Trip Report: Starting at BWV and then to SSR

[rutgers1]

Well, I should begin by stating that you won't be able to see any photos until I get home, as I forgot my card reader. However, I will try to touch base a few times and let you know how things are going.

Today marked our first trip as Disney Vacation Club members. After we took our fourth trip in a 10 year marriage, we realized that Disney was the place for us and that buying into DVC made sense. So, here we are!

Initial Impressions of the Boardwalk
1) I love the overall look and theme of this place.
2) The room is smaller than I had anticipated. I didn't really look into DVC much before buying, but I thought that the studio would be bigger. Even the television is tiny. My wife loves the kitchen area and she says that it makes up for the minor size complaints that I have.
3) Our room faces the main entrance, which probably would annoy most people here. However, I like it. We can scoot out and hit the bus stop rather quickly. Also, we are near the fitness center and the pool. The rooms overlooking the boardwalk look more majestic, but I am happy here.
4) The room is clean. I had read some negative reports here about room quality at the Boardwalk, but this one is fine. I don't get the sense that it was one of the recently renovated ones, but I also don't get the sense that it really needs a renovation.
5) The boat ride to Epcot was super fast, and it felt like we had our own private entrance. Is the World Showcase entrance always so nice and empty?
6) We walked back from Epcot and it was unbelievably fast. Incredible! If any of you love Epcot, this is the place to stay!!!!!!!!!
7) The fitness center is very nice. I used the treadmill and stationary bicycle this evening. I saw the massage room, which looked a bit like a closet, connected to the fitness center. I think I would prefer to get a massage at SSR.
8) The kids and I loved the slide at the pool. I wasn't blown away by the pool area, but I wasn't turned off by it either. Overall, it was nice, and we give the slide a big thumbs up do to the velocity we were able to reach as we zipped down it. I anticipated the flow of water being slow, but that wasn't the case at all. I could barely see as I was zipping down the slide.

Other early thoughts
1) This is our first time with the TIW card. Our first sit down meal was the Biergarten, which is one of those meals that doesn't work out well for TIW card holders. I actually think we would have been better off with the dining plan today. However, as my wife said, we won't be going to places as expensive as Biergarten every day, so the TIW card should pay off in the end.
2) It was also our first time with annual passes. My wife bought them online, received a voucher in the mail, and we exchanged them for cards at the entrance to Epcot. I expected plastic cards as opposed to paper tickets, but it wasn't that big of a deal. With two trips planned in one year's time, they will definitely pay off. The process for redeeming the vouchers was simple.
3) The walkways at Epcot need a major power washing. I saw more wear and tear around Epcot today than I saw in previous trips. Nothing major, but enough to warrant a mention here. Yet, on the other hand, I saw a TON of beautiful things there, especially the landscaping. I just think that they should clean the walkways and pay a bit more attention to things such as chipped paint.
4) I hadn't been in SpaceShip Earth for a while. I like the ending part where you get your photo taken and it appears on the computer screen inside of your little car. My only complaint was that they need to create a little animatronic "scene" for the internet. The last scene focuses on the creation of the personal computer.
5) Fast Track never gets old for me. In fact, I like it more now than I did when it first came out.
6) I went on Mission Space for the first time. Last time we came to Disney, I had to watch my younger son, so I didn't get to experience it. We went on the wimpier version, but it was still fun. I was surprised to see that the line wasn't that long.
7) We had a GREAT meal at the Biergarten. I was bummed to see that my favorite German performer, Nills (spelling???) wasn't there tonight. He had been there every time we had gone, dating back to our honeymoon. His replacement was very good, and we were told that he still works there but was off for the evening.
8) Today was my older son's 10th birthday. He was treated like a king by everyone, even getting a shout out at the Biergarten. Since we already had annual passes, he didn't take advantage of the "go to Disney for free on your birthday" offer. However, they offered him a $79 gift card (the value of a park ticket), which I thought was super duper generous. The options were the gift card or 6 fast passes for every member of your family. He jumped on the money, lol.

