BLT -- A Sandwich or a Resort? Nov 09 TR (12/9 Lessons Learned)

[Marshay]

Okay....I'm subbing. I'm caught up too.....

ME isn't too bad. It really depends what day of the week you arrive and what time. Sometimes lines can be long....

As far as not having a car and relying on the busses, I haven't had trouble with waits for the busses, in general. In 2007, I was at Pop and 2008 I was at both Pop and BCV. I had one long wait returning to Pop from DHS, but it was right after Fantasmic. I had one long wait for the MK from the BCV. That's it. Most waits to and from DTD are long for some reason....FYI.

My cousin's DH has always loved having a car and I never heard him say he missed having a car during our last trip in 2008. Just a different opinion.

I'll be curious to hear your review of BLT as my cousins are DVC owners and may try and get in there for our 2010 trip.

Dinosaur is a scary ride even for some adults. I wouldn't chance taking a 4 yr old on it.

We're arriving on a Saturday for ME...so I'm expecting a long line...

Glad to hear you had positive experiences with the busses. We'd only need to use it for DTD and DHS.

I think we will skip AK altogether... and if we do go, I'll tell DD3 that Dinosaur can be for when she is older.

Where do your cousins own? Good luck getting into BLT for 2010. We are also going in 2010, prob July, but it'll prob be at Kidani or Boardwalk.

Oh and I totally forgot to say Welcome to my report!

 

[jordanyosh]

Cousins own at VWL. I don't think we've stayed there since they've bought though.

We've stayed at BCV, BWV and SSR....

thanks for the welcome.

 

[rentayenta]

Cousins own at VWL. I don't think we've stayed there since they've bought though.

We've stayed at BCV, BWV and SSR....

thanks for the welcome.

Tell me about SSR.

 

[Circusgirl]

Hmm, you just turned me off of this restaurant when you said it is "very adult atmosphere"... is that your hint to me that maybe we shouldn't go with a 4 yo and 8.5 mo old?

I picked it b/c it's new and we'd be right next door...but maybe we should wait...

It does seem like a place that doesn't hold a lot of appeal for little kids. They'd do fine there, but there are other places that have more kid magic available. The Wave seems like a better date night place to me.

 

[Marshay]

It does seem like a place that doesn't hold a lot of appeal for little kids. They'd do fine there, but there are other places that have more kid magic available. The Wave seems like a better date night place to me.

got it! Ok, so strike that off my list and we'll add Chef Mickey's or Ohana or maybe even Kona...we've always had a good meal at Kona and watching people walk by will keep the kids entertained, too.

 

[Marshay]

Re: Sci Fi Dine In Restaurant

I just saw a picture of the seats at this restaurant and now I'm reconsidering...do you think the "car seats" would work with small kids?

I think DD3 will be ok, just one of us would have to sit with her ... but our then 8.5 month old will need a highchair. It looks like the cars are raised off the ground, so if a highchair was on the floor, it would not be easy to feed baby. A booster seat on a booth for an 8.5 mo old doesn't work well...

Thoughts?

 

[Leger13]

Re: Sci Fi Dine In Restaurant

I just saw a picture of the seats at this restaurant and now I'm reconsidering...do you think the "car seats" would work with small kids?

I think DD3 will be ok, just one of us would have to sit with her ... but our then 8.5 month old will need a highchair. It looks like the cars are raised off the ground, so if a highchair was on the floor, it would not be easy to feed baby. A booster seat on a booth for an 8.5 mo old doesn't work well...

Thoughts?

They have actual tables with regular chairs as well as the "car" tables. The regular tables are also surrounded by the front and back of a car to make it still fun but it will make it easier for you to feed Elie at that point. Just make sure to ask for a regular table when making your ADR if you decide to go with Sci Fi

 

[Marshay]

They have actual tables with regular chairs as well as the "car" tables. The regular tables are also surrounded by the front and back of a car to make it still fun but it will make it easier for you to feed Elie at that point. Just make sure to ask for a regular table when making your ADR if you decide to go with Sci Fi

Do you think the regular tables still give you the good atmosphere? If not, then we can certainly wait to do when Elie is older.

 

[Leger13]

Do you think the regular tables still give you the good atmosphere? If not, then we can certainly wait to do when Elie is older.

To me I wouldn't think it would give the same "drive in theater" affect. I mean, I personally wouldn't want to have to sit at a regular table. Those car tables are just so fun! The CM's really do it up when there's a young kid....they'll put them behind the steering wheel and joke around with the kid about driving and such. I'd have to agree you might want to wait until Elie is over so you don't miss out on the magic of that restaurant. I didn't even think of that when we were talking about Sci Fi earlier.

 

[Marshay]

Carla -- do you remember where the regular tables are in relationship to this photo? Are they off on the sides like "lepers"?

Actually I just read the review and it says that "there are a few tables in the back of the restaurant"

Ok, I think I'm striking this off the plan...we'll wait to do it when Elie's older.

 

[Marshay]

So one of my mom-friends just got back from WDW. She has a son who is one week younger than my DD3 ... and he is a 'super shy, cry-baby, momma's boy'.

I was really dreading their first trip for them b/c I'm thinking "Ryan" is going to freak out on the rides, at the characters, etc.

Well, turns out he WDW, esp the train rides and roller coasters. He went on (and loved):

Goofy's Barnstormer
Test Track
Splash Mountain
Big Thunder Mountain
Dinosaur
Expedition Everest

Now when Rachel (DD3) heard this, she said, "since Ryan did those and he is 3 years old, then I can do them too!! I'm not afraid of anything!"

