Week after thanksgiving...renting points, suggestions???

[mmouse1239]

Hello friends,
I am a former DVC member who now rents points whenever I want to visit the world. Will be traveling one of these years the week after Thanksgiving. I am footing the entire bill for my DD, DSIL, two grandchildren, DD, future DSIL, DH, and myself. SIL's mother may come along as well. We have determined that we will rent points, but not sure what we should choose. Will def. book at the 11 month window. Was hoping for 2BR value at AKL, but wondering if we would be too crammed. Other options would be 2 studios anywhere. Grandsons will be 5 and 2, so MK will be our favorite park that week. Can anyone give me any good suggestions? I would love to try BLT, but thinking those studios seem pretty small. The person from whom I rent points said that GF might be impossible to get. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Our main concern is the enjoyment of our two grandsons....Thanks.

 

[disneynutz]

If it's for the grandsons then think like a kid and choose a resort that they would like to stay at. They don't really care about the room but they will care about the pool, fireworks, theming, activity center, and other kid fun stuff.

Bill

 

[mjillard]

Depending on how much resort time you are planning a two bedroom at blt may be a good idea. The pool is boring, but the mk is just a short stroll away. If pool time is important, akv or bcv, but less convenient. I have never stayed at beach club but their pool seems to be the main reason many dvcers choose that resort.

 

[MinnieGi]

I would also try for BLT as its so wonderfully located next to MK! My kids love BLT! The other great thing about BLT is if you do the two bedroom you get three bathrooms which I think will be great for all the people you are bringing!!

Personally I think you will be crammed into a 2 bedroom or 2 studios. I think I would do a 2 bedroom and a studio to accommodate everyone.

 

[drusba]

Time you are considering going usually includes time in early December, the highest DVC demand time of the year. If you want any near park resort you will need to find an owner who will book 11 months out (and for BLT standard view and AKV value you are likely to have trouble even at 11 months out particularly if the owner is not on line at exactly 8 a.m. Eastern at 11 months out from arrival date to make the reservation).

The AKV value 2BR.is too small for eight much less nine and unlike other 2BRs, MS usually does not allow you to have one more over the capacity of 8. The BLT 2BR would be a much better choice and would satisfy the thought to be close to MK for the grand kids but as noted above if you are looking to save cost you may not be able to do so by getting a 2BR standard view. Two studios at BLT would be a very tight fit for 9 because those studios are fairly small. In reality, two studios, particularly if you have nine, is not going to be a comfortable choice anywhere, but VGF and now VWL studios have a pull down murphy bed for a fifth. In any event, if you want both space that can actually hold nine and lower cost, your best options would be a 2BR at OKW or 2BR standard view at AKV Kidani.

 

[Minniesgal]

In your case I'd seriously consider a 2 bedroom standard view at Kidani. Bigger than a value and with your party size the extra space and bathroom would be worth having. Alternatively a 2 bedroom at BLT would be good.

 

[mmouse1239]

Wait.....I made a mistake. There will not be nine of us. My future son-in-law will not be coming with us. So, we are talking 7 or 8. Does that change anyone's opinion????

 

[MinnieGi]

Wait.....I made a mistake. There will not be nine of us. My future son-in-law will not be coming with us. So, we are talking 7 or 8. Does that change anyone's opinion????

I still would not do a value with that many people...

Maybe your family is different, but I do not like being crowded and crawling on top of each other. Also I like ample storage for everyone's clothes and suitcases. I just think it makes the trip more comfortable. I would definitely at least do a 2 bedroom at either BLT or AKV Kidani to get the extra bathroom - you'll need it with that many!! With your grandsons those ages I would still pick BLT to be so close to MK. It will be a huge help if they need some "downtime" to easily get back to the resort and chill.

 

[drusba]

Wait.....I made a mistake. There will not be nine of us. My future son-in-law will not be coming with us. So, we are talking 7 or 8. Does that change anyone's opinion????

I construed your original post to suggest that you were looking for low cost, likely no more than 200 to 225 points, since you were considering an AKV value 2BR but your option otherwise was to pick two studios elsewhere rather than a 2BR. If just 7, AKV value 2BR is a possibility, but you may have a problem getting it at 11 months out, and that could also be an issue for two standard studios at BLT, which to me would still be too small for 7 or. 8, but obviously many do put three or four in those BLT rooms that are smaller than studios at any other WDW DVC resorts except for AKV value. Nevertheless, even if 8 and choice was only between AKV value 2BR and two studios at BLT, I would likely choose AKV.

