beach club vs boardwalk

[2tink4u]

Okay, So there are a few die hard BC fans, but not many.... Muushka, you must share your reasons so that I can learn. You may have a reason I haven't thought of and when I hear it, Bam I know that is so me. The one post about the sab taunting him, was so me...... But you have to share, I know everyones reasons are personal, I just am scoping out positives and negatives to make the best informed decision.... I'm a nurse, gotta know, how, who, when, why and ect.... Birds gotta fly, ...

 

[BCV23]

The tried and true mantra is buy where you want to stay. Good advice IMO and I'm glad we followed it.

Someone advised you to stay at both before deciding and if you are unfamiliar with the locations, atmospheres, restaurants, pools and parking I would certainly try to do so.

Good luck and happy planning!

 

[BWV Dreamin]

Okay, So there are a few die hard BC fans, but not many.... Muushka, you must share your reasons so that I can learn. You may have a reason I haven't thought of and when I hear it, Bam I know that is so me. The one post about the sab taunting him, was so me...... But you have to share, I know everyones reasons are personal, I just am scoping out positives and negatives to make the best informed decision.... I'm a nurse, gotta know, how, who, when, why and ect.... Birds gotta fly, ...

Respiratory Therapist here from Maryland, I own at BWV. So the down and dirty is.......BCV views aren't really all that. How much does that pool mean in comparison to everything else WDW has to offer? BWV has a very nice pool. Has a variety of points per room to choose from (standard, BWV view). Can always walk to Beaches and Cream...BCV.is not really any closer to the 2 parks, I mean we're talking yards, not miles. BWV is way cheaper on the resale market. Have more of a chance to book your home resort at BWV because there are more rooms there. Best of luck in your decision!

 

[TLSnell1981]

I like BWV and BCV and have stayed at both. I prefer these DVC's because of their proximity to Epcot.....the ease of walking through and taking the monorail to MK....and the boat ride to MGM. I chose BWV because it is the larger of the two. I felt like getting home resort here would give me the best chance 11 months out of getting exactly what I wanted. I may be wrong, but that is how I made my choice.

 

[elgerber]

We own at BWV and wouldn't trade for anything! We truly feel home when we pull in there. Some of the things we love so much, you can enjoy from the BC also I suppose. We love the Boardwalk itself, being able to walk downstairs and out there to people watch or watch the performers. We love being able to walk to Epcot or MGM (you can walk to MGM from the BC but it's a longer walk). We also love the standard view option for reduced points.

 

[Muushka]

Okay, So there are a few die hard BC fans, but not many.... Muushka, you must share your reasons so that I can learn. You may have a reason I haven't thought of and when I hear it, Bam I know that is so me. The one post about the sab taunting him, was so me...... But you have to share, I know everyones reasons are personal, I just am scoping out positives and negatives to make the best informed decision.... I'm a nurse, gotta know, how, who, when, why and ect.... Birds gotta fly, ...

You are so funny! I'm in the medical profession myself (lab, but no more) so I understand.

It sounds like you want BCV. Just a hunch. Good luck!

 

[Squidrific]

I have stayed at both BWV and BCV and I prefer BCV, thus my buying points there. I love the pool, but that isn't what called me. Personally the BWV feels like staying at a huge hotel. The hallways are very long, but the atmosphere and total lack of a marketplace or counter service totally turned me off. The views are fine, but I don't spend a lot of time in my room looking at out the window.

I love the dedicated check-in at the BCV - so easy and so painless. I love the small touches like the baskets of apples and pitchers of lemon water in the breezeway. I love the laid-back beach atmosphere and beautiful decor. I love the small intimate walkway on the side of the villas through the small courtyards to the main walkway to EPCOT. I love popping over to the marketplace or Hurricane Hannahs for a counter service when I don't feel like going to the parks. And most importantly, I love the staff! Art the Greeter always welcomes me home and makes me truly feel at home. The staff in the villas are terrific! We had a birthday and they arranged balloons and a signed Mickey picture without me even asking. When we stayed at BWV they never even acknowledged our birthday.

