Could Bryan’s Spanish Cove Be A DVC Alternative?

There’s no denying that Disney Vacation Club Villas at the Walt Disney World Resort are a great option for larger families. Unfortunately, the price point for these rooms is often out of reach for most families who aren’t already Disney Vacation Club Members. This being the case, I’m always on the lookout for what I think might be alternatives to these rooms.

Being as how we’re talking about Central Florida, an area known for tourism, there’s no shortage of places that are comparable to Disney Vacation Club Villas for a fraction of the price. The problem is, we’ve yet to find one that actually holds up. That is, until one of our most recent stays at a place called Brian’s Spanish Cove.

I booked a room at Brian’s Spanish Cove for 2 reasons. First, the location. No off-property resort is going to be as close as any of the Walt Disney World Resort Hotels or Disney Vacation Club Villas, but there are a few that come close. Brian’s Spanish Cove is one of them. Located right off 535, Brian’s Spanish Cove is about 10 to 15 minutes from almost anywhere on Walt Disney World property. It doesn’t get much more convenient than that.

Now, I could go on and on about the logistics of getting to and from Walt Disney World from Brian’s Spanish Cover. I’m not going to focus too much energy on that today though, ‘cause I think we all know it will come with a few extra steps being an off-property resort. What I do want to talk about is whatever or not the rooms at this resort stand up to the rooms you’ll get if you choose to stay at a Disney Vacation Club Villa.

Quite frankly, I think the answer is going to surprise you.

Keeping in mind that different DVC Villas will have different characteristics depending on the resort we’re talking about, I think it’s safe to say that Brian’s Spanish Cove does more than simply compare. In fact, the room I recently rented at Brian’s Spanish Cove actually stands out above similar Disney Vacation Club Villas I’ve stayed in. . . . which, as a long time DVC Member, is saying a lot.

There are a lot of things that we could talk about when it comes to Brian’s Spanish Cove; many of them we’ve covered in our ROOM TOUR AND REVIEW. However, there’s one thing that stood out to us, particularly when thinking about how this resort holds up in comparison to a Disney Vacation Club Resort: the layout and feel of the room.

Unlike some of the similar Disney Vacation Club Villas we’ve stayed in, the room we were in at Brian’s Spanish Cove felt much less like a hotel and much more like a condo. Not only was it spacious, but the use of space made it feel like you could move and relax in a way you don’t always get from a Disney Vacation Club Villa. [Of course, all DVC Villas are a bit different. Keep in mind that some are set up differently and offer a different experience than others, so that’s important to keep in mind as well.]

This is something that really stood out to us while sitting around the kitchen table. Rather than being shoved into whatever available space the room could manage, this table could easily fit 6 full grown adults with plenty of room for everyone to move about without bumping and shuffling past everyone else. Sure, this might seem like something inconsequential, but if you have a large family who will be eating meals together in the room from time to time [like we so often do when on vacation] I think this is very much notable.

Another thing that really stood out to us at Brian’s Spanish Cove was just how clean the room was. When going through everything and doing our room review, which included opening drawers and cupboards, it surprised us just how spotless the place was. This is something that we’ve come to expect from Disney Vacation Club Villas and Disney Resort Hotels in general, especially in the past few years, but it hasn’t held up in the way you’d expect. This has not been the case as was evident by the chocolate and sprinkles smooshed onto the light switches at the last Disney Vacation Club Villa we checked into.

This all having been said, it’s important to keep in mind that not all that glitters is gold. While there are a lot of great things we’ve said about Brian’s Spanish Cove and how it holds up to some Disney Vacation Club Villas, there are plenty of ways in which it doesn’t even come close.

Like other off-property resorts and hotels, Brian’s Spanish Cove doesn’t share the same type of amenities that you’ll get from a Disney Vacation Club Villa or a Disney Resort Hotel. There’s no benefit to staying at Brian’s Spanish Cove, transportation or otherwise. Which, if we’re being honest, is something that you can enjoy from some other off-property resorts nearby the Walt Disney World Resort. . . so reading the fine print is going to be important if that’s something you’re interested in.

While this may all be true, the reality is that we do still think that Brian’s Spanish Cove is a good option for some families out there who are looking for larger accommodations without having to pay the DVC Prices.

Of course, there are surely other places out there that fit the bill as well. We’ll be sure to check them out and let you know what we think when we do. Until then, let us know if you’ve ever stayed at Brian’s Spanish Cove or any other resort that you think is comparable to a Disney Vacation Club Villa by leaving a comment down below.