Tag Archives: Resort Hotels

Bay Lake Tower Review

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IMG_6708On our 2015 June trip we called Bay Lake Tower, or BLT, home. When first reading about Bay Lake Tower and seeing its acronym of BLT I put off. A BLT is my favorite summer sandwich of bacon, lettuce, and tomato. However, after a bit of soul searching I found there is room in my heart for BLT to stand for Bay Lake Tower AND bacon, lettuce and tomato. After all, both are wonderful.

BLT is a DVC resort, so it is a bit different from other WDW hotels. (More on that momentarily.) One of Bay Lake Tower’s major appeals is its proximity to the Magic Kingdom. MK is just a short, pleasant stroll away. Because of this BLT often has guests that are not DVC members. The price is high, and you have to be willing to pay, and some do shell out to be close to Magic Kingdom. In fact, Many of BLT’s rooms offer stunning views of Magic Kingdom. This is particularly charming at night as it offers you a view of Wishes, Magic Kingdom’s fireworks spectacular, right from your room. Fireworks in pajamas with no crowds? Not bad, eh?

Being a DVC resort, rooms at BLT are either Deluxe Studios (sleeps 4 adults), One Bedroom Villas (sleeps 5 adults), or Two Bedroom Villas (sleeps 9 adults). Studios include a kitchenette and single bathroom. One Bedroom Villas offer a full kitchen, one bedroom and one bathroom. Two Bedroom Villas offer a full kitchen, two bedrooms, and two bathrooms. Studios, One, and Two Bedroom Villas all come with a choice of theme park view, lake view, or standard view. Standard views are anything level 4 and below. Lake views offer bits of Bay Lake (which may also include the pool), and theme park views offer a view of Magic Kingdom.

We stayed in a Lake View Deluxe Studio. We were situated in a room that faced the Contemporary, where we could view its pool, and watch the Monorails come and go. We could watch the boats sweep across the lake in front of the Grand Floridian. And in the distance, we could see Epcot’s Spaceship Earth and Disney’s Hollywood Studios’ Tower of Terror. We could see the hot air balloon rise up from Downtown Disney. At night we were able to watch the fireworks of Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios from our balcony, as well as the Electric Light Parade. We could even see bits of Magic Kingdom if we leaned forward and peered to the right. (A move for adults only, obviously.) We loved our view. It was varied and wonderful. We spent as much time as possible just enjoying the scenery from our balcony. If we were to go back, we’d be more than happy to have the same room and view all over again.

One thing that is important to understand about staying at Bay Lake Tower is that it essentially functions as a branch of Disney’s Contemporary Resort Hotel. In fact, BLT is  connected to The Contemporary via a Sky Bridge on the 5th floor. Because Bay Lake Tower is a DVC resort it does not have the usual plethora of amenities Disney Hotels usually boast. Not to worry! The Sky Bridge connection to The Contemporary his allows you ready access to its restaurants, bars, shops, room service, and Monorail access.  BLT and the Contemporary also share a bus stop, which is located between the two hotels.

While you need to walk to the Contemporary for use of a gym, restaurants, or bars, Bay Lake Tower does have wonderful outdoor recreation. There is a pool with a winding water slide, a kid splash area, and a whirlpool. The pool bar, named Cove Bar, offers up beer, wine, tropical cocktails, and an assortment of snacks. In an outdoor area in front of the pool entrance there are games set up such as corn hole, shuffleboard, and ping pong tables.

If for some reason you are unsatisfied with BLT’s outdoor offerings, you also can take the very short stroll to use The Contemporary’s pool. (We did for a water slide showdown! And in case you’re wondering – both are great. BLT’s is more twisting, whereas the Contemporary’s is more dipping with speed.)

