BWV Value Studios

[jsrowdon]

We are planning on getting a small add-on and are considering BWV which is not our current home resort.

In addition to loving the location of this resort the low points costs of the value studios are very appealing but I am not sure how many of these rooms there are and how difficult they are book. If this is one of those situations where even trying to book exactly when your 11 month window opens they are hard to get then they become much less appealing but, if booking early in the 11 month window gives us a reasonable chance then we do really want to consider adding on here.

Anyone provide any info on this?

Thanks

 

[Granny]

The BWV-Standard View rooms are available for booking pretty readily right at the 11 month window. But as you say, they are very popular as they are quite possibly the best value in points and location combination in the DVC system. We have booked BWV standard view villas several times as BWV owners including the high demand Food & Wine Festival times and early December. But then again we only book 1BR or 2BR villas.

Since you want a studio, I think you will not have any problem getting it at the opening bell on the 11 month mark. But for popular times of the year (F&W, holidays) you will need to be ready right at that time. Those days will book up often by mid-morning on that day.

I would go ahead with your plans. There are a significant number of Standard View villas...I looked it up and there are a total of 52 including dedicated & lock-off studios...but 11 month planning is definitely part of the BWV ownership experience if you want to book the Standard View villas. Boardwalk View villas are not far behind in popularity.

 

[jsrowdon]

Thanks. I do not mind booking right at 11 months. I was mostly concerned that it was one of those situations like AKV club level where even right at 11 months your chances of getting one are slim.

 

[Granny]

Thanks. I do not mind booking right at 11 months. I was mostly concerned that it was one of those situations like AKV club level where even right at 11 months your chances of getting one are slim.

Yes, AKV club level is a crazy small number of rooms. While 52 studios for a specific booking category is not too bad, they do go very quickly at high DVC demand times of the year. Hopefully others will chime in with their experiences of BWV-SV studio booking. Good luck!

 

[supersnoop]

Standard studios are difficult to book at 11 months during food and wine. They aren't club-level difficult, but you do need to book in the first day or two.

 

[crisi]

Standard studios are difficult to book at 11 months during food and wine. They aren't club-level difficult, but you do need to book in the first day or two.

And sometimes even then they are not available.

If your plans are limited to F&W through the January marathon, you may sometimes be disappointed in standard view availability if you book right at eleven months. People have taken to "walking" into those reservations. We've owned BW for fifteen years and although we always make reservations eleven months out, we always plan on a preferred view room - if we get (and want) standard, we consider it a bonus.

 

[Marionnette]

We are planning on getting a small add-on and are considering BWV which is not our current home resort.

In addition to loving the location of this resort the low points costs of the value studios are very appealing but I am not sure how many of these rooms there are and how difficult they are book. If this is one of those situations where even trying to book exactly when your 11 month window opens they are hard to get then they become much less appealing but, if booking early in the 11 month window gives us a reasonable chance then we do really want to consider adding on here.

Anyone provide any info on this?

Thanks

A lot of people are purchasing small BWV contracts for the very same purpose. What this tells me is that competition is going to become greater for those Std. View Studios (the Value Studios are at AKV-J) in the near future. It's already tough to book them at 11 months for F&W, the holiday season and any race weekends. If you intend to travel any time between September and mid-January, you will have to book exactly at 11 months and may still be out of luck. If you're planning to travel during the remaining months, you should be able to book a Std. View Studio in the 11-7 month window but your chances of success are better at the beginning of your home resort booking window than it is at the end.

FWIW, I would not purchase a contract with "just enough" points to book the lowest booking category at any resort. Reallocation of points can and does happen. One that I could see happening would be raising Std. View points while lowering Garden/Pool View at BWV.

 

[supersnoop]

I've been successful for the past three years. We bought a 25-point BWV contract for this specific purpose, and we've been able to book two or three weekend (or long weekend) nights each year.

 

[DougEMG]

We own at BWV and always try and book the standard rooms right at 11 months. This year I was booking BWV for early Aug and it took me a few days to get a standard room by booking online at 8am. Luckily I was flexible about the dates.

My view is that everyone buying BWV resale is buying it because that is where they want to stay and most of them want to stay there for F&W.

 

[bobbiwoz]

We also bought BWV because of the great value of standard view. Usually I book studios, but more recently 1 bedrooms. Our favorite times for booking is December and for NYE. Depending on when I go to F&G, or F&W, our choice then is could be BCV, to swim in SAB. We own at both. The EPCOT resorts are wonderful!

