Don't wanna stay there anymore

[ehh]

For some background: I track availability for all my stays.

For stays where we're 100% sure we want to stay at our home resort, I track availability daily between 11mo and 7mo (plus buffers on both sides) to see when availability of our booked room dries up. I use this for annual trend tracking, but also for future knowledge of how much I need to prioritize waking up early and being ready for 5am booking, or even if I can use SAP at 7m.

For stays where we might switch resorts at 7mo, I track availability daily of all the potential rooms we might book at 7mo between 11mo and 7mo (plus buffers on both sides). I use the data for similar reasons as the home resort tracking, plus also for considering how important buying points at X resort might be.

Currently we have 10 stays booked in this limbo between 7mo and 11mo, with 5 of them where we might switch from our home resort to a different resort. All 5 are WDW trips.

While updating my spreadsheet one morning, a two-fold realization hit me:

1. There's just two resorts that aren't on the 'might switch to' list: Animal Kingdom Villas and Boulder Ridge
2. I can't think of a time of year or a 'type of stay' where we'd want to stay at AKV anymore

We've been fortunate enough to stay at all the WDW resorts, most multiple times, including 3 times at AKV (2x Jambo, 1x Kidani). None of the AKV stays were particularly bad (one time we were even bumped to a suite on the cash side), but somewhere along the way AKV lost its appeal to us. I won't make this about our misgivings with AKV, though I will say the realization was more melancholy than "good riddance".

Anybody else have this kind of realization about a resort you've stayed at? Did the pendulum ever swing back to wanting to stay at the resort?

 

[Sandisw]

This level of realization is how I have ended up with owning RIV, VGF and SSR now. I have owned BRV, BLT, and BWV over the years and after staying at every place but OKW, I found that I just love RIV and VGF so those always get booked and very rarely do I switch.

I simply can't bring myself to AKV or OKW at all, even when it will save me points. Now, when I book a last minute trip....just booked a few nights in June, then I might have to choose something else....we will be in a 2 bedroom at BLT instead of at RIV, only because its a non park trip and fewer points...and my friends want to be on the monorail!

Other than that, it alwasy comes back to RIV and VGF....

 

[RuntheMouse]

I actually am feeling this about AKV and we own there. We’ve had some really great stays there but the last 2 left me less than excited to go back. Not 1 thing but just a lack of enthusiasm. I actually told DH I think those points will be our SAP rather than SSR because oddball that I am, I really love it there!

I also don’t want to stay at OKW, no wow for me even with the point savings.

 

[Kailunkat]

Maybe you will differently after the next renovation is finished at AKV?

 

[Moonspinner]

We actually just booked Kidani after about a 5 years hiatus and are really excited about it. I do think if you take a break, you will one day want to go back.
We also love SSR!
One resort we are tired of is poly. It is just so crowded. Dh is over the crowds there. We are a bit tired of OKW too. We probably won’t stay there again for a few years.

 

[🍀TwinsMom]

I'm giving VGF another try after being totally turned off on a madhouse December trip in 2023, but if the lobby/monorail/crowds are still annoying, that'll be it for me. I love the looks of the resort, but I find the DVC room location *just* far enough away to be annoying, and the constant hubbub makes me nuts in the main lobby with crowds. Again, hoping this May is quieter. Much quieter.

Also, we bought 100 Poly points, and we do like the tower, but the freaking grounds and pools and hot tubs are SO overrun with little kids and people everywhere. I kind of regret buying points there -- but I really like the tower rooms and location and views! -- but we like quieter resorts.

Ironically, AKJ has totally moved UP my list on me after a trip with my son in January. The rooms need a refurb for sure, but I love the quiet vibe there and awesome food options -- and animals everywhere!

BW/BC again are too hectic, despite having great looks and location.

SS and OKW have grown on us!

I don't see BLT ever growing on us, honestly. Just totally not our thing, and we don't need to take kids in strollers back for naps.

 

[nerdboyrockstar]

I'll try any resort again after a refurb, even if I didn't love it. I'm coming up on 10 years since my last Boardwalk stay after I wasn't a big fan the first time.

I also thought I'd like the OKW Studio a lot more than I did seeing as it has the 2 Queen beds but thought it was an awkward layout and a shockingly small TV. I'll try it again after a refurb.

 

[We’reAllMadHere]

I absolutely love AKL, both Jambo and Kidani, and would happily buy more points there. It’s my happy place and will be even better post-refurb.

VGF is my other favorite, and we also own there. I’ll be interested to see if they are still my favorites in the years to come as we are relatively new owners.

OKW, SSR, and even the WL resorts are not for me right now, but I do like the Crescent Lake resorts when I can get a few days there. I’ve never stayed at Riv but am not a fan of their pool area.

 

[RichVIII]

Like some others say, sometimes absence makes the heart grow fonder. As BLT owners, we stay there a good bit (35% of our stays in the past decade according to my tracking doc). Ironically for many reasons, we haven’t been in a while and we we realized recently we miss it. For us, we have found that mixing it up more often helps keep it fresh.

 

[ehh]

I actually am feeling this about AKV and we own there. We’ve had some really great stays there but the last 2 left me less than excited to go back. Not 1 thing but just a lack of enthusiasm. I actually told DH I think those points will be our SAP rather than SSR because oddball that I am, I really love it there!

Totally agree that SSR is underrated and is one of our lowkey favorites. Probably why AKV is struggling to make it as a "maybe", Saratoga is higher on the list in most circumstances (though most of Saratoga's 'maybes' are actually the Treehouses...).

Maybe you will differently after the next renovation is finished at AKV?

Maybe!

