BWV - what am I missing?

[Nicola2n]

We're getting a little closer to honing in on a resort / contract that will work really well for us. Foregoing direct RIV purchase because of the resale restrictions.

Talk to me about Board Walk Villas. I'm looking at this resale and it seems like it might hit all the right marks for us, but am I missing some piece of wisdom that you guys know about that I don't?

Pros:
Proximity to parks - LOVE the walking distance to Epcot and HS - plus gondola access in the event that service will be extended in the future
Refurbished rooms - from what I'm seeing all the rooms have been refurbished and look really fresh and clean
Low points per stay - I was actually really surprised to see how low the points per stay is that this resort 78 points for a studio during our preferred travel time - what?!?!
Studio sleeps five - we are a family of 5 so that's a must.
Decent price per point on the resale market
Fun pool area for the kids

Cons:
New restrictions mean we cannot stay at any of the new resorts
Shorter contract expiring in 22 years - can't decide if this is actually a PRO or a CON - maybe not being locked in for 50 years might be an okay place to start?

SO - I'm throwing it out to you guys - what am I not considering here? Is there some secret that I'm not factoring in? Is it SUPER hard to book into this resort because of everything I've mentioned above? Anything I should know? Thanks so much

 

[igrsod]

I think you are on the right path here. I feel like BWV is a great fit for your first contract. You are right... the 22 year contract is a pro in my opinion as long as you aren't looking to sell it in the future. I feel like the prices at the 2042 resorts will eventually decline, as the contracts have less and less years left. If you use it and decide in the future you want to add on, then you will have a better idea of what you need and what resort and number of points you need. Your life could be very different in 20 years.
I'm watching BWV quite a bit right now. I'm staying there during our next vacation.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Low points per stay - I was actually really surprised to see how low the points per stay is that this resort 78 points for a studio during our preferred travel time - what?!?!

Betting this is BWV Standard. BWV Standard can be very difficult to procure. It's a small category and people walk it for weeks/months to nab them. You're better off planning Pool/Garden. The low points chart is because it was the second DVC resort.

Refurbished rooms - from what I'm seeing all the rooms have been refurbished and look really fresh and clean

Every resort gets refurbished over time. Similarly, that is because every resort gets trashed over time. I'd not look at refurb status as a pro or a con.

 

[Matty B13]

Have you stayed at BWV yet? You might want to before you buy in.

My wife thought she would love AKV, so we bought a contract, but after our first stay there she wasn't a fan, and we haven't stayed since.

 

[snappy]

I think the rooms were refreshed 2015. They are fine in my opinion but others may say they are getting beat up.

 

[igrsod]

Have you stayed at BWV yet? You might want to before you buy in.

My wife thought she would love AKV, so we bought a contract, but after our first stay there she wasn't a fan, and we haven't stayed since.

That is very good advice. On the AKV stay... my first time at AKV, I was not that impressed. I liked certain things, but there were enough things that bothered me that the animals were overshadowed. Fast forward 10 years, we now own there (bought there because the cost per point and number of rooms and categories got me... not to mention it IS my husband's fav resort). After multiple stays here, I now really love it and consider it my HOME. I guess what I'm trying to say is that sometimes your opinion can change over time. I used to LOVE BC when staying there on cash reservations, since staying on the DVC side, I don't like it quite as much.

 

[jarestel]

For people worrying about resale restrictions, I'd keep in mind that BWV comes with its own built in resale restrictions, mainly diminishing years on the contract. In 10 years, BWV will be down to a dozen years left and though it will still have value, it is difficult to see it selling for anything near what the newer resale restricted resorts with 40-50 years left on the contracts will sell for. Personally, I think probably way too much emphasis is placed on the effects of resale restrictions in the near term rather than looking down the road a bit.

Having said all of that, I would have no problems at all purchasing BWV today if that's the resort I most wanted but I would definitely be aware that today's resale pricing is probably near or at the peak value that it will ever sell for. Good luck!

 

[Nicola2n]

Betting this is BWV Standard. BWV Standard can be very difficult to procure. It's a small category and people walk it for weeks/months to nab them. You're better off planning Pool/Garden. The low points chart is because it was the second DVC resort.

I'm assuming this holds true even if this is your home resort with 11 month booking window?

 

[Nicola2n]

Have you stayed at BWV yet? You might want to before you buy in.

My wife thought she would love AKV, so we bought a contract, but after our first stay there she wasn't a fan, and we haven't stayed since.

We have not stayed. I don't see us having the opportunity to do a stay for another year or so - we just returned from the World last week.

 

[jerseyduke]

I do not see a shorter life as a PRO in any way.

You can sell it or outright give it away if you don't want a contract anymore. You aren't LOCKED in.

That being said, I do not see it as much of a Con either because the 2042 resorts seem to be priced with it factored in to a degree (excluding beach club)

 

[sethschroeder]

Have you stayed at BWV yet? You might want to before you buy in.

My wife thought she would love AKV, so we bought a contract, but after our first stay there she wasn't a fan, and we haven't stayed since.

Always think you should stay but I think this also applies more to the non park attached resorts. If you want to be attached to Epcot/HS then you have 2 choices (and RIV but they ruled that out).

For people worrying about resale restrictions, I'd keep in mind that BWV comes with its own built in resale restrictions, mainly diminishing years on the contract. In 10 years, BWV will be down to a dozen years left and though it will still have value, it is difficult to see it selling for anything near what the newer resale restricted resorts with 40-50 years left on the contracts will sell for.

