BLT - visiting?

[jelliott04]

Hi all. I have a question about BLT. We are DVC members at AKV. From what I know, if I'm not staying at BLT I can't get in correct? I'm wondering why that is?

I can go to any other DVC resort and meander around the lobby or pool etc and just wonder why BLT is different?

It isn't that big of a deal, I'm just curious why that one is different.

Jen

 

[TeresaNJ]

You can meander around the pool area, and visit the Contemporary lobby, but the BLT area is strictly to get to your accomodations. There is no coffee area in the lobby, or dining like there are in the other DVC lobbies. There would be no reason for anyone to enter BLT unless they were going to their room.

 

[jelliott04]

You can meander around the pool area, and visit the Contemporary lobby, but the BLT area is strictly to get to your accomodations. There is no coffee area in the lobby, or dining like there are in the other DVC lobbies. There would be no reason for anyone to enter BLT unless they were going to their room.

What about the top of the world lounge? How would we go about getting to the pool? Don't you have to go through the front doors that are locked?

Jen

 

[goofy4tink]

You can most likely access it from the walkway off the concourse area of CR. But, you won't be able to do/see much since it's just hallways. You can look into the pool area, but you can't get in. You need a BLT room key to get in...wish all the pools did that.
ToTWL is really only accessible if you are staying at BLT on points. You can't just 'go up' there. It's a special elevator that someone with a special card needs to access the elevator with before it will go up...at least that was the case when we were there in August.

This is one of the things I like about staying at BLT. I feel a wee bit safer. There really is no reason for someone to be just walking around the area...there is nothing to see, so why bother?

 

[MinnieGirl33]

You can most likely access it from the walkway off the concourse area of CR. But, you won't be able to do/see much since it's just hallways. You can look into the pool area, but you can't get in. You need a BLT room key to get in...wish all the pools did that.
ToTWL is really only accessible if you are staying at BLT on points. You can't just 'go up' there. It's a special elevator that someone with a special card needs to access the elevator with before it will go up...at least that was the case when we were there in August.

This is one of the things I like about staying at BLT. I feel a wee bit safer. There really is no reason for someone to be just walking around the area...there is nothing to see, so why bother?

 

[disneynutz]

IMO it is a BLT marketing tool to create a feeling of exclusivity. It certainly isn't any safer, and sometimes the doors are propped open. It will be interesting to see if Disney feels that the added expense of securing the doors is worth it.

The pool gate at Kidani requires a room key but it is often bypassed or out of service also.

Bill

 

[MelissathePooh]

You can most likely access it from the walkway off the concourse area of CR. But, you won't be able to do/see much since it's just hallways. You can look into the pool area, but you can't get in. You need a BLT room key to get in...wish all the pools did that.
ToTWL is really only accessible if you are staying at BLT on points. You can't just 'go up' there. It's a special elevator that someone with a special card needs to access the elevator with before it will go up...at least that was the case when we were there in August.

This is one of the things I like about staying at BLT. I feel a wee bit safer. There really is no reason for someone to be just walking around the area...there is nothing to see, so why bother?

I found it really annoying actually having to use our key every second of the day to get around when we stayed there. As to why someone would want to wander around - well people want to see and visit a place before the stay to see if they like it. If that is the rationale - why should anyone be allowed to wander around any resort they where they aren't staying?

Personally I would like to be able to go over and see our nameplate on the fountain when I want to regardless of whether I'm staying there. I can see tapestry at Kidani - why can't I go to the fountain at BLT.

We've only stayed once and frankly it was much more cold and timesharish than most DVC's. I did not like seeing all the guides parading potential buyers through all the time. It really lacked the warmth of DVC. Its convenient and swanky, but far from our favorite. I can see limiting the access to the rooftop, but there really is no need to limit the access to the lobby and pool like they do. CM's at the pool should have no trouble policing that on their own. I shouldn't have to beg and plead to see my own name.

As to feeling safer - I'm not generally afraid of other guests at Disney when I stay there - BLT is no different.

 

[kdzgon]

You can meander around the pool area, and visit the Contemporary lobby, but the BLT area is strictly to get to your accomodations. There is no coffee area in the lobby, or dining like there are in the other DVC lobbies. There would be no reason for anyone to enter BLT unless they were going to their room.

It's my understanding that as a DVC member you can go to any of the Community Halls. Also, there is a DVC office at BLT which many times is certainly more convenient than SSR.

