I'm sure that you're all convinced that renting DVC points is the way to go (not convinced? Can I have some of the extra money you have lying around?). Of course, the next question I get is "which resort should I stay at?" And my answer is:"I don't know, it depends on what you want." I know, not helpful! But maybe I can be a little bit helpful by listing out some pros and cons of each Walt Disney World DVC resort. Currently there are 12 Walt Disney World DVC resorts. While we have stayed at 10 of them, we definitely have not tried every room type so keep that in mind as you read on.
Magic Kingdom/Monorail Resorts
Let's kick it off with the Magic Kingdom area monorail resorts. If you want convenient access to Magic Kingdom, these are for you! These will also cost more points because of the proximity to Magic Kingdom.
Magic Kingdom is the only WDW park that does not have a parking lot at the park entrance, and you can't catch an Uber to the park entrance either. Parking and Uber pickups and drop-offs are done at the Transportation and Ticket Center or TTC (next to the Polynesian). The TTC is also where you catch the monorail that goes to Epcot. From there, you can take the monorail or grab the ferry over to Magic Kingdom.
Note that the monorail runs in a clockwise manner. So the order of the stops would be Contemporary, TTC, Polynesian, Grand Floridian, then Magic Kingdom. Let's go in order of proximity to Magic Kingdom.
Bay Lake Tower at Disney's Contemporary Resort
If you want to walk to Magic Kingdom, you can't get closer than this! The DVC rooms available are:
Deluxe studio (standard, lake, or theme park view) - sleeps up to 4 in 1 queen-size bed and 1 double-size sleeper sofa
1-bedroom villa (standard, lake, or theme park view) - sleeps up to 5 in 1 king-size bed, 1 queen-size sleeper sofa, and 1 sleeper chair
2-bedroom villa (standard, lake, or theme park view) - sleeps up to 9 in 1 king-size bed, 2 queen-size beds, 1 queen-size sleeper sofa, 1 sleeper chair
2-bedroom lock-off villa (standard, lake, or theme park view) - sleeps up to 9 in 1 king-size bed, 1 queen-size beds, 1 queen-size sleeper sofa, 1 double-size sleeper sofa, 1 sleeper chair - this villa is essentially a deluxe studio + 1 bedroom villa that connect, the door can be locked between the two hence lock-off
3-bedroom grand villa (lake or theme park view) - sleeps up to 12 in 1 king-size bed, 4 queen-size beds, 2 queen-size sleeper sofas
Some of the pros include:
Closest walk to Magic Kingdom - you literally walk across the street and you're at Magic Kingdom in less than 10 minutes. Huge benefit when the monorail can get super-crowded after fireworks.
You can take the monorail to the TTC stop and then transfer to the Epcot monorail, so both Magic Kingdom and Epcot are fairly easy to get to.
These are one of the few one-bedroom DVC villas that have 2 bathrooms in the room. The two bedroom villa has 3 full bathrooms.
While there are no restaurants inside Bay Lake Tower, it is connected to Contemporary so you are very close to California Grill, Chef Mickey's, and Steakhouse 71. You can also hop on the monorail to Polynesian and Grand Floridian, which also have great restaurants.
You have access to the Bay Cove Pool at Bay Lake Tower, or can use the pools over at the Contemporary. They also have cabanas that you can rent at the Contemporary.
The biggest complaint I hear about Bay Lake Tower is theming. There isn't really a Disney-theme to the rooms, you might as well be staying at a Hilton or Hyatt. Some other things to consider:
Bay Lake Tower opened in 2009 and received a soft goods refurbishment in 2016 (basically new drapes, carpets, chair covers, etc.). The resort is slated for another refurbishment in 2024 so rooms here can be a little older compared to other DVC resorts.
Deluxe studios here are some of the smallest for DVC resorts. The kitchenette and bathroom can both feel pretty cramped.
Other tip: We made the mistake of taking the monorail to Magic Kingdom once. It took us almost an hour because the monorail broke down. It wasn't until we actually walked it that we realized how close it is to Magic Kingdom. So, if you are going to Magic Kingdom, walk it!
