Tell me what you love about your home resort.

[Maistre Gracey]

The incredible theming. (VWL, AKV, VGC, VB)

MG

 

[StitchFan73]

Take a look at the Choosing Your Home Resort - What to Consider? thread.

Have you stayed at any of the DVC resorts?

Already did Great resource!

We were trying to get a few different stays in during our recent trip in Sept. but in the end all I was able to snag was AKL. But we did get to see a studio, and 1brm. We also took the tour, which had AKL, BLT demos and then asked to see the SSRs (since we were there). We've also been to every resort except OKW & Treehouses. I know that doesn't substitute actually staying there, but at least we get to get a feel for the resorts and their themes.

We know in the end it will be what's best for our family, but it's been nice to get the point of view of other DVC owners. I figure no one can tout the good points of a resort like an owner

 

[Crystal_27]

We own at BLT and initially bought into BLT sight unseen because of its location on the monorail and MK. However, after staying there in September, I fell in love with the decor as well and, to us, it really is our DVC home.

I agree with those who have said to really research the DVCs. If you can't visit each one, try and search pictures and reviews so you can find one that actually feels like "home" to you. Good luck!

 

[Reddog1134]

My home is AKV. I haven't actually stayed there yet but I like the earthy, warm colors of the resort, the children's water play area and of course, the savannas.

 

[Jason@dvcstore]

My home resort is Old Key West. I purchased Old Key West because at the time it had the overall lowest cost of ownership. If I was to buy today I would purchase Saratoga Springs as now has the lowest overall cost of ownership. Be advised I don't make reservations more than 7 months in advance.

If I needed to make my reservations more than 7 months in advance then I would have chosen to own at the Boardwalk. I like that resort the most.

Jason

 

[AuntTink]

I have BLT. I love that the skybridge and monorail connects me to the CR, Poly, GF and all their restraunts. That I can get to FW and WL by boat for restraunts and activities over there. I love having a great view of Wishes, in my jammies if I want. If I want I can walk to MK (but I love the monorail so I usually choose it). Even though you have to switch monorails to get to EPCOT, I love how the monorail gives you the preview of EPCOT on the way in. I love that my family loves it. The monorail is great for ecvs.

But to tell you the truth I like all the DVC resorts for one reason or another.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

SSR - What I love

3. I love being able to walk over to DTD at night if I feel like doing something, or just kicking back.

Not picking on your post in any way, shape or form. It's just that I see this statement quite often.

I just wanted to say that I used to agree with this whole heartedly... Until Disney closed the clubs on Pleasure Island.
With one silly decision, Disney managed to wipe out the good nightlife at DTD.
Yup, they will give you more generic shops with generic "Disney Parks" sweatshirts instead. Good thing, as we all know you can't get those anywhere else on property.

At one point being close to the Adventurers Club almost made me add on at SSR.
What a shame...

MG

 

[JLS]

We own at BCV. Couldn't be happier with our home resort. I like other resorts (particularly VWL and Animal Kingdom) but I can never bring myself to reserve anywhere else, since we only go once per year, if that. I love everything about the BCV. Beach Club was my favorite hotel property before we bought. I just love the relaxed feel of the place, the location next to Epcot the Marketplace (fantastic food/salad), the lobby, the fantastic pool area, the view across to Boardwalk.... just everything. I am happy just hanging around the BCV and not being in the parks. It feels like a relaxing vacation to me when I am there.

 

[BEASLYBOO]

What convinced me to save up and buy into DVC was a friend booking a few stays for me at OKW. I was excited with the 1st stay and completely hooked by the 3rd. OKW's laid back theme, lush landscaping, pastel decor and tropical ambiance is what I personally find appealing. Though I do stay at AKV at times for the savanna, it's just for brief stays, the theming for me is way too dark and I find the rooms too crowded with furniture. At OKW we have room to stretch out, the kitchen is big (I love to cook), the living room can accomodate the hoards of people we bring with us. Taking the boat or walking to DTD is a nice feature, you can also rent boats at OKW.....I could go on and on.

People complain due to its lack of a foodcourt but that't what a timeshare is, why would you put a foodcourt in a place equiped w/ full kitchens. A foodcourt etc. would make it feel like a hotel, that's where you need a foodcourt not at OKW, it would ruin the whole vibe. I've stayed at all of the resorts except BLT & THV and I like them all but I love OKW.

