Rooms at BLT/BWV

[Fantasia79]

DW and I are looking at eventually joining DVC, still looking and finding answers to questions. We're going to rent some points and stay at a DVC resort before we buy, but starting to discuss it quite a bit. Some of the reviews mention rooms being a little dirty/worn down, I can't believe this is the case with anything Disney. What would you say about the condition of the rooms at BLT/BWV?

Thanks!

Kirk & Samantha

 

[Mickey'sApprentice]

We've had good luck with BWV.

Never stayed at BLT.

 

[akl-fan]

We have never had a dirty room, but DVC rooms are not cleaned every day like ordinary hotel rooms. The furniture tends not to be replaced as often either with DVC tending to refurbish the existing stuff. BLT was done a bit on the cheap when it came to furnishings and as a result some of the items broke or looked worn very quickly. This was the fault of former boss Jim Lewis. I do not see them repeating the same mistake at GFV. I own at AKV and have been very pleased with the quality of the rooms I have had there. I have also stayed at BCV and BLT and the rooms were fine, although the coffee table at BLT was chipped.

Disney has thousands of rooms and mistakes with housekeeping happen. In general I think most people are happy with there rooms.People turn to the DIS and trip advisor when they are angry. Although many of these complaints are justified they are not reflective of Disney as a whole. There has recently been an increase of the numbers of housekeepers at AKV and I think at other properties. This increased my annual fees. Hopefully standards will be even higher now.

It is a great idea to try before you buy. Look at the resale options you may be able to snag a bargin.

 

[disneynutz]

DW and I are looking at eventually joining DVC, still looking and finding answers to questions. We're going to rent some points and stay at a DVC resort before we buy, but starting to discuss it quite a bit. Some of the reviews mention rooms being a little dirty/worn down, I can't believe this is the case with anything Disney. What would you say about the condition of the rooms at BLT/BWV?

Thanks!

Kirk & Samantha

DVC rooms are occupied 98% of the time so they get some serious use. As PP they are not cleaned everyday and IMO the budget for DVC room maintenance and cleaning is less then the cash rooms.

Who would you spend the most time on making sure that they are happy, the cash guest who may not come back or the DVC guest that has to come back or they forfeit their points?

Bill

 

[Fantasia79]

Thanks for all the feedback! Yes, I'm aware of the housekeeping on the 4th/8th day or availibility to purchase housekeeping. The rooms being a bit more worn down makes sense, with the amount of traffic.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[SpaceMountain77]

If room condition is truly a concern, and factor in your decision, I would suggest buying into a newer resort or one that was recently refurbished.

Although I have not seen one, I have heard that the newly refurbished rooms at Disney's Saratoga Springs, with added Disney animation touches, are very nice.

 

[crisi]

If room condition is truly a concern, and factor in your decision, I would suggest buying into a newer resort or one that was recently refurbished.

Although I have not seen one, I have heard that the newly refurbished rooms at Disney's Saratoga Springs, with added Disney animation touches, are very nice.

As the contracts are for decades, and a room refurbishment happens every eight to ten years or so, that's pretty short term advice.

 

[SpaceMountain77]

Overall fit and finish, both inside and out, will certainly look and feel more fresh at a newer than older resort. Moreover, rooms at more recent DVC resorts seem to have more details and styling.

Buying into a DVC property with recently refurbished rooms, like Saratoga Springs, may certainly be a short-term improvement. However, if new, fresh rooms are important to a potential member for those initial vacations, I think it is a reasonable suggestion.

 

[crisi]

Overall fit and finish, both inside and out, will certainly look and feel more fresh at a newer than older resort. Moreover, rooms at more recent DVC resorts seem to have more details and styling.

Buying into a DVC property with recently refurbished rooms, like Saratoga Springs, may certainly be a short-term improvement. However, if new, fresh rooms are important to a potential member for those initial vacations, I think it is a reasonable suggestion.

I don't think that they do have more details and styling - they are differently detailed and styled. (I happen to love the details at VWL - many people don't - and its an older resort. On the other hand, I'm on the record many times as saying that the rooms at SSR remind me of a 1970s rec room - not at ALL to my taste). And the styling changes with each refresh (although thematically, the rooms stay the same). Don't buy a resort because you love the curtains.

Since the complaints start coming in about rooms looking "worn" less than two years after a refurb (and in BLTs case, about six weeks after the resort opened - although people were complaining about the coffee table at the Beach Club almost at opening as well - its finish was "distressed" and looked worn on day one), I still don't think its a criteria I'd take into account for something I'm going to own for 30 - 50 years. For any resort you buy, there will be maybe one to three years of "recently refurbed or new" followed by maybe six years of "progressively worn" before a refurb. But with near 100% capacity - and a lot of sticky fingers, juice boxes, and luggage being moved around in a DVC room - they aren't going to be perfect.

 

[Missyrose]

I think there's an even deeper question OP may want to ask themselves: DVC rooms will always look more worn and less updated than their resort counterparts, will you be okay with that fact? Like PPs have said, DVC rooms are updated less often than Disney resort rooms and are vacant far less than resort rooms. This makes for more wear and tear.

I just think anyone contemplating a DVC purchase should be honest with themselves about what they are okay with and what they're not.

 

[disneynutz]

I think there's an even deeper question OP may want to ask themselves: DVC rooms will always look more worn and less updated than their resort counterparts, will you be okay with that fact? Like PPs have said, DVC rooms are updated less often than Disney resort rooms and are vacant far less than resort rooms. This makes for more wear and tear.

I just think anyone contemplating a DVC purchase should be honest with themselves about what they are okay with and what they're not.

The problem is that a new buyer doesn't expect that Disney would let the DVC have any problems because we are in an exclusive club. We expect to vacation all over the world at exciting beautiful places and at other Disney resorts and DCL as depicted in the DVC commercials and marketing material.

Only after owning for a while does the reality of restrictions, rules, limited booking, problems with MS, availability, software issues, and room issues start to set in.

Bill

 

[LSchrow]

Only after owning for a while does the reality of restrictions, rules, limited booking, problems with MS, availability, software issues, and room issues start to set in.

Bill

after about 13 years of owning, we have not had any significant problems with DVC. since i researched thoroughly before purchasing, we knew, and accepted, the rules and "restrictions".
honestly, we had more problems with WDW "deluxe" resort rooms not being up to par (black mold on walls and ceiling in poly, crumbs and lots of dust in GF room, wasp nest on unclean AKL balcony, etc).

maybe we have just been lucky in our 50+ DVC stays?

 

[allforpooh]

I think there's an even deeper question OP may want to ask themselves: DVC rooms will always look more worn and less updated than their resort counterparts, will you be okay with that fact? Like PPs have said, DVC rooms are updated less often than Disney resort rooms and are vacant far less than resort rooms. This makes for more wear and tear.

I just think anyone contemplating a DVC purchase should be honest with themselves about what they are okay with and what they're not.

I agree, it is what your expectations are and what you are willing to accept. We travel all over and see the same minor problems everywhere. We really have never had a issue that impacted our trip, and have always had a quick response if there was anything that needed to be fixed. There has only been 1 time since 2002 where the room was not clean(nothing big just dusty, crackers on the floor)and that was this past March at BLT. We love DVC and have really enjoyed every resort we have stayed at.

BLT rooms are bigger, and the 2 bedroom has 3 bathrooms which was awesome for our group. BWV is really nice also and has the best location in my opinion. So its also where you want to stay, we enjoyed BLT but love the Epcot resorts.

Denise