Beach Club Standard View?

[dmbkmb]

Hi Everyone,

I'm trying to understand what the difference is between Preferred and Standard view at the Beach Club? Can someone explain? Is it just an internal room for the Standard? Any windows? I am just trying to figure out if I want to go with OKW or BC. So I wanted more info.

Thanks!

 

[bobbiwoz]

It's the Boardwalk that has standard views. They do have windows, balconies, it's the view that may not be so great, however, we had 4-5 of them and we just looked out over the driveway. We even could see some of Illuminations fireworks at night.

Bobbi

 

[dianeschlicht]

There are no "standard" or "preferred" views at BCV. All rooms are considered to be the same. Some will have Epcot views, or will be on the Epcot side of the resort. Others will have pool view.

 

[drusba]

DVC's Beach Club Villas do not distinguish between standard and preferred. BWV is the only DVC resort that does. The standard BWV rooms overlook the front entrance, street leading up thereto, and the tennis courts. The standard view rooms are the ones that have the highest demand at BWV because of the lower points. There is no difference in the type of room itself.

 

[Epcotkids]

Due to the addition of "Soaring", the new attraction at Epcot, there is no longer an Epcot/fireworks view from any BC rooms.

 

[tjkraz]

Due to the addition of "Soaring", the new attraction at Epcot, there is no longer an Epcot/fireworks view from any BC rooms.

The Soarin' show building doesn't really block anything of note from view. It's quite a distance from the resort, sits along the tree line, and doesn't impact the line-of-site to the World Showcase.

Here's a photo we took in December from our balcony at BCV:

<img src="http://www.krasniewski.com/BCV_View.jpg">

You can see the Soarin' building on the right. Some may call it an eyesore, but I can't think of anything meaningful that was blocked by it. We still had a great view of Illuminations, which was much further to the right of this photo.

That said, for some reason DVC did stop letting members put an Epcot view request on their reservation. I'm not convinced that the two have anything to do with one another.

 

[Epcotkids]

Those stinkers!! We were there in Feb. 2005, just three weeks ago, and that's what they told us. It is also what Carly (DVC members satisfaction person) said when I spoke to her concerning the non-smoking; HA booking issues, following our trip.

Thanks for sharing the good new! However, now it really is more of a "luck" issue than before, when you could at least ask for it.

dmbkmb:
We have stayed at BC 7 times and have had every view from Epcot/fireworks (in Sept. just after BC opened) to the canal view. Allviews were different and very unique. I can honestly say there were none that we DIDN"T like. If you have children you may wish to request the quite pool view, then there is something for them to watch, and if they are old enough they can go swim while you watch them. All the other rooms face an undeveloped area between the resort and Epcot, and is very peaceful. After last years hurricans there are alot of trees down which adds interest too. Oh, and the canal view sometimes has an alagator, and there are always turtles and fish. I hate that you can't request Epcot, watching Illuminations from your room was really neat!

 

[Epcotkids]

oops, I should have said most other rooms face the undeveloped area NOT ALL. Some of the rooms face the interior courtyard, which again, in my opion is not bad either. I think you will be happy with any view.

 

[racheltyler]

Maybe something has changed with this but we were in room 339 in May, 2003 and asked to be switched b/c it was a view of the epcot resort blvd and then epcot in the distance. This was so noisy, even with the balcony door closed, with trucks and other traffic noise constantly. This road was not far in the distance but unbelievably close to the resort. Sitting on the balcony was not pleasant at all. This view of the road completely overshadowed the view of Epcot, IMO because it was so annoying. They switched us to a view of a courtyard which was much better, no problems at all. It was room 350 right down the hall, same floor. Sharon

 

[Epcotkids]

You are correct, I didn't mention those rooms because I believe there are only 5 or so in this area. We stayed in a Studio (I believe) that had this view, but it was also above the canal which I thought was intresting. I do remember a little noise from the road, but we were gone most of the time. I would say that this rooms are probably as bad as it gets. So everyone knows, these rooms are located in the wing that runs toward the guest parking lot, and on the side that faces Epcot. The other side of this wing overlooks the canal too.

racheltyler: Is this the area you are talking about?

 

[racheltyler]

Yes, but I believe there are many more than 5 of these rooms. It was a whole wing or row of these with I believe 5 floors. I couldn't believe how disappointing they would have put part of the resort so close to a main road like this. I would of rather looked at the parking lot any day over this. This road was so close that when we drove on the road, we could point out our room. And I was paying rack rate to look at a main road and hear traffic in our room! I can't think of a much better place to stay than BCV but I'm afraid to take the chance in getting this area again. You're right, there was a canal beneath this but ended to the left of our room. Of course when we complained that we had an infant trying to sleep, they immediately switched us - only Disney!! I would not let this discourage anyone's stay here, just make sure to request in advance a room NOT facing Epcot Resort Blvd if the view is important to you.

 

[disnefile]

I have to disagree with your assessment of the view and road noise. Others may get the impression that all these rooms on this side are terrible. I was in 439 which is much further out and closer to the road than most rooms and the noise was minimal. I would say a few of the rooms at the end of the building on the lower floors are an issue but that is about it. With the door closed I heard nothing.