 

[Redbudlover]

I own at BCV, BWV, and just bought at VWL. I travel to WDW two or three times a year. I plan to sell my BWV points and buy that number at BCV. I fell in love with the BC on my first trip when we drove over to have breakfast at Cape May. I didn't know anything then about DVC, but I told my ex that I wanted to move there and live there forever. I still feel that way. I love the way it looks, the theming, the restaurants, the closeness to EPcot, and Stormalong. I love being close to the Boardwalk. I love the Bay. It is absolutely perfect for me.

I am selling my BWV points because although I love the resort and its location, I want to consolidate my points in one resort and find I am bothered every day I am at BWV by it being so slow or difficult to get protein for breakfast there. A little thing but I can't eat sugar or just carbs in the morning and so the lack of a good CS is a problem for me. Owning at BCV makes getting to the Boardwalk easy and so I am sure I will be happier with all the points at BCV.

I also own at VWL. I love this resort's pool and theming. I think it is just beautiful. I like being able to take the boat over to MK or the boat to the monorail to the MK resorts or Epcot. I love sitting outside the lodge having breakfast before heading out to the parks for the day. Most important my dgd3 says it is her favorite resort and she and I visit here together once a year sans parents. The boat makes it easy for me to travel alone with her and her stroller. We stayed at the BWV last fall and she wanted to know when we were going to go back to "our hotel". I was having a hard time deciding whether to buy VWL or AKL because of the two resorts I like AKL better, but her preference and the fact AKL is so large it is easier to get ressies made me decide on VWL. I like AKL's restaurants and don't really care for the ones at VWL. I really love the theming at AKL and the pool there is terrific. But when I tried to reserve at VWL during Sept and couldn't get it that was the deciding factor. If I own there I can stay there when I want to - and can also stay at AKL when I want to. I think AKL will be a place my dgd will love as she gets past the stroller stage, but in the meantime VWL works best for us.

BTW if it seems I love a lot of different resorts, I do. I find them all charming in their own right. I stayed at OKW with a disser friend of mine and liked that resort a lot as well. I have never stayed at SSR, but think being able to take the boat to DTD would be a real plus. So I don't think you can go wrong. I bought points at the resorts I loved best that had the fewest rooms so I could always stay there and also have a good chance to stay at the larger ones when I choose to make ressies at 7 mos out. I would cry if I had to choose just one to stay at every time I visit!

 

[dizfan]

We own at BLT.

What we like...

• No more buses to the two parks we visit the most (walk/monorail to MK and monorail to Epcot).
• Views...relaxing lake views, depending on room location ability to see 3 parks from our balcony, water parade at night, MK fireworks, watching the monorail.
• Dining options...walk to CR, boat to WL and FW, monorail to Poly and GF, walk to MK restaurants.
• Pool hopping via monorail to access GF and Poly.
• Currently have access to Top of the World Lounge.
• Low maintenance fees.
• Contract valid until 2060
• 1BR sleeps up to 5 guests
• Activities on Bay Lake (boat rental, fishing, parasailing, waterskiing)
• No longer coming up with excuses for not staying at a monorail resort.
• Short boat ride from WL/FW area for all of it's non-park activities.

 

[tikkycole]

i own at ssr and have stayed at vwl,akl,bwv and ssr and i am pleased with all of them. i have also used the concierge collection. i like being at disney. the resort i stay in is never that important. they all have pros and cons.they are all top notch. i like to experiance them all. as anyone who owns dvc should. so my advise is simple. get the best deal you can on any given resort. then book your trips 11 months out and switch at 7 months. most of the time you will get it. i have all but once. [bcv is difficult]. the money you save by not paying a huge price at say,blt should seem well worth it since you will eventuly stay somewhere else anyway. my friend owns at ssr and he got blt lake view for spring break! i will be staying at akl again soon.[we do like akl a lot, its really nice].fyi, akl's jambo house is a better choice if you dont really need the extra bathroom. much nicer and more ammenities, shopping dining,decor ect. good luck!

 

[My5Mouseketeers]

I own (and love) SSR. Since we always go in November, the parks close up early. We go over to DTD and wander, get ice cream, take the kids to the Lego store etc.

