**BWV/BLT 2.5 days/3 Nights (w/pictures)**

[KAT4DISNEY]

Last week I attended a conference in Tampa from Sun-Wed. I had planned to take a mini-vaca to WDW spending Thur & Friday night and had booked an MK view studio two months ago. Weather in Tampa was rainy and cool the whole time and by noon on Wed I was ready to head out. Our group of 3 from work had planned on getting dinner that night but after having lunch and walking around a bit they told me that if they had a timeshare waiting they would not be there still. So off to I went to call MS and was able to get a preferred view studio at BWV for the night! Woohoo!! I also had the option of studios at OKW and SSR and a 1BR at VWL. I made the call around 2:30 and was at the resort checking in by 5pm.

Not realizing exactly where the room was I took the "scenic" route from the parking lot to the room. When I finished the trek I discovered I was in a ground floor room with a view of the Lune Park pool that is currently being refurbished. Studio 1034:

It was at this time that I found another Welcome Packet sitting on the table for a person who was also checking in that day and staying for several days. Hmmmmm......... I called the front desk who verified that someone else had been assigned the room but had not liked it so they had moved and I didn't have to worry about them walking back in. Ok - not thrilled to find other peoples stuff but oh well. This is where I have to say to my fellow DVCer's - if you don't like a room and are going to move - please don't use anything in it! Later on I realized that they had done a little bit more than just walk in and back out.

The studio was absolutely beautiful:

After a couple of phone calls and getting settled in I did the short walk to Epcot - one of the big pluses of staying at this resort! I started out with a Grand Marnier Slushie in France, picked up some food in Japan and China and after riding the Maelstrom finished off with desert in Norway! Then I headed over here:

It was walk on so I rode it twice before heading to a spot to watch Illuminations.

I headed back to the resort and did a quick stop at the bakery thinking I might get something for a quick breakfast. With nothing really appealing I stopped in at the general store and picked up some bread and jam instead. Back to the room and then a quick trip up to the front desk to drop off some keys I had found in the room safe. I suggested they check with the other people that had been assigned to the room although thought it probably belonged to the previous occupants. I started feeling like there were 3 families occupying my little "home"!

Finally it was off to bed after enjoying a very nice surprise evening at the world.

Next - my first stay at BLT.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Being a little tired from the conference I slept in the next morning before making the move to my studio at BLT.

I took a more direct route to the car and drove over to the CR/BLT. I had completed on-line check in a couple of days earlier and had given a check-in time of 10 am. It was around 10:30 when I pulled up to the guard shack and was directed to the front of the CR to pick up my packet.

I have stayed at the CR a couple of times before so I was familiar with the front desk. The on-line check in was located at the first two stations and I was helped by someone "earning their ears". She was very new and had a supervisor taking her thru the steps of a check in (ok - she's a DVC member so say "Welcome Home" etc.). I had provided a credit card at check in but was not set up for the auto check out. The CM fixed that and then told me what room I was in. 4th floor. I asked if there might be another higher room available. At that time the supervisor told the trainee that she could check for another room "if she felt like doing that". Translation of the tone was that the trainer would not have bothered. Oh well - I've actually always had the worst check-in's at the CR so I hadn't expected any great change and this had been the best experience I'd ever had there so I figured I was already ahead of the game. The trainee was more helpful and made a call but was told there was nothing else available so back out to my car to pull around to BLT.

Here I noticed one of the great things of this resort - the parking! It really stood out after my trek the day before at BWV. If I had been with others it would have been easy to pull up to the building, drop them and the bags off and then park but being solo I drove another 30 yards or so away and made my way into the building. This brought up one of the PITB things about BLT - needing a key to get in at all times of the day. I've been there before and know it's easy to get in so I don't consider it security.

Finally, I arrive at my room and discover that my view changed from this the night before:

to this:

Ok - that's zoomed in quite a bit. My MK view was really a view of the Contemporary and when I was on the balcony I could see the MK. Room 7428 on the 4th floor.

This better shows what the view was like to the normal eye.

And looking to the left:

I liked the view but not for MK points. There have been reports from too many LV rooms that had similar views and SV's that may actually be better.

I pulled out the zoom lens to see a few things more clearly:

After checking things out I headed over to the TTC to catch the shuttle to Richard Petty Driving Experience. This was a scouting trip for DH who has wanted to give it a try. With the offer of the free ride-along to passholders I thought it was the perfect time to see how things worked. I debated driving my car over but decided to get my first ride of the day on the monorail. I then walked over to the kennels who called to let the shuttle know they had a passenger and after approx 20 minutes I was picked up.

It was a fun experience and it's amazing how quickly 1 mile goes by when you're going up to 140 MPH!!!

My driver:

After catching the van back to the TTC I got on a bus for AK since the weather was supposed to be the best this day. I got some nice pictures of many of the animals - and some amusing ones.

One of the best pictures of an Okapi that I've gotten thanks to being stopped here while an animal made their way off the road for another vehicle in front of us:

This was more amusing to watch - the Rhino was pacing back and forth in this small area. He really wanted to go under the tree! The driver commented that he was going to get himself stuck if he wasn't careful. It reminded me of my old dog which after getting senile would get herself stuck in a corner and couldn't remember how to back out.

Itchy bird:

The closest I've seen a Giraffe on the safari - they were in the bushes right by the road.

Many of the animals seemed to be enjoying the sun and relatively warm weather after all of the rain:

Relaxing Cheetahs:

Another comfy kitty:

 

[LargoLori]

Wow, your pictures are amazing, especially the animals!! Looking forward to more..

