Which DVC makes sense for a family of 6?

[Minniesgal]

Did you have a preference for one over the other? AKV vs. BLT? We prefer BLT for location, but like the look of the AKV. Just curious if we would regret the AKV due to the location?

We very much love both, and tend to try and stay at both most trips

 

[MrInfinity]

We recently went to Disney and stayed at the Polynesian and loved it. I have been many times and we are now looking into DVC, but are still very green and unsure. On our recent trip, our older son was not with us, so the standard Poly room worked fine. He will come with us from time to time so just wondering what other families of 6 have found? We are considering renting a 2 BR villa at AKV next year to get a better idea and see if DVC is even right for us. My biggest concern is not being able to afford to purchase enough points to cover a stay for 6 people, since only a 2 BR will work. Does DVC make sense if you think you will go to Disney every other year, and not necessarily every year?

Becoming a family of 6 is exactly what tipped it to being a good value for us. Before that, we could always stay in any hotel room anywhere, on little notice, and for about the same price. But once you're 6, that no longer works. Enter DVC... you can get 2B's which sleep 6 comfortably or 9 if you cram. We fit nicely, adults in the master suite and kids in the 2nd bedroom. As they get older maybe 1 or 2 of them will move out to the sleepers. If you're looking to be near the Poly then buy at BLT. Yes, your concern about being far from the action at the AK is pretty important. Driving is fine, but I wouldn't want to commit to a lifetime of driving while at Disney. I will happily stay there on occasion, but long-term if I'm going to own somewhere I want to own near the Magic Kingdom.

How many nights do you stay? I'd buy around 160. That'll get you 320 every 2 years, which is enough for a 6-7 night stay in the 2B. Should run you around $18,000.

 

[have2getaway]

Becoming a family of 6 is exactly what tipped it to being a good value for us. Before that, we could always stay in any hotel room anywhere, on little notice, and for about the same price. But once you're 6, that no longer works. Enter DVC... you can get 2B's which sleep 6 comfortably or 9 if you cram. We fit nicely, adults in the master suite and kids in the 2nd bedroom. As they get older maybe 1 or 2 of them will move out to the sleepers. If you're looking to be near the Poly then buy at BLT. Yes, your concern about being far from the action at the AK is pretty important. Driving is fine, but I wouldn't want to commit to a lifetime of driving while at Disney. I will happily stay there on occasion, but long-term if I'm going to own somewhere I want to own near the Magic Kingdom.

How many nights do you stay? I'd buy around 160. That'll get you 320 every 2 years, which is enough for a 6-7 night stay in the 2B. Should run you around $18,000.

We typically stay a week, but I suppose we would do a 4 or 5 day if it made sense for us at the time. It wouldn't be worth the travel for us if it's shorter. What's hard with weighing the costs is that our last trip we spent $8, but it was only for 5. We also purchased the deluxe dining, which we won't do again, and the memory maker which I can see us wanting to do again.

On the one hand, I think 2 trips at $8k and we've almost paid the same amount as a DVC. On the other hand, The DVC is just the room and doesn't include the food and tickets.

Then, I start to think about how the costs are only going up (for tickets, food, and room), but so are the annual fees for a DVC.

Finally, I stop thinking about it because I realize I'm going crazy with trying to decide if it makes sense financially.

 

[luvthemousenh]

Did you have a preference for one over the other? AKV vs. BLT? We prefer BLT for location, but like the look of the AKV. Just curious if we would regret the AKV due to the location?

I have 4 kids, 14, 10, 8 and almost 2.... AK is much more spacious and the resort is gorgeous, and you can get rooms with standard view pretty cheap... HOWEVER... bus to every park, and some parks are far so you spend more time on the bus than I personally like. We do Beach Club or boardwalk, you can walk to 2 parks meaning no packing up a sleeping baby in the stroller! a 1 bedroom at AK has 2 bathrooms and sleeps 5 + 1 infant but can be cramped depending on how old your kids are. If you can swing a 2BR do it!

you can always do a split trip and Disney moves your bags!

