BLT vs all the others

[scottwhite1964]

Hello everybody,
Now while I like all the parks MK is my favorite. My question is how hard is it to book BLT at 7 months? I'm looking for a 1 bedroom week stay either every year or every other. Like everybody I want the best value for my money. There's a big price difference 25$ per point between them. I'm thinking 250 points so it's 5 grand more basically for the same amount of points . I'm wondering if it is better to take that 5 grand and buy more points SSR and have longer/more stays or make BLT my home place. I have cash so I'm not to worried about the money but it is a big investment. Or split the points to have 2 different homes?
I hope for BLT for less than 100 and seeing SSR in the 70s.

Thanks

 

[Msmithmd]

If you want BLT at least every other stay, then buy there.

One thing that would mitigate the upfront buy-in difference is that you wouldn't be able to reserve a BLT standard view room if you didn't own there and book at eleven months. The reduced points to book that category would essentially eliminate the buy-in cost difference.

If you want to try all the resorts and like SSR okay, then it would indeed be a good choice. But if you know you want to stay at a specific resort half the time or more, then you had better own at that resort.

 

[chalee94]

Hello everybody,
Now while I like all the parks MK is my favorite. My question is how hard is it to book BLT at 7 months?

during what time of year? early december will be tough. feb (non-holiday) trips should be workable.

I'm looking for a 1 bedroom week stay either every year or every other. Like everybody I want the best value for my money. There's a big price difference 25$ per point between them. I'm thinking 250 points so it's 5 grand more basically for the same amount of points . I'm wondering if it is better to take that 5 grand and buy more points SSR and have longer/more stays or make BLT my home place. I have cash so I'm not to worried about the money but it is a big investment.

well, yeah. the people who paid extra for BLT likely did so to get access to BLT at the 11 month window. they want to be sure they can walk to the MK and that is the "value" added for them.

1BRs are typically the last to book up for most resorts. lake view rooms at BLT can be had at exactly 7 months out during much of the year. depending on when you travel, buying at SSR will be a solid plan that should work most of the time...but how disappointed will you be if it doesn't? that is the issue only you can answer.

Or split the points to have 2 different homes?

not a good plan if you are already doing every other year unless you want to spend half the trip in one resort and half in another. remember that buying some BLT pts does not automatically turn your SSR pts into BLT pts. only BLT pts can book BLT at 11 months out.

 

[bwvBound]

Have you stayed at BLT? Have you sampled at least a few DVC locations?

You might want to visit a few -- or better yet -- stay at a few before you choose a resort. The feel of the property and unit types might make a difference.

 

[scottwhite1964]

Thanks for the reply's, some good points to think over.

Now I've never stayed DVC but plenty of trips on site. The last 2 times we stayed off site because my wife hated all 5 of us in 1 room. I have to admit the 3 bedroom condo was very nice. I'm thinking DVC so we will have bigger rooms now that my children are older. I need to be on site I just like the feel of it better, My wife not so much as she wants the space. I understand the concept and have done plenty of reading about everything. I've narrowed it to VWL/BLT/SSR and maybe AKV . The MK/Epcot is where we spend most of our time and being able to walk/boat is a big plus for me. My problem is I'm more 7 months planner the a year out, I'm leaning towards SSR because of the price break but I don't want to make a mistake over a couple of bucks. Now It wouldn't break my heart to stay SSR it's just not my first choice. So if the 11 month window isn't going to help wouldn't it be smarter to buy SSR ? From what I've read it's not to hard getting a 1 bedroom at 7 months somewhere else and if not SSR would be fine too. Whats been your experience booking at 7 months? Really I want to switch around over the years and being able to is a selling point for me.

 

[disneynutz]

Thanks for the reply's, some good points to think over.

