Which Villa would you recommend?

[billysmommy]

We're heading to Disney World next Feb-May sometime to celebrate the boys' birthdays. We have a timeshare in St Thomas that we can exchange for one of the following:

Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa

Disney's Beach Club Villas

Disney's Boardwalk Villas

Disney's Old Key West Resort

Villas at Wilderness Lodge


Those of you who are DVC members or who have stayed in any of these which would you recommend? I'm leaning somewhat towards the Beach Club or Boardwalk as they are so close to Epcot (is it really walking distance?) Billy thinks the water slide at the Boardwalk Villas looks awesome :)

Thanks :)

[egoldber]

We are DVC owners. :) We own BWV and have stayed at BWV and OKW. We have stayed at the Yacht Club hotel, but not the Beach Club. But they are extremely similar and are considered sister resorts.

BCV is 5 minute walk to the back entrance of Epcot (you enter into the World Showcase between England and France). BWV is about 10 minutes. From either you can also walk to Hollywood Studios. This takes about 20ish minutes, but is often faster than waiting for the boats.

The Epcot resorts are by far my favorite hotel area. You have plenty of easily strollable food choices between all the hotels and Epcot. I love being able to walk back to the hotel after the evening shows at Epcot and Hollywood Studios.

For BCV and BWV its just a matter of what's available and which pool you prefer. :)

The rooms at OKW are much larger than at any of the other DVC hotels. Its a nice resort, but requires a bus ride anywhere except Downtown Disney (there is a boat also). We always rent a car when we stay there. It is not our preferred resort, but is perfectly nice.

We have toured Sarasota Springs but not stayed there. There is a path to walk to Downtown Disney and there is also a short boat ride. The resort is very beautiful.

I don't know much about VWL.

[kristenk]

I don't have any experience with any of the other villas, but we've stayed at VWL. For our family trip last year, we stayed at a 2BR villa at VWL and it was great. I really like the whole Wilderness Lodge feel, b/c it seems somewhat restful to me. DD really liked taking the boat places and I enjoyed having Fort Wilderness a short boat ride away. VWL/WL actually sort of felt a bit isolated to me, but that was welcome after spending time at the parks, etc.

I'd go with whichever hotel was more convenient for the parks/places that you think you'd visit most.

[spanannie]

We stayed at VWL last spring break and we really loved it. We would have stayed there again this year, but we wanted to be on the monorail this time. I loved the atmosphere and having more of a condo than a hotel room. It was a nice place and you have good access to the monorail by boat.

[mom2tony]

I also am a DVC owner at BWV. I've stayed at BWV of course, VWL and SSR. I liked SSR the least with kids because everything is a bus ride away. We are spoiled by the BWV and the ability to walk to both Epcot and MGM! MGM is about a 20 min leisurely walk from the Boardwalk and faster than taking the boat for sure.

I love VWL for the theming, the boat ride to MK is pretty quick as well.

[clc053103]

another vote for BWV. WE aren't owners and we stay there anyway. From what I understand, BCV overlook a parking lot.