For those who don't really like BLT, why?

[Disney-Kim]

I am curious to hear why you didn't like it. Its on our list as options if we don't get VGF...for a 2 bdrm lake view unit

thanks

 

[disneynutz]

I say it doesn't really matter why our family doesn't like it, you need to stay there and decide for yourself.

Bill

 

[lovin'fl]

Well...while I loved our stay at CR in 2007 (DH had a work conference there), I did not love our stay at BLT in 2013. Since I so loved the CR from 2007, when they began selling BLT I wanted to buy in. SIL added AKV but saw the BLT model and said she didn't like the modern theme/feel...but I loved that about the CR. I loved sitting at the Outer Rim bar one night, having a drink while a big storm blew in and we sat and watched Bay Lake disappear. I liked the modern city hotel feel and the shopping and eateries (still need to try Cali Grill though). We, in 2007, liked using the monorail...being big bus haters, the monorail seemed better to us.

2013...3 nights in a lake view studio at BLT for DH and I (for F&W). I was so excited. We arrived at noon and with just 10 minutes checking in we were off to our room that was ready for us. It was as we requested, right off the Skyway Bridge...great for quick shots over to the CR (shopping, food, drinks, monorail...). I liked the layout of the studio even though many complain it is too small...we are avid cruisers so size was not an issue for us. I liked the little galley kitchen where I could put make up on while DH was in the shower. I liked the view of the Bay Lake. And the walk to MK is fantastic. Plus TOTWL was wonderful to have a drink and watch Wishes...love that!

Here is what I didn't like and overall made my thoughts on BLT be 'meh'. I did not like the noise. I could hear movies under the stars and the electric water pageant and Wishes being piped in to the Skyway Bridge and folks on the bridge and ..... It was a noisy resort with all the hard surfaces (and no shrubbery surrounding, like OKW, as it's too high). Also, we are big Epcot folks (especially for F&W) and taking a monorail to/from Epcot could be 45+ minutes (take one monorail, get off and walk down platform and then up another platform and on second monorail)...eeekkkk!! And the monorail itself, is not what I remembered from 2007. It is crowded and lines to get on and lots of strollers (jammed into your side as you stand on that long trek to Epcot)...it breaks down, it closes down, it just stinks. I am not a fan! Maybe when I have grandbabies in strollers my opinion will change, but right now it is not for me. I do recommend monorail resorts for folks with little ones in strollers.

I will stay there again, it just didn't wow me as I expected it to. I likely won't request near Skyway Bridge (would request other side of the 'C'...BLT pool view) -OR- actually might get Theme Park View instead.

 

[Disney-Kim]

Thank you for your post, I appreciate the insight and honest view

 

[lovesdumbo]

I stayed at CR in 2006 and didn't love it. I hated the shallow sinks and while getting to Epcot via monorail wasn't too bad the return was long and annoying after a long park day.

I stayed at BLT in Dec 2013 and loved it! Our Lake view studio was on the outer "c" way down away from the sky bridge so we had no noise issues and a view of MK. After staying at BWV & AKV Kidani that both have endless hallways I really liked that even though we near the end of the hall the walk wasn't bad at all. I liked that Contempo Cafe was easily reached and had great service every trip there. I also rented a car and drove to Epcot.

I booked BLT for our family trip this summer. I was afraid of not getting the same room location so I booked TPV. I don't know that I would like being in the inner "c". The only thing I don't like so far is the number of points required.

 

[LisaS]

We stayed in a BLT 1BR a couple of years ago. We enjoyed our stay except for one thing: the furniture in the living area is really uncomfortable. Since we hang out in the room at times, it was a pain (literally!) because the sofa was as hard as a church pew! One of the two chairs was also very uncomfortable. Fortunately the other chair was tolerable so DH sat there and I sat on the dining bench.

We liked everything else about the resort. The kitchen is well laid out with lots of storage space. I requested to be on the outside of the "C" and on a high floor. We were assigned to the 14th floor but on the inside and that was fine. The 1BRs inside the "C" have a laundry/storage room that provided lots of space to stash our rolling duffles and our owners locker. Plus, you could barely hear the washer and dryer running since they were inside a separate space with a solid door. (The rooms on the outside of the "C" don't have a laundry room but have a better view.) Our view wasn't bad -- we were far enough around the "C" that we could see the Epcot fireworks from our balcony.

 

[Disney-Kim]

Good to hear thanks

 

[kristenrice]

I work on an ambulance so I am in hospitals a lot. That being said, I remember walking down the hall towards the community hall and I distinctly remember thinking, "I feel like someone is going to come around the corner with a patient on a stretcher at any minute." That particular hallway felt like a hospital and that is NOT where I want to spend my vacation.

I stayed in a studio with DSiL and it was so small. There was no space between the couch and the slider and barely room between the bed and the couch. We were only there for two nights and so it was tolerable, but I would never put my family of 4 in that studio.

Another negative for me is that the points required are either more than or equal to other resorts which have more appeal for me. For that reason, I just don't consider BLT as an option for my family. We would never stay in a studio there and a 1BR standard view at Kidani Village is both more appealing and a much better value than a 1BR LV at BLT.

I will say that the best thing about BLT is that you can walk to the MK bus stop which makes traveling to other resorts a piece of cake.

 

[JoeA]

Have to 2nd the comment about uncomfortable furniture. I like the hotel, the area, the view (especially parades and fireworks)...but would rather sit on the floor!!

 

[Deb & Bill]

We had a one bedroom villa inside the C on about the seventh floor. During the day, the pool had parties going on all day long. So it was noisy in our villa. And you couldn't sit outside on the balcony because of the noise. It seems to bounce off the walls inside the C. At night, the water parade was also very noisy. And, though we couldn't see any fireworks, we could sure hear them.

