Studio vs. 1 Bedroom, family of 4

[Fall1]

DH and I are planning on taking a tour of DVC when we go on our trip in October. We've been thinking of buying resale at BCV forever and we are finally getting close.

My main issue is that you don't get 2 beds in either a Studio or a 1 Bedroom, so I'm not sure it's worth it to use all the extra points in a 1 Bedroom.

The trips will be for 4, our twins are currently 14 months old, so we want to be sure we are buying enough points to travel for all of us to be comfortable in the future.

Do you usually stay in a Studio or 1 Bedroom? Thanks!!

 

[tiggerrr]

DH and I are planning on taking a tour of DVC when we go on our trip in October. We've been thinking of buying resale at BCV forever and we are finally getting close.

My main issue is that you don't get 2 beds in either a Studio or a 1 Bedroom, so I'm not sure it's worth it to use all the extra points in a 1 Bedroom.

The trips will be for 4, our twins are currently 14 months old, so we want to be sure we are buying enough points to travel for all of us to be comfortable in the future.

Do you usually stay in a Studio or 1 Bedroom? Thanks!!

1 Bedroom, 1 Bedroom, 1 Bedroom. We just stayed at a studio last week for the first and probably last time, even when we're just travelling as DW and I. Here are the advantages of the 1 Bedroom:

A full kitchen, with a full size refrigerator which includes a freezer that will actually freeze things. It also includes enough counter space to lay out food and dishes and so on.

Washer and dryer in the actual room. Do the laundry at your leisure instead of having to watch it or wait for it at the shared laundry facilities.

A private room for some "alone" time between us. A little privacy goes a long way for retaining sanity on longer trips.

The 1 Bedrooms at OKW are big enough for air mattresses/aerobeds to be set up, so our boys can have separate beds (currently teenagers).

The problem is of course, the points are significantly more expensive, but we aren't going back to studios any time soon.

 

[DreaGirl]

I have the same question. We have a 2 yr. old DD and are expecting a new baby next month. Our reason for wanting a 1 bedroom is that we could put the kids in one room to sleep and then we could be in another to watch tv, eat, ect. and not have to worry about waking them up like we do in one big room.

 

[OlderMan]

We've owned at OKW for over 11 years and only stayed in a studio once--our first stay there--when it was just DW and me.

Now that our DD's are 10 & 11, we're using 2 BR villas. When they were younger, it was OK in a 1 BR villa, but now that they have gotten older, the each have to have their own bed.

Just what works for us............

 

[cogero]

we just bought at AKV we bought enough points to cover a 2br this is our thinking.

We don't plan on staying in a studion 1 BR at least WE have a DD (6) and DS (8mos) The reasoning is they will not stay in one bed and we want the full kitchen. We also like the fact that the 1BR had washer /dryer and we could bring even less stuff with us

We also thought a 2 BR lets us bring some built in baby sitters too.

I wouldn't make a final decision until you see the set up.

 

[Deb & Bill]

The only studio I would consider (and I seldom consider studios), would be the OKW studio because it has two real beds in it (two queen beds).

But I like having the king sized bed, I like having the washer and dryer and I like having the kitchen. And OKW has the best of all of these.

 

[PatsMom]

When it is just DD, DH and me we will do either a studio or a one bedroom depending on what is available and what we have for points. When DD brings a friend we do a one bedroom to have the extra space. Seems crowded with four of us in a studio! When DD is off to college next year DH and I will probably start doing just studios for the two of us. We never cook so the full kitchen doesn't mean much! I do like the whirlpool tub in the one bedrooms but if we stick to studios we can probably fit in 3 or 4 trips a year. Of course that assumes that DD doesn't use up all our points taking friends on spring break to WDW which is her current plan!

 

[eva]

Well, remember you can always add more points!

 

[tamsenrigi]

The one bedroom is so completely worth it! I have twins also and even though the girls insist on sleeping with us, I still wouldn't give up the other room. Besides being able to watch tv or talk or anything after they go to sleep, the kitchen is key for me. I don't feel like battling with the crowds at restaurants every night after a full day at the parks. We can just come back, go for a swim and have an easy meal in the room.

I use gardengrocer.com. They have always been there when they said that they would with my exact order. It's saved me a fortune in greasy food at the parks. Not to mention the $3 per bottle of water!

Have a great trip!

 

[ibela]

Dh and I stayed in a SSR studio with our 2 yr old dd. Now that we're expecting our 2nd we already said we have to get 1 br going forward. We had just enough room with dd on the couch, can't imagine moving around comfortably with a pack n play too!