The Villas at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort and Spa
The next DVC resort based on proximity to Magic Kingdom is the Villas at Grand Floridian. This is a personal favorite! There is also a walking path from the Floridian to Magic Kingdom. It'll take a little bit longer (around 15 minutes), but is a more scenic walk since it is along the lake.
There are actually two DVC buildings at the Grand Floridian. The original DVC building opened in 2013 and has its own parking area and check-in. It is a bit farther from the main lobby but easily accessible via a walkway. In mid-2022, DVC finished renovating one of the old hotel buildings (Big Pine Key) to create additional DVC resort studios. It is closer to the main lobby, and a closer walk to Magic Kingdom than the original building. Big Pine Key only has resort studios, the other room types are all found in the original DVC building.
The DVC rooms available are:
Resort studio (standard, lake, or theme park view) only found in the new DVC building - sleeps up to 5 in 2 queen-size beds, 1 single pull-down bed
Deluxe studio (standard or lake view) - sleeps up to 5 in 1 queen-size bed, 1 queen-size pull-down bed, 1 single pull-down bed
1-bedroom villa (standard or lake view) - sleeps up to 5 in 1 king-size bed, 1 queen-size pull-down bed, 1 single pull-down bed
2-bedroom villa (standard or lake view) - sleeps up to 9 in 1 king-size bed, 2 queen-size beds, 1 queen-size pull down bed, 1 single pull-down bed
2-bedroom lock-off villa (standard or lake view) - sleeps up to 10 in 1 king-size bed, 1 queen-size bed, 2 queen-size pull down beds, 2 single pull-down beds - again, this villa is essentially a deluxe studio + 1 bedroom villa that connect, the door can be locked between the two hence lock-off
3-bedroom grand villa (standard or lake view) - sleeps up to 12 in1 king-size bed, 4 queen-size beds, 1 queen-size sleeper sofa
The resort studios are gorgeous, but they don't have a kitchenette like the older deluxe studios have. They just have a small fridge, coffee station, and microwave in them.
Some of the pros:
Close walk to Magic Kingdom - while a bit farther than Bay Lake Tower, the walk is more scenic along the lake. It's also only 1 monorail stop away if you're going to Magic Kingdom.
You can take the monorail to the TTC stop and then transfer to the Epcot monorail, so both Magic Kingdom and Epcot are fairly easy to get to.
There are great restaurants in the Grand Floridian like Grand Floridian Cafe, Citricos, and Narcoossee's (currently closed for refurbishment). Grand Floridian is also home to 1900 Park Fare and the Garden View Tea Room (both of which have not reopened at the time of this blog).
Multiple pools including the Mad Hatter splash zone. You can also rent cabanas at the pool.
I can't write about Grand Floridian without writing about Basin White. There is a Basin White store on the second floor of the main lobby. It's a soap, lotion, bath bomb, etc. store that the little vacationista and I can spend hours in.
Some of the cons:
Some people (not me) find the Floridian to be too fancy and stuffy
While the lobby is beautiful, it can get very crowded, especially during the holidays when the gingerbread house is up
This resort usually costs more per point and can be harder to find availability
Disney's Polynesian Villas and Bungalows
Next up we have the Polynesian Villas and Bungalows! To get to Magic Kingdom from the Polynesian, your best options are probably monorail or ferry (you can take the larger ferry from the TTC or the smaller hotel ferry from the main lobby to get there). Technically, you can walk by taking the walking path to the Floridian and then the walking path from the Floridian to Magic Kingdom, but I hear this can be long and confusing so we never tried.
