BLT for the first time - I hope I made the right decision!

[DizneyLizzy]

This morning my 7 month window opened. My plan all along had been to book at 1 bedroom standard at Kidani Village. My family of 4 (my husband, and my two kids who will be 5 and 2 when we travel) is taking my father in law with us, so I wanted to stay somewhere with 2 bathrooms. Just for fun, I checked to see if there were any standard view BLT one bedrooms available (since those also have 2 bathrooms), and there was availability! Because those villas require more points, I could book all but our last night there. So we'll move to OKW for our last night.

I hope I did the right thing. I'd been getting excited about Kidani, but my big concern was distance from the MK (where our 2 year old and probably 5 year old will want to spend most of their time), so I called an audible and booked us at BLT/OKW. I'm thinking that walking distance to the MK wins for us at this point in the ages of our kids. We'll have many years ahead of us to stay at AKL. I assume all of the one bedrooms at Kidani won't book up in the next few days, so if I change my mind, I can always book Kidani for the duration of our stay.

Time to get excited about BLT! That and AKL are the only resorts I've never stayed in.

BLT enthusiasts...what do you like most about this resort??

 

[kboo]

We have a 7yo and a (n almost) 3yo. We love BLT.

Last time we were there, in a 1BR std, our 7yo walked into the villa and said, "WOW!!! THIS IS THE MOST AMAZING HOTEL ROOM EVER!!!"

Walking to MK is really the best, we love breakfast at the Wave - if you have TiW the discount makes it not much more than Contempo Cafe. Fireworks from TOTWL, the 4th floor of the contemporary with the stores and the monorail running through it ... there is a lot of space where little kids can run around and play without being "in the way" of others.

We also have not stayed at Kidani yet, but we really like the convenience and the space at BLT. And the decor - (we've stayed at AKL) - while I love the theming at AKL/AKV, the heavy, dark furniture in the rooms wasn't really my taste. I know I'm in the minority but we actually like the light, clean lines and modern decor at BLT. And pretty clear unobstructed views, even from standard rooms.

 

[DizneyLizzy]

We have a 7yo and a (n almost) 3yo. We love BLT.

Last time we were there, in a 1BR std, our 7yo walked into the villa and said, "WOW!!! THIS IS THE MOST AMAZING HOTEL ROOM EVER!!!"

Walking to MK is really the best, we love breakfast at the Wave - if you have TiW the discount makes it not much more than Contempo Cafe. Fireworks from TOTWL, the 4th floor of the contemporary with the stores and the monorail running through it ... there is a lot of space where little kids can run around and play without being "in the way" of others.

We also have not stayed at Kidani yet, but we really like the convenience and the space at BLT. And the decor - (we've stayed at AKL) - while I love the theming at AKL/AKV, the heavy, dark furniture in the rooms wasn't really my taste. I know I'm in the minority but we actually like the light, clean lines and modern decor at BLT. And pretty clear unobstructed views, even from standard rooms.

Thanks! I'm really excited at the idea of walking to/from the MK. How is the transfer to the Epcot monorail? We loved staying at the Poly in 2017 bc we could easily walk to the Epcot monorail from the villas.

 

[kboo]

I will add - last time we were there we were trying to leave the park after dinner and got caught up in the fireworks crowd - So we stopped near the flagpole at the base of Main St. to watch the show, and the kids were still in 40 minutes later (and they did change into PJs and brush teeth and do their bedtime routine). That may be one of my favorite areas to watch fireworks now with the kids.

(September: we saw the MNSSHP fireworks as the kids slept in the stroller. We were staying at the Swan. It was SO painful to take them out of the stroller, make our 7yo walk and carry the 2yo on the bus.)

 

[kboo]

Thanks! I'm really excited at the idea of walking to/from the MK. How is the transfer to the Epcot monorail? We loved staying at the Poly in 2017 bc we could easily walk to the Epcot monorail from the villas.

It's ... fine.

You will need to board the monorail at the contemporary, and the bottleneck is getting on the tiny elevator with a stroller. Then you have to go out and down from the resort monorail and walk to the other side and up to the Epcot monorail. It's pretty much like transferring lines on a subway - I always seem to be seeing the Epcot monorail arrive as I'm walking over and knowing I'm going to get close but not make that one...

 

[buzzrelly]

This morning my 7 month window opened. My plan all along had been to book at 1 bedroom standard at Kidani Village. My family of 4 (my husband, and my two kids who will be 5 and 2 when we travel) is taking my father in law with us, so I wanted to stay somewhere with 2 bathrooms. Just for fun, I checked to see if there were any standard view BLT one bedrooms available (since those also have 2 bathrooms), and there was availability! Because those villas require more points, I could book all but our last night there. So we'll move to OKW for our last night.