 

[BWV Dreamin]

What a great TR!! Love all the pics. I actually liked your BWV view better than your BLT view. Something really has to be done about those MK views. Rumor has it once you do online check-in they won't change your room assignment. Did you do online checkin for BLT?

 

[Muhlenberg]

Thanks for the TR!!! Great pictures! Your giraffe story reminded me that one time a giraffe STOPPED in the road right in front of the vehicle. My dad (now 85) NEVER forgot that.

 

[Crystal_27]

Back to the room and then a quick trip up to the front desk to drop off some keys I had found in the room safe.

Holy cow -- that poor family! Hopefully, keys were reunited with family before causing too much panic on their part.

Awesome trip report so far! I'm loving your crisp, clear pictures! Great snaps!

 

[El&Asmom]

Thanks for the TR, and great pictures. The more I see on what a MK view could be, the less willing I am to try one of those out. Just not worth the points IMO.

 

[jade1]

Great pics.

Is Luna pool closed until when? DW is going down FEB 24 and was wondering. Can you use SAB?

 

[Checkers]

Love the TR and thanks for sharing! Any pictures of your studio at BLT? Looking forward to more.

 

[bobbiwoz]

I've enjoyed reading your trip report, with pictures!
Thanks.
Bobbi

 

[DenLo]

Great pics.

Is Luna pool closed until when? DW is going down FEB 24 and was wondering. Can you use SAB?

Luna will reopen in early February. I'm not sure what that means since it's already February 12th.

http://www.dvcnews.com/index.php/news-resorts-83/1106-2010-boardwalk-pool-rehab

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Thanks everyone for the nice comments!

What a great TR!! Love all the pics. I actually liked your BWV view better than your BLT view. Something really has to be done about those MK views. Rumor has it once you do online check-in they won't change your room assignment. Did you do online checkin for BLT?

The BLT view was much more active and noisy for sure! And not what should be an MK view. I did do the online check-in but nobody said anything about not doing a room change. As it was they had to "touch" the reservation to fix the credit card for express check out so it never was a grab and go situation. There was nobody else around either so that may have been why they at least made a call but the person in the back may have said no changing.

Great pics.

Is Luna pool closed until when? DW is going down FEB 24 and was wondering. Can you use SAB?

I didn't see a date of when they expect to reopen but in the meantime you can use SAB and they were shuttling people over there.

Love the TR and thanks for sharing! Any pictures of your studio at BLT? Looking forward to more.

Thanks! I'll get some studio pictures into a post.

 

[spiceycat]

be sure to go to TOW tonight - if you can. the fireworks would be great from your room - but from TOw they can be wonderfully....

can I ask a question - why AK when the MK is a short walk away?

 

[ccgirl]

Great TR. Thanks for taking the time to post. Looking forward to my trip to BWV in 3 mths!!! What is the free ride along for passholders? I have an AP but haven't seen it.

Thanks!

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

be sure to go to TOW tonight - if you can. the fireworks would be great from your room - but from TOw they can be wonderfully....

can I ask a question - why AK when the MK is a short walk away?

It was actually last Thur/Fri that I was there but I did go up to the TOWL. I ended up going to the room for the fireworks b/c it was cold and windy up top and my balcony was sheltered.

My going to AK was kind of a change of plans but I did that b/c it was such a nice day and I believed the animal activity ought to be pretty good. I find MK better on yucky days than AK and and walked over there on Friday.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

After the Kilimanjaro Safari's I followed the trail to the Pangini Forest Exploration Trail. The animals along here were enjoying the day as well:

Hippos were playing at the underwater viewing area. These two kept circling by the windows and popping out of the water a short ways out to wrestle before going underwater and starting again:

Always love these little guys!

Yawning Gorilla:

And another big boy:

Who's really watching whom?

Next it was off to see the bats but not too many of them were out and this was the best picture I took there.

Then on to the Maharajah Jungle Trek:

I then walked over and looked at Kali River Rapids but did not feel like getting wet since it was starting to cool down.

Finally - Everest!

Then back thru the line again for walk on ride #2. It was a 5 minute posted wait time while I was there:

After four walk-on rides I felt the brain slosh starting to happen and decided to take my leave from AK. There was a young man - early teens - that I rode with my 3rd ride. He had a smile on his face the whole time but at the end mumbled something about it not being all that exciting. I replied that maybe it wasn't but that it sure was fun! Since it was his 12th ride I think he agreed.

I had planned to go to DHS to see Fantasmic but was feeling tired. After watching the second bus for the TTA come without a single DHS bus I changed plans and headed back to the room to relax and check out the TOW lounge. So far it had been a great day!

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Great TR. Thanks for taking the time to post. Looking forward to my trip to BWV in 3 mths!!! What is the free ride along for passholders? I have an AP but haven't seen it.

Thanks!

Thank you!

They are doing the ride along thru March 31st. It's a first come first served 3 lap ride around the WDW speedway with a driver. Normal pricing is around $110 I believe although DVC members do get a discount. It's limited to 1 time per passholder and I was told that on one day they actually did 100 rides!

 

[bobbiwoz]

Thank you!

They are doing the ride along thru March 31st. It's a first come first served 3 lap ride around the WDW speedway with a driver. Normal pricing is around $110 I believe although DVC members do get a discount. It's limited to 1 time per passholder and I was told that on one day they actually did 100 rides!

Thanks for the information. It never registered to me that you didn't have to have a driver to go along with.

I've sent a link to your pictures to my family. They are great!!!

Bobbi

 

[VrBchJ]

Thanks very much for you great trip report. And your photos are outstanding.

 

[RSHEALAND]

Great pictures