Beach Club Villas or Boardwalk Villa's, which would you choose?

[mickerbaby]

My dh and I wanted to see what the DVC is all about so a friend of mine is renting us enough points for one night in a studio. Assuming that both resorts are avaliable, which villa would you choose? I am trying to impress my husband so that he falls in love with the DVC and we HAVE to buy....so knowing that, which villas are more impressive? I'm sure they are both fabulous, but is one slightly better than the other? And Why?
Thanks!
Crissy
ps-we do have two small children (who won't be with us that night) but is one resort more "preschool friendly"??!! Better pools, walk to Epcot, restaurants, et...
Just for future reference.

 

[BCV23]

Both are preschool friendly.

Different atmospheres. BCV is quiet and removed from the bustle. BWV seems busier which appeals to owners there. We prefer BCV.

Stormalong Bay at the Y&BC is very popular so much so that you can only swim there if you are staying at Y&BC/BCV. DVC members staying on points can hop to other pools with that exception and the exception of AKL.

We prefer the restaurants at the Y&BC too but the BW has its share. Y&BC has Yachtsman Steakhouse, Yacht Club Galley, Cape May character buffet, Beaches and Cream and Crew's Cup lounge which we enjoy. BW has Flying Fish, Spoodles, ESPN Club and Big River Brewery. BW has a bakery as well but BC has an equal selection of tasty baked goods in the Marketplace. But both resorts are close enough that it is easy and fun to try them all as well as those at S/D.

One nice advantage of BCV is parking that is very close to the building. You may still have a bit of a walk to your unit but you can quickly get inside the building.

BCV is closer to Epcot...perhaps a five minute walk. BWV is closer to MGM but not such a short walk.

The views at BCV are of the pool, the BC, or the backside of Epcot but with landscaping in between. We enjoy the peacefulness of that last view. Some units at BWV have beautiful views of the BW if you would enjoy that.

BCV is smaller.

Whichever you end up at, walk over to the other and look around.

 

[eliza61]

Beach club villas is my Home resort so I'm a little biased. BCV has stromalong bay, which is a fabulous pool along with a quiet pool. I know in February you might not do a whole lot of swimming but if you have small children at some time you may have to go in the summer. They also have the character buffet breakfast and dinner at Cape May Cafe along with Beaches and cream, which is an old fashion ice cream parlor. Like, BCV23 we enjoy the relaxed atmosophere of BCV after a long day at the parks and the location to Epcot.
Either one though will be sure to bowl DH over. Good Luck!!
Eliza

 

[bobbiwoz]

When the choice was just between BWV and BCV we chose BWV as our home because it offers the Standard view rooms which give us the great Boardwalk location at a discount. So, my frugal side won the battle of the home resort. If it weren't for that, I would have picked BCV, and we do like to stay there once a year for a few nights, we both love SAB, and the convenience of the parking lot being close to the villas.

However, for the same points as the BCV, we both prefer VWL, that's the themeing that we like the best of all the DVCs!

Your children grow up, I wouldn't pick the resort because of preschool needs.

Bobbi

 

[gilld]

Another vote for Beach Club Villas. Although we like some of the restaurants at the Boardwalk, we find it too busy there. The Beach Club has a much calmer atmosphere yet within walking distance of Boardwalk.

 

[WdwJon]

If you want to wow him, I'd rent enough points for a 1 bedroom in either resort. A much bigger wow factor than a studio.

Jon

 

[debbie in Seattle]

We've owned both (but have sold BWV since). I prefer the BCV-only because it's smaller and set back from the hustle bustle of the resorts. On our first visit, we took one look at Stormalong Bay and thought 'oh no' (our kids are all grown) but were so pleased to find out the villas have their own (plain) pool. I thought we'd miss the 'activites' and restaurant choices the Boardwalk offers, but the Marketplace more than makes up for that-the sandwiches are really good and the gellato is to die for!
Also enjoy the 'community rooms' the BCV's have. Parking lot next to the Villas are a plus also-even though you can do valet if you want. You can hear the music from Worldshowcase and the views are nowhere near as nice as BWV's.

 

[disney-super-mom]

If you want to wow him, I'd rent enough points for a 1 bedroom in either resort. A much bigger wow factor than a studio.

Jon

I think this is a great idea to WOW your DH!

Whichever resort you choose, I would try to make a visit to the one you're not staying in as well, since BCV and BWV are in such close proximity to one another. It might be a nice way to take a little tour of another DVC resort to get a feel for it's atmosphere.

Personally, I think several onsite DVC resorts have some kind of WOW factor with many wonderful features.

BCV - Stormalong Bay Pool of course! And those common rooms look awesome! Relaxed atmosphere.

