Please tell me about Bay Lake Tower.

[epcotisbest]

OK, I said we were not giving Disney any more money this year..
Well that did not hold up. We had planned on not going back for a little while because of ever increasing ticket prices...lack of that overall Disney magic that includes cleanliness and freshness of the parks...lack of updates etc...
Then yesterday I went and booked a week at Bay Lake Tower in Sept.
Sept. is one of our favorite times to go because it is our anniversary, and the crowds are low..
1-2 crowd level with 4-5 on weekends most days we will be there.
I happened upon a one bedroom at Bay Lake Tower, and we are so looking forward to staying there. It will be our sixth different deluxe stay and over the course of a few more years we are going to stay at all of them.
As you can tell, I like to stay at different places, love VWL but the adventure of staying somewhere you have not before is just too fun...Please share with me your experience, some tips and maybe some photos of BLT.

 

[MaxsDad]

We stayed at BLT last Septmeber for the weekend. Walking to MK is great. I had never stayed at the Contemp before, so it was a new experience for us. Desk service was great. Pool area was good. Surrounding landscape was scenic.

Here is the one thing we felt was less than ...... , well, let's say BLT pailed in comparison to other Disney resorts.At VWL and other resorts, we feel you are "transported" to another time/place. Think about the feel of AKL, WL, Port Orleans, etc. At BLT, that feeling of transportation is not there. "I am staying at a nice hotel" is not a fantasy. It is very real world. Does that make sense to anyone?

Not discouraging you to stay there. It does have value. It is nice. I would stay there again.

 

[epcotisbest]

We stayed at BLT last Septmeber for the weekend. Walking to MK is great. I had never stayed at the Contemp before, so it was a new experience for us. Desk service was great. Pool area was good. Surrounding landscape was scenic.

Here is the one thing we felt was less than ...... , well, let's say BLT pailed in comparison to other Disney resorts.At VWL and other resorts, we feel you are "transported" to another time/place. Think about the feel of AKL, WL, Port Orleans, etc. At BLT, that feeling of transportation is not there. "I am staying at a nice hotel" is not a fantasy. It is very real world. Does that make sense to anyone?

Not discouraging you to stay there. It does have value. It is nice. I would stay there again.

Yeah, the theme does seem a little sterile compared to WL or AKL or even PORS or POFQ or even Art of Animation, but we like the Contemporary and the pics of the rooms we have seen of BLT look very modern...I think that will be a nice feel.
Walking to MK has to be a plus...especially the walk back in the evening. Even taking the monorail back from Epcot will be very nice.
Thanks for your input.

 

[Spikerdink]

I took some photos of the Villa when DVC had a preview... I actually liked the look... if you private message me I can send them to you.

A freind of mine stayed there last month - she and her family LOVED it. She has been to other DVC properties but had nothing bad to say about it.

I would like to try it - it will be the one DVC I have not been to, so it is on my list for the future....

 

[MaxsDad]

I liked the rooms, look and feel. Bed was comfortable. We were in a studio. Lobby is nice too. We walked back from MK in a downpour one day. When we got "home", CM's were waiting at the door with towels. That was pretty cool.

 

[PhilharMagician]

Stayed there a few times. I have to agree with the comment of being sterile. I honestly am not a fan of the theming in any way. I did however enjoy that we had a lake view on every stay and also had a good view of MK right from our balcony. I loved sitting on the balcony after a long day sipping on my glass of wine and watching wishes and listening to the music being pumped in through the TV. It was a nice experience. I am not sure why, but I did like to pool. Again it is quite sterile but oddly pleasent. My family seemed to enjoy more time @ the BLT pool than we have at any other pool in WDW. We also found the having the main Contemporary Resort just a short walk away was great for a quick breakfast, dinner @ Cali Grill or for our daughter to hit one of the best arcades in WDW.

The biggest bonus is being able to walk back to your room after park closing when the bus stops are usually backed up with a wait. That short walk was awesome. Lets not forget Top of the World Lounge. We love it up there. We would plan and early return to BLT to hit the pool for a few hours in the afternoon. Go back to the room and shower up and then head up the the lounge just as they open. We would have a few cocktails and share a few appetizers for our dinner while relaxing in the peace and quiet. At that time of the day there are only a few tables occupied and it is a ghost town which I enjoy after all of the crowds in Disney. Then there is still time to go to one of the parks for a few hours in the evening for fireworks.

