Where to stay for mother/daughter trip and possible renting DVC points?

[WWhitehead]

Hi everyone. My DD and I are doing some preliminary planning for our trip next year (late April after spring break and between cheer competitions hopefully). She is a go-go-go and let's ride and do everything, so we stayed the last few years at the Pop Century/Art of Animation. We love the Pop Century and Skyliner, and we used the savings for extra park days since we were never in the room except to sleep and shower. I have brought up a mid-day break or pool break, but that hasn't happened yet. This past May, we completed a challenge to ride every ride and see every permanent show in the park in 5 days. I need to write up my trip report to share in case anyone else is as crazy as us.

Anyway, back to next year, we are going to definitely be on-the-go but not like previous years. DD has a full-time job now (welcome to the real world). Our plan is to arrive on a Wednesday evening, and she will work from the hotel on Thursday and take a vacation day Friday. I might finally get my pool day or Disney Springs visit while she is working if I can get my work done early. We will do 3 day park-hoppers. I looked at renting DVC points and boardwalk villas and several others are possibilities for not too much more. I like the idea of being able to walk to Epcot or take the boat to HS. What are your favorite hotels? Which hotels do you suggest that are DVC properties? We could consider Coronado Springs or Port Orleans, etc. I am looking to stay somewhere different than the value resorts since this trip will have more downtime (at least for me - haha).

Thank you for all the help.

 

[Mommb]

Boardwalk is a great option because it's walking distance from both Epcot and Hollywood Studios. Depending on the timing, walking to HS may be faster than taking the boat. If you're still in Epcot at the end of the day, walking out through International Gateway is much better than waiting for a bus or monorail from the front of the park.

If you want to visit Disney Springs, Saratoga Springs or Old Key West would be convenient, but they are less "fun" than other resorts.

 

[CarolynFH]

I may be a bit prejudiced (see my signature), but I agree that BWV would be an excellent choice. Besides having the choice of walking, boating, or Skylining to two parks, you’d have many options for where to eat with Swan & Dolphin and Yacht & Beach right there. And I think the Luna Park pool slide is great fun! I don’t know what your work and your DD’s work entails, but if feasible and you need a change of scenery, there are comfy chairs in the Belle Vue Lounge over on the BW Inn side of the lobby. The bar there doesn’t open until 4 PM, so in the morning and early afternoon it can be a relatively quiet place.

One caveat to BWV, if you’d be booking a studio, is that there’s no desk or dining table. Instead there’s a coffee table with a lid you can raise and position at eating/working height in front of the sofa. The loss of table and chairs was a major disappointment to many who book BWV studios.

 

[kristennn]

Hi everyone. My DD and I are doing some preliminary planning for our trip next year (late April after spring break and between cheer competitions hopefully). She is a go-go-go and let's ride and do everything, so we stayed the last few years at the Pop Century/Art of Animation. We love the Pop Century and Skyliner, and we used the savings for extra park days since we were never in the room except to sleep and shower. I have brought up a mid-day break or pool break, but that hasn't happened yet. This past May, we completed a challenge to ride every ride and see every permanent show in the park in 5 days. I need to write up my trip report to share in case anyone else is as crazy as us.

Anyway, back to next year, we are going to definitely be on-the-go but not like previous years. DD has a full-time job now (welcome to the real world). Our plan is to arrive on a Wednesday evening, and she will work from the hotel on Thursday and take a vacation day Friday. I might finally get my pool day or Disney Springs visit while she is working if I can get my work done early. We will do 3 day park-hoppers. I looked at renting DVC points and boardwalk villas and several others are possibilities for not too much more. I like the idea of being able to walk to Epcot or take the boat to HS. What are your favorite hotels? Which hotels do you suggest that are DVC properties? We could consider Coronado Springs or Port Orleans, etc. I am looking to stay somewhere different than the value resorts since this trip will have more downtime (at least for me - haha).

Thank you for all the help.

I would look at prices for moderate/budget and also look at prices for renting points. I am new to DVC but excited to stay at boardwalk, poly and animal kingdom lodge and have nights planned at all 3. I am excited to at some point stay at bay lake towers (i love their refurb rooms) copper creek (also just got refurb) and i love the rooms in the pine ridge tower at the grand. I also know nothing about the Riviera but people love it! I cant stay there with my dvc points because they are resale - but you can rent riviera points.

 

[leebee]

If you are renting points, plan well in advance. In early August I was trying to rent for 4 nights in January (between the marathon and MLK weekend, so a "slower" time) and all that was available was SSR. I was hoping for AKL, but SSR is OK as we prefer to have dinner at the Disney Springs restaurants anyhow.

We love BWV and AKL/Jambo for DVC rentals. Other favorite resorts are CSR and POFQ. If your daughter is working on one of your "vacation" days, you might want to avoid the value resorts, just because of how small the rooms are. Also, the last 3 times I've traveled with DD and stayed at values, we haven't gotten a room with 2 beds- just a king bed. While we don't mind sharing a king bed, there was no other table or sitting space in the room. I'd think the smallness of the room and having only one bed/no other sitting space might be "cozy" when she is working.

 

[bobbiwoz]

Talking about bedding, only OKW studios have two Queen beds. Other studios have one queen bed, a queen Murphy bed, and something a bit smaller than a twin Murphy bed that’s in a cabinet.

I think Boardwalk would be a great location for your stay.

 

[elvispursley]

For working and being close to to parks, I’d consider the Swan. You get great perks, the rooms have 2 super comfy queen beds, and there is a desk.