What is your favorite DVC Resort??

[davecaromom]

Help me decide between the Beach Club and Old Key West. We will be travelling with children ages 1, 4, and 7. We plan to get a 2BR villa b/c my parents are coming too. We want great food, close proximity to the parks (particularly MK), and a nice resort for hanging out with small kids. This will be my first time at Disney since I was in high school!!! I'm so excited!!

 

[thelionqueen]

OKW..the bomb!

 

[shellybaxter]

I didn't vote because I haven't stayed at either resort. I think I'd probably like BCV best though. Neither of these resorts is near Magic Kingdom. Beach Club Villas are nearest to EPCOT and Disney Studios. In fact they are pretty much right outside the back gate at EPCOT - The International Gateway.

Old Key West isn't really near a park but is on the boat route to Downtown Disney. I believe transportation to all parks from OKW is by bus.

The only DVC in the Magic Kingdom area is the Villas at Wilderness Lodge. Hope this info helps and that you have a magical trip

 

[CoolDisneyCat]

If you want great food, your choice should be BCV. You are within walking distance to all the restaurants at Epcot, the Boardwalk, Swan, Dolphin and Yacht Club.

 

[JimC]

If you want close proximity to MK then VWL is your best bet and it meets all of your requirements.

I selected OKW because that is our favorite DVC resort. Large condo style villas. Olivias has possibly the best hamburgers on property. And it reallly is no big deal to get to anywhere from anywhere on property.

BCV is fabulous if you want to walk to Epcot, Studios and miniature golf. The number of restaurants between the two parks and the Epcot area resorts will keep you very well fed.

Have fun!!

 

[jmminarik]

While there is great food at OKW whenever I'm cooking, you are probably better off trying for BCV. However, if you are renting points from a member, BCV is one of the smaller resorts and getting in at the time you want may be difficult if the renting member is not an owner at BCV. Heck, depending on 'when' getting 2BR for cash might be hard at BC.

Personally, we prefer OKW for many reasons, none that you have listed though.

Happy Hunting,
Joe

 

[mickeysbestfriend]

I'm an OKW fan but then again, I like the romantic, peaceful atmosphere the resort offers after a long day of golfing and running the parks. As to the food, Olivias has wonderful food. I have breakfast there in the mornings, have lunch at the golf club then dinner at whichever park or hotel I am at that evening. The bus or boat ride back to the resort helps me relax and unwind and then a long walk around the resort before bedtime finishes off the day.

 

[mickeysbestfriend]

If you want great food, your choice should be BCV. You are within walking distance to all the restaurants at Epcot, the Boardwalk, Swan, Dolphin and Yacht Club.

Just keep in mind you have to have a ticket to get into Epcot to have dinner.

 

[NMW]

I've only stayed in the BC (hotel, not DVC) but I picked BCV because I love the Epcot resort location. A condo type resort doesn't interest me that much-we don't drive, we like hotel ammenities, proximity to parks, etc.

 

[bobbiwoz]

I can't answer this yet, we have a scouting trip planned in June to see what family accomodations will be like in OKW.

If you are having your parents in the same villa with you and the 3 children, I think that OKW has the edge for size of the 2 bedrooms. That's what we're trying to figure out.

Bobbi

 

[DISNEYMOMx5]

We LOVE the BCV!!! The one area of Stormalong Bay is very cool for younger kids...the water is very shallow & there is sand everywhere. Very entertaining spot for little people!

Also, when our youngest was still in a stroller, he had a hard time going to sleep, so we would tuck the kids in with the grandparents & take a stroll through the BC & on over to the YC. Sometimes we would walk around the BW. By the time we returned, he was asleep.

The other thing we have enjoyed with the kids is going to the character breakfast at Cape May first thing in the morning...no travelling to anyplace early, just walk downstairs. It's a great breakfast, & I'm not a big breakfast fan!

Regardless of where you decide to stay, you will have a wonderful time!

 

[dvc-NE]

As to the food, Olivias has wonderful food. .

You got that right! As Jim C said, "possibly the best hamburgers on property".

