SANDISW's Summer Trip to BCV and BLT - Starts Tomorrow!!

[KYCruiseCrazy]

I hope it's nicer at WDW then it is up here in KY. The temp hovered at 100 and the heat index was between 108 to 114 Is it fall yet?

 

[ToddyLu]

We were breathing through wet gauze on the Gulf Coast today. Sandi I am so glad you are having a great time. We are all really enjoying living vicariously through you this week.

 

[BLTWildcat]

But driving over two days. Baltimore to Savannah tomorrow, then only 5 hours to Disney on Friday!! I'm the new guy doing perhaps too much resort hopping, but oh well! Our split is:

2 nights Dolphin
4 nights BLT
2 nights AKV Jambo
4 nights SSR

I too will try to trip report, watching you as a model! Have an awesome first day. Let's hope we don't melt!

 

[BLTWildcat]

Um, I now get that you have been there for days!! Man, I feel like a message board newbie. But DVC is about the only thing that's ever wanted me to get on a message board!

Your description of BLT has me over the moon that we bought there! I will be thinking of your trip report the whole drive down tomorrow.

 

[patdotson]

Wish i was going with you. Enjoy your trip.

 

[KYCruiseCrazy]

But driving over two days. Baltimore to Savannah tomorrow, then only 5 hours to Disney on Friday!! I'm the new guy doing perhaps too much resort hopping, but oh well! Our split is:

2 nights Dolphin
4 nights BLT
2 nights AKV Jambo
4 nights SSR

I too will try to trip report, watching you as a model! Have an awesome first day. Let's hope we don't melt!

Only good/bad thing....................Living out of a suitcase. If planned out right, it should be a BLAST!!!!

 

[quirty30]

But driving over two days. Baltimore to Savannah tomorrow, then only 5 hours to Disney on Friday!! I'm the new guy doing perhaps too much resort hopping, but oh well! Our split is:

2 nights Dolphin
4 nights BLT
2 nights AKV Jambo
4 nights SSR

I too will try to trip report, watching you as a model! Have an awesome first day. Let's hope we don't melt!

12 nights of resort hopping doesn't sound all that bad - I can think of worse scenarios.

 

[Sandisw]

Tell me about the Diamond Parking and AAA, please ...

If you are a AAA member, you can get a parking pass from them and it allows you to get parking up close at the parks. We usually arrive at rope drop and have never had a probelm with it being full.

I don't know what would happen if you arrive later in the day.

 

[Sandisw]

We had a great day at MK today. The weather was hot but it didn't feel quite as humid as the past few days.

We decided to arrive right at 9:00 am so that we didn't have to stand and wait while they did the opening show. It is all sun right there and we have seen it plenty of times.


We left BLT at 8:45 am to walk over and we arrived as the show was still going on. As we entered, they let us in which made it nice. It seemed a bit crowded, so we walked down Main Street via the shops and exited out near Crystal Palace.

The plan was to FP Splash, and go on other things. We have found that if you plan those right and collect them, it makes the night time visit much more enjoyable. While it did seem busy, there were not a lot of people using fast pass as I would have thought. We were able to collect ones for Splash, Big Thunder, Buzz, and Space Mountain, all before 12:30 pm. We saved them and used them when we went back tonight.

We ate at Pecos Bills for lunch and within 10 minutes of arriving, they changed it so that they escorted you to tables. You could not get one until you had your food. Lucky for us, DH was already sitting. I got the chicken wrap and it was really tasty.

For some reason (don't know if it is the heat), we just did not eat as much as usual and we definitely know that the dining plan may no longer be for us.

DD rode both Splash and Space today, something she has not done in a long time. We are going back in the AM, before heading to the airport, to use up the DVC fast passes. I messed up again today with them. I should have gotten the passes before we left at noon but didn't. By the time we went back at 5:00 pm, the Splash MOuntain ones were gone and they don't have the special one at that ride so we ended up just using up what we already had and heading over to the Poly, Captain Cooks for dinner.

DD decided to watch the fireworks from the room but DH and I headed over to TOTWL. I love it up there and it had a decent showing again in the lounge (about 20 people). Keep using it my friends as it would be a shame to lose it!

