Best DVC resort for my young family

[BuffaloJason]

My wife and I are planning to take our family back to WDW for what is becoming an annual tradition of visiting during low season in late-jan / early-feb. Our kids will be 2 and 5 on this next trip. Last time we stayed at the poly and had a wonderful time. This time were thinking about renting points for a 1 br DVC villa somewhere, just to have a little space to spread out. Being close to MK seems like the thing to do with young kids, although last time we spent just as much time in Epcot, mostly world showcase. Having a hard time choosing between: BLT, VWL, BCV and BWV. Any recommendations? Also, is this all a moot point; what are our chances of getting a 1 br villa at any of those resorts "only" 6 months out?

Thanks
Jason

PS
Planning to use INTERCOT sponsor the timeshare store. Any advice about working with them?

[FiggyFan]

I checked on the member website, and all 4 of those resorts currently show rooms available for late January. We have stayed at all of those except BLT, which we visited and toured shortly after it opened. I know many people love BLT, but it is not our style.

We have stayed at BWV and BCV multiple times, and have a split stay at the two planned for later this year. Both are great. We like the atmosphere on the Boardwalk, and prefer the pool at BCV, and staying at BCV get you both, so that is our favorite. We love being able to walk into Epcot in the evenings from either of these hotels.

VWL is more quiet and relaxed, and has some great food offerings. I also has the nightly electric water pageant (as does BLT). VWL also seems a bit more remote when it comes to transportation.

Good luck choosing - any of them would be a good choice.

[GAN]

If it were me I would put BLT at the top of the list, primarily because of its convenience. Doing the whole bus/boat thing with 2 young children can have it's moments.

[Pirate Granny]

Hard to say...the sand bottom pool area and small slide and childrens pool at BCV are great, along with the movies and marshmallows on the beach, but alas, no zero entry pool, can walk to EPCOT, take the boat to the studios. BLT has zero entry pool, kids splash pad and if theme park view you can watch the fireworks from your balcony...very cool. VWL has a playground, also marshmallows and movies on the beach, electric water parade, boat ride to MK...but again, no zero entry pool, and cement toddler pool, UGH. BWV, not sure about the zero entry, no small slide that I could see, a playground, can walk to EPCOT and Studios. Remember,weather could be cool and no swimming anyway in Jan/Feb.

[BuffaloJason]

Thanks for all the input folks. The Timeshare Store got back to us last night with a quote. My wife and I ran the numbers again last and coming to grips with how much we can save (assuming the 30% off discounts come around again) are leaning back towards just getting a room at the Wilderness Lodge. We loved it there so much on our 2011 trip (our first as a family) that, as wonderful as the poly was last trip, it almost felt sad passing the WL on Magic Express and not getting off. I think we'll try to get a bunk-bed room this time, which my 5 yr old will be really excited about. Value season with the discount its something like $1600 for 6 nights vs. $2300 to rent enough points for a 1BR villa. This seems to be where I always get to on DVC (we've come very close to buying in twice now). It seems like it would be wonderful but I can't quite justify the cost of it, even as people who go to WDW regularly and stay at Deluxe Resorts.

[BuffaloJason]

I checked on the member website, and all 4 of those resorts currently show rooms available for late January. We have stayed at all of those except BLT, which we visited and toured shortly after it opened. I know many people love BLT, but it is not our style.

We have stayed at BWV and BCV multiple times, and have a split stay at the two planned for later this year. Both are great. We like the atmosphere on the Boardwalk, and prefer the pool at BCV, and staying at BCV get you both, so that is our favorite. We love being able to walk into Epcot in the evenings from either of these hotels.

VWL is more quiet and relaxed, and has some great food offerings. I also has the nightly electric water pageant (as does BLT). VWL also seems a bit more remote when it comes to transportation.

Good luck choosing - any of them would be a good choice.

Thanks Figgy Fan, so kind of you to do that. Intercot remains the friendliest disney community on the net :mickey:

[BuffaloJason]

Hard to say...the sand bottom pool area and small slide and childrens pool at BCV are great, along with the movies and marshmallows on the beach, but alas, no zero entry pool, can walk to EPCOT, take the boat to the studios. BLT has zero entry pool, kids splash pad and if theme park view you can watch the fireworks from your balcony...very cool. VWL has a playground, also marshmallows and movies on the beach, electric water parade, boat ride to MK...but again, no zero entry pool, and cement toddler pool, UGH. BWV, not sure about the zero entry, no small slide that I could see, a playground, can walk to EPCOT and Studios. Remember,weather could be cool and no swimming anyway in Jan/Feb.

Thanks Pirate Granny. The zero entry pools are really nice where they have them. You're certainly right that it could be cool Jan/Feb, but that won't stop my kids from wanting to swim! We live in Buffalo, where our winters aren't nearly as bad as the rest of the country thinks they are, but it will be at least 30 degrees warmer in Orlando. It's all I can do to keep my kids from shedding clothes on their way from the bus to the room.

[buzznwoodysmom]

You can't go wrong with WL! I totally understand what your saying when you said you were kind of sad when you passed WL and didn't get off. We feel that way every time we don't stay at WL. We make it a priority to at least visit WL on the trips when we stay at other resorts, and it's always sad to see it knowing we aren't staying there. And you can't beat the price either!

We have two boys who have loved our stays in the bunk bed rooms. Our boys had a set of bunk beds for a short period of time (when they shared a room), but that was only for less than a year so the bunk beds were always so cool to them.

Hope you have a great time.

[BuffaloJason]

Thanks for all the input folks. The Timeshare Store got back to us last night with a quote. My wife and I ran the numbers again last and coming to grips with how much we can save (assuming the 30% off discounts come around again) are leaning back towards just getting a room at the Wilderness Lodge. We loved it there so much on our 2011 trip (our first as a family) that, as wonderful as the poly was last trip, it almost felt sad passing the WL on Magic Express and not getting off. I think we'll try to get a bunk-bed room this time, which my 5 yr old will be really excited about. Value season with the discount its something like $1600 for 6 nights vs. $2300 to rent enough points for a 1BR villa. This seems to be where I always get to on DVC (we've come very close to buying in twice now). It seems like it would be wonderful but I can't quite justify the cost of it, even as people who go to WDW regularly and stay at Deluxe Resorts.

Another reversal... as often happens, we talked ourselves into the splurge. We'll be staying at BLT, in a lake view 1BR villa, next January on points we're renting from Intercot sponsor the Timeshare Store. I'm so excited. Staying at the Contemporary has been on my "bucket list" since my first WDW trip back in the 80's. :mickey: