The we loooooove Bonnet Creek thread Part 3

[cruisinpan567]

I just wanted to pass along an observation, there seems to be a LOT of us who are trying Bonnet Creek for the first time this year, having been diehard onsite folks. Primary reason is cost. I know for us, Disney has essentially priced us out of staying onsite for the type of accomodations we like. We prefer a DVC villa or cabin, and have used an ASMu Family Suite, but that's the "lowest" we'll go.

I know the room we stayed in in 2010, first week in December, cost almost $200 less rack rate vs. 2013. We paid $300 a night for a 1BR at Boardwalk. Same room, same week in 2013, over $500. That's really an excessive price increase coupled with a reduction in discount levels (45% vs. 30%). But Disney's doing well financially, so I guess it doesn't matter.

It's funny, because DH and I swore we would rather stay home than stay offsite again. Suddenly when confronted with that possibility, offsite looked pretty good.

Anyway, we are absolutely looking forward to Bonnet Creek and really hope that it will be our new home at Disney. Thank you to everyone who offer tips and advice for all of us newbies. I hope to feel like a member of the family soon!

I second that. It is a price issue with us also. We also are staying off site for the first time. We are hoping that WBC is our new place to stay when we visit the World

 

[kkmcan]

* Sorry just went back and read the previous pages after posting this and saw some people have had some not so nice rooms.*

We've stayed onsite twice (All Stars Sports, and Pop) and twice now at BC and I can say hands down it feels more like a vacation at BC. Our first stay was in Tower 1 in a 2 bedroom that faced the parking lot. Our second stay was in the 4 bed Presidential in Tower 4 with a fireworks view. I am a view person so I understand about having lousy views- it sucks. I guess its the luck of the draw. My MIL booked our stays so I had no part of what we got but either way I was happy. Now looking at dumpsters or smelling garbage that just awful!

We stay at BC because the inlaws own there and we can stay for free. I will always choose free over any other choice. Anywhoo, we are so relaxed and rested at BC. Everyone gets their own bed so my kids are beyond happy (no one sleeping on an air mattress on the floor). Dh and I get our own room and there's plenty of space and multiple tvs (not that we do a lot of tv watching) but still it makes everyone happy. Loved having the kitchen so we stock up on whatever anyone wants that they normally like to eat at home. Dh and I love the balcony in the morning and evenings.

The parks are just a hop, skip and a jump- no more than riding a Disney bus to a park.

We are resort people and love our space so we hate, hate, hate the one room motel. No one is happy with that and it definitely dampers our vacation.

 

[aubriee]

Yes,I did ask nicely if they had any theme park views,fireworks,scenery and he just shook his head and said unfortunatley no. So, whatever Im not one to make a big deal out of it and I get Im just a renter at a timeshare but I mean I said it was our first visit there and we had the 4 small kids with us youd think he might wanna be nice but it is what it is. Just looking at all the great views and I guess I built myself up we would get one. Oh well first night done and so far not too impressed,sorry yall.

We were at Bonnet Creek May 10th-20th (just got home late last night). We too requested to be placed in the main building or building 5. We were assigned a one bedroom on the second floor in building 4. We were facing the lake though, which was nice. When I very nicely asked about a room in the main building or in building 6, I too was told that they no longer take room requests and you get what you get. We did love the resort though and will definitely be returning. We loved all the space and the price was great We booked through Vacation Strategies and had no problem checking in. In fact, we checked in about 10:30AM and were pleasantly surprised to find the room ready. We did volunteer to wait for a room in the main building or a higher room, but were refused and were told the room we were assigned was what we got, since they no longer accept room requests.

Our only complaint was the lack of parking around building 4. We had a handicapped tag, but usually got stuck having to park in the garage, which was difficult with a 79 y/o using a cane and my PF feet. I usually let my mom off at the front door, parked in the garage, then hobbled myself over to meet her. What was irritating was the people parked in the handicapped spots who didn't even have a handicap tag and were obviously not handicapped. We saw a black mustang that was parked there pretty much all week (without handicap tags) and the times we saw someone getting into it, they were like a couple in their late 20's/early 30's (obviously not handicapped). My mom did say something to them one morning as they were getting into their car, about it being wrong to park there if they weren't handicapped, as others really needed those spaces. Their only response was to laugh and say, "first come first served" and "Bonnet Creek is not going to do anything to stop us". Sure enough, when we called to report them, nothing was done and they continued to park there all week.

