What were members' initial reactions to BWV?

[Simba's Mom]

Does anyone remember back to 1996, what were initial reactions like to BWV? It's so totally different from what was the only DVC resort (on property) then-OKW. It seems that every DVC resort that's opened since we've joined initially had mixed reviews. Makes me wonder way back to BWV. Were lots of people upset about the room size? Or were they overjoyed to have a resort so much closer to the theme parks. Who remembers?

 

[DebbieB]

I know when I bought in 1999, there was alot of negativity about BWV. The long halls, the "small rooms", poor housekeeping, rude cm's. I still thought it was the best choice for me, I loved the location. My plan was to stay at OKW in May and BWV in early December, I knew I needed the 11 month window for BWV. Plus it was easier to buy direct from DVC, OKW was soldout and I didn't know much about resales (very few BWV resales at that time). I never regretted the decision. I bought at $65 per point minus a $1,500 magical beginnings credit ($14,750 total for 250 points). Hard to believe what the cost is now.

 

[drusba]

Looked at OKW in '92; didn't care for it. Looked at BWV shortly after it opened, bought; added on in '98; bought a resale and an add-on there in '99; two more add-ons in 2000. Have seen all the other DVC's on site but never stayed at them; have no desire to. Believed when I orginally bought and believe now that BWV (and the BW resort) is by far the best place on site.

 

[DBBN]

We stayed in a one bedroom villa at BWV only once back in 1997 and we didn't like it at all. Fact is we hated it. Our primary dislikes were the small rooms and what we believe to be inferior quality when compared to our home resort of OKW. For example the hollow core doors, entry level kitchen cabinets and major kitchen appliances even the door knobs and fixtures at BWV didn't seem any where as good as the quality OKW offered. When we vacation at WDW we spend a fair amount of time inside the villa so these things matter to us more than location and we felt uncomfortable knowing if the things we could see didn't meet our satisfaction or quality standards what about the things we couldn't see. To us BWV looked like DVC saw a cash cow in OKW and chose to build and sell another WDW DVC resort as fast as they could while looking only for maximum profits. It looks like the quality we noticed back in 1997 has plagued the resort on and off since it was built. For example I'll cite the major siding replacement or repair project and the major water pipe replacement project.

The higher point requirement for stays at BWV vs OKW turned us off to the resort even more.

In short I thought BWV was a big mistake. I'm happy I was wrong and BWV has turned out to be what I believe the most popular DVC resort. BWV owners love their resort.

Therein lies the beauty DVC variety offers us all...something for everyone.

 

[deerh]

We bought in 1999, and never regreated it yet! Bought 190 pts@65/pt with 1500 magical beginnings, and then bought another 100 pts @75/pt. Now look at the price!!

Lets see:
The great views
The short walk to TWO parks
The dining options
The "cool" pool
The Pool bar
Community Hall
I could go on, but you get the idea!!!

DeerH

 

[debbie in Seattle]

I remember! How light and bright the decor was, the ease to actually walk to Epcot and take a boat to MGM. One of our fondest memories was sitting on the giant porch they have in those wonderful, comfy, soft wicker rocking chairs, eating an ice cream cone and people watching while the fire works were going off! Guess where we bought our DVC at?

 

[dianeschlicht]

Where BWV was involved, I think those who loved OKW were disappointed in the size of the rooms at BWV and also in the hotel type atmosphere as opposed to the more traditional timeshare type accommodations that OKW offered. I think, however, that Disney went to the BWV type of accommodations because after designing OKW like most timeshares, they didscovered that folks buying into and staying at DVC were not using it in the same manner that most timeshares were traditionally used. They saw a lot of folks using studios and caring less about having full kitchens like most timeshares have. I think that is why they "downsized" and went to all lock off units. For those of us who are used to the more traditional timeshare features like size, kitchens, privacy, BWV seemed like a step down. Now that those type of rooms have become more the norm at WDW/DVCs, those issues have abated a bit, but there will always be those of us who prefer the size and style of OKW over the others. I think SSR was built as a compromise of sorts.

 

[slindamood]

We bought at BWV in 98 after staying in a studio unit for a few days. We thought of it as a nice hotel room with a good location. My DB had bought at OKW several years before and had encouraged us to buy then, but some of us are slow learners.

Now, I must admit, OKW is my favorite resort in terms of the units and the ambiance. We stay there when we want some laid back family time together. We have been there over Christmas, only going to the parks 3 days in a week.

We stay at BWV when we want to do serious park things, like wine and food fest, and it is likely to be a shorter stay and without DD.

OKW is great now that DD has graduated from college and is home less - we are more likely to see her if the invitation is to spend a few days with us at OKW versus come home for a few days.

OKW ane BWV are both great - just for different types of vacations.

