Resort Opinions

[oceanwave]

So we are looking at heading to WDW in August and I am not sure where to stay. We are looking at renting DVC points for a 2 bedroom villa and we have a few options available to us.

We are looking at staying at Grand Floridian Villas, Animal Kingdom VIllas or Wilderness Lodge Villas. For most of the trip there will be 3 adults and 3 kids (8,5 & 1). For a long weekend we will have 2 adults and a 1 year old joining us as well. Also my dad will have a scooter.

Where should we stay? I am leaning towards Grand Floridian Villas for the monorail, but it is a lot more than the other 2 choices. We have stayed at AKV- Kidani and loved it. Will I regret not staying at a monorail resort with 3 kids (4 for a weekend) and a scooter?

 

[loves to dive]

If you are talking about August of this year, you might have problems finding something that close out. If you do find something and you do actually get those three choices, I'd probably go with either WLV or AKV. I'm thinking GFV will cost more and with WLV you still have easy access to MK. AKV is a beautiful place, similar in look to WL but has animals. You will have to either drive or ride the bus to all the parks from AKV. From GF you will be able to either monorail or boat over to MK, your only option to get to Epcot will be monorail unless it is down, if it's down they will provide buses but otherwise you are stuck with the monorail. You will have to bus to AK and HS. From WL you can boat to MK, bus to all the other 3 parks or boat to CR and monorail to Epcot or boat to MK and monorail to Epcot, both options will require you switching at TTC (so will GF).

 

[Perelandra]

As long as you don't want a lockoff at GF or a value at AK you are fine as far as availability. If money is not an option, then using the monorail, especially with someone on a scooter would be worth it, but Wilderness Lodge is only a boat ride away and will save you some big bucks. Would need to know more about what kind of trip you are planning to give better advice. Will you be in parks most of time? Mostly MK or all parks? Will you be hanging around resort a lot? Is swimming pool important? Resort restaurant quality? etc.

 

[oceanwave]

As long as you don't want a lockoff at GF or a value at AK you are fine as far as availability. If money is not an option, then using the monorail, especially with someone on a scooter would be worth it, but Wilderness Lodge is only a boat ride away and will save you some big bucks. Would need to know more about what kind of trip you are planning to give better advice. Will you be in parks most of time? Mostly MK or all parks? Will you be hanging around resort a lot? Is swimming pool important? Resort restaurant quality? etc.

We wouldn't need a lockoff (I think thats a 1 bedroom and a studio?) and are looking at Savannah view at AK, so glad to hear we should be ok. I keep thinking with the scooter and stroller monorail would be so much easier as we would probably frequent MK more. The trip is for our niece (5) and we took her older sister (8 and is coming on the trip as well) 4 years ago. So the trip will be geared around princesses and our nieces. They are really easy going and easily entertained. With it being August I am thinking we will spend the mornings in the parks and then after lunch either rest in the villa or go swimming. If we get to do our 3 fastpasses and a character meal/meal everyday I call that a win. My dad is coming along as well and we lost my mum in October and so want to make it as enjoyable as possible for him. He has always had a dream of staying at GF, so that keeps weighing on my mind. But the price difference is really making me stop and think. Honestly I really thought GF would be unavailable and my decision would be easy.

 

[clayfolks]

The challenge with GF and that many people is that there are only two bathrooms. At Kidani there are three. When we stayed at GF 18 months ago, we were really frustrated because the monorail kept going down and the boat wasn't large enough to handle all the people who were forced to take it.

 

[Perelandra]

We wouldn't need a lockoff (I think thats a 1 bedroom and a studio?) and are looking at Savannah view at AK, so glad to hear we should be ok. I keep thinking with the scooter and stroller monorail would be so much easier as we would probably frequent MK more. The trip is for our niece (5) and we took her older sister (8 and is coming on the trip as well) 4 years ago. So the trip will be geared around princesses and our nieces. They are really easy going and easily entertained. With it being August I am thinking we will spend the mornings in the parks and then after lunch either rest in the villa or go swimming. If we get to do our 3 fastpasses and a character meal/meal everyday I call that a win. My dad is coming along as well and we lost my mum in October and so want to make it as enjoyable as possible for him. He has always had a dream of staying at GF, so that keeps weighing on my mind. But the price difference is really making me stop and think. Honestly I really thought GF would be unavailable and my decision would be easy.

Well if that's a dream of his, then maybe that should be the way to go, but if you wanted the convenience of the monorail and proximity to MK, you could always look at Bay Lake Tower at the Contemporary, and you could even walk to MK. Or perhaps the Poly? Both would cost you a little less than the Grand but not much. Wilderness lodge also wouldn't be too bad, as I think getting the scooter onto the boat is a little easier than the busses.