Positives & Negatives of Different Properties & Reservation Availability

[jberry5]

I was wondering if people would be willing to share some of the positives & negatives they associate with the different DVC properties. Not looking for anything in particular, just what others who have actually stayed at these properties either enjoyed, or didn't enjoy.

[EDIT]Which DVC properties seem to be the hardest to book at the 7-month point? I see the resales for Vero Beach for example, and just wonder if something like that might be in our best interest, or if that is a bit too risky. With our trips likely only being or the vast majority to WDW, buying VB would not give us a "safety net" 11-month property at WDW. We absolutely will not travel between January 1st and April 15th, and also for most of June through most of August.

TIA

 

[Mtnman44]

Here we go...

 

[Tinkerdreams]

I was wondering if people would be willing some of the positives & negatives they associate with the different DVC properties. Not looking for anything in particular, just what others who have actually stayed at these properties either enjoyed, or didn't enjoy.

TIA

This will be difficult because people have very different tastes. For example: some will say that SSR is too big, while others just love it. BWV is too noisy but has lots to do. Basically, take everyone's opinions with a grain of salt. It is going to come down to what YOU like.

I am a new DVC member and I have been to Disney several years and stayed at most of their resorts and I have to say that they are all special in their own way and all have their own faults.

 

[crisi]

Here are some common ones. Note that one person's pro may be another person's con.

OKW Pros: Large rooms, laid back atmophere, reasonable dues, great point value, very community and resorty feeling. Grand Villas
Cons: Spread out, drive or bus everywhere, stairs to second floor rooms.
(Con of ownership, though not of staying - this resort is easy to book unless you are going for Grand Villas)
Neither pro nor con: "Condo" style resort


BWV Pros: Epcot location. Availability of standard and Boardwalk view categories. Nice restaurants, Boardwalk activities, Nice pool. Community Hall, Grand Villas
Cons: Clown pool. Can seem too "busy." High dues. Lots of complaints over the years on bus service. All two bedrooms are lockoffs.
Neither Pro nor Con: Hotel style resort - shares BWI amenities

BCV Pros: Storm Along Bay. Epcot Location. Access to BW without more of a laid back feel. Ownership pro - considered hardest to book without owning here.
Cons: No Grand Villas. Most two bedrooms do not have two beds in the second bedroom. Possbily more upkeep concerns here than at other resorts.
Neither pro nor con: hotel style - Y&BC shared

VWL Pros: Theming. Closest resort to MK.
Cons: No Grand Villas. "Dark" rooms.
Neither pro nor con: hotel style - WL Shared

SSR Pros: DTD Location, community feel. Decor (I don't like it, but I seem to be the minority - but I like the dark rooms at VWL). Low Dues. Community Hall. Nice pool (zero entry, toddler slide).
Cons: Very large. Spread out.
Neither pro nor con: Condo style

AKL Pros: (I haven't been paying attention much here): Animals. One bedrooms that sleep five officially.
Cons: Quite a distance from most of Disney. I recall dues are higher here than most places.
This is going to be an odd mish mash of hotel and condo style I think when we get done.....

Condo style - exterior access to rooms. No room service (pizza delivery, as I recall). Parking right outside room.
Hotel sytle - interior access to rooms. Access to hotel amenities including room service. Parking in hotel lot, valet available (and free with membership - but DO tip).

 

[Pennyguy23]

We like every resort but OKW, But if we have to we will stay there again but others will ONLY stay at OKW. So like most will say its all what YOU like, it has NOTHING to do with what I or WE like.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Crisi, you did a very good job of trying to cover all bases!

As you can see from Crisi's post, if you like a hotel resort with hallways, room service, valet parking etc, etc, you will probably like BWV, BCV, VWL, AKV, but if you prefer more of a condo or vacation home feel,, you might prefer OKW. SSR will give you something somewhere in the middle, and some of the hotel style resorts will have some of the solitude amenities that the stand alones have too. For that I am mostly thinking of AKV and VWL. These two are still more secluded and quiet like OKW and SSR.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

VWL Pros: Theming. Closest resort to MK.
Cons: No Grand Villas. "Dark" rooms.
Neither pro nor con: hotel style - WL Shared

Of course, dark rooms are a personal preference, and shouldn't be listed as a "con".

I love the rustic, robust rooms at VWL. If I was making the list, I would consisder it a "pro".

