DVC rental - BWV vs BCV

[oommggitskait]

My husband and I are strongly considering renting points for our next trip in Nov of 2018. This would be our first time renting DVC instead of booking directly through Disney. We were originally going to stay at a moderate, but was amazed that for the same price (or even cheaper!) we could stay in a studio at a deluxe by renting.
We are looking at boardwalk versus beach club. I'd love to stay at the poly but the elevated cost is a tough sell to the hubs right now. ("I thought the whole point of renting DVC was to save money not spend more?", "yeahhhh but it's the poly!" Hahaha)
Anyway-
When looking at points calculator for the first week in Nov, the boardwalk is a lot cheaper than beach club. Like almost $500 cheaper for the week. Is this normal? The rooms at the boardwalk look just as nice, and they're both Epcot resorts.. am I missing something? Is there a reason the boardwalk would be cheaper?
Also open to anyone's personal opinion on the matter. We'll have an almost 2 year old with us for his first trip.

 

[Minthorne]

I'm guessing you are looking at studios size rooms. DVC owners at a particular resort can book that resort (their home resort) at 11 months or less. Any owner can book any available resort room at 7 months or less. DVC is modeled for 100% occupancy. Most rentals use points at 7 months - to rent with 11 month Home Resort points usually involves a premium per point charge. Many reosrts can be hard to get into at 7 months at certain times of year.

Beach club has only 1 category. It is a small resort and can be very tough to book at 7 month in Nov

Boardwalk has 3 - but again with food and wine and holidays it can bee tough to book for Nov at 7 months.

Standard - lower cost, very limited inventory, usually booked by owners right at 11 month mark.
Pool/Garden - About the same cost as the Beach Club - most amount of rooms available.
Boardwalk - exact same cost as Pool/Garden, very limited inventory, usually booked by owners right at 11 month mark.

IMO At 7 months your best bet is to try for Pool/Garden at Boardwalk. Even if you pay the premium for the 11 month mark to try for Standard it is often a race at the crack of dawn to book them.

 

[oommggitskait]

I'm guessing you are looking at studios size rooms. DVC owners at a particular resort can book that resort (their home resort) at 11 months or less. Any owner can book any available resort room at 7 months or less. DVC is modeled for 100% occupancy. Most rentals use points at 7 months - to rent with 11 month Home Resort points usually involves a premium per point charge. Many reosrts can be hard to get into at 7 months at certain times of year.

Beach club has only 1 category. It is a small resort and can be very tough to book at 7 month in Nov

Boardwalk has 3 - but again with food and wine and holidays it can bee tough to book for Nov at 7 months.

Standard - lower cost, very limited inventory, usually booked by owners right at 11 month mark.
Pool/Garden - About the same cost as the Beach Club - most amount of rooms available.
Boardwalk - exact same cost as Pool/Garden, very limited inventory, usually booked by owners right at 11 month mark.

IMO At 7 months your best bet is to try for Pool/Garden at Boardwalk. Even if you pay the premium for the 11 month mark to try for Standard it is often a race at the crack of dawn to book them.

This is excellent information thank you! I wasn't really paying attention to room categories just because we don't have a preference. Good to know that the standard room category has limited inventory.
Much appreciated!

 

[correcaminos]

This is excellent information thank you! I wasn't really paying attention to room categories just because we don't have a preference. Good to know that the standard room category has limited inventory.
Much appreciated!

Just as an FYI fall is the hardest time of year to book for Epcot and MK area resorts. If you really want an Epcot area you should book as far out as you can (11 months). I personally would find a private renter prior to that if you want the standard view. I've gotten them by luck at 7 months, but I don't ever count on it since I am not a BWV owner. If you are not picky on dates and location or room type you don't need as much lead time. Thanks to F&WF and Fall Breaks (Jersey week) November can be pretty much a pain to book if you are picky. Epcot goes first. MK goes 2nd.

But yes your price differences were for standard views only. The garden/pool/boardwalk views are virtually identical to BCV (only 1 view). They are quicker to go and I would book those at 11 months with a rental if you want to save the money.

 

[oommggitskait]

Just as an FYI fall is the hardest time of year to book for Epcot and MK area resorts. If you really want an Epcot area you should book as far out as you can (11 months). I personally would find a private renter prior to that if you want the standard view. I've gotten them by luck at 7 months, but I don't ever count on it since I am not a BWV owner. If you are not picky on dates and location or room type you don't need as much lead time. Thanks to F&WF and Fall Breaks (Jersey week) November can be pretty much a pain to book if you are picky. Epcot goes first. MK goes 2nd.

But yes your price differences were for standard views only. The garden/pool/boardwalk views are virtually identical to BCV (only 1 view). They are quicker to go and I would book those at 11 months with a rental if you want to save the money.

Thanks for the info. It all makes a lot of sense. I think we're going to just eat the extra premium charge and book at 11 months and stay open to different resorts based on availability.
Really appreciate the words of advice!

 

[correcaminos]

Thanks for the info. It all makes a lot of sense. I think we're going to just eat the extra premium charge and book at 11 months and stay open to different resorts based on availability.
Really appreciate the words of advice!

Glad to help! Good luck with booking and I hope you enjoy your stay next year. I think Boardwalk is a great place to stay for F&WF!

 

[Phonedave]

All talk about rooms and booking windows aside - I prefer BW over BC. I don't think that Stormalong Bay (the pool at BC) is so all fired great. The pool seems to be why everyone wants to go there. Yeah, it is neat, and to do it once is cool, but it really does not draw me back.


-dave

 

[oommggitskait]

All talk about rooms and booking windows aside - I prefer BW over BC. I don't think that Stormalong Bay (the pool at BC) is so all fired great. The pool seems to be why everyone wants to go there. Yeah, it is neat, and to do it once is cool, but it really does not draw me back.


