Planning our 1st DVC stay at WDW

[Meemoo]

We bought in at Aulani a few years back, and have enjoyed visiting and using it as a stop over to LA from Australia. We also stayed at the VGC last month and loved it. Next on our list of places to go is WDW. Now suddenly there is so much choice as to where to stay. We'd be looking at January (not this coming Jan). We are thinking to stay at Animal Kingdom in a 1 bedroom Villa for some of the time. What is the difference between the 2 properties, I see the point system works the same? Any advantage staying in a certain one? We would also like to stay at the Grand Floridan maybe in a studio villa or 1 bedroom depending on our point situation when we go. Is January an easy month to try reserve these properties at the 7 month mark?

When we booked our VGC at 7 months we had to do it the second reservations opened, one second later it would have been too late, is it like this or not so bad as WDW has that many more properties.

We were also looking at the Polynesian, but DH said to try something different it looks too similar to Aulani, is this really the case?

I don't know much at all about the WDW area in general but we don't really like relying on public transport and was hoping it to rent a car and get around easily this way. Is this recommended?

A question on Magic Bands - when do you receive these? For example I purchased my park hopper for DL in Australia and exchanged them for tickets at DL - Would it be the same where I transfer my receipt for the magic bands just like tickets on arrival?

Thanking you all in advance

 

[_auroraborealis_]

There are only 47 or so studios at the VGF, so they're tough most seasons. 1BR is a bit easier, if you have the points.

 

[disneynutz]

We bought in at Aulani a few years back, and have enjoyed visiting and using it as a stop over to LA from Australia. We also stayed at the VGC last month and loved it. Next on our list of places to go is WDW. Now suddenly there is so much choice as to where to stay. We'd be looking at January (not this coming Jan). We are thinking to stay at Animal Kingdom in a 1 bedroom Villa for some of the time. What is the difference between the 2 properties, I see the point system works the same? Any advantage staying in a certain one? We would also like to stay at the Grand Floridan maybe in a studio villa or 1 bedroom depending on our point situation when we go. Is January an easy month to try reserve these properties at the 7 month mark?

When we booked our VGC at 7 months we had to do it the second reservations opened, one second later it would have been too late, is it like this or not so bad as WDW has that many more properties.

We were also looking at the Polynesian, but DH said to try something different it looks too similar to Aulani, is this really the case?

I don't know much at all about the WDW area in general but we don't really like relying on public transport and was hoping it to rent a car and get around easily this way. Is this recommended?

A question on Magic Bands - when do you receive these? For example I purchased my park hopper for DL in Australia and exchanged them for tickets at DL - Would it be the same where I transfer my receipt for the magic bands just like tickets on arrival?

Thanking you all in advance

Your first stay at WDW, I would stay at VGF or PVB or if you like the theming at BLT you could stay there, (not our favorite). These resorts are served by the monorail. IMO you won't need a car unless you want to leave WDW. The monorail takes you to the MK resorts and the MK and Epcot. Disney buses serve all of WDW. You might consider renting a reservation from another owner to get VGF at 11 months. You could bank your points for your next vacation or rent them out.

I would buy your admission tickets from UT, you add them to your MDE account. Use your MDE account to order your fast passes and your magic bands and plan your vacation. You need to make your restaurant reservations in advance.

Bill

 

[hakepb]

At AKL, there are 2 resorts, Jambo and Kidani.
Jambo is the original cash resort with a great, impressive lobby (a lot like VGC, as they were designed by the same architect) but the villas are just 5th floor converted hotel rooms. Kidani was built for DVC villas only. It has a smaller lobby and only one restaurant (lunch and dinner only)

Kidani has a great pool, slide and kid splash area, and the villas really nice, similar to VCG (2 full bathroom in a 1BR)

Also all floors of Kidani are DVC, and it's nice viewing animals from a lower floor.

Jambo 1BR are kinda sub-standard by DVC standards. The master bathroom is smaller where you have to step into the whirlpool tub to shower, and the bathroom is not directly connected to the bedroom.

There is a shuttle van that runs between Kidani and Jambo (they share views of Sunset Savanna) for dining.

Nothing beats the no-transportation walkability of DL and DCA to VGC.
AKL would need a bus (or car) ride to all 4 parks

BWV and BCV can walk or boat to EPCOT and DHS.

