Best DVC resort for mobility issues?

[rufio]

Okay, so I'm taking my mom for her first visit to WDW in December and I'm a DVC member so we'll be staying at a DVC resort. I've been considering transport times in our decision as well as theming and overall awesomeness. I'm going to put average transport time (per 7-day vacation) in parenthesis. One issue with either AKV resort is the distance to the rooms. The two times I've stayed (once in each) my room has been at the very end and it takes forever to walk there. My mom has fibromyalgia and is not looking forward to having to walk a mile to the room after a day in the parks. If we could request (and be guaranteed) a closer room, it wouldn't be an issue. I've heard this can be a problem with Boardwalk rooms as well. Anyway, which of these resorts would you choose and why?!

PS: Boardwalk would have to be waitlisted - it's full at the moment.

 

[coltow]

Why not Wilderness Lodge?

 

[rufio]

Why not Wilderness Lodge?

The worst transportation times coming in above 14hrs over 7 days!

 

[slappy magoo]

The worst transportation times coming in above 14hrs over 7 days!

I'm curious as to how you got your total average transport times - I'm guessing you figured how many times you'd like to go to each park, looked up the transportation times from someplace like the Unofficial Guide, and added up based on each resort?

And does this include the approximate time you'll spend waiting for buses, or just time actually on a bus or ferry or monorail in transit?

And is a car an option? With your mom's condition, you could probably get temporary handicapped stickers or plates and park close to each park's entrance?

Regardless, I'd be leery of Kidani unless they could specifically accommodate your need for a room close to transportation or the parking lot. Saratoga and Old Key West might be your best bets because they have multiple bus stops so wherever your room is, you have a fighting chance of being close to one. They also are the biggest DVC resorts and for various reasons aren't as popular, so that improves your chances of being close to a bus stop. And the condo shape of BLT might improve your chances of less of a walk once you're IN the BLT building; whether you're close to the ground floor or all the way up top, if they can accommodate the request "close to elevator," then it wouldn't matter what floor you're on as long as you were a few steps away from your room once you arrive on your floor. The downside there is the bus stops are at the Contemporary, so you'll still have to at least walk to/from there.

EDIT: Also, not for nothing, but I'd humbly suggest changing the title of the thread to something like "Best DVC resort for mobility issues" or something like that. Because while your mom is a "noob," I suspect making things easier for her might wind up being more important to your decision that overall awesomeness. Case in point, most people here want to die and be buried in Wilderness Lodge for all the Disney Magic it screams, yet for completely understandable reasons you don't even consider it an option.

 

[rufio]

I'm curious as to how you got your total average transport times - I'm guessing you figured how many times you'd like to go to each park, looked up the transportation times from someplace like the Unofficial Guide, and added up based on each resort?

And does this include the approximate time you'll spend waiting for buses, or just time actually on a bus or ferry or monorail in transit?

And is a car an option? With your mom's condition, you could probably get temporary handicapped stickers or plates and park close to each park's entrance?

Regardless, I'd be leery of Kidani unless they could specifically accommodate your need for a room close to transportation or the parking lot. Saratoga and Old Key West might be your best bets because they have multiple bus stops so wherever your room is, you have a fighting chance of being close to one. They also are the biggest DVC resorts and for various reasons aren't as popular, so that improves your chances of being close to a bus stop. And the condo shape of BLT might improve your chances of less of a walk once you're IN the BLT building; whether you're close to the ground floor or all the way up top, if they can accommodate the request "close to elevator," then it wouldn't matter what floor you're on as long as you were a few steps away from your room once you arrive on your floor. The downside there is the bus stops are at the Contemporary, so you'll still have to at least walk to/from there.

EDIT: Also, not for nothing, but I'd humbly suggest changing the title of the thread to something like "Best DVC resort for mobility issues" or something like that. Because while your mom is a "noob," I suspect making things easier for her might wind up being more important to your decision that overall awesomeness. Case in point, most people here want to die and be buried in Wilderness Lodge for all the Disney Magic it screams, yet for completely understandable reasons you don't even consider it an option.

Actually I looked at a study on touringplans.com for the numbers. A car isn't an option since we're flying. She isn't handicapped and doesn't have a sticker or anything, but I will look into the GAC if that's possible (I have no idea). She's fine on a normal day to day basis, but changes in routine really affect her and I know with all the extra walking, it's gonna be tough. I'm going to talk to Kidani, but my mom really doesn't want the possibility of a 3,000 mile walk back to the room. That's true about BLT. I've only stayed there once and I'd forgotten about walking to the Contemporary. I think we might end up going with OKW or SS even though they're not as well themed (in my opinion).

