Which Villas are the best

duktes

Earning My Ears
Joined
Sep 3, 2010
We are a family of 3. My Ds is 5 years old. I am undecided on accomodation in Disney.

I really like the Polynesian but DH thought that a villa might be better space wise.

In your opinion which villa is really good. The price is not an issue.

I am from South AFrica so the Animal kingdom Lodge/villa would not be an option. I have been on a lot of safaris in South Africa.

I like the Boardwalk and Bay Lake Towers.

many thanks
 
It depends on where you plan on spending the most time and what you want to be close to.BW or Beach Club villas is closest to Epcot and you can walk to Epcot and DHS from them.BLT is closest to MK and the monorail line.I am a HUGE fan of the Epcot resort area since that is where we tend to spend our evenings , but with small kids, proximity to the Mk is very nice as well
 
we have stayed in the boardwalk villas and loved them. it's great being able to ride the boat or walk to epcot and the studio's. it's also nice to come back from the park and sit on the boardwalk to relax and people watch. the show's on the boardwalk are fun and it's just a great time. we would definatly go back here and plan to hopefully next year.
 
Just be aware that in the villas category, there are studios which are really not any better/bigger than a regular resort room. The difference is that they have a sofa bed instead of a 2nd regular bed and a small kitchenette (sink, toaster, microwave, fridge). If it's space you're looking for, look into the 1 BR villas. Then you get a bedroom w/a king bed, a living room with a sofa bed, full sized kitchen, washer/dryer, and a garden jacuzzi tub.
 


I probably would not get a studio villa over a hotel room since there isn't much difference but if you are going for a one bedroom, then yes, a villa is much nicer.

Does your son enjoy swimming? If so, Beach Club Villas is going to offer you the best pool. Because of your son's age, if you plan to spend most of your time at MK, I'd look at Bay Lake Towers.
 
I would do the Wilderness Lodge villas. my boys love them. We are close enough to the magic kingdom where we spend alot of time but they like the woodsy feel of this resort. go for the 1 bedroom because you get a washer and dryer that is great for the end of a trip plus a great tub.
 
only AKV and BLT has sleeping for 5. they are working on OKW.
king bed in master
queen sleeper sofa and chair bed in livingroom

they also are the only 1-bedroom to have 2 baths.

if you want the MK area then BLT would be a good choice. VWL is nice too but you might need a 2-bedroom with it.
 


Check out this website: http://dvcnews.com/index.php/resorts

They have extensive info about each resort in the "DVC RESORTS" tab. Also, mosey on over to the DVC boards on this website... you will find a wealth of info!

Personally, my 2 favorite are Beach Club Villas and Animal Kingdom (we own at AKV). Beach Club for Stormalong Bay and proximity to Epcot, DHS and the Boardwalk area. AKV for the animals, wonderful restaurants, outstanding cast members and cozy rooms. Oh, I guess Old Key West gets honorable mention for having HUGE rooms! We ultimately decided to buy into DVC b/c of our stay in a 1-bedroom at OKW.
 
Our family liked the BCV because of the access to DHS and Epcot. Although a long walk, they would take the monorail to MK. But the bus was also good. The layout of the 2 bedroom BCV was very nice. It was pretty quiet too.
 
We prefer Old Key West or OKW for short. It is not right next to any of the parks. But that is what we like about it. It is so nice to go back to the quiet of the resort after a hectic day at the parks. I just love the relaxing feel of the place.The rooms at OKW are among the biggest at WDW. If you opt for a studio they are the only ones with 2 queens in the room, the others are 1 queen and a sleeper sofa. My DD loves the Sandcastle slide at the main pool.
 
If your are planning to be in the MK alot, I think BLT would be the best choice for you. It is an easy walk. The pool has a nice slide. You can rent boats to play on the lake.

The one bedroom villas are just great. They have a full kitchen that is nice for snacks, cold drinks and maybe some in room meals. With the washer and dryer in the villa, you will not have to pack as many clothes.
 
You said you like the Polynensian.

Just want to tell you many of the Villas are outdated

I think the only Villas i would stay at to keep it safe are Bay lake tower and the boardwalk villas
 
You said you like the Polynensian.