I still think your better lower point choices, which should be easy to get as long as you reserve 11 months out, for only a little more than two standard BLT studios or two studios elsewhere (except for high cost VGF) is either an AKV Kidani standard 2BR or OKW 2BR. A third low cost 2BR option is BWV standard view but like AKV value and BLT standard at that time, you may have issues getting it even at 11 months out absent someone being on line exactly at 8 a.m. at 11 months out to make the reservation. If low point cost is not an issue then BLT lake view 2BR would be an ideal choice if desire is to be closest to MK.

 

[lions1995]

If it were me, I would look at the following options:

2 BR (standard) at AKL, BW or OKW

2 studios (standard) at BLT or WL

 

[mmouse1239]

The other thing that I failed to mention, was that my family was fine with staying at POR (riverside) as an option and just not renting points. I wonder how some of the studios that are mentioned compare in size to those rooms? I don't anticipate a lot of time in the rooms, but we will have a two year old in the mix, so that may be inevitable.

 

[mmouse1239]

Just exactly how much smaller is the AK value 2br compared to the other categories? We stayed in a jambo house studio (savannah view) last year and that would have been fine for us, if we were to have two of them and 7 people. We just thought that it would be nice for a separate "living area" so that kids could sleep when adults didn't want to. I wasn't sure if I could swing the $ for the 2br, thus the value option.

 

[drusba]

Value 2BR is about 945 sq ft, other Jambo 2BRs are are about 1072, and Kidani 1173. The 1072 at Jambo is comparable to those at BCV, BWV, SSR, and VWL. One of the issues with the values is that the furniture is bulky for rooms that size in that they use the same sizes you find in the other larger 2BRs, except there is no pull-out twin chair, and the furniture creates a feeling of crampness. If you stayed in the Jambo studio that was about 360 sq ft. and thus the value 2BR is bigger than two of those. The value studio, which is part of the 2BR lock-offs, is about 315 sq ft (close to the size of Port Orleans rooms)

 

[Pbuttadad]

Not sure how long your staying. We are taking that trip this year. Arriving day after thanksgiving. Staying 8 nights at boardwalk with 12 people. 4 studios. My kids will also be 5 and 2.
Can't beat the boardwalk as far as placement and nightly activities. Points will also be cheaper there. It's the best week to go

 

[mjillard]

The other thing that I failed to mention, was that my family was fine with staying at POR (riverside) as an option and just not renting points. I wonder how some of the studios that are mentioned compare in size to those rooms? I don't anticipate a lot of time in the rooms, but we will have a two year old in the mix, so that may be inevitable.

I think POR would end up being very expensive, because you would end up needing at least two rooms. If you can book at 11 months I would try for a standard 2 bedroom at blt.

 

[mmouse1239]

Well, here's the update. We will have at least 8, maybe 7 including a 2 and 5 year old. My children have requested that we stay somewhere that they have never stayed. That eliminates BW, OKW, and SSR. I have decided that if we do stay at the AKL, we are going with a savannah view at Jambo. If I can afford the 2br at the time, then I will go with that. If not, then two studios. My children seem to also like the VWL. They don't seem to care for BLT. They seemed to like the idea of the GF as well. Oh, the choices!!!

 

[Deb & Bill]

Well, here's the update. We will have at least 8, maybe 7 including a 2 and 5 year old. My children have requested that we stay somewhere that they have never stayed. That eliminates BW, OKW, and SSR. I have decided that if we do stay at the AKL, we are going with a savannah view at Jambo. If I can afford the 2br at the time, then I will go with that. If not, then two studios. My children seem to also like the VWL. They don't seem to care for BLT. They seemed to like the idea of the GF as well. Oh, the choices!!!

With six or seven adults, I'd do three studios and give each adult group their own studio and put the small children with the adults they belong to. Otherwise, how do you fit the unrelated adults in two bedrooms?

 

[mmouse1239]

There are no unrelated adults....My daughter, her husband, his mother, and the kids in one room...(one in a crib) My husband and I in the other. If our other daughter goes with us, she can either stay on the sofa (2br) or on the sofa in the room with my husband and myself (studio) There's no way I can swing three studios. Two or a two br are the best I can do. As I stated before, I am footing the bill for this entire trip....less than a year after other daughter's wedding......