How many months in advance should you start looking to rent DVC points

[Disneykate605]

Please do. I’m looking forward to your overview. I know my family loves it. The smell of the lobby. My wife has been searching for that smell ever since we left as potpourri.

Do you book through Disney or are you DVC?

There is a candle company (I think they might be a Disboards sponsor) that sells candles that smell like the different resorts. I have yet to try them but people (including Pete) rave about them! Maybe you can get one that smells like the Poly for your wife! I think it's called Magic Candle Company.
Good luck!
P.S. I think Poly has the best location of all the resorts. Easy access to both MK and Epcot.

 

[kboo]

It’s difficult to declare one resort to be the very best because tastes vary. My brother owns at SSR and loves the treehouse villas. I don’t care for SSR and I especially dislike the treehouses. I own at BWV and love the ability to walk to 2 parks. He prefers to get away from all of the theme parks when he gets back to his villa and finds BWV to be too “busy”.

This!! So true.

AKV - gorgeous resort. Only bus to parks. Giraffes and other amazing animals.
BCV - best pool on property. Walk or boat to two parks.
BLT - walk to MK. Monorail to EP. small studios.
BWV - good pool unless you fear clowns. Walk or boat to two parks. Long hallways whose lengths have been greatly exaggerated on the Disboards.
BRV/CCV - beautiful architecture. I found the pool too small for number of guests. Boat to MK (not good when you always arrive at the dock when the little boat shows up that only picks up half the people waiting) but that happened to me... like every freaking time. I haven’t heard others’ report the same.
GFV - I hear service at the villas is very good. Boat/monorail to MK. Monorail to EP. I haven’t experienced the pool.
PVB - walk to TTC/GF boat/monorail to MK. Monorail to EP. I haven’t experienced the pool.
SSR - quiet, good pool. Expansive, spread out resort. Boat to DS.
OKW - large rooms, studios with 2 real beds, no couch, quiet, decent pool. Expansive, spread out resort. Boat to DS.
RIV - reports of the model are it’s beautiful. Skyliner. Won’t know more until people start staying there.

Poly also has the best counter service I hear.

So there is no one best resort. My favorite may be the next person’s least favorite.

Totally agree with this. I would add (can't remember if you're looking for studios or 1br):

BLT: studios are small and if renting, expect a LV studio (or maybe TPV). 1br are easier to get, but even so, standards are hard. But the 1br are very spacious, have 2 baths. Pools are not anything special, but there are a lot of them - DVC pool has a little slide and a big one, main pool has a big slide and a kids' splash area, and a quiet pool that I've only looked at. Also, most rooms have decent views.

VGF - villa building is small, check in there at a desk, very nice service. Usually ice water and coffee in the lobby. Very quiet. Food options are the best. Kids splash area is really fun and very close to the zero-entry slide pool, both are close to the villa building. You can walk to Poly (if going to Epcot, we'll walk to breakfast at Ohana and then take monorail from TTC). Also there is a covered walkway to the main building where the monorail is. The split bath in studios is good for families - you have 2 showers, 2 sinks (I'm including the kitchenette) and only 1 toilet.

 

[jpakstis]

We value location since that’s the only thing that can’t change. We’ve stayed at BRV, BLT, and Poly because our daughters have been young when we’ve gone (they’re 10 and 8 now) so we’ve been MK-centric. The Poly has been my favorite of those to stay in because it’s so convenient (monorail or boat to MK, 10 min walk to monorail to Epcot). It has it’s quirks (everything is outside and the DVC rooms do not maximize storage space IMO). It’s also so iconic and such a part of WDW’s history.

This next stay we are going to BCV because we are hoping to be more Epcot-centric. I’m hoping the girls will be more interested in the WS and might have more stamina to stroll throughout the park (it is huge!).

My advice is to think about what your goals are for your trip. We have picked the resorts based on convenience first.