WWYD: Beach Club Deluxe room (sleeps 6) vs 2 bedroom OKW for 6 people?

[DisneyFave]

Hello! I will be doing a split stay in late Sept with my family (2 adults, 2 boys ages 3 and 6) and my sister and her 6 year old. Six people total. Relying on quick service restaurants for all meals.

For the first 2 nights of a split stay with no park plans, would you stay in a Beach Club Deluxe Room that sleeps 6 (2 queens plus a queen fold out bed) or a 2 bedroom OKW villa?

The location of the BC deluxe rooms looks pretty awesome -- seems like you can walk right out to a quiet pool for some of them -- and I love Stormalong Bay (though not SO much for my 3 year old). Also love their huge balconies for after the kids go to sleep. Downside: it's a single room and my boys can be loud indoors So we would likely spend almost no time in the room.

At OKW I love the space for our families to have more privacy, but I don't like how spread out it is with our little kids and no car. We won't cook anything so won't use that amazing kitchen. OKW also feels remote to me since we are used to monorail hotels ever since we started bringing strollers.

We are going to 2 separate rooms at Grand Floridian for MNSSHP for the second 2 nights, so will do a luggage transfer and take the bus to MK.

Super torn! WWYD?

 

[CarolynFH]

I’m predisposed to DVC, of course, so I have some things for you to consider: in-room laundry might come in handy with kids those ages. And even if you don’t cook anything, a full size fridge with freezer might be more useful than the beverage cooler in the BC room. And the extra space in an 2BR includes a balcony with a dining table and chairs.

PS we bought DVC because a deluxe room at Poly was too small for our family of four. I can’t imagine 6 people in just one room, even if it does sleep six.

 

[Grace&Carolinesmom]

Since you aren't going to the parks those first 2 nights, I would stay at OKW. The littles will have a LOT more room to run around and play inside and outside. The adults have more space to hang out when the kids are sleeping. It will have 2 bathrooms. Even though you mentioned only CS food, Olivia's has great food through mobile order that you can eat in your villa. Also, September could be prone to a lot of rain. You can't guarantee sunshine and having 6 people including 3 active littles stuck inside a deluxe room at BC sounds downright chaotic.

 

[gottalovepluto]

OKW

-Give the adults some privacy from each other. I love my SIL, but I would not want to sleep feet away from her & my brother.

- a chance to actually get the kids to sleep, one kid being tough to put down will keep both the others up in 1 room

-you know your boys are loud and in a 2 bedroom you’ll be able to give them a little more space to be

-the main complaint about SAB is from parents of young kids that it’s too hard to keep an eye on them


Have you considered 2 rooms at Swolphin for your dates?

 

[Sammie]

No contest, beds with privacy and bathrooms always wins with me. You will get a huge balcony at OKW the quiet pools are very close to the buildings. If you need to go to the main area just hop a bus.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

The location of the BC deluxe rooms looks pretty awesome -- seems like you can walk right out to a quiet pool for some of them -- and I love Stormalong Bay (though not SO much for my 3 year old). Also love their huge balconies for after the kids go to sleep.

Quick note, not all of the Deluxe Rooms face the quiet pool (there are some in other locations as well) and not all have huge balconies - like most BC room categories, balcony types vary by floor and location. Some Deluxe Rooms have above standard balconies, some just have two of the tiny Juliet balconies.

Enjoy your trip, whatever you decide!

 

[unrequited23]

You need at least two bathrooms for a group of that configuration. So with the two choices presented, OKW.

Would you consider two rooms at a moderate or value? What exactly are you planning for the two non-park days? For example, if it was pool, splash pad, playground & disney springs, POR could be an option with the boat transportation. Or stay at POP and use the skyliner to check out the various QS food options.

 

[Best Aunt]

Hello! I will be doing a split stay in late Sept with my family (2 adults, 2 boys ages 3 and 6) and my sister and her 6 year old. Six people total.

For the first 2 nights of a split stay with no park plans, would you stay in a Beach Club Deluxe Room that sleeps 6 (2 queens plus a queen fold out bed) or a 2 bedroom OKW villa?

The location of the BC deluxe rooms looks pretty awesome -- seems like you can walk right out to a quiet pool for some of them... Also love their huge balconies for after the kids go to sleep....

I love the Epcot Resort area, but OP I think you have some incorrect assumptions about BC.

At the Beach Club, maybe you can walk right out to a quiet pool, IF you have a ground floor room. But the balcony/patio doors don't lock from the outside, so if everybody was going somebody would have to lock the balcony door behind them from the inside then walk out the room door.

If you have a ground floor room, some of those patios are not very private. People walk right by them.

If having a balcony is important to you, you should know that some Beach Club rooms don't have balconies or patios at all. And as PP said, some Beach Club rooms have balconies but they are the standing room only "Juliet" balconies. They can tell you more about this over on the Yacht & Beach Club thread.

People often compare a hotel room to a DVC studio. I don't recall ever seeing someone deciding between a hotel room and a DVC two-bedroom villa. Even if you don't plan to cook, the extra sleeping surfaces and bathroom in the two-bedroom, as well as the living room space, makes it seem like you are comparing apples and oranges. I'm surprised the cost is comparable. If you're paying cash, two-bedroom villas aren't cheap. As PP said, you might want to price out two rooms at Swan/Dolphin.

 

[Wood Nymph]

BC is great and SAB is a good place to hang out. But a 2br villa at OKW has some great benefits. We stayed in a two br villa with 7 people, 5 adults and two kids and it was wonderful. We took advantage of the full kitchen for breakfast and bought most of our food at the resort marketplace. I brought a package of pre-cooked bacon from home. We took advantage of the washer and dryer when it poured rain one day. We loved being able to hang out in the livingroom. Our son and his boys had a great time at the main pool, which has a slide. We didn't have a car. We found the bus service to be frequent, never waiting more than ten minutes. We would love to go back again someday.

