Home Away From Home?

[Kimkimba]

Hi. I currently have reservations for the Poly concierge level in September. I've been reading the boards and some not so great stuff about the Poly so I was wondering if maybe I should change my reservations.
We have a family of four - my daughter is 13 and my son is 4. We are somewhat of homebodies. I was thinking of maybe a home away from home but would I feel like I wasn't on vacation? Do these have maid service (I do enough housework at home)? The price for a one bedroom is similar to what I am paying for GV Poly Concierge so cost is not the factor here.
Advice from those who have stayed? Thanks much.

 

[SueM in MN]

We are DVC members at OKW, so I can help you out. The Home Away from Home resorts do feel like being in a house or apartment rather than a hotel room. It's nice to have a great room where you can relax on a real couch, in a room without a bed. You can keep things to drink (even just ice water) in your refrigerator, which is really nice. And you can make coffee any time you want.
The rooms are bigger than a regular hotel room, so much more comfortable.
DVC members get limited housekeeping, so if you rent from a member, that's what you will get. Although some people think they won't like this, most people find it is not much of a problem. Many actually find it nice because you don't have to worry about getting out of your room by a certain time for housekeeping to come.
If you are renting from Disney, you will get the same level of housekeeping that you get in any delux resort.

 

[minster22]

If you are paying for your "Home Away From Home" with cash and not using points for your stay you will have maid service daily.Whenever we have stayed at the Boardwalk Villas we do not "cook" but it sure is nice to have your coffee while you get ready, maybe some fruit, cereal or something very simple for breakfast before leaving your room. It definately feels like vacation, looks like vacation and sounds like vacation....I love hearing the Friendship boats blow their horns!! I have to admit I am very partial to this whole Epcot/Boardwalk area and would always choose a 1 bedroom Villa over concierge anyday...that is me though I am sure others would feel differently.

 

[PamOKW]

but would I feel like I wasn't on vacation

Well, maybe not vacation, maybe more like a millionaire who just moved into WDW. Staying through Disney there is no difference in the level of service -- you get the full maid service treatment which, in a one-bedroom, amounts to cleaning a house every day.

The amount of space and luxury can spoil you. The only meal I might cook is breakfast -- so that I can have my eggs the way I like them. It's great to stock the fridge with the drinks and snacks we enjoy. The whirlpool bath more than evens out any Concierge lounge benefit in my mind.

I know Concierge can be very nice and has a lot of benefits. But, the luxury of living in a one-bedroom and up is a resort experience that is hard to describe.

 

[twinmomto3boys]

2 really good reasons to stay in a villa: WASHER and DRYER!

We have stayed in a Poly consierge room and last January we stayed in a villa at the WL. Now we are thinking of buying DVC points. The rooms are ten times nicer than at the Poly. And yes, it still feels like you are staying at a resort - just more room! There are more drawers, more counter space in the bathrooms and you do not need to make room for dirty clothes. Also, the children can eat breakfast in the morning and watch TV while you finish getting ready to go.

 

[Kimkimba]

Thanks for the replies. I'm going to check out these options over the weekend. I think my dh would like this much better (although my teen daughter is saying "don't ruin it!"

 

[Crowsie]

Try looking at the camping board to check out more information on Ft Wilderness.
We stayed there and loved every second of it...it was extremely private, we had a
deck with a picnic table. When you were out on the deck you never say anyone else because the decks don't face each other.
We did cook...every meal....and saved a ton on money. I had all of our dry goods shipped to the resort and when we arrived all I had to buy was dairy and produce.
I even carried all our meat (steaks, chicken etc) on the plane - frozen - in a roller cooler. You'll want a rental car to make getting to the parks easier..and renting a golf cart to get around the resort is a must!

 

[cottontail]

Hi:

I cannot afford a two bedroom villa, so we would have to make do with a one bedroom, but I have a daughter and son who will not sleep in the same bed, so if the one bedroom has a bed in the bedroom and a sleeper sofa in the livingroom, do they have rollaways? There must be others with this problem, who like to solve it without going to the expense of a two bedroom as nice as they are.

Deb.

 

[Richyams]

No roll aways in any DVC resort.

You can bring a blow up mattress.

 

[Disneydenise]

What are your concerns ove the Poly? We have always enjoyed it and have had wonderful rooms and views. I have stayed there 10 times in the last 16 years. OKW is a great resort and I do love the size of the one bedroom. My children have gotten too big to sleep together so a one bedroom is not an option any more for us. A four year old would probably be fine with sleeping on an air mattress. Our children liked the idea of having a porch and the seperate TV in the living room. I didn't cook at all but it was very nice to have snacks and a freezer for water bottles. I liked the coffee maker too. I thought it was hysterical that they had a fully equipped kitchen for me. The funniest thing was the cake mixer. I don't bake a cake at home. OKW is a wonderful resort and I would love to saty there again but I will always love the Poly too.

 

[Disneydenise]

What are your concerns ove the Poly? We have always enjoyed it and have had wonderful rooms and views. I have stayed there 10 times in the last 16 years. OKW is a great resort and I do love the size of the one bedroom. My children have gotten too big to sleep together so a one bedroom is not an option any more for us. A four year old would probably be fine with sleeping on an air mattress. Our children liked the idea of having a porch and the seperate TV in the living room. I didn't cook at all but it was very nice to have snacks and a freezer for water bottles. I liked the coffee maker too. I thought it was hysterical that they had a fully equipped kitchen for me. The funniest thing was the cake mixer. I don't bake a cake at home. OKW is a wonderful resort and I would love to stay there again but I will always love the Poly too.

 

[DiznEeyore]

We love the DVC villas. It's so nice having the extra space, the washer & dryer, the kitchen and the whirlpool tub!

That being said, we also adore the Poly. The grounds are so beautiful, and the resort is so relaxing. We've stayed there twice, and definitely want to again.

I don't think you'd go wrong with either choice.

 

[DebbieB]

I have a friend who has 2 sons who will not sleep together. One takes the sofa bed and one takes the cushions off the sofa and sleeps on the floor on them (7 year old).

I've been a DVC member for over 2 years and love it! A 1 bedroom is way better than a regular room. Warning - you will not want to go back to a regular room. It's so nice to have all that room to stretch out. Plus 2 TV's! Housekeeping is not a big deal to us. I think most members agree that you get used to it and like the fact that no one is in the room. You can always pay for housekeeping. It's $25 for a studio, $30 1 bedroom, $40 2 bedroom, $60 grand villa. That's per day. You don't have to get it everyday, you could have them come in once during the middle of your stay. Again, if you are paying like a regular room (not on points), daily housekeeping is included.