BWV refurb is in full swing.

[LoveToDisney]

Curious…is there a pic of these new balcony chairs?

 

[zackiedawg]

We’re staying in room 4005 right now, and while I like the refurbishment and am grateful for the new bedside table/ledge on the side of the bed closest to the bathroom, my husband and I are astonished by how uncomfortable the balcony chairs are now!

We use the balcony a lot when the weather’s nice, and these seem designed to be as tough as possible on your back. Definitely need to stick a pillow behind you to make it bearable! Not sure if this has been mentioned before, but it definitely feels like a real oversight.

I've never really liked any of the balcony chairs - new or old. Especially when I have a BW view room, where I like to spend a lot of time sitting out there, I just use the dining area chairs and haul them out on the balcony. - a bit more labor intensive hauling the chairs back and forth, but MUCH more comfortable!

 

[GroguAndStitch]

Thank you for the update! Any progress on Blue Ribbon Corn Dog stand that you saw? I cannot believe we still don’t have an opening date for that.

I would love to know about the Corn Dog stand. I was so excited for this but we come in 3 weeks, I'm guessing it will be a no. No cake Bake either. Bummer!!!

 

[lovin'fl]

Spoke with a CM somewhere and was told that Big River will be a Disney owned burger sit down restaurant with the brewery in back removed to give more space and a full kitchen to provide many items that are constant requests of guests like a burger and fries and such. Not sure why folks can;t walk over to BC and go to Beaches and Cream or Hurricane Hannas or even Ale and Compass (great burger in the lounge there). But I guess for the BW guests who don't care to hoof it or boat over, they have just FF (a signature dining place of seafood) or the Italian place. With ESPN gone there is no American comfort food place. I hope they have TVs like a sports bar...please, mouse!!!

But probably will take them years to do, like Cake Bake. Ugh, still no progress there.

 

[soniam]

Spoke with a CM somewhere and was told that Big River will be a Disney owned burger sit down restaurant with the brewery in back removed to give more space and a full kitchen to provide many items that are constant requests of guests like a burger and fries and such. Not sure why folks can;t walk over to BC and go to Beaches and Cream or Hurricane Hannas or even Ale and Compass (great burger in the lounge there). But I guess for the BW guests who don't care to hoof it or boat over, they have just FF (a signature dining place of seafood) or the Italian place. With ESPN gone there is no American comfort food place. I hope they have TVs like a sports bar...please, mouse!!!

But probably will take them years to do, like Cake Bake. Ugh, still no progress there.

Beaches & Cream is hard to get into. Hurricane Hannahs works if the weather is nice enough to sit outside. Ale & Compass is a good choice, but people might want more than the choice of just 1 burger. I think reopening something like Big River or ESPN would be a good juxtaposition to the rest of the restaurants on BW and in Epcot.

 

[mousehouse23]

Curious…is there a pic of these new balcony chairs?

View attachment 837405View attachment 837405You can’t tell much, but they curve strangely at the back and really jut up against you when you try and sit back.

 

[jekjones1558]

View attachment 837405View attachment 837405You can’t tell much, but they curve strangely at the back and really jut up against you when you try and sit back.

Your attachments don't open for me.

 

[takemetomickey]

With all the renovations, the Big River Grille being closed, additions of food trucks, etc. is the boardwalk looking like one big construction zone? Contemplating visiting this week but I really don’t want to make the trek from our hotel with 3 kids if it’s just not the right time (since vacation time is precious!). Are entertainers still performing in the evenings? Please let me know thoughts on if I should try for Beaches and Cream and save the Boardwalk for next time. Thank you

 

[Best Aunt]

With all the renovations, the Big River Grille being closed, additions of food trucks, etc. is the boardwalk looking like one big construction zone? Contemplating visiting this week but I really don’t want to make the trek from our hotel with 3 kids if it’s just not the right time (since vacation time is precious!). Are entertainers still performing in the evenings? Please let me know thoughts on if I should try for Beaches and Cream and save the Boardwalk for next time. Thank you

I love staying at the BoardWalk, but I wouldn't drag kids over there to visit the BoardWalk. Even if there is no construction, I don't know how much fun it would be.

There are some carnival-type games, if you're willing to pay for them. With three kids, I would think that might get pricey for something which is not Disney-specific (meaning you could do it at a carnival anywhere).
The sign said open 4:30 pm to 11:00 pm
Lob-A-Lobster starts at $5 for 5 lobsters which I think you toss into a pot
Basketball Hoop Toss, which is 5 shots for $10
Watergun Fun $5 per player

I don't know about the entertainers. They never seem to be performing when I'm there.

