BLT Lake View vs. Theme Park View

SGarv

New Member
Original Poster
I am a new DVC member and was looking at booking a trip at BLT in the fall. We will need a 2 bedroom (as we will have 6 adults, one child, and a baby) and I wanted to see if people thought Theme Park View was worth it? We have the point due to point being left over from the previous year so we have the points if we wanted to do it. I don't want to waste the points however if it's really not a good view because I have seen the Lake View and it seems to be nice. Thoughts? Thank you all for your help!
 

rob0519

Well-Known Member
We've never stayed in BLT, but have seen both views from the upper floors of the CR. I would imagine you'd need to be on an upper floor, but are few things like waking up in the morning, going out on the balcony and listening to the sounds of the ferry and the train whistle. Ok, you get the bus engines as well, but I grew up in a major city, so those don't bother me. Also, you should be able to see the monorails and the ferries making their first runs. Then at night, you get a great view of the fireworks.

My opinion is try it once. If you don't think it's worth the points next time, go back to the lake view.
 

correcaminos

Well-Known Member
I personally don't think so after having a partial theme park view from our lake view. That said, always try things if you can for yourself. If the points are too much to swallow, then don't sweat not having the view.
 

GoofGoof

Premium Member
I've stayed at both and both views are really nice but in different ways. First, some of the lake view rooms are actually on the side of BLT that faces MK so it's possible to get a lake view room that still has views into MK if you look a little left and the lake if you look right. Those are cool rooms but also furthest from CR so a little more walking. The MK view rooms are only in the center section with a direct view into MK.

Lake View: The view of Bay Lake is very nice and peaceful. I liked sitting on the balcony with a cup of coffee in the morning and just enjoying the quiet view of the lake. The same goes for night except substitute cold beer for coffee. On a Disney trip where you experience some form of sensory overload all day long it was nice to sit and enjoy some peace and quiet at night. If you are on the back half of the tower you will have a view of the pool too and you will also have some view of the electric light pageant boat show thing at night too.

Magic Kingdom View: The obvious draw is the magic kingdom itself. You can watch the fireworks each night and all night long you have the view of the castle lit up outside. It's pretty cool. They even have a channel on the TV to play the sound from the fireworks show. Waking up and seeing the castle from bed was special. I especially liked waking up and drinking my morning coffee and watching them bring out the monorail and the train and get things rolling for the day. The only downside with the MK view is your immediate view is of the parking lot in front of BLT with the MK behind it. Depending on how low a floor you get it can be a little less private. I had a room on the 3rd floor in a MK view room my first stay. They have since changed that floor to standard view.

Either way my personal preference is as high a floor as possible for both privacy and expansive views. You can't go wrong with either view just depends if you want to spend the extra points to see into the park. You can also roll the dice and hope your lake view room has views of MK anyway (North outer villas).
Best of both worlds but no guarantee.

Here's the floor plan for which rooms have which view:
IMG_0783.JPG

IMG_0784.JPG

This thread from Dis also has pictures of a lot of the room views:
https://www.disboards.com/threads/b...nks-last-update-of-post-1-10-21-2015.2257082/
 

RookieMouse

Member
Bay Lake Tower is our home resort and we have tried both views. For the difference in points, I'd go with the Lake View and if you really want to see the fireworks or castle from the resort, pop up to the Top of the World Lounge. During our last visit, we stayed 4 nights in 2BR LV villa and never saw the fireworks from our room because we were either watching them in MK or were at another park at that time.

A lake view also lets you see the Electrical Water Pageant.
 

nickys

Premium Member
Bay Lake Tower is our home resort and we have tried both views. For the difference in points, I'd go with the Lake View and if you really want to see the fireworks or castle from the resort, pop up to the Top of the World Lounge. During our last visit, we stayed 4 nights in 2BR LV villa and never saw the fireworks from our room because we were either watching them in MK or were at another park at that time.

A lake view also lets you see the Electrical Water Pageant.

I agree with this. The one time we booked a theme park view we were at the Contemporary end and saw more of the Seven Seas lagoon than MK. The last time we had a Lake View and had one of tho "coveted" views of both Bay Lake and MK. It was nice being able to sit out and watch the fireworks, and wonderfully peaceful but after a few nights I missed the classic Lake View, especially the EWP!

I would always book Lake View in future, and go up to TOTWL to see the fireworks on the days we're back from the parks.
 

Mrs Potts

Member
So glad I found this thread. We just decided when we want to go next year and rooms were available at BLT. We've never stayed there before so we're pretty excited. I would have liked a MK view but lake view was all that was available. I keep forgetting about the Top of the World lounge, we may have to try that out.
 

correcaminos

Well-Known Member
So glad I found this thread. We just decided when we want to go next year and rooms were available at BLT. We've never stayed there before so we're pretty excited. I would have liked a MK view but lake view was all that was available. I keep forgetting about the Top of the World lounge, we may have to try that out.
Honestly even if you get the lake view of Bay Lake, it is beautiful. I loved that view - gorgeous sunrises there. Quite peaceful looking too. You get great views of MK from the elevator bays so we didn't miss it when we had that. We also had a room that was lake view and MK also (so the other side). I think I almost liked the bay lake view more :eek:
 

21stamps

Well-Known Member
I've never seen stayed at BLT, but I have stayed in theme park view rooms at the other monorail resorts, so here's my 2cents-

There's something magical about waking up in the morning and seeing the castle, Space Mountain, entrance, etc. Even more special to just spend some time drinking coffee or eating breakfast in your room with that view.

