BLT or AKL for KIDS???

[WDW99]

Just wondering what your thoughts were on BLT vs. AKL for Kids? We have a 7 & 4 year old who we took to AKL last year, had a 1 bedroom SV and they (and US) LOVED IT!

We are looking at making a purchase at BLT or AKL.
My wife and I are leaning towards BLT, BUT I would hate to make that our Home resort only to have our boys wanting to stay at AKL.

What really drives me nuts…..we love the location of BCV better (we are usually at Epcot or MGM) but got spoiled at AKL because of how nice it was. We didn’t really have a problem Buses at ALK.

Your thoughts?

 

[disneynutz]

You need to stay at different resorts, decide which is your favorite, then if you intend to vacation at WDW every year, buy there. The kids will follow you where ever you buy.

Bill

 

[kenny]

The old saying is buy where you want to stay. For everyone that is different.

We have two girls, 7 and 2 and own at BLT. We owned SSR but sold it to buy all BLT.

For us, BLT is "Home". While we have not stayed at AKV, I am sure my kids would like it and do want to stay there. However, our thinking back when we bought in 2008 was while AKV would be cool to see the animals, we didn't think we would want to be there for the next 50 years. The inital excite of the animals would wear off.

However, we are not bus people and prefer MK and Epcot, with or without kids. We wanted to be close to the parks we loved knowing that over the course of the contract this is where we would spend most of our time. Once we walked into BLT, we just knew it was for us. We liked everything about it.

If you are not in a rush mu suggestion would be to try BLT/CR and see how you like it before buying.

While you can always buy one and try and stay at the other, I agree with those that say buy where you want to stay. This way you KNOW you will always be where you want and not have to hope you get it at 7 months

 

[dizfan]

Resorts are really a personal preference. Only you and your family know what you like.

BCV is great and would be wonderful for you since you are typically at DHS or Epcot. Also, SAB is the best pool on property for those who enjoy slides. However, it is a challenge when trying to watch little ones.

BLT is great for MK, MK area resorts, and monorail. The monorail to Epcot takes longer because you have to transfer monorails, but it's fun to ride the monorail around Epcot before unloading.

AKV is also great as you already experienced. It's a retreat from the parks.

Make sure to consider resale. You will save a significant amount and this may tip the scales to one resort over another.

 

[WDW99]

However, our thinking back when we bought in 2008 was while AKV would be cool to see the animals, we didn't think we would want to be there for the next 50 years. The inital excite of the animals would wear off.


Great advice! Never really considered that!

If we could stay there 1st I would, BUT I hate to spend more money at a DVC resort, and it not be towards owning. WE are planning a May trip.

 

[jrtoastyman]

We just bought into DVC, and did so at BLT. My reasoning is that I could never really foresee a time when a resort on the monorail and walking distance to MK would ever not be in demand. Demand for other DVC properties may wax and wane as new properties are built, but even if and when the GF villas are built, I still think BLT will be in demand. Ergo, if I want to make sure I have to the option to stay there, better to buy there.

It's ultimately personal preference, though. People often say buy where you want to stay, but having given it some thought and heard the input of people on here, it's probably more accurate to say DON'T buy where you DON'T want to stay. Sounds like a lot of people will book at their home resort at 11 months to have as a fall-back, and then try to book elsewhere at 7 months. If you would be bummed to have to stay at a particular resort if push came to shove, don't buy there.

 

[sweetdana]

I rec. buying less points than you need at 1 or the other resort and try it for a couple times 1st. If you want 200 points, buy 100, use them on this trip and see if you love it. Transfer in another disboard person, if you need more than your min, but there is nothing stopping an add on.. even at a diff resort, if you do not love your 1st buy after 2-3 trips. I cannot tell you which one of those to pick, but if you are buying before going again and you like one of them you have stayed at.. If you feel so far AK is the nicest for you and your fam. I would vote buy there. I would not vote buying site unseen. After having an opinion a couple times..

