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

[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.

If you have a reservation already booked, does this give you a better chance of getting the next day compared to someone who is booking a new reservation?

 

[bksomody]

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!!

Can I ask why you don't want 1 st floor? We just came back and stayed on the 1st floor and loved it.
Im planning a trip for next year and wanted first floor but maybe we should try something different.
Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[Deb & Bill]

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

Village Green would be pool/garden - Preferred on points, but not BW view.

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 BWV were renovated about three years ago. The theme is more like Grandma's summer beach home than upscale adult only resort. The tub is a jacuzzi type tube in the area next to the master bedroom. The shower is in the same space as the toilet (but the toilet may have a door separating it from the shower area - some of the villas do and some don't. They all start looking the same after a while.

If you have a reservation already booked, does this give you a better chance of getting the next day compared to someone who is booking a new reservation?

If you have already booked the day before, it kind of gives you a lock on the next day as well. That's why walking the reservation (as much of a pain in the patootie as it is) works pretty well. It just depends on how far out you have to walk it.

 

[cjnix29]

Can I ask why you don't want 1 st floor? We just came back and stayed on the 1st floor and loved it.
Im planning a trip for next year and wanted first floor but maybe we should try something different.
Any thoughts would be appreciated.

First floor rooms always freak me out, no matter where we stay. I don't like seeing the people walking past my window. Personal preference.

 

[psac]

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 shower, toilet, and small (but not tiny) sink are in one room, the hot tub and master sink are in a separate room, that latter room is separated from the bedroom by a slatted window pass through that can be opened or closed. The shower/toilet room also has a separate exit to the living room so there can be privacy between the two sink areas.

We love the 1BR, my wife takes over the master sink and I use the sink in the room with the toilet. The king bed is very comfortable. Overall it's a lot of room, makes us feel relaxed.

 

[psac]

First floor rooms always freak me out, no matter where we stay. I don't like seeing the people walking past my window. Personal preference.

We're the same way, we wouldn't want first floor either for the same reason you give.

 

[lililoo12]

We're the same way, we wouldn't want first floor either for the same reason you give.

We had a garden view first floor and no walkway for people to walk by it was fab

 

[eandesmom]

The BWV were renovated about three years ago. The theme is more like Grandma's summer beach home than upscale adult only resort. The tub is a jacuzzi type tube in the area next to the master bedroom. The shower is in the same space as the toilet (but the toilet may have a door separating it from the shower area - some of the villas do and some don't. They all start looking the same after a while.

I didn't realize that some have the split master bath and others don't, the layout on the member site shows it as split. I wonder if there is any way to find out which are which as I do like the split when we are maxing out a room.

 

[bksomody]

First floor rooms always freak me out, no matter where we stay. I don't like seeing the people walking past my window. Personal preference.

Yes I can see that. Also if your by the pool you have to keep your curtain closed. I like the first floor because I like being able to walk right out to the pool. Like your own backyard.

 

[eandesmom]

We're the same way, we wouldn't want first floor either for the same reason you give.

Same here, I prefer high as possible!

 

[Deb & Bill]

I didn't realize that some have the split master bath and others don't, the layout on the member site shows it as split. I wonder if there is any way to find out which are which as I do like the split when we are maxing out a room.

No, what I was saying as at VWL, there is no door that separates the toilet from the shower/sink area. At SSR and BCV, there is a door that separates the toilet from the shower, but you have to enter by the shower to get to the toilet. At OKW, the shower and toilet are in the same space and the tub is in separate space. At BLT, the shower and toilet are in the same space with a rolling door between them and the sink/tub area.

Yes I can see that. Also if your by the pool you have to keep your curtain closed. I like the first floor because I like being able to walk right out to the pool. Like your own backyard.

But you can't lock the patio door, so anyone can enter that way. Plus the patios are usually surrounded by shrubbery of some type and you really aren't supposed to walk through the shrubbery.

 

[AR81]

Does anyone know what the exact day the pool refurb will be finished?

