Sorry,Just not impressed with Bonnet Creek

[blitzkrieg048]

I'm sure I'll get flack for this but I'm not impressed with Bonnet Creek at all and I've only been here three days so far. First off let me say the grounds are gorgeous and I can smoke my cigars on the balcony while watching the fireworks of Epcot and MK...thankfully I'm facing Epcot ...great view no doubt. The pools are nice and the location for off site property is unbeatable. Unfortunately that's where the positives end for me...only my opinion. Now the negatives. There rooms are always warm when u walk in due to A/C being on motion activated sensors. Coming back from the pool on a hot day is brutal...and the hallways are just as warm so your dying to walk into A/C...not gonna happen. I don't find the staff very friendly, they walk by you outside and don't even make eye contact. The jacuzzi has an auto drying cycle so it goes off a half hour after you get out...so it states...try 2 hours after when it wakes you up out of a dead sleep. The activity center is average at best a couple pool tables crappy arcade games a ping pong table and 1 video game system. Well thats all I hafta say..I understand people love it here but I would rather stay at the Vistana over BCR. Let me end by saying I am a DVC member and the only reason I'm not staying there is b/c my in laws let us stay for free on they're RCI. It's tolerable for free but I'd never pay for it. Already counting down the days till next August to go to Old Key West...where we get a "Welcome Home" instead of a half hearted wave at the guard shack.

 

[swilshire]

Your balcony at Bonnet Creek or any of the other resorts mentioned is close enough for cigar smoke to be offensive to any other guests trying to enjoy their balcony. I can tolerate cigarettes or even a pipe, but cigars are just awful. Glad I'm not your neighbor.

Sheila

 

[blitzkrieg048]

Your balcony at Bonnet Creek or any of the other resorts mentioned is close enough for cigar smoke to be offensive to any other guests trying to enjoy their balcony. I can tolerate cigarettes or even a pipe, but cigars are just awful. Glad I'm not your neighbor.

Sheila

I know how inconsiderate of me enjoying a legal product on a balcony where smoking is legal...and by the way my balcony is at the end of tower four on the 13th floor where there is housekeeping and and a trash chute between my room and the next room...so your wrong there is no balcony above or to the side of me affected by my "awful" legal cigar smoke and the cigar smoke doesn't go to the bottom balcony. I'm following the designated smoking areas of Bonnet Creek. And by the way your not supposed dispute smoking on this thread, there is a separate board for it. I merely mentioned it b/c it was one of the positives of this resort here I can wind down at the end of the night in the privacy of my own balcony and not by the pool where theres alot more people and kids. Again how inconsiderate of me.

 

[Brian Noble]

No worries, more room for me!

 

[JimMIA]

Now the negatives. There rooms are always warm when u walk in due to A/C being on motion activated sensors. Coming back from the pool on a hot day is brutal...and the hallways are just as warm so your dying to walk into A/C...not gonna happen.

You'll have the same experience at many of the DVC resorts. The one I hear the motion-sensor complaint most about is SSR. We didn't notice any problem with the hallways when we were there (also in Tower 4, 13th floor), but we were there in May. My guess is that it's not an issue on the lower floors.

I don't find the staff very friendly, they walk by you outside and don't even make eye contact.

We had exactly the opposite impression when we were there. With the exception of the body snatchers at the "parking permit" desk, we found all of the staff to be friendly and very helpful. We've always enjoyed the staff at OKW as well.

The jacuzzi has an auto drying cycle so it goes off a half hour after you get out...so it states...try 2 hours after when it wakes you up out of a dead sleep.

Not sure what you're talking about here, but if it's the jacuzzi tub in your room, a call to engineering ought to fix that.

The activity center is average at best a couple pool tables crappy arcade games a ping pong table and 1 video game system.

Interesting comment, especially when you compare WBC to OKW.

We LOVE OKW, but for a resort to spend a day at, WBC is vastly better. MUCH better pools, two MORE pool tables than OKW has, and lots of activities for the kids, including free minigolf. For the adults, free beautiful gas BBQ's, Karaoke at the Tower 2 pool and live entertainment at Escudo's (Tower 4 pool). Really no comparison...and that's from an OKW lover.

Whichever resort anyone looks at, you'll find things you like better and things you like less.

