Studios at VWL? Need info please.

[disneyfool_1202]

We've never stayed in a studio before- it's always been a 2 bedroom with my parents or inlaws to help us with the kids. We're thinking of heading down for a week just the 4 of us now that the kids are a bit older (will be 6 and 4) and are considering a studio which will only be 1/2 of our annual point allotment (so we can bank the other half). The last time we stayed in the 2 BR we slept in the bedroom with the 2 beds (kids together in 1 bed).
I figure the kids can take the pullout and DH and I the bed. I'm used to having the full kitchen- what is included in the kitchenette? Are there some basics besides a coffee pot? Is the mini-fridge big enough to put some bottles of water in and is there a freezer?
I'm a little nervous about staying in a studio but would really love to not use a full years worth of points right now.
Can anyone share their thougths / experiences about the studios for 2 adults and 2 small kids? Thanks in advance!!

 

[helenk]

We've never stayed in a studio before- it's always been a 2 bedroom with my parents or inlaws to help us with the kids. We're thinking of heading down for a week just the 4 of us now that the kids are a bit older (will be 6 and 4) and are considering a studio which will only be 1/2 of our annual point allotment (so we can bank the other half). The last time we stayed in the 2 BR we slept in the bedroom with the 2 beds (kids together in 1 bed).
I figure the kids can take the pullout and DH and I the bed. I'm used to having the full kitchen- what is included in the kitchenette? Are there some basics besides a coffee pot? Is the mini-fridge big enough to put some bottles of water in and is there a freezer?
I'm a little nervous about staying in a studio but would really love to not use a full years worth of points right now.
Can anyone share their thougths / experiences about the studios for 2 adults and 2 small kids? Thanks in advance!!

I've not stayed in a studio with other people, but I would think that you would be fine. The rooms are certainly bigger than the value resorts and some of the moderate resorts.
In the kitchenette there is a nice size fridge, plenty of room for water, milk etc its bigger than the mini fridges that are in the moderates and deluxes. There is a freezer section, but its small. I put some lean cuisines in mine and took out the ice cube tray in order to do so.
In the kitchenette is also a coffee pot, a toaster and a micro wave and a mini sink.

 

[kristenrice]

I stayed in a studio for the first time this past October. It was me and my friend and my 2 DD's, ages 3 and 5. We stayed in a SV studio at AKV and I can honestly say that it has me rethinking 1BR's. I thought I would miss the laundry (the kitchen is great too, but we do the DDP so not much cooking) but it wasn't bad at all. Me and DD5 slept in the bed and my friend and DD3 slept on the sleeper sofa. There was plenty of room. The refrigerator is plenty big. We had a grocery delivery so we could have breakfasts in the room. We had eggs, milk, juice, muffins, sausage, frozen waffles, sliced apples, Lunchables, cheese and a 2L of soda. We also had a loaf of bread, Pop Tarts and granola bars. There was plenty of room on the counter and the shelves.

We bought into DVC with the intention of staying in 1BR or bigger, but the studio was great. It adds one more decision into the mix. While our kids are still young, I don't see a huge reason to "waste" points on a 1BR. Sure, the in-room laundry and kitchen are great, but if I can stretch our points out further, a studio is completely doable. As a family of 4, we now have 3 choices: studio, 1BR or 2BR! I guess it is a good problem to have.

 

[WDWjen]

The five of us fit fine.. The kids were 2,4,& 6 and were on the pull out and although the 2 yr old was supposed to be in a packnplay he wound up in our bed . The studio was more than enough room for us - we were in the parks all the time anyway. We LOVED the Wilderness Villas, can't wait to go back! But now that our son is 3 we cannot stay with 5 ppl in a studio anymore so ...who knows!

 

[dsquarednz]

We stayed in DVC accommodation for the first time last year - 1 week in a studio, and 1 week in a one-bedroom.

The studio was plenty of room, honestly, but it was just the two of us. The kichenette was great, but we didn't really take advantage of it (will order groceries this year!)

We were also lucky enough to have a room right next to the laundry room. Not as convenient as having laundry in the same room, but not bad.

If you are going to spend a lot of time in the parks, it shouldn't be too bad. Also, try to get a room on the 2nd floor or higher so you feel comfortable opening the doors to the balcony - will make the room feel just a bit bigger!

 

[disneyfool_1202]

Thanks so much for all of the replies. I completely forgot about the laundry (and not having it in the room). Is it coin op? With all of our trips I've washed daily (and therefore packed MUCH less). Usually only 1 load per day.

 

[dsquarednz]

The coin slots are there, but the laundry is free! I was very pleasantly surpised to see that! The soap/softener is $1, though.

We were in Room 1509, which is on the 1st floor (and on a pathway - we didn't open the curtains much) - but was right next to the laundry room. We never heard it, and it was very convenient!

 

[vicki_c]

We did a VWL studio for our first DVC trip last summer with our kids who were 7 and 9. It was totally fine, but we had not stayed in a bigger villa at that point. Basically if you can deal with staying in a regular hotel room (which was what we had always done up to that point), it will be fine. There's a toaster as well as the coffee maker, the fridge seemed to be the same size as in all the deluxe resorts. I don't remember the freezer section - probably one of those little ones that only fits the ice cube trays.

You may not like it though after staying in larger accommodations (we've now stayed in a 1 BR and a 2 BR, so I understand that)!

But I think it's a great way to save points and we will do it again, I'm sure. Probably better now when your kids are little than when they become bigger teenagers!

 

[Anal Annie]

We only stay in studios (just a family of 3) but we loved ours at VWL when we went. VWL has the split bath (sink area outside the toilet & tub room) which is convenient and more efficient than the studios at OKW where the bathroom is all in one room. There are 2 nice size closets in the VWL studio and the kitchenette has a large countertop with a shelf above (larger space than at OKW or the value studios at AKV). We only eat breakfast in our room (cereal or oatmeal or toasted bagels or maybe just doughnuts). The frig. is a fair size under the counter one. Plenty of room for some butter & cream cheese, at least a 1/2 gal. of milk, 2 liter bottle of soda, 12 pack of beer etc. We go in the summer when it's hot so I like to freeze a water bottle for each of us at night before we go to bed and although the freezer space is small there's plenty of room for 3 or 4 water bottles & the small ice tray that's provided. I do not do laundry on vacation so not having a washer & dryer is a non-issue for me. Laundry & cooking are NOT part of my idea of a vacation!

I liked the layout of the VWL studio - we did not feel like we were climbing all over each other and there was room adjacent to the pullout sofa to push the coffee table over out of the way next to the sliding door. The value studios at AKV have no room for the sofa cushions or the little tables that serve as a coffee table. There was also no closet space & the floor space had limited room to put the luggage. We had to put one large duffle in the bathroom sink area there. We still love AKV but the value studios are definitely cramped. But you'll be fine at VWL. Plenty of space.

 

[lsutigger2]

I'm sure if you search -go to www.allears.net - there are pics of the studios. That will give you a better idea of the space.

It is just the two of us and we have stayed twice in studios, but since then have become "one-bedroom snobs".

If I were taking a trip solo I would book a studio. Since your children are young, I think you'll be fine.

Enjoy your trip.