Parking & Check-in at BLT

[LAM378]

Hi everybody!

Next month we'll be checking out of YC and into BLT. We'll have a rental car so we may or may not ask YC to transfer our luggage.

That same morning some Florida relatives are meeting us for an 11 am ADR at 1900 Park Fare. Both of them have mobility issues; I assume they have a handicapped car tag but if not I'll have them valet at GF.

After that I'd like to get check-in at BLT over with, but I want to make it easy for my relatives to hang out with us while we wait for our room to be ready.

My questions are about the parking/check-in situation at BLT:

1) Does BLT have its own valet parking, or just "regular?" I'd like my relatives to just valet again after GF.

2) I will probably do online checkin; I know BLT has its own checkin desk but do I have the option of checking in at CR if its most convenient?

3) If we choose not to have YC transfer our luggage, can we check the luggage at CR until our BLT room is ready? (I've heard there's no bell services/carts at BLT?)

Sorry, I know this is the epitome of micromanaging but I don't want to make things harder for my disabled family members by not having a clue what I'm doing. If I can just get an ADR at Chef Mickey's for that morning I can cancel 1900PF and it'll all be so much easier

 

[reptar77]

1)BLT does not have valet. You can valet at the main tower but you have to go over there.
2) You have to check in at the BLT lobby only =( If you do online checkin it does go much faster.
3) There is bell service at BLT. I think they are still coming over from the main tower so it tends to take a couple mins.

BLT is our home resort and we LOVE IT. Have a great trip

 

[LAM378]

Thank you reptar77! This is everything I need to know to plan accordingly. Still not sure how to make it as painless as possible but no matter--now I can figure it all out in my head

I'm excited about BLT! We were booked at the Poly for those nights but I got scared and moved us to BLT without doing much research about it. I hope we love it! My sister and I are aiming for a BIG family trip for next spring and that's where we'd like to stay...so this is my trial run!

 

[Captain Chaos]

Exactly what reptar said... I forgot myself last year that BLT has its own check in desk now... Stupid me when to the Contemporary to check in... I did online check in, so I figured I'd be 2 minutes, wound up taking 20 cause the online system did not accept my online check in...

 

[slappy magoo]

Don't know if this would be more trouble than it's worth or an actual better solution - let bell services handle your luggage, and have your friends meet you at CR 30 minutes before your lunch ADR. You will have parked in the BLT lot beforehand. You are all now in the CR. Monorail to GF together and enjoy the ride. After lunch monorail back to CR. If they've got the time they can come with you to check in, or maybe you go check in while they and the rest of your party check out the grounds or gift shops. Then they can say goodbye when it's time and you can walk back with them to CR's valet or if the room is ready call them up so they can come back to hang in the room if they want.

Unless their mobility issues are very pronounced that the monorail is a hassle this seems like a good solution. They and you only have to park once, no luggage hassles and a scenic ride around the Lagoon.

 

[GoofGoof]

When you check in you may want to just tell them you have 2 cars and your relatives are staying with you. My father in law met us for dinner one night last November while we were staying at BLT and they gave him a 3 hour parking pass. They told us the reason was that visitors cannot stay in the hotel lot unless they are actually visiting you at the hotel. I guess they don't want a bunch of people going to MK and parking at BLT or CR, but I thought the 3 hour limit was strange. Not sure if they would have really enforced it. We had dinner at Poly and he was gone before the 2 hours were up. If we just registered his car when we checked in he could have stayed as long as he wanted.

 

[LAM378]

Thank you all so much! This is really helpful info.

Don't know if this would be more trouble than it's worth or an actual better solution - let bell services handle your luggage, and have your friends meet you at CR 30 minutes before your lunch ADR.

slappy magoo, brilliant. This seems like the least amount of trouble, and I think it's exactly what I'll do! Great suggestion and I appreciate it.

 

[slappy magoo]

Thank you all so much! This is really helpful info.



slappy magoo, brilliant. This seems like the least amount of trouble, and I think it's exactly what I'll do! Great suggestion and I appreciate it.

Happy to help...AND to be called brilliant!

 

[LAM378]

To me, you are! I've over-thought every aspect of this trip and now I'm just incoherent and making things harder than they have to be. I can't see the obvious any longer. This trip will probably just self-destruct on the morning of May 14th when I forget how to get to Newark airport and miss my plane.