 

[dianeschlicht]

I would like to ask the OP if the question was asked to see if the SSR reaction is similar to the reaction when BWV came online. While I think every new DVC resort has had negetive response at first, I must say, I think the "change" in response to SSR has more to do with location than with the resort itself. When BWV came in, the change was mostly in the type of accommodations, where SSR is more a reverting back to a stand alone type DVC. I think THAT is what has triggered the response to SSR so far. This too shall pass, and it will soon be appreciated for its own merits as long as folks look at it as "home" instead of just a way to get into the system.

 

[Daitcher]

Where BWV was involved, I think those who loved OKW were disappointed in the size of the rooms at BWV and also in the hotel type atmosphere as opposed to the more traditional timeshare type accommodations that OKW offered. I think, however, that Disney went to the BWV type of accommodations because after designing OKW like most timeshares, they didscovered that folks buying into and staying at DVC were not using it in the same manner that most timeshares were traditionally used. They saw a lot of folks using studios and caring less about having full kitchens like most timeshares have. I think that is why they "downsized" and went to all lock off units. For those of us who are used to the more traditional timeshare features like size, kitchens, privacy, BWV seemed like a step down. Now that those type of rooms have become more the norm at WDW/DVCs, those issues have abated a bit, but there will always be those of us who prefer the size and style of OKW over the others. I think SSR was built as a compromise of sorts.

I totally agree with your post. I am one of the members that could really care less about the full kitchen and shere size of an OKW room versus the other onsite DVC proerties. Vacation to me means a release from everyday life. I rarely want to cook on vacation. We use the fridge for beer, wine, drinks, leftovers and maybe breakfast foods and snacks. I guess I am in the target group you mention that doesn't mind the downsized units. We like the seperate bedrooms and living rooms to spread out in but don't need all the space that OKW offers. BWV along with BCV are the best choices for our family. As stated before the beauty of DVC is all the choices to meet different styles of vacationing.


DAVE

 

[MStepelton]

As I remember, the location was a big issue for folks when it went on sale. I know it was a major factor in us buying in.

 

[mikesmom]

When we bought in we had actually stayed once at BWV on cash (silly us). Up to that point we had only stayed in regular hotel rooms, and offsite at that. With that comparison, BWV rooms looked huge to us. It took less than 2 minutes after walking in the door to be completely spoiled.

At the time (I believe it was 1999 or 2000) you could buy into BWV, HHI or Vero. I believe there were still a few units available at OKW. Our choice was made because of location. We adored being able to walk in and out of Epcot (still our favorite park) - made a huge difference in the quality of our vacations.

Of course it only took one stay at OKW for us to fall in love all over again and get an add on thru resale

 

[goldilocks_63]

I watched OKW - too expensive, timeshares a bad investment, too far away, and now too old!

BWV - long hallways, too small (compared to OKW).
BCV - too expensive
VWL - too dark. Not FLA enough

SSR - Too far away....

***
Having said that, I think the SSR rooms are the smallest yet..... but I decided to buy in anyway for the 12 years advantage, and hope that the landscaping matures in the next few years. One thing I really like about SSR is the fireworks platform, that I'm going to use for NYE, so don't have to take little one's out in the crowds.

I think each one has it's own charm. Wish I had enough to own at all....

Oh, and love VB, but read in the documents that there is like a 25% chance of the resort being destoyed due to weather (I guess the Hurricane, I told you so clause)... but so far, no outrageous dues or anything.... Depending on how they handle any one time assessment, I might change my mind on VB.

Goldi

 

[Simba's Mom]

I would like to ask the OP if the question was asked to see if the SSR reaction is similar to the reaction when BWV came online. While I think every new DVC resort has had negetive response at first, I must say, I think the "change" in response to SSR has more to do with location than with the resort itself. When BWV came in, the change was mostly in the type of accommodations, where SSR is more a reverting back to a stand alone type DVC. I think THAT is what has triggered the response to SSR so far. This too shall pass, and it will soon be appreciated for its own merits as long as folks look at it as "home" instead of just a way to get into the system.

Yes, that's pretty much why I asked the question. In the few years since we've become members, I've noticed that whenever a new resort opens, there are many people who initially say the new resort is not as good as the previous one(s). And since BWV was so different from the previous one, I wondered what kind of outcry there might have been. I think people just resist change sometimes, "different" has gotta mean "bad", but you're right-this too shall pass.

 

[DeeCee735]

We looked at OKW in 95 or 96, it was nice, but to us way too far away from the action. We looked at BWV in 00 and bought 2 months later, never regretted it for a moment. The only thing we really liked about OKW are bigger rooms. To us BW rooms are big, OKW's are bigger. It wasn't enough to make us want to buy there......location, location, location (and atmosphere), that's what sold us. We think BW rooms are beautiful, never had a bad view, even in standard rooms, definitely enough room for a family of 4 (mostly 5 however). We fell in love with BWV when we bought it, and than later added on alittle, we still think it's the best of the DVC on site resorts! Just OHO.