MG

Edited to add that I now see crisi's first line about one person's pros being another's cons... When will I ever learn to read the entire post carefully before responding??

 

[jberry5]

Thank you very much for those recaps, greatly appreciated.

I know it's essentially what we will like, but I think this can be very helpful to those like myself, just in the initial stages of looking into purchasing DVC. Even if someone says a Pro for them is small/intimate rooms, I know for our family (in a few years) that would not be something we'd want. Or the Con at Boardwalk being busy, could well be something we enjoy, as we live out in the sticks, and it would be a change of pace for us.

I'm going to edit my original question to add one other item.

 

[nezy]

I love all of the resorts. Soometimes I am in the mood for one over another, or I would like to be closer to DTD, or EPCOT or MK. It also depends on who I am traveling with. Overall though, we have repeatedly stayed at OKW and VWL more often than others.

OKW-
Pros- BIG ROOMS DVC resort only-not connected to a Hotel. More space. Feel like "home", more resort like w/ Hanks and things for kids to dlivias.

Cons-no stairs 9not always a problem and i never really noticed it until we had my mom w/ us and had already checked into a room on 3rd floor. Mom does not do stairs.

SSR-
Pros-location to DTD, love the quiet pool overlooking DTD. the food court area. very serene atmosphere, despite proximity to DTD.

Cons-very big. needs some old trees!

BCV-
Storm along, location, theming, restaurnats as shared w/ hotel Y &B as well as closeness to BW

Cons-
not alot of rooms , difficutl to get if not an owner, smaller rooms

BWV-
location-proximity to EPCOT and MGM as well as the fun things to do on the B'walk,fun pool-clown doesn't bother me

Cons-
can be too busy, need more food options at the pool


WLV-
Pros-Theming, location, restaurnts, quiet pool, resort atmosphere, so much to do

Cons-

I have no experiences w/ AKV, so I do not have a pro/con list yet.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

[EDIT]Which DVC properties seem to be the hardest to book at the 7-month point? I see the resales for Vero Beach for example, and just wonder if something like that might be in our best interest, or if that is a bit too risky. With our trips likely only being or the vast majority to WDW, buying VB would not give us a "safety net" 11-month property at WDW. We absolutely will not travel between January 1st and April 15th, and also for most of June through most of August.

TIA

It depends on the seasaon. For example, BWV and BCV will be harder during the F&W Festival, and VWL will be harder in December.

If the vast majority of your trips will be to WDW, than I would stay clear of Vero unless you can be very flexible. Also remember that while the prices for VB may look attractive, the annual fees are by far the highest.

Good luck!..

MG

 

[jberry5]

It depends on the seasaon. For example, BWV and BCV will be harder during the F&W Festival, and VWL will be harder in December.

If the vast majority of your trips will be to WDW, than I would stay clear of Vero unless you can be very flexible. Also remember that while the prices for VB may look attractive, the annual fees are by far the highest.

Good luck!..

MG

Yeah, just noticed the fees while looking a bit more at those offers.

 

[Muushka]

Of course, dark rooms are a personal preference, and shouldn't be listed as a "con".

I love the rustic, robust rooms at VWL. If I was making the list, I would consisder it a "pro".

MG

Edited to add that I now see crisi's first line about one person's pros being another's cons... When will I ever learn to read the entire post carefully before responding??

Funny, I was thinking the exact same thing.

 

[crisi]

I was going for the "general wisdom" - I'd never have put SSRs decor as a pro - but most people seem to like it. When people "complain" about VWL (which they seldom do) its about those "dark rooms" (I like VWL best in terms of theming and decor, so I'm with you guys - if they could stick it where the Swolphin is (and leave the trees and atmophere attached), it would be perfect).

ETA: I'm also a SAB is a personal CON girl, myself - that pool is too hard to watch kids in.

 

[Deb & Bill]

I was going for the "general wisdom" - I'd never have put SSRs decor as a pro - but most people seem to like it. When people "complain" about VWL (which they seldom do) its about those "dark rooms" (I like VWL best in terms of theming and decor, so I'm with you guys - if they could stick it where the Swolphin is (and leave the trees and atmophere attached), it would be perfect).

ETA: I'm also a SAB is a personal CON girl, myself - that pool is too hard to watch kids in.

Me, too. I don't like SAB - too crowded, too spread out, too deep and current too swift in places. And I HATE the sinking sands area. Give me the Dunes Cove Pool over SAB anyday.

