BLT or BCV???

[trilliank]

we were trying to buy at BLT but Disney took it in ROFR . So now we are trying to decide- do we try another BLT or try for a BCV?

BLT - we love the Contemporary, some of our favorite restaurants, top of the world lounge, more space, 3 bathrooms! ( we stay in 2 BR).

BCV - love the festivals at Epcot, close to HS and Star Wars!!! ( huge SW fans)

We currently own BRV, we could just add some points to that for a better price, but would like to stay at some other resorts- I’m a teacher so we go when it’s crowded and hard to get 7 month reservations. We are not big pool people but I hear BCV has an awesome one ‍. The kids are 10, 11, and 15. On a typical trip we split our time between all the parks evenly.

Help us decide!!! What would you do?

 

[disneynutz]

How did you like BCV or BWV when you stayed there?

Bill

 

[ScubaCat]

Bcv

 

[trilliank]

How did you like BCV or BWV when you stayed there?

Bill

We haven’t stayed at either but have walked around the area and like it. We have tried but haven’t been able to get a reservation 7 months out. I have them both wait listed for a short trip coming up in April.

 

[disneynutz]

We haven’t stayed at either but have walked around the area and like it. We have tried but haven’t been able to get a reservation 7 months out. I have them both wait listed for a short trip coming up in April.

I suggest that you try before you buy. We bought BLT before staying there and we don't really care for the place.

Bill

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

Beach Club is awesome.

 

[trilliank]

I know that’s the logical thing to do, but it just doesn’t work for us. We have been trying for almost 3 years and have never been able to get in BC or BW . We are ready to purchase now. We know we want easy access to parks (hated staying at Akl). But our budget eliminates VGF and PVB. So that leaves the B’s. We are interested in BWV too but I rarely see our use year come up there

 

[10CJ]

At this point I would probably wait until Riviera comes out to see if that is something you are interested in.

 

[trilliank]

At this point I would probably wait until Riviera comes out to see if that is something you are interested in.

I would love to but we are buying re-sale, haven't found the value in spending more thru Disney

 

[kboo]

We love the BW area and have stayed at both BWV and BCV. We prefer the location of BWV because it's so much closer to HS, but the 2br lockoffs wouldn't work for your family, and if you were to try to smush 5 into a 1br, you'd have to bring your own bedding. BCV pool is fun, but there are no views to speak of, and the rooms are a bit of a walk to SAB (the big pool).

All of that said, we ended up buying at BLT and VGF after seriously considering both BWV and BCV both for our first resale purchase (BLT) and our second (VGF). We are hoping that we will be able to use our points in late summer (just before, or just at the beginning of F&W) in the BW area, and aren't going to try during higher- popularity times. And we seem to keep coming back to BLT and loving it. People like to bash on BLT for its lack of
"theming," but it's got great views from pretty much any room category (we have had 2 stays at standard, 1 at lake view, and have a TPV stay coming up in June) and it feels spacious and comfortable. We didn't buy to use TOTWL, but on every visit we've watched fireworks from TOTWL at least once. We also love the restaurants - mainly The Wave and California Grill. When we stayed at BCV, we really felt the lack of easy nearby restaurants - the ones we like are on the BW side (Flying Fish and Trattoria al Forno).

So, on balance, I would go for BLT (also for the longer contract length). I think prices are a little inflated for BLT and BCV, but BLT is still a better value.

One other consideration, though: how is BLT 2br lakeview availability at 7mo for the dates you like to travel? If it's tolerable, it might be easier and more cost-effective to add on to your BRV?

 

[trilliank]

We love the BW area and have stayed at both BWV and BCV. We prefer the location of BWV because it's so much closer to HS, but the 2br lockoffs wouldn't work for your family, and if you were to try to smush 5 into a 1br, you'd have to bring your own bedding. BCV pool is fun, but there are no views to speak of, and the rooms are a bit of a walk to SAB (the big pool).
...
So, on balance, I would go for BLT (also for the longer contract length). I think prices are a little inflated for BLT and BCV, but BLT is still a better value.

One other consideration, though: how is BLT 2br lakeview availability at 7mo for the dates you like to travel? If it's tolerable, it might be easier and more cost-effective to add on to your BRV?

you have just said everything I was thinking - We love BLT but dont own there. Adding points is more cost-effective but I dont usually see BLT available at 7 months. BUT would love to be near HS. We usually travel - last week of may- 1st week of June, Mid-march (spring Break) Thanksgiving week or the 2 weeks of Christmas. Hubs and I take short trips without the kids for run events and festivals.
I am not any closer to deciding. Thank you for the insight!

 

[CraigInPA]

BCV and BLT were on my wife and my "short list". After staying at BCV and BLT, we hands-down preferred BLT. Not that BCV was bad at all, it wasn't, but it didn't feel like "home" to us, since we have been predominantly staying in Monorail resorts for 20+ years.

