The Good, The Bad & The Ugly - BW Grand Villa Edition

[rinkwide]

Notes, quotes and observations after a week in a Boardwalk 3 bedroom (they're only opinions but at least they're all mine).

The Good:

Grand Villa Square Footage - No matter what your wife tells you, size matters.
Boardwalk View - Overlooking the Boardwalk has it's advantages (ladies, you might want to rethink your choice of those low-cut tops).
New Beds - These things are super-comfortable. Hope BCV gets 'em soon.
Big Dining Table - Tons more space to spread out junk like cameras, room keys, wallets, Photo Passes, umbrellas, valet stubs, pocket change, mouse ears, etc.
Studios & Epcot Proximity - Hop, skip and a jump.
ECVs - If you're travelling with someone who is even slightly mobility challenged do not hesitate to rent one for the week (try Randy's Mobility).

The Bad:

Disjointed Layout - The unit felt sorta' like a 1 bedroom with a couple of lock-offs and a huge entry way.
Wood Flooring - Nice looking but cold, loud and dusty.
Over-sized Laundry Room - What a waste of space. Bring your own housekeeper and she could pretty much live in there.
Noise - With another GV above (wood flooring + kids) and the Boardwalk revelers below it was sometimes tough to fall asleep.
Carport - There are just too many people coming and going at this resort. As a result, the valets sometimes end up overwhelmed.
Hustle & Bustle - Some like it, I'll pass.
Feature Pool - It starts with the giant clown vomiting kids and just gets worse from there.
Musty Bathroom - Maintenance got it under control but the place still smelled like POTC all week.
ECVs - Turn a loved-one loose on an electric scooter and you'll understand why it's a love/hate relationship.

The Ugly:

Food & Wine Booth Lines - Don't you people know this is the off-season?
Rude DVC Booth CMs - Inquired about the AK villas and had one guy tell me not to believe everything I read on the internet. Sheesh.
GI Distress - When someone in your villa has it you'll wish you had opted for three, 1 bedrooms villas instead.
Centra Care Bill For Treatment Of GI Distress - Should've expected the worst when the sign out front said they took Visa, Mastercard and Disney Dollars.
Bus From Hell - On the way back from AK we stopped at Blizzard Beach, Swan, Dolphin, Yacht Club, Beach Club and the Gaylord Palms before we finally got to the Boardwalk (we really didn't stop at the Gaylord, I just enjoy typing that word).
ECVs - The size of the people wheeling these around the parks make you wonder if getting one makes you eat everything in sight.

Click here for a brief video tour of the unit: BWV Grand Villa

 

[Sammie]

Thanks for sharing and will say I agree with some of your observations. I am not brave enough to say which ones, I will leave the roasting for you.
For future reference there is a service that will come to your room if you need a doctor. The front desk should have the info. In fact there is an article about it in the NY Times today.

NY Times article


Happy Halloween

 

[greenban]

Ahh the wit and brillance of Rinkwide expanded to a MultiMedia format!

Wonderful and Amazing!

Thank you sir!

-Tony

 

[Granny]

Rink...great video tour, and the music sounded vaguely familiar!

Carport - There are just too many people coming and going at this resort. As a result, the valets sometimes end up overwhelmed.

See, there's this thing called popularity.

Seriously....nice report and video. And it's interesting that ECVs made it into all three of your categories!

 

[sajetto]

OMG, I love the video, its just like a kid to be playing video games when they're in the Happiest Flippin Place on Earth!

 

[RSoxFan]

We used CentraCare one year when one of us got sick. It was AWFUl! Never again.

The next year two of us got sick and we called DOCS (Doctors on Call Service). They come right to the room, treat you and send medicines to your door. They were fabulous!

 

[Slakk]

The Ugly:


Bus From Hell - On the way back from AK we stopped at Blizzard Beach, Swan, Dolphin, Yacht Club, Beach Club and the Gaylord Palms before we finally got to the Boardwalk (we really didn't stop at the Gaylord, I just enjoy typing that word).

Okay now THAT made me laugh!

 

[salmoneous]

Feature Pool - It starts with the giant clown vomiting kids and just gets worse from there.

POTD!!!

