Thinking BWV for next summer - questions

[Anal Annie]

Ever since Aulani was announced we wanted to go next summer. That was our plan when we postponed our usual 5 year trip to Hawaii to wait for the resort to open and booked a trip to Europe and a DCL Med cruise instead for this past summer. But now that it's time to start thinking about planning it for real and I'm pricing flights but I think we'll have to wait ANOTHER year before we can go. It's just sooo much more affordable to fly to FL. I've considered breaking up the trip in CA to price flights different ways but I still keep coming up with $1K pp. After Europe last summer it's just going to be cost prohibitive for us I think and I'm trying to come to grips with that.

SOOOO (swallowing hard here) just thinking out loud. We have a 6 night trip to BLT planned for spring break and I was torn about what to buy for park tix...if we plan to go back in the summer that will settle that. We'll buy AP's. We always resort hop from trip to trip and after our spring break trip the only places left for us to try will be BWV and the Treehouses. We'll save the Treehouses for a trip where we might actually need that many beds and for when we feel like springing for a rental car since they're a bit inconvenient to get around. This means our first choice at 7 months will be a studio at BWV. I know the Standard view will likely not be available at 7 months so we'll have to pick between Boardwalk or Preferred for our request. Seems like I've read the Boardwalk views can be really noisey at night?! Is that usually a problem for some of you? Should I just request Preferred to be safe? That view would likely be of the pool area, right? What else might it look at? Are there any other requests to think about? (ie upper floor, near elevators?) Are the furthest rooms as far away as the ends of the halls at AKV? What kinds of additional requests do BWV folks usually ask for?

Two more things...food options at BWV. We usually eat breakfast in our villa but I thought I'd read that there's no restaurants at BWV unless you go to the Boardwalk. Isn't there a CS place or bar at the pool or do you really have to go to the boardwalk to find food??? Finally, how much further is the walk to BWV from Epcot than it is to BCV?? We really liked that we could walk to BCV from Epcot but I couldn't decide how much further it was to walk over to BWV. Thought it might look deceiving.

 

[drusba]

1. Getting standard or boardwalk view at 7 months out can be difficult, but it can happen and summer, other than time around July 4, is a somewhat more moderate DVC demand time.

2. Boardwalk view is one of the best views, if not the best view, in WDW. You can hear some noise in evening but it is really nothing of significance if patio doors are closed. What you are more likely to hear are boat horns. Would recommend trying for it over regular preferred view, and request upper floor.

3. There is only one set of elevators on the BWV side and those are close to lobby. Walk to farthest away rooms is about 1 minute 40 seconds normal adult pace. Walk to furthest away rooms at Kidani from the lobby is about 5 minutes. Jambo is about 3 1/2. Boardwalk is thus a pleasant stroll in the park in comparison.

4. There are no CS restaurants at BWV. The pool bar has some sandwiches but is not open early morning. You can get some quick food items in the morning at the donut shop on the walk (which has a little more than just donuts).

5. Preferred non-boardwalk view can be of either the Luna or quiet pool, the lagoon heading toward Studios, or the Village Green (almost a boardwalk view). Village Green is a favored request (there are only studios over Village Green). If you want to avoid any walking to lobby or main pool request close to elevators (which preferred view would be a Luna Pool view or Village Green view).

6. Walk to Epcot is about 8 minutes from lobby area (add a couple if in far away room); to Studios 15 to 20 depending on where you depart from (end rooms at BWV are closer to the studios than others) and you can use stairs to walkway).

7. Boats run Epcot-BWV-YC/BC-Swan/Dolphin-Studios-Swan/Dolphin-YC/BC-BWV-Epcot. Particularly when coming back from Studios, if you want to save time, you can get off at S/D and have a short walk over a bridge to BWV. For Busses, you are usually the first pick up going and the first to be left off coming back from MK or AK but not always and you share with S/D (two stops) and sometimes also share with YC/BC (two stops). Personal view is that it is one of the worst bus systems in WDW.

 

[Mickey'sApprentice]

Ever since Aulani was announced we wanted to go next summer. That was our plan when we postponed our usual 5 year trip to Hawaii to wait for the resort to open and booked a trip to Europe and a DCL Med cruise instead for this past summer. But now that it's time to start thinking about planning it for real and I'm pricing flights but I think we'll have to wait ANOTHER year before we can go. It's just sooo much more affordable to fly to FL. I've considered breaking up the trip in CA to price flights different ways but I still keep coming up with $1K pp. After Europe last summer it's just going to be cost prohibitive for us I think and I'm trying to come to grips with that.