I hope I did the right thing. I'd been getting excited about Kidani, but my big concern was distance from the MK (where our 2 year old and probably 5 year old will want to spend most of their time), so I called an audible and booked us at BLT/OKW. I'm thinking that walking distance to the MK wins for us at this point in the ages of our kids. We'll have many years ahead of us to stay at AKL. I assume all of the one bedrooms at Kidani won't book up in the next few days, so if I change my mind, I can always book Kidani for the duration of our stay.

Time to get excited about BLT! That and AKL are the only resorts I've never stayed in.

BLT enthusiasts...what do you like most about this resort??

Having stayed at BLT many times and just completed my first stay at AKL, albeit Jambo House, you not only made the right decision but I think you’ll be far happier at BLT.

Walking to the MK is so super convenient, especially with little kids. Walking (covered) to the monorail is awesome. And I love The CR QS-Contempo Cafe. I don’t know what kind of QS there is at Kidani, but The Mara at Jambo was like a dungeon...so dark and out of the way. Nothing like the happy, hustle bustle of Contempo Cafe with the right lights and music playing from Chef Mickeys, not to mention the gorgeous view of Bay Lake back there.

I love the 1 bedroom at BLT for all the sleep spaces you get, as well. The pull out couch plus the sleeping chair makes like much easier with 2 kids.

And the two full bathrooms are just priceless.

I love the BLT. Congratulations on your smart move!

 

[DizneyLizzy]

It's ... fine.

You will need to board the monorail at the contemporary, and the bottleneck is getting on the tiny elevator with a stroller. Then you have to go out and down from the resort monorail and walk to the other side and up to the Epcot monorail. It's pretty much like transferring lines on a subway - I always seem to be seeing the Epcot monorail arrive as I'm walking over and knowing I'm going to get close but not make that one...

That's what I thought. We'll deal. We'll have a car, so maybe we'll even drive if we go in the morning. Again - small price to pay for the walk to the MK.

Thanks for the votes of confidence!

 

[drusba]

BLT 1BR is a fine choice (and I own at AKV, also a fine choice), not just for access to MK but for a number of other benefits such as: (a) excellent Disney stores and restaurants, including a character meal and one of the best table service restaurants at WDW, California Grill, in Contemporary, (b) a boat to Fort Wilderness for easy access to the Hoop Dee Doo review (for us a must do when staying at BLT), (c) a very good pool and also access to the larger Contemporary pool, (d) good bus service to Studios and AK (it shares only with WL), and (e) TOWL for fireworks. That you are paying only standard points is good and you might request an even number room above the lobby (standards there get MK view and, because of shape of building, living room and bedroom areas are a little wider than on the inside of the C-shaped building). As I see it, the only downside you have is having to change resorts for that last night.

 

[limace]

Could you buy some OTU points to add the last night at BLT?

 

[DizneyLizzy]

Could you buy some OTU points to add the last night at BLT?

I can't - it's a weekend and I would need 25 more points instead of the 24. Isn't 24 the limit?

 

[BEASLYBOO]

Kboo and Drusba covered it, the 1 and 2 bedrooms are fabulous and I love Kidani for the same reasons (extra baths and the sleeper chairs) I don’t have little ones, but accessibility to all of the restaurants, lounges, lobbies of the others resorts that make up the monorail loop is awesome. Great choice. Enjoy and PS, OKW is my favorite resort, their 1 bedrooms are wonderful and a little lush tropical ambiance is a great way to end a trip, if you have to move.

 

[DizneyLizzy]

Kboo and Drusba covered it, the 1 and 2 bedrooms are fabulous and I love Kidani for the same reasons (extra baths and the sleeper chairs) I don’t have little ones, but accessibility to all of the restaurants, lounges, lobbies of the others resorts that make up the monorail loop is awesome. Great choice. Enjoy and PS, OKW is my favorite resort, their 1 bedrooms are wonderful and a little lush tropical ambiance is a great way to end a trip, if you have to move.

Agreed. We love OKW too. It's where we usually stay. It'll be nice to end the trip there

 

[KatyWDW]

We just finished our trip in October and we stayed a week at BLT and one night at AKL (Kidani).

BLT:
- DD is 2 and walking to MK cannot be beat! And you have your own security checkpoint so you can avoid the long lines at MK! We could easily head back for a nap without an hour long bus ride.
- Our view was amazing! We could see both the castle and bay lake! watching the fireworks from our room was priceless! We also caught the Electric Water Pageant a few nights and that brought back fond memories for DH from when he was a kid.
- getting to Epcot was not that convenient since you have to board at the contemporary and then switch at the TTC but it beats breaking a stroller down on the bus! You also end up having to go through security twice
- the pool is not my favorite but my DD loved the splash area and all the larger than life games right outside the pool area.
- the room decor is kinda meh and I didn’t care for the bathroom setup at all. We were in a studio and the bathroom was really small and had an awkward sliding door.
- the bus to HS was kind of chaotic one morning so we ended up driving to DAK and HS the rest of the trip. Not bad.

