VGF at BPK

[Simba's Mom]

Has anyone who's stayed at BPK lately noticed whether there is still a noise issue? I've enjoyed the original VGF, but I've been reluctant to try the "resort studios" because of the noise complaints. Any recent reviews?

 

[walt34]

It depends on what people are doing in the other room. I once heard a lady who took a long phone call while facing the connecting door between our room and hers. That call was quite audible. For the rest of the week, the room was occupied by a family with two young children. We didn't hear anything from them.

 

[muppets3d]

You will hear everything in the building. Yes, it is very noisy. It is so noisy I could hear men (or perhaps talented ladies) urinating in rooms around me. I wasn't terribly bothered because it was quiet at night. But if you're a day-napper, or if you have folks around you who come in late and aren't quiet in the halls, you'll hear everything. The walls are so thin you can hear everything they say so clearly you could be a stenographer. I am not exaggerating or anything. I never hear anything at Riviera unless a kid runs down the hall and the parent hollers to tell them to slow down or something. Not even a commode flushing in another room.

All this to say, request top floor and end of the hall to limit hall traffic around you and the number of rooms around you. Bring a noise machine and/or a fan and/or earplugs, especially if you're a light sleeper. I always travel with a fan, not just for the air circulation but also the white noise.

I will say that in my experience the VGF building is quieter but not as quiet as Riviera.

It's not just the fact that the building is old because I never hear anything at HHI. Maybe I just have considerate neighbors at HHI every time I stay there though. But it's not just about consideration, the BPK building has thin walls. Like I said you can hear men urinating clear as day. A little bit of rockwool would go a long way.

If I booked BPK and ended up getting a room near the elevator shaft or central atrium area and they couldn't move me, I would honestly forfeit the points paid and pay to stay at a Value resort instead.

Also the hallways are fairly narrow and even though the rooms are among the biggest studios on property, people leave their huge strollers and bariatric scooters in the hallways so you're constantly dodging them to get to your room. I know that isn't allowed on the cruise ships but either it is allowed on WDW property or nobody does anything about it.

All things considered I like the VGF building better but the Resort Studios are far better studios than the VGF Deluxe Studios. So I'm honestly kind of torn on the resort's rooms.

 

[WildernessMickey]

My last stay was not recent but I did not have any noise issues. I was on the first floor about 2/3 down the hall, so not near the elevator lobby area.
I'm staying again in a few weeks so I'm hoping it is quiet again. I bring a noise machine for sleeping so I can usually drown out any noise enough to sleep. Sometimes I will roll up a towel and place it at the base of a door (front or connecting) if there is a large gap.

It really depends on who your neighbors are at this building. I have read a lot of reviews that say they experienced noise.
I love the rooms so I always choose the BPK when booking a studio. Maybe someday I'll try the deluxe studios, but so far I prefer the resort studios.

 

[mamaofsix]

Nothing has changed. To fix it, they would have to put noise-muffling insulation in the walls and ceilings (as they should have done properly in the first place).

 

[tidefan]

All things considered I like the VGF building better but the Resort Studios are far better studios than the VGF Deluxe Studios. So I'm honestly kind of torn on the resort's rooms.

It really depends on who your neighbors are at this building. I have read a lot of reviews that say they experienced noise.
I love the rooms so I always choose the BPK when booking a studio. Maybe someday I'll try the deluxe studios, but so far I prefer the resort studios.

Really? I much prefer the Deluxe Studios. BPK is just hotel rooms...

 

[muppets3d]

Really? I much prefer the Deluxe Studios. BPK is just hotel rooms...

The resort studios have a couch, two beds, much more storage, and more room overall. The only thing I really missed vs the deluxe studio was the walk in shower.

 

[tidefan]

The resort studios have a couch, two beds, much more storage, and more room overall. The only thing I really missed vs the deluxe studio was the walk in shower.

