Need some advice...never stayed anywhere except Poly yet!!!

[suzquig]

really, really need some opinions!!
So, this is our 5th time visiting WDW. Planning a trip in 2013. We have always stayed at the Poly and have been fortunate enough to love everything about our stay. However our family has grown since the start of our trips and we now have 5 kids (one of which will still be under 2 ). Also my Mom and sister join us and would like to stay in same hotel etc for convenience. Last time we stayed at the Poly in 2 adjoining rooms BUT with a 40% off pin code, and we had one less "paying" person...our 4 year old was 2 then and 2 of our other kids were under 10. So now everything is more expensive and without a "known" pincode or discount as of yet, I have been exploring other options.
For the size of our group I started looking at the DVC villas and have noticed that if we were able to rent points it would be cheaper then 2 rooms at Poly plus more room etc.
I overcame the first hurdle of convincing my family (who associate WDW with the Poly )!!
But now the hard part...which one??
I narrowed it down to Bay Lake Towers due to room size and 3 bathrooms, convenience to MK, and "newness"...just never have been a fan of the look of the Contemporary.
Or...Villas at Wilderness- convenient to MK (not as much but still convenient) and more of a Disney Theme/look.
Third option is Beach Club Villas since easy access to Epcot and DHS.
If anyone could help giving opinions if they have stayed at any would greatly appreciate as I know the sooner we start to look for points (thru David's for example) the better. In terms of the group- the kids will be 15, 13, 10, 4, and under 2 at the time of the trip- love the volcano pool at the Poly so a pool and slide are important to them, and loved the Poly in general.
Again any opinions or help is greatly appreciated as I feel like I am venturing into the "unknown"
Thanks and have a great day!!
Suzanne

 

[Missyrose]

If the volcano pool was a big part of why you liked Poly, then BCV will probably be your best option. Stormalong Bay is an incredible pool, plus the location of BCV can't be beat (you can either walk or take the boat to Epcot and DHS).

BLT will give you the extra bathroom though, so with the number of people in your party, that could be a huge plus. The theming isn't as strong at BLT, but I personally think it's beautiful!

 

[jekjones1558]

It is good that you are looking at options now because the 11 month window for booking has been open for a while and some DVC accommodations fill up very quickly.
The size of your group (9 total, including the baby) would make me very wary of staying in any 2 bedroom that didn't have 3 bathrooms. Have you considered AKV Kidani, which also has a great splash area for the kids?
You might also think about a Grand Villa at OKW. They have 3 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms and are a real bargain. They also have large balconies. OKW does have a pool slide and a nice sand play area next to a kiddie pool (though the kiddie pool itself is nothing special).
Good luck with your decision!

 

[Mox]

We have stayed at all three of those and, while most people love Stormalong Bay at Beach Club, we find it to be just okay. The slide is tall, but not fast. And the area is far from where the Villas are, so it is not as convenient. If you plan on spending a lot of time at EPCOT or DHS, then BCV is a good stay. But we love the themeing of VWL the best. WL is amazing and very convenient. The counter service food option is good but small. The pool area is nice, but has a weak slide. But it is a nice relaxing place. BLT has beautiful rooms. We don't care for the themeing at the Contemporary either, but the food court is the best of them all and has wonderful food choices. The BLT pool is nice and the slide is fun. The views are beautiful. They have grills and picnic tables by the lake too. The convenience to MK is amazing. We walked when we stayed there and it was great to get to MK so fast. And you have the monorail there which allows easy access to other resorts for dining and to get to EPCOT. The other thing we loved about BLT was the Community Hall. It has activities, crafts, video games, etc. Great for a rainy day when you just want to hang out at the resort. And the arcade at Contemp is one of the best. We always worry about what to do with the kids if the rain keeps us at the resort.
Like another poster said, the GV at OKW is amazing. More like a house! And the pool slide is a fun one. But the convenience to any parks is a downfall. We love AKL the best. The Kidani Village pool is, in our opinion, the best! The water play area is great for kids and the slide is fun. AKL is my kids favorite.
Let us know if you have any other questions. Good luck and have fun.

 

[suzquig]

Thanks so much for the opinions, truly feel like a novice with this DVC stuff!! In regards to monorail...if we stay at BLT, is the TTC within walking distance like it is from the POLY??? That is what we always did to just jump on the monorail directly from their to Epcot? Also any opinions of renting David vs. PAul??

 

[Mox]

You cannot walk to the TTC. It is not that far, but lots of traffic. You would take the monorail to the TTC and then transfer monorails.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

If pool and slide options are very important VWL/WL would have the smallest slide and pool options. We love it there though in great part because of the theme, the location on Bay Lake and boatride to the MK, for the peacefulness and the proximity to FW where we also like to spend time.

For the size of your group I think BLT would be a good selection because of the room size and you can use the pool at both BLT and CR - both of which have slides. There are also water play areas that might be good options for the younger kids. This is the one resort out of the 3 that will also provide the sleeper chair in the living room as well as the sleeper sofa so there will be more flexibility for sleeping arrangements.

And of course BCV gives you access to SAB although you will only have 2 bathrooms and not the amount of room that you would get at BLT. BCV dedicated 2BR's are also different in that some of them have a queen bed and a sofa sleeper in the second bedrooms instead of 2 queen beds so if you want 2 beds in the second bedroom you need to reserve that specifically and they can be a little more difficult to get.

