BWV Grand Villa - Your experiences?

[LouisianaDisneyFan]

Our trip that should have been right now had to be canceled due to our daughter's weather nightmares in Atlanta... so I have been going nuts trying to figure out when we could all get together again. Now, instead of celebrating D Son-in-Law's birthday together this week, we will be celebrating our son's college graduation in May. Today, I found out that we truly lucked out and reserved a BWV Grand Villa for the trip!!! We have never stayed in one of these before. I've searched for photos online, but I could only find tiny photos with the old decor.

Have any of you stayed in a Grand Villa since the decor update? Could you provide a link to some photos here on Disboards or share your own? What was your experience in a Grand Villa?

Thanks for any info!
Evey =)

 

[LouisianaDisneyFan]

One more question... what are the differences between the one-story and the two-story Grand Villas?

 

[minster22]

I just stayed in a one story Grand Villa in September.....in my excitement to get the best room in all of WDW and the surprises the BWV staff had for our group I did not take photos of this incredible room. I was in the villa directly over the screen door (3rd floor) that extends the length of the pillars you see if you look directly at the Villas from out on Crescent Lake. The balcony alone was worth the points!!! It was huge with of course that fabulous view and six sets of french doors going onto it from each bedroom , the dining room and living room!! The decor is very similar to the one and two bedroom with of course lots of space in the common room (dining, kitchen and living room), a huge dining room table, a small desk area and a flat screen tv in a large hutch in the living room. I am ruined for any other room at WDW!!! The two story is very similar but not as large and without the huge balcony that runs along the one story. If you use the search feature here on the boards a couple of people have posted photos. I hope your family enjoys this space as much as we did....truly a extra special space within my already favorite resort.

 

[LouisianaDisneyFan]

Minster, thanks for the reply. That sounds AWESOME!!! I am so excited that we were able to book a GV!!!

Do you happen to remember your room number? I would like to add a request to our reservation. I'm also trying to think of some special touches to add to our BWV stay. This trip, we will be celebrating our youngest graduating from college... and it will probably the last "full family" trip we can arrange for a long time. As all the kids have graduated and started in their adult lives, it's been harder and harder to find a time when everyone can travel together.

 

[PalVal]

I stayed in the same GV a few years ago. Ask for the third floor, one story unit. It was so amazing that I almost cried when we walked in!

 

[LouisianaDisneyFan]

Ah, two recommendations... yay! This sounds like a great one to request!

Were you staying in the handicapped accessible room? I think the room number for the HA is 3047. We had actually considered requesting this one because my mom has significant problems with her hip and my dad has heart problems. They both use scooters to maneuver Disney World. I just read that the BWV GVs are not like the BLT ones where there is a separate entrance on each floor. So, I'm sure I will need to request a one-story villa. We don't necessarily need the HA unit though, unless there are other obstacles that I don't know about. What do y'all think?

Thanks again for the info and help!

 

[minster22]

Our room number was #3037. It was not an HA room. We did have one of the women use a scooter a couple of times and it fit in our room fine (It was my 60th birthday celebration with 8 of my girl friends....OMG it was soooo much fun!!)It is truly the perfect place for a family celebration like you are planning!! I wish you luck in getting this room....I had my hopes on it from the moment I booked our villa at 11 months and like PalVal I almost cried when we opened those double doors!!

 

[LouisianaDisneyFan]

Our room number was #3037. It was not an HA room. We did have one of the women use a scooter a couple of times and it fit in our room fine (It was my 60th birthday celebration with 8 of my girl friends....OMG it was soooo much fun!!)It is truly the perfect place for a family celebration like you are planning!! I wish you luck in getting this room....I had my hopes on it from the moment I booked our villa at 11 months and like PalVal I almost cried when we opened those double doors!!

I'm confused then. I read on the AllEars room finder that 3047, 4047 and 5047 were located directly over the Screen Door General Store, in the corner by the Village Green... and that 3047 was H/A. Is 3037 next that one, but not quite on the corner, over the store?

 

[Weluvdisny]

Another 2 way up for the GV!! We stayed there last January with 9 people and LOVED it!! We are spoiled and want to go back next year. I just need to rent some points from someone for a reasonable price and we are so there! The whole family is looking at doing the 5k when we go. Yeah!

Here's a link to a video tour of the GV. It's the same room we had and it was awesome!! I think I have some pics I'll try and post.

http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/799581

Hope you have a great trip!

 

[LouisianaDisneyFan]

Here's a link to a video tour of the GV. It's the same room we had and it was awesome!! I think I have some pics I'll try and post.

http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/799581

Hope you have a great trip!

Thanks for that link! That really helps me visualize exactly which units are where. This video was the corner room directly over the General Store overlooking both the Village Green and the Boardwalk. It had several smaller balconies rather than the one large one. So yep, the units over the far side of the store are the ones with the larger balcony.

