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Thread: Disney Vacation Club

  1. #1
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    Disney Vacation Club

    What is your favorite DVC property? Ours was Beach Club Villas because we could walk right into the back of Epcot and down the path to Hollywood Studios. Not to mention all the awesome stuff around the Boardwalk and Crescent Lake.


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    Our two favorites are the Grand Californian (although there was a time when the kids were sick of the redwood slide and wanted us to make reservations for the Disneyland hotel because they have the fun monorail slides) and Animal Kingdom Lodge. There's just nothing quite like waking up to animals outside your balcony.

    We also had a great trip in a treehouse villa, although the final guest list wasn't what I had anticipated when I booked it and if I had known who all was coming I probably would have booked a true 3 bedroom somewhere else instead.

    We've stayed at Boardwalk villas as well as swan/dolphin on cash stays and I agree that's a great location. I've also put my parents/nephew into the beach club for the water parks esq pool area and the proximity to theme parks, but haven't stayed there in a DVC room ourselves.


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    That's awesome you have got to stay so frequently on both coasts. We love the Boardwalk too and may stay at the Swan/Dolphin one of these days. And yes, our home resort was Kidani Village and we loved that whole atmosphere. We still think there should be a train going from the lodge to the park. Or something. Monorail?


  5. #4
    Quote Originally Posted by wdwchuck View Post
    ....... We still think there should be a train going from the lodge to the park. Or something. Monorail?
    How about a dual use large pathway that can be for walkers (obviously separated) and also a roadway for "buses" that look something like the Safari vehicles?

    That would let the new addition still seem themed to the Park and Lodge.

    As much as I like the monorail (but understand how it's cost prohibitive to build an extensive network beyond what we already have), it would sort of seem out of place a little bit arriving near the front of DAK, IMO.

    A ground level (if that's easy to do - perhaps the mechanics and maintenance makes it really need to be elevated - I'm not sure) People Mover type of thing would also be something I'd consider to be a decent solution.
    -Dave

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    Beach Club for the same reason as wdwchuck, easy walking access to Epcot. And Saratoga Springs, for easy walking access to Disney Springs. And SS Villas seem larger than others we've stayed at. Kidani & Jambo House are good, too, and themed so well, we love it there, too, but it's so far away from the rest of the stuff on property!

    Karin


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    Quote Originally Posted by Dave1313 View Post
    How about a dual use large pathway that can be for walkers (obviously separated) and also a roadway for "buses" that look something like the Safari vehicles?

    That would let the new addition still seem themed to the Park and Lodge.

    As much as I like the monorail (but understand how it's cost prohibitive to build an extensive network beyond what we already have), it would sort of seem out of place a little bit arriving near the front of DAK, IMO.

    A ground level (if that's easy to do - perhaps the mechanics and maintenance makes it really need to be elevated - I'm not sure) People Mover type of thing would also be something I'd consider to be a decent solution.
    I love the idea of a people mover type thing. Dual use large pathway like the one going to Hollywood Studios from the Beach Club/Boardwalk area would work too. I am not even sure how far that would be in a direct line?

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    Quote Originally Posted by Karin View Post
    Beach Club for the same reason as wdwchuck, easy walking access to Epcot. And Saratoga Springs, for easy walking access to Disney Springs. And SS Villas seem larger than others we've stayed at. Kidani & Jambo House are good, too, and themed so well, we love it there, too, but it's so far away from the rest of the stuff on property!
    We loved Saratoga Springs also. Key West too because of the larger Villas but all the bus stops were kind of a downer. Once we lived in Florida and started driving it was okay.

  9. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by wdwchuck View Post
    I love the idea of a people mover type thing. Dual use large pathway like the one going to Hollywood Studios from the Beach Club/Boardwalk area would work too. I am not even sure how far that would be in a direct line?
    Now that I'm looking more closely, it would certainly be a challenge. Doing a quick measurement of distance using Google Maps, it looks like it would be at least 3/4 of a mile from the front of Jambo House (or maybe somewhere in the closest Jambo House parking lot) to the Bus area in front of DAK. It would likely end up being closer to a full mile with curving paths, etc. While I would probably still welcome such a walk, I realize there are a lot of people who definitely would not.