 

[slappy magoo]

To me, you are! I've over-thought every aspect of this trip and now I'm just incoherent and making things harder than they have to be. I can't see the obvious any longer. This trip will probably just self-destruct on the morning of May 14th when I forget how to get to Newark airport and miss my plane.

First of all, my wife and I were given some advice when we were planning our wedding that I think definitely applies to any vacation and especially any WDW vacation - things WILL go wrong. It's inevitable. No matter how much you plan or overplan or backup plan, the world, nature, humans and human nature will at some point get in the way. What may be more important than how much you plan is how you handle things when the plan goes awry. Don't forget to enjoy the day, each day, versus being a slave to The Plan.

Now having written all that, if you're really concerned about getting to your flight, I think Newark Airport's now reached the point where having a car drop you off and pick you up is about the same - maybe cheaper - than driving there yourself and parking even in the economy lots. What is it now to self-park in the far-off lots, $18/day, something like that? Unless you're using some offsite parking lot that's much cheaper but then you're dealing with their shuttle services to get you there and back. If it's not too much more, consider getting a town car pick you up. Granted, you may live farther than we do, so it may be more. Either that, or maybe hound that friend or relative who "owes you one" to give you a lift.

 

[LAM378]

First of all, my wife and I were given some advice when we were planning our wedding that I think definitely applies to any vacation and especially any WDW vacation - things WILL go wrong. It's inevitable. No matter how much you plan or overplan or backup plan, the world, nature, humans and human nature will at some point get in the way. What may be more important than how much you plan is how you handle things when the plan goes awry. Don't forget to enjoy the day, each day, versus being a slave to The Plan.

Slappy, I should print this out and put it in with my trip planning documents. Thank you. I feel very sure that something will go wrong, and that's fine--but it's not going to be because I didn't have a plan. If this trip is like real life, I'll plan the heck out of it and then once it's happening I'll be all "Whateverrrr."

I'll be so out of my element here--this is my first big vacation since I was in WDW 15 years ago (and Mom planned those trips, not me!). It's my first big trip with my son. This is a strange thing to say, but it's actually a little scary to me. Being far from home, out of my comfort zone, leaving my dog--I'm mildly uncomfortable with all of it. But if I plan for every single contingency I feel more in control of the whole thing, more "ready," and hopefully I'll be able to enjoy myself more, knowing I did all the thinking in advance.

And I'm definitely getting a ride to the airport (which is ten minutes away, and which I know like the back of my hand). I'm taking no chances. But I'll still probably forget my carryon. Or my money. Or my son.

 

[LAM378]

I'm resurrecting this thread to ask one more question!

I'm going with Slappy Magoo's suggestion to have my relatives meet us at CR, and then we'll all monorail to GF together. Question is, where's a good meeting spot at CR? I don't know if just saying "near the monorail" will work or if it's bigger/more complicated than I remember.

Again, many thanks!

 

[slappy magoo]

I'm resurrecting this thread to ask one more question!

I'm going with Slappy Magoo's suggestion to have my relatives meet us at CR, and then we'll all monorail to GF together. Question is, where's a good meeting spot at CR? I don't know if just saying "near the monorail" will work or if it's bigger/more complicated than I remember.

Again, many thanks!

Well, if they're going to utilize valet parking, maybe by the valet station?

If you'd rather do it inside, this might be a touch out of the way but The Wave has a very small entrance, all the way past the check-in/concierge/front desks. When you walk in, just keep walking past the desks (on your left) until you hit the back wall and you'll see the entrance to The Wave. There's no way anyone's going to miss anybody else if that's your designated meet-up place.

 

[LAM378]

Excellent. Thank you again, Slappy! One or the other will work just fine. I appreciate the advice.

 

[slappy magoo]

No problem, hope it's a great visit for everyone.

 

[Rob562]

Well, if they're going to utilize valet parking, maybe by the valet station?

If you'd rather do it inside, this might be a touch out of the way but The Wave has a very small entrance, all the way past the check-in/concierge/front desks. When you walk in, just keep walking past the desks (on your left) until you hit the back wall and you'll see the entrance to The Wave. There's no way anyone's going to miss anybody else if that's your designated meet-up place.

There's also a seating area across from the front desk (main tower building) right near The Wave.

-Rob