BWV vs. BCV

[bmcd1998]

Hey all,

We have a small contract in ROFR at BLT. Assuming this style of vacationing fits our needs, I am already planning to add.

I have been trolling BCV and BWV listings and I have a question. Looks like both properties "end" the same year, and obviously the properties are in the same area of WDW. So my question is this....why are BCV points more expensive?

Is it nicer?
Is it quieter? (is BWV loud?)
Room sizes look similar by sq ft....it there something I can't tell by that?
Are the amenities better at BCV?
Is BCV better maintained?

Anything you can add to my understanding will be much appreciated. We would like to own at one of these two so we can do Food and Wine.

Thanks for your help.

 

[JPDtheJD]

Stormalong Bay at Beach Club

 

[Dean]

Hey all,

We have a small contract in ROFR at BLT. Assuming this style of vacationing fits our needs, I am already planning to add.

I have been trolling BCV and BWV listings and I have a question. Looks like both properties "end" the same year, and obviously the properties are in the same area of WDW. So my question is this....why are BCV points more expensive?

Is it nicer?
Is it quieter? (is BWV loud?)
Room sizes look similar by sq ft....it there something I can't tell by that?
Are the amenities better at BCV?
Is BCV better maintained?

Anything you can add to my understanding will be much appreciated. We would like to own at one of these two so we can do Food and Wine.

Thanks for your help.

That's a good question and one I've never been able to answer well to my own satisfaction. The obvious things are personal preference, SAB & size on the BCV side. There are a few minor differences in decor, room layout and unit types (dedicated 2 BR at BCV). OF course BWV has the standard view option and BW views. BCV closer to EPCOT, BWV to DHS. My personal feeling is the full price difference is as much hype as reality and the price difference will not last long term to the degree it has been. IMO that makes BWV a much better value currently than BCV.

 

[CarolMN]

I also think it comes down to personal preference & the fact that BCV is smaller than BWV (in terms of the number of villas), so there are fewer that make it to the resale market.

BCV is closer to EPCOT and has the popular Storm-Along-Bay pool complex. BCV has better (closer) access to parking.

BWV has Grand Villas and the less expensive standard view. It has the Boardwalk view booking category for great views. It is within walking distance of both EPCOT and DHS.

Other than that, the advantages and disadvantages are pretty much the same between the two.

 

[TeresaNJ]

I like the fact that the quiet pool & hot tub are basically right outside the door at BCV, whereas at BWV you may have to hike a mile! I don't care for the theming at BWV, but love the beachy feel at the BCV. I like that the BCV has a more intimate feel. I like that at the BCV you don't have the masses walking by you (on the boardwalk, if you have a boardwalk view) when sitting out on the patio or balcony reading. I don't like that the BWV doesn't have a quick dining area like the Beach Club does. I really don't like the clown pool at BWV. While most people love Stormalong Bay, I prefer to hang out at the quiet pool. I get enough of crowds at the parks, lol!

It's all a matter of personal preference!

 

[crisi]

We own at BWV. We stayed at BCV once - I really didn't like having to walk through the hotel lobby in my swimsuit and coverup to get to the pool. Halls are one thing - parading past a lobby full of people felt really awkward. Our room location at BCV wasn't great - although it was one a lot of people really like. All in all, we'll stick to BWV over BCV ourselves - but it is a matter of preference.

 

[lovin'fl]

We love both resorts due to location (being able to walk to Epcot and walk/boat to HS). But BCV is our fave due to a couple reasons:
1- it's a tad closer to Epcot
2- it's smaller and doesn't have the long endless hallways BWV has
3- SAB is really nice
4- was quieter and less busy

BUT...we added on at BWV so that we can book standard view rooms to save on points. Should note that annual dues at BWV is a tad higher...but for our 80 points it wasn't that much of a difference ($17).

 

[crisi]

2- it's smaller and doesn't have the long endless hallways BWV has

Our room seemed much farther at BCV from the lobby/pool and path to Epcot than any room we've had at BWV. BWV hallways are long - but the DVC resort is integrated into BWI - its all one building. For BCV, we had to go out the back door, through a garden, then through the building to get to our rooms - I don't think the total distance was any less - although definitely less of it in hallways. That did make BCV seem quieter - but our room overlooked the road - so once we were in our room with the buses going by it seemed as busy as any third floor BWV room.

 

[drusba]

A significant difference that has long affected resale prices between BWV and BCV is that those who purchased BWV new paid $62 to $67 per point (with most at $65 or less) while at BCV it was from $75 to $84 (with most at $80 or more) thus allowing BWV owners to recover original costs at a lower resale price. Also, BCV, as a smaller resort, has usually had fewer resales at any given time than BWV and thus supply is less.

 

[bmcd1998]

Stormalong Bay at Beach Club

But as a DVC owner, couldn't those staying at BWV got to SAB?