I thought I would love AK, and I liked the animals for 3 nights, and the Kid pool, and Saana, but after a week, it was just to far out from everything. I thought I would love BLT, but after staying there, the studios were to small, the bus ride to AK felt like a week, I cannot believe how much more a night most of the rooms are. The location was nice, but only for MK. I think Epcot still took longer with the 1/2 a dozen stops getting off and on a new monorail. I thought I would love BWV, but after the hallwalls, and the terrible parking, the second time the stand room is no value to me.

I didn't love SSR my 1st stay, now it is my second fav resort, and for the price I feel the best value of everyone of them. Having a 3 bed for the price of a 2 is even better.

To Jr toast, stating BLT will always be in demand, due to monorail.. That is depending on how/if they fix the monorail, if the add the GFV and later the Poly. Adding 2 more hotels of people and the same # of monorails.. It will end up being standing room only nearly all the time ..so I am not 100% positive this is true. True now, but maybe/maybe not later.

 

[quirty30]

I own 360 points at BLT and 100 at AKV. In the 2 years we have owned DVC, our trips have focused heavily on theme park visits and with MK as our favorite, we gravitated to BLT and got most our points there. Now our vacation style is changing and we find ourselves spending more time at the resorts and less time at the parks. We have come to LOVE AKV, and I kind of wish we had more points there and less at BLT. One nice thing is that Kidani is relatively easy to book the times of year we can travel...so I guess we'll leave our points as is. If I ever add on, it will definitely be at AKV. The novelty of the animals doesn't wear off, we love the dark, warm colors, and the CM's are some of the best in all of DVC. It feels like a destination all on its own, and I know we will continue to visit there more as time goes on.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Look at what each resort has and what you really need to have at that resort. Savanna view? Probably available at 7 months out. Theme park view at BLT? Need to book that at 11 months out. Grand Villa? Lots of choices, but not at BCV. Look at what would be the deal breaker if you couldn't get it at 7 months out because it was gone at 10-11 months out.

 

[DisDad07]

As others have said, Buy where you want to stay. This is hard to do, because things change as the family gets older. We own at AK and OKW. We have been at Ak, SSR, BLT, and BCV. They each are nice in their own way, but our family likes the peace and quite ant Ak. The bus rides are not as bad as people say, but you do have to wait for them at most resorts and sometimes they can run slow...

 

[Golden Rose]

We actually thought we wouldn't like AKL because of the distance from the parks, and because we're a family who loves Epcot. Then we stayed at AKV, and completely fell in love with it. (We HAVE had terrible luck with the buses. We often prefer to drive now, because the buses are so bad. We like the resort and the animals enough that it is worth it to us.)

We ended up purchasing 2 contracts, one at AKV and one at BWV, and they've been the perfect pair for us. We can get into an Epcot resort for F & W, and we can stay at AKV when we want a less park focused vacation. We may add on at a monorail resort at some point (BLT or GF, if it really is built), if we continue not to be able to book one at 7 months.

 

[PinkTink63]

We just bought into DVC, and did so at BLT. My reasoning is that I could never really foresee a time when a resort on the monorail and walking distance to MK would ever not be in demand. Demand for other DVC properties may wax and wane as new properties are built, but even if and when the GF villas are built, I still think BLT will be in demand. Ergo, if I want to make sure I have to the option to stay there, better to buy there.

It's ultimately personal preference, though. People often say buy where you want to stay, but having given it some thought and heard the input of people on here, it's probably more accurate to say DON'T buy where you DON'T want to stay. Sounds like a lot of people will book at their home resort at 11 months to have as a fall-back, and then try to book elsewhere at 7 months. If you would be bummed to have to stay at a particular resort if push came to shove, don't buy there.

I think this is wise advice! We own at SSR, but we stay everywhere! I have booked as late as four months before traveling and got the resort I wanted. You might also take into consideration the time of year you plan to travel. We have always gone in the summer but holidays may be little harder to get, but if you plan seven months ahead your are likely to get what you want.

AKV is my son's favorite place ever since the first time we went there. He is now seventeen and that is still his first choice!

 

[WDW99]

WOW! Thanks for all the responses! That's a lot to think about, but very helpful.
Thank you everyone!!!

