BWV Or VWL??

[EyesandEarsJami]

My wife and I (25 & 24) are hoping to join the DVC in the coming months. But I'm having a problem deciding if we should go for BWV or VWL. Wilderness Lodge is my favorite resort but I love all of the activities and the location of BWV. (I'm talking about the Boardwalk, EPCOT and MGM, EPCOT is our favorite park).
I was just wondering if you guys could help me out and share your opinions. Maybe some of y'all will bring up something that I haven't thought about.
As for OKW, it's not really our style.
Thanks

 

[DVCDAVE]

Just keep in mind that BWV is sold out, and can only be bought via a resale. WLV is new, probably too new for a resale, hence only through DVC.

We own both as both have something unique to offer. Our boys like the swimming pool, water slide and community hall at BWV. Both MOM and DAD likee the seclusion, atmoshere, and unique look of WLV. WLV does not have a boardwalk, nor a community hall, and the water slide is very small by comparrison. Additionallly, dinning alternatives are limited at WLV.

Maybe if you are planning to have children and be yearly travelers to WDW, BWV are for you. However, even our kids loved the look of WLV when we toured there. We asked them point blank if they wanted to stay at WLV and the answer was a resounding YES !

WDW:
76,77,78,87,FW
92,Offsite
95 POL
96(2), GF,Offsite
97,GF
98,99,00,FW
8/00 DVC member @ BWV
3/01 BWV, FW
3/01 DVC member @ WLV
11/01 BWV !

[This message was edited by DVCDAVE on 03-29-01 at 11:58 AM.]

 

[wdwnut]

hi: your choice of home resort should be based on your priorities of where you want to stay. during busier times, the 11 month vs. 7 month window for reservations can be important. the units at both these resorts are basically the same size. the locations and theming are as you note, completely different. we, too, love the wl and have had some wonderfully relaxing vacations here. we are assuming the vwl will be the same, although we haven't tried them yet. we own 2 contracts at bwv, more for the location than anything else. the location is absolutely fantastic. it is entirely your decision as to what will suit your needs/priorities the best. if you are thinking bwv, then resale is the only way to go. there have been positive and negative posts about both resorts; take them all with a grain of salt. just bear in mind if you're thinking vwl, disney will be raising the per point cost to $75 the beginning of june (doc posted this from a dvc meeting at wdw this week). if you have any specific questions, just post.

 

[ripleysmom]

Rule of thumb is buy where you plan to stay. That being said there is nothing that says you wouldn't be able to get into BWV at the 7 month window if you were to purchase VWL, you would just need to flexible in your plans. If BWV is where you would want to stay most often then that is where you should buy.

Kimberly-Lucas and Ripley's Mom

 

[KyBill]

I think BWV by resale would be the way to go. About 20% of the villas are available at much lower point costs than WLV. You would need the 11 month window to book those. Also as a poster said the WLV is to new to have resales. At your ages the BWV looks like the perfect match. Get your name at the Timeshare Store as a buyer and a point total you are loking for.

 

[Ed T]

Hi;

Boardwalk is a sold out resort through Disney. It is available in the resale market. there are a couple of resale brokers that are mentioned on these boards. I have bought resale and through Disney so if you are interested in hearing about either experiences just send me an email. You can save some money buying resale if you have the patience.

Good luck

Ed
DVC 1994

 

[kem330]

Since BW is harder to get in to, I think I would start out with a BW resale. Do a search on this site regarding resales, we have talked alot about this lately. I can't say enough about the help and speed in which Jaki at A Timeshare Broker handled our sale. If you could get this done fairly quickly, why not get a smaller BW resale and then add on VWL points with Disney before the price increase. Then you could enjoy both! 150-200 BW and 50 VWL add on. Make sure you understand how to work that with the 11/7 mon. window and banking and borrowing.

 

[EyesandEarsJami]

thanks for your opinions!
Keep them coming.

 

[Happy Birthday Cat]

We purchased VWL from Disney. We are also purchasing BWV resale. That should be completed soon. Both are very different types of vacations. We wanted to have the ability to have a quiet time close to the Magic Kingdom (when we wanted excitement) while also having the ability to be in an area like the BWV with So much to do. Choose the one you like best or do what we did and do both.

 

[EyesandEarsJami]

bump

 

[Peggy Sue]

Have you considered owning at multiple resorts? Many of us do. We own at OKW and BWV..we like both for different reasons and wanted the 11 month booking window at both resorts. Sounds like you enjoy both the VWL and BWV..so start with the one you enjoy the most and then add on when convenient at another resort.