This was our first time to stay at Bay Lake Tower, though we have spent just one night at The Contemporary. Bay Lake Tower is less themed than most other WDW hotels. For us, that was fine. We liked the minimal, contemporary feel. I think it would be less exciting for kids, but then again, you’re right next to the Magic Kingdom and that has its appeal. In fact, one day when walking on the Sky Bridge I saw a dad carrying a little dude about 2. He spotted Cinderella Castle in the distance and started saying “Dad! Dad!! I see Disney World! I see Disney World!!” Little man was pumped. It was awfully cute.

So, do we recommend it? Should you stay here? This I can only answer with, “well, it depends.” As I may have mentioned before, my parents are Disney Vacation Club (DVC) members. Since my parents are also awesome, they shared their points with us for this last trip. Otherwise, because of the cost, Bay Lake Tower would not be anywhere within our reach. If you are a DVC member, I absolutely 100% recommend it. We would be thrilled to stay there again. If you’re not a DVC member, then my recommendation comes less readily. If being close to Magic Kingdom is worth the cost to you – BLT is a wonderful experience. If, however, the idea of shelling out that kind of cash for a hotel makes you squirm – stay somewhere else. (On Walt Disney World’s property, of course!) While Bay Lake Tower was an amazing experience, other deluxe or moderate resorts make for better ways to spend your hard earned cash in equal comfort.

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Caribbean Beach Review

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I’ve said it before and I’ll stick to it. Deciding which Walt Disney World Resort Hotel to call home on your vacation is half the fun of planning. But with over 25 options covering three financial tiers (Deluxe, Moderate, and Value) each with its own theme, choosing can also be overwhelming. Fortunately any choice on property is a great choice.

When we booked our last trip to WDW it was late in the game and so we had few hotel options available to us. As it worked out Caribbean Beach was our luck. Already being a family favorite, no one was disappointed and our return visit only solidified the special place it has in our hearts.

IMG_2936You know the Jerry Maguire quote, “You had me at hello?” That’s Caribbean Beach for us. After exiting the Magical Express and approaching the Custom House where guest check-in is located, we were peppered with warm salutations and friendly smiles. The Custom House is enchanting with tile floors, high ceilings, fans swishing, and shuttered windows. Check-in was a breeze. We arrived early in the day and our room was not yet ready. Caribbean Beach graciously held our luggage and we made our way over to the Boardwalk for lunch. But that’s another story. Upon our return our room was ready, our luggage was delivered, and we took a stroll to survey the scene. IMG_2998What awaited us were bananas perfectly, inconspicuously hanging in the landscape. *Sigh* If only I could be looking at those beautiful bananas right now. And I hate bananas – I will not eat them. I think they’re revolting. My husband disagrees.

Vibrant colors are everywhere. The landscape is lush and tropical and the entire property hugs a lake named Barefoot Bay. Tell me that’s not inviting. Guest rooms are located in the six “villages” – Martinique, Barbados, Aruba, Jamaica, Trinidad North and Trinidad South that all sit around the lake. Caribbean Beach Lake ViewCaribbean BeachThere are seven white sand beaches with palm trees and hammocks and each village has its own pool.

Old Port Royale FountainAt the heart of everything is Old Port Royale Centertown. Here you can grab a bite to eat at the food court or at the restaurant Shutters. Or perhaps take a dip in the Fuentes del Morro pool, complete with cannons dripping water and two waterslides. One slide is 102 feet long, and I promise you’ll go back for seconds and thirds. Next to the pool is a magnificent splash area for little ones in the form of a wrecked pirate ship. Mini-slides and a giant barrel atop the mast that periodically dumps its water contents will delight toddlers. We paid a couple of visits to the Banana Cabana Pool Bar where you’ll find beer, wine, and plenty of tropical cocktails. At night they show a movie next to the bar on a giant screen. One of the best memories my husband and I had from our last trip was watching Wall-E with a cocktail after dinner at Shutters and a dip in the pool. (Our swim may or may not have included several trips down the large waterslide.) Fuentes del MorroRooms are comfortable with soft, fluffy beds and extra touches you expect from Disney. There is a Finding Nemo motif to each room, and it meshes perfectly with the Caribbean themeing. IMG_3001Bed Detail

Shower Curtain

Shower Curtain Detail

View from our room.