 

[skier_pete]

One thing to point out - you really have in theory two options as 6 people. One would be a two-bedroom unit, obviously. The second would be two studios, which would cost you about 2/3rds of a 2-bedroom or roughly the same as a 1-bedroom, but the 1-bedroom wouldn't fit your family.

 

[donaldbuzz&minnie]

I have no idea what Disney is selling Poly points for these days, but just FYI - there are Poly contracts available on the resale market. If you don't want to take advantage of the Disney "perks" associated with buying direct, that might at least be something to look at.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

$176 per point. Incentives don't kick in until 150 points.

 

[have2getaway]

I have 4 kids, 14, 10, 8 and almost 2.... AK is much more spacious and the resort is gorgeous, and you can get rooms with standard view pretty cheap... HOWEVER... bus to every park, and some parks are far so you spend more time on the bus than I personally like. We do Beach Club or boardwalk, you can walk to 2 parks meaning no packing up a sleeping baby in the stroller! a 1 bedroom at AK has 2 bathrooms and sleeps 5 + 1 infant but can be cramped depending on how old your kids are. If you can swing a 2BR do it!

you can always do a split trip and Disney moves your bags!

Oh, I didn't realize they will move your bags. That would make it easier!

 

[have2getaway]

One thing to point out - you really have in theory two options as 6 people. One would be a two-bedroom unit, obviously. The second would be two studios, which would cost you about 2/3rds of a 2-bedroom or roughly the same as a 1-bedroom, but the 1-bedroom wouldn't fit your family.

We have considered this as an affordable way to stay at the Poly, but...I'm trying to do what others have suggested and look at the other DVC resorts and options.

 

[Wakey]

One thing to point out - you really have in theory two options as 6 people. One would be a two-bedroom unit, obviously. The second would be two studios, which would cost you about 2/3rds of a 2-bedroom or roughly the same as a 1-bedroom, but the 1-bedroom wouldn't fit your family.

I've thought about this for 4 of us rather than a 1 bed, kids in 1 room, parents in another. Is there any way to ensure you are next to each other, or even close?

 

[Dean]

I've thought about this for 4 of us rather than a 1 bed, kids in 1 room, parents in another. Is there any way to ensure you are next to each other, or even close?

No but for the Poly the chances of success are very high, esp if both room start the same day.

 

[jo-jo]

One thing to point out - you really have in theory two options as 6 people. One would be a two-bedroom unit, obviously. The second would be two studios, which would cost you about 2/3rds of a 2-bedroom or roughly the same as a 1-bedroom, but the 1-bedroom wouldn't fit your family.

The only problem with this is, the studios may not be close to each other. And the other big advantage of 1 and 2 bedrooms is a kitchen and washer/dryer in room.

We are going down in May with DS and his family. We are doing two studios (BLT)for first 5 days and and a 2 bedroom (AKL-K) the last 4 days.

 

[skier_pete]

The only problem with this is, the studios may not be close to each other. And the other big advantage of 1 and 2 bedrooms is a kitchen and washer/dryer in room.

We are going down in May with DS and his family. We are doing two studios (BLT)for first 5 days and and a 2 bedroom (AKL-K) the last 4 days.

Very true on the studios - you can request that they are on the same floor, but you are not guaranteed. Generally there are ways to work the system to make sure there are.

Really though - I was just pointing out the options. Certainly a two bedroom is a better option than two studios, but that's only if you ignore the financial costs. Realistically, a 2-bedroom will be about 50% more points than 2 studios. Not everyone can afford the 2-bedrooms - I know I couldn't.

 

[skier_pete]

I've thought about this for 4 of us rather than a 1 bed, kids in 1 room, parents in another. Is there any way to ensure you are next to each other, or even close?

Unfortunately there is not - though I would say this: If you arrive early in the day and go to the front desk and explain the situation, they could usually get you two rooms that are at least near eachother. Arriving late in the day after rooms are all assigned makes it much more difficult.

