buffyscrubs
Banned
wow so woderful places i want to go there right now!!
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BLT is fantastic!
- Thread starter DVC Mike
- Start date
JamboJohn
New Member
Thanks Mike! Makes me feel good about our investment in BLT. We purchased 270 points but I am already thinking we will buy more REAL soon and we haven't even used it yet. In fact, we purchased, tried to reserve BLT 1 BDR for July and there were no available room soooo, we will be staying at Kidani Village for our first DVC trip even though our home is BLT!
dizzney
Member
You need to book within your 11 month window for BLT if you are going in a prime season. It takes a while to get used to timing of the process. Summer, Winter break; and Holidays are always difficult to make reservations at certain DVC resorts. We own at BWV and BLT and book aa far in advance as possible, This past New Years Eve, we stayed at BWV Boardwalk View for 5 nights and then 4 at BLT in a MK view and the booking was 11 months out. If it is not a prime time, you can book in on a shorter time frame,
Good luck, you will enjoy BLT when you say there.
DisneyPhD
Well-Known Member
If you are more concerned with room size, then OKW will have much larger rooms and also will have two beds while the BLT studios are smaller and (like all other DVC resorts) have a bed and sofabed.
The BLT advantage for us was all about location. Being able to walk to MK in the morning or monorail back in the afternoon was the best. You are also much closer to the pool, shops and dining than you could be at OKW which is much more spread out.
Yeah this is what I was debating about. We're not renting a car....so we're just gonna do all Disney transportation. I think BLT's location is probably more important to us then the size of the room. Its nice to be able to take the monorail to two of the four parks....be closer to everything (pools, restaurants etc.). I know one night we wanted to eat at Narcoosee's at the Grand Floridian so it would be much easier to get there staying at BLT.
Would be nice to have the bigger room but I dont think we'll actually be in the room a whole lot anyways.
dizzney
Member
Remember you are within the 7 month window, and BLT is very popular, it may be very difficult to get a studio there in October during Food and Wine Festival.
You may need to book into OKW or SS to get a studio - they go very fast.
Good luck!
BiggerTigger
Well-Known Member
Can you use Top of the World if you are not staying there?
DisneyPhD
Well-Known Member
No, you must be a DVC member staying at BLT on points. You have to check in at a desk in the lobby. The receptionist then escorts you to an elevator which needs to have a card inserted to allow access to the 16 floor.
One minor quibble--it isn't just members staying on points who are eligible to visit the lounge. Anyone staying at BLT on a reservation booked through DVC Member Services is eligible. Members, guests of members and even renters are given access to the lounge as long as the reservation originated with DVC MS. In fact, the reservation can be booked using points OR cash as long as it's through MS rather than CRO.
is the lounge at BLT anything special. we are staying there for only 3 days in sept. what exactly is up there? free food/drinks? is it open throughout the day or just in the evening and for fireworks? What if i am staying there for the first few days of the trip and moving to BWV the last week? Can we still go up to the lounge at the end of our trip?
DisneyPhD
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the correction Tim :wave:
Kev1417, there is a lounge with a bar and indoor seating area and outdoor viewing area all of which opens around 5pm. I'm not sure how late they're open or if it varies with the MK hours. There is a very limited menu and a full bar (definitely NOT free :ROFLOL
. I'm pretty sure you would still need to be staying at BLT to be able to use it, not after you've move over to BWV. We had to show our room card every time we went up.
We went up our first day right around 5pm and the place was deserted except for the bartender. The view was great, but there wasn't much else to do. Later in our trip we went up to view Wishes. It wasn't crowded at all but certainly not empty. If you're not in MK, its a great place from which to watch the fireworks.
Kev1417, there is a lounge with a bar and indoor seating area and outdoor viewing area all of which opens around 5pm. I'm not sure how late they're open or if it varies with the MK hours. There is a very limited menu and a full bar (definitely NOT free :ROFLOL
. I'm pretty sure you would still need to be staying at BLT to be able to use it, not after you've move over to BWV. We had to show our room card every time we went up.We went up our first day right around 5pm and the place was deserted except for the bartender. The view was great, but there wasn't much else to do. Later in our trip we went up to view Wishes. It wasn't crowded at all but certainly not empty. If you're not in MK, its a great place from which to watch the fireworks.
BiggerTigger
Well-Known Member
We are DVC members, but will not be staying there until (hopefully) 2012. We wanted to go up and watch the fireworks, enjoy a drink, maybe some apps. Well, maybe when we finally book.
I was under the impression it was for only DVC members for access. Maybe it will become popular when the economy gets better and more people are will to enjoy themselves again.
I was under the impression it was for only DVC members for access. Maybe it will become popular when the economy gets better and more people are will to enjoy themselves again.
Phonedave
Well-Known Member
Unless it has changed, it is only open for people staying in BLT on points. If you are in BLT on a cash basis, you still have no access.
-dave
mrerk
Premium Member
Sorry Dave, but you are wrong. From the DVC member website:
Due to anticipated high demand for this location, access is available only to Disney Vacation Club Members who are staying at Bay Lake Tower using their Membership (Vacation Points or cash), guests staying in the room with that Member, and guests who are staying in a room reserved by a DVC Member with Vacation Points. Access is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Hope this clears things up.
awilliams4
Well-Known Member
????
Dave is saying you only get into the TOWL if you are staying on points. You are saying he is wrong and then you are referencing a quote that verifies what Dave said. Only those staying on points get in. I was just there, only those staying on points got in. Two DVC Owners staying at SSR were turned away and some non-DVC owners paying cash were also turned away while we were there.
There on points, yes, there not on points no.
Access to the lounge is granted to those who pay cash through DVC Member Services.
Basically that's the key--any stay booked through Member Services will have access to the lounge. That includes points stays, cash stays, members, guests of members or renters.
Booked through MS = access to lounge
Booked through CRO, travel agent, etc = no access to lounge
awilliams4
Well-Known Member
I can see how this is accurate because they check the room key to see if it says DVC Member. So the policy may in fact be points only but because going through MS regardless of whether you pay points or cash will generate a DVC Member room key, this will work too.
I believe this is not the policy however, just a loop hole. I may be wrong, I don't know this for sure as far as whether this is a loop hole or a policy.
It is NOT a loophole. "mrerk" quoted directly from the member website. The policy states that access is available to:
"...Disney Vacation Club Members who are staying at Bay Lake Tower using their Membership (Vacation Points or cash)..."
_Scar
Active Member
We're staying at BLT Bay Lake view for 5 nights next July and we're SO EXCITED!
We requested an outside the center 'C' room on a high floor (even number room - fingers crossed!)
I love your pictures!
I have a couple questions (I didn't have enough time to read the whole thread, so sorry if my questions are already answered)
1.) was the pool usually busy?
2.) how quick did the Top of the World lounge fill up for fireworks? and is it busy at any other times of the day?
We requested an outside the center 'C' room on a high floor (even number room - fingers crossed!)
I love your pictures!
I have a couple questions (I didn't have enough time to read the whole thread, so sorry if my questions are already answered)
1.) was the pool usually busy?
2.) how quick did the Top of the World lounge fill up for fireworks? and is it busy at any other times of the day?