SOOOO (swallowing hard here) just thinking out loud. We have a 6 night trip to BLT planned for spring break and I was torn about what to buy for park tix...if we plan to go back in the summer that will settle that. We'll buy AP's. We always resort hop from trip to trip and after our spring break trip the only places left for us to try will be BWV and the Treehouses. We'll save the Treehouses for a trip where we might actually need that many beds and for when we feel like springing for a rental car since they're a bit inconvenient to get around. This means our first choice at 7 months will be a studio at BWV. I know the Standard view will likely not be available at 7 months so we'll have to pick between Boardwalk or Preferred for our request. Seems like I've read the Boardwalk views can be really noisey at night?! Is that usually a problem for some of you? Should I just request Preferred to be safe? That view would likely be of the pool area, right? What else might it look at? Are there any other requests to think about? (ie upper floor, near elevators?) Are the furthest rooms as far away as the ends of the halls at AKV? What kinds of additional requests do BWV folks usually ask for?

Two more things...food options at BWV. We usually eat breakfast in our villa but I thought I'd read that there's no restaurants at BWV unless you go to the Boardwalk. Isn't there a CS place or bar at the pool or do you really have to go to the boardwalk to find food??? Finally, how much further is the walk to BWV from Epcot than it is to BCV?? We really liked that we could walk to BCV from Epcot but I couldn't decide how much further it was to walk over to BWV. Thought it might look deceiving.

Hi Annie:

DH and I adore the Boardwalk. As our home resort, we have never HAD to stay pool view. We've always done standard or boardwalk view. I'll try to address your concerns in order.

Standard room not available -- it would be worth asking if that is what you want.

Boardwalk view available -- These rooms are almost as hard to get as standard.

Boardwalk noisy -- A few people complain. I've not had a problem. The doors are pretty darn sound proof. It is a little noisier when you are out on the balcony. However, I just see that as being part of the appeal of the boardwalk. The one possible negative is that you can hear the horns on the boats from inside your room. Its not loud...but you can hear it.

Requesting preferred? -- Are you kidding? I guess it would be ok, but...but...you give up seeing the beautiful lake, and spaceship earth, and looking over at Y&BC. I mean you go to the Boardwalk to be on the boardwalk!!

What else does preferred look at? -- I have no idea really. You could get the village green which is kind of like looking at the boardwalk. I think that might be the best view for you...BUT it is not guaranteed.

Room request -- Many people ask to be high up and say that the view is better farther down the hall. I don't see it personally. I think the best room we ever had was on the 2nd floor above Big River Grill. The balcony was enormous! Many of the higher floor rooms have dinky balconies. I would say the length of the hallways would compare or be a little shorter than the hallways at AKL, but still long. My one request is that I would not want a first floor room on the boardwalk. I tend to go for near the elevators because I have bad foot problems, but walk anyway.

Restaurants - The only food or beverages that can be purchased without going outside is from the Bellevue Lounge. They serve pastries at breakfast, and beverages for the rest of the day. It is a very nice quiet spot most of the time. I think you will love it. There are a lot of dining options at the Boardwalk. You have vendors with pizza and funnel cakes, and then you have ESPN, Big River Grille, Kouzinna, and Flying Fish. These are great options, but they are probably better if you are NOT on the dining plan. Why? because the pizza by the slice is probably not worth a CS credit. I'm not sure they even take it...and ESPN and Big River Grille are not very expensive options for the DDP. Something good to know...ESPN and Big RIver Grille DO NOT take reservations. I have to say that BIg River Grill is definitely growing on me. Dare I say it...I like it alot. Yes, there is a bar at the pool. We've never used it. Plus, the Epcot food and Y&BC, and S&D food is a plus not a minus. It just gives you a ton of more convenient options. I highly recommend the french pastry shop in Epcot!! I also love breakfast at Cape May with the characters and the Yachtsman Steakhouse!

