Hi!
My wife and I had two very good experiences with the BWLBV. Note that both were in off-season and therefore it's easier to get requests without hassle. Since you're going in the second week in January, a traditionally slow period, you'll probably find similar results, but your actual milage may vary.
I considered this a great hotel within reason on price and time of year. My biggest concern was the size of the pool. Had it been the middle of July, I don't think the pool is big enough to support the hotel at capacity. That said, the time period of your visit would suggest the pool will be more than enough, should you want to swim in January.
This is an old hotel. I understand since my last visit (September 2002) they've done a lot of room remodeling. The hotel had already remodeled much of the "commons" areas, and we found the lobby, restaurant, and bar to be excellent. Toppers (the restaurant atop the hotel) was being remodeled, shame we missed that. The rooms at that time were old but clean and safe. There were little things, such as drawers that didn't open straight, chipped paint on the balcony, etc. Nothing that would make me run screaming, unless I'd paid their rack rate of $159 per night. Clean and safe are the operative words.
The plusses: location, location, location. If you're main area of interest (as was ours at that time) is Epcot, DTD, PI, MGM, and the Boardwalk area, it's a great location. We used their transportation a little and it seemed adaquate, I've heard some complain about during summer and heavy seasons. DTD is a small hike, but we enjoyed walking it.
As for the views: They have an email address (reservations@orlandoresorthotel.com). I did everything via email. Request ahead of time to have a room on the eighth floor or above with a DTD view. They'll tell you they can't promise, but that will get it on record in your reservation file. Bring it up again when you get there. You might also want to ask for a "corner room." The rooms on the corner, best we can tell, are a little bigger than the center rooms, and the balcony is a full 50% bigger. From this view you can see Illuminations in Epcot. And using some sort of zoom lense, look off in the distance to see the Contemporary and Space Mountain (most of MK is blocked by the Contemporary).
Don't know what you paid, but I'd be happy anywhere under about eighty bucks a night. From there, I'd take it, but I'd shop around. But regardless, I think if you can get a DTD view, you'll be happy.
EDITED TO ADD: I looked up my trip report from last September. I can promise you'd enjoy room 9008. Try the old "we spent our honeymoon there five years ago" routine.
Pat
