Just curious - BLT vs CR?

[BoardwalkSuzy]

I read so much excitement about BLT, but the demand is mainly for the small studios that are really only suitable for 2 people at most, because if fold out the sleeper sofa there is no room to move.

But I have read very little on Disboards about what buyers of BLT think about the resort compared to the older Contemporary Resort.

Has anyone stayed in both BLT studios and CR regular rooms and can provide their comparisons as to quality, convenience, and overall cost?

 

[McCrae]

I read so much excitement about BLT, but the demand is mainly for the small studios that are really only suitable for 2 people at most, because if fold out the sleeper sofa there is no room to move.
?

Don't agree with this statement. Perhaps for couples this maybe the case, but for families especially with older children demand will be strong for 1br up. Room sizes at BLT are much bigger than CR.
I dont really regard them as separate resorts.... Much more like the arrangement at GF where you have the separate concierge wing.

 

[Muhlenberg]

I'm not a buyer of BLT, but I have stayed in a studio on points, and have stayed at CR many times.

I don't think you can really compare cost of BLT studios with CR rooms unless you're paying cash, since you can't stay at CR on points. You can't compare apples and oranges. Ignoring the "cost" part of your question, I'll attempt comparing the other components.

Size is easy. BLT studios are about 100 sq. ft. SMALLER than a CR room. BLT studios have a queen size bed and a full size sleeper sofa and sleeps four (plus child under 3). A CR room has TWO queen size beds and a twin size sleeper sofa and sleeps FIVE (plus child under 3). The layout is slightly different since the studio has a kitchenette.

Convenience...they both use the same restaurants, transportation, etc. BUT BLT being in a separate building, you have to walk farther to the Monorail. So basically, they're the same.

As for quality, there have been many, many threads regarding the quality of the BLT furnishings. I, personally, think they used lesser quality furnishings in the BLT studios than they did in the CR rooms. And since they're smaller in size, chairs bump into things more readily in the BLT studios.

 

[BoardwalkSuzy]

I was wondering how the rooms compared, thanks for sharing experience.

Thought maybe not as fun as being right in the Contemporary, but at $400 per night in Contemporary as opposed to $400 per week at BLT (counting just MF, not buy-in cost of DVC) - really no comparison on the cost side. BLT becomes the better deal in years to come, after what looks like about 5 years.

 

[dbs1228]

Keep in mind the 1 bedroom's and up are awesome! Having a full kitchen with coffee pot, frig, jacuzzi tub, washer in dryer in room, balcony and TOWL ARE ALL awesome! Rooms are very modern. I have stayed twice in a 2 bedroom until (which has 3 FULL baths) and was in heaven! 1 bedroom has 2 FULL baths. Been many, many years since I have stayed at CR once we had kids we always stayed in the cabins at the Ft so the kids had their own bedroom for naps and early bed time. Now DH and I are the ones who need our own room for bedtime and naps!

 

[Sandisw]

I'm not a buyer of BLT, but I have stayed in a studio on points, and have stayed at CR many times.

I don't think you can really compare cost of BLT studios with CR rooms unless you're paying cash, since you can't stay at CR on points. You can't compare apples and oranges. Ignoring the "cost" part of your question, I'll attempt comparing the other components.

Size is easy. BLT studios are about 100 sq. ft. SMALLER than a CR room. BLT studios have a queen size bed and a full size sleeper sofa and sleeps four (plus child under 3). A CR room has TWO queen size beds and a twin size sleeper sofa and sleeps FIVE (plus child under 3). The layout is slightly different since the studio has a kitchenette.

Convenience...they both use the same restaurants, transportation, etc. BUT BLT being in a separate building, you have to walk farther to the Monorail. So basically, they're the same.

As for quality, there have been many, many threads regarding the quality of the BLT furnishings. I, personally, think they used lesser quality furnishings in the BLT studios than they did in the CR rooms. And since they're smaller in size, chairs bump into things more readily in the BLT studios.

The walk to the monorail is not necessarily longer from BLT if you are staying at the CR in the garden wing.

 

[Sandisw]

I have stayed in both the CR and BLT. BLT studios are indeed smaller than the rooms at the CR and as mentioned, only sleep 4 where the CR rooms can hold 5.

The difference, however, is that the BLT 1 bedrooms are not that much more in price than some of the tower CR rooms and comparing those, BLT wins hands down.

For example, in the first few weeks of July, you can get a LV 1 bedroom at BLT for $580 (rack rate) and its $525 to $550 for a MK view tower room.

We consider BLT as part of the same resort as CR so there is no difference for us in terms of convenience as we have stayed in the tower and garden wings as well as 3 times at BLT and I found the ease to the main building in terms of food, shopping, and monorail to be similar. Matter of fact, my stay in the garden wing of the CR put me farther from things than any of my BLT stays so far.

One of the reasons we bought in to DVC when they built BLT was the ability to stay at our favorite location but upgrade the size of what we were staying in. We are a family of 5 and the thought of having more room for no more than what we were paying (and over the long haul, really less!) was what pushed us in to becoming members.

Now that 2 of my 3 children are college age, we are down to traveling most of the time with only 3 but after staying in the 1 bedroom last year, I would never go back to just a studio unless it is DH and I only. And, even then, it would be only for those short weekend trips, not our yearly summer ones.

Now, I have stayed at BLT in a studio with 4 (me and the kids--all who were teens at the time). And, while it is tight and wouldn't recommend it for an extended stay, it is doable if you fold up the couch each morning and don't plan on spending tons of time in the room.

 

[pinnocchiosdad]

Not sure why you are looking at cash costs when you are a DVC member assumably staying on points.