VGF resort lake view studio or BWV 1 bedroom standard

[TheDailyMoo]

I know this is all subjective but I have a couple of days reserved at a resort VGF lake view. From there I go to the Swan for a couple of days (unfortunately swan has to be at the end not the order I would’ve stayed). There’s a BWV standard 1 bedroom available and it would cost me basically 160 more in OTUP. We’ve stayed DVC a lot now but never a one bedroom. We’re studio seekers with a smaller family.

Should I do it? Lol

Am I going to spoil us for studios like I always hear people on the boards talk about? Am I really going to want to go from that to the Swan? Is it better to have the MK area since I’ll be at crescent lake anyway. The 160 extra means nothing much but Yeesh I don’t want to ruin studios

 

[Disney Spaz]

I say don't do it. We were fine in a studio until we had the joys of a 1bdrm. Now every time DH has to go back to a studio he complains. I will say I would love all 1bdrm or even 2 bdrm trips, and if we win the lottery big that will be our future, but I also struggle with how many days we could stay if DH would accept studios as an option. Stick with the studio's.

And we are a family of 3 now.

 

[TheDailyMoo]

I say don't do it. We were fine in a studio until we had the joys of a 1bdrm. Now every time DH has to go back to a studio he complains. I will say I would love all 1bdrm or even 2 bdrm trips, and if we win the lottery big that will be our future, but I also struggle with how many days we could stay if DH would accept studios as an option. Stick with the studio's.

And we are a family of 3 now.

same family of three. Studios are fine and we love stretching points into extra trips. I'm just so...curious lol. But I think yeah I'll just keep it at what I have. I mean the GF is no slouch but boy the points on two nights in a lake view in high season is killing me!

 

[CookieandOatmeal]

We are also a family of three and have done studios, 1 bedrooms (BLT/VGF), and 2 bedrooms (VGF). It is really nice to have that extra space with a little because whenever we share one room, he's always talking to us and refusing to go to sleep lol. It doesn't kill us to go back to studios when we need to but that 1 bedroom is definitely nice with all that extra space for my little to run around.

 

[Sprinkles&Sprints]

It’s just myself and my DD and I’m really trying to avoid 1 bedrooms altogether (at least until she’s much older and asking to bring a friend) bc I know it’ll ruin studios for me!! Plus, as others have said - when the options are a 1 bedroom on one trip vs savings the points and basically getting another whole trip, I’ll almost always take option #2.

FWIW, before so bought DVC last year, we exclusively stayed at the Swan for the past 20 years - I actually miss it! Their food options are so much better than the other Crescent Lake properties.

 

[Traveling on cc points]

same family of three. Studios are fine and we love stretching points into extra trips. I'm just so...curious lol. But I think yeah I'll just keep it at what I have. I mean the GF is no slouch but boy the points on two nights in a lake view in high season is killing me!

Everyone opinions are going to be different. You have to decide.
What is your rate at the swan including resort fees, taxes and parking fees? Is that number higher than the average point rental rate? How much time do you plan on staying in the room? How important is having your child in a separate room at bedtime? Will you utilize the kitchen to make a few meals to save money (to buy extra points of coarse )

We (2 adults) usually aim for studios purely to save points but have stayed in several 1 bedrooms too. As much as I love having the extra space and having access to a full kitchen, it is not worth double the points of a studio to us.

 

[TheDailyMoo]

Everyone opinions are going to be different. You have to decide.
What is your rate at the swan including resort fees, taxes and parking fees? Is that number higher than the average point rental rate? How much time do you plan on staying in the room? How important is having your child in a separate room at bedtime? Will you utilize the kitchen to make a few meals to save money (to buy extra points of coarse )

We (2 adults) usually aim for studios purely to save points but have stayed in several 1 bedrooms too. As much as I love having the extra space and having access to a full kitchen, it is not worth double the points of a studio to us.

Staying at GF for two days then swan for two. Swan is happening no matter what unless somehow 4 BW standard nights pop up all in a row! Not holding my breath lol. It's just crazy to me that I can stay in a BW 1 bedroom for literally 4 points a night difference!