Walking to Epcot - I personally prefer the set up at BWV over the setup at BCV as far as getting to Epcot.
Boardwalk -- You walk out of the resort and either take a nice stroll next to the lake, or take the boat. If you decide to take the boat and it hasn't arrived, you can sit on benches in front of the boat dock until the boat gets there. I really like having the option. The boat ride is cool. If we see the boat, or its been a long week, we take the boat. Otherwise, we walk. Plus, if you want...you can walk to DHS.
Beach Club Villas -- The walk to get out of the villas may be shorter since it is a smaller resort, but then...you have to walk past a whole slew of regular beach club rooms and woods. In that time, you could have covered a lot of the boardwalk which is more pleasant. The good part is that when the path finally does come out...you are at Epcot! It does not make sense to EVER take the boat to Epcot. Parking is much better at BCV.

I'm sorry if this is a little long. The only other thing I will say is that some people get pretty aggrevated at the transportation at BWV. It usually doesn't bother me. (It always beats that one trip to WL we had.) Just know that it can give you anxiety when you have a dinner ADR in or near the MK and you have to wait on a bus...and then the bust goes to Y&BC before heading to MK. Plus, late at night...when the bus is packed...your the 1st stop!! Getting to the bus stop isn't bad either.

Annie, I hope that you love the Boardwalk as much as we do. We are so glad that we own here. It is absolutely wonderful, and definitely the right resort for us.

 

[Anal Annie]

1. Getting standard or boardwalk view at 7 months out can be difficult, but it can happen and summer, other than time around July 4, is a somewhat more moderate DVC demand time.

2. Boardwalk view is one of the best views, if not the best view, in WDW. You can hear some noise in evening but it is really nothing of significance if patio doors are closed. What you are more likely to hear are boat horns. Would recommend trying for it over regular preferred view, and request upper floor.

I was thinking upper floor only because we had a bad experience at HHI where we were on the 2nd floor and could hear EVERY footstep from the people above us. It sounded like they were traveling with a herd of baby elephants up there.
So whenever I call will they be able to tell me then if we can get the boardwalk or the preferred or is that something you don't find out until check-in time??

3. There is only one set of elevators on the BWV side and those are close to lobby. Walk to farthest away rooms is about 1 minute 40 seconds normal adult pace. Walk to furthest away rooms at Kidani from the lobby is about 5 minutes. Jambo is about 3 1/2. Boardwalk is thus a pleasant stroll in the park in comparison.

4. There are no CS restaurants at BWV. The pool bar has some sandwiches but is not open early morning. You can get some quick food items in the morning at the donut shop on the walk (which has a little more than just donuts).

OK, as long as there's someplace to get something by the pool. That really bothered me at Kidani - really missed the Mara there.


5. Preferred non-boardwalk view can be of either the Luna or quiet pool, the lagoon heading toward Studios, or the Village Green (almost a boardwalk view). Village Green is a favored request (there are only studios over Village Green). If you want to avoid any walking to lobby or main pool request close to elevators (which preferred view would be a Luna Pool view or Village Green view).

Is the Luna pool the main (big) pool??

6. Walk to Epcot is about 8 minutes from lobby area (add a couple if in far away room); to Studios 15 to 20 depending on where you depart from (end rooms at BWV are closer to the studios than others) and you can use stairs to walkway).

7. Boats run Epcot-BWV-YC/BC-Swan/Dolphin-Studios-Swan/Dolphin-YC/BC-BWV-Epcot. Particularly when coming back from Studios, if you want to save time, you can get off at S/D and have a short walk over a bridge to BWV. For Busses, you are usually the first pick up going and the first to be left off coming back from MK or AK but not always and you share with S/D (two stops) and sometimes also share with YC/BC (two stops). Personal view is that it is one of the worst bus systems in WDW.

I can't imagine ANY resort having a worse bus system than OKW. THAT was pure H double hockey sticks!! We waited a full hour one evening for a bus to the MK. The buses to / from DTD are also stupidly slow. Surely there's not a 3rd place that bad?!

 

[Anal Annie]

Hi Annie:

DH and I adore the Boardwalk. As our home resort, we have never HAD to stay pool view. We've always done standard or boardwalk view. I'll try to address your concerns in order.

Standard room not available -- it would be worth asking if that is what you want.

Boardwalk view available -- These rooms are almost as hard to get as standard.

