Best DVC Resort?

[sazzle12]

We are looking at booking 1 week at a DVC resort in March 2024 with our 2 kids who will be 5 and 7 years old. We plan to spend most of our day at the pool and then head into the parks at night (we are going to stay on West Coast Time). I know some of the resorts are undergoing construction (like the Poly), so I am bit worried about that unless people are finding that is not interfering with their stay.

Our main priorities in a hotel are:
1) Good Pool
2) Good Atmosphere
3) Good Quick Service Food Options

I know our 5-year-old son would find the monorail very cool, but the animals and AKL or the boardwalk area would also be nice! Thank you for your suggestions

 

[gmi3804]

If I tell you, will you book there?

Best is subjective, and every DVC resort will be named in this thread.

 

[Isabelle12345]

In my opinion, with kids that age, the poly just can’t be beat
Amazing splash pad, fun slide, great atmosphere, and Captn cook is a solid quick service option (plus easy monorail access to other resorts, and easy travel to MK with young kids!)

AKL - Kidani also has an amazing pool and splash pad for young kids, but the quick service options are not as easy as the Poly

 

[RoseGold]

The animals go to bed very early, like before 5, maybe not a great fit for your schedule.

The Poly DVC isn't near the construction and isn't hard to book. I wouldn't worry about the construction, because you aren't staying cash. It meets all your other requirements.

 

[MartyParty]

The animals go to bed very early, like before 5, maybe not a great fit for your schedule.

The Poly DVC isn't near the construction and isn't hard to book. I wouldn't worry about the construction, because you aren't staying cash. It meets all your other requirements.

If its pools by day I'd confirm Animal Kingdom (plus the animals) or Storm Along Bay at Disney Beach Club. That's my vote for 5 and 7 year olds. Good luck.

 

[sazzle12]

Thank you for these suggestions! I can rent a standard studio at AKL for $2500, Beach Club for $2900 or Poly for $3800.

 

[sndral]

The animals go to bed very early, like before 5, maybe not a great fit for your schedule.

The Poly DVC isn't near the construction and isn't hard to book. I wouldn't worry about the construction, because you aren't staying cash. It meets all your other requirements.

I agree about construction, by spring of 2024 they might even be done w/ the Poly.
But IME the animals stay out on the savannas at AKV all night. Some of my favorite times are returning to the villa after the parks close and watching the animals.

Taken from my balcony at 10:58 p.m. on 12/19/21.

 

[Nursemanit]

I agree about construction, by spring of 2024 they might even be done w/ the Poly.
But IME the animals stay out on the savannas at AKV all night. Some of my favorite times are returning to the villa after the parks close and watching the animals.
View attachment 754341
Taken from my balcony at 10:58 p.m. on 12/19/21.

The giraffes had midnight magic tickets

 

[Nursemanit]

The animals go to bed very early, like before 5, maybe not a great fit for your schedule.

The Poly DVC isn't near the construction and isn't hard to book. I wouldn't worry about the construction, because you aren't staying cash. It meets all your other requirements.

On a more serious note - when I asked about the animals going back for the night on the Taste of the Savanna paid tour ( you can ask the staff questions) they don't force all the animals back - some types can stay out all night and they only round them up when the weather is an issue.

 

[maui22]

We were just at Poly with nephew and his family. Construction at the resort did not impact us at all. Great niece 7 yo absolutely loved the pool!and splash pad. She was in there almost every night. Movie nights in the area by the pool were very popular as well.

Nephew and his family told us Poly is now their favorite resort. Entire family is going next summer and they are telling everyone how much they loved the resort.

 

[sazzle12]

That is great news the construction did not effect your stay!

 

[zavandor]

SSR and AKV are both great contenders, given your requirements. They both have 2 feature pools with slides and a slash area for kids. AKV has the animals, SSR has Disney Springs a short walk away (you can go from the Paddock pool to Ghirardelli in 15 minutes, try to beat that! ).
I think the VGF splash area is super cool, but I'd go with the other two if you don't plan.
Stormalong Bay with a 5 and 7 yo must be a nightmare, too spread out to keep an eye on them.

 

[Epcot Forever Forever]

Sorry AKL is not a good choice if QS is a top priority UNLESS you’re staying at Jambo House. Kidani has no QS just a little pool bar, and the full commute from your room, down the long Kidani hallways, through the lobby, to the transfer shuttle stop, waiting for the shuttle, riding the shuttle, then walking through Jambo to Mara is going to be 10-20 minutes each way, depending how far your room is and how long you wait for the shuttle (which is quick, but it’s still a wait and a ride).

Most brokers if you request AKL will automatically put you in Kidani because it’s got better availability. Make sure you are specific!

I would recommend, in order
1) Jambo House specifically
2) Poly
3) Saratoga Springs, which has 2 feature pools, 3 splash pads (for kids under 48”), 3 QS options if you count Chip & Dales (and you should) plus a pool bar, and Disney Springs to walk to and explore for more food/atmosphere.