 

[bmcd1998]

A significant difference that has long affected resale prices between BWV and BCV is that those who purchased BWV new paid $62 to $67 per point (with most at $65 or less) while at BCV it was from $75 to $84 (with most at $80 or more) thus allowing BWV owners to recover original costs at a lower resale price. Also, BCV, as a smaller resort, has usually had fewer resales at any given time than BWV and thus supply is less.

OK...well that makes a lot of sense. Do you know why the points were more at BCV than BWV? Did Disney have trouble selling BWV?

 

[Dean]

Our room seemed much farther at BCV from the lobby/pool and path to Epcot than any room we've had at BWV. BWV hallways are long - but the DVC resort is integrated into BWI - its all one building. For BCV, we had to go out the back door, through a garden, then through the building to get to our rooms - I don't think the total distance was any less - although definitely less of it in hallways. That did make BCV seem quieter - but our room overlooked the road - so once we were in our room with the buses going by it seemed as busy as any third floor BWV room.

While overall the hallways are longer at BWV, given the access from the other end when you are in that situation I feel functionally they aren't any longer. Say you want to go to DHS, you're closer at BWV and closer still if at the end of a long hallway. Plus there are ways to get out of many of those long hallways much easier than going back to the lobby.

But as a DVC owner, couldn't those staying at BWV got to SAB?

NO pool hoping to SAB.

OK...well that makes a lot of sense. Do you know why the points were more at BCV than BWV? Did Disney have trouble selling BWV?

No, there was a significant difference in when they two were built and sold.

 

[CarolMN]

But as a DVC owner, couldn't those staying at BWV got to SAB?

NO. SAB is expressly excluded from the pool-hopping perk. If you want to swim at SAB, you must be staying at the BCV, BC or YC. The pool complex is fenced and all enering must have a wristband to enter. They check.

 

[bookwormde]

Other minor items are BCV has dedicated 2br some of which have 2 beds rather than a bed and a sleep sofa.

None of it justifies the $ difference to me

 

[Pirate Granny]

We bought for SAB...and a few years back BWV and BCV were almost the same price... We loved, loved loved the dedicated 2 bedroom with two beds.

 

[drusba]

OK...well that makes a lot of sense. Do you know why the points were more at BCV than BWV? Did Disney have trouble selling BWV?

BWV opened July 1996, BCV July 2002. As has always been the case, the later a resort opens the more the price per point. Besides the large purchase price difference, the price incentives for the two were significantly different. For BWV the usual incentive was $10 off per point if you gave back first year points meaning at the $65 per point price many paid $55. At BCV, the incentive was $5 off per point, meaning at $80 a point, many paid $75, $20 more than the incentive purchasers at BWV. Also, from the late 1990s to 2007, the resales prices for BWV and BCV were usually close to or even higher than their original purchase prices and fairly close to Disney prices after incentives to the point that many purchasers could buy from Disney for little more than the same overall price for those resorts resale because Disney at the time paid closing costs while buyers in resale usually did. it was not until the Great Recession that resale prices became significantly lower than Disney prices and since 2007 Disney new sale prices have gone up 60% or more while resale prices actually went down and slowly have recovered.

 

[bakerworld]

Next March we can stay in BWV an extra day by booking a SV Studio - I couldn't believe it was available and was ready to select but DH vetoed - he can't stand BWV because either the rooms have maintenance issues or they're HA. He'd rather use 'one-time' points or stay a day less . He feels the room and level of service at the BC is work the $$$

 

[Brian430]

I recently completed an online survey of my last trip to the Board Walk.

Thought I'd share one of my responses:

"Your outright refusal to keep non guests out of the BW pool completely ruins one of the main benefits of staying at a Disney resort.

Every single time I went to the feature pool with my family there were dozens - literally dozens - of people in the water who were clearly not guests. Many had simply walked over from Epcot and were swimming in their clothes (gym shorts w/underwear visible etc.), no magic bands, no Rapid Fill mugs visible. I saw one family of eight people walk in right off the Boardwalk take off their shoes and socks and hang out for over two hours in the pool. Another day while parking my rental car, I saw a young couple and their baby (again no Magic Bands) park walk up to the resort lobby in their swim wear and then bewilderedly look around until they found the pool. Think they were guests really?

Point the trespassers out to a lifeguard - get a knowing shrug. They can see it - just not do anything about it. Walk up to the front desk and they say "one day there may be a fence like the Beach Club," but today I'm out of luck. Really? And how long do we think it will take Disney to build these fences? This is years in the offing without question - if at all.

This same trip, while walking to Beaches and Cream, I couldn't help notice two things about the Beach Club pool: First, it was fenced off with Disney personnel swiping Magic Bands at the gate. Second, the pool had far far fewer people in it. Gee, I wonder if that has anything to do with the fact you just can't walk in off the street and hop in the water?

