Overambitious trip plans?

[FinnFogg]

We are DVC owners (AUL, OKW and hopefully soon AKL) based on the west coast. We typically use our points at Aulani and VGC, but have had a couple of great trips to WDW (AKL, BCV, OKW).

We are thinking about going back for 2 weeks in March of 2022, and bringing my parents (they have never been) to join us. The kids have 2 weeks off school, and given the distance we have to travel and the extra points that we have from cancelled vacations this year and last, we plan on staying the full 2 weeks and starting the entire time at DVC properties.

I don’t want to spend the whole time at the same place, but also don’t want to move around too much (or without purpose). I’d also like to give my parents a good taste of the various DVC resorts and the different resort areas.

Right now my plan is tentatively as follows:

- first 4 nights at AKL (Savanna View)
- 3 nights at BCV (to give my parents an opportunity to explore the Epcot area)
- 3 nights at Vero Beach (to get away from WDW for a while and to check out Cape Canaveral on the way)
- last 4 nights at OKV (Hospitality House area) (as it’s so relaxing there, big rooms and to give my parents a chance to see one of our home resorts, take the boat to Disney Springs, etc)

I sounds great on paper to me. We are good and flexible travellers, and will have a vehicle for this trip to assist with transfers, etc, but am I trying to cram too much in??? Any thoughts /recommendations would be appreciated.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Two weeks in two bedrooms, unless you are booking two studios. You must have a whole bunch of points to use. Have you checked out to see if what you want to book is available? You are only about a month away from your trip. Currently the boat isn't running from OKW to DS. Three and four nights at each resort should work out fine.

 

[bakerworld]

We are not fans of the split stay so, that said, IMO it seemed very doable until Vero. Personally I'd add 1 night onto BC and 2 nights onto OKW. Availability might make decisions for you.

 

[FinnFogg]

Two weeks in two bedrooms, unless you are booking two studios. You must have a whole bunch of points to use. Have you checked out to see if what you want to book is available? You are only about a month away from your trip. Currently the boat isn't running from OKW to DS. Three and four nights at each resort should work out fine.

Thanks! Yes - Two bedroom. And I’ve corrected the original post to reference March 2022. I don’t even know what year I’m in anymore.

 

[ElizabethG]

Have you done split stays before? For me, that many stays would not be fun. Our trips are always two weeks. In 2021, we are staying 8 nights at BCV followed by 7 nights at CCV. Two reservations is my limit:

 

[FinnFogg]

Have you done split stays before? For me, that many stays would not be fun. Our trips are always two weeks. In 2021, we are staying 8 nights at BCV followed by 7 nights at CCV. Two reservations is my limit:

We’ve done BCV, Disney Cruise, OKW, but never straight split stays on property. We were substituting Vero Beach for the cruise portion this time, and I was hoping to tack on one more resort just to mix things up.

 

[Heather07438]

I think 4 is pushing it. We just got back from a 2+6nite split stay with a rental car. It was great seeing 2 resorts but it's a hassle the day you need to transfer. I would not want to do it 3 times. OKW is nice but maybe save it for another trip. AKV Savannah View, Vero then Beach Club would be awesome!

 

[Judique]

We are DVC owners (AUL, OKW and hopefully soon AKL) based on the west coast. We typically use our points at Aulani and VGC, but have had a couple of great trips to WDW (AKL, BCV, OKW).

We are thinking about going back for 2 weeks in March of 2022, and bringing my parents (they have never been) to join us. The kids have 2 weeks off school, and given the distance we have to travel and the extra points that we have from cancelled vacations this year and last, we plan on staying the full 2 weeks and starting the entire time at DVC properties.

I don’t want to spend the whole time at the same place, but also don’t want to move around too much (or without purpose). I’d also like to give my parents a good taste of the various DVC resorts and the different resort areas.

Right now my plan is tentatively as follows:

- first 4 nights at AKL (Savanna View)
- 3 nights at BCV (to give my parents an opportunity to explore the Epcot area)
- 3 nights at Vero Beach (to get away from WDW for a while and to check out Cape Canaveral on the way)
- last 4 nights at OKV (Hospitality House area) (as it’s so relaxing there, big rooms and to give my parents a chance to see one of our home resorts, take the boat to Disney Springs, etc)

I sounds great on paper to me. We are good and flexible travellers, and will have a vehicle for this trip to assist with transfers, etc, but am I trying to cram too much in??? Any thoughts /recommendations would be appreciated.

You will be booking 2 of those resorts at 7 months during Spring Break time frame. So you may have to do a waitlist for BCV once 7 months rolls around.

Should be easy enough to get AKV, especially if you are buying there.

I'd probably do just 3 resorts. Book AKV at 11 months and then try for a change to BCV at 7 months and just do one or the other.

