OK - BCV Discussions....lots of negatives how about positives?

[jaysue]

I have heard lots of "-" things about BCV such as:

Water Pressure Low
Water Tempearture Low
Thermostat Enegry Saving - kicks off A/C or Heat when no motion
Studios being small
Long hallways
Small Kitchens
etc....(any I missed? )

So what are the "+" in people's opinion?

This will help me a lot since I am ready to buy DVC now and just trying to figure out home resort

Thanks
jaysue

 

[Richyams]

Also, when you open the sleeper sofa in the living room, it takes up the entire room. All the DVC resorts except OKW have those same tiny rooms with the tiny kitchens, the tiny living rooms and the two person dining room table for a room that sleeps eight.

When you compare any resort to OKW, the only plus is the location. OKW units and the design of the resort are far better than any of the others.

BCV, has SAB and easy access to BW area and Epcot, BWV has the BW and access to epcot, VWL has....I am not sure....closer to MK, but not really...I say 'not really' because everything is a short drive from anything in WDW.

 

[jimmytammy]

I remember seeing several posts shortly after we purchased at VWL that seemed negative about this resort. If in doubt, check it out. Have peace of mind for yourself. Most of all, purchase where you will want to stay the most. Good luck!!

 

[Beth]

There was a recent thread comparing BCV to BWV, and I think that BWV was preferred by the majority.

But we actually prefer BCV...

We all have certain amenities that are more important to us than others... And for us - it's parking and ease of getting in/out of the resort. We drive to everything - my DH <b>refuses</b> to step foot on a bus!

We really appreciate the parking area at BCV ... the fact that we don't have to rely on valet.

And the hallways don't seem that long to us...

Neither one us remember issues with water pressure on temperature from our trip last November - but it <i>is</i> an apparent issue, as so many have complained about it, here...

I would never hesitate to send friends/family to this resort. It's not much on views (unless you're real lucky) - but the location and peaceful nature of this place makes it just lovely, IMHO.

 

[Caskbill]

Both the Studios and 1-B/R at BCV seem comparable in size to the same units at BWV and VWL. So I wouldn't single out BCV in that respect.

We never had any water temperature/pressure problems at all, and I don't recall any major issue with the thermostat. Maybe we were just lucky, or maybe that since we use water saving showers at home it didn't seem that different to us.

Self-Park at BCV is far superior to that at BWV and VWL. And overall I'd say the hallways are not as long as VWL, and definitely shorter than BWV.

Yes compared to OKW, kitchens are small, but I don't think they're any smaller than BWV or VWL kitchens.

One complaint about BCV units though is the bathrooms. They are an 'open' design cabinet wise, and so don't really have any good places to put your stuff.

 

[Tony-NJ]

what so ever when we were there in October, we stayed in a one bedroom and then switched to a studio. The one bedroom was fine for 3 of us and the stidio was fine for 2 of us. We don't eat in the room so maybe that was why we didn't see any issues with the size of the table.. We also don't drive when we go to WDW, so the location of the BCV is perfect. As for the water preasure - I havn't stayed in a hoten anywhere where it was up to my standards.. Like said above - go and check out the resorts for yourself. We also loved the VWL. And will try the boardwalk in October of this year. We bought in OKW, and after staying in the other resorts, we liked them a whole lot better than OKW.

 

[niks81]

To be completely honest, the BCV are smaller than BWV or VWL in my opinion. I noticed a difference right away when I walked into the room. Richyams does have some very valid points (I hate to agree! LOL) OKW units are by far the largest and most comfortable in terms of space.

I didn't notice problems with water pressure or the air conditioning....I was expecting to but did not encounter problems. I got lucky. I do think the BCV interiors are top of the line in terms of decor. SAB is a plus also.

 

[SueM in MN]

Our home is OKW, but we have stayed at BWV and VWL. We haven't stayed at BCV, but have taken the tour. Our personal favorite is OKW because of the spaciousness of the rooms, the huge porch and the atmosphere. I won't mention OKW more because I know Rich will.

