I love the studios

[thirtycats]

I have fallen in love with the studios.

When we joined DVC, I imagined us in one bedrooms for shorter vacations.

Then we tried studios and realized they are totally fine for us.

My ds (age 5) and I have become totally obsessed with Disney World and want to take 2 long trips a year. We can do this if we stay in the studios.

And if DH wants to join us for some/part of trips...I figure we'd all be fine in studio.

But will this last?? For those of you with older kids, do you get a one bedroom, two bedroom, or studio?

When we got older, my parents always had a seperate room for us kids. But they could easily afford it.

We COULD afford getting a one bedroom, but then that takes up so much more points. And we'd have less time at DW.

Another thing. What is the longest any of you have stayed in a studio. I always find myself with this catch-22 problem. I use the point calculator to imagine future vacations and am able to come up with these close to 3 week vacations. But then I think, that's a long time with such a small refrigetator and no laundry machines in room. Also, a long time to be in one room together.

BUT...if we switch to one bedroom...our stay is much shorter and we really don't need a fridge, a kitchen, or laundry right in our room.

Has anyone stayed in a studio for 2-3 weeks? What did you do about food? Packing?

Any tips?

 

[rantnnravin]

this past august we did 5 nights at CR, 7 nights in a BCV studio and DD6 and I did 8 nights at POFQ.
we only brought 1 week's worth of clothes. We did laundry using the free DVC facilities at BCV on our moving day to BCV and the night before we left BCV.
we had the DDP, so the kitchen wasn't a necessity (and i wouldn't use it if we didn't have the DDP anyway)
The studio was a fine size for our family during the limited amount of time we spent in the resort room.

food: when we've changed resorts, bell services moved our stuff including refrigerated foods, snacks, and a case of water
packing: i usually unpack when we arrive in our room, then dirty clothes go into the suitcases as they are worn. on moving day, i bring the suitcases down to the laundry room and pack the clean clothes back into them as they come out of the dryer.

 

[ro80]

My DH and I have only been once, staying in a 1BR BW view at BWV's. I guess we are now spoiled because he only wants the 1 BR now. Someone said that on another thread, "once you stay in a 1BR, a studio just seems like a regular hotel room." Geez, to us they were right !! We loved it.

 

[jarestel]

For trips to use up those extra points by the end of a use year, we will book studios. They are fine for our purposes, since we don't tend to lay around the rooms much anyway, but when points allow I have to admit we do prefer the 1 & 2 BRs.

But I think I tend to agree with you. A longer trip ( or an extra trip ) is more of a reason to book a studio. That works for me!

 

[bobbiwoz]

We loved the OKW 1 bedrooms. We've been in 2 bedrooms at BWV, and VWL and don't think we would be as happy in one of the 1 bedrooms in those places. OKW's had the extra something.

However, I'm happy in studios but that's because they have a balcony, and aren't just rooms. Someday, if we ever get caught up with points we'll do more 1 bedroom stays, but for now, a studio is fine (mostly).

Bobbi

 

[thirtycats]

My DH and I have only been once, staying in a 1BR BW view at BWV's. I guess we are now spoiled because he only wants the 1 BR now. Someone said that on another thread, "once you stay in a 1BR, a studio just seems like a regular hotel room." Geez, to us they were right !! We loved it.

We went from one bedroom to studio and it worked for us.



We stayed in a one bedroom once for about a week. We didn't have much points left, so I made my husband do a studio for 2 nights when he took ds on vacation. And then my ds and I stayed in one for 6 nights. I was really nervous about the small space, no full kitchen, and no laundry....but it worked out great.

Sometimes I think it would be great to have a big kitchen, but we love to eat so much at the restaurants and the parks...not sure we'd use it enough. We didn't even finish our food in the small studio refrigerator.

 

[thirtycats]

food: when we've changed resorts, bell services moved our stuff including refrigerated foods, snacks, and a case of water
packing: i usually unpack when we arrive in our room, then dirty clothes go into the suitcases as they are worn. on moving day, i bring the suitcases down to the laundry room and pack the clean clothes back into them as they come out of the dryer.

Where did you end up getting your food? Delivery? Drive to store? And how much did you get? I guess not a lot since you were on the dining plan??

 

[byoung]

Got 19 nights this year in a studio with points left over. (200 BWV points).

 

[Lenc324]

We get a one bedroom at Vero because we like eating breakfast and lunch in the room and go out for dinner, but when we go to WDW we stay in a studio because we are never in the room. We always have points to bank then.

