Newbie questions..I'm stymied!

[lcborn2run]

OK, what is the difference between "Preferred" and "Standard" in BWV's?

Here's the BIG question:

As a family of five (parents with three kids), do you have no choice but to stay in a two bedroom? That entails purchasing mucho points--not so bad until you're paying that maintenance fee each year!

Also, if you buy at OKW to save $$, and you wish to stay elsewhere, do you generally have a tough time getting ressies 7 months out--or does it just depend on the time of year you're trying for?

Should I send for that video from DVC? Any good websites to visit for additional info?

Considering purchase, but many questions remain unanswered......

THANK YOU TO ALL WHO RESPOND!!!!

 

[traycie2201]

HI , we have never stayed at our home resort and since 2000 have always been lucky enough to get what we wanted, again if you go xmas , thanksgiving etc you may have difficulty. I'm not sure about the rooms that take 5 i know in a BWV studio that we had a bed a sofa bed and a day bed but i think the day bed could only take a young child, one option is to borrow points or save them and go every other year or stay off site on a fri and sat to save points on your stay. The difference in preferred or standard view in BWV is standard may overlook a green area, part of the car park etc , preferred may overlook pool, gardens or boardwalk, we are always happy to save the points and go in a standard. Certainly get the DVD and keep looking on the boards you'll find the answers to most everything. Good luck with your decision.

 

[dianeschlicht]

You got good answers already. I just wanted to point out that the occupancy question is a tricky one. For now you might be comfortable enough in a dedicated BWV studio if one of your kids is under 5, but as they grow, you will need that 2 bedroom anyway. The studios are really designed for 2-3 people plus a small child. Beyond that, the bathroom situation begins to be a problem as well.

DVC will seem like a good deal if you are used to staying in deluxe on-site resorts every year, but if you are used to the moderates or the value resorts, or even staying off-site, it will seem pricey to you. Owning a timeshare is not for everyone, so I would say you should get the DVD and talk to a guide and weigh what you would normally pay annually for your trips against what owning DVC would cost you.

 

[JimMIA]

As Dianne said, the occupancy question is tricky and controversial. Also, there is a difference between capacity and comfort...and that's an important difference, especially for a longer stay.

The stated capacity of both the studio and one bedroom is 4 + one child under three years. OKW studios have two queen beds; all of the other resorts have a queen and a sleeper sofa. The one bedrooms have a sleeper sofa in the living room. All units come with a Pack N Play, and a toddler can sleep in that.

I believe the unwritten policy is that DVC will allow five people in a studio or one-bedroom, but they will not provide any bedding, so you'd have to bring an inflatable bed and linen.

Obviously, a one-bedroom - even with the same sleeping capacity - would be much more comfortable for five people, and would probably be quite workable for parents with three kids and an inflatable bed. (Provided the kids can all sleep in the same room, of course.) In addition to much more room, the one bedroom has a full kitchen and washer/dryer.

 

[laceemouse]

Funny, families with 3 kids seem to be the "norm" IRL and yet they really seem to have the most trouble making DVC work. We have 4 so we will ALWAYS get a 2 bedroom (well, until a couple of the kids quit travelling with us anyway) but with 3 I guess I would be tempted to go with a one bedroom when they were younger, probably moving up to a 2 bedroom as they got older. My kids are aged 7 to 14 and I must say if WE only had one bathroom we would never, ever get out in the morning (of course, 3 of mine are girls!) I think a studio would be fine for dh and I, but any kids at all would make it too crowded for us. It is really not much bigger than a hotel room, plus, the washer/dryer is the main reason that we are a T/S family, sooo worth it IMO!

 

[littlestar]

We have friends (family of 5) that bought 150 points at BWV specifically because of the studio plus rooms with the daybed that sleep five. The daybed is small and not really suitable for an older child. We had a four-year-old sleep on one last year and he loved it - adventure sleeping I guess! (he's not very big). Also, I've been told that BWV can't guarantee these rooms when you book a studio plus so you would have to bring some bedding with you just in case you didn't get it when you checked in at BWV.

 

[ishouldbegolfing]

Preferred is a view of the Boardwalk, or water (cannal or pool) standard is basically parking lot.

See the "Occupancy Thread" under the "Ongoing DVC Discussion Topics" for more than you ever wanted to know about occupancy

Don't know first hand about 7 month reservations, but from what I've read shouldn't be too bad.

Might as well get the video - it's free!

 

[DebbieB]

Preferred is a view of the Boardwalk, or water (cannal or pool) standard is basically parking lot.

See the "Occupancy Thread" under the "Ongoing DVC Discussion Topics" for more than you ever wanted to know about occupancy

Don't know first hand about 7 month reservations, but from what I've read shouldn't be too bad.

Might as well get the video - it's free!

Preferred view is actually broken down into 2 separate reservation categories:

Preferred Boardwalk view - view of the boardwalk and lake.
Preferred Pool/Garden view - view of the pools or gardens.

When you book a preferred view, you specifically book one or the other.

 

[Dean]

Many mistakenly look at the "preferred view" as being an upgrade from the "standard view", but it's actually the reverse. Originally all were the same and when people complained, they made some of the rooms lower leaving the rest the same. So getting a preferred view is not really an indication that the unit will have much of a view and shouldn't be seen as such. That way when you only get a view of some vegetation outside your window, you shouldn't be disappointed. But many actually like the view from the standard units.