WL villas vs. regular rooms

[minnie1928]

Forgive me if this is a stupid question, but have any of you stayed in both a DVC villa room and a regular room at the WL? We've done the WL several times (woods view, std view) and absolutely love it there. However I'm thinking on renting some points for WL villa and was hoping I could get some insight from the pros on the differences between the rooms.

Thanks!

 

[Nolcrest]

Can't answer your question but I was just going to post the very same question - I too am anxious to know if someone would book a villa studio instead of a regular room. I've stayed in a regular room and was thinking of trying the villa.

 

[ahoff]

Can't answer your question exactly, but can give you a close comparison. I have never stayed at a WL regular room, but have stayed at a 1BR at both VWL and BWV, as we are DVC members. Our last trip (last month) we wanted to try AKL, and stayed in a deluxe room, which I would imagine is pretty similar to a WL room.

There are many differences, first is that you are in two rooms, one a dedicated bedroom and the other a living room/kitchen. Plus a huge two room bath, with a whirlpool tub and a fairly large shower. The kitchen is fully equiped with stove, full size fridge and dishwasher. And there is a washer/dryer. The living room couch is a fold out bed.

The AKL room was nice, one bed and a set of bunk beds, and a sleeper couch, so could have slept 5. Also came with a small fridge. But only one room, compareable to a VWL studio. Except in one of those you get a wet bar and microwave as well.

One thing you don't get in a Villa room is housekeeping. Unless you pay extra for it. Though I think you might get it with rentad points, but not sure.

 

[Deb & Bill]

One thing you don't get in a Villa room is housekeeping. Unless you pay extra for it. Though I think you might get it with rentad points, but not sure.

DVC members get housekeeping. We just don't get it daily because it is our Home Away from Home. I don't clean my home everyday either. If you stay on points and stay for 7 or fewer days, you will get your towels changed out and your trash picked up on day 4. If you stay 8 days or more, you will get a full cleaning on day 4, then clean towels and the trash removed on day 8. This would continue for as many days as you stayed on points. You can pay extra for daily T&T or daily cleaning. I prefer not being interrupted by housekeeping and I just make my bed myself, plus hang up and reuse my towels. If I need clean towels, I can run them through the washer and dryer.

A studio villa would consist of either two queen sized beds(OKW only) or one queen sized bed, plus one double sleeper sofa. You would also have a small kitchette - microwave, small undercounter refrigerator, plus a cabinet area. You would have access to a laundry room that you can use for free.

 

[Sammie]

Forgive me if this is a stupid question, but have any of you stayed in both a DVC villa room and a regular room at the WL? We've done the WL several times (woods view, std view) and absolutely love it there. However I'm thinking on renting some points for WL villa and was hoping I could get some insight from the pros on the differences between the rooms.

Thanks!

What size Villa were you considering renting. Then I can compare the 2 locations for you.

 

[disneydawn6]

i've stayed at both wl and wlv. my family perfered the wl because they like being in the middle the all the action. the villas are a short walk away.. i love having the fridge and microwave in the studio villa. kind of a long walk if you want to swim in the main pool.. though they do have a quiet pool at the villas... i myself loved staying there in a two bedroom villa with full kitchen and washer and dryer.... we even made christmas cookies one night last year...

 

[ElizabethB]

There is a big difference between a room at the WL and a one-bedroom villa. The one-bedroom villa has a complete kitchen, eating area, living room with sofa bed, separate bedroom with king size bed and jetted tub and washer/dryer. Not much difference that I can see between a room at the WL and a studio villa, except the studio has a microwave. On the other hand, you can get bunk beds at the WL, which you wouldn't have in a villa.

Warning, if you stay in a one-bedroom villa, you'll probably never want to go back to a regular hotel room. We book our one-bedroom villa through Disney rather than renting DVC points. We like to have the option to cancel up to 5 days prior to arrival (which you can't do if you rent points) -- especially important if you're going during hurricane season or have unpredictability at work. Also, if you reserve through Disney, you get daily maid service. I understand you can also get it if you rent points, but you must pay something like $40 per day extra. For us, that and the fact that we stay two full weekends when we go (weekends cost a lot of points), significantly cuts down on any savings we would realize by taking the risk to rent points.

