BWV epcot and the swan

[nikitta28]

i have always stayed at OKW in the past, we are looking to book at BWV in november. how far is the walk to epcot? how about to the monorail at epcot?how about the walk to the swan? we have small children so i was curious if it could be done. also we have no experience in requesting room accomidations. at OKW we request nonsmoking, near the HH and first level (so as not to be dragging strollers and passed out childern up flights of stairs) we request to be near the HH at OKW so that its a minimal walk to the pool. What should we request at BWV for this scenario.
thank you for any help

 

[jaysue]

Cannot answer all your ?? but some of them

The BWV pools are closer to Disney-MGM Studios than Epcot - Luna Park is the "first pool" neat the Boardwalk and the Quite Pool on the villas side is more towards MGM

We walked to MGM from the Boardwalk - must have been about 15 minutes or so - not sure how far to Epcot/Swan

I am sure others will help

thanks
jaysue

 

[Mrs. Snowgod]

These are guesstimates - maybe someone out there has actually done it with a pedometer, but a general idea is:

BW to Epcot International Gateway - about 1/2 mile
IG to epcot monorail, about another 1/2 mile, perhaps slightly more
BW to the Swan - about 1/3 mile, though if you are at the end of the villas near the bridge, it would be significantly less.

What do you think, folks... is that about right to you all?

At least BWV has elevators, so you won't have the same kinds of challenges with tired children as you do at OKW, but it is spread out. Do plan on some walking! And remember, you can always take a boat from BW to Epcot, or to MGM, or even over to the Swan, since the boat transportation will stop at BW, BC/YC and Swan/Dolphin on the way to/from MGM & Epcot. The boats are not too much faster than walking, but they will save you some energy!

HTH!

 

[lrodk]

It took us longer to walk to MGM than Epcot from the BWVs. I would say 10-15 minutes to Epcot, with another 15 minutes if you hot-foot it to the monorail. MGM takes about 15+ minutes. The Dolphin/Swan are right next door, so you're talking about 5-10 minutes. Everything is pretty much close, so you're only talking a difference of a couple of minutes in each direction.

 

[InstImpres]

I would probably request near the elevator or ground floor as there are several side doors to go.

Here is room report chart. http://members.aol.com/InstImpres/boardwalk

It's purpose is more to give people ideas of what is available and different comments. It is not meant to encourage requesting of a specific room.

Good luck
BWV is a great choice...I think it is much more convienent than OKW especially with young children.

 

[The VWL Five]

Hi,

Our last trip we stayed at BCV. We have 3 children, ages 4, 3, 2. We use a double umbrella stroller for 2 and allow one to walk or be carried. Each day we made sure we took the monorail back to Epcot, no matter where we were. Walked straight to Mexico for Margaritas, then headed home.

The walk isn't bad from the monorail to the Intl Gateway. Maybe 15 minutes. From there it's 10+ about minutes to the Boardwalk.

I wouldn't worry about walking with the kids.

Good luck.

 

[MikeBW]

The best benefit of staying at BWV is you are in the middle of all the action. It will take about 5-10 minutes at a leisurely pace to get to Epcot's International Gateway and about 10-15 minutes to walk to MGM. VWL Five, I like your idea of stopping at Mexico coming from the monorail, I would stop at Rose & Crown on the way to the monorail!
Also, the Swan, Dolphin and Y&B are all 5 minutes away, which makes it convenient to take busses back to either of those resorts and then walk home.
We stayed at OKW a few years ago, and I found that you are tied to the busses in order to get around even inside of OKW, if you are far from HH. I like to walk to places if I can, so BWV is a good fit for us. Rich, don't make any wise cracks about the BWV hallways.

 

[Connears]

Just my personal experience. we have been member at OKW since 1994 and love it! Have been 11 times there with DH and DS(13). We went to BWV in June 2001 and won't go back. We are not picky travelers and only request non-smoking at OKW and have never complained about our room. Well, we asked for close to elevator at BWV. We had to reserve a preferred view when we reserved because that was all that was available. Well, we got the next to the last room in the VERY long corridor far from elevator. It took 10 minutes to walk there! It also overlooked another building and courtyard..not a preferred view. CM at desk was rude an said he could do nothing. When we returned home, I called MS and they refunded the extra points I had to use for preferred. In general, we did not like the attitude at BWV. Have never had that at OKW. We also missed having our car in front of the room. Location is the only thing that I found positive about BWV.
Connears

 

[PKS44]

10 minutes to walk to the end of the Boardwalk building? Maybe if you are severely disabled and move at a very slow pace...under 2 miles an hour maybe even under a mile an hour---otherwise this is a gross exaggeration. Caskbill has done the GPS thing for all the walks around BWV and maybe you can do a search under his name on this board...when the Search function is working again...or maybe Caskbill can weigh in???

