Preferred View/Standard View - Points

[lovesdisney]

How does it work if you make a request for a preferred view and get standard view due to unavailablility? I know preferred view rooms are not guaranteed, and this is fine by me, (before anyone jumps on this) but are the points taken for preferred view at the time of booking and refunded at the time of vacation if standard view is where you stay, or do you 'lose' the additional points used.

I am asking because I need to plan my points usage.

 

[RobDoc]

"Preferred" and "Standard" can be guaranteed- just not what you'll see from your balcony.

The "Preferred" rooms will all look out at water- Crescent Lake, pool or canal. In some cases, those rooms will also see the Boardwalk, the Swan or ToT. Most "Standard" rooms will look towards parking lot or tennins court, but some have a glimpse of the sky over Illuminations and some can see the canal.

In the rare event where you would be switched from Preferred to Standard, points would be "refunded". If you would be upgraded from Standard to Preferred- no extra points would be charged.

Enjoy!

 

[slp87]

I think since there are so few standard view rooms, and they seemed to be booked quickly, I would guess that opposite usually happens. I'm curious if anyone has ever requested preferred & received standard.

 

[Dizzy4Dizney]

I think only 20 percent of the rooms are standard. THey are VERY far away from the elevators.

 

[DebbieB]

Not all standard rooms are far from the elevators. They start at the elevators and go all along the hallway on the side that faces the driveway and around to the tennis courts. You could have a standard view a couple steps from the elevators or far away. Same thing with preferred view. Some of the preferred rooms are in the "crest of the wave" section or above the quiet pool, both of which are just as far. The standard rooms with better views are farther from the elevators. We were a standard room in December that was at the beginning of the second hallway (about across from the bus stop) that had a perfect view of the fireworks from Illuminations (4103). It wasn't too bad of a walk from the elevator, the year before we were on the corner above the fountain (3121).

 

[CaptainMidnight]

Standard view rooms are a great option to help stretch points.

 

[crisi]

Don't know what your home resort is, but you are unlikely to get a standard view unless BWV is your home resort and you book early (not always, but often at the eleven month point - and sometimes day by day at eleven months).

 

[Dean]

Originally posted by crisi
Don't know what your home resort is, but you are unlikely to get a standard view unless BWV is your home resort and you book early (not always, but often at the eleven month point - and sometimes day by day at eleven months).

It depends on the time of year, standard view can be available at times at less than 7 months out. As noted, the "view" is booked up front. If by chance you got there and there wan't the room you had reserved available they would offer you what they had which might include a unit size upgrade or a downgrade in view. You would be offered choices. If the choice was to accept a standard view same size, you would be credited the points. I wouldn't be surprised if they allowed you to bypass the usual banking window in this situation. You might even get a meal for the family out of the deal.

 

[missyndda]

Dizzy4Dizney-
My guide said that the number of standard rooms is around 10%, not 20%.

(Just a forewarning to anyone looking at this post who is considering buying resale at BWV.)

 

[icydog]

Originally posted by DebbieB
Not all standard rooms are far from the elevators. They start at the elevators and go all along the hallway on the side that faces the driveway and around to the tennis courts. You could have a standard view a couple steps from the elevators or far away. Same thing with preferred view. Some of the preferred rooms are in the "crest of the wave" section or above the quiet pool, both of which are just as far. The standard rooms with better views are farther from the elevators. We were a standard room in December that was at the beginning of the second hallway (about across from the bus stop) that had a perfect view of the fireworks from Illuminations (4103). It wasn't too bad of a walk from the elevator, the year before we were on the corner above the fountain (3121).

We are getting a standard one bdrm in Sept. We have always had preferred view but I decided we didn't really look out the window that much to buy a preferred. You mentioned two rooms, what size are these accomodations?

 

[icydog]

Originally posted by Dean
You might even get a meal for the family out of the deal. [/B]

In the olden days when DVC started, and a few years into the program, they used to give you comp dinners for the smallest inconvience. We ate free at the Cape May Cafe several times, the Flying Fish, Olivias, and Sonya's in Vero. It was standard practice to treat DVC members with white glove treatment. This no longer is true. I have had miserable, horrible service and the most I've gotten was an apology. At least that's something, but I long for the days of yesteryear!!

 

[DebbieB]

icy-dog,

They were dedicated 1 bedrooms. I would request 4103 or a top floor across from the bus stop. 3121 had a tree that blocked alot of Illuminations. You can also hear the music from Illuminations and Tapestry. We were there in December and could faintly hear the Candelight Processional.

 

[Shannon G]

I know this is a little off topic, but I think Disney needs to revisit their definition of "preferred view." I'm not a DVC member, but we recently rented points for a stay at BWV, and had a preferred view studio, as no standard view studios were available when we booked.

We checked in on a Saturday, went to our room, opened the drapes to see...a tree!!! Our entire balcony was blocked by a tree, and I do mean the ENTIRE balcony! I called the front desk and questioned this, and we were moved to a room in which only 1/2 - 3/4 of our balcony was blocked by a tree. When the bellhop delivered our luggage, he said that when the landscaping was originally done, no one gave much thought to the fact that the trees that were being planted would grow - thus obstructing the views from some of the rooms.

I realize that the definition of "preferred view" means anything but a parking lot, but, personally, I think I would rather have a view of the parking lot than have my entire balcony obstructed by a tree - at least I would be able to see SOMETHING. PLus, having all the tree branches directly in front of the balcony made the balcony feel closed-in.

Don't get me wrong, this was not something that would make or break our vacation. I just don't think that Disney can justify classifying a room as preferred view, and therefore charging more for it, when in reality it has NO view.

 

[DebbieB]

They really can't change the definition at BWV because of the DVC points. If they would move rooms to standard view, it would throw the total points for the resort off. There is no view difference for cash reservations, all are one price.

This also happens at other resorts - you hear people complaining that they paid for a lagoon view at GF and had a big tree in front of their balcony.

 

[Dean]

Originally posted by Shannon G
I know this is a little off topic, but I think Disney needs to revisit their definition of "preferred view." I'm not a DVC member, but we recently rented points for a stay at BWV, and had a preferred view studio, as no standard view studios were available when we booked.

A word of warning for DVC and timeshare in general. The views of timeshares are almost always noted based on location and not views themselves. That means that an oceanfront, first floor unit might have no view at all. An ocean side unit might be a very distant glancing view or a pretty good one. The views at BWV are as you noted, parking lot and non parking lot view and were never intended to be anything else. I'm sure they wish they'd chose a different name than preferred, like regular. Or more likely they wish they'd never changed the point structure they probably would catch less grief than they do now.

They actually could change the structure if they wanted as long as they kept the overall mix about the same. The requirement to keep the points the same for a year applies to the "unit" which is not a single room but a block of rooms, usually on one floor at BWV and VB and I assume at BCV. They could do away with the standard and reduce the "preferred", they could have 3 or 4 levels if they wanted but I'm sure they won't do that.