1st WDW Trip for DLR Vets - BRV v. AKV v. GFV

[pwillunlv]

We are Disneyland veterans making our first trip to WDW this March. We currently have a 2-bedroom villa at BRV (cash, not DVC points). We are totally fine with BRV, especially considering we are likely to get a recently refurbished villa (https://www.disboards.com/threads/boulder-ridge-refurbished-room-with-pics.3907001/). However, if a 2-bedroom villa opens up at AKV (Kidani or Jambo) or GFV, should we consider going to either of those resorts instead? We have looked at other resorts with 2-bedroom villas, but those resorts (WL, GF, and AKL) are our top three.

Initially, I know it is unlikely that we will be able to get a 2-bedroom at either AKV or GFV. However, our travel agent and Disney have both said that some 2-bedroom villas may open up as it gets closer to the 30-day mark. In fact, a few 1-bedroom villas have opened up over the past week.

Here are some specific questions/considerations:

1. Should we consider AKV only if we are able to get a savanna view or should we consider it even with a standard view?
2. We often stay at the GC at DLR. Is WL/BRV so similar to the GC that we should factor that into our analysis? I know WL and GC (and AKL, for that matter) had the same architect.
3. We also often stay at the Hotel del Coronado in San Diego, which the GF is modeled on. Would that impact your analysis in staying at a GFV?
4. As noted above, it appears likely that we will get a refurbished villa at BRV . How would you weigh that, especially given the condition of AKL given that many say that AKL (especially Kidani) is in need of a refurbishment?
5. I know transportation is a knock at AKV, but we are fine using Minnie Vans or Uber. We do not anticipate becoming WDW regulars (given our proximity to DLR), so we are fine with the added costs that many regulars would probably (rightfully) not be.
6. Are there any other factors we should take into consideration?

All thoughts/advice are greatly appreciated!

 

[DianaMB333]

Hi, enjoy the trip!
The Kidani villas -savanna view are well worth it, particularly if you like a coffee in the balcony and having that beautiful view.
Also food options at AKL are very good, Sanaa, Boma are usually must in our trips.

Having said that, it would also depends on your plans to visit parks… if you will be mostly at MK -all day or fireworks at night, then AKL could be a challenge (even in Uber because of the trip to TTC first)… and the boat to WL is so much easier.

Or maybe consider a split stay..

GFV is nice mostly for the monorail.. which again goes to how many days/nights do you plan to be at MK and EP..

Have fun planning

 

[Marthasor]

VGF has the nicest villas on-property IMHO, but due to its proximity to the Poly tower construction, I would not stay there right now. AKV location isn’t great. I would stick with BRV - good location, several good dining options and newly refurbished room!

 

[CarolynFH]

VGF has the nicest villas on-property IMHO, but due to its proximity to the Poly tower construction, I would not stay there right now. AKV location isn’t great. I would stick with BRV - good location, several good dining options and newly refurbished room!

I would, too.

 

[Karebear]

As a fellow Californian who has been multiple times to both Disneyland and WDW, I thought that I would offer my opinion. You are correct in that AKL and WL are very similar to the GC at Disneyland and the GF to the Hotel del Coronado. We haven't stayed at WL, but have at all of the other monorail resorts. They are great for MK but kind of too far (for me) to the other parks. We prefer the Epcot resorts. They are more central to everything. We also enjoy Epcot for dinner as it is the most different from the Disneyland experience. You might want to see what is available there. Have fun planning!

 

[gottalovepluto]

1. Savanna view only. The inconvenience of being all the way out at AKL is NOT worth staring at a parking lot.

2. OMG. BLT or GF. Do not do AKL. I’m a DL vet and had been staying GCH in the years prior. Did AKL my first trip and got upgraded to a savanna view. Cool… but Ugg. AKL is soo inconvenient. I timed the bus back from MK one night and it was 25 mins. Imagine it being 25 mins to take a bus from Disneyland to GCH. And that did not take into account the time waiting for the bus. AKL is a beautiful resort, but I wouldn’t recommend it for a first timer used to Disneyland and GCH. WDW is the size of SF, that’s something that I couldn’t really understand until I got there.
2.2 as for the actual q, change it up! WL is nice but GF and BLT are more convenient.

5. I love MV but at peaks times they are next to impossible to get. If you are at MK that means you need to take a boat to TTC to get a rideshare. I still wouldn’t recommend AKL for you.

If you really want to AKL- people do a thing called Split Stays at WDW. I’d do a couple days at AKL and hit up AK while there and then move. A split stay is when your stay a few days at one hotel and then a few at another. Disney will transfer your luggage if you want but you will be “homeless” from check out until your room is ready and luggage can take until 5-6pm to arrive.

 

[maxbuffmelvin]

2. OMG. BLT or GF. Do not do AKL. I’m a DL vet and had been staying GCH in the years prior. Did AKL my first trip and got upgraded to a savanna view. Cool… but Ugg. AKL is soo inconvenient. I timed the bus back from MK one night and it was 25 mins. Imagine it being 25 mins to take a bus from Disneyland to GCH. And that did not take into account the time waiting for the bus. AKL is a beautiful resort, but I wouldn’t recommend it for a first timer used to Disneyland and GCH. WDW is the size of SF, that’s something that I couldn’t really understand until I got there.
2.2 as for the actual q, change it up! WL is nice but GF and BLT are more convenient.