Boardwalk noisy -- A few people complain. I've not had a problem. The doors are pretty darn sound proof. It is a little noisier when you are out on the balcony. However, I just see that as being part of the appeal of the boardwalk. The one possible negative is that you can hear the horns on the boats from inside your room. Its not loud...but you can hear it.

Requesting preferred? -- Are you kidding? I guess it would be ok, but...but...you give up seeing the beautiful lake, and spaceship earth, and looking over at Y&BC. I mean you go to the Boardwalk to be on the boardwalk!!

I really don't know much about BWV or the boardwalk (we've never been over there). I was just afraid being over the boardwalk might be noisy (thinking of Ocean City, MD boardwalk).


What else does preferred look at? -- I have no idea really. You could get the village green which is kind of like looking at the boardwalk. I think that might be the best view for you...BUT it is not guaranteed.

Room request -- Many people ask to be high up and say that the view is better farther down the hall. I don't see it personally. I think the best room we ever had was on the 2nd floor above Big River Grill. The balcony was enormous! Many of the higher floor rooms have dinky balconies. I would say the length of the hallways would compare or be a little shorter than the hallways at AKL, but still long. My one request is that I would not want a first floor room on the boardwalk. I tend to go for near the elevators because I have bad foot problems, but walk anyway.

I will probably ask for top floor only because we had a loud experience at HHI and now I'm afraid of having noisy neighbors. Hopefully that is the only wood construction DVC resort but still... It was REALLY annoying to hear every move the people above us made.

Restaurants - The only food or beverages that can be purchased without going outside is from the Bellevue Lounge. They serve pastries at breakfast, and beverages for the rest of the day. It is a very nice quiet spot most of the time. I think you will love it. There are a lot of dining options at the Boardwalk. You have vendors with pizza and funnel cakes, and then you have ESPN, Big River Grille, Kouzinna, and Flying Fish. These are great options, but they are probably better if you are NOT on the dining plan. Why? because the pizza by the slice is probably not worth a CS credit. I'm not sure they even take it...and ESPN and Big River Grille are not very expensive options for the DDP. Something good to know...ESPN and Big RIver Grille DO NOT take reservations. I have to say that BIg River Grill is definitely growing on me. Dare I say it...I like it alot. Yes, there is a bar at the pool. We've never used it. Plus, the Epcot food and Y&BC, and S&D food is a plus not a minus. It just gives you a ton of more convenient options. I highly recommend the french pastry shop in Epcot!! I also love breakfast at Cape May with the characters and the Yachtsman Steakhouse!

We've never been to any of these places so I guess we'll have to try a couple of them!

Walking to Epcot - I personally prefer the set up at BWV over the setup at BCV as far as getting to Epcot.
Boardwalk -- You walk out of the resort and either take a nice stroll next to the lake, or take the boat. If you decide to take the boat and it hasn't arrived, you can sit on benches in front of the boat dock until the boat gets there. I really like having the option. The boat ride is cool. If we see the boat, or its been a long week, we take the boat. Otherwise, we walk. Plus, if you want...you can walk to DHS.
Beach Club Villas -- The walk to get out of the villas may be shorter since it is a smaller resort, but then...you have to walk past a whole slew of regular beach club rooms and woods. In that time, you could have covered a lot of the boardwalk which is more pleasant. The good part is that when the path finally does come out...you are at Epcot! It does not make sense to EVER take the boat to Epcot. Parking is much better at BCV.

We still go commando most days and put on a lot of miles in a day at Disney. We're usually dragging pretty bad by the time we come in at night so we tend to hate long walks back to our villa. We just want to be there.

I'm sorry if this is a little long. The only other thing I will say is that some people get pretty aggrevated at the transportation at BWV. It usually doesn't bother me. (It always beats that one trip to WL we had.) Just know that it can give you anxiety when you have a dinner ADR in or near the MK and you have to wait on a bus...and then the bust goes to Y&BC before heading to MK. Plus, late at night...when the bus is packed...your the 1st stop!! Getting to the bus stop isn't bad either.

Hummm. Between you & drusba this is the first I'd heard that the transportation was a problem at BWV. We found it to be PAINFULLY SLOW at OKW so I just hope it's not THAT bad.

Annie, I hope that you love the Boardwalk as much as we do. We are so glad that we own here. It is absolutely wonderful, and definitely the right resort for us.

