Boardwalk vs. Beach Club Villas

[moericus]

My wife and I are debating a small add-on at Boardwalk or Beach Club. I'm sure I could spend a half hour searching the forums but I'm at work so bear with me.

I was wondering what your thoughts are on the two resorts. What is the typical availability for standard view rooms in January? Stormalong bay would be a nice-to-have but since we usually travel to Disney in the Winter so it's not a must-have.

This will eventually be part of a split stay that gives us quicker access to Hollywood studios and EPCOT. We already own at BLT for the MK.

Anything else? I'm all ears...

 

[bobbiwoz]

We own at both. We use standard view at BWV especially for our NYE stays! The point costs for NYE are vey high, but doable with standard view. We use BCV primarily when we know it should be swimming weather.

We've a BCV stay this June, and our next BWV will be for NYE through the first weekend in January. First part of that stay is in standard studio, second part is in standard 2 bedroom.

BWV does not have dedicated 2 bedrooms, so even a 2 bedroom only has 2 real beds. I do not like that, but live with it. BCV only has a few dedicated 2 bedrooms (25?) with the 2 queen beds in that second bedroom and I think they are very popular & I know I book one if family is coming with me, and I book it at 10-11 months out.

I really like both resorts, best wishes to you as you decide!

 

[drusba]

If your desire is to have lower point cost standard view at BWV (about 20% of the rooms) then you should add on there rather than elsewhere. Though you can sometimes find openings in January at 7 months out, there is always a significant potential of not getting standard view at 7 months out almost any time of year. Looking at January right now, more than 7 months out, if your desire is for a standard view 2BR or studio during the first half of the month, forget it, they are gone. There are open days for those in second half but also a few closed days already. 1BRs are still open (those are always the last to go at BWV).

In fact if your desire is either for standard or boardwalk view rooms (best view by far) at BWV, you should own there and use the 11 month window.

In the other direction, if your desire is to have Stormalong Bay then you need to own at BCV because it also can be difficult at 7 months out, particularly first half of January if January is your month to go.

Moreover, with BWV standard and boardwalk view and BCV, though you may be able to get things at 7 months out at times, you have to be prepared to book quickly exactly 7 months out because anything left can disappear quickly as soon as the 7 month window opens (I have seen things open for them disappear at times within 10 minutes of the start of on-line booking at exactly 7 months out).

 

[moericus]

Availability at the 7-month window doesn't really concern me. We know when our Disney vacations will be for the next 30 years. Mickey expects us every other January.

So, we book at 11 months for our home resorts. We are in the process of picking a second home resort.

I think we are leaning towards Boardwalk at this point.

 

[WizardLarz]

BCV has easy access to food without going Outside.

 

[Mickey'sApprentice]

We are not swimmers.

We really liked the lower point cost and the flexibility of either having the fantastic boardwalk view for the same amount of points as BCV or having the lower priced standard view.

IMHO, the standard view at BWV is just as good if not better than at BCV.

Boardwalk Villas is just so much of a better value to me!

If your not a walker...the boats to Epcot are more convenient than the walk from BCV...If you are really a walker...then you can walk to DHS.

Here is something that I think is very important...and may be a deciding factor for you.

Beach Club Villas has a conservative understated elegance.
Boardwalk Villas has a louder, more glitzy, guilded age elegance.

BCV fits my sisters personality to a tee. BWV really fits mine better. I don't want to think what that says about me. Hopefully, it says I like having fun.

 

[Deb & Bill]

We drive and parking at the BW is horrible. Parking at the BCV is great because you can park right next to the villas. And we use our car alot at WDW so parking is important to us.

 

[crisi]

BCV has easy access to food without going Outside.

Does it? I thought the Villa's were separated from the BC by a breezeway and there wasn't a way to get from the Villas to BC proper without going outside. Granted, a covered breezeway, but outside.....

But maybe I just didn't find the secret hallway.....

 

[BEASLYBOO]

I prefer BWV over BCV, always have! Other than Storm-a-Long Bay, which is not important to me, BCV has nothing that appeals! The standard view at BWV, I've always been able to get at the 7 month mark, we've always gotten view of the expansive lawn as you drive up! BCV, well let's see, the 1st time, a stunning view of the road and the 10 foot+ edge! The second time, balcony view of the quiet pool, which by the way is not so quiet!

Parking, well at BWV it's not like at OKW/SSR where you park below your villa but at this point in life the walking is not an issue!

The common areas/ground of to me are blah! I much prefer BWV! I guess that's why DVC made so many different resorts to choose from!

Good luck with your decision!