 

[TheDailyMoo]

It’s just myself and my DD and I’m really trying to avoid 1 bedrooms altogether (at least until she’s much older and asking to bring a friend) bc I know it’ll ruin studios for me!! Plus, as others have said - when the options are a 1 bedroom on one trip vs savings the points and basically getting another whole trip, I’ll almost always take option #2.

FWIW, before so bought DVC last year, we exclusively stayed at the Swan for the past 20 years - I actually miss it! Their food options are so much better than the other Crescent Lake properties.

I love the Swan! Love that whole area. And I am paying probably the highest rate I've paid for the Swan in all these years but it's fine. I'm going to keep checking every few days until my trip as they have such insane dynamic pricing. I guess for now I'll stick to the GF.

 

[drusba]

A DVC member can purchase only up to 24 OTUPs in any given use year, so if you actually need 160 for the BWV reservation, it is not possible.

 

[Genie+]

A DVC member can purchase only up to 24 OTUPs in any given use year, so if you actually need 160 for the BWV reservation, it is not possible.

I think it’s 160 in dollars.

 

[Unclelude]

Do it. You will eventually. Might as well rip the band aid off now so you can start saving for more points.

Hehe ... kidding aside, sounds like a cheap way to try them out! IDK, we don't regret bigger rooms... its amazing how quickly we adjusted. Plus its really nice for availability. Kids in another room, breakfasts in the morning, the smelll of baking cookies at Xmas, ...

Have Fun!
Good Luck!

PS probably a good idea to stick with GF if you don't want to be tempted

 

[sndral]

I love the GF, so I’d likely stay there, but other than a couple nights 2 years ago in a resort studio to ‘try them out’ I’m a huge fan of 1/2 br. villas. We typically stay 10+ days & the extra space + washer/dryer in the larger villas make those longer stays so nice.

 

[Anthony1971]

I will say a BW 1 BR will not ruin you. While a Kitchen and washing machine is nice BW 1/2 BR are small and rather unimpressive. GF on the other hand the studios are large but we are not fans of the resort itself we prefer the Poly.
BUT to make it interesting the GF will have such things as Robes in every room a Lobby and CM in every building and a Grand lobby in the main building (shoes optional for putting your feet on the coffee tables) as well as a comfortable CS and easily the best Deluxe behind SSR. A few things you will not find at the BW or any other DVC resort.... But you could do your laundry and cook a few meals in a 1 BR at BW, In fact you can easily sit on the balcony reach in open the fridge and grab a beer... But we also do in fact love the BW for the EPCOT area and slide at the pool.
The better question is which resort fits you better? If it is just to see what a 1 BR is like I would suggest looking at different resort to spoil yourself.... For this Try Kidani or BLT as they will cause hurt to go back to a Studio as far as a room is concerned... for a LOT of space and inexpensive check out OKW but not as impressive as far as the style.

 

[Genie+]

I know this is all subjective but I have a couple of days reserved at a resort VGF lake view. From there I go to the Swan for a couple of days (unfortunately swan has to be at the end not the order I would’ve stayed). There’s a BWV standard 1 bedroom available and it would cost me basically 160 more in OTUP. We’ve stayed DVC a lot now but never a one bedroom. We’re studio seekers with a smaller family.

Should I do it? Lol

Am I going to spoil us for studios like I always hear people on the boards talk about? Am I really going to want to go from that to the Swan? Is it better to have the MK area since I’ll be at crescent lake anyway. The 160 extra means nothing much but Yeesh I don’t want to ruin studios

It is kinda crazy when comparing higher point studios to other options in a similar point range.

Last year our split stay in the same point season had BW view studio 17pts and Poly Lake 26pts on the weekends. That extra 9pts/nt feels severe lol. Or we could’ve booked the 30pt/nt BW std 1BR over the 26pt/nt Poly studio!

We seem to be enjoying DVC the most by mixing really strong value rooms with splurges here and there. Along the way we’re getting the best of both worlds and keeping our average nightly costs in an acceptable range. Poly is quite the experience with the bigger studio, the resort, proximity to MK and monorail to EP. So I really don’t mind spending the points there, even when all that’s left is the even more expensive Lakeview. Spending the points still felt completely worthwhile.

