Boardwalk Villas: Things only an owner would notice

[rutgers1]

This thread is dedicated to those DVC and Disney nuts who dive a bit deeper into their Disney vacations than the average Joe. They are the people who notice things like the quality of silverware at the restaurant , the flushing power of the toilet, hidden Mickeys, and little nooks/crannies of the resort that others might miss. If you are one of those people, please contribute to the thread.

Things to post:
1) photos of places at the resort that others might miss
2) commentary on obscure elements of the resort
3) tips for making the most of a stay at this resort

 

[tiaquessa]

OK - I start this off. I admit I'm am anal about alot of things. I always look at the the way the glass is cleaned, and if MK got all those hidden corners in the shower. I noticed, especially at the BCV, and the BWV, that as the week went on, MK did less and less. Its almost like they felt that we didn't need the room to be as clean or as neat as it was on the first day. I feel that if I'm paying the same price for each night, the room should be cleaned as if it were the first day. I noticed this more this year (we just returned 2 weeks ago). MK would give us new towels and straighten up the bed, but not really make the bed like it should be. She just pulled up the covers, and placed the pillows. OK- Next.

 

[Mickey'sApprentice]

I've noticed that you can time when to leave your BW View villa to catch the DHS Boat without waiting. (It takes the boat longer to go to Epcot and back then it does for you to go all the way down the really long hallway.) We wait about 5 minutes after we see the boat go to Epcot, and I'm a slow walker.

We haven't figured out how long it takes a boat to come back from the studios, but of course the Epcot walk is not bad.

We've discovered that the balconies in the red/pink section is A LOT BIGGER than the individual balconies that individually hang over other sections.

We've discovered that the Belle Vue Room can be a wonderful place to rest while you are waiting for Magical Express to arrive.

We've discovered that purchased prints of the Boardwalk Villas WILL bend in your suitcase.

We've discovered that the Y&BC restaurants add a wonderful variety to the restaurants available at the BW, and that Spoodles breakfast is wonderful.

 

[airtime247]

We just got back from BWV. This was our first visit there without a rental car. We noticed, at least from Animal Kingdom and Downtown Disney, we were bus stop #5 after Swan, Dolphin, Yacht Club, and Beach Club.

We learned it was MUCH faster to get dropped off at the Swan and walk across the bridge to the Boardwalk to get back to our room. I'm not sure what the walking distance was but it didn't seem much longer than the walk from the Boardwalk bus stop to our room.

-steve

 

[DebbieB]

OK - I start this off. I admit I'm am anal about alot of things. I always look at the the way the glass is cleaned, and if MK got all those hidden corners in the shower. I noticed, especially at the BCV, and the BWV, that as the week went on, MK did less and less. Its almost like they felt that we didn't need the room to be as clean or as neat as it was on the first day. I feel that if I'm paying the same price for each night, the room should be cleaned as if it were the first day. I noticed this more this year (we just returned 2 weeks ago). MK would give us new towels and straighten up the bed, but not really make the bed like it should be. She just pulled up the covers, and placed the pillows. OK- Next.

I noticed you are a new member - welcome home! Keep in mind on points stays there will be no full cleaning included during your stay unless you stay 8 nights or more or pay separately for full cleaning. 7 nights or less will get a trash & towel service on day 4, which is only replacing the towels & soaps and taking out the trash.

My tip - if you have a car and have it in valet parking, call from the room to have your call pulled up. It will usually be there by time you get down there.

 

[CoolDisneyKitten]

Maybe this isn't a little thing .. but i love the picket fence wallpaper in the hallways.

Before we were members, we stayed at the BWVs several times. It's where I fell in love with slow paced Disney vacations and decided to join. That wallpaper is so much a part of that peaceful feeling.

 

[Fantasmic303]

Maybe this isn't a little thing .. but i love the picket fence wallpaper in the hallways.

Before we were members, we stayed at the BWVs several times. It's where I fell in love with slow paced Disney vacations and decided to join. That wallpaper is so much a part of that peaceful feeling.

Hate to burst your bubble, but I believe there are reports that the picket fence wallpaper is gone/going with the current refurb.

As for the little things we notice, off the top of my head:

*Love to check out the Miss America photos at Seashore Sweets
*It annoys me that the sign for Seashore Sweets has an apostrophe - Sweets'
*We take pictures of the "scary twin chairs" in the lobby rotfl:BWVNUT, if you read this!)
* Love walking through the croquet lawn when the grass is healthy
* Like the bus, it can also be faster to get off the boat at the Swolphin and walk over to BW when coming home from the Studios, instead of going to the YC/BC first
* Always stop to take a look through the "cinescope" machines (or whatever they're called) when walking towards the Belle Vue

 

[Andrew Bichard]

Here's a link to Lucy!

Andrew

 

[Tink-n-Belle]

If you have a room at the end of one of those long hallways, it so much better to use the stairs going down and as long as your not on the 4th or 5th floor going up too

Using the Swan and Dolphin boat stop--except during morning rush hour-- we did this once and couldn't get on the boat because it was too crowded but its definitely faster on the way home.

You can time the buses from the SV rooms. And you can time the boats from the BW view rooms.

There's a Hess gas station within walking distance.

The bus goes directly to BB and AK from the BW in the morning at least! But on the way back we are the last stop!!!

