Art of Animation or Beach Club Villas?

[Otooleh]

This is my first time planning my own trip to Walt Disney World. I've been four times before, but always as a guest of family members who are DVC members, and we have always stayed in Old Key West. I've always wanted to stay at Beach Club because I love the pool, the location, and Beaches and Cream.
We will be going on our own in 2017 with my daughter who will be 6 then. She's been once before but she doesn't remember it, because she was just under 2.
Budget will def be an issue for us, but I think we will probably be staying for a week. We usually spend the afternoon's back at the resort swimming, and my daughter loves to swim. I thought she would love the pool at the beach club.
I've been trying to decide between renting DVC points and getting a studio at beach club villas so we could have the good location and a kitchenette to eat some meals in our room.
But... The more I read about AoA, it sounds like it is great for kids (and she's a huge princess lover so she'd love the Little Mermaid theme). Plus, it's way cheaper and it seems like it might also have a nice pool (but not great location?).
Just curious if anyone has advice? I'm not sure which way I want to go. They seem like totally different resorts. Thanks!

 

[slappy magoo]

Is it just you and your daughter? Not trying to pry, I'm only asking because the Little Mermaid rooms are significantly smaller than Beach Club studios. I consider them small enough that, if anyone in your party is less-than-petite, it can feel crowded.

On top of that, Beach Club Villas will afford you walking distance (as well as transport-by-boat) to two of the four parks, making it likely that, if you do visit Epcot or Disney Hollywood Studios, you'll be back to your hotel for rest and pool time in the afternoon significantly faster than if you wait for a bus back to AoA.

You will have more dining options at Beach Club Villas than at AoA, with AoA only have a food court, pizza delivery and some pub fare at the pool bar. The food court at AoA is bigger, but then again, it has to be, considering how many more rooms are on site, compared to Beach Club. One of those restaurants - Cape May Cafe - has a character breakfast every morning. That's convenient. Also, at Beach Club, you're within walking distance to the Yacht Club, Swan, Dolphin and the Boardwalk with all of their dining options available, plus the whole Boardwalk district (such as it is nowadays).

FWIW, my family and I did spend one night in a Little Mermaid room our last trip, having arrived a night earlier than our official check-in date. We were cramped, but for one night, it was fine. The beds were so small my wife and I always risked falling out of bed and our kids were placed on the bed sideways so they didn't risk rolling out either. The grounds and the pool are amazing. The food court is cacophonous. Your daughter will probably think it's amazing, but she'll also probably think a giant sandy bottom pool that's practically a mini-water park is pretty amazing, too. To say nothing of meeting Mickey during breakfast right next to where she sleeps, taking a boat to Epcot, walking along the Boardwalk and all the other cool-ness in that area of the park. If you can rent the points and get the BCV (no easy feat considering how few units are actually in the resort), I'd do it. Honestly, I'd also try to get points at Boardwalk or most other DVC resorts before going for a Little Mermaid room, but as always your mileage may vary.

 

[DisneyFans4Life]

My wife and I and our 2 year old spent a week in a Little Mermaid room (with a king bed) and we enjoyed it. There is a pool right there in the Little Mermaid area if you don't want to walk, but there's also the huge Nemo pool in the middle of the resort. It has a 0 entry section and there's also a splash park.

If you can afford either...I'd probably go with Beach Club because I've never been there, but if cost is an issue...AoA all the way.

 

[Otooleh]

Thank you for your replies! Those are great things to consider. It will be either me and my daughter and my husband, or me, my daughter and my mom. Either way, we would need two beds, as it will be two adults and one child. My husband has never been to Disney World and doesn't really want to go, but I'm trying to talk him into it! He may even come for part of the time and then leave, and my mom arrive for the rest of our stay. I'm really leaning toward the beach club, if I could get DVC points and get a reservation there… Which I know might be tough!
I didn't realize the studios at beach club villas are bigger than a standard room in the little mermaid section Of AoA. Great to know. I really love the convenience factor of the beach club location, and how much there is to do in walking distance.
She will be wowed by everything at Disney, so I don't think she would be too disappointed in the rooms not being "over the top" at the beach club. She won't know the difference, right?

