BoardWalk Villas: When Is Preferred View Worth It?
The charming BoardWalk Villas is conveniently located between EPCOT and Hollywood Studios. When booking the BoardWalk Villas, there are three categories to choose from: Resort View, Preferred View, or Boardwalk View.
Resort View is worth the least number of points and includes rooms with views of the resort grounds and oftentimes the porte cochère. Preferred View is worth more points than Resort View and overlooks the pool areas or the waterway leading to Hollywood Studios. Boardwalk View is the same point value as Preferred View, and it overlooks Crescent Lake and all the action of the boardwalk.
Many people overlook Preferred View since it’s more points than the Resort View and equal in points to Boardwalk View but without the prime view. So when is Preferred View worth booking?
Worth It
Better Room Inventory
The BoardWalk can be a popular resort to book. If you want to improve your odds of booking the dates or room size that you want, consider the Preferred View. Among the three booking categories, Preferred View has the most room inventory. More room inventory translates into better availability.
More Peaceful Environment
Although many people enjoy the Boardwalk View rooms, some people do not enjoy the noise that comes along with that side of the resort. At night, you can often hear the sideshows, the games, and people enjoying the nightlife. The Preferred View rooms face the opposite side of the resort and tend to be quieter. With the majority of Preferred View rooms overlooking the waterway to Hollywood Studios, you get a serene view from your balcony as the Friendship boats go by.
Some Partial Boardwalk Views
There are a handful of Preferred View rooms that have partial boardwalk views and larger balconies. These rooms overlook the Village Green (the greenspace right behind the bike rental stand). However, it’s important to note that there are very few of these rooms, and they are among the most commonly requested rooms, so it’s rare to be assigned one of them.
Not Worth It
Relative Point Value
As noted in the introduction, the biggest con to booking Preferred View is the point value relative to the other room categories. With Preferred View rooms, you often pay an extra 2 to 8 points per night compared to the Resort View rooms. That may not sound like a lot, but over the course of a weeklong vacation, the points do add up.
Then compared to the Boardwalk View rooms, Preferred View costs the same number of points, but you don’t get the prime view of the boardwalk. If seeing Crescent Lake, the lively boardwalk nightlife, and EPCOT fireworks from your balcony is a must, you won’t be as happy with a Preferred View room.
Distance from the Lobby
The BoardWalk Villas has some long hallways, and some of the Preferred View rooms can be a long walk from the lobby. While you can place a request to be close to the lobby, requests are not guaranteed to be fulfilled.
Stay at the BoardWalk Villas for your next Disney World vacation! Browse the confirmed reservations, or request a free quote to rent DVC points and save up to 65% compared to booking directly through Disney.
