BLT: Multiple rooms and Top of the World

[ebirrane]

We are considering buying DVC resale points at BLT so that we'd have a little over 300 points to play with. Through banking and borrowing we are envisioning a vacation in which we have 3 suites, one with us, one with parents, and one with friends.

This led to 2 questions:

1. Is there any problem with booking 3 rooms under your own name/membership?

2. I was confused regarding access to "Top of the World" at BLT. It says to access the lounge, you need to be a DVC member staying at BLT on points and any guests in the room with you. If we book 3 rooms, as above, are the folks in the other 2 rooms "in the room with us"?

-Ed

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

No problem booking multiple rooms.

I doubt there would be a problem with having access for everyone to the TOTWL either as long as one DVC member staying on points is with them. Remember though that the TOTWL is not guaranteed to continue forever if that is one of the appeals of purchasing at BLT.

 

[ebirrane]

Thanks, Kathy!

I just spoke with a guide from DVC and she said that everyone staying on your points should have "member" appear on their card and, therefore, should be able to get into the lounge.

I do know that the policy is subject to change, but we are going to try and get a resale through before the 7 month mark this year to get down in first week of December, and would like to try and hit the lounge for some fireworks since I'm expecting only standard or lake views to be available in April.

Is it reasonable to think that if we kick off the processes today or Monday that we should be DVC members (assuming getting through ROFR) before May? Do we think that it would be possible to find rooms (either suites or 1 brs), regardless of view, at BLT in April for the first week of December?

-Ed

 

[wdrl]

Is it reasonable to think that if we kick off the processes today or Monday that we should be DVC members (assuming getting through ROFR) before May? Do we think that it would be possible to find rooms (either suites or 1 brs), regardless of view, at BLT in April for the first week of December?

-Ed

Yes, I think that if you start the resale process right now you'll be DVC members by May. We've bought two resale deeds and it took 54 days on one and 55 days on the other from the day we made the offer to the day the points were available for booking on the DVCmember website.

However, its highly unlikely you'll be able to book BLT for the first week in December. Today, I checked the online system for availability at BLT for 12/7-12/8 and most nights are not unavailable.

1-bedroom Lake View: Available 12/01, 12/05, 12/07
1-bedroom Theme Park: No Availability
1-bedroom Standard View: Available 12/01, 12/05, 12/07
2-bedroom Lake View: Available 12/01, 12/07

If you start the resale process now, you should be members by May 1st when the 7-month window opens for the first week in December. Although you might not be able to book BLT, you might be able to book another DVC resort for that week.

Good luck!!

 

[disneynutz]

Thanks, Kathy!

I just spoke with a guide from DVC and she said that everyone staying on your points should have "member" appear on their card and, therefore, should be able to get into the lounge.

I do know that the policy is subject to change, but we are going to try and get a resale through before the 7 month mark this year to get down in first week of December, and would like to try and hit the lounge for some fireworks since I'm expecting only standard or lake views to be available in April.

Is it reasonable to think that if we kick off the processes today or Monday that we should be DVC members (assuming getting through ROFR) before May? Do we think that it would be possible to find rooms (either suites or 1 brs), regardless of view, at BLT in April for the first week of December?

-Ed

Disney's new reservation software has a known DVC problem, it doesn't always print DVC Member on your KTTW card. It seems like the lead name on the reservation has more problems than the others. In December, the Front Desk couldn't get the system to even make a KTTW card for our lead name so they ended up deleting the reservation and made a new one which worked.

Many CMs want to check your Member ID at TOTWL just for this reason.

Bill

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I agree that you should be closed by May if you start the process soon but as noted the 1st week in December is a BUSY DVC time and many people book immediately when the 11 month window opens. I had a difficult time getting a standard view 1BR at BLT and had to switch the dates around a bit - and that was trying at 11 months to the day. MK view had openings for a few days after 11 months and then I stopped checking so I don't know how long it was until lakeview started missing some days.

However I also agree that you should be able to get something at 7 months. I'd suggest a waitlist if it were only 1 room but since you'll have multiple rooms you would probably just want to stick with whatever resort you could get all the rooms at.

