Views - What am I missing?

[Best Aunt]

I keep the drapes closed. I only look outside for two seconds every morning to see if it's raining. Even when I had a savanna view at AKL, I didn't look out the window. (I booked the savanna view because I knew that's what my friend wanted.) I never go on the balcony. But I understand that some people with young kids like to sit on the balcony after the kids have gone to bed.

 

[LSchrow]

our priorities for any vacation resort are, in order:
1 - view (we have rescheduled vacations when a view was unavailable)
2 - location/nearby activities
3 - room size/cost

even when going to other destinations, we find a view is paramount to feeling immersed in any vacation

 

[crisi]

I keep the drapes closed. I only look outside for two seconds every morning to see if it's raining. Even when I had a savanna view at AKL, I didn't look out the window. (I booked the savanna view because I knew that's what my friend wanted.) I never go on the balcony. But I understand that some people with young kids like to sit on the balcony after the kids have gone to bed.

Some people just like to sit out on the balcony - with or without kids. I usually have my morning coffee on the balcony - before anyone else in the Villa is even up - so I want something sort of usable. I don't think the views while sitting at any of the BW View balconies are great - many of the ones we've had have been solid walls, but even the thick slats aren't great for sitting and people watching. But its still a treat to sit out in the morning air and listen to the Boardwalk wake up. I seldom use the balcony at any other time of day - maybe we watch the Illuminations fireworks from the balcony one night, but it is part of what I enjoy about a boardwalk view room.

Now, I'm not such a view nut that I think if trees are blocking the view its a problem - to me, trees are a view and sitting behind the pines at VWL is just a different experience than sitting out overlooking the Boardwalk. But I do prefer listening to the Boardwalk wake up.

 

[bwvBound]

Bottom line for me: I'm glad DVC offers view options! Specifying view, where able to do so, as a booking type is a great feature.
Thanks, DVC!

Edited to add DVC locations where "View Matters -- if only to Me."

• Animal Kingdom: Give me Jambo House, Savannah View. Yes, please. Thus our CL stay is "once and done" as it lacked a reasonable view.
• BWV: For conference purposes, I'll take a Preferred View (either BW or Garden) and then request a room location nearest Jellyrolls. We've only stayed at BWV once for vacation purposes and booked a Standard view for this stay. Wow -- we were impressed. While our unit faced out towards the parking lot, our view was generously protected by a large tree -- yes, loved that tree. A tree view is good for my soul.
• Aulani: Still testing these ... so far, Island View with a request for Ewa (?) building has been my favorite as may offer an angled view of the ocean w/out the pool noise. However, Ocean View gives also provides at least the partial ocean view combined with lush landscaping. Sadly most Ocean View, short of the GV units, also come with a good deal of pool noise. Haven't tried the Pool View yet as I'm concerned for the aforementioned noise, noise, noise.
• BLT: We haven't yet stayed ... but we'll book a Lake View when that time comes. I need lots of nature and, thus, really, really don't want the parking lot view.
• Grand Cal: No view options offered but we request the woods view. (Or simply, "Not a pool view, please.")
• Saratoga: Treehouse Villas! Love the woodsy surroundings.

Yes, I'm a View-person. I enjoy the balcony often!!

 

[jekjones1558]

our priorities for any vacation resort are, in order:
1 - view (we have rescheduled vacations when a view was unavailable)
2 - location/nearby activities
3 - room size/cost

even when going to other destinations, we find a view is paramount to feeling immersed in any vacation

This could be my post, Laurie. I can't count the number of times I have sat on a BW view balcony and thought, "How did I ever get so lucky to be sitting here drinking coffee (or wine) while listening to the Friendship boat horns and looking at Spaceship Earth." And sleeping on the sofa bed is a treat when you can fall asleep looking at Spaceship Earth.

 

[tb1972]

At BWV, I prefer the Boardwalk View but at times have taken the standard view to save on points - especially if it means we can stay longer. At AK, we've only had the Savannah view and feel the extra points are well worth it. At Vero, we prefer ocean view.

