BWV or SSR?

[luna99]

Hey guys!! I have been asking tons of DVC questions over the past 6-10 months or so and think I have a grasp on how it all works. I probably won't be able to buy into DVC for another year or two maybe (I'm still trying to get the timing of all of this down).

Anyway... while I know I might change my mind in that time.. I think I have narrowed it down to two DVC resorts from which to choose to make my home resort. Here are my pro's and con's. If I am forgetting something or you have any opinions on why one is better than the other, please jump in and let me know! I do plan on taking the DVC tour this December in order to see the rooms in person... but I have checked allears.net for pictures (numerous times!)

BWV -Pros:
1. Location, location, location! (I Love world showcase!).
2. DH and I were married there.
3. Love the theme of it and having the shops and entertainment so close.
4. That slide at luna park looks awesome!

Cons:
1. No fast food options nearby.
2. Would probably be noisy depending on where your room is located.
3. The decor seems very "busy" to me (in the rooms).
4. Higher fees.

SSR -Pros:
1. Close to DTD so lots of dining and shopping options!
2. I really like the interior decor of the rooms.
3. Cheaper fees and less points to get a room.
4. I like that it has a spa on the grounds and I'm guessing the workout center is one of the nicer ones. I also like that you can rent those boats and get out on the water. Can you do that at BWV?

Cons:
1. It's so big!
2. I've heard the food choices here aren't too great. I really don't think that would be a big problem for us though since we aren't too picky.
3. I'm afraid it would feel more like just staying in an apartment rather than being on Disney property (this is my biggest fear with SSR).
4. I've heard the buses are kinda lousy here as well.

SO... I guess most of my cons for SSR are assumptions on what other people think and not actual facts.

what do you think? am I comparing these two places correctly?
thanks everyone!

 

[tammymacb]

A big issue for some is the end date of the contracts. You will get several more years out of SSR than BWV ( unless Disney offers an extension )

Also, SSR is not always a cheaper point option. BWV offers standard view studios that are fabulous point values.

 

[jekjones1558]

Good for you--you are doing your homework ahead of time!
The most important issue would be the extra 12 years on the contract (this may or may not be a big deal to you) and whether or not you usually can plan vacations more than 7 months ahead. If you can't plan that far ahead, then you should definitely go with SSR because you won't be making use of the advantage in booking at BWV. If you can book ahead and really want to stay at BWV fairly regularly, especially at popular times, then you should buy BWV. As more and more DVC resorts are built, the smaller resorts, like BWV, will get harder and harder to book (I have been on a waitlist for 3 days in Dec.--and I called just a couple of days past the 11 month window!)

 

[ZekeKelso]

Remember, you aren't comparing *resorts* you are comparing *ownerships*. You can buy at SSR and stay at BWV or vice versa. Over the next 35 years, you will probably stay at both regardless of where you buy

But it's easier for a BWV owner to book at SSR than for an SSR owner to book at BWV. (Keep in mind that the difference only matters if you travel at busy times at can book more than 7 months in advance). So even if someone liked the SSR resort a little better than BWV, they might want to own at BWV.

Then you have to balance the "better" 11-month window against the additional 12 years, and cost/ease-of-purchase factors etc.

 

[luna99]

So even if someone liked the SSR resort a little better than BWV, they might want to own at BWV.

that's a really good point.. thanks! and thanks for pointing out the years on the contract tammy!

 

[DVC Mike]

BWV -Pros:
1. Location, location, location! (I Love world showcase!).
2. DH and I were married there.
3. Love the theme of it and having the shops and entertainment so close.
4. That slide at luna park looks awesome!

Cons:
1. No fast food options nearby.
2. Would probably be noisy depending on where your room is located.
3. The decor seems very "busy" to me (in the rooms).
4. Higher fees.

SSR -Pros:
1. Close to DTD so lots of dining and shopping options!
2. I really like the interior decor of the rooms.
3. Cheaper fees and less points to get a room.
4. I like that it has a spa on the grounds and I'm guessing the workout center is one of the nicer ones. I also like that you can rent those boats and get out on the water. Can you do that at BWV?

Cons:
1. It's so big!
2. I've heard the food choices here aren't too great. I really don't think that would be a big problem for us though since we aren't too picky.
3. I'm afraid it would feel more like just staying in an apartment rather than being on Disney property (this is my biggest fear with SSR).
4. I've heard the buses are kinda lousy here as well.

I think your comparison is fair. SSR also has an onsite Golf Course.

