First DVC Purchase: Beach Club vs. Boardwalk for Young Family?

[a2andy]

Hello DVC community!

We are torn between Beach Club and Boardwalk. We’ve stayed at Boardwalk before and loved it, but we’re also considering Beach Club. Here’s our situation:
• We have a 5-year-old who absolutely loved the water slide at Boardwalk
• We really enjoyed the location, being able to walk to both EPCOT and Hollywood Studios
• The nearby dining options at Boardwalk were fantastic for us
• We typically spend most of our time in the parks
• We’re looking to rent points for a stay at Beach Club in early 2026 to try it out

What we loved about Boardwalk:
1. The convenience of walking to two parks
2. The lively atmosphere on the Boardwalk itself
3. Plenty of dining options within easy reach

We’re wondering if Beach Club might be a better home resort for our young family. I’ve heard Stormalong Bay is amazing, but is it worth choosing over our positive Boardwalk experience? For those who own at both, which do you prefer and why?

We’d love to hear from owners and frequent guests of both resorts. What factors should we consider for our first DVC purchase?

Thanks in advance for your insights!

 

[eticketplease]

Those are both great resorts.
I personally prefer Boardwalk but DS always wants to stay "at the one with sand in the pool" ie Beach Club

Here are some things to think about.

1. Boardwalk is a larger resort which means it is easier for others to book at the 7 month window for close to the same price if not cheaper then the beach club even if you are staying Pool/Garden View which means you can own Beach and still stay at BWV.
2. Boardwalk offers Standard view allowing you to save points on stays.
3. Boardwalk has Grand Villas but Beach Club does not.
4. Boardwalk has community hall where BCV does not.
5. Beach Club is much closer to Epcot's International gateway and the skyliner if you want to head over to Toppolino's for breakfast or dinner.
6. Beach Club has Stormalong Bay pool
7. Beach Club has both dedicated and lock-off 2 bedroom units.
8. Beach Club is always in demand if you need to rent out points for a year.
9. Do you think you might like to take your grandchildren? With a 5 year old and a 1/31/42 expiration on both resorts you may want to look at RIV or another resort with a longer shelf life.

 

[Bucketfoot]

As much as I love Boardwalk, I wouldn't buy at any resort that expires in 2042 at this stage.

 

[Hubalorian]

Storm along bay is by far the best pool situation on property. It is wrist band entrance only, which should tell you how popular and nice it is. The sand pool was a huge hit with my 4 year old this pass summer and the epic pirate ship slide was just amazing. My wife relaxed in the lazy river while I rode the slide with my son. I’d go beach club over boardwalk.

If you like the feel of the boardwalk, there is nothing stopping you from walking over from beach club to enjoy the atmosphere.

 

[marmentrout85]

I'll also add that there is only one view category at Beach Club, which is nice as it keeps things simple across the board in regard to points usage.

Now, in regard to the ACTUAL VIEW, you aren't getting anything too special with views either looking at the woods or the quiet pool for the most part.

As a Beach Club owner I still wish I owned a little at Boardwalk so I could consistently book the Boardwalk view studios as those are pretty rare to come by at the 7 month window.

I will also say that sure, Stormalong Bay is nice, but also be mindful of when you'd travel. If you plan on visiting often during the winter months you might find that the temperatures aren't always conducive to even spending the day at the pool. Meanwhile, during the hotter months, when you'd for sure take advantage of Stormalong Bay, the 7 month window for 1BRs is pretty readily available at Beach Club.

 

[juliebee]

For someone with a young family.... I probably wouldn't recommend either since they expire in 2042. I'm an owner of a 2042 resort myself, but we are later in life and 2042 will be when we are in our 70s/80s and will not be having grandkids, so I'm not worried about contract longevity. In your case, with having a young family, I think you might want to open your options to resorts with longer contracts.

 

[atthebeachclub]

I own at Beach Club (and Bay Lake Tower, where most of my points are).

If you will need a 2 bedroom ever, they are easier to get at Beach Club. If you want the best bang for your buck, Boardwalk point charts have some low cost options and it makes it a better deal, if you can score those rooms. These two things aside, and of course the pool….buy at the one that makes you happy. I adore Beach Club. Other people love Boardwalk. Just go walk around inside; you will know!

I also think the 2042 thing is fine. Don’t buy a huge 2042 contract but a small one you can get a lot of use and a lot of joy out of.

 

[Sprinkles&Sprints]

I’ll play devil’s advocate re: young families shouldn’t buy 2042 resorts. If you love BWV I would consider buying some points there along with a resort with a longer expiration.

