really, really need some opinions!!

[suzquig]

So, this is our 5th time visiting WDW. Planning a trip for MAy 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 in May). 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

 

[CoolPool]

3 bathrooms at the BLT would win out for me. The Beach Club villas come with the best resort pool on property though. Hmmm. Its a toughie but both are winners.

 

[Magic3forme]

We love BLT-- the convenience of being so close to MK, and our kids really like the pool there too. and having the extra bathroom is always a bonus for us!! ( Kidani at AKL) also has the extra bathroom.

havent stayed at the other 2 ( on our list).

 

[Vaughn4380]

Honest answer, all the options you mentioned are great and have their own pros and cons. The Beach Club vilas would give you access to a great pool (better than Poly) but be farther from the Magic Kingdom. Since your family is used to Poly, staying at Bay Lake Tower or Wilderness Lodge might be more familiar and a less drastic change. If cost was your primary concern I would think points for the Wilderness Lodge would be a tad cheaper (but I am just guessing on that since it is not as new as Bay Lake Tower).

I personally don't like Bay Lake Tower's theme, so that would not be on my list, but it's location is superb and you are not me.

But again, you can't really go wrong with either of the three. If your kids prefer Magic Kingdom, I would go with Wilderness Lodge, if they prefer Epcot or the Studios than I would go with Beach Club. Good luck!

 

[suzquig]

My thoughts exactly on BLT 's "theme" never a fan, but so close to MK! decisions...decisions!! Any comparisons to the two pools...BLT vs. Wilderness Villas???

 

[Vaughn4380]

My thoughts exactly on BLT 's "theme" never a fan, but so close to MK! decisions...decisions!! Any comparisons to the two pools...BLT vs. Wilderness Villas???

Wilderness villas (if I remember right) has a small quiet pool exclusively for the villa section, and you also get to use the main pool at the lodge which is really themed well and very nice.

The BLT pool is very nice, but the theme reminds of most modern resort pools and is not as cute as wilderness lodge's main pool.

Most likely, you will notice the theme differences more than your kids. Both pools will be fun but do not compare to Stormalong bay at the Beach Club (which is more like a small water park). If I had to pick one that resembled the Polly, it would be wilderness lodge.

 

[twinboysmom]

I think a 2 bedroom villa would be a great idea.i would choose BLT since you have stayed in the poly in the past. Transportation options similar except that you will have a walkway to the MK (I know you will have kids in strollers, easier than the monorail). We stayed at VWL a little over a year ago and we loved it. The boat transportation to MK was nice and we enjoyed the proximity to FW (quick boat ride or walk). The main pool is nice and yes, there is a quiet pool but it is not exclusive to vthe villas. Anyone staying at WL is welcome to use it. We don't choose the Epcot area resorts anymore as our children prefer MK and for us, the buses were the absolute worst (very often sharing with BWV, swalphin, and BC/YC). Also, storm along bay is just too big for my boys now.

My advice, renting points is a great idea. Do it sooner rather than later and be specific about your top 3 choices. The 11 month window has passed but you are before the 7th. We were unable to obtain a 2 bedroom unit the past 2 years in a row at BLT at exactly our 7 month window (we own DVC at SSR). Also, lake view will be the easiest to get with the standard view being extremely difficult and MK view a bit easier. Ask anymore questions if you need to. Hope your trip goes well. We love the 1bedroom and larger villas. They really spoil you.

 

[Sue M]

I've stayed at WL, poly, and BC. Not villas. All are great resorts. BC hands down has the best pool, and slide. Walking to Epcot or DHS is awesome, the rooms are nice and bright, and love the resort.

WL is a fav too, love the boat to MK, and walking trail to FW is so pretty. Watching electric water parade from beach.

But I'd prob pick BC.

 

[shannonstar]

I would say BCV. The pool is awesome. The location near two parks is worth it.

BLT doesn't have a Disney feel for me. WL is nice, but it doesn't really have to conveniences of the other two resorts.

If it were my family, we would definitely pick BCV.

 

[suzquig]

My advice, renting points is a great idea. Do it sooner rather than later and be specific about your top 3 choices. The 11 month window has passed but you are before the 7th. We were unable to obtain a 2 bedroom unit the past 2 years in a row at BLT at exactly our 7 month window (we own DVC at SSR). Also, lake view will be the easiest to get with the standard view being extremely difficult and MK view a bit easier. Ask anymore questions if you need to. Hope your trip goes well. We love the 1bedroom and larger villas. They really spoil you.

Quick question as now I am confused (again new to this whole renting point thing)....Do you think we have no shot to get into BLT or Villas at Wilderness at this point? Our dates are May 16-21st. Also is it better to check with both David's and Pauls point rental sites???
TIA!!

 

[twinboysmom]

I definately think you have a chance but like I said, act sooner rather than later. The closer to that 11 month window (and you're not far out) the better. We have gotten VWL in may when we could not get BLT at 7 months. What you need at this time is someone who owns at whatever resort you wish to book. So if you have chosen BLT then you need a BLT owner. If you were at the 7 month window it would be any DVC owner. There is a 4 month home resort booking window. I don't know anything about Paul's site but I know a lot of people use David's and have had great experiences. You can also go on the DVC rental board here and look formal private transaction. Most go about $10 a point but it has been a while since I looked. I don't have enough points myself so I don't keep up with what I could rent them out for. There is also sticky on that board about renting points. If you have any other specific questions just ask. I think for a first time renter I might pay the little bit extra and go with David's. Seems a lot easier.

Btw, BCV is also very small and in high demand. If you wish to be there it is another sooner is better. If you were looking for SSR, OKW, or AK I would tell you that you had plenty of time. They are all large and easier to book.