Tips for Stays at BW?

[nukker7]

Hey All,

I have just became a DVC member and have booked our first reservation. We are going in October for the Halloween Party. We did book a premier view room. I was wondering, in you guys opinion, what would be the best view to ask for. Also, is there any other tips you guys can think of.

Thanks

 

[Ms.Minnie]

If you're staying at BW you want to ask for a BW view for the best views. If you just ask for a "premier" view you may get a pool/tree top view, not the best view...

Enjoy your stay at BW. That is my home resort, my husband & I love it there.

 

[DebbieB]

Boardwalk has 3 views:

Standard - most face the front driveway or parking lot
Preferred pool/garden - face both pools or Swan/Dolphin. Some studios have a partial boardwalk view (Village Green)
Boardwalk - face the boardwalk

 

[Metsoskil]

Best non-BW preferred view in my opinion is facing the main pool. It's near the elevators (which is important @ the BW) and gives a nice view of the pool. When my younger son was napping, it was nice for one of us to be able to be on the balcony watching DD in the pool.

I'd request to be near the elevators. There could be some REALLY long walks for you if you aren't.

 

[nukker7]

If you're staying at BW you want to ask for a BW view for the best views. If you just ask for a "premier" view you may get a pool/tree top view, not the best view...

Enjoy your stay at BW. That is my home resort, my husband & I love it there.

Thank you all for your replies. I really want to make a great impression on my family as we have been contemplating this for quite some time now.

Okay, so, do I request this when the time comes on my online check in or should I call MS back and request this now?

 

[sanbornangel]

Just a thought..... we have stayed in different locations. The garden view was lovely...we had a view of the river and of the dolphin resort. However we stayed in a standard view (much cheaper points) and the view was of the front of the resort, and a lake and fountain. It was actually very nice and a shorter walk.

 

[nukker7]

Just a thought..... we have stayed in different locations. The garden view was lovely...we had a view of the river and of the dolphin resort. However we stayed in a standard view (much cheaper points) and the view was of the front of the resort, and a lake and fountain. It was actually very nice and a shorter walk.

Thanks for the tip. I will surely check out the scene when we get there. I was not really sure when we made the reservations. So, I dont really know if I need to call MS back. I just ask for the premier and they stated that it would be a pool or boardwalk view. I am assuming that I will call closer to that time or I will specify that we want a boardwalk view when I check in online?

Thanks to all of you for your help!

 

[Tink-aholic]

No...each view is a different amount of points. Check out what view you are booked for on dvcmember.com and call MS if that is not the view you wanted. Keep in mind that if you are booked for a more expensive view and you switch to a cheaper view, the difference in points can go into holding (if you are within 30 days of your arrival date). Holding points cannot be banked and will be lost at the end of your use year if you don't use them.

Good luck!

 

[LisaS]

Thanks for the tip. I will surely check out the scene when we get there. I was not really sure when we made the reservations. So, I dont really know if I need to call MS back. I just ask for the premier and they stated that it would be a pool or boardwalk view. I am assuming that I will call closer to that time or I will specify that we want a boardwalk view when I check in online?

Thanks to all of you for your help!

DebbieB listed the booking categories in her reply. There is no such thing as a "premier" view so I suspect you have a "preferred pool/garden" view. Boardwalk View is a booking category, not a request. If that is what you want, then you must ask for it specifically when you book: BWV, Boardwalk View. It would be nearly impossible to get it this close to your travel dates however, especially during October due to the Food & Wine Festival.

About 20% of the rooms at BWV are Boardwalk View, about 20% are Standard View and the rest are Preferred Pool/Garden View. That last category is typically all that is left after owners book for busy periods like October since most owners either want a view of the boardwalk or the cheaper Standard View rooms to conserve points.

But there are many good views from the Preferred Pool/Garden rooms as well: the pool, the canal, etc. Any requests you may have should be given to MS when you book so you should call back and add them to your reservation. You do not have a chance to add requests during online check in and if you wait until you arrive at the resort it is too late since BWV pre-assigns rooms days in advance.

 

[mom3sonstt]

We have only stayed there once (going back in Nov) and had a Preferred view room. If you are on the Boardwalk looking at the big porch area in the center of the resort our room was to the right overlooking that courtyard area. We were about one room away from being over the art gallery. That said, we had a nice view of the lake, could see some of what was going on on the boardwalk and could see some of the fireworks. In November we are booked for the same category (a 1BR instead of a studio) I hope we have as nice a view this time.

 

[DebbieB]

We have only stayed there once (going back in Nov) and had a Preferred view room. If you are on the Boardwalk looking at the big porch area in the center of the resort our room was to the right overlooking that courtyard area. We were about one room away from being over the art gallery. That said, we had a nice view of the lake, could see some of what was going on on the boardwalk and could see some of the fireworks. In November we are booked for the same category (a 1BR instead of a studio) I hope we have as nice a view this time.

That area is called the Village Green. There are many preferred pool/garden rooms in this area, but they are all studios. There are 1 bedrooms on the corner, but they are classified as boardwalk view.

