We are planning a DCL cruise in 2025. We’ve debated options on getting to the port and decided to suck up the extra cost of dcl transport for several reasons. To that end, we are trying to plan ahead for the best way to stay onsite. Our group consists of 8 adults (two with accessibility needs) and 2 kids (9, 18 mos at time of travel). Adults are 3 couples, two single adults. Normally, when we stay we have 2, 2 bedroom units as Sheraton Vistana (parents are longtime owners there) but we have stayed onsite before, though mostly as kids in the 90s (our family favorites were YC and cabins at FW). We’d be arriving at different times the day before and coming from the airport via Uber/car service most likely. We’re trying to plan now so, if we choose to try and rent points, we can put in a request before the 11 month booking window opens. Given our needs for accessibility and space, we are thinking our options are 3 rooms at a moderate resort (we don’t think the full size beds and small room size at the values would work) or trying to rent points for a grand villa at one of the timeshare resorts. It seems like costs of 3 moderate rooms vs a 3 bed dcl villa can be close for 1 night, but there isn’t a ton of places to find pricing on the 3 bed villa options.
Things we’re looking for:
- nice to have is no adults on a couch bed. None of the adults want to sleep on a couch and so we need at least 4 real beds (ideally 5), plus a bed for the 9 year old and probably a pack and play for the little one. A pull down/murphy bed is probably ok for adults and someone could suck it up and deal for a couch for a night if we have to. But we’d be curious if some of couches or pull-down room options are better/more comfortable than others.
- must have first floor/elevator access and accessible bath for at least one room/bathroom. Since it’s just one night, we don’t necessarily need an accessible shower, but we would need a bathroom big enough to accommodate a walker and a toilet with grab bars. We’d be pushing the person in a wheelchair for longer distances, such as to/from room but they use a walker while in the room.
- need luggage assistance. Ideally, we’d like to stay somewhere with bell services to the room, but we could make do with a cart if we don’t have to go far. I don’t think values have that? I was unsure on moderates. We are normally do our own luggage people but between the wheelchair grandparent and the two kids, we think it’s too much to tackle without help this time.
- close proximity to drop off/pick up spot, pool and food. We know some walks to rooms can be far, especially at moderates and we have heard AKL) and we are worried about that since we have both the wheelchair member and another adult who can’t walk long distances or handle stairs. Since it’s just one night, we will just be eating at the resort and maybe visiting the pool if time and weather allow so we want to be close to things.
We’re worried about the possibility of a long walk at a moderate and couldn’t figure out if we’d have to take on moving all our luggage too. But we know the dvc rooms and resorts could have the same problems with a long walk.
I’ve tried looking at videos online but for the villas some videos seem several years old and there isn’t always a good look at the bathrooms. The bigger issue is I can’t figure out elevator access (I read okw may not have it depending on location?) nor can I tell how far we may need to walk from car drop-off to the rooms - that one’s a big one and I know some hallways are long. It’s less of an issue if the resort has bell services that will bring bags to the room. I know, for example, the cheapest villas are at okw and ssr but they have many buildings and I don’t know where the 3 bed villas are.
So, with that insanely long list of requirements, does anyone have any experience or insights to offer? Possibly other options we haven’t considered?
Any recommendations as to which resorts and/or room types or resorts may be best? It looks like our options for a 3 bed are AKL, WL, OKW, SSR, OKW, GF, or Riviera (though the last two seem much more $$). Am I missing any other choices?
Things we’re looking for:
- nice to have is no adults on a couch bed. None of the adults want to sleep on a couch and so we need at least 4 real beds (ideally 5), plus a bed for the 9 year old and probably a pack and play for the little one. A pull down/murphy bed is probably ok for adults and someone could suck it up and deal for a couch for a night if we have to. But we’d be curious if some of couches or pull-down room options are better/more comfortable than others.
- must have first floor/elevator access and accessible bath for at least one room/bathroom. Since it’s just one night, we don’t necessarily need an accessible shower, but we would need a bathroom big enough to accommodate a walker and a toilet with grab bars. We’d be pushing the person in a wheelchair for longer distances, such as to/from room but they use a walker while in the room.
- need luggage assistance. Ideally, we’d like to stay somewhere with bell services to the room, but we could make do with a cart if we don’t have to go far. I don’t think values have that? I was unsure on moderates. We are normally do our own luggage people but between the wheelchair grandparent and the two kids, we think it’s too much to tackle without help this time.
- close proximity to drop off/pick up spot, pool and food. We know some walks to rooms can be far, especially at moderates and we have heard AKL) and we are worried about that since we have both the wheelchair member and another adult who can’t walk long distances or handle stairs. Since it’s just one night, we will just be eating at the resort and maybe visiting the pool if time and weather allow so we want to be close to things.
We’re worried about the possibility of a long walk at a moderate and couldn’t figure out if we’d have to take on moving all our luggage too. But we know the dvc rooms and resorts could have the same problems with a long walk.
I’ve tried looking at videos online but for the villas some videos seem several years old and there isn’t always a good look at the bathrooms. The bigger issue is I can’t figure out elevator access (I read okw may not have it depending on location?) nor can I tell how far we may need to walk from car drop-off to the rooms - that one’s a big one and I know some hallways are long. It’s less of an issue if the resort has bell services that will bring bags to the room. I know, for example, the cheapest villas are at okw and ssr but they have many buildings and I don’t know where the 3 bed villas are.
So, with that insanely long list of requirements, does anyone have any experience or insights to offer? Possibly other options we haven’t considered?
Any recommendations as to which resorts and/or room types or resorts may be best? It looks like our options for a 3 bed are AKL, WL, OKW, SSR, OKW, GF, or Riviera (though the last two seem much more $$). Am I missing any other choices?