As was pointed out above, it's easier for a BWV owner to book at SSR than for an SSR owner to book at BWV. In fact SSR is typically one of the easiest resorts to book at the 7-mo window. There is almost no value in the 11-mo home resort booking advantage at SSR (unless DVC finally implements booking categories there), unless you want a GV.

 

[kenny]

We just recently bought a (exactly 30 days ago), and were deciding between the same two resorts.

On the one hand we really liked the BWV's because of it proximity to Epcot, views and overall thought it was a nice resort.

However we decided on SSR. With SSR we really liked the rooms. Although they had a little less theming then some of the resorts, we thought they had a nice clean classy look to them. We also liked having DTD near by, as well as the golf course (me) and spa(dw). Although BWV seemed to have a little more theming, our thinking was long term we might like having a place to go back to and "get away" from the hustle and bustle that is disney at days end.

Probably the biggest reason for our decision was the extra years. The prices of the 2 contracts were relatively the same (a lot! ) and if we were going to spend that much on a place we wanted the opportunity to enjoy it for an extra 12 years.

We still really like BWV and will try and stay there at some time. Planning on trying all the resorts at some time. WHile I know it is difficult some times to get a non-home resort, in the next 46 years I am sure will be able to try them all. As far as SSR being easier to book, it is definitely larger, but I heard they were projected to sell out by June. Not sure if that or the inclusion on new DVC resorts will ever make it harder to get SSR.

Looks like you have done your homework. My suggestion would be don't buy SSR if you don't plan on staying there more often than at others and decide what's most important to you (for us contract length was the straw that broke the camels back).

Good luck. Don't think you can go wrong with either.

 

[ldo]

if you can book early as an owner, you can get standard views and save points, if that is a consideration. By the time the 7 month window hits, most standards are booked, certainly for more popular times.

 

[Deb & Bill]

I'd venture to guess that the bus situation at BWV is not much different than SSR. At SSR, it picks up at several locations. At BWV it picks up at other resorts before hitting BWV.

BWV only has lockoffs, no dedicated two bedroom villas. SSR has dedicated two bedroom villas.

Food choices at SSR - you have the Turf Club for table service or Artist's Palette which is an upscale counter service. And you are only a short walk or boat ride from DTD where there are many places to eat.

If you have a car, parking at BWV can be a long hike to your room from the parking lot (forgot to also mention the looonnnnnggg hallways at BWV). There are a lot of off site guests who park illegally at the BW to avoid paying for parking at Epcot or Disney Hollywood Studios. At SSR, you park close to your building.

BWV is more like a hotel and SSR is more like a community. You decide what you like best.

 

[BroganMc]

Some other factors to consider:

SSR has dedicated 2bedroom units (2nd bedroom has 2 queen beds instead of a queen and sofabed). BWV does not.

SSR has the accessible zero entry pool. (A factor for young kids, older adults and the disabled.)

SSR buildings are not as long and have central elevators as well as staircases. You won't be walking as far to your room. BWV has one bank of elevators in the middle of the building.

SSR has parking outside each building. BWV's parking lot is across a bridge. Valet is free but you still have to tip.

Bus service for SSR is actually reported as being good, mostly because it isn't shared with another resort. BWV shares service with all the EPCOT resorts. This makes travel to Animal Kingdom, Magic Kingdom and DTD longer than most. The real advantage to BWV is being able to ferry or walk to EPCOT & DHS.

As far as what folks talk about concerning their perceptions of SSR being huge and apartment-complex like, there are others who see BWV has being just another busy hotel complex. I know for me, SSR has more of a homey feel to it with a Disney twist. There are Mickey motifs all over the place and the building colors just resemble something you'd find in a playful place. The best thing they did when designing SSR was to make the walkways on the non-parking lot side of the buildings. Lots of lake, garden and golf course views.

That said, the issue of owning becomes a balancing act of which detraction is more unbearable for you.

2042 vs 2054 means something if you're in your 30's/40's and expect you'll still want to be a member in your 70's/80's. (My dad is 76 and finds Disney his favorite vacation spot. Other 30/40 yo's assume they'll be in nursing homes by age 65.)

Owning at SSR and being able to stay at BWV during October-December usually involves day-by-day calling at 7mos and having to pay the highest points for preferred view. There may also be a wait list involved. Many own BWV specifically to stay there during this time frame. Other times of year, not so bad.

For me, that expiration date was a tipping factor. I also found certain amenities available at SSR that just weren't at BWV. And in the end, being able to visit BWV occasionally was enough. In fact, I booked the opening weekend of Food & Wine fest this year. By going that first week there was a lot more availability compared to mid-late October.