Well, that's my first update. Considering we only got here around 2PM, I think it was pretty long, lol.

 

[MissMet]

I did a split stay that started at BWV & ended at SSR. We moved to SSR & then the next day we went back to BWV begging to let us have our room back.


Needles to say I LOVE BWV & leaving it was very hard for me. Hopefully you will enjoy both resorts equally.

 

[rutgers1]

I sure hope we don't end up doing the same thing. I don't think so, though, as SSR is our home resort so I'll have some incentive to like it, if only to justify the expense. Also, we'll be moving up from a BWV studio to an SSR 1BR. But I have to admit that I liked walking home from Epcot more than I had anticipated.

 

[Corinne]

5) The boat ride to Epcot was super fast, and it felt like we had our own private entrance. Is the World Showcase entrance always so nice and empty?
6) We walked back from Epcot and it was unbelievably fast. Incredible! If any of you love Epcot, this is the place to stay!!!!!!!!!

Yes, the International Gateway is usually quiet, but shhhhh! DO not tell the world!!!

As you have learned by now, walking to/from Epcot is MUCH quicker than the boat! Enjoy your first stay as DVC members! How wonderful is it knowing you will be back!

 

[PKWallaby]

I sure hope we don't end up doing the same thing. I don't think so, though, as SSR is our home resort so I'll have some incentive to like it, if only to justify the expense. Also, we'll be moving up from a BWV studio to an SSR 1BR. But I have to admit that I liked walking home from Epcot more than I had anticipated.

Excellent planning...you will greatly appreciate the change in room size moving from a studio to a one bedroom. I made the mistake of doing the reverse last visit (sillly me, saving those points on a weekend!) and my family was ready to kill me. We were way too spoiled with the space of a one bed, and had accumulated way too much stuff to enjoy the studio as well (even if it was BW view!) Oh well, live and learn.

Glad to hear you are having fun...enjoy every second!!! (and please keep posting updates so I can live vicariously)

 

[rutgers1]

Here are my day two thoughts:

Thoughts about the BWV
1) I know I mentioned it yesterday, but we love the location of this resort. If I recall, yesterday's post mentioned how great the location was in terms of its proximity to Epcot. However, after walking to the Swan/Dolphin and then over to Fantasia Gardens (mini golf) today, I have to add that I love the whole community of resorts that are right here. It would be cool if pool hopping was allowed. The pool at the Swan or Dolphin (I forget) looked great.
2) My wife found a few flaws in the rooms, such as the cabinets not opening and closing properly. However, on the whole, we are totally fine with it.
3) I can't wait to experience more of the actual Boardwalk. Aside from visiting the bakery and the general store, we haven't really explored all that much. It looks like it is a smaller, nicer and more controlled version of Downtown Disney.
4) I was confused when I found out that our refillable mugs cannot actually be refilled. When we went to the Bakery to get our refill, she once again handed us paper cups of soda. For sanitary reasons, she said she couldn't fill them. So, from what I understand, I have to carry all four of our plastic cups to the bakery every time I want a refill, and then walk back to my family with four plastic cups AND four paper cups. Ugh!
5) I once again had a nice visit to the fitness center this evening.
6) The layout of this place still confuses me. I have to check out the map again. When I am just cruising around, I can never figure out the relationship between the boardwalk, the pool, and the bus stop. I always have to walk around a bit to get my bearings. My wife, however, is like a human GPS and can find her way from anywhere....Speaking of navigation, thank goodness the halls are color coded.

We visited Magic Kingdom today...