IF you have four people and you want the kids in a separate room - I would consider the 1 bedroom over 2 studios. The cost is the same, but you get the full kitchen, the washer/dryer, the jacuzzi tub, and a king bed.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I think with a large group, a real kitchen and a W/D are pretty nice amenities.

 

[LauraLea]

I really think 2 studios with small kids makes no sense. Parents will have to split up. Not much of a family vacation that way.

Laura

 

[kboo]

We are looking at buying too:

We rented points last March (1st week of March) for a 2BR at BLT. We booked maybe a week into the 7mo window, and all the standard view 2BR were gone. In fact, we had to book as a split stay 2BR lake view (but ended up being able to stay in the same unit the whole time).** We had my parents, sister and her partner and baby, and our 2 kids (so 9 people total, but 2 in cribs). Having 3 full baths was KEY! We loved the space and the convenience; since we were spending so much time at MK anyway, and had baby stuff and strollers and going back to the condo for naps... The W/D and kitchen were great as well. Also - our lake view was also a limited theme park view. It was VERY expensive, but we enjoyed it very much.


**I just realized - is this because you can only book 7days at a time at the 7mo window, not home resort?

 

[Wakey]

Thanks for feedback. Maybe 2 studios not a great idea. Problem is my daughter is 14, son 11 so they are getting a bit old to share the sofa bed. Kidani , BLT and OKW have the sleeper chair but it woukd be nice to go to BCV etc. Any ideas folks?

 

[skier_pete]

Thanks for feedback. Maybe 2 studios not a great idea. Problem is my daughter is 14, son 11 so they are getting a bit old to share the sofa bed. Kidani , BLT and OKW have the sleeper chair but it woukd be nice to go to BCV etc. Any ideas folks?

Some other options If you can afford two studios but don't want to break up the family:

A) Studios at the Poly, BCV, BWV, VGF and WLV all have a sofa bed AND the pull-down 3rd bed. One kid on the sofa bed, one on the pull-down bed. (Our 12 year-old DD preferred the pull-down bed to the sofa bed.)
B) One bedrooms in AKV, BLT and OKW have a sleeper chair. VGF 1-bedroom has a pull-down bed similar to the studios.
C) The above options cover every resort except SSR. If you don't like cramming all 4 in a studio - the third option is for the other 1-bedrooms and bring a single person air mattress. There's plenty of room in the 1-bedrooms to spread out the sofa bed and still have room for an air mattress.
D) Spend the money on a two bedroom. Seems excessive to me for 4 people, but I'm sure there's plenty that have the money to do it.


One thing I've never understood - putting the pull-down beds in is a nice touch, even though it means losing much-needed drawer space, but why do they put them in only the studios. I would think it would make WAY more sense to put them in the 1-bedrooms, which are much more accommodating to the space needed.

 

[Wakey]

Some other options If you can afford two studios but don't want to break up the family:

A) Studios at the Poly, BCV, BWV, VGF and WLV all have a sofa bed AND the pull-down 3rd bed. One kid on the sofa bed, one on the pull-down bed. (Our 12 year-old DD preferred the pull-down bed to the sofa bed.)
B) One bedrooms in AKV, BLT and OKW have a sleeper chair. VGF 1-bedroom has a pull-down bed similar to the studios.
C) The above options cover every resort except SSR. If you don't like cramming all 4 in a studio - the third option is for the other 1-bedrooms and bring a single person air mattress. There's plenty of room in the 1-bedrooms to spread out the sofa bed and still have room for an air mattress.
D) Spend the money on a two bedroom. Seems excessive to me for 4 people, but I'm sure there's plenty that have the money to do it.


One thing I've never understood - putting the pull-down beds in is a nice touch, even though it means losing much-needed drawer space, but why do they put them in only the studios. I would think it would make WAY more sense to put them in the 1-bedrooms, which are much more accommodating to the space needed.

Yes cheers Pete. Like you say the pull down beds should be in the 1 beds really. Or at least a sleeper chair in each one.