BLT can walk to MK and Monorail (with transfer) to EPCOT

Poly and VGF can monorail and boat to MK, and monorail (with transfer) to EPCOT
All other park transportation is bus (or drive your car)

 

[Deb & Bill]

At AKL, there are 2 resorts, Jambo and Kidani.
Jambo is the original cash resort with a great, impressive lobby (a lot like VGC, as they were designed by the same architect) but the villas are just 5th floor converted hotel rooms. Kidani was built for DVC villas only. It has a smaller lobby and only one restaurant (lunch and dinner only)

Kidani has a great pool, slide and kid splash area, and the villas really nice, similar to VCG (2 full bathroom in a 1BR)

Also all floors of Kidani are DVC, and it's nice viewing animals from a lower floor.

Jambo 1BR are kinda sub-standard by DVC standards. The master bathroom is smaller where you have to step into the whirlpool tub to shower, and the bathroom is not directly connected to the bedroom.

There is a shuttle van that runs between Kidani and Jambo (they share views of Sunset Savanna) for dining.

Nothing beats the no-transportation walkability of DL and DCA to VGC.
AKL would need a bus (or car) ride to all 4 parks

BWV and BCV can walk or boat to EPCOT and DHS.

BLT can walk to MK and Monorail (with transfer) to EPCOT

Poly and VGF can monorail and boat to MK, and monorail (with transfer) to EPCOT
All other park transportation is bus (or drive your car)

Actually, Jambo House and Kidani Village are just two different locations at one resort, Animal Kingdom Villas. Jambo House is converted hotel rooms. Kidani Village was built new to the resort as DVC villas.

As to your question about January, early January can be hard with the Disney Marathon happening during the first two weeks of the month. And then you have the Martin Luther King holiday on the third Monday of the month (meaning long weekends or skipping a few days of school).

Use Disney transportation to the parks. It is easy and convenient.

 

[Meemoo]

Thank you for all your replies, they have been very helpful.

Bill - I'm sorry I'm not sure what the abbreviations UT & MDE mean...Thanks for the recommendation on renting out points and booking at 11 months, great advice.

We would like a car part of the trip so we can venture off site. Maybe a good plan is to rent the car whilst at Animal Kingdom, and use the monorail when at VGF. We will also be doing a Disney Cruise sometime during this trip.

Deb & Bill - Thanks for the tip about the marathon, I never thought of that I might aim for the last 2 weeks and do the cruise first perhaps.

 

[DVCnewB]

I'm not sure what the abbreviations UT & MDE mean

UT = Undercover Tourist
MDE = My Disney Experience

 

[disneynutz]

Thank you for all your replies, they have been very helpful.

Bill - I'm sorry I'm not sure what the abbreviations UT & MDE mean...Thanks for the recommendation on renting out points and booking at 11 months, great advice.

We would like a car part of the trip so we can venture off site. Maybe a good plan is to rent the car whilst at Animal Kingdom, and use the monorail when at VGF. We will also be doing a Disney Cruise sometime during this trip.

Deb & Bill - Thanks for the tip about the marathon, I never thought of that I might aim for the last 2 weeks and do the cruise first perhaps.

I caution you to now over plan, WDW is huge and just checking out some resorts could take a couple of days. Best to do a couple of parks this vacation and the others next time.

A vacation should be relaxing and you shouldn't need a vacation when you get home from your vacation.

Bill

 

[Meemoo]

I caution you to now over plan, WDW is huge and just checking out some resorts could take a couple of days. Best to do a couple of parks this vacation and the others next time.

A vacation should be relaxing and you shouldn't need a vacation when you get home from your vacation.

Bill

Unfortunately this could be a one off trip, we're coming from Australia so want to tick a lot of boxes. We are planning 3 weeks though, some days not at the parks and a Disney Cruise which I'm hoping will be the relaxing part! I don't care much for the water parks, (although my kids may not agree!) The mistake we made with our DL trip this year was not having any rest days. We had 10 day park hoppers and felt like we were constantly trying to get somewhere wake up at a certain time and of course late nights every nights.

