For those who own at Poly or BLT (or both)

[melissa70]

I’d love your thoughts
If your main goal was a 1BR Theme Park View stay Dec 30–31 every year or every other year, which home resort would you choose and why?

Would BLT be the safer home resort since TPV 1BRs are so limited?
Or would Polynesian Tower be more reliable with the new rooms and layout?

Trying to understand which home resort gives better 11-month success for these dates.

Yes, I’m still spinning my wheels not buying yet, mind you, just thinking and planning

 

[intamin]

I don't own at either but personally if I were planning to regularly to go during that time, I'd probably pick BLT. Reality is you're going to need 11 month window for both if you want a chance.

Why BLT? With BLT when you book a TPV, you're guaranteed to get a true theme park view, Magic Kingdom is right next door. Poly has much higher point charts and the view can be hit or miss. You can also walk back from MK to BLT much easier than you can walk from MK to Poly. When the most wonderful time of the year is also the most crowded, that's worth a LOT and is my personal pick.

 

[TheThousandthSoul]

Go Poly, b/c I own at BLT and I want it too.

 

[Add-On-Itis]

1 night will not be realistic for us, as we have to fly. And we don't like split stays.

1 week at BLT Theme Park = 470 points
1 week at PVB Theme Park = 641 points

171 points difference. For that reason, I pick BLT.

 

[tidefan]

The answer is that you are going to be in fierce competition for those nights, right at 8am EST at 11 months, so buckle up.

If that's what you are really after, I'd look at a fixed week. That said, many have reported that the PIT TPV are not actually, TPV, so there's that...

 

[Tatebeck]

BLT wins in both point cost and inventory number of 1BRS. It is the obvious choice unless you absolutely love Poly and hate BLT

 

[melissa70]

The answer is that you are going to be in fierce competition for those nights, right at 8am EST at 11 months, so buckle up.

If that's what you are really after, I'd look at a fixed week. That said, many have reported that the PIT TPV are not actually, TPV, so there's that...

Ugh is it really that competitive?! Even the one bedrooms?

 

[disneylandtour]

BLT wins in both point cost and inventory number of 1BRS. It is the obvious choice unless you absolutely love Poly and hate BLT

Those are going to be very tough nights to book. I'd go with BLT. More rooms. Better views for TPV. But this would be the main reason: you can walk home from MK after new year's eve is over. Those nights are a complete disaster for the monorail. You can walk to Poly. I think (or rather it feels) like 1.5 miles. Before my knee gave out, I used to run most every day, and I used to be pretty good at estimating these things--so 1.5 miles feels right-ish. BUT if you're leaving the MK to walk to Poly at night you also need to make sure you time it right so that the bridge isn't up to put the water pageant back in its storage canal. Anyway, for New Year's eve, I'd pick BLT--and I'm a person who likes Poly more.

 

[melissa70]

Go Poly, b/c I own at BLT and I want it too.

Studio or larger?

 

[TheThousandthSoul]

Studio or larger?

ALL OF IT
To be fair, Resort and TPV are much more in demand than Preferred view. It is competitive. All rooms type.
In the event you want to go with BLT, you should calculate the amount of points you want/need with Preferred.

 

[melissa70]

ALL OF IT
To be fair, Resort and TPV are much more in demand than Preferred view. It is competitive. All rooms type.
In the event you want to go with BLT, you should calculate the amount of points you want/need with Preferred.

But my goal would be to watch fireworks from my balcony..can that be done with a preferred view?

 

[disneylandtour]

ALL OF IT
To be fair, Resort and TPV are much more in demand than Preferred view. It is competitive. All rooms type.
In the event you want to go with BLT, you should calculate the amount of points you want/need with Preferred.

In terms of DVC, I've stayed at Poly the most, next would be BLT. I've been in a range of rooms. I actually prefer the "Preferred Views" over TPV, so long as the view is on the back side of the lake--not the far end that point toward Space Mountain or the other end that points toward the pool. You can put together a request by looking at the layout on Touring Plans. But the lake view rooms are by far my favorite. And also, resort and TPV fill up first, making preferred fairly easy to get.

 

[tidefan]

But my goal would be to watch fireworks from my balcony..can that be done with a preferred view?

I would not purchase with the expectation that you are going to get TPV every year at New Year's. Those rooms are extremely competitive and most likely are the ones that some of the commercial renters are grabbing to rent out with their bots, walking the reservations, etc...

 

[intamin]

Ugh is it really that competitive?! Even the one bedrooms?

On New Year's Eve when Disney is known for having some of the best fireworks? Absolutely.

 

[melissa70]

I would not purchase with the expectation that you are going to get TPV every year at New Year's. Those rooms are extremely competitive and most likely are the ones that some of the commercial renters are grabbing to rent out with their bots, walking the reservations, etc...

Yes i can see that..bummer!

 

[intamin]

But my goal would be to watch fireworks from my balcony..can that be done with a preferred view?

Some preferred views are partially lake views and partially TPV. I would not count on getting a partial TPV reliably though.

Honestly for the things you want, I think you're going to need multiple home resorts. You notice how pretty much everyone in this thread has 3+ home resorts and myself with the 3 planning to add a 4th next year..

 

[disneylandtour]

But my goal would be to watch fireworks from my balcony..can that be done with a preferred view?

not reliably. There are some preferred views by the water inlet by Space Mountain where you can see the fireworks, but the view isn't great.

 

[mkatsy]

I own both, and I hate to say it, but I kind of regret my PVB contract. Poly Tower is a point suck, good luck if you need help checking in (it’s hit or miss) unless you walk over to GCH, bell services sometimes struggles in the Tower, the front door magic band reader is finicky in the middle of the night. None of this is catastrophic but I just seem to have a smoother visit at BLT. Also, you can throw a rock from the tower to VGF I’d rather stay at VGF and walk over to Wailulu and Kona Cafe.

 

[disneylandtour]

I would not purchase with the expectation that you are going to get TPV every year at New Year's. Those rooms are extremely competitive and most likely are the ones that some of the commercial renters are grabbing to rent out with their bots, walking the reservations, etc...

That was my first thought - some renter with a lot of points is going to start walking these rooms from around when mid-December opens. I've been at the resort for New Years. I've been their for July 4. Except for the fireworks--which are fabulous--nothing about the experience of being there then would compel me to try those dates again. Maybe July 3 again--same fireworks as the 4th. July 3 and even July 4 are not as bad as Dec 31. But the whole experience is pretty bad, unless you just stay in your hotel room. Lines for food are long. Transportation is difficult to get. Traffic is pretty bad. People are grumpy because crowds of this level are irritating. The parks, particularly MK and Epcot, are often so packed it's difficult to actually walk in certain areas. My thing is a weekday in January or September when everything is empty, not the madness of major holidays.

 

[disneylandtour]

Poly Tower is a point suck, good luck if you need help checking in (it’s hit or miss) unless you walk over to GCH, bell services sometimes struggles in the Tower, the front door magic band reader is finicky in the middle of the night.

100% agree on the tower. Stayed there twice. Was there for a week in spring. And I think that might be the last time. Like you, we were locked out of our rooms upon arrival. It was at night. And we waited at those long lobby tables for a good while (maybe 25 minutes) for someone to come over from the GCH. In terms of tower rooms, points are high, rooms are smaller, a lot of the advertised views are questionable. And the construction and interior appointment level on the tower really isn't great. I, however, LOVE the longhouses, even if they're now in need of a hard refurb, which is coming. You could leave me in Moorea for a month or two, and I'd be fine.