BLT - "most expensive to stay points wise.."

[Crystal_27]

I'm still a fairly new DVC owner, but I do not get all of the hype surrounding the BLT point cost per night for vacations. In looking at the point charts for 2010, it appears that BLT is on par with the Beach Club and, at least in terms of the studios, only a couple points difference from SSR and OKW. So, is Beach Club thought to be points expensive too or is BLT getting a bad rap?

 

[drusba]

Not sure what you are comparing. If you are looking at "standard" view cost at BLT then understand that will be the worst view and will be only 11% of the rooms in the entire resort (and only a small portion of those standard views will be studios) and thus something almost impossible to get unless you reserve exactly 11 months out. Difference between that and OKW studio is 3 to 4 points per night; SSR 1 to 3. Your minimizing the actual difference based on number of points for a studio but studios don't take huge numbers of points and even the difference you mention is anywhere from 10% to 30%, and again that is standard view only.

BLT standard view cost is comparable to all of BCV and VWL and to BWV preferred. BLT Lake View (69% of the resort) is significantly higher than those others and MK view (20%) is greatly higher.

 

[bobbiwoz]

I have a 2 bedroom booked at VWL for a 5 night stay over the Marathon in January, 2010. It's 202 points. I considered trying to get BLT and saw that a 2 bedroom standard was 204, 2 bedroom lake view was 223 and MK view was 277. My family all want to stay at VWL...it works for me! We're not at 7 months yet, but if they wanted to switch, I gave them other options as well, I wanted to be prepared at 7 months out.

I think the other two views are significantly higher than VWL in that time frame.

Bobbi

 

[Mississippian]

I'm still a fairly new DVC owner, but I do not get all of the hype surrounding the BLT point cost per night for vacations. In looking at the point charts for 2010, it appears that BLT is on par with the Beach Club and, at least in terms of the studios, only a couple points difference from SSR and OKW. So, is Beach Club thought to be points expensive too or is BLT getting a bad rap?

BLT is more expensive, but really it isn't all that bad. I don't own BLT, but I'm envious. It's the only resort with easy access to California Grill. It has the best access to Narcosee and Citricos. With the exception of AKV it has the best access to Boma and Jiko. With the exception of the EPCOT resorts it has the best access to the Swan/Dolphin/Boardwalk area.

Essentially, because of the easy MK gate access it is the only DVC resort with easy access to every hotel on site. This is going to be a benefit worth having, and is going to make dining out more enjoyable, and pool hopping more fun.

 

[dianeschlicht]

BLT is more expensive, but really it isn't all that bad. I don't own BLT, but I'm envious. It's the only resort with easy access to California Grill. It has the best access to Narcosee and Citricos. With the exception of AKV it has the best access to Boma and Jiko. With the exception of the EPCOT resorts it has the best access to the Swan/Dolphin/Boardwalk area.
Essentially, because of the easy MK gate access it is the only DVC resort with easy access to every hotel on site. This is going to be a benefit worth having, and is going to make dining out more enjoyable, and pool hopping more fun.

I'm not sure I understand your reasoning with the parts I highlighted above. Why does BLT have any easier access to those restaurants than any other DVC resort???? The key is that NONE of those are any easier to get into no matter WHICH resort you stay at. I can and do get to all of them easily from both OKW and AKV. Granted, WHEN THE PARK IS OPEN, you have easier access from BLT, but when we travel in January, the parks aren't open late, so that benefit goes away. In fact many people would be going to those restaurants after park hours.

 

[Sandisw]

I have also spent time looking over the charts and have found that there are rooms and times when the point cost is comparable to other resorts.

I am going in August and will be staying for 4 nights in a savannah view studio AKV-Jambo for 90 points (the kid's choice this time--not mine!!). I could have gotten a BLT lake view for 94 points. To me, this is comparable.