Then 3 nights at Vero is almost perfect. I've owned there for 18? years and 3 nights at a time are my limit. I love it there in small spurts.

Back to Old Key West for the rest of your visit. My choice would be a different resort but that's a personal choice - OKW is a lovely resort.

I think with a group of 4 or more, changing resorts twice is enough.

 

[Donna M]

Since you describe yourselves as good and flexible travelers I´d say go for it. Personally, I would go for 3 resorts with VB in the middle, less of the living out of suitcases feel; that would make for a more relaxing trip, if that is what you´re looking for. If checking out other resorts is your goal, then go with your plan. You know your travel party best. How do your parents feel about all the moves?

 

[Starport Seven-Five]

I would be hesitant with that many people as the luggage and packing/unpacking is going to be a pain. I would rather take a bus to Disney Springs than pack up everything so I could stay closer.

You know your travel party better than us but I would eliminate at least 1 of them so you're just doing the WDW->VB->WDW moves.

 

[CarolMN]

Way too much moving for me. Have you discussed with your parents to see how they feel about packing up and moving so much?

I'd move just once and use moving day to explore other resorts - perhaps rent a car for a day and visit VB for lunch. Or have dinner one evening at OKW. If it were me, I'd do 1 week at AKV and 1 week at BCV, both in 2 bedrooms.

Have fun deciding!

 

[Brian Noble]

am I trying to cram too much in???

In my experience, if I am asking myself this question, the answer is almost always yes.

 

[FinnFogg]

Thank you all for your feedback. It’s helped me come to my senses. I think we will stick to a WDW (5 nights)- VB/Coast (3 nights) -WDW (6 nights) trip. I can hopefully book AKL and OKW at the front and back ends at 11 months, leaving 3 nights in between for a trip to the coast/Cape Canaveral.

If something is available at Vero Beach for those three nights at 7 months, we will stay there. Otherwise, I will look for other resort options at the shore.

I’ll also try to move our OKW nights to either BCV or BWV at the 7 month mark, as I expect my parents will enjoy being able to walk around in that area if possible.

Already feeling less stressed!!

One more question for those in the know: would you recommend Kidani or Jambo for a two bedroom savannah view stay? We’ve stayed at Kidani before, and visited both resorts, but have never been in the Jambo rooms. I know the two bedroom there will have one less bathroom, but I am thinking that my parents may enjoy being closer to the “action” in Jambo, so barring any other downsides re the rooms there (other than the bathroom situation) I’m inclined to go for Jambo (subject to any further feedback here).

 

[crazylady]

I would put AKL in the middle of your trip for some downtime and skip Vero Beach. So I would do OKW-AKL-BC/BW. My reasoning for the order is that you're so spoiled walking to two parks from BC/BWV, I wouldn't want to go back to the buses after that.

 

[MICKIMINI]

We enjoy doing two resorts in two weeks. Any more than that and I'd be stressing about packing and unpacking!

 

[Deb & Bill]

One good point. With a two bedroom villa, you could do laundry on your last night in each villa and move the clean clothes to the new resort. Then you could cut down the number of clothes you bring. No need to bring enough clothes for two weeks. You could do enough for four days or so.

 

[oufpat]

I think it sounds great, go for it!

 

[Skywalker3]

Meant to comment earlier that we often do split stays, and I like them, Hubby doesn't as much, but for me, it's such a great way to experience different resorts. The biggest split stay experience we ever did 3 resorts during a 12 days stay. Usually we just do 2 resorts. Like Thanksgiving was Kidani/BWV.
We enjoy Vero. Might be chilly for being outside, in March though, but if you're going to see some other sights, and just need a break from Disney, that'll be nice.
I love Kidani for the extra bathroom, and we had a great Savannah view in Nov. we've never stayed at Jambo though, so no idea what that's like. Hard to sell us on Jambo, when Kidani has that extra bath. We missed Boma though, hope that'll come back sooner than later.
Good luck with the planning. I think 3 resorts will be more do-able for sure!

 

[gisele2]

We always stay 2 to three nights in a place and then change when we travel , so it is a wonderful plan.

 

[CarolynFH]

would you recommend Kidani or Jambo for a two bedroom savannah view stay?

The Jambo DVC rooms are all on the 5th floor - if I’m spending the points for savanna view, that’s too far from the animals for me! And I’m assuming you’ll take the master, give your parents the 2nd bedroom and have the kids sleeping in the living room. I’m old enough to be your parent, and I’d truly appreciate having my own bathroom. So Kidani it would be for us, unless the kids would be using their parents’ bathroom and not their grandparents’.
PS the walk between Kidani and Jambo isn’t far, and there’s a shuttle that runs frequently as well. So the “action” at Jambo is easy to access! BTW I agree with the AKL-VB-OKW split.