 

[Disney Doll]

Well, I love OKW for the size of the rooms & the relaxed feeling of the resort. It is, however, not close to any park. It is a boat ride away from DTD, and there is also now a walking path to DTD. Olivia's is a nice restaurant, and the food is good, but it is the only full-service restaurant on premises. There are a couple of snack bars and a small lounge as well....a very small lounge!

I love BCV for it's proximity to Epcot, MGM & the Boardwalk. I love Stormalong Bay. It is not as laid-back of a feel, and the rooms are not as big as at OKW.

Neither of your choices is close to the MK...VWL is the only DVC that is directly accessible by boat to the MK. Also a nice resort...very serene, beautiful grounds.

 

[uwate]

Your three kids make Stormalong Bay hard to beat. OKW is very nice and it had larger rooms plus the advantage of being able to park your car right in front of your room door. Location has to go to BCV, its walking distance to Epcot, although the bus system works great and there are many places to catch a bus inside of OKW.

I would do BCV.

 

[jx3smom]

I think BCV would be the best for you. The pool is great. There are so many restaurants withing walking distance. Cape May Clam bake and Character breakfast is right there, as is Beaches and Cream. MGM and EPCOT are a short walk or boat ride away and you can hop the monorail from EPCOT to MK. The Boardwalk is across the water with lots of entertainment, ESPN, Spoodles, Flying Fish and Big River. There is also the Bakery. Mini golf is not far away, too. There are also some really great restaurant choices at Swan and Dolphin.

 

[JimMIA]

I voted OKW, but I agree with JimC that your best bet might be VWL. It's just a short boat ride from MK, and with little ones at the end of a long day, that's important.

If you are strictly limiting it to BCV or OKW, I'd choose OKW. If you're driving, your car is at your door. If you're busing, OKW's buses consistently get better reviews than BCV, which shares buses with other resorts...and THAT's a biggie at the end of a long day, too!

I doubt that anyone would argue that OKW's pool is better than SAB, but there are a lot of other considerations to think about. The truth is, any DVC resort is a great place with young children, so you can't go wrong.

 

[eliza61]

Help me decide between the Beach Club and Old Key West. We will be travelling with children ages 1, 4, and 7. We plan to get a 2BR villa b/c my parents are coming too. We want great food, close proximity to the parks (particularly MK), and a nice resort for hanging out with small kids. This will be my first time at Disney since I was in high school!!! I'm so excited!!

While Beach club villas is my home resort and I adore it, I have to say with small children I'd go with OKW. First of all it's a lot more relaxed than BCV, since the villas are not attached to a hotel lobby. (the lobby in BCV's was always packed and noisy, people going to stromalong bay, to the restaurant, etc) After a high packed day at the parks we enjoyed coming home to the sounds of nature. I loved waking up and having my morning coffee looking out at woods and greens. It was a perfect way to start the day. (remember mom you have to stay stress-free too! ) Olivias is a great restaurant and if you are a DVC member you get a discount on your meals. The pools are great, they have a newly redecorated pool with water slide and a quiet pool. The wait for a bus to the parks was not terrible long, never had to wait more than 20 mins for one to any park. We stayed in a 2 bedroom villa and had more than enough space. I believe they are bigger than the BCV's but that could just be my perception. Have fun! PM me if you have specific questions.

 

[Simba's Mom]

This one is so hard for me because those two are my favorite resorts, depending on my main purpose for going to WDW. For a relaxing vacation, lots of fun time together with the family, I choose OKW. For nearness to the park, variety of food choices, I'd choose BCV. It sounds like, for your vacation, BCV.

 

[DemoBri1]

You got that right! As Jim C said, "possibly the best hamburgers on property".

I think Beaches and Cream at BC would have something to say about that.

 

[DemoBri1]

While Beach club villas is my home resort and I adore it, I have to say with small children I'd go with OKW. First of all it's a lot more relaxed than BCV, since the villas are not attached to a hotel lobby.

Actually I'd have to disagree with this. You don't have to go through the lobby in order to get to the villas. Yes, the lobby at BC does get a bit raucous, especially in the evening with the Clam Bake and in the morning with the Goofy breakfast, but the BCV is no less quiet than OKW would be in my opinion.