Thanks - I'm sure we'll like it fine...It just won't be Aulani.

 

[Mickey'sApprentice]

The floors are so loud at Hilton Head!! The walls are thin too!

The only thing I've heard about room noise at BWV, is that if you are below a grand villa...you can hear more because of the wood floors. I haven't heard that comment in a long time though.

Don't worry about the transportation!! Its usually not bad at all. My only real beef (and this is at any resort) is coming out of the MK late at night. My feet hurt, and there is no place to sit. Even that was convenient on our last trip. I don't think we had to wait over 5-8 minutes.

 

[drusba]

I can't imagine ANY resort having a worse bus system than OKW. THAT was pure H double hockey sticks!! We waited a full hour one evening for a bus to the MK. The buses to / from DTD are also stupidly slow. Surely there's not a 3rd place that bad?!

Ah! The battle of the worst bus systems. As an owner, I have been to BWV now several dozens of trips. On every trip, I have had at least one time where we waited at the MK bus stop (not at closing when you expect huge crowds) for the bus to come for 50 minutes or more. Something similar also usually happens at AK. We watch as every other resort has multiple busses show up in that time. And each time that has happened, the bus driver knew of no reason why there had been a delay and seemed to think there never was one. Moreover, waiting for the applicable bus to come at the resort often takes 25 minutes or more. In the interim you get 4 busses show up all going to the same park but not the one you are going to. Then when yours arrives, it heads to S/D (two stops) and sometimes just sits 5 minutes at a stop after passengers have loaded (my guess is they are just doing that to make sure someone at Mk waits 50 minutes for a bus to arrive). The ultimate suffering begins when they add YC/BC to the run because, I assume, they don't think it is busy enough to expend the costs on separate busses. The trip can take an hour.

I also own at AKV. Though you can sometimes get a delay, my experience has been that they seldom happen there and the bus system with only two stops at the resort puts BWV to shame. The first time I used the bus sytem there I thought I had died and gone to heaven in comparison to the hell at BWV.

 

[Goofy's apprentice]

Wow! You certainly have earned your Disboard name....That is a compliment, by the way....your family is lucky to have you to work out all the fine details of vacationing.

We have stayed in most of the DVC resorts and basically choose based on what type of vacation we are looking for. I really believe that the Boardwalk view is a room that everyone should try at least once. We love it. We are not, however, commando park trippers. We love to hang around and enjoy the resorts as well. Standing on the Boardwalk View balcony and watching the activitiy on the Boardwalk from above is one of our favourite activities....glass of wine...snacks....lots of built in entertainment!

We don't find it too noisy but you do hear the boat horns through the patio sliders.

You do have to go out to find meals, but that is not usually a problem as much is available close by. We love the Boardwalk Bakery for breakfast and lunch.

One of the things we loved the most about the BWV, when our kids were little, was the quiet pool and the Community Hall being right beside each other. We could lay by the pool and our kids alternated between the pool and the Centre. They could play ping pong, do crafts and activities, rent movies. It worked perfectly giving us and them some independance while still being within eyesight. We prefer the quiet pools over the Theme pools, but Luna Park is just around the corner from the quiet pool so you can move between the two fairly easily.

If you don't get a Boardwalk View then you could request a view of the Village Green (our courtyard, I forget the description) as you can see the Boardwalk from those rooms but aren't right there.

Good luck and enjoy your vacation!

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I am one that has been disturbed by Boardwalk noise. During the day is not the problem but both after going to bed and early in the morning I'd be woken up by late partiers or cm's pushing carts across the boardwalk boards. And I'm not a very light sleeper either. Our Boardwalk view rooms have always been on the 2nd floor and I've rarely if ever heard anything from the rooms above so I wouldn't worry about that. Next time we do boardwalk view (and I'm sure there will be b/c DH loved it) I hope we get a higher room so I see if that helps with the noise. I will say though that I did like all other aspects of our 2nd floor room - same level as the lobby and it was close to it. It also had a wonderful, huge balcony!

The lack of CS is a drawback and the food at the Luna Pool bar will not be like Mara.

I also feel the bus service at BWV is the worst at WDW but the walk to DHS is nice and having the quick boat service to Epcot or being able to walk is a huge plus.