 

[Sandisw]

I love Boardwalk view and if I am at GFW, I love the lake view. But, sometimes, if I need to save points, I book the cheaper view. In the process of trying to buy more points via resale market which will allow me to get the view I want without having to worry. Since we go so often, we spend more time at the resort and I just love sitting on the balcony with my drink and book and just taking it all in!!

 

[hcortesis]

View is very important to us. We pretty much only stay at BCV and GFV. If our view at the BC doesn't suit us, we'll move the next day. At GFV. it's a little simpler as we always book a lakeview.

 

[maburke]

I think there are a lot of people (I'm often one) who go for the standard views to save on points. Often they are the first to book up.

 

[keishashadow]

BLT and AKV aside, what am I missing on spending more points for a view? I've never really cared since most of the time you are not in the room; and if in the room than the curtain is closed. I'm new to DVC though, so maybe I'm missing something.

Would be interested in people's opinion of where an upgraded view really makes a difference? View fireworks? To me though it seems like an arbitrary way to charge extra points, but again I might be missing why people value views. Thanks!

Many people spend very little time @ their respective resort whether in their room, common areas or the pool and are happy where-ever. Thrilled to just be @ WDW.

Other than the bedding configuarations, I question why they bothered with the expense/restrictions of DVC, but to each their own. Not one size fits all, flexibility is nice to have

We bought where we wanted to stay as to theme, location & having cheap studios for the early booker is the cherry on top .

When we have a bonus commando trip and there is no room @ the inn or I'm out of points, I'm good with staying onsite @ a value or offsite @ a nice deluxe (for typicaly the same $ as a last minute Disney value).

 

[Simba's Mom]

Some people just like to sit out on the balcony

That's us. When we're at OKW, DH has his binoculars, and could watch the golfers all day (and yes, he accepts that when he's out there golfing, someone is probably watching him). At AKL, I could just sit for hours on the balcony and watch the animals. After 15 years with DVC, we spend only a few hours a day in the parks (if that much-on some days, we miss the parks totally).

 

[robinb]

BLT and AKV aside, what am I missing on spending more points for a view? I've never really cared since most of the time you are not in the room; and if in the room than the curtain is closed. I'm new to DVC though, so maybe I'm missing something.

Would be interested in people's opinion of where an upgraded view really makes a difference? View fireworks? To me though it seems like an arbitrary way to charge extra points, but again I might be missing why people value views. Thanks!

I *love* a Boardwalk View at BWV. It's really worth the points while I feel somewhat robbed by a regular pool/garden view. I also love a Standard View at BWV because it saves me points. I also love the "Concierge View" at AKV (for snacks and general sucking up) and the "Standard View" at AKV-Jambo because it's really a pool view. I've also paid for a Lake View at PBV which was AWESOME.

I'm not sure I would pay for a view at BLT (although I did book a Lake View there once), SSR or OKW. If I owned at BLT, I would probably like the Standard View.

 

[William Ades]

The view from our room is the last thing on my concern list when traveling to Disney World. We always book the standard view rooms when it is an option. I prefer maximize my point value in terms of length of stay as opposed to trivial things like a view. We actually ended up having a bit of a surplus this past year and had to use points that we had banked or try to sell them. Well we weren't interested in selling them, so we splurged on a Savannah View room at AKKV. Now don't get me wrong, being able to walk out on to the balcony and see the animals was an amazing thing. However, of the 6 days we were there, we may have spent 8 hours in the room during the day in which you could actually enjoy that view. Typically we were gone very early in the morning, and arrived back in the evening after dark, or were at the pool, lunch, dinner, etc. Additionally, there are so many viewing areas there it was almost a slap in the face that we used the extra points for it...

Like most of the folks here, it is a "to each their own" kind of thing, but personal opinion on it is to save the points/money on the view and use them on extending your stay or booking other stays.

 

[drusba]

Best view on site is boardwalk view at BWV and it is well worth the points. BLT theme park view is not worth the points in our view including because you can end up on a lower floor (anything below 7th floor is just an ugly parking lot view and 7th floor is itself iffy), but lake view is actually better and worth the points if you get higher floor request.

