walkerford
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Sep 5, 2001
- Messages
- 115
We returned on Sunday from 10 days at Okw and 4 at the BCV and we had a great time . I just thought that a few random thoughts might be helpful as to what we really liked or disliked about each place.
OKW - big Positives- Size of the 1 Bedroom Villa. It bares no comparison to anywhere else we have stayed at. When My wife and daughter went to bed and I stayed in the lounge they really could have been in a different world they seemed so far away. We really liked the lay out of the open plan kitchen and the whole design we felt was excellent. Initially we were in room 2924 but after 3 nights requested a room change. We found the room very dark the view from the back was right onto a wooded area with just glimpses through the trees to the fairway of I think the 5th hole? Having never stayed at OKW before we had made no specific requests but just looking around the resort there seemed so many "better locations" to be at. With my 3 year old daughter we were also such a distance from any pool that we ended up driving to one of the quiet pools. the Front desk were very helpful and although quite rightly we had to pay the $30 fee we were moved with no trouble at all to room 6424. We had a lovely view across a pool to a green and spent many happy moments watching the golfers hit innumerable balls into the lake! The dropping area was right under our what seemed like enormous balcony.
OKW - Negatives? We just felt a little isolated and you really did need to drive to most places. The bus service was a little hit and miss and the trawl round the entire resort on any returning bus was a bit of a pain. We also felt that for a resort of its size the eating options were very limited we did eat at Olivias but with a 3 year old we didn't want to do that too often and as for more"casual" dining there really was nothing else. No Food Court etc! As a result we eat more in the room than we normally would have done.
Without doubt we would stay here again as the positives far outweighed the negatives which in many ways were at best minor irritants and in no way detracted from what was a lovely stay. Oh and the points required were of course less than anywhere else!
BCV - We were in a 1 bed Villa No 474.
Positives - Location Location Location!! To be able to walk to Epcot/boardwalk etc was a massive positive. You really do feel in the centre of the world. After my wife and daughter had gone to bed (she is 12 weeks pregnant hence the early nights it was great to walk into the back entrance of Epcot or walk around the Boardwalk. This simply is priceless.
Stormalong Bay. My 3 year old was entranced. She played for ages on the edge of the water in the sand and with her life jacket on had the confidence to be in the water which was only 2 feet deep on her own (well on her own by a distance of 3 feet!) She loved the little water slide and her confidence blossomed! Magical
We also loved the fact that we had much more variety in eating options with all that the beach and yacht club had to offer.
Negatives - we felt that the room layout was inferior to OKW. There just seemed doors everywhere and wasted space. Obviously(and we fully expected it) in comparison to OKW it seemed and no doubt was? a lot smaller.
We didn't have the best of views more car lot than pool or canal and seemed a long way from anywhere ( we quickly found another elevator which took us down to the pool which seemed less far!) we didn't make any specific requests because we had never stayed before, without doubt though the people with views over Epcot had much better outlooks.
In Summary again no doubt at all the positives far outweighed the negatives which once again were at their very highest minor irritants!
Finally for most of the 2 weeks everywhere seemed deserted. My daughter spent at least 5 mins on her own with Mickie Mouse at MGM and ran at least 100 yards into the arms of Minnie. She also fell in love with Gideon the Cat who nobody seemed to want to see. She sat on his lap, danced with him to the music from the trolley dancers and had the time of her life. When we went back the next day it was obviosly the same Gideon as he almost ran over to her!! It is moments like that which you can never put a price on but convince me if ever I needed it that my DVC purchase was one of the best things that I have ever done.
Oh well with baby en route it will be another couple of years before we make our next trip from the Uk. The memories will have to sustain me til then!
OKW - big Positives- Size of the 1 Bedroom Villa. It bares no comparison to anywhere else we have stayed at. When My wife and daughter went to bed and I stayed in the lounge they really could have been in a different world they seemed so far away. We really liked the lay out of the open plan kitchen and the whole design we felt was excellent. Initially we were in room 2924 but after 3 nights requested a room change. We found the room very dark the view from the back was right onto a wooded area with just glimpses through the trees to the fairway of I think the 5th hole? Having never stayed at OKW before we had made no specific requests but just looking around the resort there seemed so many "better locations" to be at. With my 3 year old daughter we were also such a distance from any pool that we ended up driving to one of the quiet pools. the Front desk were very helpful and although quite rightly we had to pay the $30 fee we were moved with no trouble at all to room 6424. We had a lovely view across a pool to a green and spent many happy moments watching the golfers hit innumerable balls into the lake! The dropping area was right under our what seemed like enormous balcony.
OKW - Negatives? We just felt a little isolated and you really did need to drive to most places. The bus service was a little hit and miss and the trawl round the entire resort on any returning bus was a bit of a pain. We also felt that for a resort of its size the eating options were very limited we did eat at Olivias but with a 3 year old we didn't want to do that too often and as for more"casual" dining there really was nothing else. No Food Court etc! As a result we eat more in the room than we normally would have done.
Without doubt we would stay here again as the positives far outweighed the negatives which in many ways were at best minor irritants and in no way detracted from what was a lovely stay. Oh and the points required were of course less than anywhere else!
BCV - We were in a 1 bed Villa No 474.
Positives - Location Location Location!! To be able to walk to Epcot/boardwalk etc was a massive positive. You really do feel in the centre of the world. After my wife and daughter had gone to bed (she is 12 weeks pregnant hence the early nights it was great to walk into the back entrance of Epcot or walk around the Boardwalk. This simply is priceless.
Stormalong Bay. My 3 year old was entranced. She played for ages on the edge of the water in the sand and with her life jacket on had the confidence to be in the water which was only 2 feet deep on her own (well on her own by a distance of 3 feet!) She loved the little water slide and her confidence blossomed! Magical
We also loved the fact that we had much more variety in eating options with all that the beach and yacht club had to offer.
Negatives - we felt that the room layout was inferior to OKW. There just seemed doors everywhere and wasted space. Obviously(and we fully expected it) in comparison to OKW it seemed and no doubt was? a lot smaller.
We didn't have the best of views more car lot than pool or canal and seemed a long way from anywhere ( we quickly found another elevator which took us down to the pool which seemed less far!) we didn't make any specific requests because we had never stayed before, without doubt though the people with views over Epcot had much better outlooks.
In Summary again no doubt at all the positives far outweighed the negatives which once again were at their very highest minor irritants!
Finally for most of the 2 weeks everywhere seemed deserted. My daughter spent at least 5 mins on her own with Mickie Mouse at MGM and ran at least 100 yards into the arms of Minnie. She also fell in love with Gideon the Cat who nobody seemed to want to see. She sat on his lap, danced with him to the music from the trolley dancers and had the time of her life. When we went back the next day it was obviosly the same Gideon as he almost ran over to her!! It is moments like that which you can never put a price on but convince me if ever I needed it that my DVC purchase was one of the best things that I have ever done.
Oh well with baby en route it will be another couple of years before we make our next trip from the Uk. The memories will have to sustain me til then!