3. Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa
Saratoga Springs VillasAnd this is the WORST on-site theme park property for DVC! Image © Disney
In my opinion, there is a Walt Disney World resort with an even worse location than Animal Kingdom Villas. That property is Saratoga Springs, my least favorite DVC property located near a theme park. This property is skewed toward an older crowd and is not as family friendly. That would be totally fine with me since I am not a parent. The problem is that it plays into all of the Florida retirement stereotypes, focusing upon golf and shopping. It is easily the closest property to Downtown Disney, which is a huge plus to some people. I am not one of them.
Don’t get me wrong. I love Downtown Disney. It is just that when I go to Walt Disney World, shopping is maybe 5% of my itinerary. Golf is 0%. I want to ride the roller coasters, enjoy the delicious meals and appreciate the artistic triumphs at the various theme parks. Saratoga Springs feels like it is in the middle of nowhere, even more than Animal Kingdom Villas. And finding transportation from this location is worse than pulling teeth. People exiting the ferry often randomly wander straight onto the golf course due to the lack of directions at the entrance. Saratoga Springs is the fallback choice for DVC reservations because there is seemingly always availability for it. There is a reason for that. People generally stay there only if the better choices are already taken.
2. Hilton Head Island Resort
The DVC property at Hilton Head IslandNotice the lack of beaches in the somewhat misleading picture. Image © Disney
The bottom two choices for DVC hotel stays are the ones not located at Disney theme parks. If anyone has a particular love of Hilton Head, you may expect me to say that you will feel differently. That is not the case. Hilton Head Island happens to be, in the Jimmy Buffett vernacular, my one particular harbor. I love everything about the place. The DVC property is not worth the DVC points expenditure, though.
First of all, the property is not beachfront, an odd decision in and of itself. People go to Hilton Head to have fun in the sun. Even Disney employees frequently express surprise when they reach the resort, only to realize there is a walk required to reach the beach. Simply stated, this is not the usual Disney sort of decision making.
With regards to the hotel itself, the room options are – I am not joking - marsh view and island view. Nothing says exotic hotel stay like…marsh view. The rest of the hotel’s features are perfectly in keeping with Disney style. If a person does not mind an ordinary room at a property away from the beach, Hilton Head Island Resort is a viable option. I expect more from Disney than marsh view, though.
1. Vero Beach Resort
Disney's Vero Beach PropertyIf this is the worst DVC property, you know they must be great. Image © Disney
Picking the “worst” DVC property is tricky. To my mind, the bottom two options are obvious. A Disney property away from a Disney theme park is pointless. If I want to vacation elsewhere, I do not need the Disney name brand on my hotel. So, the choice comes down to features versus destination for the bottom slot.
To its credit, Vero Beach is aptly named. People staying at this DVC property are beachfront. That puts it ahead of Hilton Head in a key category. This notion is counterbalanced by the fact that Hilton Head is a much better vacation destination than Vero Beach. Your opinion could be completely different on the subject but as I said, Hilton Head has a soft spot in my heart. Even so, with everything else being equal, being beachfront would matter more.
The problem with Vero Beach Resort, the reason why it is the worst DVC property in my estimation, is something the people running the property cannot control. If you ever Google Vero Beach, auto fill will suggest No See Ums for the rest of your search. That tells you everything you need to know about the level of infestation. If you are unfamiliar with No See Ums, these creatures known as ceratopogonidae are nicknamed “biting midges”. Guess what they bite. For all of the positives of a beachfront property run by Disney, does ANYONE want to spend their holiday combating creatures called biting midges?
Disney has ten absolutely wonderful DVC properties. They also have two that are not located near a Disney theme park. One of those is not positioned beachfront, a maddening choice. The other suffers from a bug infestation that is problematic for most Floridian beaches. And even though both of these selections are imperfect, they are still four star properties where a person can (cheaply) vacation like a king for a week. Imagine what the top six DVC properties must be like. That will be our topic in the companion column.
Comments
Thanks for your insight. Please let us know about your top 6 DVC destinations so I know which ones I would not want to visit.
I'm very sorry to disagree with you, but I believe that DAKL should not even be on this list. Tell me another resort anywhere on Disney property (either coast) where you can get up in the morning, look out your window/door and see beautiful African animals (most who are either threatened or endangered in the wild). The buildings are beautiful; complete with thatched roofs done by African craftsmen who were brought in specifically to do this job (and the roofs in Harambe village at DAK). I seriously doubt that you know a good place when you see it IMHO. It is also very quiet there and a nice respite from the noise, glitz and glitter of the big parks. Not everyone has to be in the center of the universe, and for that DAKL is the perfect location.
I haven't stayed at all of the DVC properties yet and I've never been offsite, but I would say that my bottom three are SSR (my home resort), AKL, and Boardwalk. My favorite is Wilderness Lodge, followed by BLT and OKW.
i am sorry to disagree with you, I like the Hilton Head property. By the way it is Broad Creek view. It is a very nice, relaxed, and easy resort with plenty to do and includes beach access for an island made up of private communities. It offers accessible biking and running options not found at WDW, great opportunities to kayak, fish, visit wildlife areas, great naturalist programs, and the staff is excellent both friendly and helpful with local information for touring and visiting Savannah. I am there to relax and have options for playing, it serves that purpose well and I can do that with the safety and ease that people expect from Disney.
Many of the resorts will expire in 2042 - BWV, BCV, VWL, VB, HHI, OKW (only some have been extended to 2057). You can't expect DVC to extend these to 2057. The OKW extension was not well received by members so many are not extended.
Secondly, 99 points might only get you a studio during a low point timeframe. If you want more than a simple hotel room (and who wouldn't), you need double that for a one bedroom in the same resort during the same time. If you need a two bedroom or three bedroom villa, you'll need even more. So different locations, different size villas and different times of the year will require more points.