I need some advice on trip...

[arthur06]

We have had a trip planned for about 4-8 months.

I called at my 11 month window for BLT and at the 7 month window for DCV. It was only myself, DW, and DS4. We have a studio for 4 nights at BCV and 4 nights at BLT. We really wanted BCV for SAB (DS4 loves swimming) and then BLT for 4 nights over MK's 40th on Oct 1st.

Yesterday, we added 2 more to our trip. We decided yesterday that DS2 would go and that to help out we invited my mom. She has been wanting to go SOOOOOO bad for a while.

My problem is.... would we be at all comfortable in a studio. I called MS today and looked at what was available. The only thing for the whole week was SSR in either a 1br or a 2br. We could get AKL for the first 3/4 days then SSR at the end.

I have been wanting BCV and BLT for this trip for a while! We haven't stayed at either yet. We are planning on MNSSHP and really wanted to be at BLT for the MK's 40th.

What should I do? Oh, by the way, we are out of points in this UY and next UY, so we can't borrow.

My options are:

#1) Rent out my reservations and take the money and stay at Bonnet Creek.

#2) Adjust my reservation so that I do a split at Bonnet Creek and a DVC in larger accommodations.

#3) Add on more points. We currently only have 155. I was looking at adding on, but was wanting to do it next year, not this year.

I am just so confused! WWYD...

 

[Greysword]

I would move to a 1BR with 5 people. The BLT studios are fairly small (as studios go), so you may be a bit cramped. I bet you could get a 1BR for that trip at OKW for the same point cost (or less). How many "extra" points would a 1BR at SSR cost?

Another option for you would be to rent points, have them transferred into your account, and use them to book.

Good luck!

 

[arthur06]

The whole trip it not available at OKW. I would love to stay there. I am just not huge on SSR. Not that I don't like it, it's just that we want to try resorts we haven't tried.

The problem is that it is also the first weekend of F&W.

 

[bobbiwoz]

I am not familiar with bonnet creek, but if that is acceptable to you, option 2 is what I would chose for you. What would I have done in your case? I would add on, book SSR 2 bedroom, and have two wait lists for the 2 resorts I really want...maybe 1/2 of the stay if I thought wait listing for all nights is a losing proposition.

Whatever you do...best wishes!

Bobbi

 

[5forDiz]

The whole trip it not available at OKW. I would love to stay there. I am just not huge on SSR. Not that I don't like it, it's just that we want to try resorts we haven't tried.

The problem is that it is also the first weekend of F&W.

Things can change from minute to minute, I'd set up waitlist ( or two ).

jmho, I would not put myself through the bother and uncertainties of renting out your reservation to someone, but that's just me. And while I have heard some really great things about Bonnet Creek you will be giving up Magical Express, EMH & option of purchasing meal plan if any of that matters. Also you will have to pay parking at theme parks and lose the convenience of BCV to Epcot/DHS and BLT to MK and if you don't have a car you will not get luggage transfer between Disney resort & Bonnet Creek.

I agree with Greysword on renting points transferred into your account or rent reservation another member makes for you.

What is more important to you & your family : comfort/more space or BCV & BWV for location/other amenities ? If you start off in a studio maybe try to move to 1 bedroom for 2nd half of trip so you can save some points but still have the enjoyment of larger accommodations to look forward to; I would try to save points by staying in studio somewhere other than BCV so you can hopefully upgrade to 1br at BLT, I think you can probably make your son just as happy as he'd be at SAB by doing some pool hopping instead.

Good luck, post back how things work out

 

[supersuperwendy]

I personally would cram into your existing reservations. If you are like us and are always out of the room except for sleeping and showering then keep the awesome resorts you have booked!! I loved BLT and have yet to stay at BCV which is a dream of mine. I wouldn't give them up for SSR (even though I LOVE SSR) or for a non-disney resort. Did I mention I was going to cram the 6 of us into one room at POR for free dining? lol or that we have 8 of us staying a value 2 bedroom later this year?! I don't worry about feeling crowded I guess haha

 

[mom3sonstt]

How well does you DW and your mom get along? I loved my MIL, but don't know how I would have felt about sharing a hotel room with her, my DH and 2 small children for a week. Sometimes everyone just needs a little space to hear themselves think.

Of your choices - gosh - as a perpetual "adder-on-er", if you are in a position to add on now I would go that route - and I would ask your guide if they can help you make the switch. I have never done that, but have read periodically on these boards that people have had luck getting a room that they didn't think they could through their guide. For full disclosure - I don't recall if that was when they were new buyers and that helped seal the deal.