Just want to tell you many of the Villas are outdated

I think the only Villas i would stay at to keep it safe are Bay lake tower and the boardwalk villas

You might be of more help to the OP if you say exactly what you think is outdated. Which ones have you stayed in? As far as I can tell, you haven't stayed in any DVC resorts as your family seems to stay exclusively at the Polynesian, though you have mentioned in the past that your family was considering joining DVC.

OP - I'd recommend a 1br at BLT or a 2br at BCV. The BCV rooms are noticeably smaller than those at BLT and a 1br at BLT sleeps 5, plus it has 2 full baths. At BCV I think you'd need a 2br for occupancy reasons - and at that resort, you still have very easy access to the Boardwalk but you also get a really great pool and easier access to more dining options.
 
I would do the Wilderness Lodge villas. my boys love them. We are close enough to the magic kingdom where we spend alot of time but they like the woodsy feel of this resort. go for the 1 bedroom because you get a washer and dryer that is great for the end of a trip plus a great tub.

I vote for WLV also but just returned from BLT (2-bedroom) and equally love Bay Lake! Think your son would enjoy the pool at WL more as the pool at BLT tends to be a little crowded. Check out photos on Resorts Photos and Videos before you decide. :tink:
 
AKV is my first choice as its my absolute favorite, but since this is not an option for you, my second choice with a 5 year old would be Bay Lake Tower. I would go with the one bedroom because you get a full kitchen, washer and dryer, and some great space. The food court at the Contemporary tower has some really awesome choices, the monorail runs through the resort and you can walk to MK in just a few minutes. You really only need to bus to Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom. Everything else is on the monorail lines - or a boat. If you take a Magic Kingdom view, you can see fireworks from your balcony, and watch the castle change colors while you fall asleep. Its a truly magical experience for the little one.
 
We just returned from a stay in a one-bedroom villa at BCV. The villa seemed small compared to previous ones we've stayed in at BWV. Also, IMO, they are in need of a renovation. The carpets in the hallways really need replacement. Our unit was okay, but one burner on the stove didn't work and caulking, tile, etc. seemed in need of some work. The sofa bed was really uncomfortable.

If money is no object -- I'd check out the one-bedroom suites at the deluxes!
 
A one BR at BLT or BCV would get my vote.

A one BR at BCV has gobs of room for a couple and one 5 year old. The quiet pool and Storm Along Bay are both wonderful. Walking into Epcot is a huge perk.

Mike, BCV had a thorough renovation just over a year ago ;)
 
We just returned from a stay in a one-bedroom villa at BCV. The villa seemed small compared to previous ones we've stayed in at BWV. Also, IMO, they are in need of a renovation. The carpets in the hallways really need replacement. Our unit was okay, but one burner on the stove didn't work and caulking, tile, etc. seemed in need of some work. The sofa bed was really uncomfortable.

If money is no object -- I'd check out the one-bedroom suites at the deluxes!

Elizabeth, I hope you reported the issues in your villa. I haven't been at BCV since May but the hall carpets were fine then....at least on our floor. :rotfl:

I think the sq footage in BWV and BCV are supposedly similar but BCV one and 2 BRs have a foyer. BWV don't if I understand correctly. So I can understand the living room feeling smaller.
 
Just to trow it out there...

With 3 people do u think you need a 1BR?
Since your son is still young he wont take up much room, I think you could get away with a hotel room.

BUt if you want a washer/dryer than you should do a villa.

We like the BWV and BLT alot!
 
You said you like the Polynensian.

Just want to tell you many of the Villas are outdated

I think the only Villas i would stay at to keep it safe are Bay lake tower and the boardwalk villas

Just so you know, OP - I totally disagree with this post, so outdated is a matter of personal opinion. It is true that the Villas have a different refurbishment schedule than the resorts (because they are timeshare properties and our dues pay for renovations), but as a whole, DVC Villas @ Disney are not any more or less outdated than the general resorts pool. You are always going to find some properties that need some sprucing up, and some that have been done more recently, because refurbishments are cyclical.

I have stayed at SSR, BCV, BWV, VWL and AKV over the last 2 years and had a totally fine and well-appointed room at each. But people say the Poly needs a refurb too and I disagree with that as well - we've also been there twice over the past few years and our room was beautiful.
 

GET A DISNEY VACATION QUOTE

Dreams Unlimited Travel is committed to providing you with the very best vacation planning experience possible. Our Vacation Planners are experts and will share their honest advice to help you have a magical vacation.

Let us help you with your next Disney Vacation!





Top