 

[JeffnPa]

I choose Beach club. my reasons are location to different parks, your close to Epcot and DHS all which you can take a boat too you also have the option to take the monrail from Epcot to MK or the bus. finally you have the bus option. Good luck !!!!!!!

 

[coltow]

I guess I don't understand your transportation times. My mom has mobility issues due to bad hips and I know hands down if I gave her these options she's choose Wilderness Lodge because it's more confined and short walks to boat and bus areas

 

[slappy magoo]

I guess I don't understand your transportation times. My mom has mobility issues due to bad hips and I know hands down if I gave her these options she's choose Wilderness Lodge because it's more confined and short walks to boat and bus areas

That may be true for the Lodge itself, but the annex or addition for the DVC Villas can be quite a trek to the bus stop based on how the building is shaped. I was in there for our honeymoon, and we had one of the last rooms on our particular floor, in fact I think we were in the studio part of a 2BR lockoff with the 1BR only occupied for a few days of our trip. The walk from the elevator to our room was so long my wife and I would joke about how there ought to be people handing out small cups of water or gatorade along the way like on a marathon. But even if you think the distance from stop to room isn't necessarily as bad, if the time spent on a bus to get to the other parks is uncomfortable - especially if the bus winds up crowded or SRO - to then have to walk back to your room can be exhausting for someone not used to that much walking. The boat ride to Mk is lovey, but longer than a bus ride if both left at the same time. And all the other parks are a bit more of a trek.

 

[NeedMoreMickey]

I almost hate to suggest this because so many people complain but have you thought about renting a scooter off site? If can be delivered to the hotel so not an issue getting around. With that I would suggest a resort close to the park where you think you will spend the most time. My parents both rented them last time and getting on/off boats and monorail much easier than having to get a bus every time you want to go to a park

 

[stevehousse]

Before we settled on just staying at the resort of our first choosing, we were going to choose either Beach Club or Contemporary because of having a newborn with us. I think those 2 have the best spots for transportation. At Contemporary, you only new to take a bus for AK and DHS, and Beach Club the only busses you need are for MK and AK...

 

[shuflemstr]

My mom has mobility issues also and we always stay at OKW. If you stay there and you aren't in a first floor room, remember that buildings 62, 63 and 64 are the only buildings with elevators, just in case they might have trouble with steps

 

[Chezman1399]

From experience with going with people who have mobility issues, Kidani is the worst for that. It's a very spread out resort with very long bus rides every place.

 

[rufio]

Well, I spoke with my mom and a DVC member services CM. We ended up getting on the waitlist for Boardwalk and booking Kidani Village as a backup. I was assured that I could request a room close to the elevators and my mom really wanted to pick a resort based on the theming and location, not because she didn't think she'd want to walk at the end of the day. Hopefully it all works out!

 

[MaxsDad]

In January, we stayed in a Standard view room at Kidani. We requested and received to be in the southern wing of the resort. The standard view rooms only go so far on this hallway, and the rest of the hall is Savannah view only (one sided hallway). These standard view rooms are close to the buses, as the bus stops are in front of this wing. Of course, the same would go for the Savannah rooms across the hall if you booked Savannah view, which I would have if it would have been available. We had two kids two yo and under, so transportation ease was a consideration for us to a degree. We were pleased overall with our walk times/distances and the bus transportation as well. (As a point of reference only, we have stayed at almost every resort at WDW)

Last June, we stayed at the Boardwalk Villas in a garden view room. They put us on the bottom floor. Walking and transportation there was great as well. We were about three rooms from the end of the hallway. Our hallway was on the northern end, as in we were behind Jelly Rolls, etc. (as oppossed to being down by the main pool, or closer to DHS) with a view of the river that leads to DHS. Our hallway had a door at the end that led out to the walkway to DHS. The walk to the boats was not far, you could go through the resort or straight outside through that door. It was relatively flat. The walk to the buses seemed longer.

Themeing at Kidani is great. It is a fun resort to explore. If you have tired legs, and are in a Savannah view room, you may have animals to look at with out leaving your room. At boardwalk, there is plenty to do in the evenings nearby. I think you have made good choices.