DVC refurb schedule and resort choice - Poly, Boulder Ridge or BLT

Walt Disney World
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Hello. I haven’t been on this forum in a bit but love, love to drop in from time to time and absorb all thd enthusiasm!

My question is around resort planning for a FAR off trip - Thanksgiving week, 2025 (originally planned for 2019). Seems like forever but we bridged the gap by going to DLR for 5 days in Jan, ‘22 and added 1.5 days at the end of a Europe trip to check out Disney Paris in July, ‘22, so that was fun!

I know it’s early times, but what would you recommend as our second resort (split stay, DVC points, studio) given it looks like BWV, BLT, and Boulder Ridge Villas are on track to be refurbed by then but sadly, not AKL/Kidani.

4 of us: Grandma (my Mom), myself, and two boys who will be 16 and 10. We like the idea of extra single bed for my 10 year old, and really think murphy second bed vs. pull out couches is way to go.

First 3 nights at BWV- (rooms should be refurbed by then, according to what I’ve read, but forum experts here can weigh in).

Last 5 nights at either:

Boulder Ridge: ~$2,200 for 5 nights (@ 2024 prices)
BLT Lake View + $300
Poly: +$670
AKL Savannah View: +$70

I originally had my heart set on BLT, for MK park proximity, but that was when I was going to do a 1 bedroom. I’m thinking studio size will disappoint there.

With the inflation on G+, I’m down-sizing to Studios as I’m going to prioritize not waiting in lines over more space. 8 days of G+ and ILL is crazy $$$ now.

My second choice would have been Animal Kingdom as their restaurants are on my list, but staying in rooms in that are in their 13th year of wear and tear and then potentially need then to rent a car isn’t appealing.

So that leaves the Poly (the most $$) but on monorail or Boulder Ridge.

I’m honestly not especially excited about Wilderness (we ate dinner there in 2015) except for price and knowing rooms will be 100% renovated. Lodge is impressive for sure, but since I live in Colorado and belong to a community in the mountains with a real life lodge that is less hectic/more serene, I don’t seek that vibe in FL.

I think by then Poly will have their new space open, but I like the idea of 2 showers / sinks in current Poly studio set up.

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BLT is scheduled for 2024. That is the farthest out they have confirmed but AKL should be next to be done. And by the end of 2025 those should also be completed.

However a refurb won’t address the space issue of studios at Bay Lake, although at least you’d have the new Murphy bed in place of the pull-out sofa.

The Poly studios in the longhouses are the biggest on property, although I know the two bathrooms account for a lot of that. However that’s a lot of extra money from your figures. If it’s a bucket list Resort then maybe, otherwise I’m not sure it’s worth it.

AKL is a gorgeous resort and if you’re planning some resort time I’d go for that in a heartbeat.

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I don’t like staying at BLT solo, cannot even imagine 4 people in those little rooms. That should absolutely be at the bottom of your list.

Poly and WL are my 2 favorite deluxe rooms with AKL probably next on the list. I’d probably choose Poly for you since the rooms are the largest, you have 2 bathrooms for showering and getting ready, and you also have the convenience of monorailing to 2 different parks. Also the food choices there are great.

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Yes. Poly sounds great for sure. If I did AKL and got a rental car it would be same price as poly - but we’d see animals! However, getting to MK that second part of our trip sure is easy from poly.

Out of curiosity are AP room discounts even still a thing? I have an AP I bought from Sam’s or Costco years ago before their major AP price hike.

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Yes there are still AP room only discounts.

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Checking in a year later to see what the word is on the street on an AKL Kidani refurb. Disney vaguely said ‘2025’ but that seems unlikely given we are midway thru ‘24 and not a peep about timelines.

I saw online that BLT has a published / confirmed construction schedule. Seeing as how that won’t be complete till sept, ‘25 it seems unlikely that an AKL Kidani refurb schedule would be far along (or even possibly underway) by late Nov, ‘25.

Another thread on a different forum said they are seeing reduced inventory from Jan onward next year in the DVC booking tool, which can be a promising sign. Still…no details whatsoever from Disney DVC when people are planning ‘25 visits seems like an omen. I very much want to stay there for the 2nd half of a split stay ‘25 thanksgiving trip, but need to avoid the pull out couch!

I guess I don’t need to know for sure till dec of this year when I go to book…but I sat down to review my plan over the weekend and was surprised that there is still a huge asterisk on my Plan A!

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I wouldn’t count on it. I normally look to Tom Bricker with Disney Tourist Blog for info and his most recent update has 0 mention of it.

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I think then I’ll see about booking a regular 2 queen room at AKL for that portion of the trip and do DVC points for Boardwalk villas for first 4 nights.

There’s really no where else I’d want to stay, but I know the pull out couch will be a downer…not to mention staying there in year 14+ just before a renovation.

From advice on this forum, I’m thinking I should book thru a travel agent/gives someone a commission.

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@FOMOm_VA and @OBNurseNH are active on the forum and are also TAs in case you’re looking for one!

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Thanks for the tag :grin: either of us would be happy to help I’m sure!

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It sounds like AKL is definitely where you want to stay so that’s great! Just one perspective since we do splits with BWV regularly. I would maybe do AKL first and then move to BWV. It’s SO nice to be able to walk between 2 parks at BWV that you might get spoiled. We usually move to a MK resort after BWV and I think it would be hard to go from walking everywhere to bus dependent. Just a thought.

BLT 1-bedrooms are amazing but I agree that I would not do a studio with more than 2 people.

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As always, thanks for all the advice and TA recommendations. I’m a bit far out from booking (for next thanksgiving I think I need to book this December).

This is a Sat-sun 8 night thanksgiving week, ‘25 stay - so b/c of the way eeh usually falls for Epcot, plus how late HS and Epcot stay open vs AKL, (which our sat afternoon expected arrival will take advantage of) I think my current plan is a bit better optimized at BWV first, but I def hear you on the order. (Always best place last is usually our motto too.)

Also, I think we will be ‘full on’ in the beginning and as vacay progresses we will slow down so might be nice to be at AKL. Although time zone shift is not in our favor - arrival Disney excitement will be.

This was a trip I first planned in full in ‘19, but never booked, then Covid, and other priorities. I looked at my spreadsheet recently and I am floored at the inflation (tickets, genie and ILL, etc).

I do have an inactivated never expire AP that I bought at Sam’s right at AP price increase time pre Covid (I linked it to my mde account right away) but I don’t think there are AP discounts that peak time of year.

We did squeeze in a super fun DLR trip New Years week ‘21/‘22, and tagged on 1.5 days at Disney Paris in summer of ‘22, but this is our ‘big trip’, so my youngest, who will be 10, can really experience it!

I had been crossing my fingers that AKL Kidani rooms would get their long overdue Reno before then!

Is there a specific DVC agency that this forum recommends for the BWV booking?

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I think that the two main brokers DVC Rental Store and David’s Vacation Rentals are equivalent in terms of the service they provide and their reputation level. I think they have some different price points (you will absolutely need to book at 11 months for BWV and might want to budget for pool/garden) and different insurance offerings so I would look and see what service you might be interested in.