Staying at Beach Club first time some questions!

[beattyfamily]

Well, I'm in the process of changing our one-bedroom (preferred view) at BWV (home resort) to BC for Oct 30 - Nov 4 and I'll be calling for my last 2 nights Monday (wish me luck!).

Well, I mentioned possibly doing this to my DH and he wasn't impressed but didn't say no. So since I'm the planner and it wouldn't cost us any more points, I decided to do it! I'm dying to check out that pool! I'd also like to try out many Disney resorts and not just the same one all the time.

Well, I told DH yesterday what I'm in the process of doing and he was disappointed. He said he likes BWV better. I need some PROS of staying the BC over BWV to help ease my DH's mind.

Also, are there any requests I should make besides non-smoking? I would like to be near the elevator...should I request that? Is this resort as long as BWV? I don't really want a long walk to our room if I can avoid it. We will have a car. I just can't figure out what's best to request. At BWV it was great being near the elevators and we enjoyed that location. Should I even bother with any other requests like pool view and do I have to be concerned about getting the first floor? Or a handicapped room? I don't want either of those. I usually just request non-smoking and one other...I'm not really a request happy person...really!

Does the one-bedroom have only one balcony?

I've heard wonderful things about Cape May and like the fact that we'll have a character meal near by!!

I've also heard wonderful things about Yachtsman Steakhouse and I AM a steak lover so should we eat there one night? But we have 2 DDs ages 5 and 8 by then would we be out of place?

Any other tips or advice or praise about this resort would be greatly appreciated. I'm so afraid my DH will be disappointed when we arrive.

One more thing, are the rooms smaller than BWV? It looked to me like the bathroom was a bit smaller from some photos I saw online.

Thanks and I look forward to your comments!

 

[new_yawka]

Since you posted this over 5 minutes ago and there are not yet any responses...that must conclusively prove, once and for all, that there is nothing about BCV better than BWV

(OK...SAB is Great, I'll give you that one! )

 

[beattyfamily]

Originally posted by new_yawka
Since you posted this over 5 minutes ago and there are not yet any responses...that must conclusively prove, once and for all, that there is nothing about BCV better than BWV

(OK...SAB is Great, I'll give you that one! )

Oh no, say it isn't so!

 

[zulaya]

Well, I haven't stayed at BWV before, so you may want to take my input with a grain of salt.

BCV is not as long as BWV. There are two sets of elevators - main ones are on the end nearest BC and other set is further down the hall near the entrance to the quiet pool.

Some 1 BR have a balcony off the living room and the master bedroom, I believe. Not sure on that one though.

If you have a car, you are so so close to the villas. You can park really close.

I personally love BCV's casual theme, SAB or course, plus the dining options we have. We are close to lake for watermice and have the same boating options to MGM. The walk to Epcot is a bit quicker.

If you don't want a handicapped room, mention in on the request. I always mention it. I guess you can be concerned if you want about getting first floor. There is a first floor. We have had first floor rooms and actually they were nice, as were the patios. Sure beat waiting for the elevator or trudging the stairs on those long days.

Pictures are deceiving. The rooms are the same size, just arranged a little differently from what I can see. The bathroom is something to get used to with the doors, but I wouldn't call it small.

Go to it with a good attitude and open mind and your DH should enjoy himself.

 

[Frozenfingers]

Haven't stayed at BWV either.. but I'll have to parrot Zulaya. Another point is the bus stopps at BCV before BWV. We have had the EPCOT view, can't say it is anything to rave about, but is kinda neat to see Spaceship Earth when drinking the morning coffee. Our favorite view is the pool view.

Next trip DW and I will have to explore BWV a bit.. see what these long hallways are all about!

 

[disfountainofyouth]

I love the fact that BCV is more relaxed and
quit than BWV. Previous post is corret about
location of parking to BCV.
SAB will be the highlight if you have kids.

 

[dizzneebabe]

Well, I haven't stayed in the villas, but I stayed at BWI and YC and I can tell you that my kids LOVED both pools. SAB is HUGE, to say the least. They thought that whirlpool (not a spa) was really neat.

One big plus is the bus service--YC, BC then BWI/BWV. We passed many a BW'ers because the busses were full. It made sense to me then, why it always seemed to take forever to get a bus over at BWI.

If you like to walk to Epcot--it's even a shorter walk (I think) from BC.

Hope that helps!

Rhonda

 

[Deb & Bill]

I added a long list of why BCV over BWV on your other thread on the Resorts Board. We own at BCV and prefer it over BWV. Quieter, more relaxing, not so much hustle and bustle at the BCV.

 

[Happy Birthday Cat]

We own at both the BCV and the BWV. We love them both and I have to disagree with those who believe that the BCV is a lot quieter than the BWV. It really depends on where you are. The area around the quiet pool and Community Hall at the BWV is as quiet and peaceful an area as you will find anywhere. People see the hustle and bustle of the Boardwalk area, but unless they are staying there don't ever see the quieter side of the BWV, where most of the rooms are located. To get to SAB is a hassle from the BCV. But if you are looking for quiet, SAB is one of the most busy areas of any hotel in WDW.

I do agree that the bus service and the parking is better at the BCV. The BWV's bus servcie is terrible and self parking is a lot easier at the BCV.

HBC

 

[OneMoreTry]

I don't own at either. I think they both have advantages. IMHO the BCV is prettier and the theme is more to my taste. There are fewer "outsiders"walking around.

If you want excitement take the "long" walk around the pretty lake to the Boardwalk. Then go back to your secluded home and relax.

 

[donmil723]

We have stayed at BWV and BCV but only in a studio. We really like BCV more but I'm not sure I can put into words why we like it better. I'll try though.