Other than OKW, the room sizes of the others are similar, so you need to look at all the factors and decide what suits you best.
Location:If you have preference to be closer to MK or Epcot, that would help you decide. IMHO, BWV feels more "busy" because you are so close to the boardwalk and what you see all around you is turn of the 20th century resort city decor. The BCV are set farther away from the action (but still a lot in walking distance). VWL are a little more like being in a National Park, where you have your amenities for the "park" close by. Some people don't like the "set in the trees" feeling, others do.

Decor:Each of the resorts is very different and some people decide based on what "feels" most comfortable to them. Some people like the woodsy, national park look of VWL. Other people think the rooms look dark. BWV have a turn of the century look. BCV look more light and airy.

Arrangement: Other than OKW, the room plans are pretty similar, but there are small differences. Even though the total footprint of the room is similar, the little differences can make the shapes of the rooms a little different and put more/less space somewhere else. The BWV and VWL have the door to the second bedroom in the living room, close to the patio door that goes out to little deck. If you have the sofa bed in the living room pulled out, there's not enough room to go between the living room and 2nd bedroom. If you never use the sofa as a bed, that might not make any difference to you. At BCV, the door is in the entry area, so it doesn't interfere. For some people, that might work out better (but the trade off is the closet that is there at the BWV and VWL is missing).

Go see the models if you can or at least look at the pictures and floor plans as much as you can. One of them will seem like a good fit. Decide what features you need/like and what things are not important to you. And then, hopefully, "Welcome Home".

 

[WDWLVR]

We haven't stayed at BCV yet (but hope to) but the one thing I saw that i really liked was that the lock-off between the one bedroom and the studio is up near the front door - not in the living area. To me this helps both when you are in the smaller ones (either the one-bedroom or studio) with starngers next door (it cuts down on noise), but also when you are sharing a two-bedroom as it does give some personal space.

 

[disny4ever]

Just bought into BCV'S last fall and have stayed once...DW twice.
We love this resort, the atmosphere, the location to Epcot and MGM, walk around the lake to the Boardwalk, great eats.
I have only stayed in a 1 bedroom. I found it to be large and open. Yes when you open the sofa sleeper it takes up alot of the livingroom..probably not to much different then alot of peoples homes. There is a low water pressure valve on the shower and the water is not as hot as I would like it, but I found the whirlpool tub to be just the opposite, good pressure and hot water.
We had no problems with the heat/cooling system. I think anyone can pick apart any of the DVC resorts if they want to, it definitely comes down to personal perference as to where at the DVC properties you want to be at.
Look around and listen with your Mickey ears and you will find your part of the Magic !!!!!

 

[Simba's Mom]

I'll give you a few positives of BCV, since it's one of my favorites (have to love OKW, DH's favorite). My absolute favorite thing is sitting on the balcony in the morning listening to the music from WS (can you hear it from all the BCV balconies? I don't know-I hope so), also walking over to the International Gateway and just sitting in WS before it opens, also getting a Sundae from B&C and sitting in a rocking chair on the porch. I'm sure there are others, but for me SAB is not a draw-I don't swim!

 

[spiceycat]

the thing that sets BCV apart is how close you are to Epcot. I happen to love BCV and would buy some more points here - but the budget won't allow it.

I love each DVC resorts for different reasons - they are GREAT just compare them to other timeshares in the area!

Anyway what other DVC resorts can you look out your window and see Spaceship Earth? You can't!!! This is what the BCV has that no other DVC resort will ever have. BWV might claim that they are better - but I disagree - I happen to love Epcot!!! and too many times we don't even visit Studios - if you love Epcot then this is the only DVC resort for you! Now if you don't care about Epcot - then I would suggest looking into resales.

Epcot (the way I see it anyway) is the key here - no other DVC resort will be this close to Epcot.

I happen to like the new design of the studios - you get more room and less noise - in the old design the door between the rooms (studio and 1-bedroom) was directly across from the beds in the studio. Now if you have nice neighbor this is not a problem - but if you are next to people that think they can sleep when they get home and they don't care who else they kept away.

or even in one situation they weren't that noisey once they got in but they made a lot of noisy when they first arrived generally at 2:00 am in the morning!

People are jealous - you know that - I think that is the problem right now with BCV. Also some people don't like new things! Part of that jealous is SAB before the opening of BCV all DVC members(except at certain times) could pool hop there - it is by far the best swimming pool on WDW property that is part of a hotel. If they try it now - they get turned around and send back to their hotel!

