If you have stayed at BWV in both

[CarolMN]

Standard view and Boardwalk view rooms, how would you compare the two views for the EPCOT fireworks?

Now that the Boardwalk view is guaranteed, I'm considering booking the Boardwalk view instead of a standard view. We'll be traveling with my nephews (ages 4 and 8, and both love fireworks) and thus I expect to be in our room by 9 p.m. more often than usual.

It's no big deal if we can't see the fireworks, but I wouldn't mind trying out the BW view at least once. It's kind of hard to "give up" those extra points, though! OTOH, we may try for VWL at the 7 month mark to be close to the MK, so we could very well be spending the "extra points" anyway. We plan to visit in early December, 2004.

So what is your opinion - is the fireworks view from the Boardwalk view rooms a lot better than that from some of the standard view rooms? (I know not all standard view rooms have a view of the fireworks).

Interested to hear any and all opinions - Thanks!

 

[DebbieB]

I'm in the same situation, have to decide in the next 2 weeks. We had a preferred view in December 2000, dreamed of the boardwalk view for 11 months and got quiet pool view. After that, I booked standard view the next 3 years. We had Illuminations views each time. But now that boardwalk view is guaranteed, I'm itching to try it, even though I have to drop a night from my Map trip in order to have enough points (or pay cash). I think I'm going to go for it. Have to start calling 1/5 day by day, there are only 12 boardwalk view 1 bedrooms.

 

[Disney Doll]

I generally don't pay extra at any resort for a view. However, we do know folks that always pay extra for a BW view. They have young children, and therefore they are "in" fairly early in the evening, so having a balcony that has a BW view gives them the opportunity to enjoy a little bit more of Disney once they're in the room for the night and the kids are asleep.

DH and I have no children, so a view for the reason mentioned above isn't a necessity. I have stayed at the BW with a standard view, and it was a view of the front entrance area, which I thought was great. It was very interesting to me to sit out on the balcony and wtch the comings and goigs(but I am nosy by nature! ), and at night it was very pretty all lit up.

Of course, I love to people watch, so if I ever did end up with a BW view, I'd probably always want one!!!!!

 

[lisareniff]

Disney Doll you hit it on the nose! That is exactly why the view is important to us. With young children you spend more time (trapped) in the room. Not only in the evening but in the afternoon for nap time too! Our first and only trip down so far, was a first floor 1 bdrm. This was great because we could keep one room quiet and escape out the patio to the pool if we needed (one at a time of course!).

Having 2 or more room accommodations is the main reason we bought into DVC!! So far we love it!!

 

[goofy4dvc]

You can get some partial views of fireworks in standard views, but the Boardwalk View is SOOOO MUCH more than just the fireworks. There's entertainment (singing, juggling etc) going on much of the time on the boardwalk. There's alot of activity that will keep you watching constantly. We just sat on our balcony and took it all in. You definitely won't see all that unless you have a Boardwalk View.

 

[pmcpmc]

stayed in studios because we stay 3weeks in the summer time.
WE have always until this year booked floor 5 pool view.
The views of Mgm and the Swan and Dolphin just fill your mind with Imagination and wonder no matter how many times you see it.
However this Summer we stayed in a boardwalk view on floor 4.
The views were stunning of the Epcot fireworks over Espn and the Magic Kingdom over yacht club.
Mywife does not like allday by the pool and frequently does balcony.
She found it so cool to people watch on the boardwalk from our room over the brewery.
We did not notice any extra noise from the Boardwalk late at night.
hope this helps.

 

[DeeP]

Definitely go with a boardwalk view!!!!! There is truly nothing like it. The boardwalk view is pretty at all times of the day but at night with the lights twinkling off Crescent Lake and people strolling the boardwalk, Spaceship Earth and the WS all lit up in the background and YC/BC in their splendor across the water with the Friendship boats docking and the music playing on the boardwalk--it is truly stunning and without a doubt one of the very top views from any WDW room anywhere. The views from a Boardwalk view villas is the stuff Disney makes promotional videos from! BWV is very lucky in that the vast majority of their villas both standard and preferred have very nice views but the boardwalk view villas are the cream of the crop. Enjoy!!

 

[msdis]

We have had a room above Wyland's 4th floor I think and above Crest of the wave 5th floor. The one above Wyland's had a hugh balcony but the fireworks were shielded by the inn. The one above "cotw" was a million dollar view. We could not believe how fantastic that room was. We really were never bothered by any noise of any sorts. We even opted to view the fireworks from the room as we could not have seen them as well standing right in Epcot. We have stayed in sv several times and the views have varied from so so to not good at all for a good view. If you really want a good view your best shot is bv.

 

[Laurabearz]

Originally posted by lisareniff

Having 2 or more room accommodations is the main reason we bought into DVC!! So far we love it!!

This is on the top of our list too... 2 bedrooms, full kitchen, laundy, and a pool! The Parks are just the icing!