At VGF, lake view is not much to write home about unless you get a GV and thus standard view is more than fine. Poly bungalows have decent views but they are point prohibitive; same for CCV cabins. One of the better views on site is from the Congress Park rooms overlooking the lake at SSR but stamping them with the new "preferred" point level has rendered them less attractive.

AKV is unique among the resorts because, as a result of the conversion of rooms from savanna to standard view several years ago, you actually have a good chance of getting savanna view by selecting the much less costly standard view, e.g., the conversion resulted in more than half of the Jambo standard rooms now having a savanna view, and if you request a room along the Kudo Trail side of the building and get it you will have a savanna view since all standards on that side are converted from savanna to standard view rooms; at Kidani, you should request close to the Pumba elevator.

 

[kboo]

...
I'm not sure I would pay for a view at BLT (although I did book a Lake View there once), SSR or OKW. If I owned at BLT, I would probably like the Standard View.

Standard views are hard to get even for BLT owners! In my limited experience, the one benefit to LV (though not guaranteed) is that if you do well with the room request, you can in effect get a oblique TP/LV view for LV points. We got that last year, where we had an upper floor, could see the fireworks, castle, space mountain from our balconies (kids were in the room, sleeping, so no TOTWL for us), and had a wonderfully peaceful lake view in the living room at dawn.

...

At VGF, lake view is not much to write home about unless you get a GV and thus standard view is more than fine. ....

We have a stay coming up in a std view, and apparently you can see some fireworks and monorail from some of the std view rooms - which is cool to the Disney nerd in me! When we stayed at the GF (hotel) in a lagoon view, we had views of the water pageant and, again, castle and fireworks views from our balcony. We could also hear the opening music coming across the water. Loved it.

Thanks to DISboards for helping us with the room requests so we knew what to ask for both times!

 

[robinb]

Standard views are hard to get even for BLT owners! In my limited experience, the one benefit to LV (though not guaranteed) is that if you do well with the room request, you can in effect get a oblique TP/LV view for LV points. We got that last year, where we had an upper floor, could see the fireworks, castle, space mountain from our balconies (kids were in the room, sleeping, so no TOTWL for us), and had a wonderfully peaceful lake view in the living room at dawn.

My "lake view" room overlooked the tennis courts ... and the MK .

 

[ain0004]

View to me is not important. I would rather be close to a bus stop, or an elevator. Or being close to my car. Each person has their own preference,

 

[AdamsMum]

BLT and AKV aside, what am I missing on spending more points for a view? I've never really cared since most of the time you are not in the room; and if in the room than the curtain is closed. I'm new to DVC though, so maybe I'm missing something.

Would be interested in people's opinion of where an upgraded view really makes a difference? View fireworks? To me though it seems like an arbitrary way to charge extra points, but again I might be missing why people value views. Thanks!

It depends on the resort. My home resort is BWV, and I usually stay standard to give me an extra night, I have stayed at preferred once (not worth the extra points) and BW view 2 times. I'm definitely a balcony person. I still prefer the standard view though.

AKV is a different story, I've stayed there twice with Savanna View. I don't see the point in staying there without the Savanna view, it's out of the way and I really prefer the location of BWV. JMHO

 

[RebelHawk]

For us the only hotels that we will try for a preferred view are BWV and AKV. We love winding down at the end of the day at the BoardWalk looking over the boardwalk with a glass of wine. It is so peaceful watching the boardwalk and all the guests as it goes to sleep at night. The opposite effect for AKV. We love getting up in the morning and having a cup of coffee at the savannah wakes up. The rest of the DVC hotels we stay at we will try for a standard view but might spend the points for a preferred view if we think we're going to have "extra" points left over for our annual trips.

 

[Anna114]

We tend to like a view because we spend time on our porch/balcony. My husband has his coffee and english muffin there every day. If we didn't spend time in our room we wouldn't spend the points.