AKL:
- the theming and atmosphere is just amazing! I had never stayed there before and I fell instantly in love. We had a Savannah view studio and could watch animals from our room and it was hard to leave!
- the kidani pool is definitely the best pool I have used at Disney! Wow! The kids splash area was easily the highlight for my DD.
- I love all of the food options at AKL
- we were only here for one night and we just stayed at the resort all day so we never had to deal with the location issues.

Overall I was happy we chose BLT for our trip! The convenience and ability to walk to MK trumped all the magic we experienced at AKL IMO. However, If DD was older and out of a stroller, I would choose AKL without question. Based on the age of your kiddos I would say you made the smart move! Have a great trip!!

 

[BEASLYBOO]

We just finished our trip in October and we stayed a week at BLT and one night at AKL (Kidani).

BLT: the pool is not my favorite but my DD loved the splash area and all the larger than life games right outside the pool area.!

I agree, it’s really small, very shallow and intended for the very young. And if that was the plan, then they should have added another, a quiet pool like the Contemporary, where we usually end up!

 

[Frederic Civish]

I can't - it's a weekend and I would need 25 more points instead of the 24. Isn't 24 the limit?

Yes you can. You don’t need to buy 24 points. You can buy UP TO 24 one time use points. Anywhere from 1 to 24. Instead you could use some of the points that you are using at old key west, and then fill in the rest with the one time use points to equal the total amount you need.

Unless you are saying you need 25 additional points beyond what you have right now. Is it possible you could borrow a few points? Whatever you cannot buy from one time use points?

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I can't - it's a weekend and I would need 25 more points instead of the 24. Isn't 24 the limit?

There isn't a 25 point difference between a BLT standard 1BR and an OKW 1BR for a single night if that's what the comparison is. As mentioned wouldn't it be using the points you've already committed to the OKW room and just getting the additional OTU points for the difference between OKW and BLT?

Or, did you book an OKW studio for the last night? If so are you 100% borrowing all your next years points? I'd borrow the 25 points or else buy 24 OTU points and borrow 1 point.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Thanks! I'm really excited at the idea of walking to/from the MK. How is the transfer to the Epcot monorail? We loved staying at the Poly in 2017 bc we could easily walk to the Epcot monorail from the villas.

It's not the same going to Epcot from BLT as PVB. Actually, going isn't too bad although timing is everything and you can hit long waits for the resort monorail and then a full wait for the Epcot. But returning - that is where it's often much worse vs being able to get off at TTC and walk to PVB. When you return you wait and take the Epcot monorail to TTC. Then you have 2 choices. Transfer to the resort monorail which will have stops at Poly, GF and MK before getting to CR or take the Express monorail to MK and walk back to BLT from there. It can be a toss up. And you can get stuck on monorails on hold for various reasons. We had the trip from Epcot to BLT take over an hour once although that isn't what I'd call the norm.

 

[DizneyLizzy]

Great! I think I'm pretty satisfied with my decision to go with BLT. Now I just have to figure out what location to request. I have no idea even where to start. I'm not too conce

There isn't a 25 point difference between a BLT standard 1BR and an OKW 1BR for a single night if that's what the comparison is. As mentioned wouldn't it be using the points you've already committed to the OKW room and just getting the additional OTU points for the difference between OKW and BLT?

Or, did you book an OKW studio for the last night? If so are you 100% borrowing all your next years points? I'd borrow the 25 points or else buy 24 OTU points and borrow 1 point.

Sorry...I needed a few OTU points for the last night at OKW. But I'd need 25 for the BLT villa. I needed less for OKW.

 

[DizneyLizzy]

It's not the same going to Epcot from BLT as PVB. Actually, going isn't too bad although timing is everything and you can hit long waits for the resort monorail and then a full wait for the Epcot. But returning - that is where it's often much worse vs being able to get off at TTC and walk to PVB. When you return you wait and take the Epcot monorail to TTC. Then you have 2 choices. Transfer to the resort monorail which will have stops at Poly, GF and MK before getting to CR or take the Express monorail to MK and walk back to BLT from there. It can be a toss up. And you can get stuck on monorails on hold for various reasons. We had the trip from Epcot to BLT take over an hour once although that isn't what I'd call the norm.

I'm thinking that if we hit Epcot in the morning, we'll just drive. Seems easier than all of the transferring, especially if we go for rope drop on an EMH morning and can get a spot near-ish to the front.

 

[CarolMN]

Some of the posters have assumed that there is still availability for the last night at BLT. That may not be the case. We cannot waitlist if we must buy OTU points to complete the reservation should the waitlist work. Of course, one could buy them ahead of time (by making a one night reservation that uses the correct amount and then cancelling that reservation to get the OTU points into the account. However, if the waitlist doesn't work, you'd get stuck with the OTU points, which cannot be banked and expire at the end of the use year if not used before then .

Just a little wrinkle that may apply.