DVC is actually in the process of building a new DVC building at the Polynesian, which will introduce more room types. The current DVC rooms available are:
Deluxe studio (standard or lake view) - sleeps up to 5 in 1 queen-size bed, 1 queen-size pull-down bed, 1 single pull-down bed
Bungalow - sleeps up to 8 in 1 king-size bed, 1 queen-size bed, 1 queen-size pull-down bed, 2 single pull-down beds; these are over the water and have a private plunge pool
Great theming - the resort is themed like you are on a Polynesian vacation, and has a much more laid-back vacation vibe than either Floridian or Bay Lake Tower
You can easily walk from the Polynesian to the TTC, so it's easy to catch the monorail to Magic Kingdom or to Epcot from here
The bungalows are super unique to the Polynesian - these are my ultimate dream DVC stay. I mean, now that I have a blog, I need to try it for the readers right?
Multiple pools on the grounds. Cabana rentals are available at the Oasis pool.
Multiple dining options like 'Ohana, Kona Cafe, Trader Sam's lounge, and quick-service restaurants like the Pineapple Lanai (dole whip anyone?)
The deluxe studios have a split bathroom with one bathroom having sink, toilet, and shower, and the other bathroom having a sink and shower
The rooms were recently refurbished. They are super cute and the studios here feature the murphy pull down bed rather than the sleeper sofa.
Some of the cons:
Not easily walkable to Magic Kingdom
You can hear the very loud horn of the ferry at the TTC building from the lake view studios (and probably from some of the bungalows)
Not a large variety of room types, but this should improve once the new building is ready
The grounds are pretty spread out so it can be long walk from some of the DVC buildings
Other tip: If you are doing a deluxe lake view studio, request a higher floor (can be done through the app at check-in). Otherwise, you'll have a bungalow view rather than lake view.
Boulder Ridge Villas and Copper Creek Villas at Disney's Wilderness Lodge
While not technically a monorail hotel, you may have noticed Wilderness Lodge in that map I posted above. It is in the Magic Kingdom resort area, so we'll include it in this section, but it's not on the monorail line. To get to Magic Kingdom from Wilderness Lodge, you can take the resort ferry or a bus.
There are two DVC buildings at Wilderness Lodge - Boulder Ridge and Copper Creek. Boulder Ridge is the older building, originally built in 2000, and is currently undergoing refurbishment. Copper Creek opened in 2017 and has my favorite cabins that I talked about in my ABCs of DVC post.
The current DVC rooms at Boulder Ridge are:
Deluxe studio - sleeps up to 5 in 1 queen-size bed, 1 double-size sleeper sofa, 1 single pull-down bed
1-bedroom villa - sleeps up to 4 in 1 king-size bed, 1 queen-size sleeper sofa
2-bedroom villa - sleeps up to 8 in 1 king-size bed, 2 queen-size beds, 1 queen-size sleeper sofa
2-bedroom lock-off villa - sleeps up to 9 in 1 king-size bed, 1 queen-size bed, 1 queen-size sleeper sofa, 1 double-size sleeper sofa, 1 single pull-down bed - this villa is essentially a deluxe studio + 1 bedroom villa that connect, the door can be locked between the two hence lock-off
The current DVC rooms at Copper Creek are:
Deluxe studio - sleeps up to 4 in 1 queen-size bed, 1 queen-size sleeper sofa
Deluxe studio w/walk-in shower - sleeps up to 4 in 1 queen-size bed, 1 queen-size sleeper sofa; this room does not have a tub
1-bedroom villa - sleeps up to 4 in 1 king-size bed, 1 queen-size sleeper sofa
2-bedroom villa - sleeps up to 8 in 1 king-size bed, 2 queen-size beds, 1 queen-size sleeper sofa
2-bedroom lock-off villa - sleeps up to 8 in 1 king-size bed, 1 queen-size bed, 2 queen-size sleeper sofas - this villa is essentially a deluxe studio + 1 bedroom villa that connect, the door can be locked between the two hence lock-off
2-bedroom lock-off villa w/walk-in shower - sleeps up to 8 in 1 king-size bed, 1 queen-size bed, 2 queen-size sleeper sofas - this villa is essentially a deluxe studio w/walk-in shower + 1 bedroom villa that connect, the door can be locked between the two hence lock-off
3-bedroom grand villa - sleeps up to 12 in 1 king-size bed, 4 queen-size beds, 1 queen-size sleeper sofa
Cabin - sleeps up to 8 in 1 king-size bed, 1 queen-size bed, 1 queen-size sleeper sofa, 1 single pull-down bed, 1 sleeper chair; these have their own screened in porch with hot tub
Some of the pros:
Like the bungalows are unique to the Polynesian, the cabins are unique to Copper Creek
Access to multiple pools on property
Multiple dining options like Storybook Dining at Artist Point, Whispering Canyon Cafe, and a few quick-service restaurants - the specialty coffees at the quick-service restaurant are a fav!