Both the sofa and the wooden side chair were extremely uncomfortable. If it wasn't for the sleeper chair, I wouldn't have found a comfortable place to sit. The back cushions on the sofa were thick, so the seating area was not very deep (it was very shallow). It was difficult to lie down on the sofa without opening it up or removing the back cushions. The wooden side chair had a cushion connected to the back of the chair. If it had been removable so you could adjust it, it might have helped. You couldn't move it around.

Being inside the C, we had the separate laundry room. If you are outside the C, you have a laundry closet. We could put our suitcases and cooler inside the laundry room.

Being close to the MK and walkable was very nice. The Contempo Cafe was nice. Being able to catch the monorail to Epcot was nice. We drove to other locations.

Our son had been dying to stay there and he was able to join us for a few nights. He and his friend who drove with him from school slept in the living room and used the separate bathroom off the entrance. Bill and I got to keep the wonderful shower to ourselves. The shower was very nice.

 

[smidgy]

We had a one bedroom villa inside the C on about the seventh floor. During the day, the pool had parties going on all day long. So it was noisy in our villa. And you couldn't sit outside on the balcony because of the noise. It seems to bounce off the walls inside the C. At night, the water parade was also very noisy. And, though we couldn't see any fireworks, we could sure hear them.

boy, you got that right! the yellow jackets (that is what hubby and I call the CMs in chrage of the pool parties, cause they wear the yellow shirts) are SO loud!!! even with the door closed, you couldn't take a nap . on the balcony, all you heard was them screaming.

i also didn't like the decor.. as a friend pointed out, it was like IKEA decorated the room . very sterile.
in the studio, we hated the kitchenette. all other DVC studios had it in a widening of the hallway. at BLT is was a very skinny seperate "room". almost like on a yacht at first I thought it was cool, kinda like a whole extra room. it turned out to be dark and 2 peopel in it at once? forget it.

I didn't like the DVC pool too small, not enough loungers. the pool slide hurt our bakcs. (the "seams" between the metal plates). we ended up going over to the CR pools.

but, of course, you can't beat the location. we were on the inner C and I did enjoy watching the water pagaent from our balcony.

 

[Squidrific]

I always wanted to stay there and did on my honeymoon two years ago. I was not overly impressed. I can't put my finger on the reason, but it did feel a bit sterile and the furniture was uncomfortable. It did not feel like "home" to me.

Also, one night when crossing the bridge from the Contemporary to BLT it was pouring and we were getting wet. When I stepped into the elevator area from the bridge and hit the shiny marble floors my foot slipped and I fell pretty hard. They need to rugs or mats there for this reason.

 

[cantoine]

We stayed there in June 2014 and We didn't care for it. It felt like a stuffy, uncomfortable, low lighted condo with very rude people. I came across several people who were just unbelievable. It really was sad to think these were adults. It was just not a resort for us

 

[LisaS]

At night, the water parade was also very noisy.

That was one of my DH's favorite things about BLT. He really enjoys the water pageant and was delighted we could see and hear it from the balcony of our room. He was glad we could hear it even with the balcony door shut so that he knew it had arrived and it was time to go out on the balcony. So this could be a plus or a minus depending upon how one feels about the water pageant!

I forgot to mention the lack of sheers. This is the only DVC resort we've stayed in that did not have them. Unfortunately if you need a bit of privacy you have to close the curtains, blocking out all the natural light.

 

[Minniesgal]

I'm gonna buck the trend as we really love it. I love the contemporary so being close is great, the boys love the monorail and like watching it. With a lake view just chilling watching the lake is nice, we hired boats and love being on bay lake. We enjoy dinner at CG and other monorail restaurants and taking the boat to WL. We bought AKV as we thought it was our favorite and we still love Kidani but BLT is a firm favorite. The pool gets bad press but both my boys like it the most of all resorts we have stayed at.

 

[Nanajo1]

We stayed in a 1br standard view. Crossing the bridge to get to the monorail was like being in a wind tunnel! We did not feel we were home,very sterile. It was great to get to CG.

 

[moreisgood]

I'm gonna buck the trend as we really love it. I love the contemporary so being close is great, the boys love the monorail and like watching it. With a lake view just chilling watching the lake is nice, we hired boats and love being on bay lake. We enjoy dinner at CG and other monorail restaurants and taking the boat to WL. We bought AKV as we thought it was our favorite and we still love Kidani but BLT is a firm favorite. The pool gets bad press but both my boys like it the most of all resorts we have stayed at.

We love it too! Being able to walk to MK is great. We get a 2 BR for 4 people so the space is great for us. Any studio with 4 people is tight to us. The theme park view us incredible day and night. And we usually sit in the booth, so we're comfortable. VGF is my favorite interior, but BLT beats it out on location and view.
It will be interesting to see what the Poly is when it's done.

 

[Jennasis]

We love IKea so of course we love BLT! We just bought this year after a lifetime of drooling over it.

 

[spiceycat]

a lot of these complaints are for the inside C - the odd number rooms. Since I also don't like the noisy from the pool and looking inside others rooms. I agree

that say ALWAYS ask for even number rooms on the north side. Now there is still a little noise from the fireworks - but otherwise it is pretty quiet.

did not think it was a hospital????

liked that the activities center (community hall) was inside the building - so no matter what the weather you can get to it.

would appreciate hot sandwiches (hamburgers) at the pool bar - but the CR is not far.

 

[supersnoop]

My wife also noted how "sterile" the decor felt, at least at the Contemporary. When we toured BLT, she did seem to like the small "Disney" touches. But, the Magic Kingdom is her favorite park, and being the only resort in walking distance, well, that's why I bought at BLT.