BWV Pros and Cons

[Pluto1976]

Thru logic and reasoning I think I have convinced the DW and myself that DVC is a smart choice for us. Without getting into all of it, everytime we try to think of a new vacation destination for ourselves we always come back to Disney (WDW, Disneyland, Disney Cruise). Along with that and other things I am trying to figure out what our best option would be for a home resort.

Minus Disney ever building the rumored GF Villas, right now I am thinking BWV and would like to know from current DVCers the pros and cons of this resort.

Thanks in advance!

 

[skelfbsfb]

i would also be very interested in other peoples opinions on this as we have just bought here. We love the location, atmosphere of the whole epcot area, and the BWV resort itself is stunning, well we think so.

 

[TisBit]

OK, we enjoyed BWV on our one stay there, but here is a run down of the most common pros/cons that we experienced and people talk about:

Pros

On the boardwalk with lots of restaurants and night life. Some people would stay there just for the boardwalk bakery! Walking distance to both Epcot and Hollywood Studios.


Cons

Transportation to MK/AK is with a bunch of other resorts and can be annoying. No real good counter service options. Some people detest the clown pool. There is frequent complaints about the hallways being too long, I don't believe it is necessarily the hallways vs the fact that there is only one set of elevators, so you might be really far away from them to get down to the main levels (honestly, I felt the BCV hallways were never ending, but with more elevators it seemed to break it up...but thats me).

I know it seems that there are a lot more cons then pros, but truthfully, the restaurants are a huge draw along with the nightlife. I really enjoyed BWV's and would stay there again.

 

[drusba]

Biggest current downside of purchasing at BWV: its end date is 2042 whereas AKV is 2057, BLT is 2060 and SSR is 2054, and OKW when buying from Disney is 2057. May not mean much if you are older but can mean a lot if you are a young family. Also note that BWV is less expensive to buy in the resale market than from Disney.

Pros: ideally located with easy access to Epcot and Studios (you can walk to both or take boat). You are essentially within walking distance of over 20 restaurants -- at the Epcot resorts, Studios and Epcot. If you get boardwalk view rooms (a guaranteed booking category), you will have one of the best views in WDW looking over the lake at the other Epcot resorts, seeing Spaceship Earth in Epcot, and can watch from your room upper level fireworks at both Epcot and MK. Has lower point standard view which is not a bad view and points are really not much more than low point resort OKW. (For either boardwalk view or standard view you should plan on usually booking 11 months out bercause those rooms can often fill early in the booking process.) Nightly entertainment is decent, restaurants at BWV are good and sports fans have the ESPN club. Main pool is right on the BWV side and is a good pool with a long slide and a good bar. Quiet pools are also nice, one on BWI side is in very quiet area and hardly anyone is ever there. Good community hall. Rooms are decent size (smaller than OKW but about the same size as SSR, BCV and VWL). Rooms were just recently redone so right now rooms look almost new.

Cons: if you have a car, parking can be a pain sometimes because far too many get away with (by lying) parking there and then going to Epcot or Studios. Bus sytem to MK, AKV and Downtown Disney is one of, if not the, worst on site. It shares with Swan/Dolphin and sometimes with YC/BC and thus trips can often be very long. Also, for no explainable reason, you can, more than with any other resort, find yourself waiting more than 40 minutes for bus back from MK to the resort (and that is not just during rush at closing). (That has happened to us at least once on every trip we have taken there; we stand there and watch as busses come for every other resort at least twice while waiting for a BWV bus). If room is at end of hallways you can have a somewhat long walk from elevator/lobby to room (however, one at AKV Kidani is three times as long).

 

[charight]

Another good reason to buy at the BWV is that it is one of the more difficult places to book and its almost always full at the 7 month mark during the high season. Having that 11 month window will give you added flexability and allow you to get the rooms you want, when you want.

I own at the SSR and since its the biggest resort, they almost always have availabilty, so having the 11 month booking advantage hasn't really been an advantage at all for me.