And leave VWL where it is - in the woods, near the lake, makes it more like a woodsy resort.

 

[crisi]

And leave VWL where it is - in the woods, near the lake, makes it more like a woodsy resort.

Well, yeah. I was kidding. Everyone knows what they really need is teleporters a the International Gateway to all the DVC resorts.

 

[mikesmom]

We absolutely will not travel between January 1st and April 15th, and also for most of June through most of August.

Actually, June through August is probably one of the SLOWER times for DVC. DVC owners are a bit contrarian. Because they have choices they tend to travel when the weather is not so hot (unless they have kids in school issues). September is probably a very slow time for DVC, followed by the summer, followed by the first quarter, except for the Easter/Spring break surge holidays such as Presidents Day and MLK birthday. Working around those times in the spring is not too bad. Early May is reasonably quiet for DVC, picking up toward Memorial Day. The toughest time for DVC ressies is the 4th quarter. The combo of Food& Wine Fest, early December low point costs plus holiday decorations, and then Thanksgiving/Christmas holidays, adds up to a perfect storm of tough to get reservations unless you plan early.

 

[tjkraz]

Well, yeah. I was kidding. Everyone knows what they really need is teleporters a the International Gateway to all the DVC resorts.

"Welcome weary travelers to the great big universe of XS!"

 

[jberry5]

Actually, June through August is probably one of the SLOWER times for DVC. DVC owners are a bit contrarian. Because they have choices they tend to travel when the weather is not so hot (unless they have kids in school issues). September is probably a very slow time for DVC, followed by the summer, followed by the first quarter, except for the Easter/Spring break surge holidays such as Presidents Day and MLK birthday. Working around those times in the spring is not too bad. Early May is reasonably quiet for DVC, picking up toward Memorial Day. The toughest time for DVC ressies is the 4th quarter. The combo of Food& Wine Fest, early December low point costs plus holiday decorations, and then Thanksgiving/Christmas holidays, adds up to a perfect storm of tough to get reservations unless you plan early.

The issue for us though is my job. I'm a CPA, and during tax season we're not allowed any vacation time. During the summer we do several school audits, so that shoots alot of the summer as well. That one is fine by me. Every time I go to Florida during August, I keep saying I will never go there again at that time. Yet, something always seems to happen that it just works out that we go at that time.



Our favorite time to go so far has been the weekend right after Thanksgiving. Nice weather and Christmas decorations are up.

 

[nezy]

I know we have been focusing on WDW-DVC resorts, but I thought I would add a pro/con to the OTHER 2 Dvc resorts:

VERO-
Pro-relaxing, great staff, good onsight restaurant, activities for kids,
AND OF COURSE THE B-E-A-C-H!!!

Cons-higher maintenance fees

HHI-
Pros-Beach, beautiful property, so much to do on sight and nearby, beach, bikes, alsomost like 2 resorts w/ the beach house, etc.

Cons-ummm?

Wait I'll think of something.....

Oh yeah-it is too far from where I live-not as easy to get to drivng or flying.

 

[crisi]

The issue for us though is my job. I'm a CPA, and during tax season we're not allowed any vacation time. During the summer we do several school audits, so that shoots alot of the summer as well. That one is fine by me. Every time I go to Florida during August, I keep saying I will never go there again at that time. Yet, something always seems to happen that it just works out that we go at that time.



Our favorite time to go so far has been the weekend right after Thanksgiving. Nice weather and Christmas decorations are up.

That's a lot of people's favorite time (we are October people, ourselves - another favorite time). Which doesn't mean DVC isn't for you, it does mean that you should weight a smaller, harder to get resort that you LOVE ahead of a bigger easier to book resort. And, unless you are willing to do the day by day thing, take the BWV Standard Views out of the equation - for that period they are hard to get even if you own at BWVs from October - early January. (We hope for Standard Views, and PLAN to spend the extra preferred view points - and book right at 11 months for F&W).

You probably won't have issues trying SSR or OKW if you switch at seven months - you will probably have issues trying to get into VWL, BWV or BCV. VAKL looks like its going to be heavily dependent on room type - lots of rooms, but few Value and Concierge rooms.

The other thing to factor is for some people the extra years are big. We are of the opinion that we'd rather spend 35 years in a resort we love than 50 in a resort we don't, but other people feel differently - they'd rather spend 50 at WDW and don't weigh which resort they end up at so heavily.