I also love my BCV points because I need the 11 month window to stay there, but have never had a problem getting a room at BWV even during F&W at the 7 month window.

 

[2tink4u]

Mushka, Gee and I thought you cared. I saw the last post was yours and finally,thought I would have your coveted opinion.... But, alass nooo...... I'm still waiting... Patienly, for your opinion.. I promise not to take it personally.....

 

[2tink4u]

Squidrific, Thank you so much for your lovely and happily biased opinion!!!! I can tell you are truley happy with this resort. I hope to be also. I'm inpatient and hoping for a listing that isn't to stripped of points. Final decision is yet to be announced. Please feel free to continue the debate.... I didn't even realize BW didn't have counter service... So, I am still learning.

 

[Muushka]

Mushka, Gee and I thought you cared. I saw the last post was yours and finally,thought I would have your coveted opinion.... But, alass nooo...... I'm still waiting... Patienly, for your opinion.. I promise not to take it personally.....

I care!!

 

[2tink4u]

Yes, Muushka you do!!!!!

 

[lisareniff]

This is a great question! We own at BCV (Disney was selling it at the time) but I always like to play the game 'what would you buy today if you could do it over'. My answer always has the majority of my points at one of these two. I keep going back and forth. We really like BCV but this spring we stayed at BWV for the first time and really like it too!

The objective list of pros for each would include...

BWV
GV's - Even if you'll never get one at least you can dream!
Std. view - Boardwalk for the price of OKW
Boardwalk View - Ohhh La La!
Community Hall - Kids love it!


BCV
SAB - Need I say more!
Ded. 2 bdrm w/2 Queens - BWV only has lock-offs
Close self parking - Right next to the villa building!

Their locations are so close that you can enjoy the amenities of both (except SAB), so it's hard to give either resort too much credit for them, but will be more convienent if you were staying there. These are a list of those types of things...

BWV
More restaurants - I give BWV the nod for slightly more restaurants
Boardwalk Entertainment - Nice end to the evening
Better views -
Midway between DHS and EPCOT

BCV-
Sand Beach - A nice relaxing
More quick service food - HH by the pool.
Soo close to EPCOT
Calming decor

So which would I choose? Hummm.... I guess it would come down to if I wanted SAB or GV/BW view/Std. pts.


...I still can't decide!

 

[2tink4u]

Lisa, You so sound like me... And with my 20k on the line I'm taking all callers... Thanks for your post.

 

[2tink4u]

So, more BW fans out there still then BC. Come on BC lovers, oh where oh where are the beach club lovers are where of where can they be with their quiet places and epcot races of where oh where can they be. Okay just a little taunting fun!!!!!! I'm a disney freak, I have to be just a little tinker......

 

[Lauralei]

We own at SSR but also have only stayed there once. The other two years we stayed at BWV and WLV. This year we are staying at AKV. Just call at the 7 month mark. This is me, my DH and my DS(8). We always go on Presidents Week (one of the busiest times of the year) and have never had a problem booking a 1 Bedroom Villa. So my advice is your home resort doesn't matter that much, just call as soon as you can. All the places are nice in their own way.

 

[jbthi]

We bought BWV and then did an add-on at BCV. I really like both of them but if I had to choose one it would probably be BWV. We bought BCV for the grandkids to have SAB but it turns out they prefer BWV. They like all the activities going on at the Boardwalk. They are old enough now though that they can take the boat over by themselves.

One good thing about buying BCV is if you decide you want to stay at BWV it would be easier to get at the 7 month mark because there are so many more units available there than at BCV.

One thing better about BWV is the boat is very close to the units. I had foot surgery and to take the boat I went straight out from the villas. At BCV you have to walk quite a way to get to the boat. It is just as short to just walk to Epcot. Normally we would walk anyway but with foot problems the boat was very convenient.

I love both resorts. I don't think you can go wrong with either.

 

[ChickieToo]

Okay, I'll enter the conversation.

