The I Love BWV (yes, Hallways and Clown Pool too!) Thread

[Judique]

LOL, watching TV and posting on DISboards simultaneously isn’t optimal for me! But I hope that when 2042 rolls around, DVD will make the kind of structural changes that are needed to create dedicated 2BR at BWV when they’re building out BWV v.2 to 2040s standards.

That's me, watching tv, reading and posting. Retired life is great!

 

[Judique]

It’s why one my DVC rules is to never buy in with the expectation that you will be able to book the limited number of low cost view rooms at a particular resort. Always assume one level higher.

Guess I'm more of a gambler! (Well, it was much different when I bought!) But I'm not put off by a little competition for my nights (yet) and will work to get what I want.

Some of the problem is ourselves - telling everybody what a great deal it is, how convenient it is and that they should try it.

From now on I'm telling people steer clear! There are geckos on the curtains (Had one in a room one time.)

Snakes and alligators may crawl out of the Lake (Disney has the signs up.)

Ducks will wander into your room if you leave the patio door open. (Oh wait that was at Polynesian!)

Epcot and DHS fireworks will keep you awake in the cheap rooms. (I was in a BW view when they tested the newest Epcot show right before it went live - for about an hour at 1am.) I stood on my balcony and took great pictures.

You'll pick a great location, get there and a tree grew covering the entire view.

Feel free to add your negative experiences and spread them around.

 

[VGCgroupie]

Guess I'm more of a gambler! (Well, it was much different when I bought!) But I'm not put off by a little competition for my nights (yet) and will work to get what I want.

Some of the problem is ourselves - telling everybody what a great deal it is, how convenient it is and that they should try it.

From now on I'm telling people steer clear! There are geckos on the curtains (Had one in a room one time.)

Snakes and alligators may crawl out of the Lake (Disney has the signs up.)

Ducks will wander into your room if you leave the patio door open. (Oh wait that was at Polynesian!)

Epcot and DHS fireworks will keep you awake in the cheap rooms. (I was in a BW view when they tested the newest Epcot show right before it went live - for about an hour at 1am.) I stood on my balcony and took great pictures.

You'll pick a great location, get there and a tree grew covering the entire view.

Feel free to add your negative experiences and spread them around.

The artwork in the rooms is terrible too! Ive heard the chairs are lovely though. Both in the lobby and the balcony. Not spooky or uncomfy.

 

[Judique]

eah that was the upside to buying BC instead but I wanted BW, BC wasn’t worth the 2042 expiry to me.

I use my BCV to beef up my BW stays.

As of now there is no hope for him with AKV even when he saw the fabulous refurb pics.

I haven't seen the refurb yet and I loved AKL when first built.

However the rooms themselves lost appeal to me, both regular rooms and DVC villas, so I hope the refurb brightens it up just a touch.

It didn't stop me from staying there and I especially like to snag the odd CL room. The best deal was when it first opened and you could add CL to a regular room sometimes as low as $129 plus $50 for the lounge access. I was already assigned on the 5th floor a few times and they just moved me closer to the lobby with a savannah view to go with it. We would come up through the gate on the back side.

 

[Wedgeout]

“Paul” is my ‘spirit chair’… Be sure to say hello to Paul. (Give a peek to their back side).

 

[VGCgroupie]

“Paul” is my ‘spirit chair’… Be sure to say hello to Paul. (Give a peek to their back side).

Just a hair over 30 days and I can say hello to Paul, may even take a photo for you.

 

[AstroBlasters]

"Expectation is surely the greatest misery, and the giving up of all expectations is the greatest bliss."

 

[LoveToDisney]

I'd bet a large sum of money they tear it down and put up a tower.

I totally agree. They will construct a brand new huge resort to sell at a premium price with a premium point chart along with a much better Boardwalk area.

 

[VGCgroupie]

Tried again this morning at booking opening. Went to bed at 2am and the room was available. Checked 5 min before 8am and it was gone. I will just keep my opinions on that to myself.

Upside. Have 3 of 5 days so there is hope for getting the last 2. If not, decided I will shoot for RIV at 7 months and buy some OTUP.

 

[Judique]

Tried again this morning at booking opening. Went to bed at 2am and the room was available. Checked 5 min before 8am and it was gone. I will just keep my opinions on that to myself.

Upside. Have 3 of 5 days so there is hope for getting the last 2. If not, decided I will shoot for RIV at 7 months and buy some OTUP.

I have to get around to buying my one time use points for 2026's MMB. Won't need them until almost the year's end. Don't 'really' need them but they are a better alternative to buying another contract!

 

[VGCgroupie]

I have to get around to buying my one time use points for 2026's MMB. Won't need them until almost the year's end. Don't 'really' need them but they are a better alternative to buying another contract!

I am loving the bogo OTUP. I have 2 MMB's. Maybe buying another contract is worth a 3rd? Joking.. mostly.

 

[Judique]

I am loving the bogo OTUP. I have 2 MMB's. Maybe buying another contract is worth a 3rd? Joking.. mostly.