Now I've never stayed DVC but plenty of trips on site. The last 2 times we stayed off site because my wife hated all 5 of us in 1 room. I have to admit the 3 bedroom condo was very nice. I'm thinking DVC so we will have bigger rooms now that my children are older. I need to be on site I just like the feel of it better, My wife not so much as she wants the space. I understand the concept and have done plenty of reading about everything. I've narrowed it to VWL/BLT/SSR and maybe AKV . The MK/Epcot is where we spend most of our time and being able to walk/boat is a big plus for me. My problem is I'm more 7 months planner the a year out, I'm leaning towards SSR because of the price break but I don't want to make a mistake over a couple of bucks. Now It wouldn't break my heart to stay SSR it's just not my first choice. So if the 11 month window isn't going to help wouldn't it be smarter to buy SSR ? From what I've read it's not to hard getting a 1 bedroom at 7 months somewhere else and if not SSR would be fine too. Whats been your experience booking at 7 months? Really I want to switch around over the years and being able to is a selling point for me.

I say buy SSR, use it to try on the DVC, see if it fits. Stay at the different resorts, try them on. Experience first hand how difficult is it for you to stay where you want when you want booking at 7 months.

If you have trouble getting the dates and resorts you want at 7 months, sell SSR and buy at your now favorite DVC resort.

Bill

 

[DizBub]

I would advise you to buy SSR to get into the system and try it out but be aware that the SSR 1 bedrooms only officially sleep 4 depending on the ages of your kids. You could bring a blow-up mattress but they will not give you extra bedding or towels for the 5th person. If it's an infant in a pac n play there's not problem but kids grow.

BLT, AKV and OKW are the only 1 bedrooms that officially sleep 5 with the sleeper chair in the living rooms. In addition the 1 bedrooms at BLT and AKV have 2 full bathrooms.

It sounds like you really want to be at BLT and it would be the best fit for you and your family. 1 bedrooms lake view are typically the last to book.

 

[Sandisw]

As others have said, there will be times of the year that getting a lake view room at BLT, at the 7 month mark will not be an issue.

If you don't plan to take advantage of the home resort booking time--ie: booking between 7 and 11 months--then owning there will not help.

Also, if you are going to be okay if you have to stay at your home resort because that is all you can get, then I say go for SSR.

We own the resorts we want to stay at so I don't have to worry about it. Plus, if they ever did decide to remove a resort from DVC, you'd be stuck staying only where you own...while this is very unlikely, it is, in theory, possible, and I think a new buyer should at least be aware.

I will say that as you get older and your trips change--Ie; children are older--you will find you like different things. I never thought I'd be okay wtih SSR until I stayed this summer for a few nights and loved being able to walk over to DTD at night for a drink and to walk around the shops. We had had enough of the parks at that point--we were there 2 weeks--so it worked out SO nice!

Good luck!

 

[drusba]

Based on currently existing reservation patterns, BLT availability at 7 months out can be summarized as follows. From the Monday after marathon weekend in Jan to the last week of Sep, DVC's low to moderate demand season, you can get Lake View rooms and most often also Theme Park view. Standard view iis usually not available during that time. From late Sep through marathon weekend in Jan, DVC's high to extremely high demand season, BLT, all views, can be difficult to sometimes impossible to get at 7 months out except that 1BRs, particularly lake view, are many times open when nothing else is. What can be important many times during the year for what is available is that you make that reservation exactly 7 months out from date of arrival, preferably at 8 a.m. online, because inventory can disappear quickly once the 7 month window opens.

 

[Dean]

Hello everybody,
Now while I like all the parks MK is my favorite. My question is how hard is it to book BLT at 7 months? I'm looking for a 1 bedroom week stay either every year or every other. Like everybody I want the best value for my money. There's a big price difference 25$ per point between them. I'm thinking 250 points so it's 5 grand more basically for the same amount of points . I'm wondering if it is better to take that 5 grand and buy more points SSR and have longer/more stays or make BLT my home place. I have cash so I'm not to worried about the money but it is a big investment. Or split the points to have 2 different homes?
I hope for BLT for less than 100 and seeing SSR in the 70s.

Thanks

Assuming DVC makes sense for you (there are more factors than you've posted on) and that you can pay cash, I'd say BLT if you think that's where you want to spend most trips. Doing so I might underbuy (maybe 170-200 instead of 250) but it depends in part on how you arrived at your "need". I'd also put effort into finding a fully loaded contract, that's the equivalent of maybe 20 points more for some time compared to a stripped contract. I'd then concentrate of the Standard view rooms.