BCV fan here. I've been staying at the BC/YC for years. We own at two places, VWL and BCV. Have never stayed at VWL. We only bought there because that was what was for sale at the time. When we told our guide we wanted to wait for BCV, he gave us the typical sales spiel, including that BCV wasn't a done deal and who knows when it would happen, the price will just go up in the meantime, blah, blah, blah. We bought VWL in November and in February we got the notice for BCV. We were pretty mad and had our guide replaced because we felt we were misled, but I digress. A few years later we bought BCV resale.

You have to decide what is most important to you, and then base your decision on which resort best fits the bill. I want to state that I think BWV is a nice resort. People who love it there have theri bona fide reasons for loving it based on their overall preferences. I think it's great that everyone's taste can be satisfied with the different resort types. Diversity is what makes the DVC great. Having said that, I have stayed at BWV and I have to say, I much prefer BCV. No criticisms or flames, it's just one family's opinion. But OP wanted to here from BCV fans, so here I am.

BCV is much more "resorty" IMHO. I like that it is spread out and there are a lot of places on-site. I love that there are a lot of rooms around the resort to just relax. I love that there are restaurants and the BC Marketplace right on-site and you don't have to leave the resort to get something to eat.

DD8 loves SAB, and we do to. There are a lot of kids activities that take place at the pool--supervised volleyball, bingo, treasure hunts, spash parties with music and dancing. With a pool that large they can have activities and still have plenty of room for those who just want to swim. I can spend the whole day at SAB and not be bored. There is something for everyone. People say that it is hard to supervise children at SAB, and as I have only one child I can't comment on that. But we have travelled to BCV with other families and everyone thinks it is awesome. The slide is killer for a resort slide. Never cared much for the Keister Coaster over at BWV, as it just goes in circles. At night BCV has a campfire sing-along and then the movies on the Cresent Lake beach. For adults they have yoga on the beach (7 am--not for me!).

True, there aren't the views at BCV as there are at BWV, but then again, I'm seldom in my room enough to worry about that. (And don't forget that the view is of BC/YC!) And as far as the activities on the Boardwalk at night--I agree, it is great fun. But since it is only a 5-10 walk around the boardwalk to the BCV I don't consider it a big deal. We do all the same things from BCV that we would do if we stayed at BWV--rent the surrey bikes, get ice cream and candy at the sweets shop. Eat at the baordwalk restaurants, watch the street performers, DD gets her face painted.

I like hotels, and the BCV is just an extension of the hotel, with all it's services and ammenities. There is no community hall at BCV, and I like that. I like that it is big. I like that you can get room service. There is the marina with boat rentals, and although anyone can access them or rent them, it just adds to the whole "seaside resort" environment.

I could go on, but you get the idea. If you have any questions, I'll be glad to answer them. And again, to those of you who are BWV fans, great! I'm glad you have found a resort you love, too.

One option may be to buy direct from Disney. The contracts are whole, and when you take out closing costs, etc, we found that it wasn't really any more expensive than buying a stripped resale contract from the resalers. Just another thought.

Good Luck!

 

[cubes]

For my family, it came down to the points. Both have great locations. Both have good dining and are close enough that it's easy to experience the others dining. The cost of resale of BWV was $5-$10/point cheaper and the points/night are lower of BWV.

 

[bmtta2003]

The entire EPCOT area is my families favorite location. The Yacht club is our favorite hotel, but alas, not part of DVC.

We have stayed in all the EPCOT hotels as cash customers and both the BWV and BCV as DVCerS. As a cash customer I liked the Beach better than the Boardwalk, but as a DVCer I liked the Boardwalk better than the Beach.

The BCV's are pushed toward the back of the hotel and have a longer walk to the lobby. I felt like an after thought almost a second class citizen like feel and atmosphere.

I think that after numerous trips I've become jaded. I still love WDW, but I find myself finding more and more faults with each trip. It's like learning the secret of a magic trick. This is all just my own humble opinion but to paraphrase a great bumper sticker, "The worst day at Disney is better than my best day at home."

 

[elgerber]

So my advice is your home resort doesn't matter that much, just call as soon as you can. All the places are nice in their own way.

I really don't think I would count on this if you plan to travel during F&W, both BC and BWV fill up very quickly.