View from our room.

The temperatures have dropped into the 40s and 30s this last week and right now the rain is gushing down. As it is true that a picture is worth more than words I will cease my rambling and display some of the images from our stay at Caribbean Beach. I hope they bring you the smile and thoughts of warm days that they bring me.

Caribbean Beach MapGrab N Go Windows Gran N Go Cups Menu ShuttersCaribbean Beach Sidewalk Detail  Fuente Del Morrow Morning Aruba HibiscusAruba SidewalkAruba Pool 2 Aruba PoolPlayground Aruba Sunrise

How To Plan Your Dining Reservations at Walt Disney World

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HOW TO PLAN YOUR DINING RESERVATIONS AT WALT DISNEY WORLDHello friends! As promised from my post earlier this week, I am sharing my dining reservation strategy with you. I’ve been using this method for many years now, and I find it to be the best, most efficient way to plan my time at WDW.

Here are the two firm truths about planning a WDW vacation – short or long. 1.) Walt Disney World is expensive. 2.) Walt Disney World is gigantic, with hundreds of options for things to do. If you don’t at least spend a little time planning your trip before you go – you will end up wasting precious time. Using the WDW Blog Disney Vacationing Theorem we know that Truth 1 + Truth 2 = THE ULTIMATE TRUTH. See below:

WDW is Expensive + Nearly Infinite Ways to Spend Your Time =
TIME IS MONEY!!

Like my lesson for the day? It’s true. I promise. But here’s the deal – I’m not saying you have to pre-plan every minute of your trip. In fact, I frown upon that. Over-planning is a great way to be miserable during your vacation. You can’t control everything at Disney World. Buses run on loops. Attraction queue line times fluctuate. It’s all about balance. Your planning should have structure – but not be overly full. And your plans should be FLEXIBLE.

When I start to plan my WDW vacation I start with my Table Service dining reservations. Why? Disney World restaurants are not like regular restaurants. Availability is limited, reservations do fill up and a stand-by wait time can be hours. MAKE RESERVATIONS. And make them early. You had better believe I am online or on the phone 180 days out from my vacation to make dining reservations. If you do that, you can usually have any restaurant you want at any time you want.

As you know from my last post, my upcoming trip was short notice. As soon as we had booked our room we got working on planning and making said dining reservations. Here’s how I go about it.

First, I make a chart for the number of days I am going to be on vacation, and I include a bisection for each of the four main theme parks: chart 1Below the WDW Vacation 2014 block I have 7 spaces down the left side of the paper, one block for each of the days on my vacation. Across, to the right of the WDW Vacation 2014 block I have 4 large blocks for the 4 main theme parks: Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom.

Once I have the grid in, I start to fill in the blocks across for the 4 parks and the blocks down with the specific dates of my trip.chart 2Once all the dates are filled in, I visit Disney’s official website to find out what hours each of the 4 parks are open every day. AND most importantly, what the Extra Magic Hours are for the days of my vacation. Extra Magic Hours are extra times, either before a park opens or after it closes that are available ONLY to guests staying at a Disney Resort Hotel. EMHs (Extra Magic Hours) are a great way to visit your favorite attractions with lightened wait times. I place morning EMHs above the parks regular hours, and night EMHs below. I also highlight the EMHs so I can see them apart from the regular park hours. I do this because I almost always take advantage of the EMHs when they are offered. You’ll also notice Epcot is divided into two. That’s because Future World (FW) and World Showcase (WS) have different hours. time chart completeOnce everything is filled in, I take a look at the chart with a PENCIL (so you can make changes) and circle what park I think I’ll visit on what day. This is almost always dictated by the EMHs. Above you can see that on Friday, May 9 the park hours aren’t filled in. This is the theoretical day I arrive at WDW. I won’t go into the parks that day. Instead I’ll hang by the pool, go shopping at Downtown Disney, visit Disney’s Boardwalk, or buy tickets to Typhoon Lagoon or Blizzard Beach.day planning chartFor me, this all comes down to what parks I love and the EMHs. On Saturday, May 10 I circled Disney’s Hollywood Studios because it has morning EMHs. I then drew an arrow over to Epcot because I’ll probably finish my day there. Same thing happened on Wednesday, May 14. I chose to take advantage of the morning EMHs at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, but have myself jumping to Animal Kingdom that afternoon.

