Need help deciding where to stay please

[LJWilliams]

Hello. My girls (ages 21, 23 & 25), my mom and I are planning on heading to WDW for a long weekend in early 2025. I am going to use the DVC rental site and we have it down to either AK Kidani Village or the Bay Tower at the Contemporary. My biggest concern is not the resort itself but the transportation and which one has the best to get to all the parks the fastest and most efficiently. I know that both accommodations will be great but in reality, we won't be spending a lot of time there. What would be the preference of the experts out there???

 

[StarCruzer]

Hello. My girls (ages 21, 23 & 25), my mom and I are planning on heading to WDW for a long weekend in early 2025. I am going to use the DVC rental site and we have it down to either AK Kidani Village or the Bay Tower at the Contemporary. My biggest concern is not the resort itself but the transportation and which one has the best to get to all the parks the fastest and most efficiently. I know that both accommodations will be great but in reality, we won't be spending a lot of time there. What would be the preference of the experts out there???

Although I am a hardcore AKL fan, if it's solely about transportation for you than BLT is the better pick. Below is a list of the DVC properties and which parks/areas they have the best transportation to:

Magic Kingdom: Bay Lake Tower, Copper Creek, Boulder Ridge, Polynesian Villas, Villas at Grand Floridian
EPCOT & Hollywood Studios: Riviera, Beach Club, Boardwalk Villas
Disney Springs: Saratoga Springs, OKW
Animal Kingdom: Jambo House, Kidani Village

 

[SG131]

Are you renting a confirmed reservation? It is pretty late to make a DVC reservation for early 2025, especially for bay lake which is undergoing refurbishment. I think you will need to go in with multiple choices and see if they can get you anything, but be prepared to take whatever you can get and be flexible with dates as well.

Overall Bay lake is better for transportation, but the studios are very small and only sleep 4. Even if you're considering a 1 bedroom Kidani would be better because you would get two bathrooms. But again, I think you have to just take whatever you can get and may have to settle for Saratoga or Old Key West unless you are talking March or later.

 

[Genie+]

Animal Kingdom is a lovely unique resort but I’d only choose it over BLT if my party planned to spend a decent amount of time hanging out in the resort. BLT is all around more convenient for a park heavy trip.

Even if you're considering a 1 bedroom Kidani would be better because you would get two bathrooms.

BLT has 2 bathrooms in the 1BR as well. BLT is also a rare instance where 1BR is larger than 2 studios.

 

[fla4fun]

I love BLT. The location is great because you can walk to MK and catch a bus to any of the resorts, plus you have monorail access to two parks and two resorts. My one bedroom was the largest of any I have stayed in (I was on the outside curve of the building, not the inside facing the courtyard and pool). I like BLT as much as I like the Crescent Lake resorts, and for the same reasons.

The resorts at AK are nice, but the location feels a lot more remote and inconvenient to me, and it’s all bus transportation.

 

[karen4546]

If you can rent a 2br standard view at jambo house, then that would be a good idea. The transportation to and from the parks from AKL is not bad at all.
imo, Boardwalk and BCV are both prime locations because you can walk to 2 parks.

You may want to consider Riviera because of the skyliner.

If you don't mind a moderate, Grand Destino Tower is great but you will need two rooms for 5 people.

 

[I Run Long]

Honestly if you aren't planning on spending a lot of time at the resort, I would just choose whatever is cheapest. Yes, BLT is close to MK but far from everywhere else. The monorail is ok, unless it goes down - it did this a lot when we stayed at Poly. I used to complain to my DH that if we were at a bus only resort we wouldn't have to deal with downtimes like we did at the Poly. The bus transportation is very good at AK, so yes it's a bus but, so long as it gets me to my destination and has air conditioning, I don't really care. So that's my long winded way of saying: 1) choose the cheapest option, 2) have a great vacation!

 

[mort1331]

I agree with the above. With the ages you mentioned, they might actually like being closer to Disney Springs. So SSR or OKW ( large rooms. Less expensive = more money for food and drinks.

 

[cedricandsophie]

If you plan on all the parks I’d suggest the boardwalk because you have easy access to epcot and Hollywood. Plus if you’re going to hang out at night there is quite a bit to do with the dancehall and the dueling pianos place. Or as someone said staying close to Disney springs would be great for evening activities and dinners with cocktails. But the trip you are describing is something I would not do…going to the parks. I’d rather hang out at the pool and having great dinners every night.

 

[gottalovepluto]

AK is pain in the behind for park transport unless you’re headed to AK. Also, monorail access is much better for that age range as you would have access to all restaurants and bars along the monorail. At AK you’re dining options are really limited without hopping a bus.

 

[Marthasor]

Of the two, most definitely BLT - you will be within walking distance to MK and can use the monorail to get to EP (though you'll have to transfer at TTC). Are you planning on visiting all of the parks? If so, I would put BWV and BCV on the list as well as they are the closest to EP and DHS. You can't get any closer to a park than BCV as it's, literally, next door to the EP IG entrance.

There is no, one resort at WDW that gives you a location or transportation advantage to all four parks, so you may want to make your decision based on which parks you are visiting. If it's mostly MK, stick with BLT. If it's EP/DHS, BCV and BWV are good choices. If it's only AK, then go with Kidani. You could also consider saving money on the resort, booking cheaper rooms and then spend the extra on Minnie Vans or ride shares to the parks (just know, only Minnie Vans can get into the bus area at MK)

 

[LJWilliams]

Hello. My girls (ages 21, 23 & 25), my mom and I are planning on heading to WDW for a long weekend in early 2025. I am going to use the DVC rental site and we have it down to either AK Kidani Village or the Bay Tower at the Contemporary. My biggest concern is not the resort itself but the transportation and which one has the best to get to all the parks the fastest and most efficiently. I know that both accommodations will be great but in reality, we won't be spending a lot of time there. What would be the preference of the experts out there???

Thank you to all who responded, it is much appreciated.

 

[nursejackie]

I've stayed at both. I love AKL and visit most trips to dine, but I wuoldn't stay in Kidani village again, only Jambo House, it's too detached from the main hub IMHO. BLT has amazing access to great dining options for adults othe monorail loop, and of course walking distance to MK. If it's only for a short trip for older guests I'd choose BLT.

 

[NH-to-FL]

My biggest concern is not the resort itself but the transportation and which one has the best to get to all the parks the fastest and most efficiently.

If ease of getting to the parks is your goal then one of the Epcot resorts is the way to go. They offer an easy walk to Epcot and either a longer walk or boat to HS.

DW and I have made many trips to the Boardwalk and really enjoyed being able to just wander over to Epcot in the evenings.

If you are down to either Kidani Village or Bay Lake Tower then BLT would be my choice. Being able to walk to the MK would be a big advantage. Kidani is a beautiful resort but it is isolated, you'll bus to every park.

 

[_19disnA]

AK seems rather isolated and I believe the only DIsney transportation to go to one of the other parks is by bus. Bay Tower is near the monorail which gives you a LOT of choices for eating at the other resorts. You can also walk to MK which isn't possible from AK other then perhaps AK park. Partly depends on which parks you plan to visit the most. If mostly going to Epcot or HS, the staying at a pricey monorail resort on the other side of the property wouldn't be my first choice.

 

[ucf_knight]

Hello. My girls (ages 21, 23 & 25), my mom and I are planning on heading to WDW for a long weekend in early 2025. I am going to use the DVC rental site and we have it down to either AK Kidani Village or the Bay Tower at the Contemporary. My biggest concern is not the resort itself but the transportation and which one has the best to get to all the parks the fastest and most efficiently. I know that both accommodations will be great but in reality, we won't be spending a lot of time there. What would be the preference of the experts out there???

If you have a car it doesn't really matter too much if you want to go to all 4 parks. We always drive when staying on property if we cant walk/boat/monorail to the park we want to go to for the day. If you dont have a car I'd pick the BCV as you can walk to both parks.

 

[brockash]

Hello. My girls (ages 21, 23 & 25), my mom and I are planning on heading to WDW for a long weekend in early 2025. I am going to use the DVC rental site and we have it down to either AK Kidani Village or the Bay Tower at the Contemporary. My biggest concern is not the resort itself but the transportation and which one has the best to get to all the parks the fastest and most efficiently. I know that both accommodations will be great but in reality, we won't be spending a lot of time there. What would be the preference of the experts out there???

BLT hands down. We've done both and won't return to AKL...it's just so far from everything other than AK. You can't beat walking to/from MK, plus you also have the monorail for MK and Epcot.

 

[katyjeka]

AKL is our favorite resort and has some of the best restaurants on property. I guess we've lucked out because our bus service as always been excellent. In my opinion nothing beats an early morning or late night walk around the Animal Kingdom Villas. It's as peaceful and relaxing as the campground.

 

[saraheliz]

I love both Kidani and BLT.
Kidani has bus service everywhere, but when we stayed there in 2022 it was excellent.
BLT has the advantage for MK but the transportation back from Epcot is awful (to is fine, since you only have to ride one stop to the TTC and transfer, but it took us so long to get back since you have to travel most of the monorail loop). We would have much preferred a bus. That being said, it's nice if you want to resort hop since you can just walk to MK and get on a bus anywhere.

Since BLT will be undergoing refurbishment then I'd probably go with Kidani but be forewarned the pull out sofas there are awful (my girls complained much less about the pull out at BLT although it still wasn't fabulous). Both resorts are in need of a refurb! Honestly with 5 adults I'd probably not put two of them on the sofa in either resort and would opt for two regular cheaper rooms at a value or mod so everyone gets a real bed (although, I could sleep pretty well anywhere in my 20s, I suppose).

 

[Willow Ufgood]

Hello. My girls (ages 21, 23 & 25), my mom and I are planning on heading to WDW for a long weekend in early 2025. I am going to use the DVC rental site and we have it down to either AK Kidani Village or the Bay Tower at the Contemporary. My biggest concern is not the resort itself but the transportation and which one has the best to get to all the parks the fastest and most efficiently. I know that both accommodations will be great but in reality, we won't be spending a lot of time there. What would be the preference of the experts out there???

I don't know what availability looks like for early 2025. You are kind of behind looking for a rental at this point. But if there is availability, maybe a Poly studio would be a good fit for your party? The "sofa bed" is actually a queen size murphy bed and the additional single bed is smaller than a regular twin but it has a real mattress. The bathroom is split so that there's a tub/shower on one side and a shower stall on the other.

Poly transportation to MK is by boat, monorail or a long walk (once the pathway to GF reopens). It's a short walk to the TTC and Epcot monorail from the DVC long houses. Buses to HS and AK.