jennypenny
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- May 11, 2000
We own at BCV and normally stay there, but this year we were short on points and chose to stay in a 1bd std view at BWV. People frequently ask what the difference is between the two resorts, so I thought I'd give a short review/comparison...
Location: BCV is much closer to Epcot. In a standard view room at BWV you'll be down near the quiet pool which puts you right between HS and Epcot. We liked this. Winner: BWV
Pools: SAB wins hands down. That said, we liked our room location near the quiet pool at BWV so we could grab a quick swim in the afternoon and our boys could easily enjoy Community Hall. If you're all about the pool, BCV wins. If you like a community hall, it's a tie. [side note: I prefered the quiet pool because I'm a little tired of the wedding reception atmosphere at the main pools in the afternoon. I know some people like it, but a week of hula hoop contests and the cupid shuffle gets old.]
Room: They are almost identical. There is no water closet at BWV so if someone needs the toilet that entire room is occupied. OTOH, the vanity in the master part of the bath was full sized offering more counter space and more room underneath. The kitchen table is round v. the oblong one at BCV. We liked the round table better but couldn't figure out why. Our room had a balcony off of the master as well as the living room. I loved this! My teens slept late and I could still use a balcony. There was also a large closet as you entered the room which neither of us remembered from the BCV room, but I could be wrong. BWV wins, but mostly because of the balcony.
View: We always request 1st floor rooms. I didn't know what to expect with a standard view so I requested an upper floor. The view was a pond and the parking lot beyond. It was fine. There aren't any great views at BCV so we don't really expect them. I suppose the views are a little nicer at BCV but the point savings on a standard view offsets the difference in views.
Resort: Both are in fine shape. BCV's lobby is much busier, but it's more quiet out by the lake. The opposite is true at BWV. I thought the counter service options were a little better at BWV which offset having to walk outside (sometimes in inclement weather) to get to it. My kids enjoyed the buskers on the boardwalk. I liked the vibe walking back from epcot at night with the boardwalk full of people. Winner: BWV
Transportation: Self parking is much more convenient at BCV. The buses are about the same, but god help you if you want to come back from DTD in the middle of the afternoon. We waited 30 minutes for a bus, then stopped at the West Side, Typhoon Lagoon, YC, BC, Swan, Dolphin, and then the Boardwalk. Ugh.
Other items: The gym is serviceable, although the treadmills are under a soffet in the ceiling that's too low if you're tall. DH and I had to push them towards the middle of the room to use them. The arcade at BWV is really small. BCV's is much better. BWV has a community hall and BCV doesn't. The nighttime movies are a little more fun on the beach over at BCV. Next time I'll walk over and get a schedule from their front desk.
In general, we loved the BWV and the lower points for a standard view room. We would definitely do it again. We all agreed that during the colder months when we wouldn't use the pool much, BWV would be our first choice. During the summer we might choose BCV for the pool.
Sorry this got long. Ask if you have any questions.
Location: BCV is much closer to Epcot. In a standard view room at BWV you'll be down near the quiet pool which puts you right between HS and Epcot. We liked this. Winner: BWV
Pools: SAB wins hands down. That said, we liked our room location near the quiet pool at BWV so we could grab a quick swim in the afternoon and our boys could easily enjoy Community Hall. If you're all about the pool, BCV wins. If you like a community hall, it's a tie. [side note: I prefered the quiet pool because I'm a little tired of the wedding reception atmosphere at the main pools in the afternoon. I know some people like it, but a week of hula hoop contests and the cupid shuffle gets old.]
Room: They are almost identical. There is no water closet at BWV so if someone needs the toilet that entire room is occupied. OTOH, the vanity in the master part of the bath was full sized offering more counter space and more room underneath. The kitchen table is round v. the oblong one at BCV. We liked the round table better but couldn't figure out why. Our room had a balcony off of the master as well as the living room. I loved this! My teens slept late and I could still use a balcony. There was also a large closet as you entered the room which neither of us remembered from the BCV room, but I could be wrong. BWV wins, but mostly because of the balcony.
View: We always request 1st floor rooms. I didn't know what to expect with a standard view so I requested an upper floor. The view was a pond and the parking lot beyond. It was fine. There aren't any great views at BCV so we don't really expect them. I suppose the views are a little nicer at BCV but the point savings on a standard view offsets the difference in views.
Resort: Both are in fine shape. BCV's lobby is much busier, but it's more quiet out by the lake. The opposite is true at BWV. I thought the counter service options were a little better at BWV which offset having to walk outside (sometimes in inclement weather) to get to it. My kids enjoyed the buskers on the boardwalk. I liked the vibe walking back from epcot at night with the boardwalk full of people. Winner: BWV
Transportation: Self parking is much more convenient at BCV. The buses are about the same, but god help you if you want to come back from DTD in the middle of the afternoon. We waited 30 minutes for a bus, then stopped at the West Side, Typhoon Lagoon, YC, BC, Swan, Dolphin, and then the Boardwalk. Ugh.
Other items: The gym is serviceable, although the treadmills are under a soffet in the ceiling that's too low if you're tall. DH and I had to push them towards the middle of the room to use them. The arcade at BWV is really small. BCV's is much better. BWV has a community hall and BCV doesn't. The nighttime movies are a little more fun on the beach over at BCV. Next time I'll walk over and get a schedule from their front desk.
In general, we loved the BWV and the lower points for a standard view room. We would definitely do it again. We all agreed that during the colder months when we wouldn't use the pool much, BWV would be our first choice. During the summer we might choose BCV for the pool.
Sorry this got long. Ask if you have any questions.
