BWV - Preferred or Standard view???

[mstec]

I've never stayed here, and was thinking of trying it, but wondering which view to ask for. I noticed in some of the WDW guide books, they suggest that the "preferred view" for the villas is not worth paying more or using more points for. Just wondering if that is really true. The Unofficial guide said the worst standard view would be of the driveway in, and that the trees block that. What do you all think???

Any help would be appreciated....

 

[Figment2]

I've been in the preferred view and the standard view. I would not call the view of the driveway the worst. Of course, we don't spend that much time in the villa.

Is it special to look out your windows and see Spaceship Earth, yes. Is it worth the extra points, maybe, depending on what is important to you.

I like to save the points and look at the driveway.

Cyn

 

[spiceycat]

BW view is now a separate class from just the preferred view.

It can be worth it!!!

however I will probably stick with my standard view. I am cheap and would rather save points than have a great view.

the standard views are the parking lot and drive way. However there is a very nice garden area between you and the traffic.

from some of the higher rooms you can even see the tops of the fireworks.

I don't think you can see Spaceship Earth from any of the BWV views - BWI is in the way.

If you want a better view of Epcot - go stay in the BCV.

although now they are saying that because of Soarin there are no views of Epcot.

now this might cause some of Spaceship Earth to be cut off - but certainly not all. It won't effect those rooms that have a view of WS at all.

 

[pmcpmc]

Spciycat I know your compass is a little off

 

[disney junky]

I'll take standard any time and save the points. We were there in June, standard view. Watched the people coming and going. Saw the most remarkable thing; they changed all the flowers in the front of the hotel in the course of a couple of hours. We aren't big on sitting in the room or on the balcony and watching stuff....unless it's the ocean, and Vero Beach is a ways a way.

 

[travelbug]

I'll take standard any time and save the points.

Same here!

 

[jekjones1558]

Sounds like I am in the minority, but I love BW view. It is worth the extra points to me. However, if BW view is not available the standard view is a great bargain.

 

[crisi]

Both standard view and BW View itself can book quickly. The greatest number of rooms are ordinary "preferred" (pool, water, garden) view. So if you don't have the opportunity to book early, you may not get a choice. Sometimes people do manage to book the coveted rooms on short notice, but I wouldn't plan points that way unless you owned there and knew you were booking 10-11 months out.

 

[Duckfan-in-Chicago]

I take everything in a guide book with a grain of salt. Don't even know what that saying means but that's a discussion for another day. Anyway, I think everyone is different and everyone vacations different, which is what makes the DVC so great. Most families with a few kids can't agree on something as simple as which fast food restaurant to go to, so there can't be a definitive answer to a question as complex as this, unless you read an all-knowing guide book. All I can say is in my opinion if you like to spend a lot of time on the balcony people watching the BW view or a preferred view where you may get the clown pool would prob. be worth it to you. If you are out of your room for most of the day, then it may not be worth it. We always go with the preferred view, because my desire to be part of a large social group is in constant battle with my laziness to get out of my chair.

 

[CapeCodFam]

I look at it as: since BW view are the same pts as preferred, we jump on it if avail. If std view is avail, we jump on that to save the pts. IMO, BW + Std view are 'lucky' bonus options. we'd be happy anywhere. We stayed numerous times and have been just as happy with every room/view we've had. For us, there hasn't ever been a bad view. even the worst view is better than any view from our house!

 

[mom2rb]

DH told me that we couldn't stay at BWV unless we had the Boardwalk view. We never thought we would get it at 7 months. Well, I called at 5 months and they had it. I know we got very lucky and I can't wait to sit on my balcony and people watch.

 

[karrit2000]

IMO the prefereed view is not worth the points. I had one that was a view of the pond/fountain at the very end of the building. Right behind that is the Valet Parking lot. Not what I would consider a "preferred view". I think anything other than "Boardwalk View" should be less points. If it really doesn't matter to you try to get the standard view to save points.

 

[Greg K.]

Last month, after a week in a preferred view, we were moved to a standard view for our second week (we couldn't get two weeks of one or the other back to back.) The bell services guy came to get our luggage and move it and noticed the view out our window. (We were on the first floor, looking at the canal that takes you to MGM.) He wanted to know why we were moving and we told him and he said "THAT'S a PREFERRED view?!?!" And he just shook his head in disbelief.

