Parking at BWV?

[bangzoom6877]

I have read that the parking lot at BWV is very far from the rooms. We're going to be in a one-bedroom standard view (DVC members staying on points), and when I was looking at the resort map, it looked like the parking lot is not that far away from these rooms. Is this true? Or is the map deceiving?

Another parking question...it doesn't look like (from the resort map) there is anywhere special to park temporarily while you are checking into BWV...true? What have you done with the luggage in this case (we have a lot...4 people, 9 days worth of luggage!). I'm concerned, because even though I am cutting packing down by half (doing laundry in the middle of our trip), we are staying 10 nights, plus other things we are doing on the drive down and back up...and it all adds up to an 18-night vacation! So a lot of luggage to carry!!

 

[paults]

just pull up to the front of Boardwalk and a bell service CM will help you unload the car. Put all your bags on a cart and go check in while someone parks the car. If your rooms are not ready the bags can stay with bell services till they are.

 

[Granny]

I have read that the parking lot at BWV is very far from the rooms. We're going to be in a one-bedroom standard view (DVC members staying on points), and when I was looking at the resort map, it looked like the parking lot is not that far away from these rooms. Is this true? Or is the map deceiving?

As is often the case on these boards, it's a matter of semantics. What is "very far" for one person is a reasonable walk for another. In general, we have found self-parking at BWV to be very easy and reasonably close. The same goes for the "endless corridors" of BWV.

Another parking question...it doesn't look like (from the resort map) there is anywhere special to park temporarily while you are checking into BWV...true? What have you done with the luggage in this case (we have a lot...4 people, 9 days worth of luggage!). I'm concerned, because even though I am cutting packing down by half (doing laundry in the middle of our trip), we are staying 10 nights, plus other things we are doing on the drive down and back up...and it all adds up to an 18-night vacation! So a lot of luggage to carry!!

There are parking areas in the drive-up in front of registration. You can park the car while bell services unloads it and puts the luggage on carts. It can get crowded there but we've never had an issue with having to wait to unload our car for very long. Bell services will hold your luggage while you check in. You can then return to your vehicle to self park it or else use valet parking (no longer free for DVC members).

 

[DebbieB]

I have read that the parking lot at BWV is very far from the rooms. We're going to be in a one-bedroom standard view (DVC members staying on points), and when I was looking at the resort map, it looked like the parking lot is not that far away from these rooms. Is this true? Or is the map deceiving?

Another parking question...it doesn't look like (from the resort map) there is anywhere special to park temporarily while you are checking into BWV...true? What have you done with the luggage in this case (we have a lot...4 people, 9 days worth of luggage!). I'm concerned, because even though I am cutting packing down by half (doing laundry in the middle of our trip), we are staying 10 nights, plus other things we are doing on the drive down and back up...and it all adds up to an 18-night vacation! So a lot of luggage to carry!!

The distance can be exagerated. You can get a spot very close to the bus stop but if you are at the far end is it a longer walk. It is closer to the standard views, you can use the steps at the end of the hall near the pond to get there quick. If the entire lot is full, you can park across the street next to the Hess station. That is quite a walk. I've never had to do that.

When checking in, you have a couple of options. You can pull up to the entrance and have a bellman take the luggage and deliver it to your room (tip required) or you can drop off the luggage with family members and take it in yourself. If the rooms not ready, you can check the luggage with bell services. Then valet park or self park the car. Or you could park, leave the luggage in the car until you see if your room is ready and then go back and pull the car up when the room is ready, take it in yourself. That's what I do.

 

[bangzoom6877]

Thanks everyone! We'll pull up and unload, and leave the luggage with Bell Services until the room is ready. Will they automatically deliver the luggage to the room when the room is ready or do we have to call them and request that?

As far as the distance, we love walking, and long corridors don't bother us either. I suppose if we are on the top floor and have to walk all the way to the elevator to get up and then all the way down the hall it may be a little bit of a pain, but really, how long could it take? And we certainly could walk downstairs from any floor!!

 

[drusba]

They don't automatically deliver when room is ready, you need to call bell services and have them bring it up. As to potential walk:

There are two lots: main and satellite. The satellite is actually across the street from the entrance to boardwalk and if you parked there it is quite a long walk although under 1/2 mile. You should be able to park in the main lot where the walk from the front entrance should be no more than 1/4 mile even to the furthest point and as little as less than 1/10. There may be a rare occassion when you return one day and find the main lot full.

As far as hallway walk, you can have what some have called a very long walk from elevator to room. I have timed it and furthest walk to a room from the elevator is about 90 to 100 seconds regular pace, somewhat slower with small kids. BWV at one time in the past had the longest possible walk from elevator to rooms at a DVC resort. But now there is Kidani ... when someone mentions a long walk from lobby area to room there they are usually talking about going from one county to another. There is no longer walk down an internal corridor in a resort than the one from lobby to the end rooms on the north wing of Kidani which walk takes over 5 minutes.

 

[bangzoom6877]

They don't automatically deliver when room is ready, you need to call bell services and have them bring it up. As to potential walk:

There are two lots: main and satellite. The satellite is actually across the street from the entrance to boardwalk and if you parked there it is quite a long walk although under 1/2 mile. You should be able to park in the main lot where the walk from the front entrance should be no more than 1/4 mile even to the furthest point and as little as less than 1/10. There may be a rare occassion when you return one day and find the main lot full.

As far as hallway walk, you can have what some have called a very long walk from elevator to room. I have timed it and furthest walk to a room from the elevator is about 90 to 100 seconds regular pace, somewhat slower with small kids. BWV at one time in the past had the longest possible walk from elevator to rooms at a DVC resort. But now there is Kidani ... when someone mentions a long walk from lobby area to room there they are usually talking about going from one county to another. There is no longer walk down an internal corridor in a resort than the one from lobby to the end rooms on the north wing of Kidani which walk takes over 5 minutes.

