(CLOSED) Disney's BOARDWALK INN and VILLAS Information Thread ~2012~

[gometros]

I've done it for the last few years with no problem at all. Please be prepared to pay a $5 handling fee for the hotel to accept your package. At least that is what I've been paying each time I ship a UPS package to the hotel. It is possible that if you use another shipping method, you might be able to avoid the fee.

Make sure that included in the address label to the hotel that you add the name on your reservation and the arrival date.

I think it depends on the size or weight of the package. We paid $10 in the fall for a package of coconut water we ordered from Amazon.

 

[bksomody]

We just booked our BWV trip for August...9 nights!! So excited!!! We are in a standard view 2br, wondering what to request. My DH would like to be close to places he can refill his mug, so I'm thinking about asking to be close to the lobby? Does that make sense? Any other suggestions?

We just got back from our first stay at bwv and we LOVED it. We're already planning our next trip.
We stayed by the quiet pool 1 st floor. You can cut through the pool and get right to the boardwalk where the coffee stand is. It's so nice sitting on the boardwalk in the morning with a cup of coffee.
I loved the 1 st floor. There are exit doors at the end of the halls that leads right to the pool, which is steps from the boardwalk. Plus it was only a few steps to the HS walkway.
Enjoy..

 

[bksomody]

Any thoughts on how far in advance I need to book a 2br suite at the villas for 1/1/14 stay for 7 night?
We went this year but had to do a split stay b/c the bwv wasn't available the whole week and I DO NOT want to switch hotels again. With a family of 5, packing and unpacking was to much.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Any thoughts on how far in advance I need to book a 2br suite at the villas for 1/1/14 stay for 7 night?
We went this year but had to do a split stay b/c the bwv wasn't available the whole week and I DO NOT want to switch hotels again. With a family of 5, packing and unpacking was to much.

11 months if you are using points, possibly walking the reservation. Cash? It might not be available.

 

[bksomody]

11 months if you are using points, possibly walking the reservation. Cash? It might not be available.

I'm not sure what you mean by walking the reservation.

 

[Deb & Bill]

I'm not sure what you mean by walking the reservation.

If you are booking on points, you start about a week or so before the first night you need. Then the next day you dropthe first day and add another day, until you get the days you need. Members sometimes to this for hard to get reservations.

So if you were booking Jan 1, you start today and book Dec 24 through Dec 30. Tomorrow you drop Dec 24 and add Dec 31. The next day you drop Dec 25 and add Jan 1. And so on.

 

[bksomody]

If you are booking on points, you start about a week or so before the first night you need. Then the next day you dropthe first day and add another day, until you get the days you need. Members sometimes to this for hard to get reservations.

So if you were booking Jan 1, you start today and book Dec 24 through Dec 30. Tomorrow you drop Dec 24 and add Dec 31. The next day you drop Dec 25 and add Jan 1. And so on.

Thanks for the great advice.

 

[cjnix29]

We are so excited!! Booked it through RCI, so not sure what we will end up with. What can I request? I know I do NOT want to be first floor. Can I even request this as it's an RCI reservation? We are going in June, never done that before, so worried about crowds, but we will deal with that. We have stayed in a studio before, but only for two nights before a BLT check in. We just love the location of the Boardwalk, can't beat it!! We could have gotten a 2BR at VWL, but went for the location over space. Love reading through this thread!!

 

[annej]

We are staying at the BWI water view in March. WOndering if I can request a king bed? And also, are there ground floor rooms - i assume these would be on the boardwalk? I don't really want to end up on the ground floor so I want to make that request if it is possible to have a ground floor room.
TIA!

 

[Deb & Bill]

We are so excited!! Booked it through RCI, so not sure what we will end up with. What can I request? I know I do NOT want to be first floor. Can I even request this as it's an RCI reservation? We are going in June, never done that before, so worried about crowds, but we will deal with that. We have stayed in a studio before, but only for two nights before a BLT check in. We just love the location of the Boardwalk, can't beat it!! We could have gotten a 2BR at VWL, but went for the location over space. Love reading through this thread!!

More than likely you will have a pool/garden view. So either one of the two pools at BWV. I'd take the leisure pool (or oftenly called the quiet pool because it isn't themed) instead of Luna Park (the themed pool) because Luna Park tends to be noisier.

 

[LSUfan4444]

For a view of Illuminations, you'd have to be booked in a STD CL room (or STD room) and request an Epcot/Illuminations view. The Epcot view rooms face the garden and quiet pool area and are on the opposite side of the Inn from the BW/Crescent Lake view rooms. You can also see Illuminations from the CL lounge balcony.

I wish I had a better view on my phone, but we stayed in room 3007. A 2 BR villa with a Boardwalk View. We were directly above the DVC model until on the boardwalk next to the Big River Grill and we had a nightly view of the fireworks from Illuminations from our balcony. If we stepped on to the balcony, we could even hear the music from the boardwalk. It's kinda hard to tell in this photo (some friends we went with showing off their Goofy and Kids Race bling) but just over the woman's left shoulder is ESPN and in the middle is Spaceship Earth.

The fireworks from Illuminations would appear nightly just over where she is standing.

Obviously, it isn't everything in the show, but could still see alot.