    I never really noticed before looking closely just now, but it looks like Osceola Parkway as you enter the AKL area already goes pretty darn close to the fence line for the Eastern-most Savanna at Jambo House. So it would be probably impossible to fit anything in between the existing road and the fence line. So now it would be even more complicated if we had to somehow bridge this new path over Osceola Parkway (or re-configure the existing road, which would be a major deal for a relatively small benefit project). There are several large bodies of water in the general area too, which I'm guessing are maybe man made to help with rain management. So they probably are not easy to modify.

    As much as I'd like them to make a pathway between the two, I can see why it's not easily done the way things are now. Maybe a walking path involving pedestrian bridges over Osceola and other roads in the general area could be made to work, but it would be very long.
    -Dave

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    Quote Originally Posted by Dave1313 View Post
    Now that I'm looking more closely, it would certainly be a challenge. Doing a quick measurement of distance using Google Maps, it looks like it would be at least 3/4 of a mile from the front of Jambo House (or maybe somewhere in the closest Jambo House parking lot) to the Bus area in front of DAK. It would likely end up being closer to a full mile with curving paths, etc. While I would probably still welcome such a walk, I realize there are a lot of people who definitely would not.

    I never really noticed before looking closely just now, but it looks like Osceola Parkway as you enter the AKL area already goes pretty darn close to the fence line for the Eastern-most Savanna at Jambo House. So it would be probably impossible to fit anything in between the existing road and the fence line. So now it would be even more complicated if we had to somehow bridge this new path over Osceola Parkway (or re-configure the existing road, which would be a major deal for a relatively small benefit project). There are several large bodies of water in the general area too, which I'm guessing are maybe man made to help with rain management. So they probably are not easy to modify.

    As much as I'd like them to make a pathway between the two, I can see why it's not easily done the way things are now. Maybe a walking path involving pedestrian bridges over Osceola and other roads in the general area could be made to work, but it would be very long.
    Thanks for doing the research Dave. One thing they have going for them is that they created the Animal Kingdom. If they can do that they can find a way to get Animal Kingdom Lodge/Kidani Village guests into the park easier? I need to measure how long that pathway is to Hollywood Studios from the Beach Club. Maybe 3/4 of a mile? I will check it out. I have to say, that walk between Crescent Lake resorts and Hollywood Studios has always been a great part of my park experience. Not crowded, clean, along the water. Very peaceful.
    Last edited by wdwchuck; 01-08-2023 at 05:42 AM.

  11. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by wdwchuck View Post
    Thanks for doing the research Dave. One thing they have going for them is that they created the Animal Kingdom. If they can do that they can find a way to get Animal Kingdom Lodge/Kidani Village guests into the park easier? I need to measure how long that pathway is to Hollywood Studios from the Beach Club. Maybe 3/4 of a mile? I will check it out.

    This link to Google Maps
    should be pretty close to your path. I mapped from the Planter outside DHS to the Skyliner Station at International Gateway.

    It seems like it's about 1.2 miles as I laid out the blue path in the link. Initially Google mapped it automatically with cutting through Boardwalk to make it 1.1 miles. I tend to not cut through the hotel just to avoid walking the slightly longer path though. I always feel like I'm intruding a bit if not staying there or visiting for a specific reason (like I will visit lobbies to see Christmas decorations, eat at a restaurant, etc.). If you take the alternate path around Yacht and Beach it's 1.3 miles for the same end points.

    For the Beach Club main entrance on Crescent Lake (after typing the above I mapped to BC too ), it looks like the numbers flip around for the path to the Studios: 1.1 miles from Beach to DHS if you walk past Yacht, 1.3 miles if you walk around Boardwalk. Link for Yacht Path. Link for Boardwalk path.

    So a AKL to DK path would not be much longer, necessarily. But on that same note, lots of time the walk from IG to DHS is one of the least crowded parts of WDW! So not a LOT of people do it, compared to the other options available.

    Realizing I'm getting way off your original topic , I will say even though I am not DVC, I did stay at Kidani one time when they had rooms available for general sale. I liked it pretty much (though I'm not sure I would rank it any higher than a regular room at Jambo House). It is my only experience at a DVC room though, so I have nothing else DVC to compare it to.

