Tips for touring resorts

[SecondEventuality]

Hey All!

Our first DVC trip is coming up shortly! I was thinking it might advantageous to know what specifically to do at each resort that we visit to help to sway our addonitis! The idea behind it is to see if experiencing the resorts beyond the lobby, more as a home resort, such as walking to and from transportation, etc. since that's what we'd be doing if ever staying there. Open to all ideas that you think are reasons that make/break resorts!

For example:

AK = walk the long hallways and see if it's a dealbreaker or not for us.
Poly = walk to TTC and take the monorail to Epcot, see if that is something we mind or not.
Riv = take the Skyliner and see if that is something we'd like to ride a lot.
WL = tour BR and walk to the boat dock, see if that is a walk we enjoy
BC = walk to the International gateway, or walk to Boardwalk
BW = walk to HS
BLT = go up to the TOW and see if we like that POV (hubby is not a highrise tower guy), walk to MK when done.
VGF = not sure!

Anyone have any other ideas that can add to the home resort experience without actually staying there yet?

Thanks!

 

[sethschroeder]

I have to say that for me personally I would need to stay there to really get a handle.

As an example for us AKV's deal breaker was the bus and having to deal with that daily.
With RIV I personally would wait for summer to see how people view the skyliner in the heat/sun.
With BC/BW walking is the benefit but downside possibly also something overlooked is the ease of hitting Epcot for food instead of being forced to very limited food options at most other resorts (IMO).
BLT for me is going to be having a very sterile resort for my whole vacation.
WL only having the boat/bus options is that an issue?
VGF just walk in and see your feeling (we view it as too stuffy for us personally).
Poly is all about if Studios are enough for you or not?

Then for me it also comes down to point cost, points/night, MFs, and expiration date on the contract.

I eliminated most resorts simply based on my last point leaving me a very short list to choose from.

 

[Sandisw]

I have stayed at all DVC, except OKW. I think there are definitely things you can do to get that feel and most of your revolve around transportation.

What I have found is all have a different feel to them which you can maybe get walking around,

One good thing is to do an MK crawl and include WL...start there...hsve a drink or snack if kids are with you...boat to BLT,,do the same...walk around....head to TTC...walk to Poly. have another drink...walk to VGF,...and enjoy that resort, Then monorail over to bus stops at MK and take back to your resort!

 

[sethschroeder]

Oh don't forget Poly + VGF will have a walking trail to MK in the next couple years. Not sure the specific timetable but the bridge is supposedly in place?

 

[SecondEventuality]

These are all super ideas, thank you both so much for your thoughts and insight!!!!

 

[a742246]

GF has the music in the lobby around 3:00pm
BC walk around the resort as well as YC, the pool.
BW walk around the lobby, the pool areas (including the Inn side), walk the Boardwalk.
OKW walk around the lobby area and the pools. Boat to Disney Springs.
SSR walk to Disney Springs, check out the pools.

 

[mustinjourney]

also check out where the QS restaurant is for each resort...and if you like refillable mugs, make sure to note where those are. BWV and AKV can be long hikes to the mug refill locations...as can VGF if the pool is not open.

Other things to consider might be location of laundry facilities. Some places have them on every other floor and some have them in one spot (BWV has one location and it is close to the arcade area on the first floor, whereas VGF has them every other floor I believe).

 

[kboo]

whereas VGF has them every other floor I believe).

I think VGF only has one laundry for studios on the 4th floor? or 3rd floor?

 

[Deb & Bill]

I think VGF only has one laundry for studios on the 4th floor? or 3rd floor?

Just like Polynesian only has one laundry room for all the studios and BCV only has one laundry room for all the studios and BWV only has one laundry room for all the studios. Etc. Same with BRV, AKV, BLT. OKW and SSR have them near the pools.

 

[mustinjourney]

I think VGF only has one laundry for studios on the 4th floor? or 3rd floor?

oh wow. I guess I was lucky with the laundry only being one floor off from me. I thought I had read somewhere that the laundry was every other floor with the trash rooms being on the other floors. No idea where I got that idea.

 

[SecondEventuality]

Back from our first trip and I must say, touring each resort was eye-opening!

May I ask what's up with the stench when walking from MK to BLT? I feel so bad for those guards at the BLT security check! They were in the thick of it and I could barely make it through for my 30 seconds passing through without gagging. Please tell me this isn't a consistent thing and was just a fluke!

 

[kboo]

Back from our first trip and I must say, touring each resort was eye-opening!

May I ask what's up with the stench when walking from MK to BLT? I feel so bad for those guards at the BLT security check! They were in the thick of it and I could barely make it through for my 30 seconds passing through without gagging. Please tell me this isn't a consistent thing and was just a fluke!

