Want to buy..still unsure of where.

[vellamint]

We took the DVC tour and it was great. Saw AKV, BLT, grand villa at SS and model size of THV. Got 6 FP for 3 rides each even though only 3 out of the 6 of us attended. Everything was absolutely gorgeous but sadly I still do not know which resort would be best for us.

The saleswoman kind of talked us out of BLT after asking us how long we spend in our room and if we would want MK view each time....although she probably figured I would not be buying MAJOR enough points for my family of 6to do MK every time.

AKV are not for me...stayed there with a girlfriend and although they are beautiful rooms we had a loooonnngg walk to our room, the overall feel was too dark for my liking and the AKV are too far from the MK.

VWL = didnt think I would consider this as I stayed here and didnt like our room location at the very end of a long hallway but went to the WL to rent searaycers and fell in love with that lobby again...plus only a ferry ride to MK.

BCV = love the location to Epcot and the Studios....not sure if SAB should be a factor for us as our kids are all teenagers now....thoughts on teenagers and SAB anyone?

SS = great location to DTD and really like the looks of the THV. Not sure how good Disney transportation is from them though. I have learned I really dislike renting a car and dealing with the whole process and driving Disney property.....thoughts requested again?

OKW = I remember the rooms being huge but also remember the buses didnt seem as convenient as some...but it was a long time ago and we were only there one night.

Out of these 4 resorts.....at the 11 month window:

1. Do they have dedicated 1 bedrooms with dedicated 2 queens (not sure I worded that correctly....4 beds all together)
2. Very important....quick service dining.
3. Do all of these 1 bedrooms have the washer/dryer.
4. Do studios have access to free washer/dryers somewhere?
5. Which, if any, of these allow 5 in a 1 bedroom?

Just looking for a few answers and thoughts......

 

[disneynutz]

1. Do they have dedicated 1 bedrooms with dedicated 2 queens (not sure I worded that correctly....4 beds all together)
2. Very important....quick service dining.
3. Do all of these 1 bedrooms have the washer/dryer.
4. Do studios have access to free washer/dryers somewhere?
5. Which, if any, of these allow 5 in a 1 bedroom?

Just looking for a few answers and thoughts......

Looks like SSR is the only resort that matches most of your criteria.

1-4 yes
5 Officially no, but DVC has been letting 5 to a room.

 

[Crystal_27]

In reading your post, it seems like one of your major factors is transportation. It appears that you have nixed most of the resorts based on bus issues (and, I don't blame you there - - we bought into BLT simply because of its location). You forgot to add to your list BWV, which are also withing walking distance to Epcot/DHS.

It might be worth it to do the virtual room tours on the DVC website, and to look at room pictures on the Internet. But, yes, you are correct about the laundry facilities. There are free laundry facilities at all DVCs, and the 1+ bedrooms all have dedicated washer/dryer units in each room. Good luck with your decision - - buying into DVC is soooooo exciting!

 

[vellamint]

Looks like SSR is the only resort that matches most of your criteria.

1-4 yes
5 Officially no, but DVC has been letting 5 to a room.

I thought I read/saw that there was a sleeper chair in some one bedrooms....but maybe that was only BLT and AKVs?

 

[disneynutz]

I thought I read/saw that there was a sleeper chair in some one bedrooms....but maybe that was only BLT and AKVs?

Looks like you know your stuff. Sleeper chairs are currently at BLT & AKV. Considering all the money that you will be paying for your membership do you really want to make your DH sleep on a sleeper chair?

 

[bwvBound]

1. Do they have dedicated 1 bedrooms with dedicated 2 queens (not sure I worded that correctly....4 beds all together)

Perhaps I'm not reading your question as you intended -- but no 1BR unit will offer 4 physically separate beds. The 1BR configurations have one King bed in the Master Bedroom and one pull-out sofa in the Living Room. Total sleeping capacity is four persons for most layouts; possibly 5 in the units adding the sleeper chair; plus infant in pack'n'play.

 

[vellamint]

Perhaps I'm not reading your question as you intended -- but no 1BR unit will offer 4 physically separate beds. The 1BR configurations have one King bed in the Master Bedroom and one pull-out sofa in the Living Room. Total sleeping capacity is four persons for most layouts; possibly 5 in the units adding the sleeper chair; plus infant in pack'n'play.

oops...you are right...I meant 2 bedroom. Sorry.

 

[Sandisw]

We took the DVC tour and it was great. Saw AKV, BLT, grand villa at SS and model size of THV. Got 6 FP for 3 rides each even though only 3 out of the 6 of us attended. Everything was absolutely gorgeous but sadly I still do not know which resort would be best for us.

The saleswoman kind of talked us out of BLT after asking us how long we spend in our room and if we would want MK view each time....although she probably figured I would not be buying MAJOR enough points for my family of 6to do MK every time.

