Well, the masses have spoken -- and pretty clearly, at that!
With over 70 voters and 50 of those choosing OKW -- seems like a no-brainer. I discussed this with DH and had some fundamental realizations along the way:
(1) After last year's trip (BCV/BWV/SSR) we had all agreed on the way home to do OKW on our next trip, so that we could "compare" and because it had been since 2001 that we stayed there! 2 of our 3 don't even remember what it looks like. NONE of us have seen the pool improvements, slide, etc. Technically we cheated on our pact already by doing HHI instead of Disney... OKW is DUE!
(2) DH commented on how bummed the kids might be to not do SAB, and I then recalled how frustrated I got chasing our trio all over SAB until we finally moved over to BWV and the more mom-friendly Luna Park pool. Yes, the kids loved SAB. But we will have the pool over at the US resort to explore, we will have oneor two days of water parks worked in to the trip -- we don't necessarily need the huge honkin' pool for every day of our stay. And for my peace of mind, SAB will be better suited to our kids when they are just a tad older and I'm not constantly trying to keep an eye on their every move (3 kids, two eyes -- you do the math!)
(3) THe kids have asked for a lot of things for this trip: US and IOA and Sea WOrld, Disney QUest, Typhoon Lagoon... I'm looking at having to get accommodations for probably 4 nts at a US resort, tickets for that, etc. as it is. I will letthem help make some of those choices too (so everyone has a "say" in the vacation). It will be a busy 12 days or so... I don't think it will hurt one iota to stay somewhere that is more laid-back and low key! And lest I forget -- allows us to stay 8 days on less pts so we can DO all those things the kids want to do! We will set the 20 left-over pts into the next year to off-set for a BCV stay. By the time THAT trip rolls around, the kids will be 7, 11, and 12 -- a bit more homogenized in their swimming skills and much more SAB viable without giving me a coronary....
Really, we need to revisit the resort that made us buy
DVC. Had it been available in '99 we would be OKW owners instead of BWV! We shouldn't be so quick to treat it like the consolation prize -- it was once our true love...
Maybe staying there this trip will help us resolve that age-old question of favorite resort for once and for all... who knows, maybe we will return from the trip and the kids will want to stay THERE again! Ya never know.
I do, however, know this -- I'd really like DVC to just hold off on building new resorts for a while -- our family has ENOUGH problems deciding as it is! THe kids are already talking about doing another HHI trip, and they still want to try the Vero resort too, especailly after they heard their aunt, uncle and cousins talk about it. AUGGGH! JimFitz was right -- we need an add-on (and a winning lottery ticket would help, too, so I can quit my job and have vacation to spend my new pts!)
THANKS everybody for the help!