There is no pool hopping to the pool at BLT, although you can walk through the fountain and shuffleboard areas if you so choose.

 

[kdzgon]

I found it really annoying actually having to use our key every second of the day to get around when we stayed there. As to why someone would want to wander around - well people want to see and visit a place before the stay to see if they like it. If that is the rationale - why should anyone be allowed to wander around any resort they where they aren't staying?

Personally I would like to be able to go over and see our nameplate on the fountain when I want to regardless of whether I'm staying there. I can see tapestry at Kidani - why can't I go to the fountain at BLT.

We've only stayed once and frankly it was much more cold and timesharish than most DVC's. I did not like seeing all the guides parading potential buyers through all the time. It really lacked the warmth of DVC. Its convenient and swanky, but far from our favorite. I can see limiting the access to the rooftop, but there really is no need to limit the access to the lobby and pool like they do. CM's at the pool should have no trouble policing that on their own. I shouldn't have to beg and plead to see my own name.

As to feeling safer - I'm not generally afraid of other guests at Disney when I stay there - BLT is no different.

ITA except for (thanks to the current ages of the grands) the convenience of the location is a huge plus for us when considering "favorites". I also don't think the pool is anything special, certainly not worth pool hopping even if it were allowed. I think the size alone is reason to prohibit pool hopping - it's not big enough for the guest capacity, never mind visitors. On a different note, I have the same complaint about the lobby at Kidani - it is too small for the number of guest rooms.

 

[Halle]

The smaller the lobby equals less $$$ owners have to spend to maintain it.

 

[MelissathePooh]

ITA except for (thanks to the current ages of the grands) the convenience of the location is a huge plus for us when considering "favorites". I also don't think the pool is anything special, certainly not worth pool hopping even if it were allowed. I think the size alone is reason to prohibit pool hopping - it's not big enough for the guest capacity, never mind visitors. On a different note, I have the same complaint about the lobby at Kidani - it is too small for the number of guest rooms.

I think it interesting how the lobbies can accentuate (or not) particular resorts. OKW, for instance is basically irrelevant when we stay there. BCV tends to flow easily. VWL - is a great center piece. I've never been bothered much by the size of Kidani's lobby - though it does fill up easily. We enjoy the library there quite a bit. We didn't spend much time in the BLT lobby - it was always busy. The convenience is great there, but we primarily use it as extra points. I wish I could go see out nameplate though. One of those hindsight things if we had known what a pain it was to get over there we'd have just added more points on to one of our other home resorts. Our kids like to go to Kidani find our name on the tapestry.

 

[TeresaNJ]

It's my understanding that as a DVC member you can go to any of the Community Halls. Also, there is a DVC office at BLT which many times is certainly more convenient than SSR.

There is no pool hopping to the pool at BLT, although you can walk through the fountain and shuffleboard areas if you so choose.

Does BLT even have a Community Hall? I don't remember seeing it. All I know is that to enter the lobby you have to use your room key. Of course, you could always trail behind someone entering. I couldn't remember if it was just the pool slide that was locked off, or the whole pool area. We didn't use it, as we went in December, and it was just too cold.

I agree that there is nothing warm and inviting about the BLT decor & lobby, but that is because it's not my cup of tea. We only stayed there because DIL & son wanted to try it out. I can't see myself staying there again anytime in the near future. It was great being right next to the MK, and I loved looking out my window and seeing Bay Lake, but that's not enough for me to want to stay there again and again.

 

[Deb & Bill]

It keeps people from coming over from the MK and using the facilities if they are gated and locked.

 

[mousefan1972]

Does BLT even have a Community Hall? I don't remember seeing it. All I know is that to enter the lobby you have to use your room key. Of course, you could always trail behind someone entering. I couldn't remember if it was just the pool slide that was locked off, or the whole pool area. We didn't use it, as we went in December, and it was just too cold.

I agree that there is nothing warm and inviting about the BLT decor & lobby, but that is because it's not my cup of tea. We only stayed there because DIL & son wanted to try it out. I can't see myself staying there again anytime in the near future. It was great being right next to the MK, and I loved looking out my window and seeing Bay Lake, but that's not enough for me to want to stay there again and again.

Yes, BLT has a community hall. It is on the first floor.

If the pool area didn't require room keys for access, I fear it would have the same fate as the Poly pool: overrun with people not staying there.

 

[DebbieB]

A friend and I got in right after it opened, the door to the bridge from the Contemporary was propped open. We looked around, thought it was too cold looking.