 

[DanceDisney23]

BC is a bucket list item for my family but not with 6 people in one room.

We have stayed in a 2 bdr villa at OKW with 5, no car, and it was great. It’s spread out but bus stops are never far. I’ve had good luck with room requests, and last time we stayed in one of the Peninsular Road buildings which are just a short walk to the lobby/pool. DS is just a boat ride away which is great on a non-park day. Yes, it has a remote feel to it (it’s really close to DS, Typhoon Lagoon, and some other resorts though), but that shouldn’t matter if you don’t plan on going to the parks anyway. The remoteness is what gives it a relaxing vacation resort feel. Isn’t that what you would want on non-park days?

 

[katyjeka]

I would go with Old Key West. We welcome the peace after an exhausting day at a park and have had great bus service. It's so relaxed and beautiful and the rooms are so spacious.

 

[BlovesC]

I would always choose the option that affords more room, more privacy, and more sanity!

 

[Anthony1971]

6 people in a single room can be a bit much especially being they are resort days. If you were going to the parks from open to close maybe.... I would think 2 bathrooms is a must especially with 3 younger children with baths.
OKW 2 BR are huge and will offer privacy and a room for all to be in the same place without being on top of each other.
I have never felt OKW was remote it is in fact very close to EPCOT if you do not mind a short hike through the woods and crossing a stream. Also easy ride to DS with the boat. You can easily request near a pool or book near hospitality house cat and you will be close to the main pool. I do not think this is the answer you want but we have had 2 BR with as few as 4 and as many as 7 in that case it was AKV Kidani as it has 3 bathrooms.

 

[DisneyFave]

ok you all have CONVINCED me OKW is the winner lol!! Such great points! I knew I'd feel more confident in my decision after posting here!! THANK YOU!

 

[DisneyFave]

One more question - the reason I haven't looked at values or mods is because it's so important to me to be close to my sister who I rarely see. I had the impression that connecting rooms are really just requests and cannot be guaranteed. Am I wrong?

 

[dansdad]

One more question - the reason I haven't looked at values or mods is because it's so important to me to be close to my sister who I rarely see. I had the impression that connecting rooms are really just requests and cannot be guaranteed. Am I wrong?

You are not wrong.

 

[DanceDisney23]

One more question - the reason I haven't looked at values or mods is because it's so important to me to be close to my sister who I rarely see. I had the impression that connecting rooms are really just requests and cannot be guaranteed. Am I wrong?

Not wrong, but I was lucky with that as well. We stayed at POR in July and I made connecting rooms OR rooms close by (to increase our odds to stay close) my only requests. We got connecting rooms.

There is no guarantee, but there are a lot of rooms at the moderates and values that have connecting doors.

 

[Wood Nymph]

One more question - the reason I haven't looked at values or mods is because it's so important to me to be close to my sister who I rarely see. I had the impression that connecting rooms are really just requests and cannot be guaranteed. Am I wrong?

If you call resort reservations and make a multiroom reservation, which would be two rooms listed under one name, then it is almost guaranteed that you will get connecting rooms. Of course, nothing is ever guaranteed, but this is the best way to do it.

 

[bookbabe626]

I'm surprised the cost is comparable. If you're paying cash, two-bedroom villas aren't cheap.

Actually, and I can't believe I'm letting other people know about this if they didn't already, but OKW can be stupid cheap (for Disney) with the various discounts that are out.

Had an OKW 1 bdrm villa booked for this week using points. The summer AP and other offers came out, and it was going to be under $400 a night for the villa, so swapped to a cash reservation. (We try to use our points for times that there's no discount or the room is still $$$.). Then a 2 bdrm villa showed up as available, for under $600 a night with the AP discount, the same price a YC/BC regular room would be with the discount, and cheaper than many of the other regular deluxe options. It was a no-brainer. We already had a rental car since we have been camping the last couple weeks, and are having mainly a resort stay (and laundry) week.

So much space! OKW villas are huge. You practically need a map to find your way around inside. I think my MIL's house is smaller. They're absolutely worth the hassles of "distance" both to parks and amenities if you're planning a mostly resort stay. Our next stay is a 1 bdrm at BLT for MNSSHP, and while the convenience to MK will be amazing, I know the villa size is going to compare unfavorably.

 

[DisneyFave]

Actually, and I can't believe I'm letting other people know about this if they didn't already, but OKW can be stupid cheap (for Disney) with the various discounts that are out.

Had an OKW 1 bdrm villa booked for this week using points. The summer AP and other offers came out, and it was going to be under $400 a night for the villa, so swapped to a cash reservation. (We try to use our points for times that there's no discount or the room is still $$$.). Then a 2 bdrm villa showed up as available, for under $600 a night with the AP discount, the same price a YC/BC regular room would be with the discount, and cheaper than many of the other regular deluxe options. It was a no-brainer. We already had a rental car since we have been camping the last couple weeks, and are having mainly a resort stay (and laundry) week.

So much space! OKW villas are huge. You practically need a map to find your way around inside. I think my MIL's house is smaller. They're absolutely worth the hassles of "distance" both to parks and amenities if you're planning a mostly resort stay. Our next stay is a 1 bdrm at BLT for MNSSHP, and while the convenience to MK will be amazing, I know the villa size is going to compare unfavorably.

Love this! Sounds amazing!

Would anyone do 2 nights at a different mod or deluxe (connecting rooms) instead of an OKW 2 bedroom villa?

Budget is around $1k/night max for the 6 of us.