Thoughts about Magic Kingdom
1) Today was our first time going on the jungle cruise at night. It is about 1,000,000 times better at night. Ever since I was a kid, I have pretty much avoided that ride, as I always thought it was cheesey and fake looking. At night, the cheesiness is not as visible/apparent. Plus, we had a hilarious guide. After 25 years of not liking this ride, it has vaulted up towards the top.
2) As always, I loved Pirates.
3) I am not sure how I made it this long without going on Carrousell of Progress, but this was my first time. Not bad. Not GREAT, but not bad. It was a nice break from the heat.
4) Although we usually use parades and fireworks as our "quickly ride as many rides as you can" time, we actually watched a bit of them today. It made me appreciate Disney even more.....We are taking the Wishes cruise tomorrow, which should be fun.
5) I absolutely LOVE visiting Disney with my kids, but I can't wait until they are a bit older and can run off on their own a bit. There are so many things that I would love to check out with my wife. We don't get a chance to appreciate many of the stores and other smaller attractions when we are with the kids. I wouldn't trade that for time with the kids right now, but it will be neat to experience those things in a few years when the kids run off on their own.
6) Speaking of stores, I haven't seen much of a problem that many people on this site complain about. I have read many complaints focusing on what is sold in the various gift shops. People say that each shop sells the same stuff. I haven't found that to be the case. Rather, I have been in a bunch of shops that carry Disney stuff that fits a particular theme. Yes, there are certain items that appear in many different shops, but from my experience, Disney tries to vary what they sell in most of the shops.

Side thought..........What is up with the shop in Germany selling Smurf collectibles? They have nothing to do with Germany.

 

[rutgers1]

Here is my Day 3 update:

Latest thoughts about the Boardwalk:
1) Did I mention previously that this place rocks?
2) I jogged the loop around the lake (Is it a lake??) tonight. I passed the Yacht Club, Beach Club, etc. and back down to the Boardwalk. It was a beautiful run. It was late, my family and just about everyone else here was asleep, and I really had a chance to be reflective on my day and truly appreciate my surroundings.
3) We didn't quite enjoy the food at the hot dog stand by the Boardwalk this afternoon (stale nachos, ok hot dogs), but we loved the whole experience of getting food out there and enjoying it by the water.

Other ramblings............
We started off our day at DHS. We ate lunch at the Sci Fi Cafe. I had read a lot of bad reviews previously, but I thought the whole idea of it was too cool to pass up. When I first entered, I said to my wife, "How could anyone not like THIS?" Well, about 20 minutes later, I realized that it wasn't that great. Our food took forever to arrive. Yet more disappointing was the fact that the whole place seemed dead. People tended to stare blankly at the movie screen, yet the content on the movie screen wasn't very entertaining, especially when it was looping through the second time. I am not sure what the solution is, but either they have to have something exciting enough to warrant everyone's attention, or they have to minimize the spectacle of the big screen and make it more "busy" in there and conducive to just chatting it up with your family.

We went on the Great Movie Ride for the first time. Actually, half of the family had been on it beforehand, but it was new to me. I loved it!

The best part of our trip to DHS was when we took part in the animation class. I had read about it in one of the Disboard's "best kept secrets" threads. It was so great that we did it twice. I definitely recommend it! And the best part is that it is free!!!!!!!!!

Last but not least was the absolute best part of the day. We split a Wishes cruise with someone we met here on the Disboards, ccoymsrd and her family. They were a GREAT family, and the cruise was well worth the money. We had a ton of fun. Ccoymsrd, if you are reading this, thank you for answering our call for another family to split the cruise! We had a wonderful time!

If you are reading this and wondering if the $250 for a Wishes cruise is worth it, I say yes, especially if you can split it with another family. And if you get as lucky as we did and find a group as great as Ccoymsrd's family, then it is particularly worth it.

 

[Hunclemarco]

I love your report! Glad you're having a great time. What was the animation attraction you mentioned? That sounds interesting. Has the weather been bearable? We'll be arriving one week from today. Looking forward to seeing your pictures. Looking forward to reading more

 

[rutgers1]

The tour attraction, which begins with a movie and then continues with a self guided tour is called The Magic of Disney Animation. When they let you out of the movie, many people just disperse and never see the Animation Academy. If you aren't looking for it, you'll miss it, so look for the signs. At most, you'll have to wait 20-30 minutes if a group just entered the classroom, but it is worth the wait. I can't draw to save my life, yet I drew a pretty good Pluto and Mini Mouse. My younger son (age 8) absolutely loved it. I consider it one of Disney's best kept secrets not only because most people walk right past it, but also because it is the type of thing that Disney usually charges for.