I recall it being 0.33 miles from the BWV lobby exit to the International Gateway and about 0.8 miles to walk all the way around Bay Lake which would take you from the BWV past the Int Gateway, Past the Beach Club, Yacht Club, Swan and Dolphin...or the same in reverse...so the walk to the Swan has got to be no more than about 0.33 or less miles. There is no way that MGM is closer than Epcot to anypart of the BWV.

Paul

 

[InstImpres]

Originally posted by Connears
In general, we did not like the attitude at BWV. Have never had that at OKW. We also missed having our car in front of the room. Location is the only thing that I found positive about BWV.
Connears

I'm sorry you had such a bad experience. I love BWV. Usually the CM's are terrific. I guess this is part of the thread on the theme park board about not being able to maintain 100% on CM attitudes. Most are great though!

It's funny the car is something you mention. I didn't like getting back late at OKW and not being able to park and parking down the road. I love giving my car to the valet and not dealing with it. Also, if you call from the room, they will bring it up and have it waiting for you

Sandy

 

[DeDixie]

We have never stayed at OKW, so I can't make any comparisions. I just know that our family LOVES the Boardwalk and the proximatey to the parks. On our last trip it took us less that 10 min to get to Epcot and 15 min to get to MGM. We have 2 daughters 9 & 11 and we walked at a leisurely pace. We have had long walks down the halls, but I can't imagine how it woud be possibe for it to take 10 minutes to walk the hall.

The Boardwalk has some wonderful features. If it is raining you can shop, eat, gather, work out, play at community hall etc without getting wet. You have lots of things to do at night -- tons of restaurants within walking distance, pool with great slide and lifeguard, community hall, plus all the boardwalk activites.

We love being able to walk to Epcot, especially at night. For us location is so much more important than room size or a porch. I am visiting OKW for 2 night this fall, which I am really looking forward to, but BWV will always be my favorite.

 

[DeeP]

If you are use to staying at OKW and are familiar with dealing with the distance from many of the buildings to the parks, store, one restaurant, lobby, main pool, Community hall etc., which can very easily translate into a 4-5 min walk in the sun, heat and humidity to get to a bus stop and then take the internal bus to the store, one on-site restaurant, etc., or you can walk the in the sun, heat, etc. to get to the store, restaurant, main pool etc.,. or if you have a car you can hop into a hot car that is very conveniently parked in a parking lot located either in front of your building or a neighboring building--depending on where you were able to get a self parking spot. If you are use to the distances at OKW, when you get to BWV you will feel as though you have dropped into the lap of resort pampering, convenience and vacation relaxing at a maximum. Yes, some of the rooms at BWV that are the fartherest from the elevators can be, after a nice elevator ride up to your floor, then be a maximum 4-5 min walk in a very nicely air conditioned, themed corridor (make sure you look for the hidden Mickeys in the carpets--it is a lot of fun!) also you will pass frequently located guest service rooms with ice machines, soda machines and candy/ snack machines enroute to your room, which will be at most a 5 min walk from the elevator. Other than that LONG walk, you will have 2 parks, numerous top notch restaurants, shopping, nighttime entertainment, clubs, nighttime shows, etc, right outside your door. Believe me, all of the Epcot resorts are very much deluxe resorts and offer their guests all the convenience, superior location and amenities which go along with a resort of this caliber, and BWV is certainly no exception.
I have stayed at BWV many times and I have never had a rude CM, but then again I have to say I have never encoutered a rude CM anywhere on WDW property.
Have a great trip, you will love the Epcot resorts!

 

[paults]

Well said DeeP, on BWV

You know if we didn't have the long hallways to get to these rooms then how would we get to these rooms? (helicopter)
You can't have an elevator everywhere, "for gosh sake" we're at WDW where you're suppose to do a lot of walking.

the only way it could take me 10 minutes to walk to the end of a floor is (only if I fell down 10 times along the way)

 

[carone0318]

We were just there last week. We have 2 kids dd (6) and ds(2). We were on the 4th floor in room 4006, it was all the way down the end of the hall. The walk doesn't bother us. Actually the kids love to run ahead of us to the elevators and then wait for us, they also love running back to the room at the end of the day. Bottom line for the stroller pushing community - you only need to fold your stroller up to get on the bus to (1) park and that is AK, everywhere else you can walk. We always walk through Epcot and take the monorail to MK, kids think that the monorail is a ride itself. We also always walk to MGM, it's about a 10 minute walk, if that. The way I see it is that the more walking I do, the more eating I can do. We average about 10 miles a day, I wore my pedometer. I clocked the walk from our room to the lobby and it was just under 500 steps and I have a small stride, I'm 5'3". You can take the boats, but the walk is just as quick. I have stayed at OKW and did enjoy it, but the fact that I have to ride the bus everywhere and fold that stroller all the time, I'd just rather walk. Personal preference.

