How "deluxe" are the DVC rooms?

[mintwax]

We are seriously considering buying into DVC. For the past few visits (about every other year), we usually stay at the Grand Floridian. We've also stayed at Yacth Club and Polynesian. How do the DVC rooms compare in quality? Are they similarly "deluxe"?

Thanks!

 

[adminjedi]

BCV and Yacht are sister resorts. Same pool, same basic decor, same basic quality. Be aware, you can't get concierge level with DVC at BCV however.
We have experience with both resorts, and are very satisfied with BCV. Love having the 2 bedroom villas for a lot less than cash pricing!

 

[crisi]

Disney Deluxe resorts are not very Deluxe. Disney DVC rooms are a step below the Deluxe rooms. No mousekeeping is a big one. The details are missing.

I haven't been in a Disney Deluxe hotel for several years, but issues with the DVC resorts over other hotels I stay in:

Rooms are much more worn. Linens are not high quality. Bedding in general is very week compared to a Hilton or Hyatt. Towels are not very plush. Matresses tend to be not great.

Lack of room configuration ability - i.e. I can't get a king bed in a studio with DVC - but that's made up for by being able to get a multi room unit for something less than a Disney suite would cost.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I would say that the DVC rooms are on par with what all the Disney Deluxe hotels were approx 3-4 years ago. I haven't stayed at a Deluxe for approx. 3 years but I think some of them have been remodeled and from pics I'd say that many of them are now more updated in comparison.

I've always thought that Deluxe was a little too loosely applied to Disney rooms in comparison with what can be found at other locations in the real world.

 

[vicki_c]

IMO, there is a considerable difference between BC Resort rooms and BCV rooms, since the most recent BC refurb. That doesn't personally bother me, but I don't really think the furnishings are at all comparable.

WL/WLV and AKL/AKV seem closer to the same, to me.

 

[disneynutz]

We are seriously considering buying into DVC. For the past few visits (about every other year), we usually stay at the Grand Floridian. We've also stayed at Yacth Club and Polynesian. How do the DVC rooms compare in quality? Are they similarly "deluxe"?

Thanks!

If you really like the above resorts and aren't willing done grade a little, then DVC might not be for you.

Bill

 

[DeeCee735]

Disney Deluxe resorts are not very Deluxe. Disney DVC rooms are a step below the Deluxe rooms. No mousekeeping is a big one. The details are missing.

I haven't been in a Disney Deluxe hotel for several years, but issues with the DVC resorts over other hotels I stay in:

Rooms are much more worn. Linens are not high quality. Bedding in general is very week compared to a Hilton or Hyatt. Towels are not very plush. Matresses tend to be not great.

Lack of room configuration ability - i.e. I can't get a king bed in a studio with DVC - but that's made up for by being able to get a multi room unit for something less than a Disney suite would cost.

On the mattresses....I have to say we came home and shopped for the closest thing to the Disney king mattress at AKV. We LOVED it and actually bought the closest model to it. It was a Sleepy's, and that's where we went to find the same thing. Just my two cents....
As far as the towels go, I never really like too plush because all the little fibers rub off onto wet skin, and they aren't all that absorbent. I go for a "rougher" towel that does the job the first time....again, just my two cents.

I guess I'm just saying, some of that is just personal preference.

As far as deluxe, whether or not they are more deluxe than the hotels, I can't comment on, as we haven't stayed in a WDW hotel in 10 years, but the fact that a hotel room is just a hotel room and a villa offers so much more, we prefer the villas, they are more "homey", albeit, not so much "deluxe".

To each his own, and if you're in Disney, heck, that's a GOOD thing!

 

[Deb & Bill]

The bed sheets, pillows and towels are the same you see at the deluxe resorts and in the in-room catelog for sale. Most of the beds are pillowtops.

But DVC is a timeshare and the rooms have a higher occupancy than many of the deluxe resorts. If you are seeking concierge service in a DVC resort, only AKV has any concierge villas and they are limited in number - they require booking at 11 months out and you must have AKV points to do that. Those five two bedroom lockoffs don't have the best views, but they do have access to the lounge, turn down service and daily cleaning.

The best way to see what they are like it to take the tour.

 

[vicki_c]

The bed sheets, pillows and towels are the same you see at the deluxe resorts and in the in-room catelog for sale. Most of the beds are pillowtops.