 

[Mrs.Milo]

We own at Boardwalk, and this Oct 2017 for Food & Wine is the first time I haven't been available to get a standard view studio at 8am EST 11 months out. My SIL booked a week earlier for Oct 14th, but when I tried to book 1 week later to join them starting on Oct 21st, standard was gone already, and after 3 days I gave up and booked a Boardwalk view instead. I could see those days behind reappear as available later that week, so I know it was being walked but I didn't have enough points to make a new Ressie and then drop the Boardwalk (borrowing being a final transaction). Again, first time for me, and I guess that was a particularly busy week during Food & Wine. First 2 weeks of Dec are very popular also. But for much of the year you shouldn't have a problem.

 

[n2mm]

I didn't get my standard studio for October 2017 last November. By 8:01am my first night was gone, so got shut out. The next morning I managed to get my second day and rest of the week. I did have to waitlist for the first night and finally got it. But it's a pita when you can't seal the deal on day one. It's getting harder and harder to get the standard studios at the 11 month window during popular times. Though I booked it for prez weekend and had no problem there. Getting a 1 bedroom standard is fairly easy to get as an owner. So op being an owner does not guarantee you'll get a standard studio. Btw, standard rooms are only 20% of the availability with boardwalk view also 20%. The remainder are the garden/pool view

 

[CMNJ]

Yes to echo the above standard can be extremely difficult to book at 11 mo if you are going for F&W. Many newer owners have the same idea and are also online right at 8 am 11 months out (or walking reservations). We have been able to secure standard view for Oct 2016 and 2017 but it literally disappears at 8 am on the dot and there simply aren't enough to meet the demand at times. However other times of the year standard seems to hang around for a little while into the home resort window but not for F&W

 

[Deb & Bill]

There is no such thing as BWV Value Studios. Just Standard and Preferred (and BWView preferred).

 

[AdamsMum]

There is no such thing as BWV Value Studios. Just Standard and Preferred (and BWView preferred).

I bought at BW strictly because of the location. EPCOT being my favourite place in the world, I always end my day there. I quickly discovered the standard view studios and what a great value they are. I have booked that category about 5 times twice for F&W. Not had a problem, but I always book 11 months out and first thing in the morning on that first day. I wouldn't buy only enough to stay in that category though. Boardwalk is without a doubt the best location for F&W (I know Beach Club lovers...). If I can't get the standard view I go straight for the Boardwalk View. Preferred is a disappointment though, had to do that once for a 2 bedroom.

 

[jsrowdon]

Thanks everyone for the info and experiences. we just decided to stick with the same resort as we already have for this small add-on. If we decide to purchase another larger contract later we will reevaluate a different location then.

There is no such thing as BWV Value Studios. Just Standard and Preferred (and BWView preferred).

I guess I used the wrong terminology but everyone knew exactly what i was referring to.

 

[RellingTwin]

I have stayed the 1st or 2nd week in Dec for the past 8 years. The only time I was unable to get my first choice was when many of the units were being refurbished.I always book within a few days of my 11 month window and my 1st choice is 1 Bedroom Boardwalk view.
I agree with AdamsMum, Boardwalk is a fantastic location. You just can not beat being able to walk to 2 parks!!

 

[Marionnette]

I have stayed the 1st or 2nd week in Dec for the past 8 years. The only time I was unable to get my first choice was when many of the units were being refurbished.I always book within a few days of my 11 month window and my 1st choice is 1 Bedroom Boardwalk view.
I agree with AdamsMum, Boardwalk is a fantastic location. You just can not beat being able to walk to 2 parks!!

1-BR villas are the easiest to book and BW view is not in as high a demand as studios. Studios and 2-BR villas go first (every time a studio is booked at BWV, a 2-BR is taken out of inventory and becomes a 1-BR). Standard view disappears from inventory first, followed by BW view and then the garden/pool views. Those factors have likely contributed greatly toward your success in booking.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

1-BR villas are the easiest to book and BW view is not in as high a demand as studios. Studios and 2-BR villas go first (every time a studio is booked at BWV, a 2-BR is taken out of inventory and becomes a 1-BR). Standard view disappears from inventory first, followed by BW view and then the garden/pool views. Those factors have likely contributed greatly toward your success in booking.

I agree that it's much easier to get a 1br. Studios in Boardwalk and standard view should be planned for at 8am at 11 months and even pool/garden view studios are getting more difficult during the busy DVC times and I'd plan right at 11 months.

 

[pooh2001]

If we use Davids to get a standard BWV Studio - we could contact with Davids at the 12 month mark
So then do you think Davids could acquire a standard BWV Studio for us to rent from an owner?
Only 52 rooms ?
Can they be acquired at the 12 month mark?
Thank you