One thing, I never make a request for a room (except non-smoking.) I am happy with whatever they give me. Why set yourself up for dissappointment by getting your hopes up and then your requests are not met. They don't guarantee requests, why do people think that they are the exception and their requests will be met. I think that it is a bad way to start a vacation. I'm hoping next time they will put me down by the tennis courts, haven't been there yet, but again I'll take whatever.

 

[AreWeThereYet]

Hi nikitta28 -

We just got back from staying at the BCV for a week.

We walked to both MGM and Epcot, and to the BWV as well.

For us to get to boardwalk villas would be less than 7 or 8 minutes, and for us to get to epcot was a leisurely 7 or 8 minute walk. I would think you could get from BWV to Epcot in no more than 15 walking slowly.

We took a walk back from MGM to BWV in about 12 minutes. Again, walking leisurely and stopping to look at the ducks and rabbits and other wildlife alog the way.

Epcot to Swan should be no more than 5 minutes.

Oh yeah - running around the lake was taking me about 7 or 8 minutes per lap (0.8 miles, I believe), and HW and I walked around it in 30 minutes, stopping a few times along the way.

Hope this helps!

 

[WDWguru]

Originally posted by AreWeThereYet
Epcot to Swan should be no more than 5 minutes.

I think you must mean BWV to Swan... Epcot to Swan is more like 15. We've stayed at BWV twice and BCV once. Our experience is about five minutes between BCV and Epcot, about 10 minutes between BWV and Epcot, about 15 minutes between BWV and MGM.

 

[Crissup]

Someone on this board measured it with a pedometer once and determined that it was about 1/3 mile from BWV lobby to Epcot and about 2/3 mile from lobby to MGM. Total was just under 1 mile from Epcot to MGM.

Now, I tend to be a very fast walker. People are always asking me why I run everywhere. I don't run, I just walk fast. Walking slow gives me bad lower back pain. So, I'm usually that guy that every one hates who is working my way through the crowd at a fast pace. LOL!! CarolAnnK hangs onto the back of my shirt so that I don't lose her in the crowd.

With that said, I used to estimate that it took me 5 minutes to walk from BWV to Epcot, until I finally actually clocked it once. It actually takes me just under 10 minutes from the BWV lobby (outside) to Epcot's gateway. Takes me between 15 to 20 minutes from MGM to BWV lobby (cutting through Luna Park area).

In both cases, I can always make better time than taking the boat. And, my 300LB frame can use all the exercise it can get!

 

[DeeP]

In both cases, I can always make better time than taking the boat.

Isn't that the truth!!! LOL!
We lovingly refer to the Friendship boats as the slow boat to China, but on a hot, humid day when I am tired, I gladly sit on the air conditioned boat through every stop until we get to BWV. LOL!

 

[AreWeThereYet]

I think you must mean BWV to Swan... Epcot to Swan is more like 15. We've stayed at BWV twice and BCV once. Our experience is about five minutes between BCV and Epcot, about 10 minutes between BWV and Epcot, about 15 minutes between BWV and MGM.


DOH - yes. I did mean BWV to Swan. my bad!!

 

[kathleena]

I love BWV, and I love it no matter where I am an the corridor. I have been all the way down to Jelly Rolls with the best possible view of the fireworks and the lake and way up near the elevator with a pool view and as long as I am there I am happy, happy, happy. So what if I don't get the best of everything, every time I am there. It is small stuff and the cahnce I took when I bought in! I'm happy to share the "better" rooms with my fellow DVCers and let them have them once in a while .

I have never had a rude CM at BWV, but I recently stayed at my friend's home resort, OKW, and had the rudest CM I have ever seen anywhere in WDW check me in. Doesn't mean I will never go back to OKW or that I didn't like it there. I would never let just one person spoil my trip or keep me from enjoying different Disney experiences.

Anyway, to the questions at the heart of this thread, which I think were about the distance to the parks?

The walk to Epcot from BWV is wonderful, whether first thing in the am or last at night, and about 10 minutes (minus the time it takes to breathe in the Bakery smell and resist going in). At night, there is nothing more relaxing to me, and more "Disney" than listening to British Invasion, watching Illuminations (while munching on French pastry) and then walking home in the beautiful night. It is definately shorter than to MGM. Stop and get an ice cream on the Boardwalk and enjoy the evening air and ambiance of the Boardwalk.

The walk to MGM, in my opinion, is best in the am when you are fresh. It's longer, takes me about 20 min at a leisurely pace. Take the boat home after a long day, even though the lines are long after Fantasmic.

I love the boats, they are such a nice refresher from the buses. I like having the BoardWalk difference! My favorite resort!

Try it! Enjoy your stay at BoardWalk!