AKV are not for me...stayed there with a girlfriend and although they are beautiful rooms we had a loooonnngg walk to our room, the overall feel was too dark for my liking and the AKV are too far from the MK.

VWL = didnt think I would consider this as I stayed here and didnt like our room location at the very end of a long hallway but went to the WL to rent searaycers and fell in love with that lobby again...plus only a ferry ride to MK.

BCV = love the location to Epcot and the Studios....not sure if SAB should be a factor for us as our kids are all teenagers now....thoughts on teenagers and SAB anyone?

SS = great location to DTD and really like the looks of the THV. Not sure how good Disney transportation is from them though. I have learned I really dislike renting a car and dealing with the whole process and driving Disney property.....thoughts requested again?

OKW = I remember the rooms being huge but also remember the buses didnt seem as convenient as some...but it was a long time ago and we were only there one night.

Out of these 4 resorts.....at the 11 month window:

1. Do they have dedicated 1 bedrooms with dedicated 2 queens (not sure I worded that correctly....4 beds all together)
2. Very important....quick service dining.
3. Do all of these 1 bedrooms have the washer/dryer.
4. Do studios have access to free washer/dryers somewhere?
5. Which, if any, of these allow 5 in a 1 bedroom?

Just looking for a few answers and thoughts......

We bought in to BLT because of the location and proximity to MK, which is our favorite park. We don't plan on ever doing MK view (unless I hit the lottery and buy mega points!) as SV or LV is just fine for us. So, the points we needed to stay there work for us as we only go once a year, in the summer, for 5 - 6 nights and plan to continue this style of WDW visits for many years to come.

I just completed my 1st DVC stay and tried out VWL, BLT, and BWV. Even though we moved a lot during the week, I am glad that I did as it confirmed for me that BLT was the right resort. However, it also made me realize that doing a few nights at the Epcot resorts (BWV and BCV) would have its advantages.

IMO, being at a resort that gives you easy access to the parks that you enjoy the best is very important, especially if you are relying on Disney transportation. It is also important to be at a place where you will enjoy with and without your teens. Once you know that, I think choosing a home resort gets a bit easier.

And, on a side note, I believe that all 1 bedroom units are a king bed and a pull out sofa not two actual queen beds. While the pull out is a queen, it is not quite the same which may or may not make a difference. Plus, the 1 bedrooms at BLT and the 1 bedrooms at AKV-Kidani not only have a sleeper chair so you can sleep 5, they also have the 2nd bathroom which could make a big difference when traveling with teens!!!

 

[vellamint]

Looks like you know your stuff. Sleeper chairs are currently at BLT & AKV. Considering all the money that you will be paying for your membership do you really want to make your DH sleep on a sleeper chair?

LOL....Very Funny!!

 

[ToddyLu]

Have you decided yet, huh, please please tell us, we need to know

 

[goodferry]

We went through the same thing, we just bought this week. We, however, did like the AKV, actually, we have liked ALL the DVC properties and found there were positives for our family of six at all of them. Soooo we split our 320 point contract between BLT and AKV, that way we can have 11 month booking at either resort.
We decided to buy at BLT in addition to AKV because we felt like if we ever decided to sell one of the contracts (once the kids are grown and gone) that the BLT contract would be easier to sell since it appears that it is one of the more popular DVC resorts right now in terms of sales. We also felt if we ever needed to rent points because we weren't going one year, that BLT would be desirable in the rental market.
Then there were dues, they are lower at BLT which DH liked
I should also mention that we knew we were going to buy through Disney and not resale, if you are considering OKW, BC or VWL I assume you are looking to buy resale.

 

[DebbieB]

One factor you did not mention - contract end date. BWV, BCV, VWL all end in 2042. Not sure of the other resorts but I think BLT is 50 years (2060?).

 

[Sandisw]

One factor you did not mention - contract end date. BWV, BCV, VWL all end in 2042. Not sure of the other resorts but I think BLT is 50 years (2060?).

Yes, BLT is 2060. AKV is 2057 and SSR is 2054. So, to get one of those, over the older resorts, gives you an extra 12 to 18 years.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

Looks like you know your stuff. Sleeper chairs are currently at BLT & AKV. Considering all the money that you will be paying for your membership do you really want to make your DH sleep on a sleeper chair?

Looks like they thought of everything.....even the occasional marital fight!!

 

[dizfan]

Here's a partial list of PROs/CONs that you may find helpful when looking at the various resorts...