Once I have this tentative plan sketched out in pencil I consider my dining reservations. Typically my family will eat at one Table Service Restaurant a day, and eat at Quick Service spots for the rest of the day. Usually our Table Service picks are for dinner, but now and again we’ll go for breakfast or lunch. This is where the WDW Blog Vacationing Theorem comes into effect. To make the most out of your time you want plan your Table Service dining reservations to be in the park you’re visiting that day. If you’re in Animal Kingdom for the entire day, but you have dining reservations at Epcot, you will lose time traveling to Epcot, which could take up to an hour. If you had dinner at Animal Kingdom you could spend that hour visiting an attraction or two.

So for example, on Sunday, May 11, I circled Magic Kingdom. Magic Kingdom has evening EMHs, so I would plan to be at MK all day and night. So logically I want to make dining reservations for a Magic Kingdom restaurant. On Wednesday May 14th, I have morning EMHs at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and then plan to hop over to Animal Kingdom to finish the evening. I should plan to make Table Service reservations for breakfast at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, or dinner at Animal Kingdom. Lunch reservations could be made at either park, depending on when I want to hop from one to the other. Since Animal Kingdom closes early (6 PM), another choice would be to have dinnerat my Resort Hotel after Animal Kingdom is closed.

Once I have planned what meal I want to eat in what park, I start looking for reservations. If you’re calling 180 days in advance, you shouldn’t have any problems snagging what you want. If you’re like us this year, planning a short notice trip, you just need to be a little flexible with your times and restaurants. We had no trouble making satisfactory reservations for our upcoming trip in June. IMG_2739Once I have my dining reservations made, I like to highlight the block where they occur, and write the place and time off to the side (PINK). I also marked my park visiting plan in purple. This paper becomes my go-to physical reference for what’s going on, before I leave for my vacation. The My Disney Experience Application on my phone (or on Disney’s website) is my digital copy. The My Disney Experience App really makes it easy to see what you have going on each day. Love it.

Here’s a recap of my Table Service Dining Tips:

  • Reserve Early! – You should be prepared to make your reservations 180 days out from your vacation, or as soon as you can if you’re planning a last minute trip. This will grant you the most choices.
  • Plan to eat where you’re playing! This is where my chart is useful. If you’re going to be in Epcot – eat in Epcot. This will save you the most time. (Again referencing the WDW Blog Vacationing Theorem stated above.)
  • Keep your times consistent! If you make reservations for dinner every night, make them for about the same time. This will keep your body from going haywire.

One last word: the strategy listed today is really all about time and making the most of it. It doesn’t factor in other dining considerations such as character dining. If you have kids who would love Mickey & Friends character dining – find a place that does that! But be logical about it. If you’re at Magic Kingdom, make a reservation for Chef Mickey’s at the Contemporary. Yes,The Contemporary is outside of Magic Kingdom, but it’s right next door just a short walk or Monorail ride away. You won’t waste much time in transit.

ABOVE ALL, be prepared AND be flexible. Have a game plan going in, but be prepared to change. On my last trip to WDW I probably changed or canceled at least 2 of our dining reservations. Maybe you wind up wanting to spend more time at one park over the other, or you decide you want to just cut your day short and go back to the hotel for a pizza and a swim. Go with it!