For me on my first contract I wanted to be able to 1) unload the contract and 2) not lose a bunch of money if selling it in 2-3 years.

I would also be shocked to have BWV not hold its relative value if not see a price increase.

Math: (Picked random 7 days in October)
Rack Rate: $5,604.56
35% Discount Rate (can't count on it but this is best case): $3,642.96

Points Requirement (base on 2021 point chart): 114 (Premium not Standard to account for easiest to book)
MFs: $840.18
Year Cost Difference: $2,802.78 (taking 35% discount price and removing the MFs to see "savings")

Additional wanted discount: 1,401.39‬ (if you are putting out that much money you want a bigger discount than rack rate, I will account another 50% discount off that yearly cost difference as what I would want to pay yearly)
Cost Per Point: $12.29 (accounting for that final "discounted" price)

Current Price for Resale: $130
Years to breakeven on getting a 75% discount: 10-11 years (you are breaking even on a 75% discount off rack rate after 10 to 11 years, this doesn't account for rack rate increases, no room discounts being offered, or increase to MFs)

So even in 2032 the math is going to come out to having resales priced out at $130 and that's if Disney doesn't raise rack rate higher than MFs increases.

 

[sethschroeder]

I'm assuming this holds true even if this is your home resort with 11 month booking window?

Standard rooms are going to go quickly and will have times where you can book it without picking it up after walkers move past your dates.

If you are flexible on dates that can help or if you are able to account for staying in a Boardwalk/Garden view category that helps as well.

 

[jennypenny]

One pro I don't see listed is that BWV has many different types of rooms available. If you own at Poly, you only have two options -- a studio or a bungalow. Even at Beach Club and Boulder Ridge, you are limited because there aren't any grand villas. I prefer the resorts with the most room options and BWV would be included in that.

 

[KPeterso]

I love the Boardwalk Villas and would love to own there. Stayed there for my last 2 September trips and working on this coming September there again. That said, I cannot get over the 22 years only left on the contract. I feel like the price is pretty high for the years left on the contract. But that is just my opinion and hang up on the resort. I have been very lucky to get a studio there at the times that I have, and if I cannot make it work, there are plenty of other places I can stay like my home at AKV (or I guess SSR which I have never stayed actually stayed at).

 

[Nicola2n]

Standard rooms are going to go quickly and will have times where you can book it without picking it up after walkers move past your dates.

Sorry - dumb question. What are "walkers"?

 

[chicagodisneyguy]

We've owned BWV for 10 years and love it. The location to EP/HS has been amazing...especially for our F&W trips. The rooms aren't our favorite, but for us the location is 100% of why we bought.

If you decide to proceed, buy enough points for a garden/pool view during the times you think you will visit. As others have mentioned, standard rooms go at 8am pretty much the whole year. I would personally rather bank extra points because I snagged a STD view than have to cut my trips short by a day or two because garden view was all that was available. Also double check the 2021 versus the 2020 point charts when estimating how many you will need for average vacations. DVC reallocated their charts to make fall more expensive starting in 2021.

 

[TexasChick123]

There aren’t any dedicated 2BRs at BWV, so you’re not just competing with others looking for your same room type. Everyone looking for a studio AND 2BRs needs the studio as per of their reservation because the 2BRs are lockoffs. All studio seekers are competing with those looking for studios and 2BRs, and all 2BR seekers are competing with other 2BR seekers as well as those looking for studios. You can now see why the standard studios go so quickly.

 

[SleeplessInTO]

Your thoughts seem spot on. Everything you listed is why we bought at BWV. The short contract span was a pro for us. I will add that we were looking at 1 bedrooms, so the concerns re: availability of standard rooms wasn’t as high.

 

[jerseyduke]

Sorry - dumb question. What are "walkers"?

They are the zombies in The Walking Dead

But in terms of DVC they are people that make a reservation for a time that is earlier than they actually want it. They then move the reservation forward every few days as as a new booking window opens up. This can be done at the 11 month mark to secure an in demand room ahead of time, as the room being "walked" is blocked from being booked by anyone else. The walker has control over it.

Simple case, one room. You want it July 1 - 8. So do I. you go to book it on Aug. 1. However, I booked it on July 30 for June 30th - July 6. You can not book it on August 1st. I then go in and modify my reservation to July 1-8 on August 1st. I walked my reservation. You can do this for a month or more even. And when it is done long term, a room appears unavailable until it is walked past the time frame at which you are looking. Take the above case and say I booked that same room for June 1 - 8 with the intent of walking it to July 1 - 8. At some point someone wants it June 15th. Its not available as I am walking i - and my current reservation at this time is for June 12- June 19h. But once I pass june 15th on my way to July 1 - say when my reservation is for June 20 - 27th, it is available for you. It wasnt available at 11 months, but it was at 10 months and 25 days. (The walker has passed it)

 

[Nicola2n]

There aren’t any dedicated 2BRs at BWV, so you’re not just competing with others looking for your same room type. Everyone looking for a studio AND 2BRs needs the studio as per of their reservation because the 2BRs are lockoffs. All studio seekers are competing with those looking for studios and 2BRs, and all 2BR seekers are competing with other 2BR seekers as well as those looking for studios. You can now see why the standard studios go so quickly.

Good point......