Change BLT to SSR?

[quandrea]

We are currently booked for seven nights in March in a Std view at BLT. We switch to a Lake View on the eighth and final night.

Do you think we should transfer to SSR for the entire eight nights, thus avoiding the need for a room change?

We are a family of 5--2 adults and three kids, 3, 3, and 8.

 

[montrealdisneylovers]

The ages of the children suggests that you will probably spend quite a bit of time at Magic Kingdom. Having just returned from our Christmas week stay I can say that the ability to simply walk over to the park cannot be beat. I would stay at BLT. Keep a waitlist for the last night.

 

[quandrea]

The ages of the children suggests that you will probably spend quite a bit of time at Magic Kingdom. Having just returned from our Christmas week stay I can say that the ability to simply walk over to the park cannot be beat. I would stay at BLT. Keep a waitlist for the last night.

Brilliant! Don't know why I didn't think of that. I'm allowed two, right? I'll put myself down for the standard for the eight nights and for lake view eight nights.

 

[dvcterry]

Don't you need the wait list for one night only for one of your waitlists? Just that final night? That way if your 8th and final night comes through they will link your reservation. They just did this for us and we stayed in the same room the entire stay!

 

[MEK]

Brilliant! Don't know why I didn't think of that. I'm allowed two, right? I'll put myself down for the standard for the eight nights and for lake view eight nights.

I agree with this plan. I think you will like the BLT location better than SSR. That being said, IMHO Saratoga Springs is a lot prettier than BLT. And the pools are nicer and the boat to DTD is nice. However, the transportation can be a real pain. I loved walking from BLT to the MK and back. It was great!

 

[quandrea]

I agree with this plan. I think you will like the BLT location better than SSR. That being said, IMHO Saratoga Springs is a lot prettier than BLT. And the pools are nicer and the boat to DTD is nice. However, the transportation can be a real pain. I loved walking from BLT to the MK and back. It was great!

We'' have a car, so transportation is not a huge issue. Would need a two bedroom at SSR, so a few more points, but not a big deal. Don't love the idea of changing rooms and from what you say, SSR sounds nicer. Really torn.

As for the previous poster who said I only have to waitlist the last night and then they link the two ressies to avoid a room change. I get that now. Can't call until Friday, as I have two holding points that I want to use for that reservation.

Going to talk with hubby tonight and get his thoughts. I've been looking forward to BLT. We added that last night at the last minute and now I'm not sure about a split stay. Waitlists do come through though.

 

[Kidanifan08]

Well, getting 7-nights in a BLT standard is quite an accomplishment! If you see yourself spending most of the week at MK and swimming, then it may not be that big of a deal to switch rooms the last day. You have to pack at the end of the week, so you just do it a day early. The biggest drawback is that you will be homeless for part of the last day, which may be an issue with two 3 year olds.

One thing we don't like about staying at BLT is trying to get to the other parks -- even with the monorail, it takes forever to get to Epcot. But, since you will have a car, getting to the other parks becomes much easier.

If SSR is going to cost you a few more points, I think I would be in favor for staying with the BLT split and doing a WL for the last night in a standard. A 1-day WL has a pretty good chance of coming through. We have stayed at SSR once, and it was not our style, so that may be having some impact on my thoughts and recommendations. Is there anything available at OKW? I'm pretty sure you can have 5 in a 1-BR there . . . that would save you some points and those rooms are huge!

 

[RachaelA]

I would stay at BLT the whole trip even if it means switching rooms for the last night because you will probably be spending a lot of time at MK.

 

[MEK]

I have had all my waitlists come through, if that is any encouragement for you. They have been anywhere between one and three nights. I think you have a good chance with a one night wait list.

I do understand you being torn and the car will help out quite a bit for SSR. If you have a car - no issue. The parking is very convenient. The only thing is - you might still want to take the bus to MK. Driving, parking, and then taking the ferry in or the monorail in is time consuming. I stayed at the treehouses last summer and caught the bus from SSR and that loop literally takes 20 minutes. Painful. We had a car, but we bused it to MK.

How about figuring out how much time you will be at MK. If you know for sure that you will be heavy on the MK, then stay put and stay at SSR another trip.

 

[cheezNE1]

B.L. T.

I sold my SSR and purchase BLT just for that purpose. My kids are small and we spend more time in MK, so that walk is just great. Except when its 95 degrees out.

 

[BirdsOfPreyDave]

SSR is my personal favorite resort, with BLT and BCV being close seconds because of their walking distances from their respective theme parks. However, even with that said, I wouldn't cancel a BLT stay if I already had it booked.

I understand the reluctance to do a split stay, especially with three kids. We typically do a split stay every summer, but that's changing resorts at the halfway point of a two-week vacation. I was nervous about it the first time we were forced to change, but now it's become a standard part of our longer trips. It makes it feel like two separate vacations. Changing resorts does take a chunk of time out of your day on moving day, but the fact that you'll have a car would help with that since you wouldn't need to wait for your luggage to be picked up and delivered. Considering it's your last night, you could also pack for the plane when you leave BLT and just put your essentials and last day's outfits in a separate bag. That way, you're not having to unpack everything into the new room, and then repack it 24 hours later. Just leave everything in the car except the small bag you need for that night.

My suggestion is to book the eighth night at whatever resort has availability right now and also waitlist that same night for BLT. Best case, you get to stay in the same room. Worst case, you need to move to another resort but have still enjoyed BLT for seven days. If your second resort is SSR, maybe plan to do your Downtown Disney visit on the move day. Depending on what time your flight is the next day, SSR is also a great "last day" resort because the pools are so nice. If you'll be at the resort after 11:00, there are also nice showers and changing facilities to use before heading to the airport.

 

[quandrea]

Right now I have 7 nights at BLT in a std view. The eighth night is also at BLT, lake view. Today I'm going to waitlist the last night in a std view. I have two holding points I want to use up and can't do that until Friday. On Friday, I"ll call, cancel the one night, rebook it using up those two holding points. Then I'll put myself on the waitlist again. Does that make sense? I also will put myself on a waitlist for 7 nights of a lakeview. Hopefully one of the waitlists will come through and we'll be in one room for the whole trip.

Hubby wants to remain at BLT. He says it's something new. Our first DVC stay was SSR and I liked it a lot. However, I've been dreaming about a BLT stay. The idea of walking to the MK is exhilirating.

 

[MEK]

Right now I have 7 nights at BLT in a std view. The eighth night is also at BLT, lake view. Today I'm going to waitlist the last night in a std view. I have two holding points I want to use up and can't do that until Friday. On Friday, I"ll call, cancel the one night, rebook it using up those two holding points. Then I'll put myself on the waitlist again. Does that make sense? I also will put myself on a waitlist for 7 nights of a lakeview. Hopefully one of the waitlists will come through and we'll be in one room for the whole trip.

Hubby wants to remain at BLT. He says it's something new. Our first DVC stay was SSR and I liked it a lot. However, I've been dreaming about a BLT stay. The idea of walking to the MK is exhilirating.

I think your plan is great. If you are still outside of your 7 month window you have a very good chance of that one day coming through. If you do have to change for the last night you'll just deal. But I bet you won't.

And I agree with your DH - trying a new resort is part of the fun with DVC. I've tried all the east coast DVC resorts and I love each one of them for different reasons. So enjoy!

 

[Dasha Hermosilla]

Hubby wants to remain at BLT. He says it's something new. Our first DVC stay was SSR and I liked it a lot. However, I've been dreaming about a BLT stay. The idea of walking to the MK is exhilirating.

It is! And with young children you will live the ease of escaping the MK for a respite back in the room or at the pool.