One of my misgivings with AKV is that I think it's the least themed (relative to potential) of the DVC resorts. They have a chance to fix that with the refurb, though I find it unlikely they will do what they could do considering the hotel side is equally lacking on theming in my opinion.

Like some others say, sometimes absence makes the heart grow fonder.

Might be quite some time based on expected medium-term plans

 

[Girlstar30]

I'm giving VGF another try after being totally turned off on a madhouse December trip in 2023, but if the lobby/monorail/crowds are still annoying, that'll be it for me. I love the looks of the resort, but I find the DVC room location *just* far enough away to be annoying, and the constant hubbub makes me nuts in the main lobby with crowds. Again, hoping this May is quieter. Much quieter.

Also, we bought 100 Poly points, and we do like the tower, but the freaking grounds and pools and hot tubs are SO overrun with little kids and people everywhere. I kind of regret buying points there -- but I really like the tower rooms and location and views! -- but we like quieter resorts.

Ironically, AKJ has totally moved UP my list on me after a trip with my son in January. The rooms need a refurb for sure, but I love the quiet vibe there and awesome food options -- and animals everywhere!

BW/BC again are too hectic, despite having great looks and location.

SS and OKW have grown on us!

I don't see BLT ever growing on us, honestly. Just totally not our thing, and we don't need to take kids in strollers back for naps.

Was completely turned off by vgf in january and I'm hoping it was just an off week because I really wanted to like it! But out of 5 different hotel stays they had the worst customer service, I agree that it felt far and detached. I was very surprised by this.

 

[Girlstar30]

I absolutely love AKL, both Jambo and Kidani, and would happily buy more points there. It’s my happy place and will be even better post-refurb.

VGF is my other favorite, and we also own there. I’ll be interested to see if they are still my favorites in the years to come as we are relatively new owners.

OKW, SSR, and even the WL resorts are not for me right now, but I do like the Crescent Lake resorts when I can get a few days there. I’ve never stayed at Riv but am not a fan of their pool area.

Why don't you like the pool area? we are staying in September for the first time.

 

[DVC_Eeyore_Fan]

For us it’s BWV and AKL-Kidani. I was never in love with Boardwalk to begin with and after staying there twice I would rather stay at Beach Club or Riviera (we love RIV and are huge fans) if staying in the Epcot area. To me there’s nothing unique about BWV and I can walk the Boardwalk while staying at Beach Club or taking the skyliner from RIV.

I love AKL, and pretty much everything Joe Rohde has touched (I’m looking at you Aulani), but Kidani really disappointed me the last time and don’t want to book there again unless it’s a last minute trip. From getting a Pembe Savannah view (no giraffes) to the approximately 45 minute round trip walk to the quick service in Jambo and back just had me put off. Plus doing that with 3 littles under 5 was not ideal to say the least. That said, I love Jambo and we have a stay booked there in August. I just have no desire to stay at Kidani again for a bit.

 

[Skywalker3]

For me it's SSR, unless I'm planning a non-parks trip, only doing DS, offsite stuff, or driving myself, which I'd rather not do.
Stayed there last March, and it was a PITA to get to/from rooms, I did not at all like the busses there. Beautiful resort, but it (and OKW) will stay at the bottom if we're planning a parks trip.
We gravitate to our home BWV for location.

 

[We’reAllMadHere]

Why don't you like the pool area? we are staying in September for the first time.

Maybe it’s because we had just been at the Caribbean Beach pool the day before but it just felt a little lackluster/boring to me. It was just a first impression though. Maybe if we stayed there I would feel differently. (I can forgive BLT of the lackluster pool because of the proximity to MK.)

 

[Girlstar30]

Maybe it’s because we had just been at the Caribbean Beach pool the day before but it just felt a little lackluster/boring to me. It was just a first impression though. Maybe if we stayed there I would feel differently. (I can forgive BLT of the lackluster pool because of the proximity to MK.)

I haven't utilized it but from looking at a distant it seemed like the children's splash pad was the more impressive aspect

 

[eticketplease]

I also thought I'd like the OKW Studio a lot more than I did seeing as it has the 2 Queen beds but thought it was an awkward layout and a shockingly small TV. I'll try it again after a refurb.

The only way I see the TV getting larger is if they mounted it on the wall above where the table and chairs are now. If they did relocate the tv there it would have to be grow in size as the people in the bed by the door would not be able to see it lol

 

[Girlstar30]

The only way I see the TV getting larger is if they mounted it on the wall above where the table and chairs are now. If they did relocate the tv there it would have to be grow in size as the people in the bed by the door would not be able to see it lol

Interesting, does the one bedroom have this small TV issue and awkward layout?

 

[eticketplease]

Interesting, does the one bedroom have this small TV issue and awkward layout?

TV's are both good size for the living room and the actual bedroom. In the future I don't think the TV's in the living rooms of OKW, VH and HHI can get much bigger though. The living room tv's are built into island of the kitchen.

The studios/2nd bedroom have the TV mounted to an angled wall above the dresser that is just past the second closet (dedicated) or outside door (studio/lock-off).

As far as awkward layouts it won't really affect you since you are only 2 but the 1 bedroom / 2 bedroom bathroom situation is interesting.

Some units the people sleeping in the living room have to enter through the bedroom to access it, while other units you can enter through the laundry room so you don't disturb the folks in the bedroom.

 

[Brian Noble]

Some units the people sleeping in the living room have to enter through the bedroom to access it, while other units you can enter through the laundry room so you don't disturb the folks in the bedroom.

This is something you can request. Buildings 29 and lower do not have a door between the laundry and the main bath. Buildings 30 and higher do. I generally don't bother with that particular request unless for some unusual reason I have someone sleeping in the living room.