Going back to Studios after 1BR...

[Grumpy by Birth]

We bought more than double the amount of points we were initially considering specifically so we would be able to stay in 1BRs (and sometimes 2BR of 3BR with banking/borrowing). Even if it's just the two of us, we love having the additional space. 1BRs are more like staying in a condo/villa while studios, however nice, feel closer to a hotel room to us.

 

[RoseGold]

I keep looking at the kitchenettes and wondering how hard (or easy!) it might be to prepare meals with only a microwave, toaster, and mini fridge.

Not my bag, but plenty of people keep a griddle in their owner's locker. Cheap solution to this issue, and basically puts you at everything but an oven.

 

[Ms.Minnie]

We have been owners since 2000 so 20 years now. Over the years we have stayed in studios, 1 & 2 bedrooms and grand villas. What we do generally depends on who is going with us and what we have planned for the following year. I might have to conserve on points so I can get larger accommodations for the following year for the additional family members or friends that are joining us. That being said when it's just DH and myself I do prefer a 1 bedroom over a studio but studios can also work just fine (and have) especially for shorter trips.

One of the main reasons I prefer a 1 bedroom over a studio is we now go for longer periods of time so the W&D come in very handy. I can pack much lighter because I will do a load or two during our stay. We also like the full kitchen even though we have never really cooked a meal. We usually always have leftovers from dinning out so having the larger fridge to store those leftovers in and the oven to reheat them comes in very handy.

As far as the king size bed goes we also prefer a queen bed but can live with the king (such a hardship ). We had a double bed for the first 30 years of marriage and finally moved up to a queen, at first it felt like we were a mile away from each other, LOL...but in a king we really are far apart...I guess it's all in what you get used to.

I hope this helps a little in you decision. Whatever you decide I'm sure you will be happy. Enjoy!

 

[bk2019]

We bought with the idea of saving money by staying studios, but after staying in a 1BR that pretty much went out the window. We use studios for trips of 1-2 days and 1BR+ for anything longer.

 

[Mamiamjo]

I personally wouldn't buy for only using a studio. Although I could stay in a studio for short trips every once in a while, I'd much rather have the space of the 1 BD (or larger) units.

 

[Where'sPiglet?]

Disclaimer: I have not yet stayed in a one-bedroom, although I think my family stayed in a one-bedroom at the Disney Institute back in 2000, when they were considered a "Home Away From Home" level of resorts, but I don't remember many details.

The catch-22 here is that you're talking about staying in a studio for two weeks at a time. The longer your stay, the more beneficial the washer/dryer, full kitchen, and extra space are, but the gap between the amount of points you need for a studio and a one bedroom just grows and grows every day of your stay. It's a dilemma, really.

 

[Lorana]

Disclaimer: I have not yet stayed in a one-bedroom, although I think my family stayed in a one-bedroom at the Disney Institute back in 2000, when they were considered a "Home Away From Home" level of resorts, but I don't remember many details.

The catch-22 here is that you're talking about staying in a studio for two weeks at a time. The longer your stay, the more beneficial the washer/dryer, full kitchen, and extra space are, but the gap between the amount of points you need for a studio and a one bedroom just grows and grows every day of your stay. It's a dilemma, really.

It IS a dilemma! The Studio vs 1BR point gap is pretty huge! My 2 FWs are 233 points in 2021; for a 1 BR those same weeks, it's 473 points, MORE than double!

 

[Deb & Bill]

The only studio we'll stay in is OKW with two queen beds. We're older and set in our ways and a single queen bed is too small for the two of us together. And neither of us deserve to sleep on the sleeper sofa. We'll stay in any one bedroom, but only OKW studios. In studios, you give up the washer and dryer right in your villa, plus the full kitchen that includes a good sized freezer space in the refrigerator. With a studio, you don't have that freezer space. OKW also has an ice maker in the freezer so you don't have to keep filling up ice trays and making your ice (or running to the ice machine).

If I don't have a washer and dryer now (our trips are shorter, we live closer), it's not that big of a deal. But there have been times I used the washer and dryer even on short trips (sloppy eating and need to take care of that clothing before it stains - not going to a laundry room to wait for a washer).

