RICHYAMS, You're bumming me out!!....

[POLLY ANN]

On your post on the thread regarding the best resort, you said that you feel "cramped in a 2br at BW" and that the "dining area is a joke".

You've bummed me out because we are inviting guests to stay with us for 10 days - 3 days will be spent at BW in a 2br and the rest in a GV at OKW. We want to WOW them at both resorts and are having them stay in the MBR with their toddler, while we use the other room with our 3 young children at BW. (WE get the MBR at OKW! lol)

Is there ANYTHING good you can say about BW that can make me feel better about staying there, even for those few short days?

Thanks.

 

[Richyams]

Sorry, but the dining room table is suitable for two or three people at most.

Yes there is. You may not have to waste any time in the gym, the walks to your room could suffice. I hear that the BWV hallways are used to train for the WDW marathon.

It is a beautiful resort. The proxomity to Epcot and the Boardwalk area itself are really great.

I just feel that for a room that is intended to sleep eight, the dining room, the kitchen and many of the balconys should have been larger. Four adults and four kids are not going to fit in the living room very well.

I hope you are going to BWV first so that you can finish on a high note.

Many are going to post how beautiful the resort is, how they don't eat in the room anyway, how they love the proximity to the parks, while all that is true, it doesn't change the fact that there is dining for two.

I would stay at BWV again if it was just the two of us, maybe even with the kid in a one bedroom if we had a reason to be there, family or some special event and if it was only for a day or two. If I am vacationing, its OKW or bust.

 

[kamgen]

We had a 2 bd at BWV last December and we loved it!!!!
Don't worry!! Things will be beautiful!!!

Kamy

 

[DebbieB]

Go to Illuminations at Epcot and see how nice it is to beat the crowds and just walk back to your room! I love the festive atmosphere on the Boardwalk at night. In the morning, I love walking out and seeing the lake and the boats and stroll over to Epcot. MGM & Epcot are also a quick boat ride if you don't want to walk.

In addition to the table, there is also a counter that 2 other people can eat at (4 chairs total). There's also a table & 2 chairs in the 2nd bedroom (studio).

 

[JonHM]

What a can of worms this thread is going to turn into...

Polly, it really depends on your personal taste in resorts. When they first decided to begin putting DVC Villas in existing resort areas, they were *much* more limited in space than they were when they were creating OKW. It was either make the Villas the size they did, or else have *many* fewer units and thus many fewer members with a home resort of BWV. Personally, I *LOVE* the 2BR Villas at BWV - we had a Boardwalk View room in January, and YES, we all ate several meals in the room - 6 adults and a toddler, and we thought it was *fantastic*!!! If you really want to wow them, I would *definitely* do everything that you can do to try to get a Boardwalk view. If you can't get a Boardwalk view, then as your second choice ask for something near the elevators.
The rooms are absolutely beautiful, there is SO much to do on the Boardwalk (and so many great restaurants) and you can walk to both Epcot and MGM (or take a friendship launch if you'd rather).
I wouldn't be disheartened. Rich is extremely biased and defensive in his expression of his views towards OKW and BWV, and rarely uses smiley faces when he's being funny - so take what he says about BWV with a grain of salt. You'll love it. PLEASE be sure to post a trip report once you're back. By the way, when are you going?

 

[Tigger1]

Walk around the lake on the boardwalk at night. I watched Epcots fireworks from there. Also the pool is much nicer at BWV.

You will love it.

 

[POLLY ANN]

Oh, I don't want to open a can of worms. Please! This was just a tease for Rich. I have been on these boards for 2 1/2 years. I know Rich's biased opinions well, and have enjoyed reading them, actually. I wanted to see if I could get him to say something NICE without being negative! I guess it didn't work! lol

I know I will enjoy the BW very much, I am so looking forward to staying there, even with the LONG hallways and the "cramped" quarters! We have been to OKW several times and have wanted to try out the BW each time but were not thrilled about switching resorts. This time we will bite the bullet and do it.

JonHM, I agree with you about personal tastes. I LOVE OKW, probably as much as Rich does. It is definitely my and my husband's kind of resort. My dh's passion is golf and he enjoys sitting out on the balcony and watching the golfers (wishing he could be out there but I won't let him because it's soooo expensive, IMO. lol)

And as much as we love OKW, we also love the nightlife and fine dining that the BW offers, although we might not do too much of that with our kids (they will be almost 6, 4 1/2, and 16 months when we go. Do you think they will let us in at Spoodles? )

We will be there from January 22 - February 1, 2003. It seems so far away but I am enjoying the anticipation of going, because the time there goes sooo quickly!

Rich, thanks for your post, and staying strong on your opinions. You're definitely not a gray area type of person. I do admire that, even if I don't agree with you sometimes.

 

[Sammie]

Personally I think Rich is only be truthful, maybe his demeanor in being so, rubs some the wrong way but he is just stating facts.

I mean we are talking square footage and furniture size. The Boadwalk is a beautiful resort and yes the closeness to Epcot and MGM, the pool, the dining possiblities are all wonderful amenties but the rooms are smaller, there is no getting around that. Walking to certain rooms at the Boardwalk once you get off the boat or bus, is definitely longer than from your car parked right in front of your OKW villa or the bus stop right across the street.