Are you sure of that for BC/BCV - the furnishings in our BC room (12/08) seemed way way nicer than the BCV (12/08 and 1/10) - only the bedding though - I don't remember anything about the towels and pillows. Maybe it's the duvet / comforter that my memory is focusing on.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Are you sure of that for BC/BCV - the furnishings in our BC room (12/08) seemed way way nicer than the BCV (12/08 and 1/10) - only the bedding though - I don't remember anything about the towels and pillows. Maybe it's the duvet / comforter that my memory is focusing on.

Everyonce in a while, a stray one will show up. But for the most part for the last few years, they have been using the ones they show for sale. The Disney Collection.

 

[shreked]

What/where is yellowstone?

 

[Sammie]

The mattresses are the same as the Yacht and Beach and Boardwalk Inn, they are not the same as the MK deluxe resorts.

The sheets are definitely not the same as the Grand Floridian. We stayed both DVC and GF this past week.

 

[Deb & Bill]

What/where is yellowstone?

Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. Our favorite place in the world.

 

[Ryansdad0727]

The reason for DVC is so you can feel more like you are at home. This is the reason for no mousekeeping on a daily basis. I bring my own coffee, shampoo and laundry soap so i can (heaven forbid) WASH MY OWN TOWELS!!!!! If you need someone to freshen up your room and replenish your coffee then DVC probably is not for you. If you are not high maintenance then it might be just want you want.

 

[McCrae]

We used to stay at the GF every year until we bought into BLT.

We are just back from our first visit home.

IMO i would say that the quality of DVC resorts is variable. We took some time to visit Saratoga Springs, Yacht club, Wilderness Lodge and Animal Kingdom.

We were disappointed in the rooms at Winderness lodge and Saratoga.They were ok, but not of the same quality as other resorts.

The best rooms we have stayed at by far were the VGC. BLT was great, but quality furniture could be better.... we also liked Animal Kingdom.

Over all we prefer GF for the resort feel....but BLT wins in other areas such as location.

VGC is more like a GF resort and is a great place to stay.

 

[ToddyLu]

I have stayed at POFQ and Swan. The bedding at the Swan was nicest, but very formal. POFQ extremely quiet resort and wonderful for that reason. All other times to WDW (our 10th trip coming up) were in Values and we did not pay for those other resorts (a convention for work and a gift from MIL). So you can imagine I was very pleased in Kidani last year. It was much nicer than the hotel we stayed in for $400+ a night in Wash DC 4 blocks from the White House. So my comparison is with ALSMo and Pop....so yeah it was much nicer.

It is all in perspective. There is no way, NO WAY, DH and I would pay the nightly cost to stay in a studio or in any Deluxe on cash. Other than using a towel twice and needing to straigten the bed linens each morning we didn't miss mousekeeping. DVC was a way for us to afford the luxury of Deluxe at WDW--one of the best vacation destinations in the World. So like others have said DVC is for the nice "at home" feel, not pampered feel.

 

[mintwax]

If you are seeking concierge service in a DVC resort, only AKV has any concierge villas and they are limited in number - they require booking at 11 months out and you must have AKV points to do that. Those five two bedroom lockoffs don't have the best views, but they do have access to the lounge, turn down service and daily cleaning.

So the AKV concierge rooms have cleaning and turndown service? Is that right, or am I reading this wrong?

 

[DenLo]

So the AKV concierge rooms have cleaning and turndown service? Is that right, or am I reading this wrong?

That's right and one of the reasons you pay extra points (2 - 7 pts. per night depending on the type of villa, and in 2011 it's 3 to 11 pts. more per night) for a concierge room.

 

[islandtimect]

DVC rooms are not the same quality as GF rooms - no fancy edging on the granite countertops, no deluxe toiletries, no plush bathrobes. DVC rooms also lack the "little touches" that regular cash guest rooms have in the same resort. If you stay in a studio in BWV or VWL, the studio will lack the crown molding and other architectural touches that the regular guest rooms have. I love DVC, but the rooms aren't deluxe compared with nicer hotels either at Disney or off site (Marriott, Westin, etc).

 

[mdsd8700]

We have stayed at all the deluxe hotels in WDW (except GF) and have also stayed at the Grand Californian in DLR. We are new to DVC and the only DVC villa we have experienced was the VGC and they were beautiful! Above any of the rooms in WDW and even nicer than the regular rooms at the Grand Californian. The sheets, towels and bedding were lovely. The king size bed in master was one of the most comfortable I have ever slept in. The granite counter tops, stainless steel appliances and H20 products in the bathrooms were all first rate. We have stayed in our fair share of hotels in various cities in the US and VGC were amont the best. I would definately call it deluxe. The lack of maid service or fresh towels wasn't an issue for us.