P. S. Just so you know, the chart I made up for this post was just an example chart. It was much prettier than my charts usually end up looking when in process. See below for my working draft of our upcoming trip… Needless to say, I made a nicer draft in the end.

my real chart

 

M. M. – Poolside Cocktails

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Welcome to Labor Day MUNCHY MONDAY! I hope everyone has had a fun and tasty holiday weekend with plenty of BBQing. Around here, Labor Day is typically is the last day for public swimming pools to be open. Tomorrow students will head back to school (if they haven’t started already), and the doors to summer will shut up tight. Fall is right on our heels. I know many people are ready for cooler breezes, autumn colors, and pumpkins. I’m just not. Really NOT READY. Give me summer all year with warm, beautiful sunshine, vibrant flowers, beaches, swimming pools, and a garden overflowing with fruits and veggies. The longing for continual summer and poolside hours has brought me to this week’s MUNCHY MONDAY: Poolside Cocktails.

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At WDW pools are open year-round, and mostly, the weather is conducive for swimming year-round. I can not emphasize enough that you should stay at a Walt Disney World Resort Hotel when visiting WDW. There are hotels for every budget, and the benefits are abundant. Every resort has at least one pool, usually more. The main pool at every resort hotel is uniquely and elaborately themed. Each of these wonderful pools also has a pool bar offering a varying selection of beer, wine, and specialty cocktails in addition to non-alcoholic beverages.

Caribbean Beach Floral DetailWDW vacations are often so jam packed – and understandably so. There is so much to do and you want to make sure you get every-cent-worth from the hard earned money you spend to have said vacation. But adults should take time out every day (or two) to sit at the poolside bar and enjoy a cocktail and the scenery. WDW Resort Hotels are very charming. The details that go into creating their story and magnificent settings are numerous. Take time to appreciate the views of your resort hotel and relax. You’re going to enjoy your vacation, as a whole, much more if you do.

Caribbean Beach LakeOne of my favorite WDW Resort Hotels is Caribbean Beach. I love the vibrant colors, tropical plants, and the steel drum music that floats on the air. It has a fantastic pool complete with cannons that shoot water and two waterslides. One slide, that twists and turns for 82 feet, is particularly noteworthy.  Husband is a waterslide enthusiast, and he gives this one two thumbs up. Tots even have their own play area built around a pirate ship that spills gallons of water on delighted little ones every couple of minutes. Next to the main pool is Banana Cabana. Pull up a stool. Order a drink. Sip on happiness. The bar is close enough to the pool that you can enjoy the scene, but just far enough away that you are removed from the noise and hubbub. The Banana Cabana has a variety of tropical flavored cocktails that all come served in a perfect Caribbean looking color. Two of my favorites are the Poolside Plunge and Paradise Punch. The Poolside Plunge is a mix of Bacardi Black Razz Rum and Odwalla Lemonade with a touch of Grenadine and Sprite. Paradise Punch is made with Coruba Coconut Rum, VeeV Açaí Spirit, Pineapple Juice, and Grenadine. Feeling eternal summer yet? I’m not a banana person, but Hubby is and he loves the Banana Cabana: Cruzan Mango Rum, Coruba Coconut Rum, and Crème de Banana, with orange and pineapple juices and a float of Grenadine. Aloha.

Caribbean Beach PoolThe bar at every resort pool is slightly different, but all include a variety of tropical cocktails. Margaritas and Long Island Iced Teas are also usually on the menu. Another popular choice at Caribbean Beach is the Piña CoLAVA: a frozen swirl of Piña Colada and raspberry purèe infused with Bacardi Black Razz Rum. If you have a special request, just ask. I have found each and every cast member working the pool bars to be friendly and accommodating. If they’re able, they’ll be happy to make it for you. If you’re not a cocktail person, don’t worry – there is also a decent selection of beer and wine.

tropical drink

Make room in your next trip for some poolside libation. I promise you won’t be sorry. Since we aren’t at WDW to get our own Poolside Plunges from the Banana Cabana, I made Hubby and me an at-home tropical cocktail. I used sparking wine with some fresh, local peaches we snagged at the Farmer’s Market, and a splash of Apperol and lime juice. I think the color is pretty good! It looks Caribbean to me. Cheers – Here’s to summer.