If you use the dryers in the villa's - only dry half at a time (it's a lot quicker)

 

[tiaquessa]

I noticed you are a new member - welcome home! Keep in mind on points stays there will be no full cleaning included during your stay unless you stay 8 nights or more or pay separately for full cleaning. 7 nights or less will get a trash & towel service on day 4, which is only replacing the towels & soaps and taking out the trash.

I know that when you stay in the Villa's, that's how its done. However, when you stay at the Inn, they are supposed to make the room up, and make the beds, and everything their supposed to do in a "hotel" room. I actually opted to stay in the Inn vs. the Villas on purpose because I wanted to see: 1) how it would be to sleep in the same room as the kids, and 2) how MK made up the rooms each day. Well, after being spoiled by the Villas in the past, my wife and I have voted that we'll be staying in the Villas from now on.

 

[tiaquessa]

OK, I have another. Has anyone ever stayed in room 3205, or around there. If you have, you know how FAR it is from the main area. When we checked in, our CM asked us if we would like a room from where you could see illuminations. Of course we said YEAH! Well, I believe that is the longest we've ever had to trek to get to our room. We weren't mad about the location, it was just something that we laughed about for the next 9 days.

 

[Pete W.]

OK, I have another. Has anyone ever stayed in room 3205, or around there. If you have, you know how FAR it is from the main area. When we checked in, our CM asked us if we would like a room from where you could see illuminations. Of course we said YEAH! Well, I believe that is the longest we've ever had to trek to get to our room. We weren't mad about the location, it was just something that we laughed about for the next 9 days.

As an owner, I notice that being far from the elevator means I am closer to many more things, including Community Hall, the quiet pool, the walkway to DHS, the bus stop (for when I'm talking the bus to MK), and my car when I park in the self-park-lot and want to drive to AK, TL, BB, DTD, the grocery store, other resorts. The only time I have a longer walk is when I'm going to Epcot or the boardwalk itself, plus the front entrance if my car is in the valet lot.

 

[bwvBound]

There's a Hess gas station within walking distance.

That is so handy when you run out of fuel ...

This point may need more info: The Hess gas station also has a mini-market. You may find better prices or wider selection at the Hess than at BWV's mini-market.

 

[allseas1586]

That is so handy when you run out of fuel ...

This point may need more info: The Hess gas station also has a mini-market. You may find better prices or wider selection at the Hess than at BWV's mini-market.

 

[nappingbeauty]

I love Lucy! (haha). Pun intended. The Lucy the elephant statue in the lobby brings back many memories of vacationing at the jersey shore and going to Margate to see the real Lucy!

I love the "wet footprints" in the carpeting of the hallways!

 

[sanbornangel]

We just came back from our first stay. Kudos to BWV! DH became very ill on the plane. We arrived at the airport at 10am and he was in bed by 11:00AM. They put us on the first magic express, and there was no wait at the on-line check in line...we were able to go directly to our room. The cast member took one look at the panic on my face and handed over the key...there were many things that they went above and beyond. We truly enjoyed ourselves (DH was better in 24 hours). We had dine -in the first evening (prepared by Spoodles)...it was excellent. We always got off the bus at the Swan, its .8 miles around the Epcot resorts (3 times around in the am worked off those delicious meals). We moved from Garden View to a preferred view for our last few nights and the view was actually very nice at both spots. Truly magical experience

 

[Mickey'sApprentice]

We just came back from our first stay. Kudos to BWV! DH became very ill on the plane. We arrived at the airport at 10am and he was in bed by 11:00AM. They put us on the first magic express, and there was no wait at the on-line check in line...we were able to go directly to our room. The cast member took one look at the panic on my face and handed over the key...there were many things that they went above and beyond. We truly enjoyed ourselves (DH was better in 24 hours). We had dine -in the first evening (prepared by Spoodles)...it was excellent. We always got off the bus at the Swan, its .8 miles around the Epcot resorts (3 times around in the am worked off those delicious meals). We moved from Garden View to a preferred view for our last few nights and the view was actually very nice at both spots. Truly magical experience

I am so sorry to hear about DH's illness. Luckily, he was better in 24 hours. I have also been sick while staying at BWV, and agree that they were top notch. We also had room service, and it was very good and very professional. Unfortunately, it was also very pricey.

 

[BWVNUT]

Hate to burst your bubble, but I believe there are reports that the picket fence wallpaper is gone/going with the current refurb.

*We take pictures of the "scary twin chairs" in the lobby rotfl:BWVNUT, if you read this!)

X 2 on that picket fence wallpaper

and : re those chairs!

I must say other than just having that feeling of everytime I pull up the driveway, some of my favorite things to do are:

Sit in one of those comfy couches or chairs in the lobby soaking in the atmosphere or sit out on the patio overlooking the boat dock.

Get an ice cream at Seashore Sweets and watch the nightly entertainment on the BW

Renting a surrey bike and laughing so hard a CM has to push you and your 6 companions! up the hill by the Swolphin

Going down the slide with my hands waaaaay up and feeling like I'm a kid again.

Take advantage of activities or borrow board games from Community Hall.

I could go on...

 

[tiaquessa]

BWVNUT- where in CT do you live?

 

[mama03]

Well, we always seem to have a mysterious phone call early in the morning of check-out day. So now we just unplug the phones the night before

We enjoy taking the kids to the Belle View room, usually in the evenings, getting them hot cocoa and an adult drink for us.