 

[ebirrane]

Thank you all for your advice. I have to admit I am shocked at how hard it is to get at this time of year, but it is all part of our learning curve.

We put in an offer on 160 BLT points and we are a party of 5 adults (2 grandparents, an aunt, and my wife and I) and 2 kids, so some set of rooms for that, hopefully at one resort. But if it's two resorts we'll take it as a chance to check out two places at once. If all goes well, we'll have 320 points in this year, with the chance to borrow against 2013, so hopefully points won't be an issue. After checking out some of the other villas in person in Dec, we'll try and get 160 points at some other place as well and then ping-pong back and forth each year.

For those who have stayed at BLT, how charming is the MK view versus the lake view? From some of the photos on allears, the MK view looks a lot like the parking lot view with some of the buildings in the distance coming out of the trees. I understand that the fireworks from the balcony would be great, but would they not also be great as seen from Top of the World?

I guess I figured a lake view could be nicer... maybe just my preference to look out over water. I've certainly never seen any of the views in person, but if there are people who have stayed at each, I'd love to hear your experiences/preferences/opinions.

-Ed

 

[wdrl]

Good luck on getting the contract that you want!

As long as you remain flexible about accommodations and views, and book right at the 11 month window (or 7-month window if trying for a non-home resort), you'll usually have a lot of success in getting reservations even during peak DVC times like early December.

I suggest to check out work2play's excellent thread on the DVC Resort thread on BLT Rooms, Views, with Pictures (see http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2257082). She has maps of BLT showing the location of the different accommodations and views, and guests have posted photos of their views and villas. Work2play has all of that information linked in Post #1.

We have stayed at BLT three times and really enjoy it. We liked the Theme Park view and loved sitting out on our balcony watching all the activity around Seven Seas Lagoon and MK. On our last trip We lucked out and got a Lake View studio on BLT's north side (villa 8108) and had a great view of MK and Bay Lake.

 

[z28wiz]

The magic kingdom view is a parking lot view, but you do see the castle and the fireworks in a distance. We just stayed there last month. It was nice watching the fireworks each night from the balcony. But for the points amount not to sure I would waste them on that again.

 

[spiceycat]

are you talking studios or 1-bedroom villa?

studios at BLT are tiny. the smallest that DVC has. the 1-bedroom is one of the largest.

studios also go much quicker than 1 or 2 bedroom villas.

for dec start trying for mind on 1st - gone, 2nd - gone, 3rd - gone - 4th - gone, 5th gone - finally got one on the 6th Dec - which is Thursday would prefer fri or sat. they kept telling me they were all gone when calling at 11 months at 9am easter time.... this was for a week stay.

as I have said something strange is happening at BLT.

so BLT standard view studio are very hard to get especially for Dec.

of course any studio is hard to get for Dec - low crowds, low points, best decorations and shows - it is a wonderful time to be at Disney.

if you can't get anything for this Dec, then that is fairly normal.

just remember next year and start on the 11th month at 9am eastern time. January.

now if you can stay elsewhere then OKW, SSR and sometimes AKV has some available later.

 

[amypetecar]

The magic kingdom view is a parking lot view, but you do see the castle and the fireworks in a distance. We just stayed there last month. It was nice watching the fireworks each night from the balcony. But for the points amount not to sure I would waste them on that again.

The higher the floor, the less you notice the parking lot in the foreground. we stayed on the 9th floor and found the view to be amazing. Not sure I would say the same if we were on the 3rd floor.

 

[z28wiz]

I was on the 8th in a one bedroom and clear view of the parking lot in all the pictures we took of the castle.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Thank you all for your advice. I have to admit I am shocked at how hard it is to get at this time of year, but it is all part of our learning curve....

The first week in December is a very hot time for DVC members. Points are low and the holiday decorations and activities are in full swing. So many resorts book up in early January at 11 months out. In fact, from early October to early January can be fairly busy time for DVC members.

The only time is isn't totally busy for DVC might be early February, early May, mid-September.

Another thing, DVC doesn't have suites. Only villas (studios, one, two and three bedroom).