Boardwalk standard view worth it?

[Mdktf]

The saving for a standard over a boardwalk view is quite a bit for 2 weeks!

Is it worth the sacrifice of view? What are standard views of? And location?

Thanks

 

[hakepb]

Standard views are the rooms you see as you pull up to the resort lobby, and from the parking lot.

Because of the canal and green space, BWV standard views are generally not that bad (most common complaint is the rooms right next to the noise of the bell services cart corral) and book much quicker than the pool/garden view rooms.
A number of people have said they bought BWV to get 11 month access to the affordable standard view rooms.

 

[Granny]

The saving for a standard over a boardwalk view is quite a bit for 2 weeks!

Is it worth the sacrifice of view? What are standard views of? And location?

Thanks

BWV standard view rooms book extremely fast. That alone should answer your question.

I guess the real question is, what is critical to you enjoying your WDW visit? If a spectacular room view is of primary concern, then BWV Standard View is not a good idea. You may be looking at the front drive up area, a pond with parking lots in the distance, or tennis courts. Or there's a very good chance you will have a large tree blocking almost any view whatsoever.

For us the BWV Standard View rooms are the best value of all the DVC villas comparing cost per night while staying at a resort within walking distance to two parks.

 

[Granny]

Here's an aerial picture to show you the areas designated as Standard View. I have to say that the trees along the side facing the driveway are much, much larger now. You can't even see them in this picture.

 

[Dawn68PA]

This thread is extremely helpful! Thank you all for your info. We are currently purchasing here for the standard view rooms. Unlike most others, we don't do F&W, we just love the resort, surrounding area and ability to walk to EPCOT.

 

[DieHardJoe]

We just returned from 5 nights in a 1-BR Standard View. In the picture inserted by "Granny", we were in Rm 3127 which is at the bottom of the Green shaded line and were almost to the very end of that hallway. The walk from the boat dock and lobby is very looooonnnngggg. I joked that it felt like we were already halfway to Hollywood Studios!! But, to only use 114 points for the 5 nights and have a full kitchen, washer/dryer, and the extra space, it was well worth the long walk. We have stayed in a 1-Br Boardwalk view for 4 nights and loved it, but for a 2-week stay, that's a huge difference in points. What we found interesting is that (again, referring to the picture), if we had stayed across the hall it would have been a Pool view and more points. So the same very long walk, but a better view. Since we don't spend a lot of time in the room during the day, we were very happy with the Standard view and it was quiet as well.

 

[Simba's Mom]

I've stayed at BWV twice in standard view studios and just once in the Preferred/Garden view. Based on my experience, if I couldn't get (or didn't want to use the points for) Boardwalk View, I'd go Standard. Both times I was half way down the longer green "arm" in the picture and enjoyed watching the bus stop, but with lots of greenery in front of me. And I had a nice view of the upper fireworks from Illuminations. The one time I got a preferred studio, I should have taken a picture-it was definitely the worst view EVER. I was in one of the right angles supposedly overlooking the quiet pool, but really all I could see was the sidewalk below and sides of the building. Fortunately it was only for 1 night.

 

[n2mm]

If view isn't important to you, standard is great. I generally ask for a high floor. My last 10 stays I didn't get my requests of far away from elevator so I stopped asking. Now stick with high floor as my only request. We stay here at least 4 trips a year. In August I asked for far away from elevator and was the first room next to it. Like others have said, if generally takes the 11 month window to book standard here, unless you want just a few days. Standard studios and two bedrooms are hard to get. The one bedrooms are a little easier, because a studio sleeps 5 while a one bedroom sleeps 4 (but allows 5, but no extra bed for 5th person). The standard rooms at BLT are even harder to get for a studio.

 

[drusba]

With BWV standard view, you can walk (or take boat) to two parks, you can walk to over two dozen restaurants (parks, Boardwalk, and other Epcot resorts), and BW has its own night life. And you get all that for the bargain point price of OKW. With that combination, the probable answer for many to the question whether the view is worth it is, "Who cares?" Despite that, the views are actually OK and if you get a high floor room "around the corner" facing Studios you can see the Tower and watch fireworks at night.

The real issue is being able to get a standard view room. Getting any room at the 7 month window from late Sep to marathon weekend in January is difficult. For the other 8 1/2 months of the year, studios and 2BRs are often gone at 7 months out although you can get lucky once in a while and find those for a week. However, if you want a 1BR, it is usually open at 7 months out during that period.

 

[puffkin]

Standard View rooms are nice. Both times we were in the bottom part of the L and our view was mostly of shrubbery and the canal. It is a much shorter walk to DHS on that side of the resort and to Epcot it isn't bad. We drive so it is fairly convenient to the parking lot as well and the quiet pool area/community hall. The one thing that is AWFUL at this resort are the elevators. There is only 1 on this whole side of the building and it is a hike. If you can do stairs, it isn't bad. We had a baby/stroller and it was horrible on our stay being on the fourth floor. Request a ground floor if you can't do the stairs! Lesson learned.

 

[loves to dive]

Here's an aerial picture to show you the areas designated as Standard View. I have to say that the trees along the side facing the driveway are much, much larger now. You can't even see them in this picture.

View attachment 198584

I've booked 3 BW standard view studios, notice I say booked because I'm willing to be twice I got upgraded. Once I was at the end of the green arm toward the back. I really can't say what the view was because frankly I don't think we opened the curtains once. There was an outside door very close to our room and we could turn right and get to the sidewalk to HS or turn left and get to the sidewalk that would take us around to the front. I actually liked this location since it really wasn't that far from anything. Once I had a room that was in the little courtyard on the other side of the green line. That had to have been an upgrade. And once I had a room over the clown pool, which was probably listed as an upgrade but trust me being woke up in the mornings with the life guards training or hearing the pool late at night wasn't a blast.

 

[DougEMG]

A number of people have said they bought BWV to get 11 month access to the affordable standard view rooms.

I bought BWV for the location and the standard view room. Is the best deal in DVC.

 

[bobbiwoz]

I bought BWV for the location and the standard view room. Is the best deal in DVC.

We bought BWV for the same reasons!

 

[Mickeygolf]

Quick question related to BWV one bedroom. What is the highest floor you could possibly get? I'm an OKW owner so have never stayed in BWV. We would like to be high up for the view but not sure what that means at BWV. Thanks!!!

 

[Granny]

Quick question related to BWV one bedroom. What is the highest floor you could possibly get? I'm an OKW owner so have never stayed in BWV. We would like to be high up for the view but not sure what that means at BWV. Thanks!!!

Some parts of the villas have 5 floors, other parts 4 floors. Not sure what View Category you are thinking of, but if you ask for top floor (or upper floors to help the room assigner have a better chance of matching your request) that should do the trick. Keep in mind, some of the top floors in Standard View still look right at a tree so it's no guarantee of a great view.

 

[DVCcurious]

If I could convince my family to do BWV standard view I'd do it every time. But they like Storm Along Bay so we end up staying at Beach Club. We used to love Wilderness Lodge before they cut down the trees.

 

[oufpat]

I would rather be in a standard view room then a preferred room overlooking the Clown Pool.

 

[DebbieB]

The standard view corner 1 bedroom is the largest BWV 1 bedroom! There are 3 of them (2123, 3123, 4123). I lucked out one time and got 3123 without even asking! The steps are across the hall for a quick exit to the bus stop or parking lot.