 

[Ralph&Pam]

With all the renovations, the Big River Grille being closed, additions of food trucks, etc. is the boardwalk looking like one big construction zone? Contemplating visiting this week but I really don’t want to make the trek from our hotel with 3 kids if it’s just not the right time (since vacation time is precious!). Are entertainers still performing in the evenings? Please let me know thoughts on if I should try for Beaches and Cream and save the Boardwalk for next time. Thank you

There are pictures of the Cake Bake Shop renovation elsewhere on this board. At most, there is a single food truck located near the Jellyrolls end of the BW, and it was gone by 6 pm at the latest when we stayed at BWV last month. The work on the former BoardWalk to Go location that’s being converted to a corn dog operation is a very minor thing, with some planters surrounding the kiosk. Finally, the former Big River location is simply a closed restaurant at this time. Overall, there’s not all that much different in terms of evening entertainment. It was business as usual last month and I see no reason to expect it to have changed.

 

[jekjones1558]

With all the renovations, the Big River Grille being closed, additions of food trucks, etc. is the boardwalk looking like one big construction zone? Contemplating visiting this week but I really don’t want to make the trek from our hotel with 3 kids if it’s just not the right time (since vacation time is precious!). Are entertainers still performing in the evenings? Please let me know thoughts on if I should try for Beaches and Cream and save the Boardwalk for next time. Thank you

Kids who have traveled with us have LOVED the Boardwalk entertainers. Almost all of them allow some of the kids to be a part of their shows.

 

[Dano1182]

Checking in March 31. What is expected status of BWV.
Will standard view rooms facing bus stop be available?
What wll be open and closed?

 

[Maleficent's Dad]

With all the renovations, the Big River Grille being closed, additions of food trucks, etc. is the boardwalk looking like one big construction zone? Contemplating visiting this week but I really don’t want to make the trek from our hotel with 3 kids if it’s just not the right time (since vacation time is precious!). Are entertainers still performing in the evenings? Please let me know thoughts on if I should try for Beaches and Cream and save the Boardwalk for next time. Thank you

The entertainers are performing nightly. I believe they start at 6, but I’m not 100% sure about that time.
The only “construction zone“ is the cake bake fiasco (formerly the ESPN Club), and that’s walled-off. Planters are surrounding the new corn dog place. Big River is just simply closed - no construction there.

Checking in March 31. What is expected status of BWV.
Will standard view rooms facing bus stop be available?
What wll be open and closed?

Standard rooms traditionally face the driveway coming up to the front of the resort and the porte cochere. Last week it seemed like all the hallways leading to standard view rooms were closed, but I didn’t search every floor. Definitely closed on floors 1, 2, and 5.
Closed: Big River, Cake Bake (ESPN), 2 kiosks on the Boardwalk.

 

[dwdeb]

The entertainers are performing nightly. I believe they start at 6, but I’m not 100% sure about that time.
The only “construction zone“ is the cake bake fiasco (formerly the ESPN Club), and that’s walled-off. Planters are surrounding the new corn dog place. Big River is just simply closed - no construction there.

Standard rooms traditionally face the driveway coming up to the front of the resort and the porte cochere. Last week it seemed like all the hallways leading to standard view rooms were closed, but I didn’t search every floor. Definitely closed on floors 1, 2, and 5.
Closed: Big River, Cake Bake (ESPN), 2 kiosks on the Boardwalk.

How are the areas surrounding both of the villas pool areas? Is there still scaffolding and machinery around the buildings by the pool areas? The landscaping was all torn up as well when we walked through in mid Feb.

 

[tom1944]

We arrive August 16. I wonder what to expect by then.

 

[MyDogTink]

We arrive August 16. I wonder what to expect by then.

We will see you there. We arrive the 17th. I’m debating changing to a monorail resort. My daughter is 5 and I’m not sure the BW is for her. Tough decision.

 

[Maleficent's Dad]

How are the areas surrounding both of the villas pool areas? Is there still scaffolding and machinery around the buildings by the pool areas? The landscaping was all torn up as well when we walked through in mid Feb.

Last week, the area around the main pool, and the community hall pool had lots of scaffolding, and the landscape was still ripped up. Not sure how much longer. But it was pretty extensive.

 

[tom1944]

We will see you there. We arrive the 17th. I’m debating changing to a monorail resort. My daughter is 5 and I’m not sure the BW is for her. Tough decision.

We will be at BLT from the 11th to the 16th when we move to BWV.

This is our trip to see if we enjoy or tolerate doing a split stay and also see if we want to reserve 2 bedrooms instead of less points in a 1 bedroom.

BLT 1 br for 5 nights
BWV 2 br for 4 nights

 

[Princess Merida]

Someone on Facebook posted that they are in a 1 bedroom boardwalk view at the end of the hall by Jellyrolls and it also has a pull out couch instead of a Murphy bed. This is really making me nervous for the standard studios we booked. I really hope they get some Murphy beds in soon. I wouldn’t care if they were new mattresses, but this person says it’s an old, uncomfortable pull out couch.

 

[marshallabney]

We will see you there. We arrive the 17th. I’m debating changing to a monorail resort. My daughter is 5 and I’m not sure the BW is for her. Tough decision.

FWIW, our daughters have always loved BWV, even when they were your daughter’s age. They even prefer that pool to storm along bay. They loved the street performers, the campfire s'mores and movies on the grass. Walking to HS and Epcot rounds it out for us. YMMV, but our girls preferred BWV to BLT and GFV.