 

[Mickey'sApprentice]

Does anyone have pics of the boardwalk bakery since the refurb started? Wanted to see how it's going.

 

[Missyrose]

Just wanted to pop in to say hi, we leave early tomorrow morning for a week in a Boardwalk view studio. We're hoping for lowish crowds, beautiful weather and a laid-back week.

I'll post pictures of the villa and view when we get there. Let me know if anyone has any questions (about Boardwalk or otherwise) you'd like me to try to get answers for while I'm there.

Thanks to everyone who participates in this thread, it's such an invaluable resource and really makes me excited to go "home" to Boardwalk.

 

[cruella4me64]

More than likely you will have a pool/garden view. So either one of the two pools at BWV. I'd take the leisure pool (or oftenly called the quiet pool because it isn't themed) instead of Luna Park (the themed pool) because Luna Park tends to be noisier.

What category do you have to be booked to request Village Green? Thank you!

 

[tinkbyday]

We are considering a BWV stay rather than the Inn for December - I've read some negative reviews that the rooms are in need of a refurb - would love to hear some feedback from those who have recently stayed, are they okay or in need? We are thinking of a 1 bedroom.

Also, are the showers separate from the tubs in the 1 bedroom?

 

[gogo]

We are considering a BWV stay rather than the Inn for December - I've read some negative reviews that the rooms are in need of a refurb - would love to hear some feedback from those who have recently stayed, are they okay or in need? We are thinking of a 1 bedroom.

Also, are the showers separate from the tubs in the 1 bedroom?

We just came back last week from a stay at the BWI. We stayed in 2 different rooms on the 4th floor standard CL. Moved from the first room due to some noise issue. Both rooms were in very good condition (IMO). I didn't notice any stains on the carpet or couch and the furniture looked to be in good shape. Also, the bathrooms in both rooms appeared clean. The grout in the tub area of both rooms looked white with no apparent stains, which is always a good thing.

I've also read where some have posted a musty smell. I didn't notice any odor at all while in the rooms or hallway. Of course, I can't speak for all locations within the hotel, but everywhere I went within the hotel, I didn't notice this. It is such a lovely resort.

 

[Bellabully]

We are considering a BWV stay rather than the Inn for December - I've read some negative reviews that the rooms are in need of a refurb - would love to hear some feedback from those who have recently stayed, are they okay or in need? We are thinking of a 1 bedroom.

Also, are the showers separate from the tubs in the 1 bedroom?

The rooms are in fair condition, I would prefer BWV for the extra space it will provide, and if you are doing 1 bedroom the full kitchen is a nice option. The shower in the 1 bedroom is separate from the tub, the tub is in a dressing room area and the shower and toilet are next to it, you can close the door between them (pictures available through link at the beginning of this thread).
Enjoy you trip!

 

[lindsroc]

We just came back last week from a stay at the BWI. We stayed in 2 different rooms on the 4th floor standard CL. Moved from the first room due to some noise issue. Both rooms were in very good condition (IMO). I didn't notice any stains on the carpet or couch and the furniture looked to be in good shape. Also, the bathrooms in both rooms appeared clean. The grout in the tub area of both rooms looked white with no apparent stains, which is always a good thing.

I've also read where some have posted a musty smell. I didn't notice any odor at all while in the rooms or hallway. Of course, I can't speak for all locations within the hotel, but everywhere I went within the hotel, I didn't notice this. It is such a lovely resort.

Can I ask what the noise issue you had was?

 

[gogo]

Can I ask what the noise issue you had was?

Sure, the first room we were given was the very last one on the 4th floor. A very looooong walk from the elevator. But, I was ok with that because I booked a standard view. But, when on the balcony (which is very important to me) there was a noise coming from below. It was from behind a solid fence with many trees in front of it so I couldn't see what was causing the noise. It sounded like possibly a generator from some sort of construction. I felt it was intrusive to relaxing on the balcony or trying to talk on my cel phone. The next am I could hear it through the balcony door around 6:00 a.m.

We requested a move and we were moved the next afternoon. It was a small hasstle loading the suitcases up and moving them to bell services to wait for the second room but it was definitely worth the move. Much quieter location two doors from the CL lounge and I didn't hear the noise from the balcony.

I asked if anyone knew what was causing this noise a few posts back but no one really responded. I wish I knew if it is a permanent noise or temporary because there would be quite a few rooms affected by this. I walked around the grounds under our original room and I could see where we would not have been the only ones to hear it. I will say that some may not mind, but coming from the cold in Ohio the balcony is a big plus on our January trips

 

[bksomody]

We are considering a BWV stay rather than the Inn for December - I've read some negative reviews that the rooms are in need of a refurb - would love to hear some feedback from those who have recently stayed, are they okay or in need? We are thinking of a 1 bedroom.

Also, are the showers separate from the tubs in the 1 bedroom?

We did a split stay at SSR & BWV. I thought both were about the same. Very nice, clean and comfortable. They say ssr is bigger but I didn't notice any difference. We did have issues with the toilets in two of the rooms at bwv but someone came and fixed it. The couch at bwv was more comfortable than ssr. We are already planning out next trip for bwv.

The showers are separate from the tub.