AKV

• 
  * a highly-themed resort; some people complain of its "darkness"
  * offers extra official space for one person (in most 1BR and larger) in form of sleeper-chair
  * offers extra bathroom (in 1BR and larger in Kidani Village section)
  * the only DVC resort to offer concierge category
  * offers many different view categories that are points-dependent (including savanna view: you can see animals right outside your window)
  * a hotel-style resort; connected to hotel
  * remote from most other activities and parks (except DAK)
  * offers Studio - Grand Villa accommodations
  * home of the highly-regarded restaurant "Jiko"
  * contract ends in 2057

BLT

• 
  * not a highly-themed resort; some people complain of its "retro" or cold decor
  * quite points-intensive compared to older DVC resorts
  * offers extra official space for one person (in most 1BR and larger) in form of sleeper-chair
  * offers extra bathroom (in 1BR and larger)
  * the only DVC resort to offer MK view
  * offers 10% Standard View Villas, 10-20% Magic Kingdom View Villas, and 70-80% Bay Lake View Villas
  * a hotel-style resort; connected to hotel
  * right next door to MK
  * offers "Top of the World" lounge from which to view MK fireworks (reservation required)
  * has unique covered pedestrian bridge ("Sky Way Bridge") to connect it to CR
  * offers Studio - Grand Villa accommodations
  * short walk away from highly-regarded "California Grille" as well as "Chef Mickey's"
  * contract ends in 2060

BCV

• 
  * beach theme
  * only DVC resort to offer lazy river and large water play area (Storm Along Bay - SAB)
  * a hotel-style resort; connected to hotel
  * long walk from main areas to villas
  * occasional complaints about cleanliness of villas
  * desirable location between Disney's Hollywood Studios (DHS) and Epcot
  * offers only Studio - 2BR accommodations (no Grand Villas)
  * water activities available via BWV
  * home of popular Beaches and Cream as well as Yachtsman Steakhouse
  * across from BoardWalk, where restaurants and entertainment venues abound
  * contract ends in 2042

BWV

• 
  * beach theme
  * offers different view categories that are points-dependent (including board walk view)
  * a hotel-style resort; connected to hotel
  * long walk from lobby to villas
  * desirable location between Disney's Hollywood Studios (DHS) and Epcot
  * offers Studio - Grand Villa accommodations
  * many restaurants and entertainment venues located in immediate vicinity
  * water activities available (including "Breathless")
  * contract ends in 2042

OKW

• 
  * Old Key West theme; most "well-developed" of all DVC resorts
  * oldest of all DVC resorts; fairly large, too
  * offers largest villas of all WDW DVC resorts
  * Studio is distinct in that it offers 2 queen-size beds
  * offers lowest point values for the accommodations
  * condo-style resort; can offer close parking
  * offers Studio - Grand Villa accommodations
  * offers wide variety of water activities
  * not close to parks; take bus or car
  * only DVC resort to offer its owners an ownership extension
  * contracts end in either 2042 (non-extension) or 2057 (extension)

SSR

• 
  * Saratoga Springs, NY theme (some people complain that it's not "Disney" enough)
  * largest of all DVC resorts
  * condo-style resort; easy access to parking
  * offers unique TreeHouse Villas
  * next door to Downtown Disney with its shopping, restaurants, and entertainment venues
  * offers Studio - Grand Villa accommodations
  * contract ends in 2054

VWL

• 
  * highly-themed Western / Wilderness theme; some people complain of its "darkness"
  * smallest of DVC resorts
  * hotel-style resort; connected to hotel
  * close to Magic Kingdom, but must take boat to get there; must take buses everywhere else
  * offers only Studio - 2BR (no Grand Villas)
  * close to Bay Lake and thus, close to many water activities
  * noted for its Christmas decorations
  * home of popular restaurant "Artist's Point"
  * near Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue
  * contract ends in 2042

 

[tmgandolph]

Also take into account the type of room you want and the dates. For example if you never want a MK view at BLT or a GV, they why purchase there and pay the premium for the points. The boards are filled with people getting lake and standard view. I and most of the board dont it will be much of an issue getting LV at 7 months. The same holds true to AKV. If you dont want a SV, GV or Concierge level then dont pay the premium to get 11 month choice when 7 months works well for standard views. The place is big.

Now the date is a separate story...if you want the holidays (especially during the cheaper period) then you will need the 11 month window at certain resorts, but not all.

I leave it to others to expand.
Gotta Go!

 

[vellamint]

Here's a partial list of PROs/CONs that you may find helpful when looking at the various resorts...