But I do think it all depends on when and what you are booking. And, while it may not be as easy to get a standard view room at BLT, some of us will be booking at 11 months. There are ways to make BLT stays as affordable as the other resorts.

I am not one who is concerned about MK view (and think the points for those rooms is outrageous) but will be very happy with the other views. But personally, I would rather go for 6 nights in a LV 1 bedroom at BLT (240) than stay 7 nights at SSR (243).

I guess it all comes down to what makes people happy!!! And, that is the beauty of DVC--we all get what we want!!!

 

[jade1]

I'm not sure I understand your reasoning with the parts I highlighted above. Why does BLT have any easier access to those restaurants than any other DVC resort???? The key is that NONE of those are any easier to get into no matter WHICH resort you stay at. I can and do get to all of them easily from both OKW and AKV. Granted, WHEN THE PARK IS OPEN, you have easier access from BLT, but when we travel in January, the parks aren't open late, so that benefit goes away. In fact many people would be going to those restaurants after park hours.

I could see that Diane. I had never even thought of walking over to the buses at MK (from BLT) and going directly to the other resorts-thanks Mississippian. It usually involves going to a park and then to the resort you want to get to. We tend to travel in peak times, and also dine early for dinner (esp with the DP havoc) so this will be a great idea for us.

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

BLT is more expensive, but really it isn't all that bad. I don't own BLT, but I'm envious. It's the only resort with easy access to California Grill. It has the best access to Narcosee and Citricos. With the exception of AKV it has the best access to Boma and Jiko. With the exception of the EPCOT resorts it has the best access to the Swan/Dolphin/Boardwalk area.

Essentially, because of the easy MK gate access it is the only DVC resort with easy access to every hotel on site. This is going to be a benefit worth having, and is going to make dining out more enjoyable, and pool hopping more fun.

BLT also has the best access to Artist Point/Whispering Canyon (with the exception of WL) and the best access to Hoop-de-doo (with the exception of Fort Wilderness) due to the boat that runs between these Bay Lake resorts.

 

[d-r]

okw probably has the easiest access to the most restaurants.

 

[Mississippian]

I'm not sure I understand your reasoning with the parts I highlighted above. Why does BLT have any easier access to those restaurants than any other DVC resort???? The key is that NONE of those are any easier to get into no matter WHICH resort you stay at. I can and do get to all of them easily from both OKW and AKV. Granted, WHEN THE PARK IS OPEN, you have easier access from BLT, but when we travel in January, the parks aren't open late, so that benefit goes away. In fact many people would be going to those restaurants after park hours.

Few people would be going to these restaurants after park hours, but in certain times of the year you would either need to take a cab home or else take the terrible Downtown Disney route, which is useless. So you would at least get a free ride over, and for much of the year you would get a free ride back. Other times you would need to take a cab. But it still beats the competition.

okw probably has the easiest access to the most restaurants.

I assume you are talking about Downtown Disney as these are the only restaurants that OKW has better access to than the other resorts. I'm just not a fan of Downtown Disney, but at some point perhaps my tastes will change.

 

[jade1]

few people would be going to these restaurants after park hours, but in certain times of the year you would either need to take a cab home or else take the terrible downtown disney route, which is useless. So you would at least get a free ride over, and for much of the year you would get a free ride back. Other times you would need to take a cab. But it still beats the competition.

That and MK is generally open the latest, and the busses run at least an hour after. Plus simply make your "far away" dining on a night MK has EMH-or just early enough to be safe.

i assume you are talking about downtown disney as these are the only restaurants that okw has better access to than the other resorts. I'm just not a fan of downtown disney, but at some point perhaps my tastes will change.

I agree, but wouldn't SSR be even easier to DTD than OKW?

 

[jade1]

As far as points needed. BLT seems to have a lot of interesting combinations of points when compared to other resorts. It all comes down to personal preference of course. Couple in the lower dues and it can be a pretty good deal IMO. For example, we have 5 in the family and really dont care about the size of the room compared to location. That means we can book a 1BR SV at BLT for less than a "required" 2BR at OKW every season of the year. A LV is about the same. A MK View is about the same as the other DVC Resorts required 2BR's other than AKV. I guess it just depends on your situation and preferences.