Thanks so much for this info!! Sounds like a very long walk from the satellite lot, but hopefully we won't have to use that. We will be walking to Epcot and DHS, not sure yet if we will bus it over to MK or drive.

The walk from the elevator is under 2 minutes at a regular adult pace? Wow, we will be in our room in under 5 minutes even with the kids. My little one will be in a stroller and the older one walks at a pretty good pace. Sounds like the walk down the hall is no longer than the walks we have had down the corridors of some cruise ships to get to our cabin...and we certainly did not mind that!

 

[DebbieB]

The only time I have had problems finding parking spaces at BW is on weekends. Last December it was terrible on a Saturday afternoon, I went round and round quite a few times before getting a spot. That was our arrival day and we were in and out a few times and I didn't want to park across the street. One time I had dropped the luggage off at the entrance with my friend and wanted to park while we took the luggage up to our room, then we planned to go right back out for groceries. Went round and round several times, along with several other cars, I finally took an employee space, there were several open and I knew I was only going to be about 15 minutes. When we came back with the groceries, I dropped them off with my friend at the entrance and was lucky to find a space quick. The rest of the week we didn't have a problem.

 

[Granny]

Just to give you some perspective, here's a view of BWV resort. The parking on the far lower right is the satellite parking that has been referred to on this thread.

 

[poohbear7]

The parking lot to the far left light greyin the picture is valet parking and dissability parking. The dark grey in the centre is the general parking for guests.

 

[jlovesee]

We stayed at BWV in a 1-bedroom standard view just this last January. This was right after DVC removed the free valet, so everyone was talking gloom and doom when it came to BWV parking.

We didn't have any problems at all. Now this was low season, however there were 3 large conventions there thursday night and still had no problems parking.

There are numerous doorways into the BWV wing, and for us we simply parked, walked across the main entrance road, down the short sidewalk, and into the building, it was VERY quick and easy. We really never used the main entrance for that reason, except when we checked in. Not quite as good as OKW, but better then many other disney onsite hotels we have stayed at. We really enjoyed our stay.

If you want I wrote up a trip report on our stay including photos at:
www.jeffreyandjennifer.com

Jennifer

 

[bangzoom6877]

OK, now I am a little nervous for one reason...you have to cross what looks like a main road in order to get from the parking lot to the resort. We will have 2 small children with us and this scares me a little. Especially the satellite lot (2 roads to cross). Is it safe?

 

[LoveKermit]

IF you have to park in the satellite lot, yes, you have to cross a 4-lane road that would take you back to the Beach Club, but I don't know how busy it is.

The street you cross to get from the main lot to the main entrance is just an entry road. IF you have to wait for a car, the most it will be is one car--checking in or out or picking up someone. You don't really take that road, if I remember, unless you have to park at the door. DH did pick up DD and I couple times at the door because it was raining.

Don't stress the walk. You compared it to a cruise ship. Very similar distances--though more tired at WDW than cruises, but comparable distances.

In the end, it is what it is. You will totally enjoy it. Sometimes I disappoint myself with being on these boards all the time. I'm over expectant of stuff. If you hadn't heard the lot was "far" or that the hallways were "long," you'd probably not even notice.

 

[DebbieB]

OK, now I am a little nervous for one reason...you have to cross what looks like a main road in order to get from the parking lot to the resort. We will have 2 small children with us and this scares me a little. Especially the satellite lot (2 roads to cross). Is it safe?

There is a traffic light with a walk sign. There's only 1 road to cross and it's not that busy. You walk out of the Boardwalk, go left and follow the sidewalk to the road.

If you do have to use the satellite lot, I agree with having the driver drop everyone off at the entrance and then go park. You are going next month? I would not worry because that's not a busy time for people to be at ESPN for games, plus there's no special events at Epcot (Food & Wine Festival in fall, Candlelight Processional in Dec). I think you will be fine.

 

[5forDiz]

If you have to park at satellite lot across the street from the resort (which is lot noted by poster in photo on far right) it probably is better idea to drop off one adult with kids at the lobby entrance & other adult do the parking. At the resort side lot there are sidewalks along that entrance road/loop and it is easy to cross over.

 

[Granny]

Sometimes I disappoint myself with being on these boards all the time. I'm over expectant of stuff. If you hadn't heard the lot was "far" or that the hallways were "long," you'd probably not even notice.

You are absolutely right. Sometimes small issues just feed on themselves on these boards and become much bigger "issues" than they really are.

If you do have to use the satellite lot, I agree with having the driver drop everyone off at the entrance and then go park.

I agree with Debbie & 5forDiz...no reason to have little ones making the trek from the satellite parking lot. In my household, the "park & walk" job falls to me as husband and father. It's no problem.

 

[bangzoom6877]

Thank you everyone!! DH will drop us off, park and meet us!

 

[rigsby25]

Really - the walk is why my husband and I will probably never stay there again. We stayed there in February for the first time, and only for two nights, but the walk was horrible. We must have been the furthest out from the elevator, and then the walk to the car or bus stop was adding insult to injury. Plus that - our patio only had 1 chair due to fire regulations because it was a foot smaller. It was not a pleasant stay.

 

[castle1]

We've never had any problems parking in the lot....never had to park across the street. The walk is not far at all.

 

[jade1]

Just to give you some perspective, here's a view of BWV resort. The parking on the far lower right is the satellite parking that has been referred to on this thread.

We were just there and parked on the lowest left gray area of this photo-one whole row was handicapped, but right by the "auto arm" to the sidewalk along the DHS canal, were rows of general parking-or at least it wasn't marked anything. Had no issues and a very short walk since we had a walkout room by the pool.