The biggest setback for me was having to take the monorail to Epcot. We got into trouble a couple of times trying to go from the BLT to Epcot for dinner aroun 6:00 PM. We would hit the monorail platform and all of the trains coming out of MK would be full and almost nobody departing @ the Contemporary so it can take a half dozen trains before you can get on. Then they try to add more trains on the loop and that shuts down all monorail traffic and further delays happen. Twice we had problems that took us well over and hour to get to the Epcot gate and luckily we were still seated for dinner even though we were late. Now I have never seen this problem at any other time of the day. Normally it will take 15 - 20 minutes to connect to Epcot.

My favorite resort is Animal Kingdom Lodge either Jambo or Kidani. I like the darks natural woods and African themes over the concrete and steel of the Contemporary, but it does have it's bonuses. I hope you enjoy your stay @ BLT. It really is a wonderful resort.

 

[DVCOwner]

When I stayed there the thing I loved the most was sitting in the room and watching the fireworks show over the Magic Kingdom. We could here the music and narration over the in room TV.

 

[JIMINYCR]

Walking to MK has to be a plus...especially the walk back in the evening.

Have never stayed at BLT but have stayed at the Contemp. Advantages of the walkway - No waiting for those busses to show up. Makes for a nice leisurely stroll in the morning and evening. And I was entranced with reading the paving bricks as we passed over them on the way over. Amazed at not only all the states but other countries you can find. Actually found one from my home town, but I didn't know the family.

 

[bethymouse]

I've never stayed there. I'd like to though. I like MK best, and the convenience of being near Chef Mickey's as well as the monorail. It is a bit pricey though. Check out allears.net for some pics and such.

 

[disneysince71]

We have points at Bay Lake... love it! We love the fireworks from the top floor, love looking out back to the Lake... Love to sit on the Beach (behind the pool area) in the lounge chairs and watch the birds. Love the pool... you will love the quiet being away from the Contemporary side... Have fun!

 

[epcotisbest]

We have points at Bay Lake... love it! We love the fireworks from the top floor, love looking out back to the Lake... Love to sit on the Beach (behind the pool area) in the lounge chairs and watch the birds. Love the pool... you will love the quiet being away from the Contemporary side... Have fun!

Thank you...we are really looking forward to it. Thanks for the tip about lounging at the beach area...my kind of vacation.

 

[disneysince71]

Thank you...we are really looking forward to it. Thanks for the tip about lounging at the beach area...my kind of vacation.

We call it our best kept secret... because not a lot of people know about it... If you go in the morning... You can look out on Bay Lake and you will not see a soul... Its beautiful.

 

[Donald_Quackers]

BLT is my home resort as well - I love the look, the TOWL, the pool (though I'm not a fan of the slide, too bumpy), it being attached to the Contemporary, the walk to the MK.

Last time I had a 1 bedroom looking straight out to Bay Lake and it was beautiful.

 

[epcotisbest]

We call it our best kept secret... because not a lot of people know about it... If you go in the morning... You can look out on Bay Lake and you will not see a soul... Its beautiful.

That sounds great...my early morning getaway favorite so far has been Hidden Springs pool at VWL...sounds like this may become a new favorite.

 

[epcotisbest]

Any photos to share?

 

[Donald_Quackers]

I have pics of the first room I stayed in as a DVC member here.

 

[epcotisbest]

I have pics of the first room I stayed in as a DVC member here.

Loved the photos...thanks for sharing. I really like the perspective personal photos bring.

 

[PhilharMagician]

Here are a few picks from our stay in Dec 2010 in a Studio.

Ohh Pretty!!! You can imagine Wishes going off right now!!

Our room before we messed it up.

Below it the old style room arrangement. Now there is only one sink in the kitchenette and the one you see on the right has been flipped to the other side of the wall because the bathroom is right behind it. The reason was that there was no sink in the bathroom and two of them in theat small area. I would love to know who made that decision originally.

Below is our room number. This was great since we were classified as Lake View while still having a MK view.

Here is the Top of the World Lounge. Sorry for the dark picture but it is fairly dark in there and I did not have a tripod to slow down my shutter speed anymore.

 

[epcotisbest]

Here are a few picks from our stay in Dec 2010 in a Studio.

Ohh Pretty!!! You can imagine Wishes going off right now!!

Our room before we messed it up.

Below it the old style room arrangement. Now there is only one sink in the kitchenette and the one you see on the right has been flipped to the other side of the wall because the bathroom is right behind it. The reason was that there was no sink in the bathroom and two of them in theat small area. I would love to know who made that decision originally.

Below is our room number. This was great since we were classified as Lake View while still having a MK view.

Here is the Top of the World Lounge. Sorry for the dark picture but it is fairly dark in there and I did not have a tripod to slow down my shutter speed anymore.

I can hardly wait to stay here. Nice view of MK for a lake view. Thanks for sharing the pics.