Which non-Home Resort have you stayed at the most at WDW?

[ehh]

Was busy counting up all our stays at the various WDW resorts (will finally complete the 'WDW Collection' with Boulder Ridge later this year) and realized our non-Home Resort stays were pretty evenly distributed.

Now I'm wondering how others spend their time away from 'Home' and if there's a trend. I suspect Saratoga might have a good showing here.

As for our most-stayed non-Home Resorts at WDW, I went by stays with nights stayed as the tie-breaker. Ours:

• Saratoga - 2 stays for 13 nights (202 points)
  • This is my vote
• Beach Club - 2 stays for 10 nights (199 points)
• BoardWalk - 2 stays for 9 nights (170 points)
• Grand Floridian - 2 stays for 7 nights (597 points)
• Animal Kingdom, Jambo - 2 stays* for 3 nights (100 points)
  • * one of the stays we were bumped from an AKV 1BR Villa to AKL 2BR Suite due to 'engineering issues'

If you have a lot of stays at a non-Home Resort, how does it compare to your Home Resort(s)? Any reason why you haven't bought at your top non-Home Resort?

n.b., polls are limited to 10 entries, so I combined the two AKV together and the two VWL resorts together, which isn't exactly fair to BRV/CCV but it was either that or exclude Riviera completely as the newest. The 10 entry limit is also why I limited this to WDW, sorry AUL/VRB/HHI/VGC visitors!

 

[Skywalker3]

Actually a tie between AKL Kidani and BLT. 3 times each. Our home is BWV, and since our 2 favorite parks are HS and Epcot, we'll likely mainly stay there from here on out, or maybe do splits. We do enjoy trying other resorts. Since we love BWV, and have never had any issues getting rooms elsewhere at 7 months, we've never really wanted to add on elsewhere.

 

[DVCsloth]

It was Riviera for us, but we ended up buying there.

 

[Donna M]

We love the palm trees and vibe at OKW, and the points are lower. We have plenty of points at SSR to use at the other resorts. We have stayed everywhere except RIV.

 

[ehh]

It was Riviera for us, but we ended up buying there.

Kind of a similar situation with us and Grand Cali. We had stayed there twice prior to buying and had stayed there 4 times prior to using any of our VGC points (stays 3 and 4 were booked prior to buying).

 

[Memorymakerfor4]

In general, we like to alternate stays at home/non home. If you go by stays at non home resorts, OKW wins because it's where we could get last minute rooms. If you go by nights, BLT wins.

 

[miksicnarf]

Outside of our home resort, OKW, I have stayed most often at SSR. I prefer OKW except for one situation: when I’m solo and don’t need 2 beds in a studio; I‘d rather have the sofa and coffee table. SSR is usually available, point cost is low, and it’s the most similar resort to OKW. I see no need to purchase more points.
I should add: As SoCal locals we've stayed at VGC many times, but always just 1 or 2 nights whereas our WDW stays are at least a week...so counting nights SSR still wins.

 

[Chuck S]

Well, I stayed at the Polynesian Studios once, and a one Bedroom at Kidani once. Other than that, every stay has been my home resort...about 60 stays at OKW.

 

[zavandor]

I normally stay 2 weeks and I enjoy to do split stays to be nearer different parks at different times.

So I usually select one monorail resort for the MK. One of BWV, BWV or RIV for Epcot and DHS. And AKV for AKV. The lack of alternatives means AKV is the one I stay the most.

 

[EdnaMarieMode]

BCV is home, SSR makes up our most non-home stays but we’ve only stayed there twice. We didn’t book our home resort either of those times because they were both “extra” trips, semi- last minute (by Disney standards), involving split stays at DVC and non-DVC, booked using our remaining points.

Our upcoming BLT stay will be more nights than both of our SSR stays combined though. We mainly stay at BCV so no need to buy elsewhere although we’ve outgrown a 1BR there so that could change.

 

[sethschroeder]

Not sure the point of the poll

Might be better to say where you own and chose to trade out of but harder to poll.

 

[pineapplepalms]

We’ve stayed at most of our non-home WDW resorts one stay each so pretty equal (have not yet stayed at BRV or OKW). If you include non-WDW resorts, we’ve stayed at VGC by far the most. We haven’t bought there because I felt like the price was high and I’ve been able to book using our existing points, plus after VDH was announced we planned to buy points there. I have to admit I’ve been a bit tempted now that VGC prices are dropping, but I’m still leaning more towards VDH at this point.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

None. When we were members we owned at the only resorts we wanted to stay. VWL, VB, AKL, and VGC.

