VWL - is upgrade ever possible??

[disneyfool_1202]

We booked 7 nights at VWL, our home resort, for a mid October visit which is low season. Because this trip is just the kids (DD9, DD7) and DH and I, we only booked a studio- wanting to save points and bank them so we can use them for a longer vacation next year (we may be going back with the dance studio to dance in Disney early summer 2013).
I have never had anything less than a 2BR because we always seem to vacation with extended family. Not this time so I'm having mild anxiety over a studio- no washer dryer in the room, pretty much just a one room with no where to escape the kids (or DH for that matter!) , tiny fridge....
I'm SO trying to decide if we should just bite it and see if we can change our ressie to a 1BR and just use the points OR try not to worry about it, and make the best out of having a studio knowing we can use those extra points next year.
One of our first vacations my mom booked a studio room seperately when she came with us and she was upgraded, but she paid cash / not points. She ended up with a 1BR.
I'm wondering if anyone has ever booked a studio and ended up with a FREE upgrade or if that's just not possible when you travel on points.

 

[Sammie]

Not possible on points unless for some reason they have overbooked studios, or a studio is taken out of inventory due to damage etc.

So no if you want something larger you need to book it before you arrive.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Yep, change your reservation to a one bedroom if you want a one bedroom. We booked a studio for one night on cash once to go along with our week in a one bedroom. When we got there, they upgraded the cash night in the studio to a one bedroom and we got to stay in the same one for the entire stay. But it was a cash reservation not a points reservation.

 

[com_op_2000]

I have gotten an upgrade at VWL due to overbooking of studios. We were moved into a CL level 2 bdrm in the main building.

 

[disneyfool_1202]

I just checked our points- it would double the point value and I really don't want to spend that many points for just the 4 of us, so I'm going to just deal with the smaller space. We've done regular non DVC studio rooms and been fine. I'm just spoiled when it comes to staying at a DVC villa!! I'll just pack quarters for laundry and my iPhone headphones so I can zone everyone out once in a while.....

 

[Deb & Bill]

I just checked our points- it would double the point value and I really don't want to spend that many points for just the 4 of us, so I'm going to just deal with the smaller space. We've done regular non DVC studio rooms and been fine. I'm just spoiled when it comes to staying at a DVC villa!! I'll just pack quarters for laundry and my iPhone headphones so I can zone everyone out once in a while.....

You can leave your quarters at home if you are staying in the villas. Just use the laundry room in the villas.

 

[kristenrice]

What about a split stay? Book your first 3 nights in a studio and then the remaining 4 nights in a 1BR. It's a great way to stretch your points and still have the luxury of the larger accomodations.

 

[ClarabelleCow]

I would go nuts 4 in a studio, we have done it, but not pleasant. Next trip 1 bedroom and its just me and my 12 year old son. Usually do 2 bedroom for the 4 of us! This is why we bought DVC, for the space and convenience of kitchen, washer/ dryer etc.. Just remember you can always borrow points. and eventually as the kids get older you wont go as much and wont always need to borrow.

 

[DVC Jen]

we do four(adults now) in a studio ALL THE TIME and it really is VERY doable. The laundry room is on the first floor when you come out of the elevator make a right and then another right and it will be on your - right. 3 washers and 6 dryers. All you need is laundry soap and your fabric softener.

I love to bring a book down and just sit by the fireplace in the lobby area when I am doing laundry.. nice break from the family - some me time.

Enjoy the studios - they are really very nice

 

[BirdsOfPreyDave]

Several people have implied this, but not said it outright.... laundry rooms in DVC resorts don't require coins. The machines are free. Many of the DVC laundry rooms now have nice HE machines, however, some do have the more-traditional machines you might see in a laundromat. If there's a coin slot on the machine, just push it in without any coins to start the machine. (If the machine doesn't work without coins, you're in the wrong laundry room. Resorts that aren't completely DVC may have laundry rooms for the cash guests that do require coins.)

 

[com_op_2000]

I would go nuts 4 in a studio, we have done it, but not pleasant. Next trip 1 bedroom and its just me and my 12 year old son. Usually do 2 bedroom for the 4 of us! This is why we bought DVC, for the space and convenience of kitchen, washer/ dryer etc.. Just remember you can always borrow points. and eventually as the kids get older you wont go as much and wont always need to borrow.

I disagree.
I have done four adults very often in studios - no problem.
Last trip 4 adults and one infant in a studio, infant slept in PnP between the bed and pull-out couch. Had two laptops and one ipod going all the time.
I guess you just have to have people who get along to make it work.
DW and I go more often now than when DD was younger.

 

[DebbieB]

I've done 4 adults in an OKW studio (4 grown women). 2 sharing a queen wasn't bad and the rooms are larger. I can't imagine that 2 adults sharing a double sofabed would be comfortable, plus a smaller room. We all got along, so that would have nothing to do with it.

We have done 4 in a 1 bedroom at both VWL and BWV, same group except 1. One person brought a twin aerobed so that the sofabed would not have to be shared. We put it in the bedroom between the bed and the balcony door. The one time I ended up with the sofabed and after the first night I slept on it closed up, it was more comfortable that way (this was a few years ago, not the current model).

 

[Lynne M]

Everybody has a different idea of what's an acceptable amount of space, and what constitutes overcrowding. Some can do a family of four and an infant in a value room, and be perfectly comfortable. When I travel with a friend, I get a two bedroom villa for two people.

Different strokes.