 

[ptrbryant]

After staying in the VWL studio, my family agreed that we preferred it to WL. The fridge and microwave made breakfast very easy and, lucky enough to have a corner studio with an extra window, the studio seemed more spacious and quiet. My DH loved the covered walkway from the VWL to WL. Now,in retrospect, I DO feel we felt a bit out of the action. Staying at WL, it seemed faster and easier to run down the the gift shop, main pool and Roaring Forks for a snack. Depending on codes and the new 2005 package deals, we'll have to debate back and forth over which way to go. But, the VWL are certainly worth a try!!!

Karla B.

 

[Gillian]

We haven't stayed at a VWL studio, but we have stayed at one at the BCV. The studio was great for us because DS was still in a crib and we didn't need to open the sofa bed. That gave us a lot of floor space, plus the benefit of a microwave & mini fridge.

Now that we would need to use the bed, and wouldn't have the nice sitting area/floor space, we are choosing a regular room for our next trip. Also, we need to stay flexible, so renting points is not a good option at this time.

 

[DisneyKidds]

We've stayed in studios at VWL many times. For the same price or less I'd definitely go with the studio. We always make a trip to the supermarket and it's nice to have cold drinks and milk, along with some staples, right in the room. That saves us a lot right there. I also like being over in the villas building. It only takes a couple of minutes to get to the main lobby, and the walk to the main pool is only a minute or two as well. Plus, the quiet pool and hot tub over by the villas is perhaps THE most relaxing spot in all of WDW. Plus, you have some wonderful sitting areas down in the villas lobby, including some train cars from Walt Disney's own collection. The bedding arrangement in the villas has it's positives and negatives. The pull out couch isn't as comfortable as a regular bed. However, being able to fold up the bed during the day gives you a lot of space for relaxing in the villa.

I'd base the decision on cost. If renting points for a studio is cheaper than paying for a regular room, do that.

 

[minnie1928]

What size Villa were you considering renting. Then I can compare the 2 locations for you.

I was thinking a studio, but depending on the cost I may go 1 bedrooom. It'll only be 4 of us (DH, DS (6) and DD (2).

Thanks to everyone for their advice!

 

[nkkilala]

How long is the pull out couch at the BWV Studio?

Nikki

 

[KLRI]

I am also interested to hear views on this question. We're going through a similar debate for a proposed September 2005 trip--btw. a 1 br villa and a deluxe room/junior suite. Our kids will be 4 yrs and 15 mos. at the time so we'd really like 2 rooms. DH and I stayed at WL before the kids were born and loved it. I'm leaning toward the 1 br villa b/c of additional space and amenities (not planning to cook but it's nice to have the option if necessary) but I don't want to feel like we're out in the boondocks as opposed to being in the main building. It seems like posters who have stayed in both are split on the issue....

 

[Taratink]

ElizabethB- I didn't realize that we could book a villa without being a DVC member. How do you do this. We have a courtyard room booked for the end of this month. I am nervous that it is too small. I did not want to rent points because I have to young kids and I need to be able to cancel incase of illness. Do you know if there is anyway to uprade at check in to a villa?
Tara

 

[spiceycat]

if there is availability and you are willing to pay more then yes you can upgrade to one.

however much easier to rent from a DVC member and let him/her make the reservation for you.

here is the website
http://www.disboards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=29

the views are pretty different from WL vs VWL - I have stayed in both - alot of the times - the only view at VWL is the woods - now there are few (very, very few) views of the quiet pool/lake - but these are very hard to get.

the woods view on the lake side is very nice. the woods views on the other side can be of the bus or worst yet the service building or the top of the walkway going to the bus....

the standard view at WL can also be bad, but their courtyard view can be great!!!!

now you are more likely to see deer over on the VWL side. - all around the resorts - are bunnies, squirrels, all types of birds, chipmunks, foxes, I even saw an alligator once - they removed him quickly - it was on the woods side of WL - the pond area - kids were involved which is why I am assuming he was removed quickly.


back to renting points - if you reservations is 7 or more months away then you need to find someone with VWL points - if however it is less than 7 months any DVC member with points can make your reservation.

read Doc's FAQ

remember you need a reservation - if they can't get you the reservation look elsewhere.

 

[bassoongirl]

Thanks for all the information! We are staying in a studio at VWL next month. We have stayed at OKW many times and loved it! We were anxious to stay at VWL until we heard the studios have one queen-size bed and a sofa bed. My DD-13 and DS-10 weren't too thrilled to find out that they had to sleep together on the sofa bed! I told them they had to make the best of it since we are using my parents' DVC points for the room! I am sure the bed situation will work out fine. We don't spend that much time in our room anyway!

Gayl