Today was the first birthday of BLT opening and they had some fun things down at the pool. Games, cake, etc. They even brought in Minnie and Mickey for pictures and handed out birthday hats and noise makers. It really was cute.

Well, its off to bed for the last time! DH and I decided to wait until we get home to complete the add on since I want to be sure my guide gets all the credit. We also realized that we really do LOVE this location and if we were forced to have to stay at just one, this would be it. MK always has been and remains our favorite park.

Once I get home, I will post some of the things that I noticed about the resorts.

 

[mdsd8700]

Waiting to read the rest of the report when you return! Have a safe trip.

 

[BLTWildcat]

What a blast you all had, and what a lively, vibrant trip report!! My DW and I will be reading it to each other as we approach WDW.

You especially have made us happy with our choice of BLT as new DVC owners. Thank you!

 

[Disney_Mama]

Thanks for sharing....

 

[KYCruiseCrazy]

We had a great day at MK today. The weather was hot but it didn't feel quite as humid as the past few days.

We decided to arrive right at 9:00 am so that we didn't have to stand and wait while they did the opening show. It is all sun right there and we have seen it plenty of times.


We left BLT at 8:45 am to walk over and we arrived as the show was still going on. As we entered, they let us in which made it nice. It seemed a bit crowded, so we walked down Main Street via the shops and exited out near Crystal Palace.

The plan was to FP Splash, and go on other things. We have found that if you plan those right and collect them, it makes the night time visit much more enjoyable. While it did seem busy, there were not a lot of people using fast pass as I would have thought. We were able to collect ones for Splash, Big Thunder, Buzz, and Space Mountain, all before 12:30 pm. We saved them and used them when we went back tonight.

We ate at Pecos Bills for lunch and within 10 minutes of arriving, they changed it so that they escorted you to tables. You could not get one until you had your food. Lucky for us, DH was already sitting. I got the chicken wrap and it was really tasty.

For some reason (don't know if it is the heat), we just did not eat as much as usual and we definitely know that the dining plan may no longer be for us.

DD rode both Splash and Space today, something she has not done in a long time. We are going back in the AM, before heading to the airport, to use up the DVC fast passes. I messed up again today with them. I should have gotten the passes before we left at noon but didn't. By the time we went back at 5:00 pm, the Splash MOuntain ones were gone and they don't have the special one at that ride so we ended up just using up what we already had and heading over to the Poly, Captain Cooks for dinner.

DD decided to watch the fireworks from the room but DH and I headed over to TOTWL. I love it up there and it had a decent showing again in the lounge (about 20 people). Keep using it my friends as it would be a shame to lose it!

Today was the first birthday of BLT opening and they had some fun things down at the pool. Games, cake, etc. They even brought in Minnie and Mickey for pictures and handed out birthday hats and noise makers. It really was cute.

Well, its off to bed for the last time! DH and I decided to wait until we get home to complete the add on since I want to be sure my guide gets all the credit. We also realized that we really do LOVE this location and if we were forced to have to stay at just one, this would be it. MK always has been and remains our favorite park.

Once I get home, I will post some of the things that I noticed about the resorts.

Did you do a total trip DDP or did you only do a DDP during a stay at only 1 resort? I know it's "HOT HOT HOT". We are looking at a 4th of july trip in 2012 and were thinking of a QSDP. For when you get hungry for a meal or snack while out and about. You don't really have to eat in the parks. There are lot's of CS places all over WDW property, right?. Do a few meals in the room (with a mid-day break anyway right?).

Have a safe trip home. Can't wait to see photo's of room views

 

[Bostonterrierlover]

Do you have to be staying at BLT to attend the member event? TIA!

 

[LoveKermit]

Just to clarify, you collect all those FPs because the times come up pretty quickly, right? So, if you collect a Splash FP at 9:05 and the return is 9:30, you are getting another right at 9:30. Then if that return is 11:00, you pick up another at 11.

I just don't want people to think (though probably not on the DVC board) that you can collect FPs or that you have some other way of collecting FPs faster than the usual park ticket.

 

[DenLo]

Thanks for the trip report. Really enjoyed it. Looking forward to seeing your photos.

