DVC Beach Club or Boardwalk?

[bobbiwoz]

We own at both. BCV for the pool in nicer weather, and BWV for the wonderful point savings of the sv villas. This will be our third NYE at WDW in a sv boardwalk villa, and the savings mean more trips we can take!

Bobbi

 

[Boardwalk Gal]

The pools are great at BCV but the views are better at the BWV!!

 

[AWHOFAN]

My take on this is:
If money isn't an issue buy BC. Yes money is a issue.
The BWV is a great resort and it is about 30 percent less of a price.
I would give BC a 95 on a scale of 100. We were thinking the 160 point range.
I would give BW a 93 on a scale of 100.
In by personal opinion BW is a much better deal and I would buy there. But for me price would be an issue.

I have a question for you are you a "The Who" fan?

After the Beatles, my favorite band is The Who with Keith Moon on the drums./ Never got to see the Moon years, July 9th 1980 Atlanta with Kenny Jones before Face Dances album was my first Who show. But since then I have seen The Who many times.

 

[crisi]

If price is an issue, buy BWV. You can buy fewer points and stay in a standard view room (if you can book at 11 months out) - saving on dues (dues are a little more expensive at BWV, but I think its more than a wash if you buy fewer points) and buy in costs.

The big benefit of BCV is the pool - and we like BWVs pool better ourselves. SAB is hard to watch little kids in - and when the kids are older, it isn't THAT GREAT of a pool compared to going to the waterparks. For us, there was a really small window in which SAB is the "greatest pool ever." And frankly, we missed it. For one trip, the kids were too young to not be closely watched in the pool. By the next trip, they were ready to run around a waterpark by themselves.

While we talk a good game about how hard these resorts are to get, you'll probably be able to get BCV at seven months with reasonable frequency (but it will take more points). And since you are on the fence anyway, you won't be heartbroken to "end up at" BWVs if you can't switch. i.e. I think this is a case of "buy where you won't mind ending up." It will be cheaper and you like it.

 

[AWHOFAN]

Since I like BOTH Beach CV & Boardwalk CV. I want to be close to EPCOT and the pool at Beach Club. Whats the advantage of buying Beach Club my main choice at 100 points and Boardwalk 60-80 Points. So I would have two properties. My guess once I have the points I could book at either 11 months out or borrow from the other. I will try to have the same month to receive points each year. . Since Beach club has fewer rooms and books up, while Boardwalk is a little cheaper on points. Tell me what I'm missing?

 

[Metsoskil]

Since I like BOTH Beach CV & Boardwalk CV. I want to be close to EPCOT and the pool at Beach Club. Whats the advantage of buying Beach Club my main choice at 100 points and Boardwalk 60-80 Points. So I would have two properties. My guess once I have the points I could book at either 11 months out or borrow from the other. I will try to have the same month to receive points each year. . Since Beach club has fewer rooms and books up, while Boardwalk is a little cheaper on points. Tell me what I'm missing?

That makes a lot of sense. I'll play devil's advocate, though.

If you buy 2 smaller contracts (60-100 pts), it will likely cost you about $5-$10 more per point than buying one large 160 pt contract (assuming both purchases are resale). Plus, you'd be paying more for the BCV points than if you purchased all your points at BWV.

Also, it's true that you'd have the 11 mo. booking priority at both resorts, but you would only be able to use that resort's points at the 11 month window. ie. You couldn't use 100 BCV points and 60 BWV points to book at the BCV at 11 months out. You'd have to wait until 7 mo. to combine those points, or use some sort of banking/borrowing strategy.

To your original question, we love both resorts for all the reasons mentioned, but plan on adding on at BWV in the near future simply for the ability to book standard view rooms if we ever need to conserve points.

 

[a742246]

Both would be ideal. Again, you would have to look at the pricing.
By buying 160 points you can (with a little luck) get a fully loaded BWV
contract at around $55 a point.
A BC contract will fetch you around $82.00 a point (with a little luck) it may be fully loaded. That a $4300 difference.
If you split the purchase into 2 different contracts add an additional closing costs (around 400) and add $5 to $10 a point to the above figures, plus you probably wont find a fully loaded contract.

(Important) understand use years just in case you have to cancel last minute.

PS The Who is my favorite band, Saw them in 1974, 1998, 1999, 2002.
Also, Pete Townshend (Rocks most intelligent song writer) around 1988.

 

[LSchrow]

we bought BWV first (had stayed there and loved it), then bought BCV preconstruction figuring it would be similar.
after a few BCV stays, we found the resort just too noisy, the pool overcrowded, and the views sorely lacking, no community hall, had to walk to/fro every night to enjoy the BW - all things that made us regret the purchase.
BCV is a beautiful resort, it just lacks so much that the BWVs offer, in mine, my dh, our kids', nephews', parents', db's, sil's, etc opinions....we have been offered BCV ressies when BWV's were booked solid, and changed our vaca for a different time just so we could get the BWVs - vaca is too precious for us to not enjoy it to the fullest every time

 

[lisareniff]

BCV vs. BWV - Both are great resorts with a fantastic location. They both are close to lots of restaurants so for table service, that you would be willing to walk 5min, they are practically the same. Location of counter service might be more critical since you might want a quick breakfast or snack while at the pool.

