going solo: full svc hotel vs. vacation rental/condo....

[Steve P]

anyone ever do both? do you prefer the 'action' of a regular hotel
vs. the more residential feel of a vacation club-type place e.g.:
HGVC or Mariott cypress harbour? TIA.

 

[WDWguru]

Why not try the best of both? Rent points from a Disney Vacation Club member and stay at the Boardwalk Villas, Beach Club Villas or Wilderness Lodge Villas. There's also Old Key West, but unlike the other three, it's not attached to a full-service Disney deluxe hotel. We've been DVC members for just over a year and the accomodations are fantastic! If you get a one-bedroom or larger you have a full kitchen and washer/dryer in the unit, a king-size bed and HUGE jacuzzi tub, and two full rooms to stretch out in. Now, we don't cook a ton on vacation but it's sure nice to have a fridge to keep drinks in and the ability to eat a quick breakfast or late-night snack in the room. Also, we don't have to pack as much for longer trips since we can do laundry right there if we want. If you're in a studio you'll have a mini-kitchen (coffee maker, toaster, microwave, mini fridge) in your unit and access to free washers and dryers in a laundry room.

There's a DVC rent/trade board here on the DIS - with an FAQ post at the top you should read first. Renting from a member will save you about half off what Disney charges for the rooms.

 

[nativetxn]

That's a great idea, wdwguru. I stayed at OKW last February with a friend who is a DVC member and it was wonderful.

 

[Simba's Mom]

And remember, that refrigerator and microwave means you can come back to your room and have a snack and soda in the evening. Going into somewhere for that can get costly. I've done both-hotel and condo-type(DVC), and will never go back to anything but a DVC resort solo. Matter of fact, the reason for our most recent add-on was simply to "fund" my solo trips!

 

[Gillian]

The DVC studios can be VERY economical (when you rent points), and although the 1 BR is nice, you really don't need all that space, right? We stayed at a BCV studio on points for about $60 less per night than a standard BC room (even at an excellent code rate). The layout, with 1 bed + sofabed gives you more space than a hotel room. Having a fridge, microwave & toaster is great for breakfast, or if you have leftovers.

BWV, BCV or VWL would be fun and the most like a hotel. OKW is less money, and more like a regular condo resort.

Have fun!

 

[Terk-1]

I guess I would have to vote for a regular resort vs. VC, when staying solo. Unless you are planning on spending alot of time at the VC and plan on cooking your own meals, I find a room at one of Disney's resorts to be just fine. I guess if I was going with other people and wanted more room, I would go for a VC, but the little time that I spend in the room when I go solo, would not be worth a VC. This is just me and others have differing opinions, but I like staying at one of Disney's resorts. It really makes me feel like I'm on vacation.

 

[WDWguru]

Ahh, but the Disney VC properties ARE Disney resorts - that's the beauty! That's why I suggested it in the first place, it will give him the best of both worlds. The three I suggested are attached to the 'regular' Disney hotels, even, so you're not missing a thing. A studio would be much more comparable to the other deluxe hotels and even cheaper to rent points for, but it really comes down to preference. The original post was already looking at timeshare-type properties, but wanted the Disney experience. I think the DVC would be perfect for someone looking for both.