 

[Mtnman44]

quote: "ECVs - The size of the people wheeling these around the parks make you wonder if getting one makes you eat everything in sight."

ROTFLMAO!!

May I add my ECV complaint: Hey all you folks that either cannot walk, or otherwise choose not to: Just because you rented one of these to lug your can all over doesn't mean you have the right of way or the authority to force people to "part like the red sea" so you can cruise through. You are still the same as everyone else and it's up to you to politely find your way around among the crowds just like the rest of us. And it especially doesn't give you a cut to the front of the line pass. Some of you know what I'm talking about.


{Please note that my above critisims are NOT pointed to the elderly or truly hadicapped. I always try to make it easier for our distinguished senior citizens to get by when they are using an ECV or wheelchair.}

 

[loribell]

Bus From Hell - On the way back from AK we stopped at Blizzard Beach, Swan, Dolphin, Yacht Club, Beach Club and the Gaylord Palms before we finally got to the Boardwalk (we really didn't stop at the Gaylord, I just enjoy typing that word).

If only you knew the Gaylords!

By the way, great video! Loved the look of the Grand Villa.

Thanks,
Lori

 

[Boston5602]

Thanks for the video , wicked neat TR too

 

[knothead180]

Thanks for the great video! You must have shot it within moments of checking in or else your accommodations could not have looked so tidy. I would have needed to make my entire family wait in the hall with their suitcases in order to get those shots. It only takes them 2 minutes to trash the place

Regarding the bus trip from hell, we only endured that once. Now when we are on that route, we get off at the Swan, walk through the lobby and over the bridge to BWV. Considering how far the Boardwalk bus stop is from most of the villas, it's not much farther. You'll be back in your room at least 20 minutes sooner than if you had stayed on the bus.

 

[JandD Mom]

We used CentraCare one year when one of us got sick. It was AWFUl! Never again.

The next year two of us got sick and we called DOCS (Doctors on Call Service). They come right to the room, treat you and send medicines to your door. They were fabulous!

Thanks for the review. You got quite a few chuckles from me, especially about the clown slide.

As for urgent medical care, I will let you in on our secret. We travel with our own doctor. That's right, I offer my brother the doctor a room and he comes! He's on call 24/7 too, whether he likes it or not!

It proved especially helpful on our cruise last year when HE got a touch of a stomach bug and asked ME (the non-doctor) for compazine!

 

[Beca]

Thanks for the video...the laughs...and the peek at BC!! (Just had to throw that in, there!!).

Beca

 

[cobbler]

Feature Pool - It starts with the giant clown vomiting kids and just gets worse from there.

Funniest thing I have read in quite a while

 

[3DisneyKids]

Ah, WDW a la Rinkwide....nothing quite like it!

Thanks for several laughs!

Also, I hae been trying for ages to get good video software that will take the video off my digital video camera, get it onto my computer, and allow me to add music, etc. Can you PM me with the software you used for this? Thanks.

 

[PinkTink63]

Funniest thing I have read in quite a while

I love the keister coaster! Don't any of you adults go on it too?

 

[WDWorld2003]

Loved your review You remind me of Richyams

We've been to Centra Care, too! What a nightmare - never again! We waited for over 3 hours with several other sneezing, coughing, etc. people. It just seemed barbaric! I think we paid $36.00 for Amoxicillin and who knows what for the doctor! I am making a note of Doctors On Call. Doesn't Orlando have any quick care clinics at Target or their grocery stores because I am never sitting in that place again?

We've also been on the Bus from Hell..... We went from SSR to Beach Club and I think we stopped at every resort at Disney - it took us 1 1/2 hours! It's a cab next time!

I do hope you enjoyed your stay - we love a Boardwalk view!

 

[madcoco]

LMAO Excellent! Was just there over the weekend. Had a great time. Stayed in 3003 1BDR with a long walk down the lonely hallways next to the Attic with a long balcony and great view. Thanks again for the laughs.

IT?

The Shining Twins?

 

[jjohnson]

Bus From Hell - On the way back from AK we stopped at Blizzard Beach, Swan, Dolphin, Yacht Club, Beach Club and the Gaylord Palms before we finally got to the Boardwalk (we really didn't stop at the Gaylord, I just enjoy typing that word).


What no tour of CSR? I guess I'm just lucky