 

[Deb & Bill]

Does it? I thought the Villa's were separated from the BC by a breezeway and there wasn't a way to get from the Villas to BC proper without going outside. Granted, a covered breezeway, but outside.....

But maybe I just didn't find the secret hallway.....

It is just the breezeway to walk under. But at the BW, you pretty much have to go down on the BW to find something to eat - without a breezeway to walk under.

 

[leanne2255]

The atmosphere at BWV is far superior to BCV. We stayed there once, and I was not impressed. Granted you can walk to BWV from BCV but it's not the same as staying there. I have seen the rooms with "road" view and would be very unhappy if I ever had that view. Standard views at BWV are not that bad at all. I have stayed at all the resorts except AKV, and have a soft spot for my home resort, BWV.

 

[Deb & Bill]

The atmosphere at BWV is far superior to BCV. ....

It's all in the eye of the beholder. I stayed at BWV once and didn't care for it at all. Stayed at BCV about four or five times and loved every stay there. It's nice an quiet. BWV is too hectic for me. But that is what some people like.

So, I'd say the atmosphere at BCV is far superior to BWV.

 

[Hunnypaw]

Eye of the beholder!

 

[nyck]

I own at BC and it is my favorite! BWV is cute but too big and if you get a room at the end it takes FOREVER to go back and forth to, especially a 1 am when i am worn out from park hopping all day. LOL I only stay at BWV when I can't get into the BCV.

I also agree with the parking someone else posted. I love he BCV parking because it is super close. BWV you have to walk forever from the parking lot

 

[Mickey'sApprentice]

I own at BC and it is my favorite! BWV is cute but too big and if you get a room at the end it takes FOREVER to go back and forth to, especially a 1 am when i am worn out from park hopping all day. LOL I only stay at BWV when I can't get into the BCV.

I also agree with the parking someone else posted. I love he BCV parking because it is super close. BWV you have to walk forever from the parking lot

When we stayed at BCV, we were a bit surprised by the walk from Epcot to our room. Yes, it is closer from Epcot...but at the end of a very long day...I'll take the boat!

 

[Deb & Bill]

When we stayed at BCV, we were a bit surprised by the walk from Epcot to our room. Yes, it is closer from Epcot...but at the end of a very long day...I'll take the boat!

Why take the boat from Epcot if you are staying at BCV? The boat dock is closer to the YC and the walk back to the villas is as least as far as from the Epcot boat dock to BCV. Did you take the path that goes around the back side of the BC to the villas? That is really a very short walk. And just skip going up the hill by taking the path that goes under the bridge along side the water. When you get to the other side, take a quick right and there is the path to BCV.

There's no reason to walk all the way back to the BC lobby.

 

[chainkid]

If having a nice view or an even spectacular view are important to you then the BWV win by a landslide. If you like to be pampered with valet parking and having bell services lug your groceries to your room than BWV makes a great impression on guests and family alike. As you can tell I'm not a fan of the BCV at all because other than a pool that is often crowded and a pain to get around, the BW is a more happening place to be. We love Jelly rolls, the ESPN club and the outdoor entertainment . Some think the BC and BWV are interchangeable due to close proximity to Epcot but for me I would never be happy at BC while others would never be happy at BWV. You should really try out the resort before buying as what appeals to one is aturn off to someone else. I probably wouldn't have bought DVC at all if I didn't by chance stay as a cash guest many years ago and fell deeply in love at first sight. This was my home at Disney and whne I got home I read about DVC and bought there. I do not own other timeshares except DVC and probably wouldn't have been tempted to buy in by any of the other DVC resorts. I have stayed at most of them and enjoy them all but not like BWV.

 

[Mickey'sApprentice]

Why take the boat from Epcot if you are staying at BCV? The boat dock is closer to the YC and the walk back to the villas is as least as far as from the Epcot boat dock to BCV. Did you take the path that goes around the back side of the BC to the villas? That is really a very short walk. And just skip going up the hill by taking the path that goes under the bridge along side the water. When you get to the other side, take a quick right and there is the path to BCV.

There's no reason to walk all the way back to the BC lobby.

I was saying that after a long, long day in the parks...the WALK back to BCV was not quite the piece of cake that I thought it would be.

When I'm really tired, I prefer to take the boat back to the Boardwalk than to WALK back to my room at BCV. Sure, the first rooms you get to at the Beach Club are really close to the International Gateway...but once you get to the back very back of the Villas...you've walked some distance. That is especially true if you started your walk from China in the World Showcase, or Test Track on late EMH night, etc.

Sure, the fartherest rooms at Boardwalk are far from the lobby...but if I'm that tired...I had a chance to rest a minute on the boat.