BWV - The Boardwalk view (if you choose BWV, try to reserve a Boardwalk view room. More points though, but a BIG WOW FACTOR). Upscale hotel atmosphere.

VWL - Gorgeous lobby and wonderful ambiance. Quiet and romance.

SSR - Wonderful DTD view, and many nice views around property, the spa, carriage rides, upscale decor, and it's nice and new!

OKW - Big rooms with lots of space, golf course and water views, quiet and peaceful.

Because all the DVC resorts sound truely awesome, we're having a terrible time trying to decide where to buy. Not such a bad problem to have though.

I hope you have a wonderful time for your one night DVC getaway, and hopefully DH will be impressed. I don't see how he couldn't fall in love with DVC!

 

[Sneaky3]

I would choose BEach Club Villas

 

[bcvillastwo]

We own at BCV, but have stayed at both. I don't think you can go wrong either way.

 

[CarolMN]

If you can, get a guaranteed Boardwalk view studio at the BWV. You'll be able to see the higher level fireworks from your balcony. YOu'll also overlook the Boardwalk area itself and Crescent Lake.

The BCV have Storm-Along-Bay, but the BWV have the better views.

To really wow him, get a 1 bedroom Boardwalk view (the Boardwalk viewrooms are in a separate booking category from the other Preferred View rooms and may not be available for your date).

Be sure to visit both resorts - they are both fabulous. I'd also suggest you check out the model unit(s) at either the BWV or SSR.

Best wishes -

 

[byoung]

My vote goes to BWV.

 

[Cruelladeville]

I have owned at both resorts, and my vote goes to BWV, especially if you get a boardwalk view. Two of my views at BCV were of the road between the villa and Epcot, and of BC with lattice over my patio. Still, in a one bedroom villa, the interior space really makes up for exterior deficiencies.

 

[mickeyc]

Our home resorts are both BCV & BWV. We love the general location. I do agree with the above mentioned post. BCV is a quiet location and there is more activity at BWV. However, it is a short walk or boat ride to the BWV and vice versa.

My favorite is still the BWVs. Can't go wrong in any location or for that matter any DVC resort. We have stayed at all of them and they are all great.

DVC does enable us to vacation more often than if we did not own. Since we live in New Jersey it is great value compared to the high prices of the Jersey shore during the summer. I can fly to Florida rent a car and stay at great resorts and it is still cheaper than going to the shore.

Only you will know if DVC is right for you. Enjoy your short stay and good luck. My only regret is that we did not buy sooner. Although things did work out for us.

 

[PhD_007]

I would have to recommend the Beach Club villas as more impressive. Quiet, with plenty to do nearby. Easy parking and car access. Beautiful inerior spaces.

 

[Forever a Princess]

We just went throught this eval process in December. Where should we add on we asked ourselves-BCV vs BWV.

Before going down and reexploring the properties our choice was BCV.

While on our trip in Dec we toured both BCV and BWV. Met a great cm who showed us the BCV and a room there and also had a good look at the Boardwalk.

Loved everything about the BCV except that some of the rooms are located near a busy access road (rooms on outside of the building). Although we could of lived with this it was a minor determining factor in our decision to buy at the Boardwalk Villas.

While on our trip we called our guide and points were available to add on at BWV. The availability of points right now, right away was the detemining factor for us to buy at the Boardwalk. Our guide stated that it could be months before points opened up at BCV.

So my suggestion is this:
-If you have the money to buy through resale (you do not need financing) and you have time on your hands (acquiring BCV through resale may take a while) then go for BCV.
-If you are interested in buying points right away and want Disney financing options I'd go with BWV.

 

[drakethib]

MAny love BCV due to the pool.

I think either will be fine.

 

[Dean]

As noted they are very similar in many ways. Do you plan to eat at a restaurant at either location? Is he a sports fan or a fan of microbrewery's, if so BWV mgiht be better. The BW also has the activity on the BW itself. While I like some of the minor design changes for BCV and SSR, I like the decor better for BWV. You have a nice problem though.

 

[jbhaupt]

We own both BCV and BWV. Personally I prefer BWV..there is something so special I love about it. We have never had a BW view, I try to get a standard 2 bdrm to save on points in the fall and use BCV points in the Spring for an extended weekend. I don't get the same feeling at BCV when we drive up. My kids prefer BCV, because of the BAY(as we call it) and we have had nice Epcot views to watch illuminations EVERY night.
I agree with others and recommend BWV and get the view, I am sure it would be a wonderful trip and you won't be disappointed. Good luck!
Bonnie

 

[mydogdrew]

We own BWV and VWL. I guess I prefer BCV but it's close. However, BWV is the better value. Std view I basically get a 2 BR at BWV for the same points as a 1BR at BCV plus resale costs are lower.