Pete

 

[MikeSquared]

I also enjoy the Epcot views, the road noise is not a problem for us. This is why I'll be terribly upset if MS refuses to let me make an Epcot view request. Our simple requests in order of importance; N/S, Upper floor, and Epcot view. I don't see the big deal! I've had quiet pool view rooms in the past and didn't like the pool noise. There are people who want this view and those that don't. A request is just a request, if I want to request a dumpster view and it will make me happy, why couldn't it be noted on the reservation and assigned to me if a room was available with that view? It makes no sense to not be able to make a certain request. Unless the Epcot views become a separate category I'm going to request it. I guess I need to check our Oct. and Dec. reservations and make sure our Epcot view request is still noted. Maybe I need to ask for a Soarin' view instead?

Disney, don't make me have to sell my DVC over something as simple as allowing me to make a simple view request. Y'all might be seein' a 200 and 100 point BCV up for sale if I don't like where this is going.

 

[TheBeast]

Disney, don't make me have to sell my DVC over something as simple as allowing me to make a simple view request. Y'all might be seein' a 200 and 100 point BCV up for sale if I don't like where this is going.

Disney, please STOP honoring requests!! MikeSquared, I'll take those points...

 

[racheltyler]

Did not mean to cause any controversy regarding views at BCV. I was simply trying to explain my experience to help anyone interested. This is not really an "assessment" of the view we had in room 339, it was the actual view. And if anyone else is interested to know, if you are sitting on your balcony from this room, you will be watching traffic on a main roadway go back and forth. It's not really an opinion, it's the way it is. I would have been interested to know this in advance to avoid our disappointment.

 

[MikeSquared]

Disney, please STOP honoring requests!! MikeSquared, I'll take those points...

I didn't say they were going cheap!
Your not even going to have to worry about ROFR if we sell these babies!

 

[colleen costello]

Rachel, I agree with you 100%. We were once assigned to #159 and I immediately asked to be moved. That "service road" seemed like a pretty major highway to me, just a few feet across the lawn beyond our balcony. EEEW. I NEVER would have been able to open the balcony doors, for fear of the kids getting near that road. I think BCV has a few of the worst DVC views anywhere, and it bugs me that these don't qualify as "standard view" for less points. I would rather look at a parking lot than practically sit in the middle of a busy road.

 

[MikeSquared]

Well, just an update to this thread.

We do not like the way we have been assigned rooms since the "Room Ready" policy has been in effect. On our last visit at the end of October we had to complain to get one request met, upper floor, and we could not get the Epcot side. At least it was non-smoking, which shouldn't even be a request. I had said earlier that I'd sell if we got stuck in a 1st floor pool side, which is where they tried to put us, so we decided to sell the BCV points and maybe purchase later if things change back to the way they were.

The trip itself was great and we love Disney, but we did not buy at BCV to see the driveway out of the windows. If we are going to make reservations at 11 months out we believe our requests should be met more often. Maybe our expectations were too high, but the first year or so was great until the room assignment policy was changed. It was not fun any more checking in and getting the complete opposite of what we requested, it takes a bit away from the Disney Magic when the room is not even close to what you expected. I don't even know why they take requests when they just assign the first room available, requests don't matter anymore. We've never had a problem getting requests met at any of the Disney hotels in the past, so spending the extra money to do that will make our stay that much more enjoyable.

I hope the new owners enjoy it as much as we did our first few trips in the first year of ownership. Back then requests made 11 months out were more important than someone complaining their room's not ready at 9am.

 

[colleen costello]

Mike and Michael, so sorry it did not work out at BCV. We went this summer with my parents -- we had booked 2 studios. All I wanted was two non-smoking rooms close together, and wouldn't you know it, they assigned me to room #157, practically the very same room I had rejected back on opening day in 2002! We had to laugh that they must somehow note in your "file" that you made a fuss, and give you the same bad room NEXT trip! I did ask them to move my parents, because being so far from the lobby was just too much for them. So Mom and Dad wound up with a nice garden view room in the 20's and we toughed it out in the "room with the view."

We still had a ball. After my initial disappointment, I realized that we were so busy the whole time that we would probably never have used the balcony anhow. On the other hand, I figured I was "taking my turn" and NEXT time --when we go back for July 2006 -- you bet I will tell them in no gentle terms that I had a crap view out in Timbuktu LAST trip and this time I expect a room with a balcony I can actually USE... Incidentally, "ground floor pool view" would be HEAVEN to us because we could let the kids swim and watch them from our patio! TO each his own! But I do still believe very strongly that BCV has some rooms that DEFINITELY need to be "discounted" because of the view of and proximity to that darn road.

Where are you buying instead? It is hard to get a bad view at OKW!

See you at WDW!

 

[MikeSquared]

That's the funny thing, most people hate the long walk to the last rooms down the hall on the upper floor Epcot side. Those are the rooms I want! It makes more sense to assign rooms per requests (with earliest reservation priority) and drop that stupid "room ready" policy since check in is not until 4pm anyway. I hate that I have to sell my DVC to make my stay more enjoyable, but I'm on a vacation that I plan a year in advance and expect more from Disney.

We may find some OKW points in the future, still want N/S, upper floor, golf course view. Maybe even SSR (we took the tour in November) if we can regularly get (you guessed it) N/S, DTD view, upper floor.
We still love the IDEA of DVC! But because we go to WDW twice a year the accommodations are very important to us, and the "room ready" policy just doesn't cut it.