I just went ahead and bought. This time they gave me SSR points. A 3 night reservation was made that I intend to cancel and rebook when there is something I actually want to do with them.

My next 'job' is to go through all my reservations and see which points I used to book what, ie what year. I was using banked, current and borrowed points. Then I can rebook some stuff by canceling. Have to have availability to make that work so won't be messing with BWV, obviously.

However, there are points I want used and points I can safely bank. Need to use all BCV as banked ones would be orphans for a year.

 

[Judique]

Tried again this morning at booking opening. Went to bed at 2am and the room was available. Checked 5 min before 8am and it was gone. I will just keep my opinions on that to myself.

Upside. Have 3 of 5 days so there is hope for getting the last 2. If not, decided I will shoot for RIV at 7 months and buy some OTUP.

If I'm guessing correctly on the days you have and the days you want (no need to put it in print) I'm pretty sure you will get them. You may not get them immediately like this week, but people are doing a lot of shuffling and they will come back soon.

There is only one night in December that I still have a problem with and I'm not concerned about it. It will come in some form. I have the waitlist open and ready to be filled, but I also check when I'm online anyway just in case.

For Dec I started with a couple of nights and I'm up to 6 with the 7th still eluding me, not in that order, but I'm in the same resort at least.

 

[Add-On-Itis]

We have 16yrs left, they are not doing anything for owners. Take a look at the Boardwalk itself!! Sorry it's just so disappointing to me after all these years how awful it is.

It's sad that they just don't maintain the property like it's their own. I understand they already got the owner's money.

 

[Judique]

Looking at First week of December 2026 on the Disney site, they have all 3 BWV studio views. Resort and Garden are the same price. Boardwalk View is almost $200 higher, and slightly higher than a BW Inn water view. I thought about grabbing my night for cash using a 10% off gift card and member price for a hot second, but considering all my past stays I have plenty of other options some free and some so much cheaper it seems idiotic for 'me' (going as a single) to pay that price. Now. if I had a load of family, it would be so different. Convenience usually wins over price then.

 

[VGCgroupie]

If I'm guessing correctly on the days you have and the days you want (no need to put it in print) I'm pretty sure you will get them. You may not get them immediately like this week, but people are doing a lot of shuffling and they will come back soon.

There is only one night in December that I still have a problem with and I'm not concerned about it. It will come in some form. I have the waitlist open and ready to be filled, but I also check when I'm online anyway just in case.

For Dec I started with a couple of nights and I'm up to 6 with the 7th still eluding me, not in that order, but I'm in the same resort at least.

Gives me hope! I think I will prevail!

 

[crazywig]

Looking at First week of December 2026 on the Disney site, they have all 3 BWV studio views. Resort and Garden are the same price. Boardwalk View is almost $200 higher, and slightly higher than a BW Inn water view. I thought about grabbing my night for cash using a 10% off gift card and member price for a hot second, but considering all my past stays I have plenty of other options some free and some so much cheaper it seems idiotic for 'me' (going as a single) to pay that price. Now. if I had a load of family, it would be so different. Convenience usually wins over price then.

Bw view never used to be available for cash . It was always just for owners, I searched and people have been reporting that the last few years it started popping up.

 

[Judique]

It's sad that they just don't maintain the property like it's their own. I understand they already got the owner's money.

I don't think it's sad. I think it's a reasonable balance of using our dues money to do maintenance on the rooms and the overall building structure, parking and grounds.

If you are talking about the boardwalk itself, that's different.

Yes, we would love Disney to utilize all the options, such as Big River Grill's former site and the piano bar site to provide more entertainment and dining, but that has to compete with a lot of options around the lake, plus all the entertainment in Epcot and DHS.

I never get bored at Boardwalk nor do I go hungry. I don't really miss the BRG concept or the Piano bar. They weren't even once a year options for my family even with 2 or 3 trips. Yes, we used them occasionally.

Keeping up the property is also the owner's responsibility. How many people have checked in and had to call maintenance? Or didn't bother, stayed a few days and didn't report damage or something not working or missing? There are things we should do. Such as if the sofa is spilled on and it's the first thing you see on arrival, call and report it. I rarely find anything, but on one occasion I had to call on 3 problems and 1 not a problem just me. They came, they fixed, they left.

And if you want high end, you didn't buy it anywhere at Disney. It's mostly a comfortable place with a few flourishes. Not a luxury property, no not even GF or Riv. The 4 seasons is not far at about 9k a night.

 

[Add-On-Itis]

Yes, we would love Disney to utilize all the options, such as Big River Grill's former site and the piano bar site to provide more entertainment and dining, but that has to compete with a lot of options around the lake, plus all the entertainment in Epcot and DHS.

Just have less unused space.

Add a Quick Service somewhere

 

[Judique]

Bw view never used to be available for cash . It was always just for owners, I searched and people have been reporting that the last few years it started popping up.

People trade their points and make it available.

Maybe somebody will check their original contract and see if that is in there. (I'd have to find my reading glasses for that fine print!)

I remember some form of that from the early days but not sure if it's written in stone. I don't think so. @drusba or @CarolynFH might have better memories.