Regarding the free upgrade...they're very unusual at non-DVC resorts, and rare as hen's teeth at DVC resorts. You'd probably only get one if there was a maintenance issue in the studio they assigned to you, and had no other studios open to give you.

 

[BEASLYBOO]

No free upgrade unless eomthing catastrophic happens to your villa/studio and the resort is full.

Well, I couldn't do it (studio), and certainly not for 7 nights! But that doesn't mean you can't! I don't sleep much, like to get up and read or watch TV when I can't sleep and that's not condusive to anyone else's sleeping patterns!

What's the worse that can happen, you tough it out, return home tired and decide never to do it again or it works out and you've had a wonderful family experience!

 

[Anal Annie]

Family of 3, not 4, but we only ever do studios because I think the point values are INSANE for a 1 bedroom and it still wouldn't provide our DS with a real bed to sleep in. We don't have enough points to do a 2 bedroom.

When we go on vacation I don't want to cook (beyond some simple breakfasts) nor do I want to do laundry. I did 1 load of laundry once at VB when we were on a 10 night vacation. That was enough. I just pack what we need to last for the trip. I can do laundry when I get home, at my leisure when it's not eating into my vacation time. Even if we DID have a larger unit with a W / D I can't see myself using it. I just don't see the big deal about wanting to do laundry on vacation.

Just go with the attitude that you're taking a real vacation break this time which means not cooking big meals & not doing laundry. You might find that you like it!!

I never read about people getting upgrades with their DVC...

 

[ClarabelleCow]

See thats why everyone is different and why DVC is for everyone. I myself dont "cook" on vacation, but also hate eating out all the time, so quick morning muffin and coffee, or frozen pizza for dinner works great. Thats why they call them home away from home!! I bought DVC to get away from cramping up in a hotel room, which IMHO is what the studios are, prior to DVC we only stayed at The Contemporary, so we bought for larger accomodations. As for laundry, I don't like to pack tons of clothes, and pretty easy to toss a load in before bed and flip and and clean in am., plus going home with clean clothes is great especially if working full time.

I have done 2 bedrroms for just the 4 of us, last summer I got a 1 bedroom at the CR for myself and son, talk about space, I don't think we ever even sat at the kitchen table, but enjoyed the room, just wish it hadnt been first floor. Its all how you like to travel. I just sold off half my points as I found we were not going as much, daughter now 19, son 12, only have 196 points to use, not to bank away, and if time comes that we want to make a longer trip, or use more points, then bank borrow or rent!!!

 

[disneyfool_1202]

Thanks for the input everyone. The one thing I don't like about the 1BR besides the point value, is the fact that the pull out is in the living room while the king is in the master. That means the kids would be in the living room and they are only going to be 9 and 7. Plus it wouldn't be easy to put them to 'bed' when they crash without having to retire to the bedroom. Thats when I like to make my tea, maybe some popcorn - when they are in bed and if bed is the king then I"m spending points to put them in a king and DH and I in a double!!! NOT happening!!!!
The split stay I think might be an option- maybe stay in a studio for 3 nights and a 1BR for the other 4 nights, but again, I don't like the kids being in another room. I actually thought about packing their sleeping bags if we got a 1BR and THAT would end up using up precious luggage space so we'd probably have to pay the airline for another bag.

I didn't realize that the laundry room in the villa's that is shared is free. THAT is a nice little perk!

 

[Dean]

Thanks for the input everyone. The one thing I don't like about the 1BR besides the point value, is the fact that the pull out is in the living room while the king is in the master. That means the kids would be in the living room and they are only going to be 9 and 7. Plus it wouldn't be easy to put them to 'bed' when they crash without having to retire to the bedroom. Thats when I like to make my tea, maybe some popcorn - when they are in bed and if bed is the king then I"m spending points to put them in a king and DH and I in a double!!! NOT happening!!!!
The split stay I think might be an option- maybe stay in a studio for 3 nights and a 1BR for the other 4 nights, but again, I don't like the kids being in another room. I actually thought about packing their sleeping bags if we got a 1BR and THAT would end up using up precious luggage space so we'd probably have to pay the airline for another bag.

I didn't realize that the laundry room in the villa's that is shared is free. THAT is a nice little perk!

Studios AND 1 BR units are really only designed for 2-3 people even though the max is more. One thing to be careful about. There was a report years ago about a member who asked for an upgrade and then found out after they returned home they used their points for the upgrade. Rude awakening.

 

[mkunichi]

I suspect that another option would be to stay in the studio for a while and then if you find yourself stir-crazy, upgrade to a 1BR with points.

As others have said, everyone's situation and mentality is different.

On the days where you're out at the parks all day and come back to the room just to fall asleep I'm sure everything will be fine. If you have a hang out at the pool day and take turns with the kids I also think it's fine. OTOH if you're going to fight about what to watch on TV then not so much. :/

I keep forgetting about the laundry room. I'll have to remember it when I feel frustrated at having to do 4 loads of laundry before going to bed.

 

[sleeperclan]

How much time will you actually spend in the studio? We've done studios with a family of 4 and have had no problems. DS 20 prefers to sleep on the floor, DD 17 gets the pull-out, and DH and I the bed. We stayed in a 1 bedroom last year and DH LOVED the extra space and I enjoyed using the kitchen more (not to mention the king bed). DS and DD, on the other hand, didn't like how "spread out" the family seemed. It just depends on your family's preferences. Either way, you know you'll have a great time