I have a young kiddo about the same age - I purchased BWV to use exclusively for spring break bc the point chart is far more reasonable than other resorts. I can get that week in a P/G studio for 139 points (compared to 195 for a Preferred studio at RIV, 181 at POLY etc) so you end up needing far fewer points for a popular week.

The 2042 expiration doesn’t bother me bc by that point, I won’t need to travel during school breaks.

 

[drusba]

The major downside, particularly for a "young family," for both Boardwalk Villas (BWV) and Beach Club Villas (BCV) is the Jan 31, 2042 end date, which means whatever you buy will end come that date, which is now only 17-years away. I have owned BWV since early 1997 shortly after it opened in 1996. Thus, I have owned it for 28 years and am still making full use of it, and actually expanded use since trips now often include grandchildren. If it had expired 2014, seventeen years after purchase, my family would have been extremely disappointed.

That said, and getting to the question you asked, my personal (and, as an owner, biased) view is that BWV is the better of the two resorts, including because it has the boardwalk activities and you can get boardwalk view rooms that provide one the best views that exist at WDW, BCV does not have great view rooms. BCV has access to Stormalong Bay, which is fantastic, but the BWV pools are fine.

Nevertheless, if the choice today were between BWV and BCV and I was willing to accept the end date, I would not purchase BWV. That is because over the years BWV has developed a severe problem reserving rooms. Owners of a DVC resort can book up to seven nights starting at 8 a.m. eastern, 11-months out from date of arrival. The standard (now called resort) view studios and 2BRs fill for any given arrival date of the year within moments after 8 a .m. at 11-months out, leaving many members disappointed (since all 2BRs are lock-offs, meaning combined studios and 1BRs, the 2BRs can disappear due to studio reservations). The boardwalk view studios and 2BRs do the same during the high DVC demand "fall" season that runs from late Sep to marathon weekend in Jan. Even pool/garden view studios and 2BRs sometimes have that 11-month issue during the fall season such as during the first two weeks of Dec and Christmas week -- the three highest DVC demand weeks of the year at WDW. And even 1BRs can sometimes be a problem for all views during those highest demand week times.

And then there is the fact that each resort goes through a refurbishment about every 7-years (the last scheduled ones have had delays as a result of the pandemic), which takes a lot of rooms at one time out of service while others remain open. The last refurb of BWV began late Sep 2023 and ended about June 2024. For much of that time, not only were the boardwalk view and standard view studios and 2BRs gone at 11-months out, but the pool/garden view studios/2BRs often had the same issue.

BCV does not have that 11-month issue except sometimes during the first 2-weeks of Dec and Christmas week, and even that does not occur every year, and, during its last refurb, it did not develop an expanded 11-month issue. Thus, owning BCV, besides providing you a nice resort with an excellent location, will likely be something you can actually easily reserve at 11-months out rather than facing potential repeated disappointment trying to get reservations at BWV.

 

[DeeBee3]

We love Boardwalk. I also enjoy Beach Club, but most of my family enjoys the overall Boardwalk vibe. The contract expiration is up to you and your financial considerations.

The access to both parks (from either resort) is amazing. Beach Club is definitely awesome when you can walk out the side and get into Epcot so quickly. I'm not in love with the big pool because it's usually crowded. However, I am also not a huge pool person. My kids loved the Boardwalk pool and we have enjoyed the resort activities there.

My main issue with Boardwalk is the lack of traditional quick service within the building. I like being able to get a sandwich or eggs without having to go to the Deli on the boardwalk. I can also walk over the Beach Club for theirs, but that defeats the point of convenience. The bakery in the lobby does offer fruit and cereal which we have used, but we are not big on pastries. Otherwise, we have to plan to eat on the way to Epcot by stopping and that is usually not our style. Once we are out of the room, everyone wants to get to the destination and start having fun.

 

[marmentrout85]

I’ll play devil’s advocate re: young families shouldn’t buy 2042 resorts. If you love BWV I would consider buying some points there along with a resort with a longer expiration.

I have a young kiddo about the same age - I purchased BWV to use exclusively for spring break bc the point chart is far more reasonable than other resorts. I can get that week in a P/G studio for 139 points (compared to 195 for a Preferred studio at RIV, 181 at POLY etc) so you end up needing far fewer points for a popular week.

The 2042 expiration doesn’t bother me bc by that point, I won’t need to travel during school breaks.

This is a great way to look at it. Also won't have to worry about paying any dues after 2042.