For us, comparing OKW with WBC, we like the space in the villas, the spread out, condo-complex layout of the resort, and the more mature landscaping at OKW. (OTOH, probably the most common complaint about OKW from DVC owners is the spread out layout.) Olivia's also gives you sit-down dining, which WBC does not currently have. Once the hotel opens, we'll have to rethink that comparison. And, of course, OKW offers the boat ride to DTD.

(I should qualify my remarks by saying that we have not yet stayed in a refurbished villa at OKW. I've heard many complaints about the refurbishment, with the main one being "cheap." I've heard a LOT of complaints about the refurbishments being the same quality as BLT...which is to say really poor.)

Positives for WBC are the five pools, four of which are much better than the main pool at OKW. In addition, the pools are much better equipped -- very nice cabanas, many more lounges (more at one pool than all of OKW), multiple spas at each pool, zero entry at all but one pool, lazy rivers (although OKW has a better slide) and lots of FREE tubes.

In the villas, the furniture and housewares are substantially better than OKW. There's more of most things, and the quality is noticeably better. OKW does have much more space, and we found the A/C unit in our WBC villa to be pretty noisy. We liked the beds better at WBC, but that's a personal preference.

Personally, I think they're both great resorts. And, as Brian said, if you don't like WBC, that just makes it easier for me to get in! Enjoy your vacation.

 

[minniemomof3]

Fair enough, everyone has their own opinions.

We just returned from a one week stay at Bonnet Creek and did not experience any of these issues. In regards to the A/C are room was always cold, sometimes too cold.

We didn't find the staff overly friendly, but definitely friendly enough. We were always acknowledged and greeted when entering the building.

 

[TotoToo]

If you prefer smaller units with far less amenities (but a "Welcome home" greeting) then enjoy! We find BC much more to our liking although there are even better places "outside the gates" such as Cypress Pointe, many of the Marriotts, Hiltons, etc. Vistana, Westgate & Orange Lake would NOT come under our "better" category.

 

[DisTito69]

i have no problem with the wonderful aroma of a fine cigar. each to there own

Tito

 

[blitzkrieg048]

Fair enough, everyone has their own opinions.

We just returned from a one week stay at Bonnet Creek and did not experience any of these issues. In regards to the A/C are room was always cold, sometimes too cold.

We didn't find the staff overly friendly, but definitely friendly enough. We were always acknowledged and greeted when entering the building.

And it was just an opinion so thanx for understanding that. Theres plenty of people that do not like DVC and thats fine but I don't hammer them for it. Everyone has different experiences at the same hotels...I read the I love Bonnet Creek thread a bunch of times before I came here so I was excited...but it just fell flat for me, thats all. The A/C is on sensors trust me its kicks on when we walk in and it says sensorstat right on the unit. Anyway thanx for realizing it was just an opinion.

 

[blitzkrieg048]

i have no problem with the wonderful aroma of a fine cigar. each to there own

Tito

Thanx for the kind words

 

[blitzkrieg048]

No worries, more room for me!

Thats cool u can neighbor with swilshire...just hope u dont smoke

 

[blitzkrieg048]

You'll have the same experience at many of the DVC resorts. The one I hear the motion-sensor complaint most about is SSR. We didn't notice any problem with the hallways when we were there (also in Tower 4, 13th floor), but we were there in May. My guess is that it's not an issue on the lower floors.We had exactly the opposite impression when we were there. With the exception of the body snatchers at the "parking permit" desk, we found all of the staff to be friendly and very helpful. We've always enjoyed the staff at OKW as well.Not sure what you're talking about here, but if it's the jacuzzi tub in your room, a call to engineering ought to fix that. Interesting comment, especially when you compare WBC to OKW.

We LOVE OKW, but for a resort to spend a day at, WBC is vastly better. MUCH better pools, two MORE pool tables than OKW has, and lots of activities for the kids, including free minigolf. For the adults, free beautiful gas BBQ's, Karaoke at the Tower 2 pool and live entertainment at Escudo's (Tower 4 pool). Really no comparison...and that's from an OKW lover.

Whichever resort anyone looks at, you'll find things you like better and things you like less.

For us, comparing OKW with WBC, we like the space in the villas, the spread out, condo-complex layout of the resort, and the more mature landscaping at OKW. (OTOH, probably the most common complaint about OKW from DVC owners is the spread out layout.) Olivia's also gives you sit-down dining, which WBC does not currently have. Once the hotel opens, we'll have to rethink that comparison. And, of course, OKW offers the boat ride to DTD.