 

[Lil' Grumpy]

if i may, i like to help.

we picked 3 contracts @ blt for our 3 kids. we thought about animal k.,
but in the end we went with the same resort.

to us, magic k will always be our #1 park. that's before the remodeling
work they are doing. i think most started their disney interests there.
even with our children growing older, i can't ever see us going to wdw
& skipping magic "k" .

one debate that seem to never-ending is the room sizes. do some
measure every inch? regardless, a.k. having more feet per room,
it was in the bathroom. i just didn't get it. ( the benefit/s )

it is a long way out "there". the odds of things going wrong on the buses
will be a "hit or miss" situation. but sometimes you can also meet &
make friends-or share what is going on @ a park.


--we didn't know what to expect from our first blt trip. ( over 2 weeks
during last christmas. ) our major expectation was a mk view. our
first room was fabulous. they also were doing characters meet
right @ the walkway-scoodge mc duck ,in our best disney pj's. we
liked the sterile/modern touches because we always add our
family stuff. @ the end of every park day, we delighted when
we saw our room from the monorail or bus.

here's how we chose our "used year", we went with the 4months
that we seldom vacation during our last 10 years. we had our
bumps but we do not regret going with blt.!

also they recently "gave" the top floor to dvc. i know many has figured
out the ways to sneak up, but over time that will be corrected.
... what the top floor is , a nice place to share a special disney
memory with your family. { if you are not supposed to be there,
then why does so many need to be redirected?} i think most
owners don't want the experience "to feel" liked main street. luckily,
we went both nights {new years }. it was shoulder to shoulder
new~years eve but the night before , there were just a few.
it is amazing when it isn't crowded. so i see it as being a real
bonus for blt owners.

another plus we considered was the tub with the jets! our
loved taking a bath & watching wishes. she even had her ariel bathing
suit on!

i think blt will hold it's value but we didn't buy for an investment.
instead we saw a way to extend our yearly trips & a way to pass
them on to our children.

good luck, as i think either is a great choice. * the one thing we
were grateful during our first visit @ animal k., was not getting
"stuck" under the wart hogs!

 

[buzz5985]

Just wondering what your thoughts were on BLT vs. AKL for Kids? We have a 7 & 4 year old who we took to AKL last year, had a 1 bedroom SV and they (and US) LOVED IT!

We are looking at making a purchase at BLT or AKL.
My wife and I are leaning towards BLT, BUT I would hate to make that our Home resort only to have our boys wanting to stay at AKL.

What really drives me nuts…..we love the location of BCV better (we are usually at Epcot or MGM) but got spoiled at AKL because of how nice it was. We didn’t really have a problem Buses at ALK.

Your thoughts?

Decide what you like - not your kids. My DS is now 14. He started going when he was 4. He loved All Stars back then. Is horrified by them now. He still loves AKL, stayed at BLT once - doesn't care to go back. MK is good for the mountains, nothing else. But goes to make Mom happy. Liked BCV when he was 8 but now considers it a water park for babies. Would prefer to be at TL or BB. BWV still gets a thumbs up because of the music, etc at the pool and boardwalk. Loved HHI, but just stayed at VB now prefers there.

Long story short - he will stay where I decide. DH and I told him - we can't wait unitl you no longer want to vacation with us. DS laughed and said "Like that's ever going to happen."

Janis

 

[TagsMissy]

there isn't one definite answer... kids all have varying tastes as do adults... what small kids may like today are not necessarily what they will like in 5-10 years.

you as the adults are making the purchase and honestly while a kids may really like one resort or another because of a play area or something today will they honestly be upset if they are not sleeping at that resort? chances are they want to go to wdw and aren't all that concerned about theme.

when I was a kid I wanted a pool, i didn't care about anything else as long as there was a pool to swim in.

as mom and dad who are footing the bill choose what you like, and remember that is your home resort but it doesn't mean you can't stay at other resorts. We usually do split stays between our home and another resort as it lets us have a taste of varying resorts but we do stay at least 4-5 nights at each place.