-dave

Yeah everyone ravs about the pool. I think our guy will be too little to really enjoy it so it doesn't hold much weight for us. The rooms seem so similar at both resorts, I don't feel a strong pull to one or the other.
Thanks for the feedback!

 

[correcaminos]

All talk about rooms and booking windows aside - I prefer BW over BC. I don't think that Stormalong Bay (the pool at BC) is so all fired great. The pool seems to be why everyone wants to go there. Yeah, it is neat, and to do it once is cool, but it really does not draw me back.


-dave

We feel similarly about SAB. I am not a fan of it at all actually. It's just so cramped, and the actual water area in the pool is not that large given the size of the resort. My guys like it more than me but it's not one I love. There are many better out there IMO.

Yeah everyone ravs about the pool. I think our guy will be too little to really enjoy it so it doesn't hold much weight for us. The rooms seem so similar at both resorts, I don't feel a strong pull to one or the other.
Thanks for the feedback!

When ours couldn't swim we didn't even bother with the main pool and stuck to the quiet pool anyway. Just felt safer and sand wasn't actually a draw for really small ones until older. Something about the texture of the sand just wasn't loved I guess.

 

[Phonedave]

Yeah everyone ravs about the pool. I think our guy will be too little to really enjoy it so it doesn't hold much weight for us. The rooms seem so similar at both resorts, I don't feel a strong pull to one or the other.
Thanks for the feedback!

I actually like the layout of the resort better at BW. I also like all the entertanment that BW has to offer. Of course you can walk over from BC, so that is not an issue, but I do like having it right there at BW

 

[Phonedave]

We feel similarly about SAB. I am not a fan of it at all actually. It's just so cramped, and the actual water area in the pool is not that large given the size of the resort. My guys like it more than me but it's not one I love. There are many better out there IMO.


When ours couldn't swim we didn't even bother with the main pool and stuck to the quiet pool anyway. Just felt safer and sand wasn't actually a draw for really small ones until older. Something about the texture of the sand just wasn't loved I guess.

That is my impression as well. The pool takes up a huge amount of space, but its volume do not seem to be so much. The sand bottom is not a draw for em either. I love the beach, and I will glady spend the day in and around the sand, but I don't consider it an attraction.

-dave

 

[slappy magoo]

I actually like the layout of the resort better at BW. I also like all the entertanment that BW has to offer. Of course you can walk over from BC, so that is not an issue, but I do like having it right there at BW

I agree, it's not much of a walk to go from Boardwalk to Beach Club if you want to check it out or take in a meal. You won't be able to use Stormalong Bay if you're staying at Boardwalk but really the biggest draw to SAB is its size and how it kind of meanders. But as a parent of little ones, it just makes it that much harder to keep an eye on them.

 

[ottbMom]

I actually prefer Beach Club with a toddler. The pool has a "sand bar" and zero entry and sand bottom; quite entertaining for little ones. But overall Boardwalk is a prettier resort with some lovely grounds. Beach Club has a shorter walk to Epcot while The Boardwalk has a shorter walk to Hollywood Studios. You really can't go wrong with either.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

BC's pool is the reason for the additional charge. It is also very close to Epcot. The rooms are slightly newer (both were renovated recently)

I like Boardwalk. It's easy walking to Epcot or DHS. The pool is nice. But there's not much in the way of food. BCV is nicer, but not by much.

Poly is more for a reason. The studios are bigger, with two showers. Captain Cooks makes flat breads until 1:30 am and is open 24/7, so if at 3 am, you want a sandwich and a refill, you can do that.

But for accessing two parks, you can't beat BCV or BWV.

 

[correcaminos]

BC's pool is the reason for the additional charge. .

It has everything to do with points per night cost and not the pool itself. Most of BWV is nearly identical in points per night to BCV. Only the standard views are less and some of those rooms are not that great when it comes to location/view.

There are other differences like BCV does not have a community hall but BWV does.

 

[Phonedave]

I agree, it's not much of a walk to go from Boardwalk to Beach Club if you want to check it out or take in a meal. You won't be able to use Stormalong Bay if you're staying at Boardwalk but really the biggest draw to SAB is its size and how it kind of meanders. But as a parent of little ones, it just makes it that much harder to keep an eye on them.

When my kids were much smaller and I was a single parent, I did not like the fact that they had leave the pool area to get to the slide.

 

[correcaminos]

When my kids were much smaller and I was a single parent, I did not like the fact that they had leave the pool area to get to the slide.

I don't even like it was an adult alone. Just too far to walk dripping wet on w very public sidewalk IMO

 

[Phonedave]

I don't even like it was an adult alone. Just too far to walk dripping wet on w very public sidewalk IMO

I would not say I minded doing that, but I think it was a but odd as well. It's one thing when you are walking around a pool area, it's an other when you are crossing what amounts to a public walkway wearing nothing but a wet bathing suit.

-dave

 

[correcaminos]

I would not say I minded doing that, but I think it was a but odd as well. It's one thing when you are walking around a pool area, it's an other when you are crossing what amounts to a public walkway wearing nothing but a wet bathing suit.

-dave

I'm not sure why but it bothered me. I just felt weird. Like you said, it's one thing to do it in front of others at the pool, but it's another when you're in that public walkway.

 

[slappy magoo]

When my kids were much smaller and I was a single parent, I did not like the fact that they had leave the pool area to get to the slide.

I get it. I mean Lord knows WDW probably has a security camera system that makes a Vegas casino seem like an abandoned 7-11 in La Jolla, but still to be in a position where you might not be able to see what's happening...