 

[n2mm]

We own at BWV because I'm a point miser! I love to stay the longest for the least amount of points and by owning at BWV, it gives me the advantage of booking standard rooms. I also like to go during food and wine, so you need that home advantage if you want to stay at an EPCOT resort. I love that I can easily walk to EPCOT and DHS.

The 2 things we like the least is the PARKING and the lack of CS choices.

 

[DeeCee735]

The biggest con is that the contract expires in 2042. But that's not always a con for some. For example, my DH and I will be in our early 80's and our children will be in their 50's! Scary thought
So for us it's not a big deal. Some like the fact that it will expire in their lifetimes, so as not to leave the responsibility of the maintenance fees to their heirs.

As far as travelling to MK from BWV, alittle tip.....to avoid buses and bus stops along the way, (but depending on the type of ticket you have), you can walk thru EPCOT to the front entrance and jump on the monorail to the Ticket & Transportation Center, and switch to the MK monorail, which is just a stop away from the TTC!

We LOVE the BW area. I was off property with friends this past weekend, but we went there to eat at Big River Grille, and my heart is just ACHING to get back to my BW!!!

Good luck with your decision.

 

[DenLo]

. . . . .

As far as travelling to MK from BWV, alittle tip.....to avoid buses and bus stops along the way, (but depending on the type of ticket you have), you can walk thru EPCOT to the front entrance and jump on the monorail to the Ticket & Transportation Center, and switch to the MK monorail, which is just a stop away from the TTC! . . . . .

Except you cannot go through Epcot until it opens or after it closes. So if you are going to MK for a rope drop, the bus is the only option. Also if you are returning to BWV after closing MK, Epcot may have already closed and you cannot get a bus from the front of Epcot back to BWV. Once again you are better off taking the bus from MK back to BWV.

 

[TisBit]

Except you cannot go through Epcot until it opens or after it closes. So if you are going to MK for a rope drop, the bus is the only option. Also if you are returning to BWV after closing MK, Epcot may have already closed and you cannot get a bus from the front of Epcot back to BWV. Once again you are better off taking the bus from MK back to BWV.

And it is a decent walk, its not right around the corner or anything. Doesn't really save you time, unless there is some unforeseen bus delay....

I own at the SSR and since its the biggest resort, they almost always have availabilty, so having the 11 month booking advantage hasn't really been an advantage at all for me.

But you do have booking advantage for THV's

 

[crisi]

Another tip - a cab ride from the Boardwalk to pretty much anywhere is about $15. So for those mornings when you don't want to wait for a bus to the MK, a cab is cheaper than a rental car (and you don't have to park it). For those evenings at closing, take a cab again. (For the MK, take the cab to/from the CR to avoid the TTC).

We enjoy the resort. The kids love the pool (more than SAB) although lack of zero entry makes it not a great pool for little ones. We don't find the hallways overly long (the walk from the back of BCV last month was longer than any walk we've had at BWV). We like standard view points and location. We enjoy hanging in the Bellevue Lounge, too.

The downsides - rooms don't seem as well kept up as some of the other resorts (namely, we've stayed at BCV and VWL - both had cleaner and better maintained rooms, but we haven't been to BWV since the refresh). The decor leaves something to be desired - I don't like it as much as I like VWL - but that is a matter of taste. I like the newer layout for a table near the kitchen - the one at BWV isn't great. All the two bedrooms are lockoffs so no opportunity for two queens in the second bedroom.

 

[Pluto1976]

Thanks for the all the great feedback!

These items definitely give me a better idea for the resort. So far, I have read a few things that I don't like (i.e. MK bus transportation), but nothing that would make me cross it off the list just yet. I think the thing I like most is being able to have priority to book a BoardWalk view room b/c our balcony views are pretty big thing for us. In this regard, it seems like the standard views are not bad either.

Does anybody know if the DVC sales center on the Boardwalk has a mock room of the BWV, or is it a mock room of the current resorts they are selling?

 

[thepops]

Another good reason to buy at the BWV is that it is one of the more difficult places to book and its almost always full at the 7 month mark during the high season. Having that 11 month window will give you added flexability and allow you to get the rooms you want, when you want.

