We are DVCers since 1995 and have only stayed in the WDW resorts so we cannot comment on HHI and VB.
My husband and I just returned from 15 nights in OKW (where we own but hadn't been back in a couple of years). We are recent empty-nesters and didn't have our children or young grandbabies with us on this trip. Also, we fly down from NY and usually don't rent a car when in WDW, using only WDW transportation.
We completely fell in love all over again with the OKW one-bedroom villa and its lovely balcony complete with table and chairs overlooking a delightful waterway with a golf course view. Wow!! We are now back home and really miss waking up to the numerous ducks, birds, squirrels, etc. just outside our multi-windowed villa. It was truly delightful! We had breakfast by the pool each morning on a table overlooking the canal, and then spent a couple of hours enjoying the lovely pool. Afterwards, we returned to our villa with purchases from the General Store and took our time getting ready for our late afternoon/evening visits to a park or other Disney hotel/restaurant. As you can see, we took it slowly this year without the children/grandchildren and were so very relaxed and content.
But, after three prior visits to the BWV and BCV resorts, we have to admit that the Epcot area DVCs have a much greater choice of restaurants, and we especially enjoyed the boat launches while we were there (the launches seemed like a "ride" in themselves to us with lovely vistas along the way). We found the studios and one- and two-bedroom villas to be OK; not grand in any way (haven't been in a Grand Villa at BWV yet.) We have also stayed in the Wilderness Lodge (not the villas) when it first opened and "loved" the theming of that resort but found the bus transportation to the parks and other hotels to be a little cumbersome (except for the boat to the Contemporary or MK).
What I am trying to say, and what others have said, is that there really isn't a "DVC best resort" in my opinion. But the choices as a DVC owner are superb -- we really have it all. When we are with a large-family reunion, OKW may be our first choice because the group dynamics make for its own entertainment when in the spacious villas there. When we are with one our our grandchildren, we may opt for the WLV and its proximity to MK. When we are alone, we may opt for a studio at one of the Epcot-area resorts! Can't wait to begin planning for our next-year's trip to the World. Definitely content to be a DVCer!!
My husband and I just returned from 15 nights in OKW (where we own but hadn't been back in a couple of years). We are recent empty-nesters and didn't have our children or young grandbabies with us on this trip. Also, we fly down from NY and usually don't rent a car when in WDW, using only WDW transportation.
We completely fell in love all over again with the OKW one-bedroom villa and its lovely balcony complete with table and chairs overlooking a delightful waterway with a golf course view. Wow!! We are now back home and really miss waking up to the numerous ducks, birds, squirrels, etc. just outside our multi-windowed villa. It was truly delightful! We had breakfast by the pool each morning on a table overlooking the canal, and then spent a couple of hours enjoying the lovely pool. Afterwards, we returned to our villa with purchases from the General Store and took our time getting ready for our late afternoon/evening visits to a park or other Disney hotel/restaurant. As you can see, we took it slowly this year without the children/grandchildren and were so very relaxed and content.
But, after three prior visits to the BWV and BCV resorts, we have to admit that the Epcot area DVCs have a much greater choice of restaurants, and we especially enjoyed the boat launches while we were there (the launches seemed like a "ride" in themselves to us with lovely vistas along the way). We found the studios and one- and two-bedroom villas to be OK; not grand in any way (haven't been in a Grand Villa at BWV yet.) We have also stayed in the Wilderness Lodge (not the villas) when it first opened and "loved" the theming of that resort but found the bus transportation to the parks and other hotels to be a little cumbersome (except for the boat to the Contemporary or MK).
What I am trying to say, and what others have said, is that there really isn't a "DVC best resort" in my opinion. But the choices as a DVC owner are superb -- we really have it all. When we are with a large-family reunion, OKW may be our first choice because the group dynamics make for its own entertainment when in the spacious villas there. When we are with one our our grandchildren, we may opt for the WLV and its proximity to MK. When we are alone, we may opt for a studio at one of the Epcot-area resorts! Can't wait to begin planning for our next-year's trip to the World. Definitely content to be a DVCer!!