 

[sazzle12]

Sorry AKL is not a good choice if QS is a top priority UNLESS you’re staying at Jambo House. Kidani has no QS just a little pool bar, and the full commute from your room, down the long Kidani hallways, through the lobby, to the transfer shuttle stop, waiting for the shuttle, riding the shuttle, then walking through Jambo to Mara is going to be 10-20 minutes each way, depending how far your room is and how long you wait for the shuttle (which is quick, but it’s still a wait and a ride).

Most brokers if you request AKL will automatically put you in Kidani because it’s got better availability. Make sure you are specific!

I would recommend, in order
1) Jambo House specifically
2) Poly
3) Saratoga Springs, which has 2 feature pools, 3 splash pads (for kids under 48”), 3 QS options if you count Chip & Dales (and you should) plus a pool bar, and Disney Springs to walk to and explore for more food/atmosphere.

Thank you so good to know about Jambi house specifically! I had no idea Kindani village did not have QS.

 

[kanerf]

Thank you so good to know about Jambi house specifically! I had no idea Kindani village did not have QS.

Actually they do a QS style breakfast at Kidani down in Sanaa. It is table service for lunch and dinner.

 

[lovin'fl]

DVC since 2006. Empty nest now and relocated to Kissimmee last year. So DH and I do adults only stays for 1-2 nights to basically do Epcot festivals (eat, drink and see concerts). Our fave resorts to book are Riviera, Saratoga and Animal Kingdom Villas...as well as Boardwalk since we own most points there and sometimes Beach Club and Copper Creek.

We do SSR a lot because it's easy to book last minute and we love the new rooms. Love the murphy beds. And LOVE walking to DS. After Epcot, we probably spend most time on DS. For you, OP, there are several pools and a couple of them are really nice. It is also point low (less points to book versus Poly for example). Lots of food choices for you all.

We don't like to book any MK resorts...well the DH doesn't. We never go to MK so there is no draw plus there are tons of families with strollers. Not our stage of life right now. So we booked CCV recently and really enjoyed it. Love Geyser Point. Aside from drinks, DH likes watching sports and they have TVs. Next time we will bring bottle of wine and sit in front of Geyser Point in chairs they have and enjoy the view with our own wine. We have some CCV points.

Riviera is a fave of mine. I like the theme. And we love the gondolas. They also have a pool bar called Bar Riva that is large and covered and has TVs. Also has heaters for when it's chilly, like once when we visited in January. The pools look lovely and they have yard game things too, for the kiddos. Easy gondola to 2 parks. We also took it to Caribbean Beach resort and sat at the pool bar there. They have a cute pool too.

AKV, we book because it's closest drive to us...like 12 mins. And we book whenever we can grab a night at club level. So a few nights a year. And that's good for us. We have a few AKV points. We like the theme there and the animal watching and outdoor fire pit. Love club level but also love all the restaurants and bars. Pools are nice too. But I will say the bus rides to parks can be bad. You might wait forever for a bus and can be long time to get to MK and such. We only go to AK when we stay.

We own bulk at BWV so we book there all the time. It's meh to me as far as resort. Kinda worn down, IMO. But location is awesome and we bought there for the ability to book standard view which is best point deal going, based on hot location. I prefer BCV to BWV and we do try to book there when we can but find it most difficult to get out of our faves. Sometimes, now, I wish we had bought BCV instead. We bought direct and both we available and same cost so we had a choice but chose BWV for the standard view point saving. BCV has awesome pool and lots of food choices.

Poly, BLT and OKW were loud stays for us. Noisy rooms. Poly and BLT also eat up a ton of points. I do love the theme at Poly and studio layout. They have great pools and bars and dining. But can't sleep well there.

Not sure what resorts have renovations going on or pool closures. Haven't paid attention to that. But maybe BCV or Riviera would be my recommendation for you, OP. Good pools and food options. Can take kiddos on gondolas at Riviera and can walk or boat to 2 parks from BCV.

 

[lovin'fl]

Thank you so good to know about Jambi house specifically! I had no idea Kindani village did not have QS.

I will also say that Jambo quick service place is kinda yucky. We love all the sit down places at AKV but hate the quick serve. Just, FYI. The pool bar also has yucky stuff. Boma breakfast buffet is the bomb, though. But pricey.

 

[gmi3804]

Dante's Fifth Ring of Hell lives on in the echo chamber hallways at BC, where vacationers young and old scream at the top of their lungs at all hours of the day and stomp down the hallways. I have serious PTSD from that stay. Never again.

 

[lovin'fl]

Thank you for these suggestions! I can rent a standard studio at AKL for $2500, Beach Club for $2900 or Poly for $3800.

I'd go Beach Club. Just my opinion.

 

[lovin'fl]

Dante's Fifth Ring of Hell lives on in the echo chamber hallways at BC, where vacationers young and old scream at the top of their lungs at all hours of the day and stomp down the hallways. I have serious PTSD from that stay. Never again.

Never had that there. I got that at Poly along with door slamming, toilet flushing and boat horns. Both stays at Poly...one was lake view and one was standard view. Lake view was worst.