 

[suzquig]

Thats right!! I forgot about the monorail stop at the TTC before the Poly, as we always walked there! Think I am leaning towards BLT....I checked out "paul's" site for DVC rental points, seems similar to "David's" just no initial deposit and no potential extra credit card charge since Davids is based in Canada. At least if I am understanding correctly???

 

[dizfan]

One of the things we like about BLT is the monorail ride back from Epcot. We often exit the resort monorail at Poly for a self serve Dole whip and enjoying the Poly grounds.

 

[kamgen]

Being near Dole Whip is very important!
I vote BLT.

 

[suzquig]

Leaning towards BLT and Villas @ Wilderness will be our 2nd choice. Before I go to one of the rental sites, I need to know...are the chances of having available points to rent at either for dates May 16-21st pretty slim? I have everyone so excited and on board to try something new, my husband is esp. thrilled with the $$ savings...and now I am worried that it is very hard to get rental points. Again, very new to this, so I have no idea what is realistic or unrealistic...and how everything works etc...
Thanks for the advice and replies...greatly appreciate it!!

 

[jekjones1558]

Leaning towards BLT and Villas @ Wilderness will be our 2nd choice. Before I go to one of the rental sites, I need to know...are the chances of having available points to rent at either for dates May 16-21st pretty slim? I have everyone so excited and on board to try something new, my husband is esp. thrilled with the $$ savings...and now I am worried that it is very hard to get rental points. Again, very new to this, so I have no idea what is realistic or unrealistic...and how everything works etc...
Thanks for the advice and replies...greatly appreciate it!!

Find someone who owns points at the resort you want (or use one of the rental agents) so you can book now. I would bet that both BLT and VWL are available now. Good luck!

 

[mdsd8700]

We would go with BLT for the location and the extra bath. Of course we own at BLT so we are partial to it The extra bath is really great no matter if you have 1 or 2 bedroom. We had 5 people in a 2 bedroom/2 bath in November and it worked out fine but if we had anymore an extra bath would have really made a difference. BLT with monorail access and quick walk to MK is great. Also not sure if you have a car, but if not walking over the MK you will have access to all the resort buses if needed.

Have a great trip!!

 

[DisneyMotherOf2]

My vote would be BCV. I've stayed at BCV and VWL. Not a fan of the contemporary theming (just doesn't have that "wow" Disney feeling to us), but may try it someday due to the promity to MK. Our kids were 3 and 5 when we stayed in a dedicated 2 bedroom at BCV. Husband and I had master suite, our 2 kids shared the sofa pullout (very comfy), my 2 sisters, my BIL, and my neice shared the other room (2 queen beds). We never felt cramped and although a 3rd bathroom would have been glorious, we never felt rushed or late getting out in the mornings. SAB is the kids favorite and fun for all ages. They LOVED the slide and the sand. We also enjoyed walking over to Boardwalk in the evenings or over to Epcot for those who wanted to grab some fish and chips from England. The activity on the Boardwalk is a ton of fun for the kids. The location overall is fantastic. You're immersed in Disney. Yes, we had to take a bus to MK, but it wasn't bad at all and I personally enjoyed staying at BCV more than at VWL (and I always LOVED Wilderness Lodge). IMO the walk to SAB was not that long, but it isn't right outside your door. We LOVE BCV and my kids are excited about staying there again. They enjoyed VWL, but liked BCV and the pool at BCV hands down above VWL. Good luck!!!

 

[HHISand]

I know this is a thread talking about staying somewhere other than the poly but the folks here seem to be very familiar with the Poly. My daughter is interested in pool hopping at the Poly and we have dinner reservations at the Kona Cafe. Can someone tell me if there are bathrooms with showers for DVC pool hoppers near the Poly pool so we could get ready for our dinner there? Thanks. I am new to posting on the disboards so tell me if I am in the wrong place.

 

[vicki_c]

I know this is a thread talking about staying somewhere other than the poly but the folks here seem to be very familiar with the Poly. My daughter is interested in pool hopping at the Poly and we have dinner reservations at the Kona Cafe. Can someone tell me if there are bathrooms with showers for DVC pool hoppers near the Poly pool so we could get ready for our dinner there? Thanks. I am new to posting on the disboards so tell me if I am in the wrong place.

There are bathrooms near the pool, I actually refer to it as in the pool. They are on the deck, under the volcano. I think I've heard someone say there was a shower in there, but I had the impression it was just an open shower that you would use with your bathing suit on. There is also a bathroom at the quiet pool and I don't know if it has a shower. There is no fitness center at the Poly like the other deluxes. Definitely ask on the non DVC board. There is a Poly lovers thread, they will probably know.

 

[chainkid]

Having stayed in all three you mentioned, my family still prefers BWV for teens. The slide is bigger and faster than BC. If you can get the BWView its probably one of the best views in Disney . There are alot of great restaurants in walking distance and the teens love being aboe to walk to Epcot or DHs and if they want to go to Magic kingdom they can take the monorail from Epcot or a bus. The buses are slow so for teens they would probably enjoy the monorail . I personally hated BLT, it was so sterile and i was never a fan of contemporary..its cold. Just another option to consider. The Boadwalk also has three bedrooom units that are wonderful but hard to get certain times of the year.