Kinda sorta newbie needs help choosing

[Maddysdaddy]

Hi all. Bought into AKV on DCL in early 2011, having never set foot at WDW before, since we're DL people (didn't research, didn't appreciate the 11 month advantage with how popular DVC is, didn't know about resale - trust me, if I knew then what I know now, I never would have fallen for the whole "it's almost never a problem to get into VGC" statement).

Since that time, we have had a couple of stays at VGC (really wish we would have bought there, now that our daughter's school has gone back to a traditional year), VGF (it was... fine - but honestly, we didn't see what all the hype was about), SSR (loved it and would stay there again in a heartbeat) and AKV (really, really, really didn't love the resort, and would put it at the bottom of our list at this point).

My wife and I are now planning our next vacation (with our 10 year old daughter, so pools are important) and are considering trying some of the other resorts that we haven't stayed at, so we can keep working on our list of where we're happy staying. We also normally rent a car, at least for part of our trip, so an extra 10 minutes on a bus here or there isn't a deal breaker).

At this point, I think we've narrowed it down to the following:

• Beach Club (mentally, can't even place where it is on property, but looked at You Tube videos and the pools look awesome)
• Wilderness Lodge (reminds us, in a way, of VGC and the proximity to the Poly and MK is nice)
• Boardwalk (the Boardwalk at night looks like fun, but in the video we watched of Beach Club, it looked like this resort was just a quick boat ride away, so maybe there's no need to stay here?)

Since we're still fine staying in a studio, where the layout in one resort looks pretty much like the layout in another, room amenities/peculiarities are not a huge consideration.

Any and all thoughts and suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[BirdsOfPreyDave]

At this point, I think we've narrowed it down to the following:

• Beach Club (mentally, can't even place where it is on property, but looked at You Tube videos and the pools look awesome)
• Wilderness Lodge (reminds us, in a way, of VGC and the proximity to the Poly and MK is nice)
• Boardwalk (the Boardwalk at night looks like fun, but in the video we watched of Beach Club, it looked like this resort was just a quick boat ride away, so maybe there's no need to stay here?)

Since we're still fine staying in a studio, where the layout in one resort looks pretty much like the layout in another, room amenities/peculiarities are not a huge consideration.

Any and all thoughts and suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thanks.

All three are beautiful resorts.

Beach Club is my favorite of the three. As you can see in my signature, it's one of the resorts we purchased at to get the 11-month advantage. We love being able to walk right into Epcot and the pool is fabulous. We also love the Captain's Grille, Beaches & Cream, and Cape May Cafe.

We had a wonderful view of the canal when we stayed at the Boardwalk, and would hope to get the same room next time we go back. (It was in the Preferred/Water category.) We absolutely loved our stay there. Pool is fun, but not our favoriate at WDW. (Definitely not a pool for anyone with coulrophobia, though!) Yes, the hallways are very, very long. Not quite as bad as being at the far end of the Kidani hallway at AKV, though.

Both the Beach Club and Boardwalk will be nearly impossible to book at 7 months during F&W Festival, which runs from mid-September through early November. The Boardwalk-view rooms at BWV are always difficult to book at 7 months. Waitlists are an option, but have a backup somewhere else, because the chances of the waitlist coming through aren't good. Other than that, despite being relatively small resorts, it's not impossible to get a booking here at 7 months.

Getting to Epcot or Hollywood Studios from either of these resorts is a dream. Getting to the other parks involves a bus, and these routes are some of my least favorite at WDW.

Wilderness Lodge is another fabulous location. We've stayed there twice and enjoyed it both times. Love the decor and just exploring... especially the lobby of the Main Lodge. Boats to the Magic Kindgom are very relaxing. Both the boats and the buses are shared between Wilderness Lodge and Fort Wilderness. That extra stop at Ft Wilderness can seem so long when you're tired.

This resort is very popular with owners at Christmas. If the decorations are up, it will be hard to book. This is not a large resort, and most rooms are gone during the 11-month period. At other times of year, you should be able to get in if you call early in the 7-month window.

 

[Maddysdaddy]

Thanks Dave. You thoughts are extremely helpful (as always) - your SSR Owners thread was what convinced us to try that resort, and we didn't regret staying there for a minute.

Looking for a spring booking next year (so no F&W or x-mas), to be made right at the 7-month window, so my wife and I are just trying to put together a wish list of where we would like to try staying next.

 

[sleepydog25]

Of the three you mention, BCV has the best pool; VWL has the worst which is not to say it's terrible, just not up to the others in terms of what a 10-yr old would like. On the other hand, VWL has that Northwest lodge feel going on much like VGC only more informal. We stayed at the GC in April and it was gorgeous, but it felt a bit like VGF in comparison to VWL if that makes sense. As for transportation, VWL has buses (which we've found to be fine) and the boat to MK and CR. There is no direct boat to Poly, so although it's quite close by, you can't get there as easily as it would appear (can't walk there, either). BWV is a fine resort, but if I was going to stay close to Epcot or DHS, I'd go with BCV instead.

To recap:
BCV - Fun pool, walk to Epcot, near lots of activity
VWL - Gorgeous, serene, kid-friendly, boat rides, and one of the best signature restaurants on property, Artist Point
BWV - Lots of activities nearby and close to Epcot, too, but for my money lacks the soul of VWL and the pool fun of BCV

Good luck!