(I should qualify my remarks by saying that we have not yet stayed in a refurbished villa at OKW. I've heard many complaints about the refurbishment, with the main one being "cheap." I've heard a LOT of complaints about the refurbishments being the same quality as BLT...which is to say really poor.)

Positives for WBC are the five pools, four of which are much better than the main pool at OKW. In addition, the pools are much better equipped -- very nice cabanas, many more lounges (more at one pool than all of OKW), multiple spas at each pool, zero entry at all but one pool, lazy rivers (although OKW has a better slide) and lots of FREE tubes.

In the villas, the furniture and housewares are substantially better than OKW. There's more of most things, and the quality is noticeably better. OKW does have much more space, and we found the A/C unit in our WBC villa to be pretty noisy. We liked the beds better at WBC, but that's a personal preference.

Personally, I think they're both great resorts. And, as Brian said, if you don't like WBC, that just makes it easier for me to get in! Enjoy your vacation.

While agree with some of your points, I disagree with others. OKW has a pool table in the activities center, and OKW offers alot of activities for the kids so I'm confused on that. OKW has campfires, smores for the kids, crafts, pool games, boat rental, bikes to rent for free, basketball, tennis, ping pong, shuffleboard. So theres many activities. There is no mini golf and there are more pool slides I'll give u that. Dont get the better quality of refurbishment, stayed there in may and thought is was great and I stayed a night at Bay Lake Towers and its phenomenal. Beds are the same as far as I was concerned and houseware didnt even find to be an issue. OKW has a much better landscape and laid back feel to it. I find the music at the quiet pools(which i havent seen at WBC) very relaxing. All in all like u said its a matter of opinion and also like u said when u stay at WBC more room for me at OKW.

 

[Branabb]

I've read similar comments on this and other sites from people who stayed at WBC. We will be there our first time in December. The cool thing for my family is the things that most people complain about are not considerations for us.

Even so, I can only go by overall reputation and how it appears to compare to other resorts I am familiar with. My wife didn't want to stay Vistana or Marriott, so it narrowed the field for me. She has stayed at the other two several times and she wants to try something different.

I was glad to read your comments though. The reason is they are all in categories that don't factor into my family's usual vacations (we do pool and room only 95% of the time). The only one that might be an issue is whether or not the staff are friendly when I request their assistance.

I am expecting a nice resort, but I wouldn't say I am overly excited about staying there. I always assume the love/hate posts about destinations are skewed a bit in either direction (not referring to yours). I am looking forward to posting my own experience when I return.

Thanks for your input.

 

[swilshire]

I know how inconsiderate of me enjoying a legal product on a balcony where smoking is legal...and by the way my balcony is at the end of tower four on the 13th floor where there is housekeeping and and a trash chute between my room and the next room...so your wrong there is no balcony above or to the side of me affected by my "awful" legal cigar smoke and the cigar smoke doesn't go to the bottom balcony. I'm following the designated smoking areas of Bonnet Creek. And by the way your not supposed dispute smoking on this thread, there is a separate board for it. I merely mentioned it b/c it was one of the positives of this resort here I can wind down at the end of the night in the privacy of my own balcony and not by the pool where theres alot more people and kids. Again how inconsiderate of me.

Thank you for clarifying the fact that you had no close neighbors on your balcony. When we stayed at Bonnet Creek, we had very close neighbors on both the right and left of our balcony.

I certainly don't want to break any bboard rules by discussing a controversal subject, but the fact that cigars are legal do not make them any less smelly. Would you have smoked them if you had not had the one unit that was far removed from any others?

Sheila

 

[Brian Noble]

I am expecting a nice resort, but I wouldn't say I am overly excited about staying there.

As with most things, if you are looking for a nice stay, that's probably what you'll get. If you go into it expecting it to be unsatisfactory, I'm sure you'll find reasons to support your expectation.

 

[darrius1st]

I love Bonnet Creek for my family, I have never stayed onsite because for a family of 7 the price is out of my reach. I have never paid more than $100 a night and I always go in the summer. So i guess Disney is great if you can afford it but I get more bang for my buck staying here and I don't have to goto the park each day to have a great time.

 

[blitzkrieg048]

I've read similar comments on this and other sites from people who stayed at WBC. We will be there our first time in December. The cool thing for my family is the things that most people complain about are not considerations for us.