The rooms at Boulder Creek are currently undergoing refurbishment and they look super cute based on photos
A wide variety of accommodation types
And the cons:
Not on the monorail loop so not as convenient as the monorail hotels
The Copper Creek studios felt a bit cramped
Epcot Resort Area
Next up we have one of my favorite Disney areas: the Epcot resort area. The DVC resorts here are located at Beach Club and Boardwalk, and are an easy walk to Epcot and to each other. If walking to Epcot, you do not enter through the main Epcot entrance. You actually enter through the International Gateway entrance between France and the United Kingdom in the World Showcase. There is a Skyliner station right next to the International Gateway entrance, so you also have easy access to any Skyliner hotel. It's also possible to walk to Hollywood Studios from these hotels, but it is a farther walk. A boat is also available to both Epcot and Hollywood Studios from these hotels.
Disney's Beach Club Villas
Let's start with Beach Club Villas since it is the closest walk to Epcot. The DVC building here is actually one of the closest buildings to Epcot and the walk is only ~5 minutes. Definitely the biggest pro here. The DVC rooms available are:
Deluxe studio - sleeps up to 5 in 1 queen-size bed, 1 double-size sleeper sofa, 1 single pull-down bed
1-bedroom villa - sleeps up to 4 in 1 king-size bed, 1 queen-size sleeper sofa
2-bedroom villa - sleeps up to 8 in 1 king-size bed, 2 queen-size beds, 1 queen-size sleeper sofa
2-bedroom lock-off villa - sleeps up to 9 in 1 king-size bed, 1 queen-size bed, 1 queen-size sleeper sofa, 1 double-size sleeper sofa, 1 single pull-down bed - this villa is essentially a deluxe studio + 1 bedroom villa that connect, the door can be locked between the two hence lock-off
Some other pros:
Most people start with Stormalong Bay - this is the 3-acre pool complex shared by Yacht Club and Beach Club and it is huge. While most people love it and list it as a pro, I don't love it for small children who like running around. While they will enjoy it, you will continue to get up and follow them around so no relaxation for you.
Proximity to Epcot, Hollywood Studios, the Skyliner and other Epcot resort area hotels - this opens up a ton of dining options and activities like riding a surrey bike along the Boardwalk
Popular dining options include Beaches and Cream and Cape May Cafe. You are also right next to the Yacht Club restaurants, and very close to Boardwalk, and the Swan and Dolphin resorts
And now the cons:
The rooms here are older and not my favorite - they actually just kicked off a refurbishment on these in early 2023 so maybe they will get better. Let's just say I come for the location, not for the rooms.
Stormalong Bay for little kids that like to run around - see my notes under the pros
Disney's Boardwalk Villas
Next up is Boardwalk Villas. A bit further walk from Epcot, but still less than a 10-minute walk. The DVC rooms available are:
Deluxe studio (standard, garden/pool, or boardwalk view) - sleeps up to 5 in 1 queen-size bed, 1 full-size sleeper sofa, 1 single pull-down bed
1-bedroom villa (standard, garden/pool, or boardwalk view) - sleeps up to 4 in 1 king-size bed, 1 queen-size sleeper sofa
2-bedroom lock-off villa (standard, garden/pool, or boardwalk view) - sleeps up to 9 in 1 king-size bed, 1 queen-size bed, 1 full-size sleeper sofa, 1 queen-size sleeper sofa, 1 single pull-down bed - this villa is essentially a deluxe studio + 1 bedroom villa that connect, the door can be locked between the two hence lock-off
3-bedroom grand villa (boardwalk view) - sleeps 12 in 1 king-size bed, 4 queen-size beds, 1 queen-size sleeper sofa
A lot of the same pros as Beach Club since they are next door to each other, but here they are:
Proximity to Epcot, Hollywood Studios, the Skyliner and other Epcot resort area hotels - this opens up a ton of dining options and activities
The Boardwalk - I love it. There are restaurants, games, surrey bikes...reminiscent of Coney Island and super cute. The Boardwalk view rooms here are a favorite, even though the room itself is older.