AKV

• 
  * a highly-themed resort; some people complain of its "darkness"
  * offers extra official space for one person (in most 1BR and larger) in form of sleeper-chair
  * offers extra bathroom (in 1BR and larger in Kidani Village section)
  * the only DVC resort to offer concierge category
  * offers many different view categories that are points-dependent (including savanna view: you can see animals right outside your window)
  * a hotel-style resort; connected to hotel
  * remote from most other activities and parks (except DAK)
  * offers Studio - Grand Villa accommodations
  * home of the highly-regarded restaurant "Jiko"
  * contract ends in 2057

BLT

• 
  * not a highly-themed resort; some people complain of its "retro" or cold decor
  * quite points-intensive compared to older DVC resorts
  * offers extra official space for one person (in most 1BR and larger) in form of sleeper-chair
  * offers extra bathroom (in 1BR and larger)
  * the only DVC resort to offer MK view
  * offers 10% Standard View Villas, 10-20% Magic Kingdom View Villas, and 70-80% Bay Lake View Villas
  * a hotel-style resort; connected to hotel
  * right next door to MK
  * offers "Top of the World" lounge from which to view MK fireworks (reservation required)
  * has unique covered pedestrian bridge ("Sky Way Bridge") to connect it to CR
  * offers Studio - Grand Villa accommodations
  * short walk away from highly-regarded "California Grille" as well as "Chef Mickey's"
  * contract ends in 2060

BCV

• 
  * beach theme
  * only DVC resort to offer lazy river and large water play area (Storm Along Bay - SAB)
  * a hotel-style resort; connected to hotel
  * long walk from main areas to villas
  * occasional complaints about cleanliness of villas
  * desirable location between Disney's Hollywood Studios (DHS) and Epcot
  * offers only Studio - 2BR accommodations (no Grand Villas)
  * water activities available via BWV
  * home of popular Beaches and Cream as well as Yachtsman Steakhouse
  * across from BoardWalk, where restaurants and entertainment venues abound
  * contract ends in 2042

BWV

• 
  * beach theme
  * offers different view categories that are points-dependent (including board walk view)
  * a hotel-style resort; connected to hotel
  * long walk from lobby to villas
  * desirable location between Disney's Hollywood Studios (DHS) and Epcot
  * offers Studio - Grand Villa accommodations
  * many restaurants and entertainment venues located in immediate vicinity
  * water activities available (including "Breathless")
  * contract ends in 2042

OKW

• 
  * Old Key West theme; most "well-developed" of all DVC resorts
  * oldest of all DVC resorts; fairly large, too
  * offers largest villas of all WDW DVC resorts
  * Studio is distinct in that it offers 2 queen-size beds
  * offers lowest point values for the accommodations
  * condo-style resort; can offer close parking
  * offers Studio - Grand Villa accommodations
  * offers wide variety of water activities
  * not close to parks; take bus or car
  * only DVC resort to offer its owners an ownership extension
  * contracts end in either 2042 (non-extension) or 2057 (extension)

SSR

• 
  * Saratoga Springs, NY theme (some people complain that it's not "Disney" enough)
  * largest of all DVC resorts
  * condo-style resort; easy access to parking
  * offers unique TreeHouse Villas
  * next door to Downtown Disney with its shopping, restaurants, and entertainment venues
  * offers Studio - Grand Villa accommodations
  * contract ends in 2054

VWL

• 
  * highly-themed Western / Wilderness theme; some people complain of its "darkness"
  * smallest of DVC resorts
  * hotel-style resort; connected to hotel
  * close to Magic Kingdom, but must take boat to get there; must take buses everywhere else
  * offers only Studio - 2BR (no Grand Villas)
  * close to Bay Lake and thus, close to many water activities
  * noted for its Christmas decorations
  * home of popular restaurant "Artist's Point"
  * near Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue
  * contract ends in 2042

Thanks so much for the breakdown of pros/cons.....there is so much information my head is spinning. I think I need to make a pro/con list based upon my family and whichever has the most pros (or the least cons lol) I should pick.

One point I cant stop thinking about is the resale value of the contract....BLT seems to me to be the best one for resale plus it will always guarantee us a monorail resort AND its right next to the MK. I just wish I like the decor more.........

 

[DebbieB]

Another pro for BLT is the dues are lower. The points per night are higher but if you use your points to stay at other resorts you are ahead because of the lower dues. I own at BWV but have stayed at all the WDW DVC's except BLT and SSR.

 

[dizfan]

I think I need to make a pro/con list based upon my family and whichever has the most pros (or the least cons lol) I should pick.

That's a great plan!!!!

Everyone is different and only you know what your family likes and will enjoy for years to come.

Someone here recommends creating a list of what you're looking for in a resort. Then, go through all the resorts for each category you listed and give them values 1-7 based on your thoughts. Add them up and it gives you a better idea of the resort is right for you.

 

[vellamint]

Do BLT, AKV, BW have dedicated queens or fulls in any of their 2 bedrooms?

Which ones are difficult to get into during December.

I am making up my list of pros/cons.

Thanks

Oh one more....which (if any) resorts DO NOT have a quick service dining option....in the resort itself.