On the other hand, if you are paying the lower dues at BLT-and stay at the other resorts, its at a better value than owning at those.

 

[buzz5985]

Not sure what you are comparing. If you are looking at "standard" view cost at BLT then understand that will be the worst view and will be only 11% of the rooms in the entire resort (and only a small portion of those standard views will be studios) and thus something almost impossible to get unless you reserve exactly 11 months out. Difference between that and OKW studio is 3 to 4 points per night; SSR 1 to 3. Your minimizing the actual difference based on number of points for a studio but studios don't take huge numbers of points and even the difference you mention is anywhere from 10% to 30%, and again that is standard view only.

BLT standard view cost is comparable to all of BCV and VWL and to BWV preferred. BLT Lake View (69% of the resort) is significantly higher than those others and MK view (20%) is greatly higher.

I just booked a studio at BLT for 11/6. All that was available was SV.

 

[d-r]

I assume you are talking about Downtown Disney as these are the only restaurants that OKW has better access to than the other resorts. I'm just not a fan of Downtown Disney, but at some point perhaps my tastes will change.

no I mean you can park right outside your door.

 

[jfinke]

no I mean you can park right outside your door.

Yes, but for those of us who don't rent cars or drive to WDW, Mississipian is correct. You have the most travel options at BLT. It is what, a five minute walk currently from the Contemporary to the buses at MK? I can't imagine BLT being much more than that. Or you can use the walkway, hop on the monorail and transfer to Epcot.

Now, I would say that BCV and BWV have the most dining options within a 10-15 minute walk when you add up the restaurants there, plus swan and dolphin, plus Epcot, plus HS.

 

[Crystal_27]

I just booked a studio at BLT for 11/6. All that was available was SV.

This is great to know. I own at BLT and don't think I could ever bring myself to use (waste, in my opinion) the extra points for a MK view. Maybe a lake view...for special occassions. For most of our trips, I anticipate that we'll be opting for just a standard view, so it's good to know that it appears (at least for now) that standard views are available.

 

[jade1]

no I mean you can park right outside your door.

Ah...I wasn't sure what you meant at first. I had been thinking if I recommended staying at OKW for the easiest dining options (room service being the easiest, resort dining options next etc) to a friend (and they used ME), they would come back and hit me over the head with a tack hammer.

 

[Mississippian]

no I mean you can park right outside your door.

Oh!
So you have to get in the car. Drive the car. Find a parking place, which is an unbelieveable hassle. Take the risk of getting lost on the way back, which has happened to us. You can't have drinks with dinner because you have to drive home. But then when you get home you can park at your door.
Certainly convenient.

 

[ssawka]

The points required for MK View are high, but since we are new owners, I figured we should try the MK View at least once. After that, I will probably not do MK View again. Actually, I think standard view is going to be relatively easy to get as most people are not going to want it. I for one am buying enough points so we can have any of the views. Since we usually fly to DW, going more than once a year is not likely anyway, so might as well splurge when I am there.

 

[DVCGeek]

I for one am buying enough points so we can have any of the views. Since we usually fly to DW, going more than once a year is not likely anyway, so might as well splurge when I am there.

Same here on both accounts. Actually, since we feel studios are plenty for just the two of us and we normally only go for 6 nights (Arrive Sat. or Sun. b/c of work- M-F off is nice) at a time our 160 are PLENTY, actually more than we need for our annual trips. We also try to avoid the largest crowds so that conveniently means we skip the highest point seasons! Same w/ VGC, we overbought 50 points to go for 5 nights in a studio every 3 years. Sometimes 150 (bank/use/borrow) could even get us a 1 bedroom there; might have to try that eventually...