I agree. I am a veteran of both WDW and DL. GC is my go-to resort at DL. AKL is a beautiful resort, but I will only book there if I cannot get a DVC studio at the MK area resort. When I visit WDW or DL, being close to the castle park is essential since I spend most of my trip there. Although GF and BLT are closer to MK, WL would be my pick because I love the theming and the dining. I've never been to Hotel del Coronado, but If you like Hotel del Coronado theming more than GC, GF's might be a better choice.

I always have a car rental on a WDW trip, so I prefer driving to EPC, AK, and DHS. I save so much time with a rental car. If you end up staying at AKL, stick with the bus rather than Uber or drive to TTC because TTC is an extra step, while the bus from AKL will drop you at the MK entrance. I'm not sure where MV drops you off.

 

[gottalovepluto]

I agree. I am a veteran of both WDW and DL. GC is my go-to resort at DL. AKL is a beautiful resort, but I will only book there if I cannot get a DVC studio at the MK area resort. When I visit WDW or DL, being close to the castle park is essential since I spend most of my trip there. Although GF and BLT are closer to MK, WL would be my pick because I love the theming and the dining. I've never been to Hotel del Coronado, but If you like Hotel del Coronado theming more than GC, GF's might be a better choice.

I always have a car rental on a WDW trip, so I prefer driving to EPC, AK, and DHS. I save so much time with a rental car. If you end up staying at AKL, stick with the bus rather than Uber or drive to TTC because TTC is an extra step, while the bus from AKL will drop you at the MK entrance. I'm not sure where MV drops you off.

MV drops you off at MK in the closest Disney bus slot to the park.

 

[pwillunlv]

Thank you everybody for the replies and advice!!! A lot of things I had not given thought to (i.e. we plan to end at least 3 nights at MK, so probably makes sense to stay near there). Also, had not given much thought to renting a car, but maybe that is a better strategy than Minnie Vans/Uber. Ultimately, I think we will end up staying at BRV, but may explore GFV, BLT, or some of the Epcot Villas (BCV/YCV) if they become available.

I am going to start another post on parks strategy. Sneak preview: we are being gifted 2 (!) days of a Private VIP Tour. @Karebear, @gottalovepluto, @maxbuffmelvin, I may tag y'all in that post if you have time for input given that you are all DLR vets as well--everybody else's input is of course welcome as well!

 

[RoseGold]

I love AKL savanna rooms, they are one of the reasons I bought into DVC. But the animals go to bed early, like 5. So, if you're park warriors, it might be a waste. Add on worse transportation and probably more expensive, and I'm sticking BR.

I like GF, it's a lot more wow factor, and I live in the WL theme, so I am not impressed by it. But GF will likely cost A LOT more. So, I'd stick BR.

You will love BR. It will be great.

 

[maxbuffmelvin]

I love AKL savanna rooms, they are one of the reasons I bought into DVC. But the animals go to bed early, like 5. So, if you're park warriors, it might be a waste. Add on worse transportation and probably more expensive, and I'm sticking BR.

I like GF, it's a lot more wow factor, and I live in the WL theme, so I am not impressed by it. But GF will likely cost A LOT more. So, I'd stick BR.

You will love BR. It will be great.

I live in GF/BC/YC theme area, so I am not as impressed by those resorts as other WDW deluxe resorts. WL, Poly, GC, and Aulani have a lot more wow factor since I live nowhere near those themes.

 

[DizDaD7]

We are Disneyland veterans making our first trip to WDW this March. We currently have a 2-bedroom villa at BRV (cash, not DVC points). We are totally fine with BRV, especially considering we are likely to get a recently refurbished villa (https://www.disboards.com/threads/boulder-ridge-refurbished-room-with-pics.3907001/). However, if a 2-bedroom villa opens up at AKV (Kidani or Jambo) or GFV, should we consider going to either of those resorts instead? We have looked at other resorts with 2-bedroom villas, but those resorts (WL, GF, and AKL) are our top three.

Initially, I know it is unlikely that we will be able to get a 2-bedroom at either AKV or GFV. However, our travel agent and Disney have both said that some 2-bedroom villas may open up as it gets closer to the 30-day mark. In fact, a few 1-bedroom villas have opened up over the past week.

Here are some specific questions/considerations:

1. Should we consider AKV only if we are able to get a savanna view or should we consider it even with a standard view?
2. We often stay at the GC at DLR. Is WL/BRV so similar to the GC that we should factor that into our analysis? I know WL and GC (and AKL, for that matter) had the same architect.
3. We also often stay at the Hotel del Coronado in San Diego, which the GF is modeled on. Would that impact your analysis in staying at a GFV?
4. As noted above, it appears likely that we will get a refurbished villa at BRV . How would you weigh that, especially given the condition of AKL given that many say that AKL (especially Kidani) is in need of a refurbishment?
5. I know transportation is a knock at AKV, but we are fine using Minnie Vans or Uber. We do not anticipate becoming WDW regulars (given our proximity to DLR), so we are fine with the added costs that many regulars would probably (rightfully) not be.
6. Are there any other factors we should take into consideration?

All thoughts/advice are greatly appreciated!

So other factors might sway me with some decisions on where to stay.
For 1, How long will this trip consist of?
Will there be resort days built into them?
What parks will you visit? All, some, Multiple returns? I did see that you were going to be ending at MK 3 nites?

I can personally make a better recommendation of what we would do, if that extra info was added, thanx..

 

[sethschroeder]

Stay at BWV or BCV or RIV

I say this because MK is DL to an extent and you will want to spend more time around Epcot/HS and its so easy to get to from these resorts which are very different from where you come from.

I would not consider AKV except for 1 or 2 nights. Its nice but its terrible for a WDW trip and trying to get to the parks when other resorts have easy access to the parks.