Bay Lake Towers and CR resort

[chitown_disneylovers]

I was reading somewhere that you need a room key for Bay Lake Towers in order to take the walkway from the CR to there?

My family is thinking about a Disney trip for the summer of 2014. My sister was going to get a one bedroom suite in the Bay Lake Towers because she has 4 kids (one will be 2 years old the rest are school age). DH and I were going to stay with our kids in a Tower room or Garden wing room.

So we won't be able to walk over to their room unless they come and get us? Or how does this work? I am assuming we can't use their pool but can they use ours so that the cousins can swim together?

I guess any info on Bay Lake Towers would be greatly appreciated. I tried looking through the Fact thread but can't find answers to these questions.

Thanks in advance for any responses.

 

[DisneyDudet]

Technically, you have to use a BLT room key to open the doors to the building from the walkway. I will say, people go in and out of those doors often, so they are open and closing a lot. To be in compliance, they can meet you at the doors and let you in, but you can always ride on someone's coattail in the doors too. As a DVC owner at BLT, I don't like that idea, as it is a perk to have exclusive access to the building, but you have a legitimate excuse to be there. I'm sure you can work it out and it shouldn't be a major issue.

As far as pools, you are correct. As CR guests, you only have access to the CR pool. I'm not sure if you have to be DVC members to have access to BOTH pools, or just guests at BLT. Others will have more info on that. If you are spending time with your family at the BLT pool, that is your choice. I've heard that, when the pool gets crowded, they may check room keys to make sure that CR guests arent using BLT pools. Just know that.

 

[DebbieB]

I was there once and the door was propped open. My friend & I are DVC members, so we walked in to look around for possible future stays. I heard that the first floor entrance from the parking lot is also keyed, not sure if that is still the case.

 

[chitown_disneylovers]

Thanks for the information.

We just want to be able to go hang out in the room with them or go pick up the older kids and take them to the pool when the baby goes down for a nap or something. We are completely fine using the CR pool.

I just don't know if I want the hassle of having to call her down from her room to let us in or being stopped and asked for room key identification. So maybe we can look into other options for her.

Thanks!

 

[twinboysmom]

Why don't you as a family hold on to the youngest child's room key? That's what we did in September when we had friends staying at another resort. We had twin two year olds so I gave her one of the boys room keys to use to come in and out of the resort. It's not like my two year old was going to use it.

And on another note, I assue you that you are greatly exaggerating that getting in and out will be a hassle. There is a lot of traffic going in and out that door and in our experiences, the door isn't ever locked anyway. Also, during our stays the main lobby door was not locked until late at night. I think you all have a good plan and it will work out great. The one bedroom villas are fantastic at BLT. Your sisters family will really enjoy it.

 

[spiceycat]

here is a website that talks about both
http://www.contemporaryresort.net/

the activities at the CR are open to both of your families.

the activities at BLT are only open to her family.

the arcade at CR can be used by both - as well as the restaurants and quick service - gift shops. So it will be easy to meet up for meals.

the 4th floor skywalk on CR is on 5th floor blt - this is generally the easiest way to get there - this door takes longer to close than the ones on the first floor.

so if you don't or do have a key would go this way. you should receive a map of both when you arrive.

 

[chitown_disneylovers]

Thanks again for the replies.

I didn't mean to over exaggerate the hassle part. I just meant that if we weren't allowed to go in then we weren't going to go in that's all.

But it sounds like it won't be a problem.

And taking the youngest ones room key is a great idea too.

Thanks!

 

[jwwi]

Now that they are doing check in at the BLT I don't believe the main entrance would be locked. Staying on DVC points we had access to the top floor to watch the fireworks. We were able to get over from CR to BLT from the 4th floor exit from CR without a problem. The door just opened when we approached it. This was on 11/18/12.

 

[AshleeH]

I was there once and the door was propped open. My friend & I are DVC members, so we walked in to look around for possible future stays. I heard that the first floor entrance from the parking lot is also keyed, not sure if that is still the case.

The first floor entrance is open during the day, but you need your key at night. I'm not sure what time they lock it, but we got back after fireworks one night and it was locked. I think there is someone in the lobby at all times though - although I'm not 100% sure about that because we were so tired that night, I don't remember looking around the lobby .

 

[Deb & Bill]

The two year old will not have a room key. The youngest of the remaining three will probably need his/her key.

You can enter the main lobby during daytime hours. Later at night you need the room key to open the door.

They are going to be a bit crowded with six in the one bedroom villa.

 

[meredith1]

I was there once and the door was propped open. My friend & I are DVC members, so we walked in to look around for possible future stays. I heard that the first floor entrance from the parking lot is also keyed, not sure if that is still the case.

Indeed the front door is still card entry only.

 

[twinboysmom]

The two year old will not have a room key. The youngest of the remaining three will probably need his/her key.

You can enter the main lobby during daytime hours. Later at night you need the room key to open the door.

They are going to be a bit crowded with six in the one bedroom villa.

My boys have always had a room key, always. That would be 6 visits from the time they were 18 months old until they were almost 3. I have also had to ask them not to put charging privileges on their cards as well. Why would the 2 year old not have a key? He or she can "legally" be listed on the reservation.

 

[Deb & Bill]

My boys have always had a room key, always. That would be 6 visits from the time they were 18 months old until they were almost 3. I have also had to ask them not to put charging privileges on their cards as well. Why would the 2 year old not have a key? He or she can "legally" be listed on the reservation.

Since the youngest doesn't need a KTTW to get into the room, nor to get into EMH, why would they issue the youngest a key card?

 

[twinboysmom]

Since the youngest doesn't need a KTTW to get into the room, nor to get into EMH, why would they issue the youngest a key card?

Why? All I know is that they do issue them. I have never asked for them for my boys but have always received them. I have read on these boards that people have been asked for babies KTTW card for admittance to SAB and have been asked at EMH.