 

[slappy magoo]

I didn't realize the studios at beach club villas are bigger than a standard room in the little mermaid section Of AoA. Great to know. I really love the convenience factor of the beach club location, and how much there is to do in walking distance.

Oh yeah, generally speaking, rooms in a Value resort are smaller than rooms in a Moderate resort which are smaller (with exceptions) than rooms in a Deluxe or DVC resort.

The rooms in any Value resort are somewhere around 260 sq. ft (and the suites at AoA are basically two rooms connected so 520-ish sq. ft.). Rooms at the moderate resorts are in the 312-320 sq. ft. range. When it comes to the Deluxes and the DVC studios, they kinda vary. The studios at Bay Lake Tower are even smaller than moderates, I think right around 300 sq. ft. There also a handful of "Value" studios at the Villas at Animal Kingdom that are also significantly smaller. I'm pretty sure the rooms at Poly, and the DVC rooms at both the Poly and Old Key West are the largest you'll find on property before going into suites or 1-2-3 bedroom villas.

The studios at Beach Club, I think, are somewhere around the 340 sq. ft. area, significantly bigger than a single room at any Value. The beds in the Little Mermaid room will be two double beds. Now be warned, at the Beach Club Villas, studios come with a queen sized bed and a sleeper-sofa. So if it winds up being you, your husband your mom and your kid, one adult will have to sleep on the sleeper sofa. I'm guessing not you, because your mom sharing a bed with your husband is a Springer episode waiting to happen. I know a lot of DVC studios are getting some kind of pull out trundle bed, something that comes out from under the TV cabinet that will fit a small child, and usually has a cute painting/mural on the inside wall. I don't think Beach Club has them yet, but I could be wrong.

 

[Simba's Mom]

People who stay at Beach Club with little ones yours' age often complain that the pool is TOO big, and they can't keep an eye on their child. For me, I stay at BCV for the nearness to Epcot, but I think you might be better off with the less expensive option.

 

[Otooleh]

People who stay at Beach Club with little ones yours' age often complain that the pool is TOO big, and they can't keep an eye on their child. For me, I stay at BCV for the nearness to Epcot, but I think you might be better off with the less expensive option.

Thanks for your input! I hadn't thought of the pool size. Since she's an only child, she pretty much gets watched like a hawk around water (since she has our undivided attention).
Does anyone know if the BC pool is much larger than the AoA pool? I love the sandy bottom of the BC pool

 

[Otooleh]

Also, out of curiosity, can you use the pool at the beach club if you stay at one of the resorts next-door?

 

[Epcotfan21]

Also, out of curiosity, can you use the pool at the beach club if you stay at one of the resorts next-door?

Guests staying at the Beach Club or Yacht Club are the only people allowed to have access to Stormalong Bay.

 

[slappy magoo]

Does anyone know if the BC pool is much larger than the AoA pool? I love the sandy bottom of the BC pool

Also, out of curiosity, can you use the pool at the beach club if you stay at one of the resorts next-door?

Guests staying at the Beach Club or Yacht Club are the only people allowed to have access to Stormalong Bay.

Pretty sure the same is true of all of Art of Animaiton's pools, at least the Finding Nemo "Big Blue" pool. They're not supposed to be accessible to people who aren't staying at that resort.

 

[LAM378]

Thanks for your input! I hadn't thought of the pool size. Since she's an only child, she pretty much gets watched like a hawk around water (since she has our undivided attention).
Does anyone know if the BC pool is much larger than the AoA pool? I love the sandy bottom of the BC pool

The AoA pool is one (huge) body of water. Stormalong Bay is more like a sprawling pool complex. You can only see one or two sections at a time. In some areas you have to get out and cross a bridge or a path to get to another section.

The area of SB most suitable for kids is on the YC side (not a long walk from BC, and very near Hurricane Hannah's). The water is shallower and there's a big sand bar to play on. I watch my son like a hawk, too, and that area of the pool has been very manageable with him over the past few years. Happy planning!