The DVC Show Recap This or That August Edition
The latest episode of The DVC Show has gone live. You’ll find it on your favorite podcast app, or you can subscribe via YouTube. Here’s the video of this week’s show:
Once a month, the staff engages in a friendly debate regarding personal favorites at the parks and resorts. It’s a discussion called THIS or THAT? DVC edition. Here are the highlights for the August version.
THIS Or THAT – the Riviera Resort or the Grand Floridian?
For starters, the participants debate whether they’re more likely to buy a DVC contract at Disney’s Riviera Resort or Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa.
That’s a fascinating question since one location has embodied Walt Disney World elegance since the mid-1980s. The other DVC resort qualifies as the new kid on the block. However, it hearkens back to classic Walt/Roy Disney family vacations from the 1930s.
Understandably, the voters appreciate both resorts’ pros, as you cannot go wrong with either one. However, the overall consensus favors the Riviera.
Photo Courtesy of: Disney Tourist Blog
Werner also votes that way, but he mentions the reason why I’d choose the Grand Floridian instead. The resale restrictions at the Riviera counterbalance the overwhelming positives at the hotel, most notably the restaurants and lounges.
Conversely, the Grand Floridian offers new villas and probably the most satisfactory overall dining at Walt Disney World. This one’s a blowout for me as a monorail resort enthusiast.
However, it would have been a close call if the conversation had focused on the best hangout spot. I know that many DVC fans love both lobbies. The Riviera has become a popular destination when park guests need a break from Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
THIS Or THAT – The Disney Skyliner or the Monorail?
Here’s the conversation topic that may outrage longtime Disney fans. For many of us, the monorail embodies our childhood adoration for a Disney theme park visit.
Photo Courtesy of Disney Tourist Blog
Still, the panel correctly acknowledges some of the current flaws with the monorail. The current monorail fleet has remained in service for far too long. It does seem antiquated, even after Disney has refurbished some of the trams. Also, I don’t need to tell you about some of the smells…
Meanwhile, the Disney Skyliner has debuted as the integral form of transportation that none of us knew we needed until we had it. This service carries guests through the air, providing a bird’s eye view of gorgeous landscapes on the Disney campus. Also, the ten-person limit wards off the smells you’ll find on the monorail.
Courtesy of Disney Tourist Blog
So, this vote once again favors the newbie over the old guard at Disney. But while I understand their logic, I’m also a person who keeps a monorail playset in my office. So, I’m #Monorail4Life.
THIS Or That — Enchanted Rose or Geyser Point?
I looove this question. Both these places are among the newest dining options at Walt Disney World, and each one claims its fair share of supporters.
You’ll find the Enchanted Rose on the second floor of the Grand Floridian’s lobby. The Beauty and the Beast theme here is truly breathtaking, especially the chandelier inspired by Belle’s dress.
Courtesy of Disney Tourist Blog
Conversely, Geyser Point features an outdoor lounge area that retracts into an enclosed space during inclement weather. It’s this breathtaking place right by the water at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge. The rustic setting proves so hypnotic that you may forget you’re at Disney.
DVC fans will spend plenty of time at both places, and you’ll love every second of it. Still, the nature of this exercise requires voters to pick one.
Remarkably, Geyser Point wins with a nearly unanimous vote. This is the only time I’m with the majority, as I think Geyser Point’s one of the best Disney additions of the 21st century.
THIS Or That — Le Cellier, Yachtsman Steakhouse, or Shula’s
I highly recommend you listen to this part of the conversation, as it reveals something intrinsic to DVC owners. Werner asks which of these three steakhouses the participants favor. The answers come from the heart as much as the head.
The respondents all describe anecdotes about unforgettable experiences they’ve had at the restaurants. One of them wasn’t even a good one but rather a Valentine’s Day meal that disappointed.
Courtesy of Disney Tourist Blog
Others mentioned anniversaries and lovely dates that had included meals at these spots. That’s how we all make memories at Disney, and they also define how we evaluate restaurants.
Ultimately, Yachtsman Steakhouse won this vote, which surprised me. I would have expected Shula’s Steak House since it likely holds the strongest reputation of any steakhouse in Florida. However, I would have selected Le Cellier Steakhouse because – you guessed it! – I once enjoyed an unforgettable anniversary dinner here.
THIS Or That – Savannah View, BoardWalk View, or Theme Park View
Here’s another question that defines how DVC owners think. The question centers on the best room types at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas, Disney’s BoardWalk Villas, and Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort.
Unsurprisingly, voters flocked to Theme Park View. As Saccheri stated, his soul is “fulfilled when he’s as close to the Seven Seas Lagoon as he can be.” That’s beautiful and accurate for most of us.
Courtesy of Disney Tourist Blog
Still, I would have gone against the majority here as well. I find BoardWalk View rooms a bit too loud, and I actually prefer Lake View at Bay Lake Tower.
Across the Disney resorts, the room type I favor the most is Savannah View, though. There’s nothing more magical than looking down from your balcony and seeing animals frolicking beneath you.
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