DVC attracted us because of the variety of options, each with their own advantages. The times we book BW standard or low point stays at AK or SSR… they are great and free up extra funds to put toward monorail resorts, premium views or bigger rooms sometimes. The value of DVC to me is keeping those average room expenses affordable while exploring all the positive ways our room choice impacts trips.

 

[TheDailyMoo]

I will say a BW 1 BR will not ruin you. While a Kitchen and washing machine is nice BW 1/2 BR are small and rather unimpressive. GF on the other hand the studios are large but we are not fans of the resort itself we prefer the Poly.
BUT to make it interesting the GF will have such things as Robes in every room a Lobby and CM in every building and a Grand lobby in the main building (shoes optional for putting your feet on the coffee tables) as well as a comfortable CS and easily the best Deluxe behind SSR. A few things you will not find at the BW or any other DVC resort.... But you could do your laundry and cook a few meals in a 1 BR at BW, In fact you can easily sit on the balcony reach in open the fridge and grab a beer... But we also do in fact love the BW for the EPCOT area and slide at the pool.
The better question is which resort fits you better? If it is just to see what a 1 BR is like I would suggest looking at different resort to spoil yourself.... For this Try Kidani or BLT as they will cause hurt to go back to a Studio as far as a room is concerned... for a LOT of space and inexpensive check out OKW but not as impressive as far as the style.

We just did a BW/GF split stay in July so know the two very well. I really did like the GF resort rooms a lot but I do love the whole Crescent lake area. Paying 27 points a night for a studio is what I'm having a hard time doing and when I saw that the BW standard was just 31 I was really tempted!

 

[TheDailyMoo]

It is kinda crazy when comparing higher point studios to other options in a similar point range.

Last year our split stay in the same point season had BW view studio 17pts and Poly Lake 26pts on the weekends. That extra 9pts/nt feels severe lol. Or we could’ve booked the 30pt/nt BW std 1BR over the 26pt/nt Poly studio!

We seem to be enjoying DVC the most by mixing really strong value rooms with splurges here and there. Along the way we’re getting the best of both worlds and keeping our average nightly costs in an acceptable range. Poly is quite the experience with the bigger studio, the resort, proximity to MK and monorail to EP. So I really don’t mind spending the points there, even when all that’s left is the even more expensive Lakeview. Spending the points still felt completely worthwhile.

DVC attracted us because of the variety of options, each with their own advantages. The times we book BW standard or low point stays at AK or SSR… they are great and free up extra funds to put toward monorail resorts, premium views or bigger rooms sometimes. The value of DVC to me is keeping those average room expenses affordable while exploring all the positive ways our room choice impacts trips.

That's the thing we've been doing is mostly getting great point value deals on studios at the nicer resorts. It's allowed us to really get a LOT of trips in the last two years. And I'm also the type where I'm cheap with points but if I see a better value in spending a little more then I'll spend more...if that makes sense.

 

[HappyDisneyWife]

Staying at GF for two days then swan for two. Swan is happening no matter what unless somehow 4 BW standard nights pop up all in a row! Not holding my breath lol. It's just crazy to me that I can stay in a BW 1 bedroom for literally 4 points a night difference!

For what it’s worth, I walked through that door… and came back.

My first trip in anything other than a studio was sharing a 2-bedroom with another couple… and it was glorious!! All of that space with so few people!!! But when I went to book my next trip @ WDW, I pretty easily chose the studio again- bc I‘ll take more time in Disney vs more space in our room 9x’s out of 10

So, yes there are those 1-offs: the splurges & they’re fun, but they can’t be my main type of Disney accommodations… or my trips would be much shorter/fewer.

In your case, it’s really not a point splurge & that’s when I say go for it. If it was the difference btw a studio or 1-bed @ the same resort… it would be a different story. But the wildly different point charts make this pretty easy, imo. The only hesitation is that you already have a crescent lake hotel your last 2 nights & staying within walking distance of MK those first 2 nights could be a major draw (I do love the VGF… its walking path, restaurants, pools, etc).