 

[Cajun28]

Thanks, Rutgers1

Great reports, keep them coming.

You're getting me pumped up for our trip in November.

 

[rutgers1]

Mid day report on day 4:

My wife took the kids to Epcot today and left me alone at the resort. I hung around the pool a bit and had two beers. I know people say that the Beach Club pool is better than Boardwalk pook, and perhaps it is, but this pool is great to me. After I finished my beers, I read for a while and then capped off the time period with a few laps in the pool.

Not to Self: When we come back to Disney in February, we should bring our own beer. The beer is expensive down here! Considering our next trip is with friends, and considering they'll be driving down, I am definitely going to ask them to load up their vehicle with drinks beforehand.

 

[Bob Price]

I love this thread and your insight. My kid and owning DVC really changed my outlook on Disney (and life) as well. Take a walk over the Beaches and Cream.

 

[rutgers1]

I didn't post yesterday, but am back with a few thoughts.

<b>Latest thoughts:</b>
1) Getting to a water park at rope drop is the best. We went to Blizzard Beach yesterday and did everything that we wanted to do before the crowds came. Then we floated around in the lazy river and wave pool for a while, had lunch, and left.

2) The beer at the Big River Brew Works (I think that is what it is called) at BWV is excellent. I would say that it is worth the trip over there, whether you stay there or not. Pick a cool night and enjoy an outdoor meal overlooking the water/boardwalk.

3) I am not sure if anything beats either a jog or family walk around the water at the Epcot resorts (BWV, BCV, etc.).

4) I really don't like the rules regarding pool hopping. I think it should be allowed at all DVC resorts or none. For some reason, it bothered me last night as I saw all of the BCV people walking over to the Boardwalk yet we couldn't hang out at their pool. I just think that DVC should be consistent, not having a different policy for each resort.

5) I thought I had a GREAT idea today. As my family got ready for the parks, I ran over to DHS with all of our tickets and tried to get a fast pass for Toy Story Mania. Well, it wouldn't let me get fast passes for people who were not in the park. I thought that might happen, but I was really hoping it wouldn't. It was super hot, super humid, and I came back to the room soaked in sweat without much to show for it. I was able to get a couple, though, so at least my sons will be able to go.

6) After several days of rejoicing that our 2 week trip would enable us to relax around the resort more, my wife got bummed this morning saying that we are relaxing too much and not doing/seeing enough. I guess that signals an end to my relaxing, lol.

7) I must have hit my head on the hanging lamp that hangs over the little table in our studio about 20 times before my wife had the incredible idea to pull the table out a bit. Problem solved! I could have been on America's Funniest Home Videos if someone taped me hitting myself time after time after time.

Well, the family wants to go out to the pool. Gotta run!

 

[Hunclemarco]

I agree with you on the pool hopping situation. Sorry you couldn't get all of your fastpasses at HS. Hope you continue to be able to relax and "see more of the parks".

 

[BEASLYBOO]

Like you, the Boardwalk grew on me. I love to walk all the way around. It's wonderful to have access to all of those restaurants like Shula's & Todd English Blue Zoo without having to take a bus or car, you can just take the boat or walk.

Every morning I'd go for a walk and let every one else sleep and then head off to the bakery for fresh croissants to bring back.

and yes, I agree the beer at Big River was really good and the steak wasn't 1/2 bad either!

I'm enjoying your trip report, we were there this Jun but I'm already looking forward to October!

 

[rutgers1]

Back for more......This is our last night at BWV. We'll be switching over to SSR in the morning.

