Please tell me its still not that bad!!!

[went503]

So we are going on a big family trip Sept 19th week (16 of us). We own at AKL and were hoping to change at the 7 month window to BWV. However looking at the availability tool it just doesn't look like that's going to happen. There is already Limited availability on the GV and I still have to wait till Feb until my 7 month windows opens up. We currently have a GV and a 2 bedroom at the Jambo house reserved for that week. We have stayed at AKL before and know the buses can be bad at times but also real good at times. We are going with what will be our almost 3 year old and all her aunts uncles cousins, and grandparents for our family vacation. I just thought it would be nice for the adults to be right there on the BW for convenience but also for our 2 year old to be able to come back to the resort easily. Now we will be relying on the buses.

So with that said remind me why this still is a great thing with all of us just staying at AKL for the week. I know I just should be happy that we are all able to go as a family and it will be just fine. Ive stayed at the GV at Kidani but never at the jambo house so that will be new so Im just trying to get positive about out trip. Thank you all in advance for your responses.

 

[DebbieB]

BWV only has 7 grand villas, so availability is limited. Have you looked at two 2 bedrooms and a studio?

 

[went503]

BWV only has 7 grand villas, so availability is limited. Have you looked at two 2 bedrooms and a studio?

Yes I have and currently they are available. Problem is we lose two beds to two sleeper sofa's so I don't know what we are going to do but that is an option. We just like the option of the 3bdr for wow factor and so everyone can be together. 10 of the 16 have never been before.

 

[paults]

at Jambo a GV is all 1 floor and has a pool table room and 3 huge balconies.

 

[CarolynFH]

Be happy you have a GV at Jambo! There are 2 2-story GVs at BWV and 5 1-story. We were delighted to stay in one with our DD & DSIL and our DS with his 5 year old daughter last January, but we ended up with the 2-story. One of the secondary BR looks over the living room - and there are NO coverings for the tall window that does so! Nope, not even a shade or sheers. No curtain rod, no holes in the wall to show that curtains had ever been there. Privacy not a big issue - you'd have to be on the staircase to see into the room - but light and sound coming up from the living room were.

 

[DizBub]

I can understand why you may want to change to BWV for the perceived convenience factor but unless you are at Epcot you won't find it all that practical.

We have found the bus service at BWV the worst in all of WDW as the buses are shared with BCV, Swan & Dolphin and Yacht Club. AKL is shared with Kidani with a dedicated bus. Buses do stop at Blizzard Beach but are so much better than the Epcot resort buses.

Have fun on your trip!

 

[drusba]

Unlike GVs at other WDW DVC resorts which are usually open even at 7 months out in Sep, the BWV GVs are usually missing some to all days of a week at 7 months out in Sep (and other times of year). If you switched your focus to BLT, you would have a very good chance, and if you switched your focus to VGF, it is a probable certainty you could get a GV in Sep.

As to your understanding of the buses, BWV is ideal for Epcot and Studios because you can walk or take a boat. But its bus system to MK, AK, and DD is much worse than anything you have ever experienced at AKV (and I base that view on having owned and used both BWV and AKV for a number of years; in fact in the 17 years I have been using the BWV buses, I have found them to be consistently the worst at WDW).

 

[DebbieB]

I can understand why you may want to change to BWV for the perceived convenience factor but unless you are at Epcot you won't find it all that practical.

We have found the bus service at BWV the worst in all of WDW as the buses are shared with BCV, Swan & Dolphin and Yacht Club. AKL is shared with Kidani with a dedicated bus. Buses do stop at Blizzard Beach but are so much better than the Epcot resort buses.

Have fun on your trip!

I was at BWV last month, the only route with all 5 stops was Downtown Disney. Park busses were BW/Swan/Dolphin.

There was a recent post by a cm saying that BW was going to be getting a dedicated park bus, at least during the morning rush and that the Downtown Disney route was going to be split in the late afternoon & evening so that it didn't stop at all 5.

Plus you can walk or boat to Epcot and DHS.

 

[DizBub]

I was at BWV last month, the only route with all 5 stops was Downtown Disney. Park busses were BW/Swan/Dolphin.

There was a recent post by a cm saying that BW was going to be getting a dedicated park bus, at least during the morning rush and that the Downtown Disney route was going to be split in the late afternoon & evening so that it didn't stop at all 5.

Plus you can walk or boat to Epcot and DHS.

This is good news! We are checking into BCV next Saturday and it's good to know we may have better bus service. Going to be at BWV in May, hoping things continue to improve.