I like the fact that the BCV has all the opportunities of BWV but is in a more peace location. I am not a party person - so I like the quiet of BCV more than the party atmosphere of BWV.

 

[RweTHEREyet]

We own at both OKW and BCV. We have stayed at all of the DVC resorts, with the exception of Vero Beach. I have to say that my preference of places to stay depends on the nature of the trip, etc. We usually stay in Studios, and if it is just my husband and I, we prefer BCV, for the sofa. If our son is with us, we prefer OKW because of the 2 queen beds. We also enjoyed our stay at BWV, and WLV, but would probably put WLV last on the list, only because we are more tropical/beachy people. Nothing wrong with our room at WLV, and we loved the short walk to the beautiful lobby, just too dark for our taste.

Each resort has its definite plusses and minuses.

I also think that people go into each new resort with extremely high expectations, and then are disappointed, therefore you hear lots of negatives. While we were never hot in our studio at BCV, I did notice that it was always cooler in the hallways. I don't remember noticing the water pressure problem. I love the decor of the BCV.

Good luck with your decision.

 

[FredS]

I think perhaps why you might have picked up on more negatives regarding BCV is because it is the newest, and people are reviewing it more intensely than some of the other DVC resorts.

BCV is WONDERFUL, and I while I probably lean slightly towards OKW overall, depending on who I am traveling with, what we are primarily interested in seeing and doing and my mood of the moment BCV is tops on the list at times. For instance, our next trip will be split between a studio at OKW (myself and two children) and a two-bedroom at BCV (add DH and possibly a niece).

Again, I think there has been more critiquing of Beach Club Villas as people have visited for the first time, not because of any problems or inferiority. The theming, location, SAB, Cape May access and "newness" are just a few of the positives. It's a great resort!

 

[The VWL Five]

We own at VWL obviously. When we tried to stay at BWV in January we found it was booked up for the marathon. We were told BCV was available so we took it.

When we arrived, got settled and walked around, we just loved it. We didn't find the rooms to be any different than the VWL. We had a 2br located at the end of the hall on floor 3. So close to the parking lot which was nice (not that we drove much but saved on the bell hop). None of those water/temp issue people spoke of caused us any grief. Wasn't an issue.

Our daily routine consisted of going to all the parks in the morning and walking though EPCOT in the afternoon to get back to BCV. Of course not without a stop in Mexico for Margaritas to make the walk more interesting.

We are now going to buy some BCV points so we can stay there also. Our options will now be:

'Country' or 'Beach/Boardwalk' life

O what fun!

Good luck.

 

[daisy2000]

We absolutely love BCV! We were there for Easter week and had a wonderful time. No problems at all with the AC or water pressure. We had a 2 bedroom unit on the 1st floor, which I think was a great location, very peaceful. We were near the pool and our little patios looked out onto gardens/beach grasses. An added bonus was the mama and baby bunny who appeared everyday outside our door! They were adorable and we took lots of video and pictures of them

SAB is the most gorgeous pool I've ever seen IMHO the best at WDW. We enjoyed the slide, sand bottom pools and the lazy river (note: rent a tube 1st thing in the morning, there are not enough tubes and that is my one and only complaint of BCV).

Being across from Boardwalk and having easy access to Epcot WS (my favorite place in WDW) are huge plusses for us.

The decor is charming, light and airy. The kitchen was fine, I don't feel I would need a bigger one than that on vacation. We cooked several meals with no trouble at all. The bathroom in the master bathroom had plenty of storage space. I'm not sure if a previous poster was talking about the studio bathroom or master bath not having enough storage, but I think there was plenty, and I bring a whole suitcase full of toiletries!

I think its all what you're looking for. BCV was the perfect fit for us, others might prefer another DVC resort for their own reasons. Visit them all, think about how you vacation at WDW and that will help make your decision. Good Luck !

 

[Regina]

We stayed in a studio at the BCV. I liked the layout much better than OKW's studios.

I like that they put the bathroom vanity outside of the tub/toilet room. I really liked the kitchenette set up. Much more counter space than at OKW.

I liked having a bed and couch instead of the two beds.