A few thoughts, observations, etc...
1) We went to Whispering Canyon at the Wilderness Lodge last night for dinner. My younger son didn't feel well, so the meal didn't go as well as we hoped. But still, it is a nice place with good food and an overall good vibe.
2) I know that I am in the minority here, but I am not a huge fan of the Wilderness Lodge. I always feel claustrophobic there, not quite being able to escape the hustle and bustle of the lobby. I am more of a fan of hotels that are spread out, with places to walk and explore, and the ability to bypass the lobby area altogether. I also think they missed a golden opportunity to start the slide from further up towards that waterfall. That would have been neat. Lastly, having stayed at BWV for the past week, I can see why people enjoy staying at a place where you can walk to a park. That was SUPER convenient!
3) I met some friends at Epcot today and had some drinks. It was a bit awkward drinking mid-day and watching the families go by. We're meeting some friends at Universal next week, and I think we'll make sure it happens at night.
4) Warning: Keep your annual pass away from your cell phone. I didn't, and we had to get them reissued yesterday since they lost their magnetism.
5) For those who are new to DVC and are considering ordering at Garden Grocer, make sure you do it weeks beforehand. We didn't realize that you had to order way in advance, and we were let down when it said that they couldn't deliver for days.
6) Sticking with the groceries theme, the general store at BWV has your basic groceries, including a few items that we were going to get from Garden Grocer.
7) BWV rocks if you don't mind walking. We are big walkers, so we were able to beat the buses and boats on a number of occasions. For example, it was much faster for us to walk to Epcot than take the boat. Also, one time when the Swan was the first bus stop, we got out and walked over to BWV rather than sit while it made its rounds.
8) Although I will admit that the hallways are confusing if you are trying to navigate from one end of the hallway to the other, the colors help. Plus, I never had to go that far since there are exits all over the place. The trash room was a few doors down from us, the pool was a few doors down, the laundry was about 10 rooms down, and the gym was a bit beyond that. All in all, I never had to travel much to get to where I was going.
9) Disney is REALLY trying hard to sell DVC wherever you go down here. I still laugh at the "best kept secret" slogan, considering there is NO way that it is a secret to anyone who has been here more than 5 minutes. I also laugh about my guide's sales pitch to me last year. He said that Disney is only selling DVC as a favor to its guests and that they are losing money on it. He was basically telling me that so I'd think that I was ripping Disney off by buying. I am happy with my purchase, but he didn't have to lie. Considering how hard they are trying to sell DVC down here, it must be a huge money maker.

Well, off to SSR!

 

[Mississippian]

4) I really don't like the rules regarding pool hopping. I think it should be allowed at all DVC resorts or none. For some reason, it bothered me last night as I saw all of the BCV people walking over to the Boardwalk yet we couldn't hang out at their pool. I just think that DVC should be consistent, not having a different policy for each resort.

I agree that DVC members staying at BCV or AKV should not be allowed to pool hop since other guests aren't allowed to visit their pools.

 

[oakmanner]

Can't wait for your SSR TR.

 

[mcqueengroupie]

Loving your trip report...can't wait to read more...we are going "home" in December and will be splitting our stay too...except we will start at SSR and then moving to the BWV. Are you bringing groceries from one resort to the other...I'm nervous becasue we always go to the store and buy stuff for our boys to eat...I don't know what we will do with them when we check out of SSR and have to wait for our room at BWV...just wondering if you will be doing this....

 

[queendarvet]

Loving your trip report...can't wait to read more...we are going "home" in December and will be splitting our stay too...except we will start at SSR and then moving to the BWV. Are you bringing groceries from one resort to the other...I'm nervous becasue we always go to the store and buy stuff for our boys to eat...I don't know what we will do with them when we check out of SSR and have to wait for our room at BWV...just wondering if you will be doing this....

We just returned from a split stay at BCV and BLT. We had bell services move our luggage as well as left over groceries and everything went well. We kept the original grocery bags to store the remaining groceries. We put all cold items into two bags and bell services tagged them with red tags that indicated the items needed to be kept cold. When we received our luggage and groceries all the cold items were cold. So, no worries...