I envy the Beach Club pool not because it's "nicer" than the Boardwalk, but simply because it wasn't packed shoulder to shoulder with people.

I envy the Beach Club guests because the management there actually cares about their guests' experience. To my eye, the BC fence isn't about protecting the unique pool, it's about protecting the rights that their guests have so richly paid for. Something the Boardwalk management refuses to do. By the way, when someone gets caught trying to sneak into the Beach Club pool, where do you think they go next, back to Epcot? Or do they walk an extra three minutes and jump in the pool I'm spending hundreds of DVC points to stay at.

When you build a hotel next to a major tourist draw like BW, and within walking distance of two major theme parks, how about making a half an effort to preserve the priviliges you're charging your guests an arm and a leg to enjoy?

Or, if you honestly don't care about this abuse of pool rights then let people know on your website. i.e. "Guests should understand that the feature pool at the Boardwalk Resort is open to the general public and therefore congested to the point of claustrophobia. Guests should be advised that is unlikely they will be able to find a chair, and that you will be forced to simply stand in the water and not actually swim. Further, because of our open pool policy, your children will very likely never get a chance to play any of the poolside games. If you want to enjoy a pool actually reserved for guests may we suggest staying at the Beach Club instead."

 

[bmcd1998]

While overall the hallways are longer at BWV, given the access from the other end when you are in that situation I feel functionally they aren't any longer. Say you want to go to DHS, you're closer at BWV and closer still if at the end of a long hallway. Plus there are ways to get out of many of those long hallways much easier than going back to the lobby.

NO pool hoping to SAB.

No, there was a significant difference in when they two were built and sold.

In reference to the "significant difference". I see that BWV was available in 1996 and BCV was not until 2002. This would explain the spread in purchase price from Disney. However, unless the "DVC Resource Center" page on these forums is incorrect, it appears that both properties expire in 2042. Was BCV specifically a 40 year property? Or at the time was Disney thinking they would "sync" the expiration dates of all properties perhaps?

 

[bmcd1998]

I recently completed an online survey of my last trip to the Board Walk.

Thought I'd share one of my responses:

"Your outright refusal to keep non guests out of the BW pool completely ruins one of the main benefits of staying at a Disney resort.

Every single time I went to the feature pool with my family there were dozens - literally dozens - of people in the water who were clearly not guests. Many had simply walked over from Epcot and were swimming in their clothes (gym shorts w/underwear visible etc.), no magic bands, no Rapid Fill mugs visible. I saw one family of eight people walk in right off the Boardwalk take off their shoes and socks and hang out for over two hours in the pool. Another day while parking my rental car, I saw a young couple and their baby (again no Magic Bands) park walk up to the resort lobby in their swim wear and then bewilderedly look around until they found the pool. Think they were guests really?

Point the trespassers out to a lifeguard - get a knowing shrug. They can see it - just not do anything about it. Walk up to the front desk and they say "one day there may be a fence like the Beach Club," but today I'm out of luck. Really? And how long do we think it will take Disney to build these fences? This is years in the offing without question - if at all.

This same trip, while walking to Beaches and Cream, I couldn't help notice two things about the Beach Club pool: First, it was fenced off with Disney personnel swiping Magic Bands at the gate. Second, the pool had far far fewer people in it. Gee, I wonder if that has anything to do with the fact you just can't walk in off the street and hop in the water?

I envy the Beach Club pool not because it's "nicer" than the Boardwalk, but simply because it wasn't packed shoulder to shoulder with people.

I envy the Beach Club guests because the management there actually cares about their guests' experience. To my eye, the BC fence isn't about protecting the unique pool, it's about protecting the rights that their guests have so richly paid for. Something the Boardwalk management refuses to do. By the way, when someone gets caught trying to sneak into the Beach Club pool, where do you think they go next, back to Epcot? Or do they walk an extra three minutes and jump in the pool I'm spending hundreds of DVC points to stay at.

When you build a hotel next to a major tourist draw like BW, and within walking distance of two major theme parks, how about making a half an effort to preserve the priviliges you're charging your guests an arm and a leg to enjoy?

Or, if you honestly don't care about this abuse of pool rights then let people know on your website. i.e. "Guests should understand that the feature pool at the Boardwalk Resort is open to the general public and therefore congested to the point of claustrophobia. Guests should be advised that is unlikely they will be able to find a chair, and that you will be forced to simply stand in the water and not actually swim. Further, because of our open pool policy, your children will very likely never get a chance to play any of the poolside games. If you want to enjoy a pool actually reserved for guests may we suggest staying at the Beach Club instead."

Wow...I hate this for you and your family. If this is a typical experience it would absolutely alter any plans I have to buy at BWV. At my stage of life (47 with one in High School and one in college) the quiet pool sounds better. But God willing I plan to someday bring my kids and their families on these trips and overcrowding at the feature pools would be extremely meaningful.