 

[Matty B13]

You should look at the end dates of contracts for the resorts your thinking about buying as well, since there is such a difference between BLT and BCV. Could change your mind about the value of each resort.

 

[kboo]

We usually travel - last week of may- 1st week of June, Mid-march (spring Break) Thanksgiving week or the 2 weeks of Christmas.

Adding points is more cost-effective but I dont usually see BLT available at 7 months.

I actually just did a search for this summer - at BLT, 2br LV is readily available at 6.5 - 7 mo in the summer (last 2 weeks of July, right now). Even in your preferred time (last week of may/1st week of June), there are still pockets of 4 nights available in a 2br LV, at less than 5 months out.

At BCV for those same times, the weeknights are generally booked but weekends are open.

A week in the summer will be around 350 points at BCV or BLT standard, and closer to 385-400 points in BLT lake view.

I would still try again for BLT. Even though it is more necessary to have home resort advantage for a BCV stay at 7mo in the summer, it seems possible to do a split stay if you wanted to. The value of BLT points, to me, still beats the location and other benefits of BCV.* they cost less, per point, and the contract is significantly longer. I'd consider BCV only if you absolutely loved it over all others (to the tune of paying significantly more for it) and planned to always stay there always. I feel the same way you do about the resorts, and even after staying at BCV and enjoying the walk and the pool (and I am very into water slides and the pool), I don't regret buying at BLT at all. I also think that as your kids get older you'll appreciate the extra full bath more. We brought my MIL along on our last trip and we appreciated it, for sure.

*the first time we stayed at BCV, we had just bought our BLT points and DH came back to the room after having looked at the pool, saying we needed to sell our BLT points ASAP and buy BCV! I talked him down, saying that it was kind of our plan to buy a 2nd home resort at either BCV or BWV, so we could own both. The next year, we were having a conversation about the pros and cons of BWV v. BCV, and somehow we ended up buying VGF, and he was the one who raised it. We just couldn't see the value in points that cost more per point for a contract that ended sooner (our kids are 3 and 7).

 

[bobbiwoz]

I personally think that teens would want a better pool than BLT has. I want a better pool at a resort I stay at than BLT has.

Senior Citizen here, so end date does not matter to me, but at this time in your life and what you say about Star Wars, I would go for an Epcot Resort.

We own at BLT less than half of our holdings at either BCV or BWV. Any reservation we have in swimming weather, we minimize our time at BLT.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I know that’s the logical thing to do, but it just doesn’t work for us. We have been trying for almost 3 years and have never been able to get in BC or BW . We are ready to purchase now. We know we want easy access to parks (hated staying at Akl). But our budget eliminates VGF and PVB. So that leaves the B’s. We are interested in BWV too but I rarely see our use year come up there

I honestly am shocked that you haven't been able to at least get into BWV for April, May or June trips. BLT too. Even BCV 2Br's or 1BR's anyway. That's when looking right at the opening of the 7 month window? We go in April-May and find it a very decent time to book with non-home resort points. I'm very jealous of summer availability at all resorts.

 

[skippytx]

Both are great. BCV is my close 2nd choice, but I chose BLT due to the ability to walk to the Magic Kingdom. We spend almost every night there so walking home was the main selling point.

 

[GrumpyInPhilly]

we were trying to buy at BLT but Disney took it in ROFR . So now we are trying to decide- do we try another BLT or try for a BCV?

BLT - we love the Contemporary, some of our favorite restaurants, top of the world lounge, more space, 3 bathrooms! ( we stay in 2 BR).

BCV - love the festivals at Epcot, close to HS and Star Wars!!! ( huge SW fans)

We currently own BRV, we could just add some points to that for a better price, but would like to stay at some other resorts- I’m a teacher so we go when it’s crowded and hard to get 7 month reservations. We are not big pool people but I hear BCV has an awesome one ‍. The kids are 10, 11, and 15. On a typical trip we split our time between all the parks evenly.

Help us decide!!! What would you do?

We stayed at YC when our kids were almost exactly those ages and they still talk about SAB twenty years later. One of the reasons we purchased at BCV. Hopefully the grandkids will enjoy it as much in a few years.

 

[trilliank]

I honestly am shocked that you haven't been able to at least get into BWV for April, May or June trips. BLT too. Even BCV 2Br's or 1BR's anyway. That's when looking right at the opening of the 7 month window? We go in April-May and find it a very decent time to book with non-home resort points. I'm very jealous of summer availability at all resorts.

Our April trip is the Star Wars run weekend- the first week of summer is the last week before the points go up. We went the first week of June last year and waitlisted a BLT 2BR at 7 months, but didn’t get anything. I guess we just have bad timing.

 

[gharter]

It really depends what you are looking for. Personally, i would look at what you and your wife want. The kids will be gone in a few years. If you purchase on what the kids want, you may regret that in a few years. With our kids in their 20's and no grandkids, BWV is perfect. When the kids were younger, we loved BC.