 

[edk35]

Well we are a family of 5...dd 17, ds 14 and ds 9. We get the 2br for obvious reasons....but if it were just me and dh going down for a quick trip of a few days to a week...sure a studio would suit us just fine. If we were going down with just one of our kids in the future.....we would get a 1 br. Once you stay in something more than a hotel room....you will see how wonderful it is. I know everyone vacations differently, but for us..we chose DVC for many reasons and one was to have a nice spacious place to go every year. All of our trips prior to joining DVC in Jan. 07...we were in two hotel rooms or a room that slept 5.....you have no where to go when you go back to your room. You have one tv and no where to sit other than the beds really. It is nice to have a living/dining area to hang out and THE WASHER AND DRYER IS ANOTHER HUGE REASON to stay in more than a studio especially with kids. THE KITCHEN is nice to have too...not that we cook a lot but we do eat breakfast a few times in the room and have snacks for the kids too. We use the microwave and toaster a good bit. I want to feel comfortable on vacation.........not crammed in. I would rather go once a year and stay for a week in a spacious villa that fits my family than to go twice a year and scrimp on size to get more days. That is just me though.....everyone is different with accomodations.

 

[crisi]

Its a personal thing. You still don't get a second real bed with a one bedroom - but you do get some privacy for etc. etc......or just being able to put the kids to sleep and still watch some later night TV. You also get a kitchen instead of a kitchenette and a washer and dryer - both far more useful than I'd have imagined in my pre-DVC days - and the jacuzzi tub. Take those four things and decide if that's worth pretty much double the points - for many people it is - and for many people it isn't.

 

[Markeymouses]

Well I must be the minority...but the studio is fine for us. We are a family of four, DD14 and DS9 we're fine. We don't spend that much time in the room really. When we have laundry the kids are in the pool and I'm in and out(not really a problem because they have poolside games). I guess it helps that we all sleep like rocks so no one is disturbed by the other. When I ask them if they want more room or a longer vacation the response is always the same.....LONGER WHO SLEEPS IN DISNEY!!! LOL they are pretty funny. My son says we'll sleep when we get home! They are free entertainment. You will get many opinions but you'll eventually just need your family's input. We bought 200 pts plenty for 10 days or more sometimes. Good luck and have many wonderful vacations!

 

[edk35]

Well I must be the minority...but the studio is fine for us. We are a family of four, DD14 and DS9 we're fine. We don't spend that much time in the room really. When we have laundry the kids are in the pool and I'm in and out(not really a problem because they have poolside games). I guess it helps that we all sleep like rocks so no one is disturbed by the other. When I ask them if they want more room or a longer vacation the response is always the same.....LONGER WHO SLEEPS IN DISNEY!!! LOL they are pretty funny. My son says we'll sleep when we get home! They are free entertainment. You will get many opinions but you'll eventually just need your family's input. We bought 200 pts plenty for 10 days or more sometimes. Good luck and have many wonderful vacations!

How many DVC stays have you taken? That might change if you are a newbie!!!! and as your kids get older........teens and privacy tend to come into play.

 

[Sheribo]

Family of 5 (oldest son doesn't come with us anymore) and we alternate between a 1-br and a studio.

If we're going for a 'no-park' vacation, we get a one bedroom. We take advantage of all that Disney has to offer at the resort and eat most of our meals in our own kitchen.

If we are going to visiting parks all day, eating only breakfast in the room, we stay in a studio to maximize our points.

 

[daisyduck123]

STUDIO

Family of 4 here - me, DH, DD(turned 14 during our trip 2 weeks ago), & DS10.

Staying in a studio enables us to go twice as often as a 1 Bedroom. Those darn points are just about double a 1 BR!!! No way is it worth having the extra space, IMO.

We also don't need the full kitchen as we eat NOTHING in our room...we do the Dining Plan every time.

 

[daisyduck123]

Well I must be the minority...but the studio is fine for us. We are a family of four, DD14 and DS9 we're fine.

I'm in the minority with you ...and our kids are almost the same ages..(DD14, DS10).

 

[bobbiwoz]

DVC wasn't around in the '80's when we were taking our young sons to WDW. I would have given anything for a chance at a 1 bedroom. How perfect it would have been to have a room that the kids could nap in and a room for the parents. Eventually, we found the FW trailers to rent, and that did it for us.

Bobbi

 

[PEANUT1]

if you ask hubby he says STUDIO....ask me and I'll say 1BR..

But....we are staying in a 1BR value at AKV in January that is only 16 points per night...that is a good compromise.

 

[edk35]

STUDIO

Family of 4 here - me, DH, DD(turned 14 during our trip 2 weeks ago), & DS10.

Staying in a studio enables us to go twice as often as a 1 Bedroom. Those darn points are just about double a 1 BR!!! No way is it worth having the extra space, IMO.

We also don't need the full kitchen as we eat NOTHING in our room...we do the Dining Plan every time.

Hi Laurie...I would have known that was you.....even with out your name!!!