Home Away From Home Suggestions

[Luau Cove]

Hey guys,
I'm planning on staying on a home away from home villa in one of these three hotels:
Beach Club, Boardwalk and Old Key West.
What do you people, who stayed there, suggest it's convenient?
I'm not only asking financially, but as a whole. Take in account we are four adults and two babies.

Thanks,

-->Luau

 

[DisneyPhD]

Beach Club!!!!!!!!! Hands down the best (espcially for 4 adults and 2 babies.)

As new DVC members we have stayed at BCV (March 2003) and OKW (Aug 2003) We stay at our "home" resort for the 1st time Jan 2004.

Beach club is great. SAB (the main pool) is unbelivable. It has a sand bottom wading pool that is so great for young children (even babies over 8 months or so, as long as they can sit up and play in the sand.) Beaches and Cream is great, you have all the admenties of BW also, and a short boat ride to MGM. Walking to Epcot is really fast. I love the themeing and decor at the Beach Club Villas too. We like pool view better then Epcot (since only the very top floor can see the fireworks, other then that is is all woods.) Infact we could even see MK fireworks from the view of our 4th floor.

Bordwalk is very simlar, but the pool is not as good at BCV.

We were not as impressed by OKW. While still a nice resort with a fine pool, it was difficult with a young child (2 year old) unless you are on the 1st floor it is difficult to get the stoller up the stairs. (only 3 clusters of rooms have elevators, all the rest don't and they tend to leave those for handicap people.) It is very spread out. The bus system leaves a lot to be disired. It takes almost 15 min from the time the bus enters the resrort to the time it leaves to go to a park. If you have a car and plan on drving OKW can be nice. Most rooms have parking spots right close by. One good note about OKW, the one bedrooms are bigger then another other DVC resort. This may provide extra room for your group. (If your babies are under 3 you can do it in a one bedroom, the max is 4 adults, children under 3 don't count.) If you stay at OKW resquest a room in advance. It is a really big resort. (and make sure you have cars.)

All of them are really great resorts, but Beach Club is our 1st choice. (my DD loves the Areil statue as you enter the resort.)

Good luck, have a great trip. One word or warning. If you are not DVC members, after that trip you will want to be.

 

[PixyDust]

We have points at both BoardWalk and Beach Club. However, we always end up at Old Key West for most of our stay. When we go down later this month however, we will be staying mostly at Beach Club.

I always request a 2 bedroom on the first floor at OKW since I have two small children (DisneyPhD is right, the stairs are not good), and they have always been able to fill my request. I like Key West because the rooms are so BIG and the washer and dryer are full size. Also, since we drive, I love to be able to park right outside my room and keep the strollers in the back of the car, so we can get them out each morning and put them back at night giving us more space in the room.

However, the restaurant at OKW is not good! So don't eat there! Our waiter actually spilled my husband's bacon and simply picked it up and put it back on his plate. We thought he was just joking around and would bring more, but he never did. Then he dropped my lemon out of my water onto the table, and again, just plopped it back in there. Not normal Disney behavior!

I am looking very forward to staying at Beach Club. The breakfast there is really good. (Food is very important to us if you can't tell - its one of the biggest things we look forward to each year!) Also, I like the idea of getting to Epcot so quickly, and being able to boat to the Studios. And of course, the pool will be great.

I do have to add that the coaster slide at BoardWalk is great too.

And if you are driving, stay the night on your way home at the Hilton Head resort. It is great there. You'd love it.

One other thing. It seems like we always end up at two different resorts every stay. We always add to our trip last minute, and have to get a room somewhere else for a couple of nights. This year it will be OKW for 3 nights, then Beach Club for 6 nights, then one night at HHI. The staff will move everything except your vehicle for you when you move between WDW resorts, so if you want to try out a couple of places to pick your favorite, its a seamless process.

Sorry to be so wordy...hope this has helped in some way.

 

[Luau Cove]

Thanks both of you. It helped a lot. Although in the past I've stayed in the Boardwalk and Beach Club, I've never spend a Disney Vacation on a Home Away from Home resort, and I was wondering which one offered a more pleasent stay. I'm sure all of them are great, anyway, but an insider approach would be best.

The only thing that doesn't convince me of the OKW is that I don't feel it looks like an original Disney Resort. (taking in account my favorites are the ones in the monorail line).

Thanks again!

-->LUAU

 

[murphy]

We have reservations at the bwv in june. I have always wanted to stay here. Is the beach club a better choice? I have heard that the pool is nicer but all in all is there much difference? bwv i think is closer to epcot and mgm.