You can't beat the BWV location. An easy walk to epcot and walk or boat to MGM. Lots of activities and night lift and dining options. VWL is remote, and only offers the boat to the MK, however, from the MK you can access the monorail to EPCOT, but that would probably take a lot longer than just catching an EPCOT bus at the WL!!

Good luck with your decision!

Have a wonderful day!

 

[Bennet]

You will have more flexibility choosing the number of points you want from Disney. You can get just what you want there. Resale will be a matter of waiting for a resale the size you want.

To make life more difficult you could wait of the Beach Club under construction on one hand but point prices rising on the other.

The real issue is where you want to be. You seem to have a good feel for the resorts so "Trust the Force."

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[Lisa F]

but in the same situation, I would likely go with BWV because, as someone mentioned, you have a chance of getting a standard view and the same room for fewer points.

We are BWV owners and our last trip was at the VWL and our next trip is also at the VWL (because the boardwalk was already all booked up). Who knows how this will change once VWL becomes more sold out, though, and who knows how this will change over time.

Right now the 11 month window is pretty important to people who want what they want at the BWV. Sometimes there are exceptions, but in general it seems as though it is easier to swtich out of the BWV to other resorts at the 7 month window than it is to get a reservation there at the 7 month window.

With the new beach club villas coming online in a couple of years, it might be even more difficult to get into the BWV at the 7 month window if it costs more points to stay at the BCV (it will at least be unlikely that they will have any standard views available at the lower point schedule that the BWV does). This, of course, is sheer speculation on my part but no one really knows how things will be in the future. These are just the arguments I'd make to myself if I had to decide.

On the other hand (i just reread the original post) if the Wilderness Lodge is your favorite resort than you are probably going to LOVE the villas. I wasn't too impressed by the lodge when we first stayed there (the rooms felt way too small and cramped for me, though I did love the lobby) but our last trip there has made me a convert. I loved every second at that resort, but still glad to have the 11 month priority at the BWV. Personally (except for the difference in points for a standard vs. preferred view) I'd be equally happy to stay at either. The pros and cons of each resort pretty much balance out for me.

The great thing is that no matter which you choose, you should be able to stay at the other, at least occasionally. One of the greatest things about DVC!

Lisa

"You employ stone, wood, and concrete, and with these materials you build house and palaces. That is construction. Ingenuity is at work. But suddenly, you touch my heart, you do me good. I am happy and I say 'This is beautiful.' That is architecture. Art enters in."
-Le Corbusier

[This message was edited by Lisa F on 03-29-01 at 08:00 PM.]

 

[baileybrad]

I would buy there directly from Disney. Just take into account that if you plan to stay there all of the time that you will need more points. The way that resort is selling and its small size, will, in my opinion, pose the same 7 month reservation window problems that BW now experiences alot of the time during the year. We own at HH and we stayed at VWL in early Feb. and loved it. It does take more points which is something that will need to be considered. But just listening to your enthusism for WL seems that that may be the way to go. But whatever you decide, just remember that all of the resort have
great attributes, but if you have your heart set on staying at one particular resort during moderately busy times then that is the resort that you should make your home. Good Luck!

 

[Epcot Mom]

We have never stayed anywhere but the Lodge and I will say up front, we're very partial to it. We just bought into DVC and are heading down in 4 weeks for our first trip "home" to the villas.

When we were in our "pre-kid" days, we spent all our time at Epcot and may have been more partial to the BWV because of the nightlife and proximity to Epcot. That being said, we opted to stay at the lodge anyway in those days because we loved the setting and the chance to get away to a quiet place, yet still be surrounded by WDW.

Now that we have a toddler, it's all about the MK. Don't misunderstand, she loves all the parks but there's only one Small World (thank God). We love the boat ride to the MK and don't see us staying at the BWV until she's a little less focused on MK-type attractions.

So, you're wondering if I have a point...my point is this, the BWV may hold some advantage now that you're more focused on adult fun. As your family changes and you bring a child into the picture, your vacation will change and you may find being able to see the castle from your resort is a huge boost to the person now at the center of your universe.

It's all about how important that 11/7 month window is and how much you want to think about what may happen in your future.

Either way, I'd say most people agree, you can't go wrong. They are both lovely properties.