Finding another available room at Beach Club during Food & Wine is probably out - so maybe keep that leg of your trip and switch to a larger room elsewhere for the other part. Or if being close to MK is more important than SAB keep that half of the trip the same. I think I would be more inclined to cram into a room for 4 nights than I would for 8.

 

[cel_disney]

I would keep what you have because they will make for a memorable trip if you can make the sleeping arrangements work in the studio and waitlist in 2 segments at OKW or 1 segment at OKW and 1 at AKV/BW/SSR....

Can you get there point wise on the 1bd if you buy the 24 points from Disney?

If space in the room is a high priority over convenience/special locations, I would also consider trying to get a studio at OKW vs. what you have because of the 2 beds and extra sq footage...you wouldnt have the luxury of putting the bed away every night, but those sleeping may have a little more space - especially than BLT...

I think that your kids will be fine at any resort pool....and next year (or in 2 years) both kids would enjoy SAB better than they would this year...

Is anything special happening for the 40th? We will be there that same week (staying at OKW in a 2bdrm and 2 studios!) - wondering if I need to pencil something extra in for that night!

 

[arthur06]

Is anything special happening for the 40th? We will be there that same week (staying at OKW in a 2bdrm and 2 studios!) - wondering if I need to pencil something extra in for that night!

Not sure if anything is going on. We enjoy MNSSHP and that time of year in general. If there is anything going on for the 40th, we didn't want to miss it!

 

[SLM]

Your children are young enough that any resort pool will make them happy! So choose the resort where you would like to stay. I love my DD, grandson and her husband dearly, but would not want to stay in a studio with them. I would reserve a 1BR.

 

[rlovew]

I would at least trade out to anything else instead of the BLT studio portion of the stay. I feel fine in their with just DH but it is significantly smaller in feel than any of the other studios we have stayed in and while I love my mom and travel with her often I would not stay in a BLT studio with just DH, Mom, and I let alone adding 2 children into the mix. I would say either drop mom or the BLT studio from this trip.

 

[LSchrow]

despite our adversion to more than 2 in a studio (just too crowded for our tastes), i would keep your reservations as is.
even if you buy or transfer in points, you probably will have difficulty booking BLT or BCV at those times. personally, i wouldn't opt for bonnet creek - it is a busy time of year, and one of the best part of the trip will be the ease of transport (especially if someone in the group wishes to return to the resort).

 

[BEASLYBOO]

People vacation differently, you know your traveling party but as for me I would never cram 3 adults and 2 kids in a studio for 8 days! Unless of course the point is to have me commited afterwards!

For comfort and some privacy I would opt for at least a one bedroom! Depending on where you stay you will have the sleeper sofa, possibly a sleeper chair and quite a bit more room!

The adding on process may take to long to help you at this point! Maybe rent points to add another studio, or maybe opt out altogether to Bonnet Creek if it can afford you more room and comfort!

Maybe the BLT/BCV vacation is not in the cards this time!

Good luck!

 

[BeesKnees]

I would tell mom that you can't get what you need for a comfortable vacation this late and leave DS2 home as planned. Just promise to take her soon when the young son gets a little older.

 

[arthur06]

I called today and cancelled my BLT and BCV portion of our trip.

We had to adjust the days to make the points work without adding on.

I had to lose the MK's 40th portion of the trip. We are going Sept 24th (Sat) to Sept 20th (Friday). We now have a 1br at OKW.

I was thinking of just calling and adding on so that I could keep that weekend. But, the more I think about it, the timing isn't right for us to add on. I want to do that next year, and know that we will have plenty of WDW vacations over the years, so trying to get one extra weekend now is going to have to wait.

I have been wanting to try OKW, so this is a good thing! And I don't have to break my mom's heart now!

 

[bobbiwoz]

I'm glad you worked it out! Have a great time!

 

[Disneybuckeye]

I personally would cram into your existing reservations. If you are like us and are always out of the room except for sleeping and showering then keep the awesome resorts you have booked!! I loved BLT and have yet to stay at BCV which is a dream of mine. I wouldn't give them up for SSR (even though I LOVE SSR) or for a non-disney resort. Did I mention I was going to cram the 6 of us into one room at POR for free dining? lol or that we have 8 of us staying a value 2 bedroom later this year?! I don't worry about feeling crowded I guess haha

Isn't 6 over the occupacy limit for POR? Is that an issue with free dining?