 

[DisneyPhD]

Originally posted by murphy
We have reservations at the bwv in june. I have always wanted to stay here. Is the beach club a better choice? I have heard that the pool is nicer but all in all is there much difference? bwv i think is closer to epcot and mgm.

Ok, I haven't stayed at BW yet, so I can't compare the 2 fairly. However, from looking at it SAB (the main pool) is beyond compare. It is really 3 pools all conected, with a wading sand bottom play area ( zero entry to 2 feet deep, but bery big, 3 hot tubs, waterfall, water slide, jets, wonderful theming.) Very good for younger children. I don't think the BW pool is a good for younger kids, but older ones might like it. Depends on how important the pool is too you. I think right now BW is under construction so they have previlges at SAB. The rooms are very simlar, but BCV is newer.

BCV is much closer to Epcot then BW, but BW is closer to MGM. However you still want to take the boa to MGM, the walkway is very long, so that doesn't change much. The walk from BCV is very short and only takes 5 min or so.

There is more fast food options at boardwalk. I always thought BW might be nosiey at night, but I don't know. I haven't heard anyone complain about it.

It really depends on what themeing you like and what feels the best to you. personally it is BCV for us. I really wish my guide had not talked me into buying VWL, but waited for BCV to go on sale. Oh well. Since I always want to be able to get in BCV when we want to, I don't want to convience everyone it is the best place to say. If you like BW better, do that!

As far as our opinon on OKW, it might be negitivly colored by the fact we only had a studio, the one bedroom are much better. As far as over all feel of resort, it is more comparable to a mod such as Riverside. Were BWV, BCV, and VWL are very much Deluxe resorts, with better rooms.

 

[Luau Cove]

Yes. However, I was thinking, the real difference between the Boardwalk and Beach is the room. The rest are minor details since you can dine at any Epcot Resort restaurant you want, and the pool? Shhh, but I don't think they'll tell you something if you use it smartly. That means. Suppose you just came from Typhoon Lagoon, and you are staying at the Boardwalk. You can stop at the Beach....and the rest I leave it to your imagination.

-->LUAU

 

[Luau Cove]

Ok, so finally we went for the Boardwalk Villas since the Beach Club was completely booked. I'm still graceful! The boardwalk is really amazing.

Thanks for your help.

-->Luau

 

[DisneyPhD]

Originally posted by Luau Cove
Yes. However, I was thinking, the real difference between the Boardwalk and Beach is the room. The rest are minor details since you can dine at any Epcot Resort restaurant you want, and the pool? Shhh, but I don't think they'll tell you something if you use it smartly. That means. Suppose you just came from Typhoon Lagoon, and you are staying at the Boardwalk. You can stop at the Beach....and the rest I leave it to your imagination.

-->LUAU

Actually security at SAB is very tight. They check room keys. Glad you are happy with BWV. I know that pool has been under rehab, if it still is when you go, BWV gets previllges at SAB, best of both worlds.

Warning, once you go Home away from Home, you don't want to go back. Have a wonderful vacation.

 

[Bagheera]

Originally posted by DisneyPhD
Actually security at SAB is very tight. They check room keys. Glad you are happy with BWV. I know that pool has been under rehab, if it still is when you go, BWV gets previllges at SAB, best of both worlds.

Warning, once you go Home away from Home, you don't want to go back. Have a wonderful vacation.

Yep, they were checking room keys last month when we went over from BWV. (Then they give you a wristband. No wristband, no pool.) However, the rehab should be done by now, so only Y&B guests can use SAB again.

 

[Woody13]

Not another pool hopping debate, please.....:lol:

 

[DVCMommy]

We were there in October (BWV) and due to the Luna Pool's Keister Coaster renovations, they allowed us to use the BCV pool. We've stayed at both places, and we love each of them for their individual ambience, but we usually end up at BWV for the old-fashioned flavor. The keister coaster is great, and the play areas and wading pool are perfect for the little ones, and there's a fabulous club house where you can play or rent video games and video tapes for your room. We also like to be close to the boardwalk itself, especially in the evenings, and if you want to be able to watch the nightlife from your deck, you can get a room directly over the boardwalk itself. That was nice, since our toddler was pooped at around 8:30, and the hubby and I still wanted to feel like we were a part of the party.

OTOH, the BCVs are very romantic, their pool is unbelievable, and I wouldn't hesitate to stay there again.