Even so, I can only go by overall reputation and how it appears to compare to other resorts I am familiar with. My wife didn't want to stay Vistana or Marriott, so it narrowed the field for me. She has stayed at the other two several times and she wants to try something different.

I was glad to read your comments though. The reason is they are all in categories that don't factor into my family's usual vacations (we do pool and room only 95% of the time). The only one that might be an issue is whether or not the staff are friendly when I request their assistance.

I am expecting a nice resort, but I wouldn't say I am overly excited about staying there. I always assume the love/hate posts about destinations are skewed a bit in either direction (not referring to yours). I am looking forward to posting my own experience when I return.

Thanks for your input.

I'm not saying Bonnet Creek is a terrible resort...most people would love it here. It's been hyped up so much that it was a let down for me. There are things I like about it and things I dont..the cons outweigh the pro's for me thats all.

 

[blitzkrieg048]

Thank you for clarifying the fact that you had no close neighbors on your balcony. When we stayed at Bonnet Creek, we had very close neighbors on both the right and left of our balcony.

I certainly don't want to break any bboard rules by discussing a controversal subject, but the fact that cigars are legal do not make them any less smelly. Would you have smoked them if you had not had the one unit that was far removed from any others?

Sheila

yes cuz im not breaking any rules...I go out of my way to make sure my smoke doesnt bother other people b/c I know its a sensitive thing and it bothers some people. But I follow all the smoking rules and it bothers me when I'm in a smoking section and people start waving their hands and coughing make a big scene when I'm in my own little dark and dreary corner where they shove smokers. It doesnt make us bad people cuz we enjoy a cigar thats a handmade artisan craft that people build their life on in cuba, nicaragua, and honduras. Cigars are a luxury item that i enjoy after busting it at work everyday. I've been at the pool everyday and see people getting hammered on alcohol and jumping in the pool almost on top of people, but thats ok. I sit there in the corner blowing smoke away from everybody minding my own business but I'm the bad neighbor...people need to be sensitive to smokers who enjoy what they do and are following the rules and considerate of others. People should call ahead of time and find out what the smoking rules are. Disney is practically smoke free but I go to the designated area they give me out in the boonies and do not complain and people constantly sit in the one smoking section in the pool area and give me a dirty look cuz I want to smoke in the correct area where they took off me. Just saying.

 

[donaldduck352]

yes cuz im not breaking any rules...I go out of my way to make sure my smoke doesnt bother other people b/c I know its a sensitive thing and it bothers some people. But I follow all the smoking rules and it bothers me when I'm in a smoking section and people start waving their hands and coughing make a big scene when I'm in my own little dark and dreary corner where they shove smokers. It doesnt make us bad people cuz we enjoy a cigar thats a handmade artisan craft that people build their life on in cuba, nicaragua, and honduras. Cigars are a luxury item that i enjoy after busting it at work everyday. I've been at the pool everyday and see people getting hammered on alcohol and jumping in the pool almost on top of people, but thats ok. I sit there in the corner blowing smoke away from everybody minding my own business but I'm the bad neighbor...people need to be sensitive to smokers who enjoy what they do and are following the rules and considerate of others. People should call ahead of time and find out what the smoking rules are. Disney is practically smoke free but I go to the designated area they give me out in the boonies and do not complain and people constantly sit in the one smoking section in the pool area and give me a dirty look cuz I want to smoke in the correct area where they took off me. Just saying.

I must agree with this.I,as you enjoy a great cigar and I do smoke ciggs.No one else in my family smokes,so I don't smoke in the car and always get smoke free rooms for them.Its my habit not thers.It makes me angry also when I'm following the rules and people still complain!!

 

[blitzkrieg048]

I must agree with this.I,as you enjoy a great cigar and I do smoke ciggs.No one else in my family smokes,so I don't smoke in the car and always get smoke free rooms for them.Its my habit not thers.It makes me angry also when I'm following the rules and people still complain!!

My wife smokes cigarettes and always smokes outside so not to get it in the house with our kids. Thanx for the support, I just wish more people understood our side of it instead of looking at us like were freaks. I understand some smokers dont follow rules but most do. I've met many friends and lots of good people smoking a cigar,especially on vacay where you meet people around the country and world. enjoy your smokes my friend.