 

[mikayla73]

We ajust became DVCers' in May. We are getting ready to make our first ressie at WDW using points for next year. DH was all set for staying in a 1BR because he likes the king sized beds and the w/d in the room. However, when we started looking at how many points we had vs. how long we would like to stay and how often we would like to go, he quickly said a studio would do ... that is until we can add on more points of course.

 

[thirtycats]

Got 19 nights this year in a studio with points left over. (200 BWV points).

I want to know more!!! Please! Did you go yet? How many people in your party? What was it like?????

Do you take long trips like this often?

 

[DVC Jen]

We have two teen DDs (13 and 18) and we stay in the studios so we can have a long trip.

We figure if we were staying in a regular hotel we wouldn't get two rooms, so why do we need a bigger room going the DVC route?

Now having the option of the larger room is nice, but not needed for us.

 

[rantnnravin]

Where did you end up getting your food? Delivery? Drive to store? And how much did you get? I guess not a lot since you were on the dining plan??

When we went in Feb 06, we stayed a week at VWL studio and a week at BWV studio w/o dining plan (wasn't available to DVC at the time)
we ordered about $70 worth of snacks, breakfast, and quickie lunch items from Garden Grocer and had them delivered w/o a hitch.
We tend to enjoy they restaurants while on vacation. I'm not the cooking on vacation type.

 

[spiceycat]

hey I have been a member since 93 and I still love the studios!!!

they are pretty great!

that said my maximum stay most of the time is 5 days - to save points and I have 2 cats at home - longer stays than 5 days and they need a pet sitter. (extra costs)

but I go 4 times a year!!!

even when I trade my RCI and stay offsite it is only 5 days - I think I have programmed myself.

 

[TAKitty]

We started in a studio with just me and my mom. It was fine.

Me and dh brought the kids down this summer and loved a one bedroom.

In Jan we are taking grandma and are in a two bedroom.

I have a feeling we will stay with a two bedroom. After staying in a big room it is so hard to go back to a "regular" hotel type room.

 

[cncDisney4]

We'll be trying out the studios in June. My DH and I will be staying at a few of the DVC resorts to just "check them out". Our home is SSR and we love it there but we wanted to see the BWV and BCV. I planned on two nights at BWV Boardwalk view studio, two nights at BCV studio, and then three nights back at SSR in a 1BR so we can use the washer/dryer and enjoy our "home". This will be our 25th anniversary trip and the first time traveling without the boys. Not sure about moving every few days but it will just be the two of us so not much of a hassle.

 

[barbarabee]

There are two of us and we have never stayed an anything but studios!!! The longest we have stayed has been 13 nights, and never with any problems. I don't like to cook and do laundry when I'm on vacation, so the fridge and microwave were used for leftovers, along with some waters, juice and sodas plus bagels and peanut butter...which are shipped to the resort and there when we arrive. We can both pack all of our clothes (for TWO WEEKS) into carry-on luggage, REALLY!!! Fortunately WDW is all about shorts and t-shirts, which don't take up much room in the suitcases. We do have to be diligent about keeping the room from getting cluttered with souvenirs, park maps, etc...but that's really the only issue we have to deal with. I find the studio very comfortable, and I've been in the one-bedrooms, but the full kitchen and laundry facilities are just wasted space as far as I'm concerned.

 

[bobbiwoz]

We'll be trying out the studios in June. My DH and I will be staying at a few of the DVC resorts to just "check them out". Our home is SSR and we love it there but we wanted to see the BWV and BCV. I planned on two nights at BWV Boardwalk view studio, two nights at BCV studio, and then three nights back at SSR in a 1BR so we can use the washer/dryer and enjoy our "home". This will be our 25th anniversary trip and the first time traveling without the boys. Not sure about moving every few days but it will just be the two of us so not much of a hassle.

This sounds like a wonderful vacation, enjoy your anniversary!

Bobbi

 

[thirtycats]

There are two of us and we have never stayed an anything but studios!!! The longest we have stayed has been 13 nights, and never with any problems. I don't like to cook and do laundry when I'm on vacation, so the fridge and microwave were used for leftovers, along with some waters, juice and sodas plus bagels and peanut butter...which are shipped to the resort and there when we arrive. .

Maybe that's why I liked the studios. I didn't that pressure to do laundry or cook!

We bought a few groceries and put those in the fridge. But, like you, mostly used it for leftovers.

 

[cncDisney4]

This sounds like a wonderful vacation, enjoy your anniversary!

Bobbi

Thanks Bobbi - we're looking forward to it!