Which Grand Villa?

[amym2]

Thinking ahead (on this snowy day in the midwest) to a potential October 2014 trip with my family and wondering which GV would make the most sense. Group will include:

-Me, DH, DS (will be almost 13), and DD (will be 10)- kids cannot share a bed with anyone else
-My sister and BIL
-My parents

We've only stayed in a 1bdrm at OKW and THV (and loved them both). Will be our first parks trip since 2011 (did a non-parks trip 2012, going to Aulani 2013). Probably will not have cars, at least not enough for everyone.

Which GV would you choose? We own at SSR, so which would likely still be available at 7mos?

Or would you do a 2brm and studio to save points? If on the same reservation, do they try to get the rooms close to one another?

 

[Deb & Bill]

Thinking ahead (on this snowy day in the midwest) to a potential October 2014 trip with my family and wondering which GV would make the most sense. Group will include:

-Me, DH, DS (will be almost 13), and DD (will be 10)- kids cannot share a bed with anyone else
-My sister and BIL
-My parents

We've only stayed in a 1bdrm at OKW and THV (and loved them both). Will be our first parks trip since 2011 (did a non-parks trip 2012, going to Aulani 2013). Probably will not have cars, at least not enough for everyone.

Which GV would you choose? We own at SSR, so which would likely still be available at 7mos?

Or would you do a 2brm and studio to save points? If on the same reservation, do they try to get the rooms close to one another?

The GV at the resort that you own at.

If you try for a two bedroom instead of a GV, how will you split up the guests? Figure that out to see if it will work. Otherwise, you might get one studio and a two bedroom villa and request that they be close together.

 

[amym2]

The GV at the resort that you own at.

If you try for a two bedroom instead of a GV, how will you split up the guests? Figure that out to see if it will work. Otherwise, you might get one studio and a two bedroom villa and request that they be close together.

Because SSR has nice GVs or because I'm unlikely to snag one anywhere else?

If we did the 2bdrm/studio combo, we'd likely put my sister and BIL in the studio and the rest of us in the 2bdrm. At SSR that would mean one of my kids would have to sleep with my parents (which we have done on cruises) because there's only one pull-out in the living room. So with that combo we'd probably try for AKV or OKW.

 

[amypetecar]

Lets assume theres no limitation at 7 months......


Blt is the most spectacular views... If you have the points. I think renting points for a gv for the week is around $10K! But location and views are unmatched.
Okw is the largest and the least points. Many love them, but i dont find the location especially compelling
Ssr is smaller than okw, more points, and im sure you are familiar with the resort
Boardwalk is on one floor (5 out of 7 of them anyway) and is the size of 6 studios. It is huge, great location for epcot and the studios, and is a guaranteed boardwalk view. I also hear this is the hardest gv to book.
Akl kidani village features 2 story savanna views, while jambo house is 1 story (same size as boardwalk). What makes jambo unique is its 3 huge balcony patios overlooking the savanna as well as the pool table room.

I hope this helps you decide what is best for you!

If i were to rank them......
1. Blt
2. Jambo house
3. Boardwalk
4. Kidani village
5. Old key west
6. Saratoga springs

 

[spiceycat]

Oct is food/wine - so BLT & BWV are probably gone.

AKV has some nice ones- as do SSR and OKW.

OKW might be gone too - it is the least amount of points.

from late Sept (when f/w starts) to Jan 1 - GV are hard to get.

so good luck! think there was the week before thanksgiving - but they have made the Xmas stuff early.

BCV and VWL don't have GV.

 

[amym2]

Thanks for the input! I think AKV would probably be our first choice, unless by some miracle one of the EP resorts had availability. Thinking we'd probably be just as happy with a 2bdrm and studio as with a GV. But it's fun to dream about staying in a GV sometime!

 

[Pirate Granny]

We loved the OKW GV...if you get a 2 bedroom and studio ANYWHERE there is no guarantee that you will even be in the same building let alone same wing or floor.

 

[RapunzelsGoodMom]

OP - thanks for posting this! I was also wondering about this because I'll probably look to do either a 2br/studio or GV in 2015 when the kids are older. I'm still curious about availability at 7 months (we usually go in September but I would probably go ANY time that I could get the right room)!!!

Good luck and have a great time! Totally jealous!

 

[acomasdiaz]

We've stayed at a GV in OKW and AKL (Jambo House). Both times it was in September and we own at SSR.

I love the one story at AKL. It has been our favorite experience so far!

 

[drusba]

Be aware October is a high DVC demand month and the middle 2 weeks are the highest during that month. At 7 months out, SSR GVs will be open, AKV Kidani GVs will probably be open although there may be a few days during the middle of the month that you might have to wait list for a night or two. Jambo GVs will be more problematic with two to five nights gone during every week. OKW GVs are more likely to be open early in the month and late in the month with only some possibility in the middle. BLT GVs will be problematic as it will likely be hard to find more than two and possibly three consecutive nights anytime during the month. There is no chance for BWV GVs unless you are looking for maybe only one night here and there.

 

[cush1]

We LOVED our big family vacay in OKW Grand Villa. It was HUGE and nice. There was so much room, it was crazy. It was two years ago, but everything was updated and beautiful.

 

[dianeschlicht]

We LOVE our GV stays at OKW, and while they aren't the most opulent, they ARE the most room. We once had 12 people plus one little one in an OKW GV, and we weren't crowded at all. That huge living room makes all the difference. I too want to stay in an AKV GV some day. We had planned to try it this trip, but used too many points at Aulani to do it this time. We'll be doing a Kidani 2 bedroom Savanna for the 4 of us this trip instead.