BCV Pros-
- *Dedicated 2 bedrooms some with 2 queens in the second bedroom - two real beds!
- Very close self-parking lot - easy to haul the groceries in.
- SAB - A very cool pool!
- Pool quick service, drinks and ice cream
- Really, really close to Epcot and a walkable 20 min to DHS (25min walk back )
- Beachy calm theme
- Boardwalk right next door

BWV Pros -
- *GV's - WOW! Lets you dream.
- *Standard view rooms - less points and the rooms aren't to shabby!
- Walking distance to both DHS and Epcot.
- *BW view reservable category
- Nicer views
- Boardwalk exciting theme
- Boardwalk and evening entertainers right down stairs
- Community Hall
- Closer to DHS then BCV.


*might need home resort booking advantage for some categories


We own at BCV but I could see buying at BWV too. I love the idea of having the BW view and GV categories, but it's hard to give up on SAB!

Good luck with your decision.

 

[DVC Mike]

My personal preference is BWV or BCV - just because BWV has much better views.

 

[Sandisw]

Since I like BOTH Beach CV & Boardwalk CV. I want to be close to EPCOT and the pool at Beach Club. Whats the advantage of buying Beach Club my main choice at 100 points and Boardwalk 60-80 Points. So I would have two properties. My guess once I have the points I could book at either 11 months out or borrow from the other. I will try to have the same month to receive points each year. . Since Beach club has fewer rooms and books up, while Boardwalk is a little cheaper on points. Tell me what I'm missing?

You can always use banking as well if you own two resorts and then alternate each year.

I would caution to make sure that whateve you buy, is enough to book whole nights or your entire trip (even as a split stay) at 11 months.

We owned BLT and VWL for a short time and back then, neither one was big enough to book all 5 nights of my typical summer trip at 11 months. I didn't want to have to borrow either so I ended up selling VWL and rebought at BLT. Had the VWL contract been bigger, say 75 points, it would have worked out okay.

We have stayed at both resorts and this summer, doing BWV again but this time with a BW view. I know that it is going to be wonderful so I think that is where my next 50 - 75 points will be.

Good luck!

 

[fflmaster]

Just look at resale value.

BCV is about 20 more per pt then BWV

That should say a lot

I have found that I can easily get into BWV at the 7 month window, but need the 11 month window most of the time in BCV

 

[crisi]

Just look at resale value.

BCV is about 20 more per pt then BWV

That should say a lot

I have found that I can easily get into BWV at the 7 month window, but need the 11 month window most of the time in BCV

I think it depends. Its easier to get a preferred view room at BWV than a room at BCV. But its easier to get a room at BCV than it is to get a Boardwalk or Standard View room at BWV. So if what is appealing to you about the Boardwalk is the ability to choose your views - its a good idea to own. And $20 less per point and being able to stay for a lot less points in a standard view makes BWV a great value - if you are considering those two resorts only because of proximity to Epcot.

 

[jesschris]

I vote Beach Club, it seems to be the hardest to book and the pool is amazing. Plus the location to EPCOT make it a favorite of ours.

 

[nolanboys]

Just got back from a split stay between tree houses and beach club. Loved beach club. DH already said if we add on points it will be at beach club. BWV are lovely, but the pool alone is worth it at BCV. We spent 3 afternoons just lounging by the pool and the walkling to Epcot can't be beat. I could see staying at BCV and not even going to the parks - although with Epcot right there, that would be difficult.

 

[briand1023]

Agreed with last post....you can't go wrong with either resort, both are great.

 

[cdtommie]

We own at both and it works out best for us this way - Spring at BC to get maximum use out of SAB and Fall (F&W) or Xmas at BWV (we have more points here as it is where the family goes when invited - the infamous "first week in December" is very popular with the clan and pool is not as much consideration this time of year). Works out really well with the standard studio point wise when we end up booking 3-4 studios. But if I was forced to choose only one it would probably be BCV.

 

[chicagosfinest]

Just look at resale value.

BCV is about 20 more per pt then BWV

That should say a lot

I have found that I can easily get into BWV at the 7 month window, but need the 11 month window most of the time in BCV

More like $30 a point which says you can save A LOT of money!

This also says that there is a smaller supply of contracts. Its hard to compare the resorts they are very different (views and number of rooms overall). You can save a lot of money buying BWV and I am sure you'd never regret it.

Here is a link with recent sales that have passed ROFR:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2661661

Some BWV contracts have passed for $48 a point. No pool is worth spending the extra money on.........BWV pool is very nice. You can save thousands of dollars buying BWV instead of BCV. Or you can have a lot more points and stay in either a 1 bedroom or 2 bedroom standard view at BWV.

 

[brymalis]

a

 

[brymalis]

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