Popular dining options include Flying Fish and Trattoria Al Forno. Lots of quick-service options and lounges in this area as well.
And the cons:
The rooms are even older than Beach Club. They still have the old school thermostat with the little lever that you adjust and the temperature is never right. It's possible they may be refurbishing these later in 2023 - they need it.
Each DVC resort is managed by a different team and I'm convinced the Boardwalk is the most poorly managed DVC resort. They consistently don't have rooms available even at the 4pm check-in time.
The building is huge so it can be a trek to your room, and parking is far from the DVC rooms
Disney's Riviera Resort
While not technically in the Epcot resort area, I'm including Riviera here since you can hop on the Skyliner to get to Epcot or Hollywood Studios. Rivera is fairly new, having opened in 2019, and is an all DVC hotel. The interesting thing about Riviera is that DVC owners can't book a room with DVC points that were purchased on the resale market after a certain date (after January 19, 2019). Therefore, it's more difficult to find an owner that can book at Riviera (they would have had to buy direct from Disney or bought on the resale market prior to 2019).
The DVC rooms available are:
Tower studio - sleeps up to 2 in 1 queen-size pull-down bed
Deluxe studio (standard or preferred view) - sleeps up to 5 in 1 queen-size bed, 1 queen-size pull-down bed, 1 single pull-down bed
1-bedroom villa (standard or preferred view) - sleeps up to 5 in 1 king-size bed, 1 queen-size pull down bed, 1 single pull-down bed
2-bedroom villa (standard or preferred view) - sleeps up to 9 in 1 king-size bed, 2 queen-size beds, 1 queen-size pull-down bed, 1 single pull down bed
2-bedroom lock-off villa (standard or preferred view) - sleeps up to 10 in 1 king-size bed, 1 queen-size bed, 2 queen-size pull-down beds, 2 single pull-down beds - this villa is essentially a deluxe studio + 1 bedroom villa that connect, the door can be locked between the two hence lock-off
3-bedroom grand villa - sleeps 12 in 1 king-size bed, 4 queen-size beds, 1 queen-size sleeper sofa
We actually haven't stayed here, but have visited multiple times for Topolinos. Some of the pros:
The rooms are beautiful. The Tower suites are small but a great value as they require few points to book.
Easy access to Epcot and Hollywood Studios, as well as other resorts via the Skyliner
Dining options like Topolino's and Primo Piatto (quick-service)
Some of the cons:
Harder to book (see my note in the first paragraph)
Not as convenient as resorts that are within walking distance of Epcot and Hollywood Studios
Disney Springs Area
Now we come to the part where I confess my deepest, darkest secrets: I love Disney Springs (shhhh, don't tell). I love the dining and the shopping and the tree stroll during the holidays. I usually try to dedicate at least half a day to go to the Springs. The Disney Springs area DVC resorts are Saratoga Springs and Old Key West, both of which are DVC only resorts. These resorts often have availability when other DVC resorts don't.
Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort
The closest resort to Disney Springs is Saratoga Springs. The resort is actually huge, the Congress Springs area is going to get you closest to Disney Springs. The DVC rooms available at this resort are:
Deluxe studio (standard or preferred) - sleeps up to 4 in 1 queen-size bed, 1 double-size pull-down
1-bedroom villa (standard or preferred) - sleeps up to 5 in 1 king-size bed, 1 queen-size pull-down, 1 twin-size pull-down
2-bedroom villa (standard or preferred view) - sleeps up to 9 in 1 king-size bed, 2 queen-size beds, 1 queen-size pull-down, 1 twin-size pull-down
2-bedroom lock-off villa (standard or preferred view) - sleeps up to 9 in 1 king-size bed, 1 queen-size bed, 1 queen-size pull-down, 1 double-size pull-down, 1 twin-size pull-down - this villa is essentially a deluxe studio + 1 bedroom villa that connect, the door can be locked between the two hence lock-off
Treehouse villa - sleeps up to 9 in 2 queen-size beds, 1 bunk bed, 1 queen-size sleeper sofa, 1 sleeper chair; these villas are in a separate section of the resort and work much better for those with a car
3-bedroom grand villa (standard or preferred) - sleeps 12 in 1 king-size bed, 4 queen-size beds, 1 queen-size pull-down
Pros:
Proximity to Disney Springs, but only from some rooms - the preferred rooms are generally closer to Disney Springs and are an easy walk. There's a special entrance into Disney Springs from Saratoga
Various pools around the property
The treehouse villas are a great value - they are actually 3-bedroom villas (complete with bunk room) but priced like a two-bedroom villa. However, these are in a separate area of the resort and are not walking distance to Disney Springs
Rooms were recently refurbished in late 2022 so they are nice
Cons:
Not really close to any parks
The resort is very spread out so it can be a long walk around the property
Not a ton of great dining options on property - but Disney Springs does have a lot of options
Disney's Old Key West Resort
Old Key West is also considered a Disney Springs area resort, but it's not really walkable to Disney Springs like Saratoga is. Technically you could walk, but it'd be a good 30 minutes to get there. The DVC rooms available at this resort are:
Deluxe studio (standard or near Hospitality house) - sleeps up to 4 in 2 queen-size beds
1-bedroom villa (standard or near Hospitality house) - sleeps up to 5 in 1 king-size bed, 1 queen-size sleeper sofa, 1 sleeper chair
2-bedroom villa (standard or near Hospitality house) - sleeps up to 9 in 1 king-size bed, 2 queen-size beds, 1 queen-size sleeper sofa, 1 sleeper chair
2-bedroom lock-off villa (standard or near Hospitality house) - sleeps up to 9 in 1 king-size bed, 2 queen-size beds, 1 queen-size sleeper sofa, 1 sleeper chair - this villa is essentially a deluxe studio + 1 bedroom villa that connect, the door can be locked between the two hence lock-off
3-bedroom grand villa (standard or near Hospitality house) - sleeps 12 in 1 king-size bed, 2 queen-size beds, 2 double-size beds, 1 queen-size sleeper sofa
So I think one of the pros is that there are 2 queen beds in the studio, whereas other resorts generally have a queen bed and a pull down or sleeper sofa of some sort. I do believe I also heard the rooms here are bigger, but we've actually never stayed. Mostly because I can't seem to find a lot of pros about it. But, if you stay here and come up with a bunch, let me know and I might consider trying it. The rooms did undergo refurbishment in 2019 so maybe that's a pro.
Cons include location - not really walking distance to anything. There also doesn't appear to be many dining options here.
Animal Kingdom Area
Last up we have the Animal Kingdom area. There aren't actually any resorts that are walking distance to Animal Kingdom park so you'd have to take a bus.
Disney Animal Kingdom Villas - Jambo House and Kidani
There are two areas within the Animal Kingdom Lodge that have DVC rooms. The first is Jambo House, which are DVC rooms that are part of the main Animal Kingdom Lodge hotel. There is also a separate DVC building called Kidani, which is newer than Jambo House.