It was nice, but nothing special.

What is much more special, imho, is having a room CLOSE TO THE ELEVATOR. When we had the preferred room, it felt like we were in another zip code. The walk every morning was LOOOOONNGG.

As my wife cracked at one point: "That's why it's called the Board WALK. Or maybe the BORED Walk."

 

[MommaluvsDis]

We had a BWV on the 5th floor and loved it! It was so much fun to look at Spaceship Earth and watch the fireworks from our balcony! We also got a kick out of watching the people play the carnival type games down below us.

 

[DebbieB]

I had a boardwalk view last year with Spaceship Earth view:

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4cc30b3127cce9dcfec6c492000000036108AZOGTFq4ZtJ

In 2000, my first stay after joining, I booked preferred view long before the boardwalk view guarantee. Even though I booked at 11 months, which was supposed to be the priority for boardwalk views, we got a quiet pool view. Since I needed to stretch my points, the next 3 years I booked standard and I was happy with it, especially in 2003 when we got the famous corner room above the pond. When 2004 reservations rolled around, boardwalk view was now a separate category. So I splurged and booked it. Now I'm hooked. I borrowed points for the first time and reserved boardwalk view again for Nov 26 to Dec 2. I just loved watching the action from our room. And we were about 5 rooms from the elevator.

 

[pmcpmc]

http://www.tagrel.com/Tours/DVC/BWV/BWVSlideShow.htm

 

[gopherit]

I take everything in a guide book with a grain of salt. Don't even know what that saying means but that's a discussion for another day.

Oh but why wait?

Comes from the latin phrase "cum grano salis". Was once used to describe how a powerful poison antidote should be taken (as in, take the antidote with a grain of salt), presumably to make it (a) more effective (b) more palatable or (c) both! As I recall, current English usage infers something to the effect of, "If you're gonna believe THAT, better take it with a grain of salt" as if to say, there is a question of how well it might "work" for you and
that it might not suit all "palates" (or people). Sort of like "YMMV", LOL.

That said... I found a std view to be quite fine - entry way, trees, lush lawn. HOWEVER you should take THAT with a grain of salt, especially since I haven't had the chance to stay in a BW view, so I don't have a balanced perspective! For the pts, honestly, my family would rather stay at BCV to take advantage of SAB or stay at VWL (to take advantage of that awesome LODGE! ) And when we stayed at BCV lasttime, our view was not so hot ( 1st floor, looking at bridgeway across canal). BCV and VWL have the same pts cost for a 2 BR at those as for a BW view -- but I guess the "other things" (like pool or lodge, whatever) matter more to us. SInce we own at BWV, if I plan to attempt a "7 mos switch" for either of those resorts, I confess that I book a BW view at 11 mos out, then switch at 7 mos to our desired resort. Easy to do with the same pts structure. (So if you don't own at BW and you want a BW view, just call MS after I'm done, haha!)

 

[Blue&Gold]

Who looks out the windows? Seriously, enjoyed both our BW view and "preferred" view of the croquet lawn & Swan and Dolphin. Haven't had a standard BW stay yet, thinking of trying for one next December.

 

[goofy4tink]

I've had two preferred views at BWV so far and loved both of them. One was over Muscles and Bustles with a great view of the lake and Spaceship Earth. The other was overlooking the Community Hall bldg and quiet pool. Both times I loved sitting on the balcony and just looking out.
I'm going back in 2006 with another mom and her dd. Our girls will be turning 13 so we are taking a ladies trip to WDW for the big day (my dd turns 13 on our last night there, the other dd has her birthday the day we leave). So, I'll be booking a two bedroom. Figured I would save some pts and grab a standard view at the 11 mo. window this Nov. But, after listening to the other mom say how much she loves a terrific view, I think I'll go with Boardwalk preferred, just to be on the safe side. I would love to stay standard though...nice smart use of pts.

 

[scootert]

We always book standard view and have been very pleased. You are far enough away from the entrance that the buses, etc don't bother. On the upper floors, you can usually catch the higher fireworks from Epcot.

This May, we were upgraded to a preferred view of the quiet pool. It was nice, but we're usually not in the room enough at WDW for the view to make a difference. I would spend the extra points for a Boardwalk view, but not for a pool view, etc.