It’s a non-optimal setup for two. The couch doesn’t face the TV and we much prefer both the bathroom setup and the kitchenette in the Deluxe Studios.

 

[muppets3d]

It’s a non-optimal setup for two. The couch doesn’t face the TV and we much prefer both the bathroom setup and the kitchenette in the Deluxe Studios.

I totally get your point. If I'm staying for a week, I need more than one drawer and that's all you get in the deluxe studios.

 

[Cfabar1]

Given the fact the membership was going to be paying for it anyways, it is outrageous they did not fix this issue.

It isn’t a “those with sensitive ears might hear some things” kind of issue… You hear EVERYTHING… in the rooms next door, in people walking through the hallways… I don’t think I have ever stayed in a hotel with worse noise issues…

We stayed there once, never will again…

We’ve never noticed our neighbors in the VGF original building.

I don’t know how the out buildings compare to the main building… Perhaps the noise issue is better there…

 

[walt34]

Given the fact the membership was going to be paying for it anyways, it is outrageous they did not fix this issue.

You mean the purchase price should have paid for it? I agree.

It isn’t a “those with sensitive ears might hear some things” kind of issue… You hear EVERYTHING… in the rooms next door, in people walking through the hallways… I don’t think I have ever stayed in a hotel with worse noise issues…

This has not been my experience but maybe I was just lucky with my stays.

 

[Cfabar1]

You mean the purchase price should have paid for it? I agree.

Yes, or they could have made it more expensive and people would have still bought it…

They probably didn’t want to do it, because it would have made the DVC rooms way nicer than the regular rooms, which I am told have the same issue, and they wouldn’t have had the dVC community to finance that expense…

 

[walt34]

Yes, or they could have made it more expensive and people would have still bought it…

They probably didn’t want to do it, because it would have made the DVC rooms way nicer than the regular rooms, which I am told have the same issue, and they wouldn’t have had the dVC community to finance that expense…

If they received a lot of complaints, they would probably fix the hotel rooms too, given the exorbitant prices - don’t you think?

 

[Cfabar1]

If they received a lot of complaints, they would probably fix the hotel rooms too, given the exorbitant prices - don’t you think?

I kind of look at it differently….

They probably did receive a lot of complaints… but people kept paying and paying the exorbitant rates…

Then people quit paying them, and they couldn’t fill the rooms…

So they decided to make the rooms “DVC” with minor (mostly cosmetic) changes… Effectively turning BPK into much less expensive rooms operationally…

It then left even fewer rooms to need to be filled at the exorbitant rates… Disney and the Grand Floridian are both so iconic, people will stay because they don’t know any better…

Cheaper than fixing all the buildings….

AND if that still doesn’t work we can decide, where is the intersection of cost of fixing the buildings and profit of just lowering the price and doing nothing…

Having a monopoly is kind of cool!

 

[walt34]

I kind of look at it differently….

They probably did receive a lot of complaints… but people kept paying and paying the exorbitant rates…

Then people quit paying them, and they couldn’t fill the rooms…

So they decided to make the rooms “DVC” with minor (mostly cosmetic) changes… Effectively turning BPK into much less expensive rooms operationally…

It then left even fewer rooms to need to be filled at the exorbitant rates… Disney and the Grand Floridian are both so iconic, people will stay because they don’t know any better…

Cheaper than fixing all the buildings….

AND if that still doesn’t work we can decide, where is the intersection of cost of fixing the buildings and profit of just lowering the price and doing nothing…

Having a monopoly is kind of cool!

I'm not so sure. Given the high nightly rates at the hotel (and thanks to DVC dues, we have an idea of the costs involved), I think Disney would easily recoup the costs of fixing the sound issue if they considered it important enough (ie a factor, that keeps more people from staying at GF). Improving other aspects of the experience (e.g. a true five star service) would be much more expensive. The reason for selling part of the hotel to DVC is most likely related to their estimates of the market size for this type of Disney 'luxury'.