoured by PO. Just can't argue room size!!!!

 

[starbox]

The only thing I can think of that we miss at DVC resorts over the moderates is the food court area.

For us, this is a big thing that we still miss. We love the mods - main three reasons were whimsical and elaborately themed "fun" pools (Aztec temple at CSR, pirate ship pool at CBR, Mardi Gras at POR) - I think most of the deluxe pools just don't have the whimsy of the moderates. We also liked not sharing busses and having multiple stops so that there was always a stop near the room. And the food court style/CS dining options at mods can't be beat.

Overall resort ameneties are better at deluxes - rooms are nicer, TS tends to be better, resort themeing and service is better.

That said - here's how the DVCs stack up in terms of what the moderates do best:

OKW - Bus service? not shared, multiple stops Whimsical pool area? there's a sandcastle slide
CS dining? AWFUL - a to-go window with no indoor seating.

SSR - Bus service? not shared, multiple stops Whimsical pool area? there is a water play area, but it's small. CS dining - Yes, with a limited menu. Plenty of indoor seating.

VWL - Bus service? not shared, single stop Whimsical pool area? Nice, but not whimsical (themed like a state park). CS dining - Yes, with a limited menu. Plenty of indoor seating.

BWV - Bus service? Shared with Swan/Dolphin and sometimes Yacht/Beach (but to AK) Whimsical pool area? Yes - circus/carnival theme CS dining - AWFUL - to go-style, no indoor seating, very limited menu

BCV - Bus Service? Often shared, depending on destination. Whimiscal pool area? THE MOST WHIMSICAL POOL IN DISNEY! Sand bottom, Shipwreck water slide, multiple water features. CS dining - to-go windows only, limited indoor seating, limited menu

AKV - Bus Service - Jambo/Kidani share a bus Whimsical pool area? Not at Jambo, Kidani has a whimsical pool with an interactive water area themed like an African camp CS dining - good variety and plenty of indoor searing at Jambo - NONE at Kidani.

 

[jekjones1558]

It is fun to read about other DVCers who love POR. We have owned DVC for 10 years and use our DVC 3 or 4 times a year on average. Every trip we still make a stop at POR for old times sake. We often have a meal at the POR food court or take the boat to DTD. It brings back many happy memories of our stays at Alligator Bayou and Magnolia Bend.
Unlike most of the other posters here, we own most of our points at BWV. It does not have the same feel as POR but we always liked the activity around POR and that is what we also enjoy at BWV. We also own at OKW and agree that the grounds have a similar feel to POR. One real advantage of DVC studios over POR rooms is the fact that they have one queen bed and a sofa, which we much prefer to 2 beds. (OKW is the exception--those studios do not have a sofa but have 2 queens instead.) We just don't like having to sit on a bed to watch TV or read. Units larger than a studio are, of course, much superior to POR rooms, and that is where the real advantage of DVC lies.
Good luck in your decision making. Each DVC resort has its own unique advantages. If you can take a day during a WDW trip to visit the various DVC resorts you will probably get a better idea of which feels right to you. Happy hunting!

 

[Mickey'sApprentice]

Since OP is from Texas, I'll say...part of the reason that I like POR is the good 'ol Southern charm.

Those bridges remind me of the bridges that were still around when I was a very small child. The natural landscaping of the Alligator Bayou is so natural.

Plus, just because SSR and OKW are the most like POR...that doesn't necessarily mean that those will be your choice resort.

Visit the resorts if you can, go to the pictures thread sticky on the DVC Mousecellaneous thread a lot, look at the 360 views of the rooms on the DVC site, and look at the DVC pictures on the allears site.

Lastly, to settle the most POR like debate...I think everyone will agree that the very most POR resort is the Hilton Head Island Resort. If you love POR, you will love visiting Hilton Head and taking day trips to Savannah.