Which DVC resort would be best if you didn’t have a park pass?

[BeachNut]

Let’s say you were to have a vacation where you hang out at the resort by day and do some sort of non park entertainment at night (a show or Disney Springs, for example).

Which resort would be best for this and what would you do at the resort?

thanks!

 

[crazylady]

I'd choose AKL, because it's a cool resort and we never spend enough time there when we stay there, because we're running to the parks. I also like it because it isn't right by the parks where I'd be tempted to go to the parks.

 

[disneydreamer1980]

I’d say Poly or bc/yc. Poly you could luau, watch fireworks from beach, hang out at pool, do monorail you’re, Ohana, etc. Bc/Yc You have the huge pool area and near boardwalk.

 

[a1tinkfans]

AKL or kidani, in that order as they are both beautiful, you can go between both easily and have expanded options for a bite to eat. Nice outside bar at both. Peaceful, and if an animal lover, no brainer.
But.. if I were considering a mod I’d choose
POR AB preferred/bldg 14 request. It’s close to restaurant, bus transport and both bars.. in and out. Nice boat ride to Disney springs ( or bus) and you can walk/boat to sister resort for another bar option. Both resorts are lovely ... horse carriage ride and just beautiful walking/run trails.
Pofq more intimate, but I don’t care for their food court and no restaurant on site, smaller store. POR much larger and not such a kiddie type pool.
Wherever you decide, Enjoy!
Added.. oops u said dvc... then I’d say akv

 

[BeachNut]

AKL or kidani, in that order as they are both beautiful, you can go between both easily and have expanded options for a bite to eat. Nice outside bar at both. Peaceful, and if an animal lover, no brainer.
But.. if I were considering a mod I’d choose
POR AB preferred/bldg 14 request. It’s close to restaurant, bus transport and both bars.. in and out. Nice boat ride to Disney springs ( or bus) and you can walk/boat to sister resort for another bar option. Both resorts are lovely ... horse carriage ride and just beautiful walking/run trails.
Pofq more intimate, but I don’t care for their food court and no restaurant on site, smaller store. POR much larger and not such a kiddie type pool.
Wherever you decide, Enjoy!
Added.. oops u said dvc... then I’d say akv

haha - no I’m glad for your input - I should have said any resort - but I’m lurking this DVC board rn.

 

[Geomom]

For a DVC resort only visit I'd pick Animal Kingdom Villas because there is so much to do there AND animals to see. We prefer Kidani over Jambo house as we like it quieter and there's a possibility of having a lower floor (closer to the animals) if you have a savanna room. Jambo DVC rooms are on the top 2 floors. AKV has free cultural activities (drumming lessons, tours of the artwork at the resort, decorating cookies, etc.) as well as regular resort activities. Kidani has the community hall with games/crafts (some with a fee) as well as the water play area. There are shuttles back and forth between Jambo and Kidani. Jambo has the more impressive lobby, quick service restaurant Mara (although Sanaa now serves a quick service breakfast at Kidani), table service restaurants Boma, and Jiko , and has the much bigger shop. You can use all the amenities at both buildings while staying there.

 

[DizDaD7]

IMHO, it wouldn't be close..AKL/V to me epitomizes a staycation...Besides having 3 of the best restaurants on property, and a QS that is 2nd to none, to 2 awesome feature pools, both equally unique,to some of the best CM's out of any resort, to the beautiful grounds and where else can you just sit back and enjoy the Animals . There's plenty of more to talk about here ,but I'll keep it short.
my 2nd choice would have to be BCV..It would be #1 if you included the parks, but even w/out the parks, there is a lot to do here as well. The vibe there is different than the other resorts somehow, and they also have some great restaurants, the boardwalk across the lagoon, a fabulous pool/ mini waterpark and some friendly CM's as well

 

[cedricandsophie]

We do this every year for two weeks at OKW. We love the pool and community center, pool activities for kids and the activities like tennis and shuffleboard which are close to everything else. Plus the boat to DS. And if we want to go to another resort for dinner or to look around we drive or Uber.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

Another vote for AKL - either Jambo or Kidani side. The animals, 2 great pools, some of the best dining options on property, and an amazing, peaceful feel at the resort.

That being said, BC and OKW are also excellent options.

 

[disneydreamer1980]

Boy, lots of love on here for AKL. It is a beautiful resort, but I’d still pick BC or Poly. AK is so far from everything and you can still check out the animals without staying there.