 

[5 for WDW]

Cons:[/B]
1. It's so big!
2. I've heard the food choices here aren't too great. I really don't think that would be a big problem for us though since we aren't too picky.
3. I'm afraid it would feel more like just staying in an apartment rather than being on Disney property (this is my biggest fear with SSR).
4. I've heard the buses are kinda lousy here as well.

Hi. I just wanted to give you my opinion of your cons for SSR. Just cause you asked...lol.
1. It is big but, not nearly as big as we thought it was going to be from reports we read. We bought in sight unseen and was scared before we stayed there. We were in The Grandstand section in September and walked across the resort and over to DTD with no problem. In fact, our four year old daughter never used her stroller in the resort at all. She walked everywhere with no complaints. We are an energetic family though..lol.
2. My kids and I actually loved Artist's Palette. My husband is very picky and was not thrilled with the choices but, found things he liked. What he liked is that DTD is so close he can go over there and have lots of options. We do eat breakfast in our room so, I can't comment on that. But, we had quite a few lunches and dinners there. I can't comment on the Turf Club but, I have heard good things about it.
3. We actually prefer the outer hallways that SSR has. We really like the feel of SSR. We love the interior of the rooms and the grounds are beautiful. The theming is right for us. But, I do know that others have said it does not feel Disney themed enough.
4. Our bus service was flawless in September. The full 10 days we were there. We were very pleased with our wait times both leaving the resort and parks. One tip though, we were in Grandstand which is the first picked up and dropped off. The buses were usually standing only by the time we reached The Springs section each day. That would bug me because I have three young kids. So, we request and hope for, one of the first pick up sections. Our longest wait time was after MNSSHP one night and that was only 20 minutes.

As you can tell we love SSR but, I also stayed at BWV in December without my kids or husband.

I loved the location, a no brainer there. I love Epcot too so, that alone will be the reason we try to stay there again. We walked to both MGM and Epcot in the morning and back to the resort each night.
The grounds are gorgeous. Especially during the holidays.

The things I did not like about it:
1. The long hallways. I didn't know hallways could be that long..lol
2. One bus stop for the whole resort. That is just my preference. I like a few stops. Weird, I know.
3. The buses share with other resorts. We stopped at the Swan and Dolphin each time. I think they stop at Beach Club too, maybe before BWV?. The buses were very crowded. Like Value resort crowded to me. I was glad the kids were not with me.

The one thing I love about all Disney resorts, not just DVC, is that there is something for everyone. I hope you find the right match.

Good luck with your decision!!

 

[luna99]

wow, thanks for all the opinions! I felt like I was leaning towards BWV but now maybe I'm rethinking SSR. Having one bus stop from BWV does sound not so good... and I do love the sidewalks and trails along the water at SSR ... (while I run at the gym I visualize that I am running along there on vacation to keep me motivated!).

thanks for all your input everyone... if anyone else has anything to say I'd love to hear it!

I guess the good thing is I still have plenty of time to make a decision!

 

[HolidayRoad]

wow, thanks for all the opinions! I felt like I was leaning towards BWV but now maybe I'm rethinking SSR. Having one bus stop from BWV does sound not so good... and I do love the sidewalks and trails along the water at SSR ... (while I run at the gym I visualize that I am running along there on vacation to keep me motivated!).

thanks for all your input everyone... if anyone else has anything to say I'd love to hear it!

I guess the good thing is I still have plenty of time to make a decision!

I think your choices mirror a lot of what the rest of us went through and I dont think you can really make a bad choice here. IMHO, when weighing the options we came to the conclusion to pick BWV and the main reasons why have already been posted on this thread. First location, I'm not too concerned with the bus service to MK because if I can always do the monorail to TTA switch to EPCOT monorail and then walk home through the park coming back if I don't want to take the bus, just reverse heading over. Plus I can avoid the buses when doing EPCOT and DHS. Plus as DVCMike pointed out to me a while ago, BWV is attached to a delux resort so you get a delux resort feel where SSR is off on it's own you get more of a condo feel, I am paraphrasing DVCmike here so please let me know if I'm wrong on this. Lastly, as more and more members join the smaller DVC resorts will be harder to book at the 7 month window so I can always go to SSR but it will be harder to reverse that. As for the years difference, yes it's an issue but for me I have 35 or so years to figure out what I want to do.

 

[BroganMc]

and I do love the sidewalks and trails along the water at SSR ... (while I run at the gym I visualize that I am running along there on vacation to keep me motivated!).