 

[eeyoresnr]

So all the 3 bedrooms seem to be near the elevator? Are they at least good views? We have a 3 bedroom deluxe reserved for Nov.

As far as room request, when I called BC I was told that the only way they take requests is if you are a Platinum, Gold, or VIP owner. I'm an owner but not one of those.

while not all 3 bedrooms are near elevator , both of ours were... were had a room that faced parking lot and DTD our first stay in building 5... not the greatest view but the room was still awesome...second stay we were in building 6 with pool/lake view... we spent much more time out on our balcony with this view... we didn't here any noise from elevator area either stay... I posted several pics on original bonnet creel thread

 

[JimMIA]

I know the room we stayed in in 2010, first week in December, cost almost $200 less rack rate vs. 2013. We paid $300 a night for a 1BR at Boardwalk. Same room, same week in 2013, over $500. That's really an excessive price increase coupled with a reduction in discount levels (45% vs. 30%). But Disney's doing well financially, so I guess it doesn't matter.

No, it doesn't matter one bit to the Mouse.

However, there is another option for onsite at DVC. The DIS has a Rent/Trade board where DVC owners rent reservations. (You have to be logged into the DIS to be able to see that forum.) Those offerings should give you good savings over Disney Reservations prices...even at the discounted prices.

There is also at least one broker -- www.dvcrequest.com -- who specializes in matching DVC owners and prospective renters. David's service costs a little more than a direct rental on the DIS DVC Rent/Trade board, but he offers kind of an escrow system which protects both parties. His service gets rave reviews from both owners and renters.

It's funny, because DH and I swore we would rather stay home than stay offsite again. Suddenly when confronted with that possibility, offsite looked pretty good.

Yeah, life is funny like that.

Anyway, we are absolutely looking forward to Bonnet Creek and really hope that it will be our new home at Disney.

You will like WBC! It is different from DVC resorts, so it's hard to make comparisons...but it's a beautiful resort. You will enjoy Bonnet Creek.

 

[keywestbride]

We just returned from our first stay at Bonnet Creek. We rented through Vacation Strategy, and stayed for 8 nights. Overall, it was a very good experience, and we'll likely stay there again next time. We had no problems checking in, although it did take them a little while to find our name.

This was our first off-site stay, so I had a lot of the same concerns that have been shared here. Honestly, if I had a limitless budget, I'd probably choose BLT, but WBC has a lot of benefits over Pop and CSR, where we've stayed in the past.

Obviously, the cost is a major factor, but also the pools were so much nicer at WBC. All of us loved both the pirate pool and the lazy river. Zero entry is a really nice feature with little kids. The lake was very pretty as well. We never checked out most of the other features, but for those who do a no-parks day, I think they'd be awesome. Next time, we'd like to build in a resort only day just so that we can enjoy the resort even more.

I loved having a w&d. That made a huge difference for me. I didn't feel like I needed to pack as much, and it was nice to be able to not have to worry about the kids spilling things on themselves or whatever. The extra room to spread out in was another huge perk. Everyone slept much better.

I worried a lot about feeling like a housekeeper instead of being on vacation, but I think I did less actual straightening up b/c we had plenty of room for all of our things. In our Disney rooms, I was constantly trying to organize clothing and things so that we'd have room to move.

We only ate a few meals in our condo, but it was nice to have the option, and to be able to store snacks and things for the kids. The one downside was our fridge. It wasn't cooling properly (it was just barely below room temp). We called, and maintenance came to swap it out (at midnight, long after we'd gone to bed). By that time, our food had spoiled, and we needed to replace all of it, which was a hassle. We called and explained what had happened, and they did reimburse us for the food, but kind of made us feel as though they were doing us a favor, and that we were pulling something over on them, which was ridiculous- we're talking about $35 worth of stuff. That was the one time that I really missed Disney CS. The second fridge was better, but honestly, I still don't think it was as cold as it should be. Our frozen stuff seemed partially thawed, and our milk didn't seem to be as cold as you'd expect. Next time, I'll definitely take a thermometer with me. I don't know if this is a common problem or not, but I surely would not want to come down with food poisoning on vacation!

The room was in pretty good shape. I did notice a few little cosmetic flaws, but nothing major- no ripped furniture or anything like that. The beds were comfy, and the whirpool tub was awesome.

We opted not to get a parking pass and never had a problem there. We did get a message on our phone, but never even listened to it.

We were on the second floor of tower 5, which worked out well for us, although the view was less than pretty. We were able to see a few fireworks, but always caught only the last ones. I would have much preferred a lake view, or at least something higher up, but it wasn't a huge deal.