Buying BLT for BLT SV should take roughly 170 points for a 1 BR SV 2 of 3 yrs compared to buying SSR for BLT where you'd likely have to get LV and need maybe an extra 15 points yearly. That compensates somewhat for the price difference as well as does the slightly lower yearly dues. Of course you'd also own less points as well if you went with BLT in that scenario.

For anyone looking at buying in and staying here or there, SSR would be the best value by far and the best choice for most. I think you'd be able to get BLT at times and possibly consistently LV with effort. But for mostly BLT I think buying there is likely the better choice given todays specifics resale. For those that want a given resort most of the time I think they should either buy there or not at all and the problem for many is that not buying is often the best choice in that situation.

I would step back and think about your long term plans. IF you'd have interest in a Poly or FW DVC option, I might underbuy even further, say 150 points and give yourself future flexibility.

 

[DenLo]

Why not rent some DVC points first? Let you wife see what the rooms are like. You can rent from someone here on the DisBoards (see Rental Thread) or via sites like David's Rentals. Only problem with renting is that many do not allow any cancellations or changes in reservation. We have rented with David's Rentals for a trip to DLR and it worked out great.

 

[disneynutz]

Assuming DVC makes sense for you (there are more factors than you've posted on) and that you can pay cash, I'd say BLT if you think that's where you want to spend most trips. Doing so I might underbuy (maybe 170-200 instead of 250) but it depends in part on how you arrived at your "need". I'd also put effort into finding a fully loaded contract, that's the equivalent of maybe 20 points more for some time compared to a stripped contract. I'd then concentrate of the Standard view rooms.

Buying BLT for BLT SV should take roughly 170 points for a 1 BR SV 2 of 3 yrs compared to buying SSR for BLT where you'd likely have to get LV and need maybe an extra 15 points yearly. That compensates somewhat for the price difference as well as does the slightly lower yearly dues. Of course you'd also own less points as well if you went with BLT in that scenario.

For anyone looking at buying in and staying here or there, SSR would be the best value by far and the best choice for most. I think you'd be able to get BLT at times and possibly consistently LV with effort. But for mostly BLT I think buying there is likely the better choice given todays specifics resale. For those that want a given resort most of the time I think they should either buy there or not at all and the problem for many is that not buying is often the best choice in that situation.

I would step back and think about your long term plans. IF you'd have interest in a Poly or FW DVC option, I might underbuy even further, say 150 points and give yourself future flexibility.

The key words above are "if you think". If buyers have not slept at the resort for a few nights, it's a guess at best.

Some will buy and they love their choice, others will buy and put up with their choice, and some hate the place and never stay there or sell and buy somewhere else.

There is a reason that the resale business is going so strong for so many years. Buying the wrong resort and/or having difficulty booking when you want, where you want as part of the reason.

Bill

 

[bellapecas]

Hi! I'm waiting for my closing docs for a BLT contract. And yes, while I'm paying around $6k more than at another resort, I look at it as I'm saving more than $15k over buying through Disney direct. That makes me feel all happy and tingly inside.

 

[djohn06]

For your first resort buy where you want to stay .....period.

You said you like magic kingdom and it's your favorite. BLT is the place for you. You don't need to stay there or waste money renting. Buy BLT and enjoy your resort. You can see a video of BLT and be perfectly fine.

Who knows if Disney will decide to change booking windows in the future? By purchasing BLT you will also have access to STD views which are lower point stays.

BLT rooms can be difficult to book at 7 months around the holidays. You don't want to spend a significant chunk of money to perhaps get a place during the holidays. You need to be sure. Figure out how long your typically stay will be and buy the points. You will be glad to have the 11 month window, especially when everyone realizes BLT is the "value" monorail resort when compared to the Poly ot VGF. My prediction is that BLT will be harder to book at 7.

Plus BLT has 6 or so additional yeArs that SSR doesn't have. If money is a factor, I would rather you wait a year to buy BLT than buy SSR this year.