My girl friend and I had a 1 bedroom BWView right above Big River and the view was wonderful, trouble was, at 9pm everynight we were eating down AT Big River outside and the fireworks were blocked by the basketball game, however, we surmised that if we were up in our room, it would have been wonderful!

Right now we pay for our view, because our kids are little and we are 'trapped' as someone said. When the kids are older, we wont care.... as much...

 

[JudyS]

Some Standard View rooms have little or no view of Illuminations. We just got back from staying in a standard view BW villa, and really couldn't see much of Illuminations. (We could hear it though, which was frustrating!) We were on the 4th floor, in one of the Standard View rooms that are farthest from the elevators.

 

[spiceycat]

some of the BW views won't let you see the fireworks either.

I would ask for 4th floor or higher - we had a view over Big river Grill and it was wonderful....

However this is very silly - but I felt strange being on a balcony with lots of people walking around - I generally leave my curtains open - definitely did at the BCV and generally at OKW - but I definitely closed them at the BWV preferred view - don't get me wrong the views were fabulous - but I sometimes felt like I was on display, too.

I realized when I walked along the BW that no one there is really interested in looking up - there is enough to see there....

but still...

Anyway it was an absolutely lovely view - one of the very best that I have never had at any WDW resorts.

the best BW views you will have to walk too - they aren't close to the elevators - but you know that!

 

[DeeP]

Originally posted by spiceycat
some of the BW views won't let you see the fireworks either.

I would ask for 4th floor or higher - we had a view over Big river Grill and it was wonderful....

However this is very silly - but I felt strange being on a balcony with lots of people walking around - I generally leave my curtains open - definitely did at the BCV and generally at OKW - but I definitely closed them at the BWV preferred view - don't get me wrong the views were fabulous - but I sometimes felt like I was on display, too.

I realized when I walked along the BW that no one there is really interested in looking up - there is enough to see there....

but still...

Anyway it was an absolutely lovely view - one of the very best that I have never had at any WDW resorts.

the best BW views you will have to walk too - they aren't close to the elevators - but you know that!

You are right, no one even looks up when walking on the boardwalk. We love sitting on the balcony and "people watching" it is amazing some of behavior you observe. It is like having your own secret observation deck. LOL!
The villas are really not easy to see into at all. I have felt much more exposed on balconies, especially 1 floor villas at other WDW resorts than I do at BWV balconies.
I can not think of any boardwalk view villas that do not have a view of at least the highest Illumination fireworks.

 

[spiceycat]

In the studio that I had - you couldn't see the fireworks from inside the room - you had to be out on the balcony to see them - so I think any studios further back would have even more of a problem.

Forgot that BWV aren't on the first floor - or weren't - don't know once DVC sales moves.

the ones over by Jellyrolls - they are still looking at the BW - just not the WDW resorts - YC/BC - so I am assuming they probably can't see the fireworks - it looks like the ones who have a view of the Atlantic Dance would probably also get a lovely view of the Dolphin/Swan.

 

[DeeP]

I did not realize you meant from inside the villa! I meant from the balcony.
I can't think of any villas that face Atlantic Dance but if there are, I think the villa would not be considered a boardwalk view villa but instead a water or garden view. They are like the courtyard view rooms over Wyland Galleries, you can see the boardwalk but the villa/balcony does not face it, so are not considered boardwalk views.

 

[spiceycat]

no these are on the BW - the ones over the Wyland gallery are in a courtyard - these are on the BW.

http://www.wdwinfo.com/resortmaps/boardwalk.JPG

but you are probably right - I would get pretty upset if I asked for a bw view and got one of these - of course they are BW views.

 

[DeeP]

I still do not see what villas you are referring to. The villas at the end of the building-above where Jellyrolls is- face the boardwalk. On the side of the building--that faces Atlantic Dance Hall and the arcway/pathway to Swan/Dolphin there are no balconies on that side. No villas face that side. That side of the building is solid wall, when you walk around to the back of the building is when you find balconies again and villas that face the S&D, pathway to MGM etc.

 

[twinmomplus2]

3 years in a row, We were in studios. over the Wyland gallery. That is now a Boardwalk view. The first 2 years We loved it. We were there at Christmas time and loved sitting on the balcony at night looking at the tree in the courtyard. Howver our 2 year old son woke up every time the launches to Epcot and MGM went out. They blow that little horn. Sine then I have never styed Boardwalk view out of fear of the noise level in that area. I am surprised more people with young kids were not affected by the Bustle aspect of the Boardwalk.

 

[DeeP]

Just for claification......the villas on the courtyard side where Wyland Galleries is, are NOT considered boardwalk view they are garden views. This is what the CM at the front desk told me when I asked regarding our courtyard view villa last month.

 

[TDC Nala]

couldn't see fireworks from either room view.

usually I'm at PI by then, so I am sure I didn't look.

Some of the Beach Club villas, however, have good views of all the high fireworks from Illuminations. the music is even audible.

 

[twinmomplus2]

I was told the studios over Wyland were prefferred view. So now those would be in the preferred category as courtyard? Whereas before the point restructure they would have said Boardwalk?