 

[imaginiff]

We bought in at Aulani a few years back, and have enjoyed visiting and using it as a stop over to LA from Australia. We also stayed at the VGC last month and loved it. Next on our list of places to go is WDW. Now suddenly there is so much choice as to where to stay. We'd be looking at January (not this coming Jan). We are thinking to stay at Animal Kingdom in a 1 bedroom Villa for some of the time. What is the difference between the 2 properties, I see the point system works the same? Any advantage staying in a certain one? We would also like to stay at the Grand Floridan maybe in a studio villa or 1 bedroom depending on our point situation when we go. Is January an easy month to try reserve these properties at the 7 month mark?

When we booked our VGC at 7 months we had to do it the second reservations opened, one second later it would have been too late, is it like this or not so bad as WDW has that many more properties.

We were also looking at the Polynesian, but DH said to try something different it looks too similar to Aulani, is this really the case?

I don't know much at all about the WDW area in general but we don't really like relying on public transport and was hoping it to rent a car and get around easily this way. Is this recommended?

A question on Magic Bands - when do you receive these? For example I purchased my park hopper for DL in Australia and exchanged them for tickets at DL - Would it be the same where I transfer my receipt for the magic bands just like tickets on arrival?

Thanking you all in advance

I'll try to help if I can. Animal Kingdom...the one bedrooms at Kidani have two full baths and have lots of room overall. And a sleeper chair in addition to the pull out sofa in the living room. The one bedrooms at Jambo only have one full bath (and I cannot comment on the size as I have never been in a one bedroom at Jambo). The one bedrooms at Kidani are really spacious. I would not spend extra points on the "view" however. You can see the animals all over the place at the resort....I'd rather spend less points on a room and just go out to the viewing deck and see the wildlife.

The Grand Floridian is just beautiful. You don't say how many in your family. The studios have the split bath thing going on....but you would still all have to sleep in one room. The one bedrooms really don't have more bathroom space....but have the kitchen and privacy of the master bedroom...and point wise it is a real drain on points. Very pointy!!

I've been to Aulani and the DVC Poly. Yeah...it can be a little of the same. There are NO one bedrooms for DVC poly....only very large studios with a split bath. If you don't care about having a kitchen and only a kitchenette...well, I think I would prefer a studio at the Grand Flordian. You would have to look at points charts to see what the difference is.

Bay Lake Tower...their one bedrooms are like Kidani...two full baths. And a pull out sleeper chair in the living room. And you can walk to the Magic Kingdom in ten minutes. If you stay at Grand Floridian...you can take the monorail to MK, but getting back can be a long journey. The monorail has to go all the way around from MK to the GF. Or you can get on line to take one of the small boats back to the GF (and same thing for the Poly). It is also relatively easy to take a monorail from the Bay Lake Tower area and transfer to another monorail to Epcot.

My own opinion: Since you have lots of time, I would do a split stay. One bedroom at Kidani (standard view)....easy to get to Animal Kingdom Park and Hollywood Studios by bus. Bay Lake Tower one bedroom (standard if you can get it). Walk to Magic Kingdom, monorail to Epcot.

Renting a car....good to have for grocery shopping, but to be honest, we NEVER use the car to get to a park (except for Animal Kingdom because the parking lot is not very overwhelming). Since you will be staying on property, Disney will provide transportation via bus to get from the airport to your resort (as long as you are flying into Orlando International).

Speaking of grocery shopping...if you don't rent a car, you can contact "shoppers" to deliver groceries to you DVC. I've never done it (we always rent a car or drive) but I know many people have been very pleased with Garden Grocer and WeGoShop.

Now about the cruise. Are you doing it before or after WDW? If before, the Hyatt Hotel at Orlando has a partnership with Disney Cruise line (or they used to). Discount room AND they will pick up your checked bags for the cruise from your hotel room. Even if you are going after. Get your free ride back to the airport, spend the night at the Hyatt...and you can be early on line for check in for the cruise.

Can't help you with the magic band question. Since you are DVC members, check out the price for annual passes with the DVC discount vs. park hoppers. The annual DVC pass now has the photo pass option. Maybe price out one annual pass with DVC discount....and I know that AAA (American Automobile Association) has some good discounts if you are a member....sorry, don't know if they are in your area.

 

[disneynutz]

During your stay, when is your cruise? What size room, studio or 1 bedroom.

Bill

 

[_auroraborealis_]

A question on Magic Bands - when do you receive these?

I believe you would receive them upon checking in at your resort. Disney do not ship them overseas.