We like SAB much better than the Luna Park Pool. We are sun worshipers and seems like it is easier to find a spot that is sunny most of the day at SAB. Plus we like Beaches and Cream and Hurricane Hannah's much better than the pool bar at BWV. We like the meandering of SAB too and all the different options--slide, kid's area with sand, lazy river, whirlpool, and hot tubs.

We like the restaurants better at the Y& BC better than at the BW with the exception of the ESPN Club and BW Bakery. Yachtsmen Steakhouse is wonderful. We have seen kids there many times. It is nice having a character breakfast right there although we also like to eat at the Yacht Club Galley for breakfast. It's quieter and you get a 10% DVC discount.

I like the decor of the BCV rooms better than the BWV rooms although I liked the vanity with drawers better at BWV. At BWV, our studio didn't have a coffee table and I thought it looked like something was missing in our room.

At BCV, because there are two elevators, no room is too far away. And it is so much more convenient to get your car at BCV. At BWV, we always valet park, which means you have to tip and wait for them to bring it. At BCV, it is more convenient to park your car yourself.

The quiet pools are about the same at both resorts although the Community Hall at BWV is really nice. I do miss that when we stay at BCV although BCV does have the Drawing Room and Breezeway and Solarium which are very nice, relaxing rooms to sit and visit in.

The BCV are closer to Epcot than the BWV. The busses stop at BCV before BWV so when its busy it is easier to find a seat. I have also seen busses leave BCV and go directly to MK without stopping at BWV because they were already filled to capacity. On the other hand, returning from the parks, it is nice to get off at the Swan and walk to the BWV. It would be farther to walk to BCV if you did that.

At the BWV, we had a view of the Luna Park Pool which was nice but we've also enjoyed the woods/Illuminations view at BCV. We're really not that concerned about our view as we have a beautiful view every morning at our home overlooking the rolling hillsides of rural Missouri.

I feel the lobby is more inviting at BCV than BWV. It just seems more homey and relaxed.

I'm sorry this got so long. I was trying to be objective but I know that I am partial to BCV. We loved staying at the BC even before the BCV were built. Even though I like the BCV better, I'm glad we stayed at the BWV. I also hope to stay at VWL someday too. Good luck with your decision. I'm sure that whatever you decide you'll be happy because they are both great resorts.

Donna

 

[CarolynK]

We returned tonight from our second stay at BCV. We are members at BWV, but since there is no more pool hopping to SAB, we want to stay at BCV once in awhile.

We were in a one-bedroom, no balcony off the master (though when we stayed there last time, I think there was?!).

The room with the tub has a small vanity, with SMALL drawers. In general, there was less drawer space; no closet off the entrance; I put the kids' clothes in the drawers under the living room TV. It actually worked out fine.

The table off the kitchen is bigger at BCV, and the coffee table is on wheels, so it was easier to move every night!

Yachtsman Steakhouse is very kid-friendly (order the puzzle dessert for the kids).

We are going back to WDW in June, and staying at BCV. We like it for SAB and closeness to Epcot (it is closer than BWV). Each resort has its own charm, and I don't think you can go wrong either way.
Good luck deciding!

 

[BCV23]

The balconies vary. We just got back and our 1BR had a long balcony that ran the entire width of the living room and bedroom. We have also had a unit that had a smaller balconies off each room.

The resort is smaller than BWV so there are no really long walks. We've had rooms in a variety of spots now and have found each to be convenient to one elevator or the other. The elevators are fast, too.

The halls are wider, too, it seems to me although we've never stayed at BWV just walked through.

 

[Dano1182]

We are members at BWV stayed at BCV last year it is great.
The pool is far and away the best I've seen.
The one bad experience was the YACHTSMAN.
We had eaten there several times in the past and it was good.
Last year it was lower quality than in the past.
The food was not exceptional and I think our waiter was recruited out of High school.The price however remaimed Extremly high relative to quality.
Previously I rated the Yachtsman on par with some of New Yorks best steak houses.
We are going to Shulas this year

 

[niks81]

Also, are there any requests I should make besides non-smoking?

I usually do make additional requests, hoping that I can get them. I never expect them though...if I arrive and I get what I requested then I'm overjoyed When we stayed at BCV I requested high floor and Epcot view and got both...here is our view:

At night we could see the show too

I would like to be near the elevator...should I request that? Is this resort as long as BWV?

Sure, if you want to....request that. I didn't think the walks were long AT ALL at BCV compared to BWV!

Should I even bother with any other requests like pool view and do I have to be concerned about getting the first floor?

I hate the ground floor! So I always request high floor!!

Does the one-bedroom have only one balcony?

Balconies vary here. In our unit (2BR) we had three balconies, but they were three separate balconies and all were the enclosed kind, meaning we couldn't see each other between balconies!

One more thing, are the rooms smaller than BWV?

My personal opinion is yes....they feel smaller Sorry--probably not what you wanted to hear!!


As far as other tips go....try out Beaches and Cream!! YUM!!!

Now, I'm an advocate of BWV also I could go on and on about the place but I'll leave the comments to just one sentence: You can't beat the ambiance of this place. However I think BCV is a really close second. All DVC resorts are awesome for different reasons if you ask me. I do think your husband will really like BCV for different reasons than he likes BWV. BCV is a toned down version of BWV and more relaxing. You have the opportunity to view the Boardwalk on the beach at night when it is all lit up....it is beautiful. The YC/BC has wonderful places to eat. And last, but not least.....SAB is awesome. I usually don't swim in pools much, but I stayed in SAB for awhile....we LOVED IT!!!

Don't worry at all....BCV is wonderful!

 

[rocketriter]

We list our requests in the following order:

Non-Smoking
Non-Handicapped
Quiet Location
Upper Floor

We don't care that much about the view, since we're either in the parks, at the pool, or napping. But we do like peace and quiet.