We're a young family too, and I personally knew that if we had to only own at one resort, we'd be happiest owning at one of the these two because the location can't be beat. So our first contract ended up being Beach Club, which we purchased about a year ago, despite knowing that it isn't the best economical decision purchasing a 2042 resort these days. I guess I'd rather have peace of mind over the next 17 years instead of always trying to swap at 7 months.

Now after 2042 if they end up creating (like) a DVC 2.0 with these resorts, I'll probably be one of the first in line for a new direct purchase (likely at BWV). That's how much I love the Crescent Lake area, and if you (OP) know that you love it too (which it sounds like you do), I wouldn't let the expiration shy you away from what you really want.

 

[juxtapose]

We love Boardwalk; however we decided to look elsewhere to purchase mainly due to the end date of 2042. If they ever extend those contracts like at OKW I think we'd look to buy there. I prefer Boardwalk over Beach Club, mainly because it is less busy, both the resort and pool area. Beach Club pool was chaos in April, I can't imagine how bad it'd be in the summer. My kids also really loved the Community Center at Boardwalk.

 

[eticketplease]

My kids also really loved the Community Center at Boardwalk.

I think that is the best Community Hall on property.

Nice couch, plenty of space for coloring and other crafts, air hockey and a pinball machine.

OKW is nice but it gets packed when lightning comes around because of it’s close proximity to the feature pool

 

[Wedgeout]

I’d choose the one you like more. Think Boardwalk is better for you. We chose Beach Club, liking it more. There will be opportunities to still switch to Beach Club at 7 months to splash around in that pool. Boardwalk will give you more booking options to take advantage of getting category priority. Even have grand villas. Resale pricing is currently pretty good to grab a chunk of Boardwalk points. 2042 is still a blur away. 5 year old will will going down that slide at age 21. Don’t let expiration hold you back from Crescent Lake.

 

[BuzzLightyearDad]

Both are awesome resorts, but my 4 kids grew up hanging out at Storm Along Bay all afternoon after a morning in the park (of course followed by dinner and fireworks in Epcot) and I can’t imagine it any other way.

We will be at Boardwalk this June because of the pool renovations at SAB and certainly looking forward to it. Overall the location of these 2 resorts just can’t be beat. Nothing else compares. Yes, there is Riviera but the resale restrictions and the concept of the skyliner going down (versus walking) are big drawbacks to me.

The date issue for a young family is real. I would consider a contract for half the points you would need on average in a year. Then buy somewhere else for the other half and rotate. We also used to have a Bay Lake contract and would bank or borrow and stay near Epcot one year and then MK the next. Then as the 2042 date gets closer you can see if you need to do something to change.

 

[Counting Stars]

The date issue for a young family is real. I would consider a contract for half the points you would need on average in a year. Then buy somewhere else for the other half and rotate. We also used to have a Bay Lake contract and would bank or borrow and stay near Epcot one year and then MK the next. Then as the 2042 date gets closer you can see if you need to do something to change.

This seems to be a really solid alternative and addresses the dread date issue Seriously though, my first recommendation is to buy where you want to stay. Also consider that your 5 year old will be 22ish in 2042. That's a lot of life changes in the family between now and then. Start small, where you really want to stay. You always can add on if more if you find that DVC is a good fit for your family and your vacation style. BCV and BWV are both pretty great!

 

[AstroBlasters]

Your 5 year old will be 21 in 2042…. You have no idea if you’ll want to go to WDW after that. Buy where you want to stay and enjoy it.

The 2042 end date is completely overblown.

 

[Cyberc1978]

Your 5 year old will be 21 in 2042…. You have no idea if you’ll want to go to WDW after that. Buy where you want to stay and enjoy it.

The 2042 end date is completely overblown.

I completely agree.

I much prefer to spend 17 years of vacation time at a resort I adore/prefer over a resort I don’t.

Remember family vacation memories last forever even if DVC don’t.

A lot can happen in 17 years. You might add on 10 times or you sell before 5 years has passed.

 

[Brian Noble]

A lot can happen in 17 years.

I will second this.

I bought my first timeshare just over 18 years ago. I thought I knew how our vacations would unfold for a good 8-10 years. We didn't even make it three. Lots of unexpected changes, from the mundane (school calendar revisions) to life-changing. To quote Jim Mora: "You think you know, but you really don't know, and you never will."

That said, I personally would not buy a 2042 resort unless I was expecting to keep it to expiration. That's true even though I also know I can't really plan that far. But, if my gut was telling me this was a ten-year thing, then I would be inclined to just rent my stays rather than buy. I think it is lower risk that way.

 

[kilik64]

Just rent, will most likely end up about the same cost and you can let someone else deal with the 11 month booking scramble at these two very high demand resorts.