Sadly, it's kind of consistent. I think it's fertilizer or the wood chips along the walkway? But it sounds like it was worse than usual when you were there. Since I live in NYC I'm used to a lot worse smells...

What did you think of the various resorts??

 

[SecondEventuality]

Sadly, it's kind of consistent. I think it's fertilizer or the wood chips along the walkway? But it sounds like it was worse than usual when you were there. Since I live in NYC I'm used to a lot worse smells...

What did you think of the various resorts??

WL became even more loved for the hubby once we toured BRV. I was surprised that he didn't care for AKV at all. I think the enclosed feeling of the resort and its long hallways, the remoteness of it, and the high fencing for the animals turned him off. To each their own! He did not care for RIV either - I liked it, but I think I need to stay there and I also think once the resort "grows" into the space, it may be more appealing as well. The manly (leather-like) cologne they pump through the resort was a turn off for me ( I get headaches fairly easily from smells), but not a total buzzkill. He loved BCV over BWV and I agreed. We didn't get to GFV or Poly, but we will hit those later in the year. Not that I NEED to tour Poly, lol! In the end, he ended up loving our home resort the most, but I'm not sure if that's just his internal way to avoid cognitive dissonance and risk aversion with the purchase. LOL!

 

[Heather07438]

Back from our first trip and I must say, touring each resort was eye-opening!

May I ask what's up with the stench when walking from MK to BLT? I feel so bad for those guards at the BLT security check! They were in the thick of it and I could barely make it through for my 30 seconds passing through without gagging. Please tell me this isn't a consistent thing and was just a fluke!

Beside the woodchips/fertilizer possibly giving off funky smells, digging up the ground for Tron nearby can get pretty stinky too when the wind blows that way.

That area in FL has alot of sulfur in the ground. The construction on the right at HS entrance smelled atrocious when we were there in December. I have a strong stomach but it made me feel sick first thing in the morning.

 

[HappyDisneyWife]

We didn't get to GFV or Poly, but we will hit those later in the year. Not that I NEED to tour Poly, lol! In the end, he ended up loving our home resort the most, but I'm not sure if that's just his internal way to avoid cognitive dissonance and risk aversion with the purchase. LOL!

I own at Poly and never thought there’d be a day that I didn’t love it, but then I had the pleasure of walking back to my longhouse both in the freezing cold & during a torrential downpour. It made me wish I was walking inside a building (or under an awning like at VGF) for sure!!! Then I had the misfortune of requiring a wheelchair on my last trip, and I suddenly realized how painful the themed sidewalks can be! So, research is great and worthwhile, but we need to plan for surprises/unexpected events

I still love staying at the Poly & don’t plan to sell our points there. & It will always be one of my (older) daughter’s favorite places in the world

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

For Riveria is there is an art tour. You pick up paperwork for it at the DVC person in the lobby and then wander the resort looking for the artwork.

That may be a good way for you to really check out Riveria. I was there today and while I thought it was a pretty resort it's not for me.

 

[CraigInPA]

May I ask what's up with the stench when walking from MK to BLT?

We were there a week ago and the usual mulch smell was supplemented by an odor that reminded me of a running cesspool. It lasted, at various levels, for the whole period we were there. I suspect during construction, they hit a layer of peat. Alternatively, maybe they are installing new restrooms over by Tron and haven't capped the lines yet. Whatever the case, the smell was tolerable for the minute or two it lasted as one walked down the sidewalk, but it was quite un-Disney-esque.

 

[mort1331]

I have stayed at all DVC, except OKW. I think there are definitely things you can do to get that feel and most of your revolve around transportation.

What I have found is all have a different feel to them which you can maybe get walking around,

One good thing is to do an MK crawl and include WL...start there...hsve a drink or snack if kids are with you...boat to BLT,,do the same...walk around....head to TTC...walk to Poly. have another drink...walk to VGF,...and enjoy that resort, Then monorail over to bus stops at MK and take back to your resort!

Yes have a drink at each.place. The last one will be the best.

 

[The Jackal]

We were there a week ago and the usual mulch smell was supplemented by an odor that reminded me of a running cesspool. It lasted, at various levels, for the whole period we were there. I suspect during construction, they hit a layer of peat. Alternatively, maybe they are installing new restrooms over by Tron and haven't capped the lines yet. Whatever the case, the smell was tolerable for the minute or two it lasted as one walked down the sidewalk, but it was quite un-Disney-esque.

That odor has been there and I don’t think it’s going away anytime soon.