 

[nukker7]

No...each view is a different amount of points. Check out what view you are booked for on dvcmember.com and call MS if that is not the view you wanted. Keep in mind that if you are booked for a more expensive view and you switch to a cheaper view, the difference in points can go into holding (if you are within 30 days of your arrival date). Holding points cannot be banked and will be lost at the end of your use year if you don't use them.

Good luck!

There is no difference in points between a pool/garden view and boardwalk view is there? I was under the impression that both of these views were preferred view rooms.

 

[DebbieB]

There is no difference in points between a pool/garden view and boardwalk view is there? I was under the impression that both of these views were preferred view rooms.

They are the same amount of points. It used to be one category, just called preferred view. Because the boardwalk view was much more requested than the pool/garden, about 6 or 7 years ago, they split them into reserved categories so you would know what you were getting when you booked. This also gives the members who own at BWV the first rights to the boardwalk views (by booking at 11 months). I used to book standard view because I would rather save the points than gamble if I was going to get pool view or boardwalk view. Once boardwalk view became a reserved category, I have always booked it, can't give it up! I went from a points banker to a points borrower!

 

[LisaS]

There is no difference in points between a pool/garden view and boardwalk view is there? I was under the impression that both of these views were preferred view rooms.

There is no difference in points but they are different booking categories with different views.

In the beginning there were two booking categories: Standard View (20% of the rooms) and Preferred View (80% of the rooms). There were lots of issues at check-in due to some guests wanting (demanding?) Boardwalk View rooms but unfortunately only 1/4 of the Preferred View rooms faced the boardwalk. So they split the Preferred View category into two booking categories: 1) Preferred View - Guaranteed Boardwalk View and 2) Preferred View - Pool/Garden View so that guests would know when they booked whether or not they would have a view of the boardwalk. They didn't change the points required for these rooms however so a Pool/Garden View room costs the same as a Guaranteed Boardwalk View room even though the Boardwalk View rooms are considered more desirable.

 

[Ms.Minnie]

If you want a BW view you need to call back & add that to your request, at this point there is no guarantee that you will get that view. Sorry you didn't understand that at the time you made your request. Who knows, you may get lucky! Think positive thoughts!

 

[nukker7]

They are the same amount of points. It used to be one category, just called preferred view. Because the boardwalk view was much more requested than the pool/garden, about 6 or 7 years ago, they split them into reserved categories so you would know what you were getting when you booked. This also gives the members who own at BWV the first rights to the boardwalk views (by booking at 11 months). I used to book standard view because I would rather save the points than gamble if I was going to get pool view or boardwalk view. Once boardwalk view became a reserved category, I have always booked it, can't give it up! I went from a points banker to a points borrower!

There is no difference in points but they are different booking categories with different views.

In the beginning there were two booking categories: Standard View (20% of the rooms) and Preferred View (80% of the rooms). There were lots of issues at check-in due to some guests wanting (demanding?) Boardwalk View rooms but unfortunately only 1/4 of the Preferred View rooms faced the boardwalk. So they split the Preferred View category into two booking categories: 1) Preferred View - Guaranteed Boardwalk View and 2) Preferred View - Pool/Garden View so that guests would know when they booked whether or not they would have a view of the boardwalk. They didn't change the points required for these rooms however so a Pool/Garden View room costs the same as a Guaranteed Boardwalk View room even though the Boardwalk View rooms are considered more desirable.

I did call MS and of course BW views are booked but hey, I am sure that the pool/garden views are not so bad. Strongly thinking about changing to standard view and saving a couple points. I did go ahead and get on the waitlist for BW view as well. I guess we will see.....

 

[LisaS]

I did call MS and of course BW views are booked but hey, I am sure that the pool/garden views are not so bad. Strongly thinking about changing to standard view and saving a couple points. I did go ahead and get on the waitlist for BW view as well. I guess we will see.....

Both Boardwalk and Standard views book up very early for October because of the Food & Wine Festival. It is difficult to get either of those booking categories for that time of year unless you own there and book 11 months from check in. While there may be a last-minute cancellation for one of those booking categories, there are probably others ahead of you on the wait list. You were pretty lucky to get any room at all at BWV for October when booking this late so just enjoy the fact that you managed to get a room at a great location for F&W. I hope you have a great trip!

 

[nukker7]

Both Boardwalk and Standard views book up very early for October because of the Food & Wine Festival. It is difficult to get either of those booking categories for that time of year unless you own there and book 11 months from check in. While there may be a last-minute cancellation for one of those booking categories, there are probably others ahead of you on the wait list. You were pretty lucky to get any room at all at BWV for October when booking this late so just enjoy the fact that you managed to get a room at a great location for F&W. I hope you have a great trip!

The only reason I did get it this late is because I just bought points this week. I bet though, if you were to drop another 5k into points you would have the same luck I would. I think its a purdy good amount of money. They did warn that this was not ordinary. I was told that Bill and his coworkers had alot of "pull" because of the buy-in. He said he could get me anywhere we wanted anytime within a few weeks out. He did too. I had 2 specific choices at two different resorts and he stated he could get both of them.