 

[eandesmom]

No, what I was saying as at VWL, there is no door that separates the toilet from the shower/sink area. At SSR and BCV, there is a door that separates the toilet from the shower, but you have to enter by the shower to get to the toilet. At OKW, the shower and toilet are in the same space and the tub is in separate space. At BLT, the shower and toilet are in the same space with a rolling door between them and the sink/tub area.

BWV seems to be the same layout as OKW unless I'm missing something.

 

[smidgy]

when we were smokers, at the value and moderate resorts, sometimes we asked for 1st floor, since it was quicker to get to a DSA. not our problem anymore!!! (ooh, I missed our anniversary, yesterday was 2 years smoke free!).
anyway, the one time we stayed at BWV, we had a 1st floor. we were disapointed. the patio was actually VERY private. it was a standard view, so we overlooked the driveway going into the lobby. there is such a wide expanse of lawn there, we never saw anyone!

but, we prefer a balcony. just for the view (whatever that might be) and the whole fee l of a balcony.

at beach club villas we had a balcony overlooking the villas pool (actually, that canal, and the pool to the side) and is was great!

everytime we walked from the pool area into the villas building, I would look at the patio of the room just to the right of the walkway. their patio was like INCHES from the main walkway into the building. I thought "oh ugh, would I hate that room.

I noticed some other rooms I wouldn't want. (it's a good thing to look around and notice these, for future reference) when you left the villas building and walked kinda through a courtyard to the Beach club building you walk through a walkway with a lattice wall to your left. and through that lattice wall, you can see about 5? patios. their patios are inches from this lattice all. not only noisy and peopel walking by, but claustrophobic, too. yuck!

 

[AirGoofy]

when we were smokers, at the value and moderate resorts, sometimes we asked for 1st floor, since it was quicker to get to a DSA. not our problem anymore!!! (ooh, I missed our anniversary, yesterday was 2 years smoke free!).
ck!

Congrats on the smoke free anniversary. Been over 12 years for me.

 

[Deb & Bill]

BWV seems to be the same layout as OKW unless I'm missing something.

Yeah, you are missing something. It's much closer to VWL, SSR, BCV than OKW. It is just that sometimes the toilet has a door between it and the rest of the space.

 

[vbarry]

Really trying to decide between VWL and BWV one bedroom for summer. Both are available and I have VWL booked. I just think our girls would really enjoy the pool at BWV a little more and we just stayed at VWL for Xmas.

Questions on BWV- Boardwalk View vs Pool view. How far are we from the pool if we get a Boardwalk View??

Our girls are ages 9 and 13. At VWL they would go down to Roaring Forks or store for a snack together and I felt comfortable with that. Boardwalk seems so spread out and it looks like there is no where to get something to eat without going outside of the resort. Is this true? Does the store have snacks?
If we are doing a pool day...where do we get counter service type of food? Also- love the pool parties in the afternoons. Does BWV have these?? Thanks for any info!

 

[heycher]

Hello,

I need to know what type of coffee or pods to bring on my upcoming stay in a 1 BR Villa. Can anyone help me?

Thanks!

 

[WDWKOOK]

Hello,

I need to know what type of coffee or pods to bring on my upcoming stay in a 1 BR Villa. Can anyone help me?

Thanks!

All villas still use standard 12-cup coffee pots like this:

 

[WDWKOOK]

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..

Thank you for posting about your stay. I'll have to put your room comments on the first page. What was your room number?

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!

I don't recall any ground floor BWI rooms, only shops, dining and resort entrances, if memory serves me correctly. I don't know which floors have King beds, but I believe they have BWV Kings. Hopefully someone will know for sure

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.

Yes, the BWV side do have Illuminations views. The poster, vbarry, was asking about Deluxe CL rooms which are on the BWI side.

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

Here's an AllEars Twitter photo from 1-16:

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.

How is your stay? I can tell you you aren't missing any great weather here!

Does anyone know what the exact day the pool refurb will be finished?

It is still slated to be completed by March 1.