As to the dining situation, the table at OKW is full dining room set, you won't have that at the BW or the new BC vilas.

There is nothing wrong with either resort, but if you want large, spacious accomidations for 8 then OKW is it. If you want smaller accomidations but the amenties mentioned above then the BW is the answer.

No wrong choice, just very different ones.

 

[jctwizzer]

The only advice I give WDW visitors is to not take for granted the opinions of others----on ANY part of the trip experience....from rental cars, to lodging, to best rides or parks.......because of the difference is people, you need to go and make up you own mind on everything.......frequently you'll find that, in YOUR opinion the other guy didn't know what he/she was talking about....and have fun, for goodness sake

 

[POLLY ANN]

AMEN

 

[PamOKW]

I wanted to see if I could get him to say something NICE

Now, to be fair, Rich has mellowed on BWV. Before he tried it, he ABSOLUTELY hated it. Now, that he's been there, he at least has specific complaints about things HE doesn't like.

I always thought BWV was a nice option -- like the option to stay at any of the WDW resorts. After staying there myself, it is absolutely wonderful. It is different from OKW but both are terrific!

 

[CaptainMidnight]

I hope one of the improvements the BCV has offerred is the improved seating capacity in the dinning area, so that there is enough room for the 5 of us in our 1 bedroom or 9 of us in our two bedroom to enjoy dinner.

 

[Richyams]

Trust me, I have not mellowed at all. I get way too many e-mail thanking me for my posts to ever dream of lightening up because of one or two people that I consider too easily offended.

I think if you actually look at my posts, you will see that I use the same terms and expressions that I ever have....I even came up with a new one: "I heard they are using BWV hallways for marathon training"

Trust me, your criticisms have fallen on deaf, stone deaf, boulder deaf ears.

I liked the 'marathon training' one.

 

[JonHM]

It was OK, but far from your best work...

 

[Lesley]

I like the marathon training one too.....I used to have a few good ones about OKW but since friendly ribbing is taken so personally by some I haven't posted on these issues in a long time or come up with new material.

I actually do agree that the dining area in a BWV 2br isn't sufficient for formal meals....but the table and counter w/chairs, then the coffee table,etc...is fine for informal meals where not everyone is worried about having to sit at one table in a group. In my own family this is a common arrangement for any occasion where there are more than 6 people so it doesn't bother us at all.

As far as impressing your guests......unless they are accustomed to always staying in presidential suites at luxury hotels, I think its safe to say they'll be impressed! I personally wish I had guests to take who are a little harder to impress...lol....because the place wouldn't have to be nearly as nice as it is to impress everyone I know!

 

[robinb]

Polly Ann,

I know you were just teasing Rich, but I do agree with him on the lack of dining space for 4 adults and 4 children.

I just looked at my photos from a BWV 1BR taken a couple of years ago and started counting the possible dining areas:
Robin's BWV 1BR Photos

• There are 2 chairs at the small table in the living room/kitchen area.
• There are 2 chairs at the breakfast bar.
• The couch could sit 2 or maybe 3 and they could eat off of the coffee table or from plates on their laps.
• There is one extra chair in the living room that could be pulled up to the coffee table on the other side.

That leaves a lot of people "perching" and not eating comfortably, IMO. Of course, the kids might enjoy eating at the coffee table leaving the real chairs for the adults, but think about the clean-up!

 

[Richyams]

I think it was an efficiency move. You could actually only use two plates. You could simply switch off. Leave the plates at the table and eat in shifts. Hey, its family, I've eaten from my wifes plate, ok, just a forkfull or two, but think of all the water saved by not washing as many dinners.

There are also health benefits. You can't just sit around after dinner, you have to get up, someone else needs to sit down.....and since there aren't many other places to sit, you'll have to stand anyway.

BWV, built for efficiency and health!!!!

New BWV slogon

 

[ncligs]

Rich,

Your last post ("use same plates") was a classic!!!Keep up the good work .

 

[POLLY ANN]

OMG, Rich, I am in TEARS I'm laughing so hard at that last one!!

That actually may work out for us, although dh and I have never shared plates but we do share a glass all the time! lol And, we are going with very close friends, which is a good thing, so maybe we can all share one plate! Maybe we'll just put the kids in the jacuzzi to eat, too! That would be a quick clean up!

Oh, no, I'm just getting a bit too silly here today. Thanks, though, for the chuckles. And, that's all this thread has been, just a bit of a stress reliever. And, I've been in dire need of that lately. But, that's another story

Oh, and BTW, Rich, Boardwalk is our first stop and then on to OKW. I have to save my favorite for last.

robinb, thanks for sharing those photos. I always enjoy seeing pictures of anything in WDW! I'm sure we will manage the seating arrangements, and if not, heck, we'll go out!

 

[Richyams]

Boardwalk is our first stop and then on to OKW

I think that will make it fine. You can concentrate on park commando stuff and the Epcot and Boardwalk area while you are there and then relax at OKW in the ultimate of comfort. The bad part is that splitting a vacation like that may just sour you completely on BWV for large groups.