Back from BCV

[Chadm]

Originally posted by DaisyDebbie
Also when I checked in they asked if I wanted a smoking, non-smoking or smoking optional room. Maybe 159 is a smoking optional room?

159 is not smoking optional. It is non-smoking. It is the studio that makes up the 2nd bedroom when combined with 157 to make a 2 BR unit.

 

[DaisyDebbie]

DC: no cool shortcuts that I found, but that doesn't mean they don't exsist.

There is a ceiling fan above the bed. I tried to open the door to the balcony one night but the noise from the road was too loud.

 

[Simba's Mom]

I thought it was plenty cool enough at night in the room. And I was rather concerned about that after having read some of the posts. We keep our bedroom at home very cool, and always have a ceiling fan at night.

 

[Mickey02]

In the process of purchasing for the first time DVC. Our home resort will be BCV.

I am soooo excited to book out first reservation. I want to surprise the family with a trip over New Years eve 2003. Is it hard to get a room over New Years? I am thinking of booking a 2 bedroom because we are taking all our kids and my parents. Any input or suggestions??

 

[ErinC]

What in the world is smoking optional? I ran into this at the doubletree hotel in Cocoa Beach before our cruise. (the sign on the door said no smoking) In my Opinion it's either smoking or not smoking. Smoking optional to me just means smoking.

 

[Mickey02]

In the process of purchasing for the first time DVC. Our home resort will be BCV.

I am soooo excited to book out first reservation. I want to surprise the family with a trip over New Years eve 2003. Is it hard to get a room over New Years? I am thinking of booking a 2 bedroom because we are taking all our kids and my parents. Any input or suggestions??

 

[WDWguru]

The week between Christmas and New Year's is the absolute most busy time of the year at WDW. You will need to call at exactly the 11 month window, exactly when member services opens and book each day of your trip one day at a time to get in at that time of year. The CMs who answer the phones are familiar with this "day by day" procedure for busy times of the year, so just inform them on your first call what you plan to do. They will then link each day's reservation to the last so they all come out as one in the end. Keep in mind the 11 month window is from the day you check OUT, so if your first night's stay will be 12/21/03, you would call for that night on 1/22/03 - since you'd "check out" after that night on 12/22/03.

You may want to look into booking more than one room depending on the number of people you have. While technically a 2-bedroom will sleep 8, I wouldn't put more than six in there. Plus, some may want their own private time away from the rest of the family, which will be tough to do with people sleeping in the living area of a two bedroom. It might be worthwhile to check into a 2-bedroom and a studio, two or three studios, or some other combination that would make it more comfortable for everyone.

 

[Mickey02]

Thanks for all the information. I am a little leary of booking the first time.
I plan on check out on Jan 5, 2003 So I will call
Feb 5 of 2003 and start the reservation process.

 

[Barb]

I just got home from the BCV, room 206. It was perfect. I overlooked the pool and the canal, complete with alligator and turtles. While I couldn't see Illuminations either, as Debbie said I was never in my room at that time. So it really didn't matter. I did, however, see fireworks the one night, which I would assume came from the MK on a MVMCP night. Back to the Illuminations thing, we were so close to the International gateway that if I wanted to see Illuminations again and again, a 5 minute walk would get me right back into EPCOT for the show. It was very convenient to walk to the lobby, the buses, and the pool. I was very, very happy with my room. I can only hope I get in the same area next time.

 

[WDWguru]

If you plan to stay over New Year's, DO NOT wait until your final checkout day to call! Say you're staying Dec. 30-Jan. 4 (checking out the 5th). You'll want to treat each day as it's own separate reservation in order to get all the nights you want. If you wait until the end, chances are VERY likely you won't get anything prior to the night of Jan 1st. As I said, this is called "day by day" calling and member services is quite familiar.

For this hypothetical reservation, you would call member services at 9 a.m. eastern time on January 31st and book the night of December 30th. Tell them you're planning to call for several days to book more and they will mark this in the reservation. Then, at 9 a.m. eastern time on February 1st, call and book the night of December 31st - this will be the most critical one to get, so be sure to call RIGHT when they open. Again, tell them you've made one reservation already and that you'll be calling for more. They may at this point link your first and second nights, or they may wait until the end - I'm not sure. Then, at 9 a.m. eastern time on February 2nd, call and book the night of January 1st... and so on and so on until all your trip is booked. On the last call make sure they've linked all the reservations together into one and you're done!