We have also stayed at VWL and AKL. They were both beautiful and I would stay at either one again, but when we stayed at VWL and AKL just went back to the room most nights.

 

[tinkerfan1]

My home resort is BLT and we bought in to DVC last year because it was built. We are huge MK fans and love being close to that park. Epcot is our 2nd favorite and if I had to add on at a different resort, it would be BCV or BWV.

But, being at BLT (and planning to stay there most of the time), gives us access to Epcot via monorail if we want. We can also walk over to the MK bus depot and hope a bus to any resort if we want for dinner, etc. (if we were there without a car).

WE have always loved the CR so for us, it was easy. We did pay more for this home resort and could have saved a lot going resale (wise move if you have no real strong ties to any one resort), but we know what we like and being anywhere else, unless it is our choice, was just not an option for us.

Good luck!!!

Our sentiments exactly!!! We never really considered buying DVC until we saw this resort being built. Now, within walking distance to the Magic Kingdom, just like the Contemporary....we know we are going to love years of vacations at the BLT! Good luck!

 

[DVCGeek]

it being so slow or difficult to get protein for breakfast there. A little thing but I can't eat sugar or just carbs in the morning and so the lack of a good CS is a problem for me.

You certainly aren't the only one! My mom, DW, and SIL are all the same way and want to have "good food" (standing family joke from what my exasperated mom called it once MANY years ago when my dad wanted to just get things from a vending machine one morning) for breakfast & the other main meals of the day. I almost died laughing the first time I saw the words "Good Food" on the sign @ Tusker House in AK and took a picture to bring home to my parents.

Personally however, I think my dad, bro. & I could survive quite nicely on pixie dust & Dole Whips, the 'French Bakery', and maybe the occasional bucket of popcorn... Wait, to be fair I do need at least one protein fix each trip @ Whispering Canyon!

 

[Dizney73]

Our home resort is AKV. We love our choice! We have a daughter who is 4 and a 10 month old son and we love to just relax at the resort during at hot afternoons, sit around the campfire at night and visit the animals. We have stayed at both Jambo and Kidani and like both, but have found jambo House to be more convenient with kids for quick meals.

We have visited and eaten meals at the other DVC resorts. We always say we will stay at another DVC but always find that booking the Value category gives us that extra night that we always choose.

You must love where you stay ... and thus own. Visit them and you will see where you "fit".

 

[jedspad]

We own at BW, bought it without ever staying there first, thru resale. We love it there but my next choice would be BC. We looked at buying at one of these two and the best deal was available at BWV. We love being able to walk to 2 parks and love the entertainment on the Boardwalk at night. We have stayed at OKW also and liked it for a quiet trip without the whole family but with the grandkids it is nice to be close to the parks. We also like being able to walk to the mini-golf course. It would be nice to have a counter service choice but we survive. We have also stayed at VERO and Hilton Head now and enjoyed both of those but my heart is at the BW.

 

[gojoe]

We own at BW, bought it without ever staying there first, thru resale. We love it there but my next choice would be BC. We looked at buying at one of these two and the best deal was available at BWV. We love being able to walk to 2 parks and love the entertainment on the Boardwalk at night. We have stayed at OKW also and liked it for a quiet trip without the whole family but with the grandkids it is nice to be close to the parks. We also like being able to walk to the mini-golf course. It would be nice to have a counter service choice but we survive. We have also stayed at VERO and Hilton Head now and enjoyed both of those but my heart is at the BW.

Wow we thought we were the only nuts to buy site unseen. We had only gone to diner at Flying Fish. After diner we strolled the Boardwalk fell in love with this location. . We never even stopped at a kiosk to hear a sales pitch. We came home did some research and bought from the TIMESHARE STORE

 

[skorpie]

My husband loved the atmosphere at VWL, which they were selling at the time. It was these villas or nothing. Who was I to say "no"?!!!!! Later, when the BCV opened, we bought points there as well. We just spent Columbus weekend for the F&W festival for our first trip with no kids, GREAT!!!! Walking over to Epcot was wonderful-we were able to drink around the World and not worry about driving!
VWL are wonderful also. My personal favorite is the Wilderness Lodge Villas. I love to sit on a balcony and just listen to the distant sounds of the MK train!

 

[quentina]

The ability to book and plan at 11 months!

HHI is where most of my points are, I love booking my next summer vacation.

I also own at VB and VWL.