 

[Shellyred8]

For me, the biggest issue is the loss of the W/D in the room. When we are in a 1br, we pack less because we know we have the laundry facilities right in the room and it's super convenient. When we are in Studios, we pack more because I don't want to deal with the hassle of trekking to the laundry room and then waiting around for it to be finished.

I don't miss the kitchen much because I prefer to let Disney do most of the cooking while I'm on vacation.

 

[Mamiamjo]

In a studio I miss having space to be able to walk around (especially if the pullout is open), a living area separate from the bed room, a much larger fridge and freezer, and the washer dryer

 

[szymcl]

We are fine back in studios. My kids are grown, and for a few years, I resisted and got 1 and 2 bedrooms just in case one of them could come along. It doesn't usually work out for them, so last year we rattled around in a 2 bedroom! We are walkers and love to be outside, so the studio is just fine, especially Poly and especially a main floor anywhere for us. We do a lot of eating in the room, we have to have oatmeal every morning and generally do lunches and lots of snacks. And Cocktails to get us started on an evening out!!!
I like the idea of a portable grill, I haven't tried that. We are doing 8 days at a Poly studio in January, I sure hope things are a bit more settled by then or I may just keep putting it off. I don't like the idea of walking around on vacation with a mask. Bright side, I have been saving a lot of money because shopping is not fun anymore!

 

[LSchrow]

We went from years of 1 bdrms with 4 people for one week, to years of two weeks in studios with 2 adults, and now two weeks in 1 bdrms with 2 adults.
We probably could have stayed in the studios had we just stuck with a week at a time, but the difference is huge for longer stays.
In the 1 bdrm, we sleep better (I'm a light sleeper, and any hallway noise is too easily heard in a studio), having the option of frozen foods & hefty quantities of refrigerated items at our fingertips, the ability to get up early/stay up late without bothering the other person, washing dirty clothes without interfering with any plans, having clean towels whenever we want, and the tipping point: the lack of storage once they put in the single drop-down bed in studios meant living out of suitcases - that was a hard "NO!!!"
I had booked a Riviera studio for the first 2 weeks of December (first time seeing the Christmas décor!!), but will likely cut the days back because of all the reasons i listed.

 

[wbl2745]

I'm totally spoiled after staying in a one-bedroom. If we have the points, we tend to stay in a one-bedroom.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

We are two adults that stay exclusively in studios. I don’t feel the the one bedrooms are big enough to justify double the points at resorts like SSR, CCV, BRV, BWV, BCV, AKL. All of the others ( B LT and OKW and RIV) have bigger one bedrooms. I feel those units are worth the price.

 

[NickBCV]

1Bdrm wins every time for us. We actually have never stayed in a studio since we got DVC but have stayed at Port Orleans in a smaller paid room and once you live the one bedroom life it is so hard to go back

 

[cedricandsophie]

We don’t go parks much so we spend days at pool, eat breakfast and sometimes lunch in the room. I don’t think I would go without laundry and a full kitchen.

 

[DVC Jen]

When it is just my husband and I, we are very happy staying in a studio. No issues at all.

 

[gharter]

For us , it varies.
When we go in October for F&W and stay at BWV, we do a 1 BR.
In the spring for F&G and stay at Kidani, we often do a studio. If we had the points, we would do the 1 BR (its amazing), but the studio works for just 2 of us.

 

[mort1331]

We are a family of 4 with DD 13 and 9. We always do split stays. Start off with the first half in a studio, and the back in a 1 bdrm. This way we dont need the space or WD for the first half and sometimes grab the meal plan for the first half as well. Then sit and relax the last half in the 1bdrm catch up on laundry. Love the OKW 1bdrm for the last half.

 

[Simba's Mom]

We don’t go parks much so we spend days at pool, eat breakfast and sometimes lunch in the room. I don’t think I would go without laundry and a full kitchen.

Reading this reminds me that I'll bet there's a relationship between the amount of time you spend in the parks (are you "we mostly just use the room to sleep) versus the type of people self-described here. Because we're just like these people, spend a few hours on most days in the parks, otherwise hang around and vacation at the resort. Thus, one bedrooms are important for us 2.