 

[Disney Doll]

When we were buying back in 1997, OKW & BWV were both available. Obviously, the location of BWV can't be beat. The room size of OKW is fantastic. We really liked both of them equally, for different reasons. The deciding factor was that at the time we were buying, OKW was cheaper per point and cheaper overall in dues. We looked at both, decided that if someday the rules changed and the only palce we could stay would be OKW, we would be very happy. The lure of the location of the BWV wasn't enough to make us want to pay more for it, both in price and dues.

That being said, we have been fortunate to have had the ability to stay at all DVC resorts in WDW except for SSR & VWL(we actually had a VWL villa booked a couple of years ago, but had to cancel due to my dad's eye surgery, and when we re-booked, VWL had nothing available so we ended up at OKW!). I htink all the rooms are ample size in the BCV, BWV, & VWL, especially for a vacation property. I think OKW's rooms are extraordinarily sized for a vacation property. If it's DH & I & one other couple, we are happy to stay in a 2BR at BCV,BWV,VWL or SSR. However, I will say, with more than 4 people, it is nice to have the larger space OKW offers.

 

[thelobstershanty]

What were members' initial reactions to BWV?
Ours were pure joy. Both DW and I grew up as Disney kids. Both of our families took the yearly trek to WDW and were big Disney fans. In those days your choice of Disney hotels were Disney Inn, the Contemporary, the Poly and FW. These were the resorts we always stayed in and thought it was great. When DW and I got together our shared love for Disney continued and we have continued to vacation at Disney. As Disney expanded so did our choice of resorts to now include the Epcot resorts. When Disney first announced the Disney Vacation Club, we were interested. We were in a good financial position to buy and we were going to Disney once a year or more. We took the tour of OKW when it was not even completed. We did not like the studio but did like the larger villa set up. We did not like the location of the resort or the transportation options at the resort. To us it was not worth the money for the trade off of location. We did not buy DVC and instead continued to stay at the MK and Epcot resorts. When BWV was announced to the public we immediately bought. It was perfect. Then when VWL opened we now were planning a family so an add on there was in order for the close location to MK. We have always loved the Yacht Cllub and Beach Club and their great pool so we addded on again when BCV opened.
We have the perfect DVC package for us. We have always stayed in resorts that we could see the parks from. To us this is a important part of a Disney trip; our DVC resorts give us this. We like all our home resorts very much, but the one we value the most is BWV. BWV offers the best home resort advantages to members with the standard/perferred point difference and also the guaranteed boardwalk villa view. BWV also has the better location to a lot of restaurants, better view from the villas and the boardwalk entertainment.

 

[joepoe]

We bought BWV sight unseen in 1998- $62.75 a point. We really wanted OKW but it was sold out. The first time we went to BWV we were completely blown away. We own both now, and we love both resorts for different reasons. In 10 years when our youngest is in college we will spend a month in a BWV studio, a month in an OKW studio and love every minute of it.

 

[Val]

We went to BWV unprepared and uneducated....my Mom was supposed to take my oldest DD's to WDW in 1998. Unfortunately, she passed away suddenly. No Grandma, and no trip and some very sad family. My DH and I had a convention scheduled at the Swan and Dophin over Memorial Day weekend, but were just going to "conference it" and not go to WDW- after all we were educated snobs and would lower ourselves (yes, we said this)...

....my dear grandmother/kids GREAT grandmother offered to pay for all 4 kids, my DH and me and our nanny to go and stay at WDW in BWV's over Memorial Day weekend- she would fly in from Seattle and meet us. Okay. We ate our words. We LOVED WDW and loved BWV (yes, OKW is bigger and sometimes we choose that).

So how did we become members? Had a message on our phone to call the manager of DVC (we didn't know it was anything different than the "hotel" at that point). Panic set in- what HAD our 4 kids done while we were conferencing it? What had they damaged!!!!. Nope- my dear Grandma BOUGHT us 350 points at the BWV for $65/point. We about had a heart attack. Weird thing-Grandma decided she HATES WDW but loves that we love it!

Do we love the place? Yes. For us, with four kids who are now 7 to 17 (were 9 months to 11 when we went for the first time) it offers independence for the older ones, views for the younger ones, and the proximity to Epcot and MGM (our favs) can't be beat. The walks in the halls are long- but hey, the kids are young. As we get older, I can imagine solo trips for just me and DH (no kids!) at OKW. We tried the BCV and had a horrible experience (VERY long story, just say that we were VERY unhappy with cleanliness once we GOT a villa, didn't get our room until 11 pm when we arrived at about 4, and very rude staff even though they admitted that they had made the mistake and deleted our reservation- had MS straighten things out). Kids are old enough that REAL water parks are important, and they love the hubub of the boardwalk- can send the oldest two down "alone" (we can supervise them from our boardwalk view) and they feel incredibly independent. So- it works for us. Again, we may change our minds as the "lose" the kids to activities of their own (or, groan, gain grandkids). I can see becoming a fan of OKW, although the VWL make me long for my childhood home in the NW.

 

[bicker]

We checked out OKW when it was first offered, and remember saying that if it had been located adjacent to the theme parks, we'd have bought in. BWV seemed like a direct answer to our criticism of OKW.