I own at the SSR and since its the biggest resort, they almost always have availabilty, so having the 11 month booking advantage hasn't really been an advantage at all for me.

Unless you were looking to book one of the treehouses. Then it might be a big advantage.

 

[thepops]

Does anybody know if the DVC sales center on the Boardwalk has a mock room of the BWV, or is it a mock room of the current resorts they are selling?

It is one of the BWV rooms

 

[Pluto1976]

It is one of the BWV rooms

Thanks for the information! I think we are gonna have to check it out on our next trip.

 

[sweetdana]

I heard 1 hallway .. but I want to second that. Maybe we had the furthest room down the hallway, but after a long day at the park, a walk back from Epcot that hallway is TOOOOOOOO long. Also there are only 2 refill places for mugs and if you are not on the right side of the building mugs are useless as the walk is unreasonable for coffee in the AM.

There is no quick serve really. You can get sandwiched, a fruit plate or a salad there. If you are not on the dining plan, a short 5 day trip, or on the DDP EASY..
If you do the regular for 10 days.. you will get annoyed, it is not a great choice for a resort.

 

[alldiz]

I love the boardwalk.

The location is awesome...walking to Epcot and Studios.

My 2nd favorite resort.....after WLV
only con for me is no good counter service.
Kerri

 

[nu2dvc]

Really looking forward to trying out BWV for the first time for 2 nights in a BW-view 1-BR this December. We are celebrating our 10th anniversary and it will be the first trip "Home" we are taking since my DD was diagnosed with leukemia last year. We bought DVC about 2 months before her diagnosis and planning this trip has been a real life-saver for my sanity. So anyway, I was thinking I should request to be close to the elevator for her sake, but was wondering if I ask for first floor, is it super-noisy at night? We will be there on a Sat. and Sun. night in early Dec.

Any advice?

 

[jekjones1558]

OP,
We are big fans of the BW view balconies as well and that is why we keep adding on at BWV. The longer we are DVC members the less time we feel we need to spend in the parks but being on a BW view balcony still feels like being in the magic.

Really looking forward to trying out BWV for the first time for 2 nights in a BW-view 1-BR this December. We are celebrating our 10th anniversary and it will be the first trip "Home" we are taking since my DD was diagnosed with leukemia last year. We bought DVC about 2 months before her diagnosis and planning this trip has been a real life-saver for my sanity. So anyway, I was thinking I should request to be close to the elevator for her sake, but was wondering if I ask for first floor, is it super-noisy at night? We will be there on a Sat. and Sun. night in early Dec.

Any advice?

First floor is on the same level as the BW and one level below the lobby. I personally would not want one of these rooms because the BW view is better when you are looking down on the BW. Under the circumstances you might want to just request "close to elevator for medical reasons." I would say to consider a HA room but if you have not done that already I don't think there will be one available at this point (for sure not if you will be there Nov. 30 - Dec. 7 because we have what I believe is the only HA 1 bedroom BW view room ready booked). But a call to MS is definitely in order. I hope that they are able to work some magic for you and your DD. We have dealt with health issues for a few years now, so I know what you mean about a WDW trip being a mental lift. Pixie dust to you!

 

[meriface11]

we just got back from our first BWV stay a week ago. we certainly liked it, but didn't fall in love with it (which is fine with me since we own at AKV and i never want to have buyers remorse).

CONS:we were room 4121--ALL the way down the long hallway and on the 4th floor. we barely ever took the elevator and just used the stairs. the lack of CS options is a downside (the BW bakery was always packed), the general store doesn't have as many offerings as many of the other resort stores, and having these separate from the community room isn't as convenient as the one stop shopping that say BC has. sharing bus service with 4 other resorts is a hassle. the rooms and bathrooms are smaller than some of the newer resorts like SSR and AKV.

PROSf course the location is great, as is easy access to all that the BW itself has to offer.

and owning there gives you the 11 month advantage to tiered room for the option of lower points usage, where many of the other DVC resort, including BC, only have one booking category.

 

[DebbieB]

PRO:

28 days to go!