The only other negative was that someone stole one of our beach balls while we were at the pool, and that could have happened anywhere. Most of the guests were pretty friendly, and I didn't notice too many rowdy kids. Of course, I have two young sons, so I may be a bit biased there.

My husband said he can't imagine staying in a regular Disney room again, and I tend to agree. The pros far outweighed the cons.

 

[KCmike]

What a wonderful report. ^^^^ I get to give my version as we will stay offsite for the very first time next week. Should be interesting.

 

[sharadoc]

No, it doesn't matter one bit to the Mouse.

However, there is another option for onsite at DVC. The DIS has a Rent/Trade board where DVC owners rent reservations. (You have to be logged into the DIS to be able to see that forum.) Those offerings should give you good savings over Disney Reservations prices...even at the discounted prices.

There is also at least one broker -- www.dvcrequest.com -- who specializes in matching DVC owners and prospective renters. David's service costs a little more than a direct rental on the DIS DVC Rent/Trade board, but he offers kind of an escrow system which protects both parties. His service gets rave reviews from both owners and renters.

Yeah, life is funny like that.

You will like WBC! It is different from DVC resorts, so it's hard to make comparisons...but it's a beautiful resort. You will enjoy Bonnet Creek.

Thanks. We priced out renting but it still came in about triple the BC price for the week. We are scared to death of being locked in to a trip with no cancellation policy as well as paying so far in advance, so we would have to buy trip insurance. For that price, we could also get a cabin which would be fine with us. But still would cost the same as a room at BC PLUS tickets, so just can't do it!!

 

[Calirya]

All of us loved both the pirate pool and the lazy river. Zero entry is a really nice feature with little kids.

We opted not to get a parking pass and never had a problem there. We did get a message on our phone, but never even listened to it.

I read that the pool had zero entry but what does that mean?

I have never seen a decorated window. I would think that BC would not encourage that, but I am not sure of their official policy.

I had called BC directly right when we first booked and asked about decorating the windows and they said it was fine, you just couldnt use tape.

 

[Spanky]

Zero entry means there are no steps into the pool - just a gradual slope - like being at the beach. Great for small children or mobility challenged persons.

 

[keywestbride]

I read that the pool had zero entry but what does that mean?

It's when the pool gently slopes down/gets deeper, kind of like walking into the ocean, as opposed to having it be 3 ft. deep with steps at the edge.

That way, a toddler can play in the water, but it's not super deep, and it's easier to get in and out with them.

 

[Calirya]

Zero entry means there are no steps into the pool - just a gradual slope - like being at the beach. Great for small children or mobility challenged persons.

It's when the pool gently slopes down/gets deeper, kind of like walking into the ocean, as opposed to having it be 3 ft. deep with steps at the edge.

That way, a toddler can play in the water, but it's not super deep, and it's easier to get in and out with them.

Thank you!! That will be great for my daughter! Although lately she's become quite the dare devil.

 

[DianaPrince]

Sorry that you're disappointed! I went for 10 nights last April and fell in love. The first 5 nights were spent on a lower floor in bldg 5 that had an awful torn couch and a view of the parking garage! I wasn't happy with the view, but I really like the room and I LOVED the resort. The 2nd 5 nights were spent in a gorgeous, newly remodeled room in tower 2 that had an amazing view of the lake and two sets of fireworks. I won't lie - the 2nd room was much better, but I'll keep my fingers crossed for next trip!

Do you at least like all the space you have in the room? The washer/dryer? The awesome pools? The great price tag???

The space was nice,yes but didnt like that my kids were kinda far away from our bedroom being on the bottom floor and all. The washer dryer was cool to have clean clothes when you go home. However, It didnt seem like a vacation having to still do laundry and dish washing and cooking. My type of vacationing is when you dont have to do much. Thats just me and dh though. Even if we had LOVED the place like everyone else does my kids tastes were soured by the insanely loud fire alarm our last night around 8/9 and being told to leave asap! Took hours to calm them down. Good to know they having working smoke detectors though. So,no even the lower price tag doesnt do it for us Im afraid. Back to AoA next time. But hope everyone else has a better time.

 

[Robbi]

The space was nice,yes but didnt like that my kids were kinda far away from our bedroom being on the bottom floor and all. The washer dryer was cool to have clean clothes when you go home. However, It didnt seem like a vacation having to still do laundry and dish washing and cooking. My type of vacationing is when you dont have to do much. Thats just me and dh though. Even if we had LOVED the place like everyone else does my kids tastes were soured by the insanely loud fire alarm our last night around 8/9 and being told to leave asap! Took hours to calm them down. Good to know they having working smoke detectors though. So,no even the lower price tag doesnt do it for us Im afraid. Back to AoA next time. But hope everyone else has a better time.