Again, thank y'all for the responses and for helping me "see" the different villas. You're all tops!!!

 

[lisaviolet]

No experiences. Unfortunately. One day.

I just got back and was right beside two GVs. They were both on the fifth floor (and I assume one or both were the two floor variety ). They are in the pillar area of this photo. Actually directly beneath "The Boardwalk" sign. I was on the other side of the pillars - studio. Lovely views. Great balconies as the PP noted. I lurked. Laughing.

CJ9200 - a DISer had a TR from a BWV GV. He described the layout and added some photos. I'll try to find it. Regardless, the TR is hysterical.

Here it is -

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=34900993#post34900993

Pictures start here - http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=35148230&postcount=82

ENJOY! Nice booking after such disappointment. Happy for you.

 

[maburke]

Congrats on snagging the GV. You deserve it after the disappointment this week.

 

[LouisianaDisneyFan]

Thanks, ma.

Lisa, you are so right... that dad's trip report is HILARIOUS! I love the sarcasm and humor he infuses in his writing. I saw several ideas in his TR that I will try to implement for son's upcoming trip. And yes, the photos of the GV were wonderful. I can't wait! He had a 2-story, but I think I will still request the 1-story to be sure my mom and dad have no accessibility issues.

Does anyone know if GV 4037 also has one long balcony across the front?

 

[Halle]

Thanks, ma.

Lisa, you are so right... that dad's trip report is HILARIOUS! I love the sarcasm and humor he infuses in his writing. I saw several ideas in his TR that I will try to implement for son's upcoming trip. And yes, the photos of the GV were wonderful. I can't wait! He had a 2-story, but I think I will still request the 1-story to be sure my mom and dad have no accessibility issues.

Does anyone know if GV 4037 also has one long balcony across the front?

We stayed in 4037 12/26/1/2/11, it was the best trip we ever had. The balconey is huge, runs the length of the LR and DR. Plenty of room for 10 adults to enjoy the NYE festivities. The bedroom balconies had privacy screens between them and the main balcony. The sleeper sofa was old with fraying fabric and a very uncomfortable mattress. Have a great trip, so happy you snagged a GV!

 

[PalVal]

We had the room you wanted - exactly over the screen door store. The balcony ran the full length with no separation. I'm leaving for the weekend but will try to find the paperwork with exact room number when I return.

 

[LouisianaDisneyFan]

We had the room you wanted - exactly over the screen door store. The balcony ran the full length with no separation. I'm leaving for the weekend but will try to find the paperwork with exact room number when I return.

Thanks! I would love to have that larger balcony. It would allow my parents to go out there with their scooters and still maneuver. Plus, it sounds like a beautiful view!

Thanks everybody for the feedback. I truly appreciate it!

 

[Halle]

I think your parents would be able to manuever their scooters on the balcony of villa # 4037. It is not as deep as #3037 but I think I'll be able to give you a good idea about the depth. We played cards NYE and were able to place 3 chairs side by side width wise. The balcony ran the length of the LR/DR and had 3 sets of patio doors. I would not want the 5th floor GV. Hope you have a magical trip.

 

[LouisianaDisneyFan]

I think your parents would be able to manuever their scooters on the balcony of villa # 4037. It is not as deep as #3037 but I think I'll be able to give you a good idea about the depth. We played cards NYE and were able to place 3 chairs side by side width wise. The balcony ran the length of the LR/DR and had 3 sets of patio doors. I would not want the 5th floor GV. Hope you have a magical trip.

Thanks for the info. I'll put in a request for 3037 or 4037. I have had such fun planning this trip, and all of you have really helped me out!

 

[wdwnut]

We had the one story GV with the full balcony and it was totally AWESOME. It will spoil you for quite a while. Congratulations on getting the GV! Enjoy your trip!! We sat on the balcony many nights and watched the performers on the Boardwalk when the grandkids were going to sleep. There was a lot of great interaction between the performers and my family. There were 10 of us in the GV and we had plenty of room. We were a group of 19 all together and spent a fair amount of time in the GV for snacks, afternoon drinks, and pizza for dinner one night.

We have a GV at BLT for 10 of us for this May. We'll have to see if it measures up. We'll have a lot of fun either way.

 

[LSchrow]

just wanted to congratulate you on getting the BW GV

we had a tour of it last oct (asked the manager if we could check it out on a day someone had checked out).......OMG - it was so gorgeous!!! that was the first and only time i saw DH actually considering buying more points (i told him our skimpy 400 wouldn't go far).

i swear i was afraid his jaw was going to scratch the wood floor, it dropped so wide
when in may are you going? DD and are are going may 1-10, and we (literally) always wind up in one of the studios alongside or 1 over from the GVs......