What Are the Main Considerations When Booking a DVC Room?

I view DVC Points the same way as a canteen in the desert. They’re a precious resource that must be treasured. I feel like I’m missing the point of DVC if I’m reckless with my usage. 

So, I put a great deal of thought into where to stay and the best ways to distribute my DVC Points. This obsession leads to a bit of analysis. What are the main considerations when booking a DVC room?

Amenities 

We’ll start with the obvious one. Your hotel preferences play the largest factor in where you choose to stay. As an example, I’m an evangelist for Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort. Since DVC added an ownership interest there, I’ve stayed as often as possible.

Most members have a number one choice that’s our default DVC selection. We prioritize specific locales due to their amenities. 

To wit, fans of Stormalong Bay will pick Disney’s Beach Club Villas when possible. Animal lovers and parents with younger children will prioritize Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas. 

Over the years, I’ve written articles here that detail specifics like the best hotel grounds, playgrounds/play areas, best DVC restaurants, and top DVC pools. These amenities factor heavily into where you choose to stay. 

For my family, nothing beats the restaurants and shopping at the Polynesian, while many other DVC members would say the same of The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. The brilliance of the DVC program is that each DVC property includes its own top-notch amenities, all of which justify a purchase. 

Location

I’ve already mentioned several DVC resorts that fall into this category. Simply stated, you don’t want to spend your Disney vacation waiting on buses.

Thankfully, several properties present alternatives or, at the very least, reduce the amount of time you’ll need the bus. 

At the Polynesian, the Grand Floridian, and Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, you’ll discover monorail stations. You can ride Disney’s most stylish form of transportation to and from the parks. 

You can also walk from these properties to Magic Kingdom if you don’t mind a bit of pre-park exercise. Some DVC resorts reduce that effort due to their locations. For example, Beach Club Villas and its neighbor, Disney’s BoardWalk Villas, are a short walk away from the International Gateway, EPCOT’s back entrance. 

Photo Courtesy of Disney Tourist Blog

At The Villas at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, the walking distance is almost non-existent. You exit the hotel lobby, walk a few steps, and pass through security at Disney California Adventure. 

The locations of these properties heighten their appeal. You know that you’ll visit the parks more conveniently…and without riding a bus. Of course, in some instances, that’s unavoidable. Thankfully, properties like Animal Kingdom Villas are right beside their parks, reducing the amount of bus time. 

Room Details 

This consideration entails several different areas. For me, room size matters greatly because I’m a large man. My wife, who is a foot shorter than me, would never even think about the square footage otherwise. That’s an excellent demonstration of how all members evaluate these considerations differently. 

Similarly, the room layout and features could factor heavily into your decision. Some kitchenettes are better than others, and the same is true of patios and decks. 

Then, we have debates involving room types like the Savannah View at Animal Kingdom Villas, BoardWalk View at Disney’s BoardWalk Villas, and my beloved Lake View at Bay Lake Tower. 

Remarkably, I haven’t even touched on the booking options yet. Do you prefer a Villa, a Studio, or maybe even a Tower Studio? The sheer volume of DVC room variants is mind-boggling. 

Choosing your preferred booking option is akin to a flowchart or a Choose Your Own Adventure novel. Your results are unlikely to match anyone else’s due to the number of choices made on the decision tree.

DVC Points Cost

Still, one consideration ultimately matters more than the rest. We may want to book everything in the membership program, but we only go as far as DVC Points allow. 

So, we become gradually more savvy about the best ways to maximize our DVC Points. We develop strategies for determining which of the considerations matter the most and then make our decisions from there. 

The DVC Points Cost consideration drives much of what we do, but it’s also not the finite limitation you might believe. Remember that if you lack the DVC Points you need, you can also embrace Add-On-Itis® and buy more!