Oh, I didn't cook at WBC. All I did in the kitchen was make coffee. I do laundry before we leave no matter where we stay. Going home and having a bunch of laundry drives me nuts.

We had a fire alarm go off when we stayed RPC at the GF so I understand.

Also had a guard banging on our room at 12 am at the Contemporary. He had the wrong room and he was a total snot about it.

WBC or other offsite resorts are not for everyone but we have as good a time offsite as we do when we stay onsite.

 

[The Original~Mad4mky]

I just wanted to pass along an observation, there seems to be a LOT of us who are trying Bonnet Creek for the first time this year, having been diehard onsite folks. Primary reason is cost. I know for us, Disney has essentially priced us out of staying onsite for the type of accomodations we like. We prefer a DVC villa or cabin, and have used an ASMu Family Suite, but that's the "lowest" we'll go.

I know the room we stayed in in 2010, first week in December, cost almost $200 less rack rate vs. 2013. We paid $300 a night for a 1BR at Boardwalk. Same room, same week in 2013, over $500. That's really an excessive price increase coupled with a reduction in discount levels (45% vs. 30%). But Disney's doing well financially, so I guess it doesn't matter.

It's funny, because DH and I swore we would rather stay home than stay offsite again. Suddenly when confronted with that possibility, offsite looked pretty good.

Anyway, we are absolutely looking forward to Bonnet Creek and really hope that it will be our new home at Disney. Thank you to everyone who offer tips and advice for all of us newbies. I hope to feel like a member of the family soon!

We are exactly the same as you (although my daughters are finally adults now!). This is our first time off property...but being Wyndham owners...we figured we needed to USE the system we bought into...and save $$--so we can do more trips to other locations.
I hope this place lives up to the reputation...everyone here seems to pretty much love it. Where as we stayed at Saratoga Springs a year and half ago. Ugh....hated it. This HAS to be better...

 

[Robbi]

We are exactly the same as you (although my daughters are finally adults now!). This is our first time off property...but being Wyndham owners...we figured we needed to USE the system we bought into...and save $$--so we can do more trips to other locations.
I hope this place lives up to the reputation...everyone here seems to pretty much love it. Where as we stayed at Saratoga Springs a year and half ago. Ugh....hated it. This HAS to be better...

We are DVC members and I can tell you that the WBC accommodations are more upscale than any DVC villas.

 

[sharadoc]

We are exactly the same as you (although my daughters are finally adults now!). This is our first time off property...but being Wyndham owners...we figured we needed to USE the system we bought into...and save $$--so we can do more trips to other locations.
I hope this place lives up to the reputation...everyone here seems to pretty much love it. Where as we stayed at Saratoga Springs a year and half ago. Ugh....hated it. This HAS to be better...

I hope you like it or that you use the Wyndham ownership somewhere else! We weren't big fans of SSR either and wouldn't choose to stay there again. Plus the points are higher there than either Boardwalk or OKW (we don't own), so if we would decide to rent points, we would only choose SSR if we got it REAL cheap.

We are DVC members and I can tell you that the WBC accommodations are more upscale than any DVC villas.

That seems to be what I saw in the photos, that's great to know for sure!

 

[disneyfreak7]

The space was nice,yes but didnt like that my kids were kinda far away from our bedroom being on the bottom floor and all. The washer dryer was cool to have clean clothes when you go home. However, It didnt seem like a vacation having to still do laundry and dish washing and cooking. My type of vacationing is when you dont have to do much. Thats just me and dh though. Even if we had LOVED the place like everyone else does my kids tastes were soured by the insanely loud fire alarm our last night around 8/9 and being told to leave asap! Took hours to calm them down. Good to know they having working smoke detectors though. So,no even the lower price tag doesnt do it for us Im afraid. Back to AoA next time. But hope everyone else has a better time.

this happened to us in 2011 at Disney's Beach Club. Paid for 2 rooms at $300 each and fire alarm goes off at 2am!! Had to evacuate and stand outside in our jammies for over an hour! Can happen anywhere.

 

[keywestbride]

Just out of curiosity, what's bad about SSR?

 

[JennLK]

Just out of curiosity, what's bad about SSR?

I'm curious as well.... I loved SSR