I couldn't believe this shy, scary-cat kid did everest and dinosaur ... even BTMRR.

So now DD3 wants to go to AK to ride them too! I may have to put AK back on the schedule.

Tentative schedule in next post.

 

[Trentmom]

So one of my mom-friends just got back from WDW. She has a son who is one week younger than my DD3 ... and he is a 'super shy, cry-baby, momma's boy'.

I was really dreading their first trip for them b/c I'm thinking "Ryan" is going to freak out on the rides, at the characters, etc.

Well, turns out he WDW, esp the train rides and roller coasters. He went on (and loved):

Goofy's Barnstormer
Test Track
Splash Mountain
Big Thunder Mountain
Dinosaur
Expedition Everest

Now when Rachel (DD3) heard this, she said, "since Ryan did those and he is 3 years old, then I can do them too!! I'm not afraid of anything!"

I couldn't believe this shy, scary-cat kid did everest and dinosaur ... even BTMRR.

So now DD3 wants to go to AK to ride them too! I may have to put AK back on the schedule.

Tentative schedule in next post.

WOW...he did Dinosaur and EE...

They must be tall for their age....Min Height I thought for Everest was like 48 inches???


If she really wants to try then, let her go for it

But after you go on the tamer rides, so day is not ruined in case she does not like more extreme rides

 

[Marshay]

Ok, how's this look?

Sat AM - Airport, ME
Lunch - Food Court
Sat PM - Garden Grill and Epcot ... bed early

Sun AM - DHS
Lunch - Le Cellier (we could take boat from DHS to Epcot and then walk through epcot to monorail...is this too much?)
Sun PM - OPEN (DTD or swim or Rooftop Lounge for MVMCP fireworks)

Mon AM - Crystal Palace and MK
Lunch - CS
Mon PM - MK (hopefully for Spectro and Wishes but they haven't put the schedule out yet)

Tues AM - Epcot
Lunch - Coral Reef
Tues PM - OPEN (Epcot, DTD, swim or Rooftop Lounge for MVMCP fireworks)

Wed AM - Pack and MK
Lunch - CS
Wed PM - Airport

My DH will be proud of me - I actually *scheduled* Open time!!

 

[Trentmom]

I was a little bit off


went and checked and Min height for EE only 44 inches

My bad

 

[Marshay]

WOW...he did Dinosaur and EE...

They must be tall for their age....Min Height I thought for Everest was like 48 inches???


If she really wants to try then, let her go for it

But after you go on the tamer rides, so day is not ruined in case she does not like more extreme rides

Nope, only 44".

If we do them, it would have to be early in the day since I wouldn't want to wait in a long line ... but you have an excellent point!

You know I just can't wait until I'm doing the "thrill" coasters with her so hearing that she wants to do them "thrills" my heart! But I agree, I don't want to scare her.

 

[Trentmom]

Ok, how's this look?

Sat AM - Airport, ME
Lunch - Food Court
Sat PM - Garden Grill and Epcot ... bed early

Sun AM - DHS
Lunch - Le Cellier (we could take boat from DHS to Epcot and then walk through epcot to monorail...is this too much?)
Sun PM - OPEN (DTD or swim or Rooftop Lounge for MVMCP fireworks)

Mon AM - Crystal Palace and MK
Lunch - CS
Mon PM - MK (hopefully for Spectro and Wishes but they haven't put the schedule out yet)

Tues AM - Epcot
Lunch - Coral Reef
Tues PM - OPEN (Epcot, DTD, swim or Rooftop Lounge for MVMCP fireworks)

Wed AM - Pack and MK
Lunch - CS
Wed PM - Airport

My DH will be proud of me - I actually *scheduled* Open time!!

awesome...

Yay for open time


One question...why would you need to take monorail to go to LeCellier? Is that what you meant?

If you take Boat from DHS to Epcot, doesn't it take you to International gateway, so you can walk in there

maybe I read wrong

 

[Marshay]

I was a little bit off


went and checked and Min height for EE only 44 inches

My bad

Looks like we both did the same thing!

 

[Marshay]

awesome...

Yay for open time


One question...why would you need to take monorail to go to LeCellier? Is that what you meant?

If you take Boat from DHS to Epcot, doesn't it take you to International gateway, so you can walk in there

maybe I read wrong

Sorry! Meant to take the boat from DHS to Epcot, eat at Le Cellier (since DH wants his Filet Mignon) and then walk through Epcot to take the monorail back to BLT.

This way we are only taking the bus in the AM and have a nice monorail ride back to our room.

If we don't do Le Cellier or if our FP for TSM is around lunch time, then I think we'll do the Pizza Planet CS.

I just don't have a lot to do in DHS so didn't want to spend a full day there.

 

[Trentmom]

Sorry! Meant to take the boat from DHS to Epcot, eat at Le Cellier (since DH wants his Filet Mignon) and then walk through Epcot to take the monorail back to BLT.

This way we are only taking the bus in the AM and have a nice monorail ride back to our room.

If we don't do Le Cellier or if our FP for TSM is around lunch time, then I think we'll do the Pizza Planet CS.

I just don't have a lot to do in DHS so didn't want to spend a full day there.

Oh okay

that makes much more sense


Pizza Planet looks like fun

 

[rentayenta]

No Animal Kingdom?