It sounds confusing, but you'll most definitely need to do this to get in this time of year anywhere on property. The days after January 1st will be less crucial, but once you're in the day by day calling mode it can't hurt to continue. You may be able to wait until a little later than opening to call on those later days, but I'd still call day by day just to be safe. And don't let this scare you - there are very few circumstances where you have to make your reservation in this way. Most times you can do just as you planned and call the last day of your trip to book the whole thing with no problem. Christmas/New Year, Easter week(s), Grand Villas at the Boardwalk and standard views at the Boardwalk are about the only other resrvations you have to do this for.

Oh, and don't be leary! The folks at member services are terrific and will be happy to help you out any way they can!

 

[EmptyNester]

Originally posted by Chadm
Also, if we can smell the smoke in the rooms, why can't housekeeping? It hit me like a ton of bricks right when we walked in. Surely they know which rooms are non-smoking (it says so right on the door) and could take extra steps to eliminate the smell.

If the housekeeper is a smoker, he/she may not smell it!

As an ex-smoker, I speak from experience. When I quit, I was amazed at what I could smell! The biggest "wake-up" call for me was when I stood next to a smoker and could smell the stale smoke. I never realized how I smelled to non-smokers! And my husband, a non-smoker, was kind enough to leave me in the dark!

- Sharon

 

[Mickey02]

Yikes!!

Lets see if I have this now. Sorry I guess I am DVC challenged!

Our stay will be from Dec 29 to Jan 5th so I will call reservation first thing in the morning on Jan 29 2003 and book only for Dec 29th then the next day I will call again for Dec 30th and so on.

 

[WDWguru]

Close, but not quite. Remember, you're calling on your theoretical checkout date (even though in this case you won't actually be leaving). So for Dec. 29, you call January 30th as your theoretical checkout would be Dec. 30th. For Dec. 30, you call January 31st. After that you'll have a weekend when member services is closed, so on Monday, Feb. 3rd, you will call and book Dec. 31st through Jan. 2nd. (That Monday will be crucial as New Year's Eve is the toughest night to book and EVERYONE will call exactly when member services opens to get that night. Plus you'll have everyone who is trying to book subsequent nights calling - normally spread out but the weekend will create a crunch that day. Just be prepared to dial!) You could probably wait until Feb. 6th to book Jan 3rd-5th with no problem, but it can't hurt to continue calling day by day.

 

[Mickey02]

Ok Got it


Thanks

 

[Mickey02]

Thanks again for the information I think it is slowly
sinking in. Hope I am lucky enough to get the reservation
for the nights I want them. I will be refering back to your last
post on Dec 30 to figure out what I need to do! Thanks!

 

[WDWguru]

I'll be calling at the same time, so I'll wish us BOTH luck! And you're welcome!

 

[robinb]

Originally posted by WDWguru
I'll be calling at the same time, so I'll wish us BOTH luck! And you're welcome!

Hey! Leave a 2BR at BWV for me .

 

[musical2]

We just got back from BCV room 278 2Br. The walk from the main entrance was tremendous. I never thought I would get there the first time. 278 is the last room on the end overlooking the canal and parking lot. While the view wasn't great, it was convenient to the parking lot when I didn't need an elevator. My home is OKW, but I would consider booking BCV again if it was available. But first I have to try BWV and the Wilderness Lodge Villas.

Bart

 

[NCRedding]

We just completed a stay in 149. It was a great stay and a beautiful resort. To those who have stayed in this room area--did you ever hear the fireworks from Pleasure Island?/ Last night a little after midnight, I woke up to the sounds of fireworks that sounded louder than Illuminations--they even rattled the windows. I hadn't hear them during the other nights (but one of those nights was the rainy one, and we were at MVMCP on another night). Is is common to hear them, or was it just a fluke? As to the temperature, I felt very comfortable--& I am ususually hot. There is a ceiling fan with controllable speeds. We also found a semi-short cut to Epcot-- there is a sidewalk that runs behind the Beach Club, and comes out just at the bridge to Epcot--it seemed to save some steps, and let us see the renovations going on in the rooms in the part of the Beach CLub.

 

[Claudia1]

Can we request preferences on room locations still or has that been discontinued? I'm confused.

If so, please tell me what I should ask for. We are arriving on 12/22 in a 2-BR (yikes, I need to start packing!!!) with our 4-month grandaughter. It would be nice to have a fairly quiet room location but not 5 miles from the elevator. BWV is our home resort.

I'm faxing my grocery order form shortly, so they will need to have a room assigned before we arrive.

BTW, I called the second week of November and got a 1BR from 12/22 thru 12/27. I called today to try to change to a 2BR and got it.