We had no problems with water pressure. Compared to having well water at home, it was a deluge. We also had no complaints about the thermostat. Yes, the room was warm when we entered, but it cooled off very quickly and stayed comfortable.

We overlooked the infamous service road. I know that some complain about the noise, but we didn't notice it when the patio doors were shut.

The common rooms are absolutely beautiful, but I like that OKW has planned activities.

I still prefer OKW and VWL, my "homes." I like the more relaxed atmosphere. To each his own though, it doesn't make either BCV or BWV bad, just different.

 

[JOC]

Here's a thread posted on the Resorts forum by someone who's currently at BCV. She doesn't seem to be having a good time:

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?threadid=363871

 

[Tagrel]

We own at BCV and VWL, and LOVED both.

BCV was light and airy with a great 'beach' feel. We had a wonderful view of the pool, with great sunsets.

Hope to get an Epcot view this summer, but another pool view would be great too.

No water problems, no A/C problems (there in AUGUST), the kitchen is PLENTY big enough - Emeril I'm not. And our table sat four with NO problem, and two at the counter. Plenty of space for 4 of us! And after walking all over the parks at WDW, I always have to laugh at the 'hallways are so long' comments! (This goes for anywhere!) Yeah, walking inside air conditioned hallways is a big problem when I'm going to walk 100 times that far in the park just this morning alone!

But it really is true that location is the ONLY positive.

Located at a deluxe resort with full room service and valet parking for those INFREQUEST Florida cloudbursts. And if you want to self park - the lot is conviently located very close by!

Located at a resort with THE best onsite pool with slides for toddlers and the big kids! SAB is the best!

Located within a 5 minute walk to Epcot.

Located a short boatride away from MGM (no stroller folding required!)

Located within walking distance of many wonderful restaurants at YC/BC/BW and Swan/Dolphin. Not to mention that all those World Showcase eateries are around the corner.

Located where you can walk back from Epcot or MGM after Illuminations or Fantasmic. No transportation wait for us!

Located near that great Boardwalk nightlife, but peaceful and private when you want to relax. And no need to drive after enjoying Jellyrolls or Atlantic Dance!

location, Location, LOCATION!!!

BCV is selling out faster than any other DVC property - and that would not happen with a substandard resort.

 

[CaptainMidnight]

I like the BCV room layout better. Table seats 8 whereas BWV, WLV does not. Bathroom layout nice, Desk in bedroom in BCV.
BCV is newer.
Seemed slower and a little more quiet and relaxed than BC, YC and BWV, yet still close to activities.
Distance to the elevator is better.
Nice Quiet pool
Lots of nice internal spaces for when it's raining, drawing room, breezeway, solarium, BC lobby.
Sandcastle club availability
Outstanding location, boat to MGM, walk to Epcot, Baordwalk area activities closeby, swan and Dolphin restaraunts.
Love the Beach Theme
Great at access to Beach Club amenities, and restaraunts, Jellyrolls, stores, Beaches and Cream, Arcade, etc.
Prefer the sand beach along crescent lake instead of the boardswalk
SAB is nice
Nice Beach Club Workout facility.
Nice access to the parking lot
Bus service fine.
Hotel services available like in-room dining, valet services, front staff.
Nice entrance to the resort walking in BC entrance with large fresh flower arrangements, sometimes music in lobby (saw harpist) front door greetings.
Marina activites, can take boats to see illuminations.
Nice access to parking lot for villas, closer than valet for many units. Just go in the back door or walk along the canal to the middle elevator
Second elevator available in the middle of the resort for pool, parking access.
BCVs has access to a marina along with the YC and BC. WLV and OKW also has a marina. BWV does not.
For us, the circus theme isn't as appealing as the beach theme, circuses don't have a good reputation for cleanliness or humane treatment towards animals, or the most friendly workers, but that's just us.


No community Hall and Community Hall activities like BWV, Vero, others.
Uses all preferred view point structure, no advantage of standards view lower point structure like at BWV or lower points requirements like at OWK to stretch point value
Rooms smaller than OKW, lessstorage space - OKW, Vero and HH rooms are larger.
No three bedroom grand villas available (usually requires 11 month window at other resorts)
No outstanding crecent lake views like BWV
Villas in back are too close to roadway, some noise.