    Unfortunately I did experience a very serious room Check In related SNAFU on that trip, but it was an odd situation that probably could have happened at any Resort. (probably not a good idea to check in after midnight... apparently all the staff was not fully trained in how to handle "catching up" check ins in the morning following the computers being down for their evening maintenance)
    Last edited by Dave1313; 01-08-2023 at 05:57 AM.
    -Dave

  12. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dave1313 View Post

    This link to Google Maps
    should be pretty close to your path. I mapped from the Planter outside DHS to the Skyliner Station at International Gateway.

    It seems like it's about 1.2 miles as I laid out the blue path in the link. Initially Google mapped it automatically with cutting through Boardwalk to make it 1.1 miles. I tend to not cut through the hotel just to avoid walking the slightly longer path though. I always feel like I'm intruding a bit if not staying there or visiting for a specific reason (like I will visit lobbies to see Christmas decorations, eat at a restaurant, etc.). If you take the alternate path around Yacht and Beach it's 1.3 miles for the same end points.

    For the Beach Club main entrance on Crescent Lake (after typing the above I mapped to BC too ), it looks like the numbers flip around for the path to the Studios: 1.1 miles from Beach to DHS if you walk past Yacht, 1.3 miles if you walk around Boardwalk. Link for Yacht Path. Link for Boardwalk path.
    You are fast!! Yes, that was always a nice walk. Didn't realize it was a full mile. It helped digest our meal when we pigged out at HS. Crescent Lake DVC resorts are so awesome because we can walk to not one park but two. I know they can do it at Animal Kingdom. It might be a little much to try a path to Hollywood Studios from there but maybe Skyliner? Elevated People Mover? Star Trek transformer?

  13. #12
    Quote Originally Posted by wdwchuck View Post
    You are fast!! Yes, that was always a nice walk. Didn't realize it was a full mile. It helped digest our meal when we pigged out at HS. Crescent Lake DVC resorts are so awesome because we can walk to not one park but two. I know they can do it at Animal Kingdom. It might be a little much to try a path to Hollywood Studios from there but maybe Skyliner? Elevated People Mover? Star Trek transformer?
    Don't give me too much credit for being fast! It was random chance that I happened to log on right after you posted the question. (and I've done those mappings for the walking paths before for my own curiosity, so it was fairly easy to re-create them).

    I agree on the convenience of Crescent Lake spots. I stayed at Yacht one time, and my most recent trip I tried Dolphin. The convenience was nice. Although I will admit, being a park/resort hopper sometimes, I might not have always used the walking path. (like if I'm going to DHS, but then hopping over to MK or DAK, I would drive to DHS, as silly/wasteful as that may seem to some). If I had a day that was only going to be EPC/DHS (with maybe a round at Fantasia Gardens thrown in), then I would definitely walk to get everywhere.

    As to Skyliner, there were some rumors with various Vloggers/fan sites after the debut of the original lines that a "Phase 2" (that would include DAK, and probably Coronado Springs/Blizzard Beach, IIRC) might be in the long term vision, but that was before the shut-downs, so who knows if that would even be a thought for quite a while. They are still catching up on other big projects and/or re-evaluating some of the previously announced attractions, as we all know.
    -Dave

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    Quote Originally Posted by Dave1313 View Post
    Don't give me too much credit for being fast! It was random chance that I happened to log on right after you posted the question. (and I've done those mappings for the walking paths before for my own curiosity, so it was fairly easy to re-create them).

    I agree on the convenience of Crescent Lake spots. I stayed at Yacht one time, and my most recent trip I tried Dolphin. The convenience was nice. Although I will admit, being a park/resort hopper sometimes, I might not have always used the walking path. (like if I'm going to DHS, but then hopping over to MK or DAK, I would drive to DHS, as silly/wasteful as that may seem to some). If I had a day that was only going to be EPC/DHS (with maybe a round at Fantasia Gardens thrown in), then I would definitely walk to get everywhere.

    As to Skyliner, there were some rumors with various Vloggers/fan sites after the debut of the original lines that a "Phase 2" (that would include DAK, and probably Coronado Springs/Blizzard Beach, IIRC) might be in the long term vision, but that was before the shut-downs, so who knows if that would even be a thought for quite a while. They are still catching up on other big projects and/or re-evaluating some of the previously announced attractions, as we all know.
    What did you think of staying at the Dolphin? Did you get a good deal? Do you know any times of year that they give out good deals? I apologize if you already critiqued that stay someplace else on this site.