If you are a AAA member, you can get a parking pass from them and it allows you to get parking up close at the parks. We usually arrive at rope drop and have never had a probelm with it being full.

I don't know what would happen if you arrive later in the day.

This parking pass sounds interesting. I can't figure out how it works, but it sounds interesting.

I checked the Theme Park forum and found these two threads, it sounds like it would be worth getting if you have AAA and have a car on site.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2511324&highlight=aaa+parking+pass

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2489563&highlight=aaa+parking+pass

 

[wdrl]

DH and I decided to wait until we get home to complete the add on since I want to be sure my guide gets all the credit.

Thanks, Sandi Snow White, for taking the time to post your trip report! Its always fun reading other people's trip report, especially when we still have 55 days until our next trip to Disney.

By the way, we did the BLT tour when we stayed there in March. Some of the incentives offered at the tour were slightly better than the 'standard' incentives that were available at the time. If I recall correctly, the tour incentives were good for several days after the tour (perhaps 30 days??). After doing the tour, I called my Guide and asked him if he would get credit if we did an add-on. Our Guide said that if we did an add-on using the special tour incentives, then he would have to split the commissions between himself and the Guides that conducted the tour. So, even if you return home, your Guide may only get partial credit if you use any tour incentives. Another BTW: Were there special incentives at the tour???

Thanks in advance for posting photos of your trip (hint! hint!).

 

[Sandisw]

Just to clarify, you collect all those FPs because the times come up pretty quickly, right? So, if you collect a Splash FP at 9:05 and the return is 9:30, you are getting another right at 9:30. Then if that return is 11:00, you pick up another at 11.

I just don't want people to think (though probably not on the DVC board) that you can collect FPs or that you have some other way of collecting FPs faster than the usual park ticket.

Yes, this is correct. It worked out that way because the return times were only about one hour later than when we were getting them, so this allowed us to get them faster than the two hour window. Honestly, the parks were not that crowded in the mornings and thus the reason it worked out so well.

However, at night, people came out and I am assuming it was due to how hot is was during the day. These really came in handy last night.

 

[KYCruiseCrazy]

Yes, this is correct. It worked out that way because the return times were only about one hour later than when we were getting them, so this allowed us to get them faster than the two hour window. Honestly, the parks were not that crowded in the mornings and thus the reason it worked out so well.

However, at night, people came out and I am assuming it was due to how hot is was during the day. These really came in handy last night.

I take it you made it home safely? I can't wait til my trip this Dec

 

[Sandisw]

Did you do a total trip DDP or did you only do a DDP during a stay at only 1 resort? I know it's "HOT HOT HOT". We are looking at a 4th of july trip in 2012 and were thinking of a QSDP. For when you get hungry for a meal or snack while out and about. You don't really have to eat in the parks. There are lot's of CS places all over WDW property, right?. Do a few meals in the room (with a mid-day break anyway right?).

Have a safe trip home. Can't wait to see photo's of room views

We did the DDP for the 3 nights we were at BCV and then switched to the QSDP while at BLT.

Yes, there are plenty of places to use the plan outside the parks. We ate quick service at the Contemporary, Poly, and Wolfgang Puck Express at DTD. The other times were in the parks.

We didn't do any meals in the room, other than eating our morning fruit (which I got with snack credits) before heading to the parks.

We found that the QSDP is plenty of food to fill you up for all meals--well, at least it was for us. Since we were getting dessert with our lunch CS meal, we found that we really didn't need much later, other than a small salad or fruit (another snack credit) vs. getting a 2nd CS meal. Many times, we just ended up throwing half of it away.

Next summer, we are just going OOP and will see how it goes. Even today, I had 8 snack credits left to use. I didn't even try to save them. I used them for drinks and everything and still had that many left. I will order Disney Gift Cards through ebates.com (where you currently get a 3% rebate) for the amount of the plan and use those to cover the food. It will be like pre-paying and we will see how it goes.

I did that this year with our spending money. I used gift cards instead of the charge card and I ended up not having to charge a thing!! We stayed within budget!!! Of course, they are still giving the 10% off with the AP everywhere so that helped out a great deal!!!