DVC Mike Live from BLT (Dec 4-12)

[ftballfan7]

Another excellent trip report.

 

[kikiq]

Thank you for "taking" us along with you. Your pictures are beautiful. Here's to you and your wife keeping in good health in the new year....because we all will be waiting for your next trip report!!

 

[jade1]

Well, we made it home safely. The drive was mostly uneventful - just some rain and an accident that took place close to home when a car next to us rear-ended the car in front of it. Just a fender-bender (no one was hurt).

I'm really going to miss that fabulous Magic Kingdom view room at Bay Lake Tower. We'll be back in the same room/view next December!

In the meantime, I've got:

• 83 days until our stay at the Boardwalk Villas
• 153 days until our stay at the Villas at the Grand Californian in Disneyland
• 314 days until our stay at the Beach Club Villas

Bay Lake Tower - the 10mm ultra-wide-angle lens shows the expansive view from our room, while making everything appear much farther away than it actually is with the naked eye.


BayLakeTowerWideAngleMagicKingdomView by DVC Mike, on Flickr

Great report again. We will be in a 1BR MK view this NYE week. Our first stay there. We did visit/tour last spring and it did seem everything was closer with the naked eye than a pic with no zoom.

 

[Flossbolna]

Thank you very much for sharing your pictures with us, they were wonderful!

 

[Greyhound22]

DVC Mike thank you again for your wonderful pictures and trip report. No one does it like you!

 

[purpliequeen]

Thanks, DVC Mike! I'll be at BLT in 3 months. So excited! Your pics and camera is amazing. Thanks again!

 

[VrBchJ]

I was at BLT at the same time you were. My pictures will end up on the cutting room floor after seeing yours. They are really spectacular.

 

[fwm]

Mike, great pictures. One question, for the night shots were you using a tripod or setting the camera on something?

 

[DVC Mike]

Mike, great pictures. One question, for the night shots were you using a tripod or setting the camera on something?

I used a tripod for the outdoor nighttime shots, such as the final one I shot of BLT.

 

[asf]

Love your pictures! I just got my D7000 after a long wait. Have you pushed it to ISO 6400? I would love to see some of your high ISO shoots. Do you do most Raw work in Capture.
Thanks

 

[DVC Mike]

Love your pictures! I just got my D7000 after a long wait. Have you pushed it to ISO 6400? I would love to see some of your high ISO shoots. Do you do most Raw work in Capture.
Thanks

My shots of Pirates of the Caribbean were almost all taken at ISO 6400. They look a bit grainy, but not too shabby.

I always shot JEPG until this trip, when I started shooting RAW (NEF). I had just purchased Nikon Capture NX2 and it does a great job as a RAW converter.

Wait, is this a photography board or a DVC board?

 

[londonderrydisneyfan]

Thanks for the excellent trip report and pictures!

 

[murphy t]

Hi Mike,
Love your pictures. We were at the Top of the World the night you were there for Holiday Wishes. We just love that lounge, hope it doesn't get taken away as a perk. It really was not very busy up there. I wish I knew there were fellow Disers up there that night!
Murphy

 

[hakepb]

My shots of Pirates of the Caribbean were almost all taken at ISO 6400. They look a bit grainy, but not too shabby.

I always shot JEPG until this trip, when I started shooting RAW (NEF). I had just purchased Nikon Capture NX2 and it does a great job as a RAW converter.

Wait, is this a photography board or a DVC board?

I think any discussion about capturing DVC memories is perfectly on topic

Thanks again for the great TR!

 

[tksbaskets]

About now in every Disney vacation, I begin to realize just how blessed I am to be a DVC member.

Yes, DVC isn’t perfect and no; all the policies and procedures may not be how I would design them (as I’ll hear today during the Q&A session at the Annual DVC Meeting). But I am generally a very happy and satisfied DVC member.

I get to spend 32+ nights each year in what is essentially a one bedroom suite at one of my favorite places in the world. I simply couldn’t afford to do that if I wasn’t a DVC member.

Plus, my home resorts have become my second home away from home. I feel comfortable and relaxed here. I know the territory. Coming here is second nature. When I drive under the entrance arch at the outskirts of this world, a big smile plays across my face. I’m back home again. I know what the next 8 days and nights are going to be like.

I see a lot of people running around on their touring plans, trying to make the most of every minute and trying to get in as many rides as possible (I was originally like that too!). They always look so exhausted at the end of each day. That’s what happens to me back at the office, so why would I want to continue that frantic pace here?

Me, I always feel rejuvenated by my Disney vacation. Since we know we’ll be coming back again and again, we take things slowly – very slowly. We’ll wander through a theme park in the early morning just taking in the sights. We’ll enjoy having a great meal in a nice restaurant. We people watch. We take a boat out on the Seven Seas lagoon. I can just sit on the balcony and soak in the view, whether it is animals at AKV or people, boats, trains and monorails at BLT.

It feels good to be home again.

Yes, I’m glad I’m a DVC member. Are you?

My hubby and I always say of our major purchases our DVC membership is one we have never had one moment of buyers remorse. Glad doesn't cover the joy we have experienced with our family using our DVC!

Like you we feel so at home at our home BWV. Now I fear we have become attached to the Grand Californian as we have used our points there twice. Can you say "Add on"

Looking forward to getting acquainted with VWL in 10 days as we arrive to join the crazy faithful the week between Christmas and New Years.

TK

 

[DVC Mike]

Hi Mike,
Love your pictures. We were at the Top of the World the night you were there for Holiday Wishes. We just love that lounge, hope it doesn't get taken away as a perk. It really was not very busy up there. I wish I knew there were fellow Disers up there that night!
Murphy

The guy behind the bar seemed to imply that once BLT sells out, then bye-bye perk.

 

[pmcpmc]

The guy behind the bar seemed to imply that once BLT sells out, then bye-bye perk.

always knows the result of the game

 

[franandaj]

The guy behind the bar seemed to imply that once BLT sells out, then bye-bye perk.

Meaning what? They close the Lounge?

 

[DVC Mike]

Meaning what? They close the Lounge?

TOTW won't be just for DVC members staying at BLT using their membership. It will morph into something else - whatever suits Disney.

They may open it up to anyone staying at BLT, or to the general public, or close it and just book private events.

 

[debdisneycruiser]

Mike

Thanks for your informative and visual report. Our family leaves in 2 days for a 2 BR stay at BLT for our first stay there after purchasing last year. We typically spend our Christmas at BWV and am excited to experience the Magic at BLT.