Also magical- coming back at the end of that day, changing into pajamas, and watching the fireworks from your balcony.

However, I love the electrical water pageant as well..not sure if you can see that from a tpv at BLT.. if not, then lake view would be wonderful too.

Basically, both of your options are great :)

Good luck with the decision!
 

SGarv

New Member
Original Poster
Thank you all for your opinions- I think reading these posts I'm leaning towards MK View for our first trip with our DVC points ever to really make it memorable but we will see if I will be able to get that at the 7 month window as BLT is not our home resort so I know there's always a chance it will be gone. Seems like I can't go wrong with either of these views though so I think it will be a great trip!
 

slappy magoo

Well-Known Member
Only a slight bit off topic - we stayed at BLT with Lake views in 2011, 2014 and 2016. First 2 times our lake view also overlooked the pool. Fine and dandy, lovely view. 2016 stay, after some awkwardness getting to the resort that had nothing to do with WDW (my best friend died a few weeks prior, I had just delivered a eulogy the night before then we drove nonstop to get on property) not only did our keys not work but I saw that our room would be facing the opposite way...I wasn't indignant about it but I was confused. So I had to go back downstairs to get the keys to work and I asked "if we're on the opposite side of the building, are we really getting a lake view?" I was concerned what we'd be facing was just the Contemporary itself with a bit of water to the side. The attendants assured me they'd move us if we wanted but we should look first. So we got the keys and holy crap! Yes we weren't facing the pool but we could make out other parks in the distance, and at night could see THEIR fireworks which I never knew was possible. I was a big dummy and being a selfish pampered dummy next time we go I'll probably be disappointed if we DON'T get that view!
 

SGarv

New Member
Original Poster
So my follow up question to all of you is what is the likelihood of getting a 2 bedroom at BLT (MK view ideally) in October/November time frame if BLT is NOT my home resort?
 

slappy magoo

Well-Known Member
So my follow up question to all of you is what is the likelihood of getting a 2 bedroom at BLT (MK view ideally) in October/November time frame if BLT is NOT my home resort?
THIS October/November?
Not trying to be rude but...none at all.

I went on the DVC website. There is a Lake View lock-off 2BR unit available for TWO nights in October, 10/24 and 10/25. Everything else in a 2BR is booked for both lake views and theme park views throughout October AND November. This close to your expected arrival, nothing is showing available in a 2BR in ANY DVC resort except for a few days here or there, not a whole block of nights to make up a vacation. Your best bet would be to call DVC direct. Maybe (almost definitely not) they're still holding rooms in their own personal collection to be rented out for cash and if they're not booked, they'll be willing to rent them out on points. But DVC units tend to be booked no less than 4 months out, and you're talking 2-10 weeks in advance.
 

SGarv

New Member
Original Poster
THIS October/November?
Not trying to be rude but...none at all.

I went on the DVC website. There is a Lake View lock-off 2BR unit available for TWO nights in October, 10/24 and 10/25. Everything else in a 2BR is booked for both lake views and theme park views throughout October AND November. This close to your expected arrival, nothing is showing available in a 2BR in ANY DVC resort except for a few days here or there, not a whole block of nights to make up a vacation. Your best bet would be to call DVC direct. Maybe (almost definitely not) they're still holding rooms in their own personal collection to be rented out for cash and if they're not booked, they'll be willing to rent them out on points. But DVC units tend to be booked no less than 4 months out, and you're talking 2-10 weeks in advance.
No no not this year, next October/November, I'm not that crazy!
 

slappy magoo

Well-Known Member
No no not this year, next October/November, I'm not that crazy!
Well that's a relief. You only ever specified "in the fall" in your original post so I wasn't sure. I would think getting something in BLT isn't as crazy in the fall as trying to get one of the Epcot resorts - especially considering how many more units there are in BLT (greater supply = lesser demand), a lot of DVC members tend to find the lack of a whimsical theme off-putting so there never seems to be as much of a clamor, etc.

But because your trip might coincide with the Epcot Food and Wine festival, and they're relatively low-point periods, they tend to be popular with DVC crowds.

We don't go in the fall but 3 out of our last 4 trips we got into Bay Lake, with a Lake View, at the 7 month window (and our last trip wasn't booked at the 7 month window but more like a 3-4 month window so pickings were more slim everywhere). Can't guarantee anything but I'd say your odds are at least decent getting into BLT.
 

slappy magoo

Well-Known Member
Lake view all the way. The MK view is just to noisy for us.
Yeah, at some point if you're staying at BLT with a Lake view (if you're a DVC member anyway) you're going to find yourself at the Top of the World lounge, enjoying the fireworks and a cocktail. Maybe more than once. You get your fill.
 

ford91exploder

Resident Curmudgeon
I am a new DVC member and was looking at booking a trip at BLT in the fall. We will need a 2 bedroom (as we will have 6 adults, one child, and a baby) and I wanted to see if people thought Theme Park View was worth it? We have the point due to point being left over from the previous year so we have the points if we wanted to do it. I don't want to waste the points however if it's really not a good view because I have seen the Lake View and it seems to be nice. Thoughts? Thank you all for your help!

How much time do you plan on spending in the room? TPV is great but if you dont plan to spend much time there i'd use my points for a longer stay.

For park viewing you have access to the Top of The World Lounge which gives the best view you can imagine.
 

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