  15. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by wdwchuck View Post
    What did you think of staying at the Dolphin? Did you get a good deal? Do you know any times of year that they give out good deals? I apologize if you already critiqued that stay someplace else on this site.
    I thought it was pretty nice. I hadn't really ever seriously considered it before (I had been staying regularly at what used to be the Best Western at the Springs prior to COVID, but it changed ownership, so my saved points there were no longer useful for any of the Good Neighbor Hotels). Therefore I can't evaluate the cost in terms of it being a good deal or if there are better times of the year for rates, etc. What I describe below was most likely a better rate than nearly any WDW Resort would have been, except for the Values.

    I will say what I got (had to check my old emails/cc receipts, but it was still there ): I stayed Wed through Sun nights, 10/13 through 10/17/21. I had a "2 Double Beds, Resort View, Deluxe Room with a guaranteed Balcony". The room charge with taxes and fees was around $1960 (per my confirmation email, the rate by night varied from a low of $254 for Sunday to a high of $370 for Saturday). I also paid the $29/day parking fee, so my total was just over $2100 for the 5 nights(including the car). Note I only actually made this reservation one week before I actually went, so that may have helped me chose my days based on what the availability was (I was flexible with my dates), also may have affected the rate in either a positive or negative way (depending on how many rooms they had they were still trying to fill for my dates).

    The room I got was on the 3rd floor main Lobby level (same as parking - which I liked for leaving every morning - no waiting for elevators to get moving in the morning. My balcony faced towards Yacht/Beach, and I had an excellent view of the Boardwalk Sign that leads in near the Dance Hall. I could also see Spaceship Earth a little bit, which was nice since they were showing the new light show patterns on it, even into the night after the park was closed. Having a room at a similar location but on a higher floor probably would have enhanced the view of SE a bit, but keep in mind this is "Resort View", so that was just a bonus. I don't know if they do actually try to sell any of the rooms as "Theme Park View" since it's not really that close. I'll try to post a few pics of the view from the room and it's interior later.
    -Dave

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    Thank you Dave. Appreciate you taking the time to do this. We stayed at the Wyndham that is right by Disney Springs and we were surprised at how many different hotel brands were along that same road. We got a pretty good price for that hotel and are going to try a couple others this year. Just saw the news that Disney is scaling back on some of its price gouging so who knows, maybe the hotel pricing will go down a little bit so we could even stay on property again? Hotel Plaza Boulevard.
    Have always wanted to try Dolphin/Swan and I will keep looking for some value pricing. Maybe in August?
    Thanks again for the insight.


  17. #16
    I'll try to post a few pics of the view from the room and it's interior later.
    Sorry for delay (been busy the last several weekends), but here are a few low res pics of the view from my room.

    lo_res2_IMG_3984.jpg

    lo_res2_IMG_3985.jpg

    lo_res2_IMG_3986.jpg

    lo_res2_IMG_4283.jpg

    lo_res2_IMG_3979.jpg

    I'd consider a return visit with them, I think. I'd go in figuring I might not get a similar view, but would probably roll the dice for the same category of room and see what I get (fully realizing a room might look over towards the other hotel instead of towards the park).
    -Dave

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    Quote Originally Posted by Dave1313 View Post
    Sorry for delay (been busy the last several weekends), but here are a few low res pics of the view from my room.

    lo_res2_IMG_3984.jpg

    lo_res2_IMG_3985.jpg

    lo_res2_IMG_3986.jpg

    lo_res2_IMG_4283.jpg

    lo_res2_IMG_3979.jpg

    I'd consider a return visit with them, I think. I'd go in figuring I might not get a similar view, but would probably roll the dice for the same category of room and see what I get (fully realizing a room might look over towards the other hotel instead of towards the park).
    Thanks Dave1313, Looks like you are still in the bubble. Right there in the middle of the action. Sorry for my delay in responding. I have been watching that Disney + Proud family clip that's going around the internet. People at Disney have absolutely lost their minds. Insane. I guess they really are going to drag the company down as far as they can.....

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