We have stayed at numerous other hotels on property, but always by cash.

Before DVC we always stayed exclusively at the Poly, but that was before they wrecked the Poly. Remember the lobby waterfall with the birds?

 

[drusba]

Home is BWV and AKV, and usually stay at either, but we have done BLT numerous times in 1BRs and 2BRs -- larger rooms like Kidani, get lake view and for those my high floor request has always succeeded, providing good views. (Did Theme Park view once, but got stuck on a low floor, despite a request otherwise, and consider those lower floor rooms to be a huge point rip-off because main view is of the parking lot and a monorail track so I will never do Theme Park view again.) Contemporary has one of my favorite restaurants, California Grill, and being able to walk to MK and watch fireworks from the roof is ideal.

Have also done SSR twice, a 2BR and a GV, and very much like the resort. The GV was actually last year after the refurb was done. The room as refurbed was outstanding, with only one dislike, we do not like having to go up the stairs to use a washer/dryer. Both times views were good (both times we were in Springs). I like just walking around the entire resort, with all the grass, bushes and trees in well-maintained condition, the large waterway that divides Springs from Paddock, and walking along the lakefront at the Congress Park area looking over to Disney Springs, and like the ease to getting to Disney Springs and a golf course.

Have done OKW once but not using my points (stayed via an invite to go with another member). Very nice with huge rooms. Have not done BRV or CCV, but did stay twice in WL in the 90's and liked the resort with its very impressive lobby. Have not stayed in Poly, VGF, or Riviera, although I did both Poly and GV in the 90's. Both resorts were impressive, but today I will not stay at Poly, VGF, or Riviera-- just cannot bring myself to pay the high point costs for those, and Poly has no 1BRs or 2BRs (we believe a w/d is a necessity), except in those outrageously point expensive bungalows, built apparently to provide DVD with a huge number of extra points it could sell to those buying only enough to get studios, and giving it rooms that DVD/DVCM can very often rent because members do not fill those rooms many times of year even by 60-days out, and thus Disney can make a lot of profits off the rooms, while the members pay almost all the maintenance costs. Have done VB twice (1BR). Like the resort but you really have to have a car to do anything outside the resort. Have not done BCV, because we have BWV. Have owned BWV since the 90s back when you could get standard view even at 7 months out, and now invariably get boardwalk view, which I consider as having the best view from rooms at WDW.

 

[igrsod]

We originally bought at AKL as our first deluxe cash stay was there and that's what hooked us on DVC. We love the change of pace that AKL brings to the vacation and of course who doesn't love a savannah in your backyard? We then added on a small contract at SSR as it was the most economical for sleep around points. I like the resort, but don't love it, so we hardly ever stay there.
BUT, the resort we stay at the most aside from our home resorts is OKW. We love the vibe there, we love the 2 queen beds in the studio and all the room. We have always had a great time when we have stayed there.

 

[AdamsMum]

I usually stay at my home resorts but on a few occasions I've had to book late (vacation approval, don't know why that kept me from booking, I could always cancel) or decided to go and it's beyond the 11-7 home window. Stayed at AKV 3 s, Poly 1x, OKW 1x, SSR 1x. As I said, it's only because my home resorts were booked up.

 

[legler2250]

Surprised to see I was the only one who cast a vote for Boulder Ridge =) I trade my CC 11 month reservations every time 7 month Boulder Ridge is available. Something about sitting in that lobby surrounded by Walts trains reading a book while drinking a cup of coffee.

 

[Spivey378]

None. When we were members we owned at the only resorts we wanted to stay. VWL, VB, AKL, and VGC.

We have stayed at numerous other hotels on property, but always by cash.

Before DVC we always stayed exclusively at the Poly, but that was before they wrecked the Poly. Remember the lobby waterfall with the birds?

When I returned to the Polynesian after a few years I was telling my kids about the beautiful waterfall and flowers in the lobby. They had never seen it. When we arrived it was like someone cast a spell on it and shrunk it down. Disappointing.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

Over the years, we've been fortunate enough to have points at the 3 resorts we love most. The one where we venture outside of the home resorts the most is the 3 or 4 times we've been fortunate to nab a room at the Grand Cali and enjoy DL for a few days - not one of the choices, though!

 

[Orsino]

We stayed at AKV most with our SSR points then bought AKV points a few years ago.
We own but have never stayed at SSR.