Thanksgiving Stay: BWV, SSR, or AKV

[npatellye]

We (DH, myself, and 2 kids who will then be 9 and just turned 7), are doing a 10 night stay spanning from before Thanksgiving to just past Thanksgiving. We were booked for SSR standard because we were meeting up with extended family and that’s where they wanted to stay. However, they told me two hours ago that they changed their minds and are only going to join us for 4 nights. They’ve also changed their resort and are going to stay at CB. We offered to cover their room at SSR by switching to a lock-off but their friends just returned from CB and raved about staying there. I already explained to them that we would not be able to make CB work and we now plan to just go to some parks together.

I just switched our stay from SSR 1 bedroom standard to BWV 1 bedroom P/G for the ease of access to Epcot and DHS. We always rent a car so transportation isn’t an issue. However, I thought that, with Thanksgiving crowds, it might be nice to be able to walk to a park instead of drive (especially since I anticipate that we will at least bring along the umbrella stroller a few times for DD2). DH was on board with that but is now worried about the pool feeling like people soup and wants to switch back to SSR because he thinks the Paddock and Springs pools will be less crowded there. However, he refused to do a split stay so we can’t switch resorts partway through the trip.

Which of these would you pick to strike a balance of ease of park time and ease of pool use and access?

 

[DeeBee3]

I've been in a 1-bedroom at BWV. Love the location. Not the biggest of the 1 bedrooms but would easily fit your family. Can't beat walking or boating to HS or Epcot. We loved it.

 

[SleeplessInTO]

I’ve never felt like I’m in people soup at the Boardwalk pool. But admittedly I haven’t tried since they removed the clown (RIP). I love the location of Boardwalk. Kidani has two full bathrooms which might be nice with two kids?

 

[Lorana]

If your friends will be at Caribbean Beach, then BWV is a great choice. It’ll be easy to meet up, and the BWV location is great.

However I voted AKV Savanna view because that’s what *I* would do in your shoes, but that’s because our family is just happy to watch the animals, and the AKV Kidani 1-Bedrooms have 2 bathrooms, which can be a godsend when there are 4 of you in a room. We also find the pool and splash pad at Kidani more enjoyable than the pool at Boardwalk.

 

[npatellye]

You all raise some good points. We really liked Kidani when we stayed there 5 years ago. And my kids loved the second bathroom at BLT. My only hesitations in switching to Kidani are:
1. Driving to parks during what will probably be a super busy time (our last Thanksgiving trip was back in 2020 when there was limited capacity overall)
2. The long hallways. I don’t see it ending well for us (really for DD1) if we end up at the far end of Kidani again. I’ve heard BWV hallways are also long but I don’t want a repeat of our previous Kidani stay.
3. DH hates the AKV rooms; he thinks they’re too dark. But he would not complain (much) if we ended up staying there.

On the plus side:
1. Kidani is much closer to the area where we like to go offsite for food.
2. Two bathrooms could be nice.
3. The animals are always a huge hit with the kids.

 

[suebeelin]

Bwv bc walking to two parks, esp when you just feel like taking a walk around the world just before bed = priceless.

The beach at beach club is always pretty empty. The walk over to swan is nice and relaxing. And the food options everywhere!

And I know it’s lazy but when we are hungry with no dinner reservations we just order the boardwalk pizza….then to pool to veg out!

 

[Wedgeout]

As long as the extended family doesn’t bounce from CB, I’d stick with the BWV. The Skyliner will be a great way to link the resorts. There are multiple pools too at BWV for different soup options.

 

[DL1WDW2]

Wow Can’t believe you are finding this much availabilty at all the resorts for Thanksgiving 7 month window….

 

[sndral]

I love AKV & own there, but for this trip I’d stick w/ BWV you can easily Skyliner to CBR to meet your friends & they can Skyliner over to BWV to see you. I’d ask to be near the lobby, those halls are long & narrow - you think you’ve reached the end only to turn & keep going.
Did you check Riviera? They just declared more inventory on 4/15 so there might be availability.
Also w/ normal late Nov. temps. reaching highs in the mid 70sF pool crowding may not be the issue it is in warmer months.

 

[npatellye]

Wow Can’t believe you are finding this much availabilty at all the resorts for Thanksgiving 7 month window….

I was surprised BWV was there, but I wasn’t surprised to see AKV and SSR. Of course, OKW is also very open but the lack of elevators there is difficult with luggage and occasionally carrying a tired child. But I think 1 bedrooms are open longer. Even BCV is open for 7 of the nights we are there. I didn’t expect anything at BCV to be open for Thanksgiving week.

 

[npatellye]

I love AKV & own there, but for this trip I’d stick w/ BWV you can easily Skyliner to CBR to meet your friends & they can Skyliner over to BWV to see you. I’d ask to be near the lobby, those halls are long & narrow - you think you’ve reached the end only to turn & keep going.
Did you check Riviera? They just declared more inventory on 4/15 so there might be availability.
Also w/ normal late Nov. temps. reaching highs in the mid 70sF pool crowding may not be the issue it is in warmer months.

I did check Riviera but the only fully open 1 bedroom is preferred and I would need to borrow some points for a 9 night stay in preferred; we used some RIV points for our late Dec/early Jan trip (we have a Dec UY). The standard is missing 3 random nights and I’m not sure about taking my chances with the waitlist.

Since we are going back for Thanksgiving 2023, I plan to use our RIV points to book a 1 bedroom at the 11 month mark for that trip. We had a 1 bedroom standard at RIV booked for part of the stay this time but we switched it at the 7 month mark to SSR to accommodate the original plans for all of us to stay at SSR.

 

[Simba's Mom]

I assume you want to go to WDW. Otherwise I might suggest Disney's resort at Hilton Head Island. Seventeen years ago, we went there for our "let's try it once" Thanksgiving. Haven't missed a year since.

 

[npatellye]

I assume you want to go to WDW. Otherwise I might suggest Disney's resort at Hilton Head Island. Seventeen years ago, we went there for our "let's try it once" Thanksgiving. Haven't missed a year since.

That sounds lovely! I am hopeful that we will do a trip there in the next few years. We are heading to Hilton Head this summer but not to DHHIR. This trip and next Thanksgiving are WDW focused simply because we are meeting various family members there and they want to do WDW together.