BWV last week

[Poorman]

Had a great time. Two BR Standard.
Room 4115 facing the bus stop. Great view of Illuminations every night.
Room was very clean and very quiet.
Actually close to the quiet pool if you don't mind using the stairs.
Biggest gripe as all have said , the bus service is terrible!!!!
I wrote to : wdw.guest.communications@disneyworld.com ,
and told them what I thought. Not that it will change anything but I was mad enough that I had to tell someone.

Now I have to wait until January to go back.

Rich

PS parks were virtually empty week-days. We are making this an annual trip, great weather this time of the year.

 

[dianeschlicht]

So glad you had a good trip. We have not experienced the BWV buses, but the service from OKW is great, and has gotten better over the past few years. I suspect not having to share a bus with other resorts is why.

 

[Granny]

People complain also about the WL bus service, but we've always found it to be great!

We did find the BWV bus service to be less than wonderful last year, especially going to DAK (more than an hour waiting and travel).

Good thing that you can walk to two parks from there!!


Maybe they cut back on buses when the crowds are down?

 

[PKS44]

After our last two experiences with the BWV buses we won't be relying on them ever again....We will walk out to the stop..if there is a bus coming soon we will take it...otherwise it is off to get the car. Including going to the MK where the buses SHOULD have a huge advantage...but don't because the service is terrible...I don't even mind the longer rides back from the parks because I am rarely in any hurry to LEAVE a park..but most of our MK extra magic hour was spent waiting for and riding on a bus even though we were waiting at the stop twenty minutes BEFORE EMH started....and we were not alone--there were enough people to fill two buses....it was off season but MLK weekend so it was not like crowds were way down...service to DTD was similarly slow. 40 minutes to get anywhere every time....
I would expect them to have added buses to account for the extra guests now in the BCV sharing the buses but it is not apparent that they have...I hope that means my dues will go down now that the costs of a similar number of buses is spread out over more people. Anybody think this will happen?

 

[spearenb]

If the busses are so bad at BWV, would a better way of getting to MK is to take your car to VWL, valet park, and then take the boat over?

Just looking for options....

 

[paults]

parking at resorts you are not staying at is not cool . If everybody did this then the people who pay to stay there won't be able to park like they should. This has been brought up before. Even if you drove to the WLV and parked and then had to wait for the boat to MK, you could have already been there if you just drove to the MK

 

[CK1]

Originally posted by Poorman
Had a great time. Two BR Standard.
Room 4115 facing the bus stop. Great view of Illuminations every night.
Room was very clean and very quiet.
Actually close to the quiet pool if you don't mind using the stairs.

Jog my memory, please -- what is the view during the day (aside from bus stop)? Is this near the end of the hall or closer to midway? Just wondering what view met your eyes at first door opening....(besides, of course, a nice clean room!)

We have a 2br std view reserved @ BWV for 8 nts next summer... requested NS and top/upper floor. I figure any std view on an upper floor between, oh, say x101 to about x125/7 (the odd #s only) would have a decent view of illuminations. (Except, of course, for the "tree view" room, which I think someone noted as #x121).

Thanks for your report -- living vicariously through those who have just returned somehow adds to our excitement as we inch closer to our own trip!




I'm also curious too -- did they give you other options when you checked in?

 

[jimh13432]

Best way to MK from Boardwalk. Stroll through Epcot and take the monorail!!!!!!!

 

[KLR-wlv]

I have always found the boat service from WLV to be terrible - often packed from Fort Wilderness before it even gets to the crowd at WL in the morning- so that would definitely not be a better alternative route. When we stayed at WLV we took the bus to TTC and did the monorail over.

 

[Poorman]

Originally posted by CK1
Jog my memory, please -- what is the view during the day (aside from bus stop)? Is this near the end of the hall or closer to midway? Just wondering what view met your eyes at first door opening....(besides, of course, a nice clean room!)

We have a 2br std view reserved @ BWV for 8 nts next summer... requested NS and top/upper floor. I figure any std view on an upper floor between, oh, say x101 to about x125/7 (the odd #s only) would have a decent view of illuminations. (Except, of course, for the "tree view" room, which I think someone noted as #x121).

Thanks for your report -- living vicariously through those who have just returned somehow adds to our excitement as we inch closer to our own trip!
I'm also curious too -- did they give you other options when you checked in?

The view during the day is that row of shrubs on the road ,then the bus stop,over the top of the bus stop at night you see Illuminations. It is about half way down the hallway. If you go by it about 50 feet there is a stair door on the right, we took that down to the quiet pool, it was great. They didn't give me any other options, I told them 4th floor accross from the bus stop and thats what I got. Non- Smoking. I would take that one anytime. It is 4115 (one BR) and 4113 (studio) for a 2 BR. Oh one more thing, and I forgot to tell them,the dryer was very ,very noisy. I meant to tell them.

 

[rriley25]

Hi Rich,

Glad you had a nice time. We too had no waits at most attractions also. September is a great time to go. Did you guys find time to try Community Hall? It was a nice change of pace for our 3-year old and wasn't crowded at all. She got to do a few crafts and paint and color...

BWV is great for kids (and adults too).

 

[DebbieB]

I figure any std view on an upper floor between, oh, say x101 to about x125/7 (the odd #s only) would have a decent view of illuminations. (Except, of course, for the "tree view" room, which I think someone noted as #x121).

We were in 4103 last year, it had a perfect view of Illuminations. We had the "tree room" the year before 3121. Both were dedicated 1 bedrooms. x123 is the large corner room, any higher than that would face the valet parking with MGM & canal to the right, I don't think you could see Illuminations but maybe Fantasmic.

 

[Poorman]

Hey Bob,
We went to community hall but my GS just wanted to swim. We are going back with them next May and September. He'll be 4 then and maybe will want to do more.

Right now we have Jan,May and Sept. planned. Looks like that will be our cycle for the near future.

Take care, Rich

 

[twinmomplus2]

If your concerned about bus service taking to long, You should try hopping in a cab. It will be the best 11 dollars you have ever spent. Door to door. no parking lot, no tram, no hassle. I do this every single trip at every resort. It saves my sanity with the double stroller diaper bag and ten thousand pounds of junk!

 

[crisi]

Twinmomplus,

Thanks,

We are thinking about cabbing our first two "get up and go" mornings from BWV to MK and AK. We are traveling with two preschoolers and two Senior ladies and think that will be much easier than the bus under the circumstances.

Normally, I don't mind the busses. But normally, I'm not traveling with kids and seniors and if I need to wait, stand around, stand on the bus - it isn't a problem.

Edited to add: And at eleven bucks a trip, its still cheaper than renting a minivan for us.

 

[twinmomplus2]

We actually do rent a minivan. It sits in the lot most of the week. We honestly only use it if we want to take a run out to 192. The ability to bypass the trams/parking lot with the kids is perfect! Several times this last August when the lightening storms of death would hit. I would be amazed at people huddled under the queing area for the boat or the bus. Each time it happende we went straight to the cab stand no muss no fuss! I myself would just forget the car. But my mother insists we get one just in case. Which is very funny as each time we have needed a car in case of emergency I have not had the keys and took a cab it sounds to me like this would be so much easier for you as well