 

[Brian Noble]

So far, I've stayed at BCV, BLT, BWV, OKW, SSR, and VWL. Of those, I can think of three for a non-park stay, each of which has good reasons. Importantly, because you are not going to the theme parks, being close to the theme parks is not important. I think I would put them in this order:

OKW for its "island time" vibe, larger units, and *awesome* verandas--especially if you snag one of the units in Bldg 45 or 46 that overlook the canal. The setting winding among the golf course and watching the golfers is also fun--at least for me. The pace of life just seems slower and more relaxed here vs. the other DVC resorts I've stayed at. The boat to Disney Springs is lovely as long as the weather holds out, but it does take a bit of time. That could be good for a non-park visit though.

VWL. It is close to MK, but because it's around the bend and on Bay Lake, it's incredibly peaceful. Sitting down by the water, either behind the old Trout Pass bar (provided no one is using the smoking area) or down by Geyser Point is another good way to spend time. The boat loop to the Contemporary and Wilderness Lodge is a pleasant way to see the lake. The walking path between WL and Ft. Wilderness is lovely, and there are lots of paths in the latter, too.

SSR. The resort grounds are quite nice---not as nice as OKW in my mind, but still right up there. The easy access to Disney Springs is a definite plus. Also some lovely walking paths, though not quite on the same level as Ft. Wilderness.

Personally, I'd pick OKW. It's point-friendly, it's relaxing, the units are large. The pools aren't great, but they are good enough. That might be a reason to try somewhere else, especially if you have tween/teen kids. With younger kids the only thing that matters about the pool is that it has water, and that water is wet. With adults only, I mostly want to be able to find a chair around the pool, and be able to dip in the pool and/or hot tub periodically.

 

[BeachNut]

Thank you everyone for the detailed posts - giving me a lot of ideas!

 

[BillPA]

No pass... VB, HHI, or Aulani.

 

[nursejackie]

I'd say a BLT. You can use the pool area at the Contemporary in addition to BLT, you have the monorail close by and two other resorts to explore and dine/drink at on your doorstep. From many vantage points in the 3 resorts you can see the lighting up of the castle and fireworks. However on the down side I don't think I could be that close to MK and not cross the threshold.

 

[BeachNut]

However on the down side I don't think I could be that close to MK and not cross the threshold.

Me neither - too tempting!

 

[Simba's Mom]

Let’s say you were to have a vacation where you hang out at the resort by day and do some sort of non park entertainment at night (a show or Disney Springs, for example).

Which resort would be best for this and what would you do at the resort?

thanks!

Definitelyy AKL (for me, I prefer Jambo). There are so many activities to do there! I'd be sure to take the culinary tours of Boma and Jiko, and go over to Sanaa for their cultural tour of the restaurant. I'd do lunch with an animal keeper at Sanaa. It's a group of no more than about 14 people, who share a meal (Bread service, salad, entree, and dessert) along with an animal keeper from the lodges' savannah. I'm trying to get up the courage to do the cookie decorating activity as a solo adult. I think it's primarily meant for children, but maybe I can do it. In the evening I might go to the 1/2 hour presentations from cultural interpreters of their specific countries. Last time, they had jewelry making that I loved, and ceramics painting that I enjoyed, but I don't know if those activities are still offered. But most of the time, I'd just sit on the balcony and watch the animals on the savannah. Frankly, if I do go out to the parks, I feel a little guilty-as Samantha Brown once said in her show about AKL, "I'm homesick for my animals!"

 

[SL6827]

BCV for the pool.

 

[LAX]

No pass... VB, HHI, or Aulani.

I guess since OP didn't specify state, I would pick AUL as well. If restricted to FL, then I would say AKV-K because that's what we did for a 2-night pre-cruise stay and we barely scratched the surface on what the resort had to offer.

LAX

 

[BeachNut]

I guess since OP didn't specify state, I would pick AUL as well. If restricted to FL, then I would say AKV-K because that's what we did for a 2-night pre-cruise stay and we barely scratched the surface on what the resort had to offer.

LAX

What kind of things did you do during your stay / what would you recommend?

 

[LAX]

What kind of things did you do during your stay / what would you recommend?

To me, you can't really beat the experience of waking up in the morning and watching the animals on the balcony while sipping coffee. We did use the nice pool area one afternoon. I believe it has a community hall that we didn't get to visit. There are many activities that I have read about that we didn't have time to participate. Take a look at the threads discussing AKV and you will get a lot of good info.

LAX