Trying to decide between Beach Club and Beach Club Villas

[Shanudge]

HI all....I just priced staying at Beach Club via AAA and staying at the Villas via a private agent...looking to hear from people whether or not the Beach Club Villas are worth it....my family loves the hotel experience and I am worried that we won't get that at the Villas...some website say they are getting shabby and worn looking....the kitchen and extra space has a lot of appeal.....has anyone stayed there recently and can give me some feedback? Also, is it a really long walk to SAB and the buses or boats?

Thanks!

 

[NoodlesMom]

I rented points and started at the Villas last year and the room was very worn. I loved my start since it was at the beach club but if I had the choice, I would definitley choice the regular room over a villa.

 

[Sue M]

Just so you know, you can book a room only reservation using an AAA room discount directly thru Disney. If you are wanting to use a TA for WDW, I'd only use a Disney Authorzed Vacation Planner, there are many on line. It will save you time and possibly money, because they know when WDW discounts are released, and will automatically apply it to your res.

As for BC vs villas, BC rooms have 2 queen beds, villa studio has 1 queen and a pull out.

 

[RMulieri]

I love the villas and stay there every chance I get.The villas are supposed to have a "lived in beachy vibe" .Kind of what you would get at a beachouse in NJ or Cape Cod. The extra room is what sold us.The full kitchen is nice, the washer and dryer great and the whirlpool tub at the end of the day Fantastic.

 

[Deb & Bill]

If you are looking at renting a studio, go with the BC. If you are looking at a one or two bedroom, go with the villas. The BCV are decorated to look like Gramma's vacation home at Cape May, NJ. Not to look like the W Hotel on Michigan Ave on Lake Michigan in Chicago.

 

[Sue M]

That is with a 1 or 2 bedroom villa I guess. The studios don't have the full kitchen, laundry or jet tub. At least the one studio I saw didn't.
My friend had a studio in BCV and we had a room in BC. We went over to check out her studio. It was nice, didn't look worn, but hadn't had a refurb like BC. The villas don't get retired as freq as the hotel side I don't think. BWI villas I think had a recent refurb.

 

[Pakey]

I own at BCV and have stayed at BC.

I would never choose the studio over a hotel room if there are more than 2 people staying in the room. Just for 2 people, a studio is nice (even tho the decor/furnishings are not as nice). However, I would always choose 2 nice beds over a bed and a questionably comfortable sleeper sofa that takes up all of the living area when expanded.

If you are considering a 1 or 2 bedroom with full kitchen, whirlpool tub, washer/dryer, then I'd go BCV.

 

[TaraPA]

I stayed at both in March, and they are both different in terms of decor, and ambiance.

BCV has a much more casual, beachy decor (which I loved) and definitely away from the hustle & bustle of the BC resort itself. It was a hike to everything from our unit, but you could always request to be as close to the lobby as possible. You do need to go outside to get to BCV from BC no matter what section you're in.

BC has a much more traditional, upscale decor. It's right in the middle of everything.

We loved them both & would stay at either again in a heartbeat.

 

[Princess Me]

We stayed in a 2 bedroom villa at BCV last year & loved it. I didn't feel like we were any further away from SAB than any of the regular hotel rooms at BC, and we were pretty close to the bus stop. We didn't really use the kitchen since I don't cook on vacation, but the 2 bathrooms and living areas were great. We could all spread out and relax after a long park day. Having a washer/dryer in the villa was nice too. We also love the "hotel experience," and I don't feel like we were shorted in that area at all. The only complaint we (DH) had was with the bed linens. The beds in the rooms at the BC have the nice fluffy white duvet covers while the beds in the villas had a lower-end ugly comforter on them. We would definitely stay at BCV again (DH would just bring his own comforter).

 

[francie57]

We stayed at the BCVs for the first time last Aug. and loved them. We had stayed at the BWVs since they opened and they had a renovation a few years ago and we didn't see much difference in the BCVs. We will be returning there on Sat. and can't wait. We didn't find the villa to be rundown and shabby - the decor is made to look like a cottage at the beach and maybe some that feels it
looks rundown haven't been to a cottage at the beach! We didn't find the villas to be hard to get to anywhere - the villa side isn't that big so you can get anywhere quickly and they actually have two elevator banks. We are a party of 4 and always go with a 2 bedroom since we love having all the room. We don't cook on vacation either but the kitchen is great for having a quick breakfast and snacks/drinks handy. We booked our trip with a AAA agent and got their discount on the room since there were no discounts from Disney for our dates. We love having the w/d so we don't have to pack as much and you can actually return home with clean clothes. We throw a load in before leaving for the parks and then put it in the dryer when we get back. I don't think you would be disappointed at all with the villas. Remember when reading posts on these boards or any others about rooms there always tends to be negative posts since most people that are thrilled with their rooms don't post about it. Take all of it with a grain of salt and make your own decision.