That in itself is a good reason to tip one way or another. I think you'll find that most owners have some emotional attachment to their home resort that makes the boring factual differences pale in comparison.

I drive a powerwheelchair and love nothing better than popping in my headphones and going for a ride at full throttle. Makes me feel like I'm running. (Something I could never do as a kid or adult pre-powerchair.) You can't do that so easily when there's a crowd of pedestrians about. Too much dodging, weaving and braking.

That's why when I started falling in love with SSR last year BWV suddenly became a downer to me. The boardwalk is bumpy and I'm always having to dodge people. Plus I'm going around the same lake with virtually the same view. At SSR I avoid crowds and can end up in one area of the resort I couldn't even see from another.

Probably the only other practical advice I'd suggest is to spend a day at each resort on your next trip. Do the things you expect to do on vacation, visit those areas. Kick the tires, so to speak. In the end, if you truly can't differentiate between the two you could always split your points at each.

I will say of all the existing resorts at Disney the only one besides SSR I'd want to own is BWV. If they had a 2054+ contract, I probably woulda done my add-ons there. But the 2042 is a dealbreaker for me. Instead I've settled on Contemporary to get my location fix. Hopping monorails is just as easy for me as rolling outa bed and into a park.

 

[kikiq]

wow, thanks for all the opinions! I felt like I was leaning towards BWV but now maybe I'm rethinking SSR. Having one bus stop from BWV does sound not so good... and I do love the sidewalks and trails along the water at SSR ... (while I run at the gym I visualize that I am running along there on vacation to keep me motivated!).

What we did last summer was spend part of a day at each resort we were considering...did minimal park time...usually arrived at the resort late afternoon, strolled the grounds/public areas, had dinner if there was somewhere to eat and then strolled somemore. To tell you the truth, what sold us on SSR over AKV and BWV resale was the grounds and having an active family that will be using DVC. We have 2 marathon runners, 2 swimmers and 3 bike riders...and when I walked around the SSR community area and saw that we could rent bikes,my dh could play tennis, and there was a golf course right there...it was a done deal for us. My dh could see himself waking up early and walking to AP with my dad and getting coffee and taking the walk around the lake waiting for me and the girls to get up. My dd and db have taken the map that BroganMc has with the distances and mapped out running routes for the morning and the evening. And even though the Epcot area is our favorite area, all that openness and activities available for us at SSR was the clincher.

 

[Mickey'sApprentice]

I really, really love having the option of standard view points or having a beautiful boardwalk view. Otherwise, I've not found the boardwalk to be that noisy, but know that others have.

Good luck !

The great thing is there are no bad decisions with DVC.

They are all great!

 

[backyardponder]

Lots of interesting thoughts here. You really need to think about how you plan to use your DVC in the future to see what might work best for you. We are in the closing stages of BWV purchase now. The reasons we picked BWV:

a) We are in our late 50's with 3 grown, married sons. Our plans are to provide a 9 or 10 night family Disney vacation once every 3 years. We will need 1 two bedroom and 2 studios so everybody has their privacy.

b) The ability to have standard views at BWV reduces my point expenses by about 120 for the 9 or 10 nights.

c) DW and I love Epcot. Being able to walk back mid-day to relax is a biggie.

d) We've never been to F&W, but really look forward to the easy walk to and from that.

e) Most of our DS's and families are in education, our big vacation will be in July or early August, and I want to make sure we get rooms where we want them.

I didn't get too hung up on this 2042 vs 2057 thing. My feeling is, right now, about 3/4 of DVC owners are on 2042 contracts. DVC will have to do something or they will have serious business problems loosing huge numbers of customers in 2042.

Good Luck with your decision!

John

 

[LSchrow]

first, remember that whatever your final decision, many, many people add-on ~ so it really might not be final.
that said, BWV & SSR are our two favorite resorts (we own at both, plus BCV).
others have listed reasons for owning at each, as well as shortcomings. personally, we haven't had problems with buses at either (except any DTD bus ), are perfectly happy with the dining options at each, & don't feel the "problems" some cite even a slight inconvenience .

if we absolutely had to sell SSR or BWV (BCV would definately go first tho ), i honestly don't think we could ever give up the BWV contract: walking to EPCOT just for dinner, watching Illuminations from our balcony (BW view is amazing!!), waking to the sound of the ferries & scents of the bakery ~ for us, the BWV's is home

 

[JoeEpcotRocks]

For BW:

Don't forget the Spoodles Pizza window and BW kiosks for counter service.

 

[luna99]

waking to the sound of the ferries & scents of the bakery ~

ooooohh... now THAT sounds nice. *sigh*