The rooms available at Jambo House include:
Studio - value accommodation - sleeps up to 4 in 1 queen-size bed, 1 double-size sleeper sofa
Deluxe studio (standard, savannah, or Kilimanjaro Club Concierge) - sleeps up to 4 in 1 queen-size bed, 1 double-size sleeper sofa
1-bedroom - value accommodation - sleeps up to 4 in 1 king-size bed, 1 double-size sleeper sofa
1-bedroom villa (standard, savannah, or Kilimanjaro Club Concierge) - sleeps up to 5 in 1 king-size bed, 1 double-size sleeper sofa, 1 sleeper chair
2-bedroom lock-off villa - value accommodation - sleeps up to 8 in 1 king-size bed, 1 queen-size bed, 1 double-size sleeper sofa, 1 queen-size sleeper sofa - this villa is essentially a studio - value accommodation + 1 bedroom villa - value accommodation that connect, the door can be locked between the two hence lock-off
2-bedroom lock-off villa (standard, savannah, or Kilimanjaro Club Concierge) - sleeps up to 9 in 1 king-size bed, 1 queen-size bed, 1 double-size sleeper sofa, 1 queen-size sleeper sofa, 1 sleeper chair - this villa is essentially a deluxe studio + 1 bedroom villa that connect, the door can be locked between the two hence lock-off
3-bedroom grand villa - sleeps 12 in 1 king-size bed, 4 queen-size beds, 1 queen-size sleeper sofa
The value accommodations are slightly smaller rooms.
The rooms available at Kidani include:
Deluxe studio (standard or savannah view) - sleeps up to 4 in 1 queen-size bed, 1 double-size sleeper sofa
1-bedroom villa (standard or savannah view) - sleeps up to 5 in 1 king-size bed, 1 queen-size sleeper sofa, 1 sleeper chair
2-bedroom villa (standard or savannah view) - sleeps up to 9 in 1 king-size bed, 2 queen-size beds, 1 queen-size sleeper sofa, 1 sleeper chair
2-bedroom lock-off villa (standard or savannah view) - sleeps up to 9 in1 king-size bed, 1 queen-size bed and 1 double-size sleeper sofa, 1 queen-size sleeper sofa, 1 sleeper chair - this villa is essentially a deluxe studio + 1 bedroom villa that connect, the door can be locked between the two hence lock-off
3-bedroom grand villa (standard or savannah view) - sleeps 12 in 1 king-size bed, 4 queen-size beds, 1 queen-size sleeper sofa
You stay at Animal Kingdom Villas to feel like you are on safari, so the theming of the hotel is the absolute number 1 pro. There are viewing platforms all around the resort if you don't have a savannah view room so you can see zebra, giraffes, etc. Other pros:
Jambo House is the only DVC property that offers concierge level rooms. With these, you get access to the concierge lounge that has drinks and snacks throughout the day. They are almost impossible to book as there are very few of them on the property.
Kidani is the other resort (along with Bay Lake Tower) where the 1-bedroom villa has 2 bathrooms, and the 2-bedroom villa has 3 bathrooms.
Great dining options that include Sanaa (a fav!), Jiko, and Boma are all on property
They have special events like the Starlight Safari
And the cons:
The biggest con is that you have to take a bus everywhere. There are no boats or monorails or Skyliners when you stay at Animal Kingdom Villas
Some of the savannahs that you can overlook are not as good as others - the Pembe savannah is basically a barbed wire fence and does not have great animal viewing
Summary
Phew, that was longer than I thought it'd be. Hopefully you can see why I can't recommend a DVC resort unless I know what your goals are.
What would I book? We always rent a car (parking is free at the resorts and parks!), so the biggest thing I look for is the proximity to Magic Kingdom because of the parking situation there. I don't want to park and then take the monorail or ferry because that's a lot of work IMO. But, I also don't like Magic Kingdom enough to go there every day, so I usually do a split stay - a few nights at the Magic Kingdom resort and a few nights somewhere else. If Festival of the Holidays or Food and Wine Festival is happening at Epcot, my second resort will usually be in the Epcot area. But a lot of times it just depends on how many points I have and what's available.
In the end, you'll find something about the resort you're staying in that you like and something you don't like. So just make it your goal to try them all! Might as well try every room type while you're at it. Happy vacationing!
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