Early to Rise and Seize the Short Lines!

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“Early to bed, early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise” is how the old saying goes. If I were to create a a list of sayings for Walt Disney World, my version of this adage would go: “Early to rise and seize the short lines!”

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My husband recently accepted a new job and we have relocated to a beach town in Delaware. We both love the saltwater, sand, and sunshine and are thrilled be able to enjoy the ocean and its offerings every day.

This particular morning we decided we would go crabbing. Armed with bait, nets, and bug spray we woke up with the sun and set out to get some fat, beautiful blue crabs. Though I get up fairly early most mornings, I am not what I would call a morning person. I take forever to leave the bed, graciously giving myself “5 more minutes” several times before I finally throw back the covers and sit up. And don’t even think of asking much of me before I’ve had some coffee. But this morning, our crabbing adventure had me in a surprisingly good mood. We surveyed the scene, watching the sun rise over the water while trying to find the best place to drop our nets. I felt perky and peaceful and I was surprised at how much that feeling reminded me of when I’m awake early in Disney World.

I know Disney World is a miraculous place. I experience a miracle every time the alarm goes off when I’m there, and I spring out of bed and dance a jig. This could never happen in my every day life. Ever. I find myself skipping to the food court for a light breakfast, then smiling and joking while I climb aboard a bus for park transit, whether I’ve had a drop of coffee or not.

For me, waking up early when vacationing at Walt Disney World is a treat. But that may not be the case for everyone. Arriving to any Walt Disney World theme park before opening bears so many benefits, it’s more than worth the early rise. Even to morning crank-pots like me.

Behold my benefits list:

  1. It’s beautiful! The morning colors are soft and it’s dewy. Take a deep breath and just admire the beauty of the Floridian tropical landscape.
  2. It’s not hot yet. The sun is shining, but it’s not beating you down yet. I love that cooler time in the morning.
  3. The opening shows! All four main parks start their day with a show. This is especially fun at the Magic Kingdom. The train rolls in, and you get to watch as Mickey and his pals are joined by citizens of Main Street for a little music and dance before welcoming guests into the Magic Kingdom. What better way to start your day in a park?
  4. IT’S LESS CROWDED. This is a big one. The buses are less crowded. Security lines are shorter. You don’t have the feeling of claustrophobia that can occur when arriving at a park on a high volume day.
  5. IT’S LESS CROWDED. OK, I know I’m counting this reason twice. But this reason counts for double! Less crowds = shorter lines! When you wake up early and arrive to a theme park early you get to enjoy my favorite perk – SHORTER LINES. Once the ropes drop and you are admitted to the park, head to your favorite attractions. The lines will likely be the shortest they are all day. So take advantage of it! (I like to use the time waiting for the park to open to come up with a game plan. Where are we going 1st, 2nd, etc. Doing several attractions in close proximity will help you maximize efficiency.) For example, I may enter the Magic Kingdom and make a beeline for Frontierland – Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is calling my name! I may even ride it twice before going next door to Splash Mountain. Next I may proceed to neighboring Adventureland to catch Pirate of the Caribbean and continue my day.

And then there are Extra Magic Hours. Extra Magic Hours are extended park hours at a select theme park available only to guests staying at Walt Disney World Resort Hotels. These occur in either the morning or the evening, and they are a great way to enjoy extra park time. During morning Extra Magic Hours, the selected park will open one hour early. These morning Extra Magic Hours are my favorite way to use my newly minted phrase “Early to rise and seize the short lines!” The number of guests in the parks during this hour is significantly less than late morning through evening, and the attraction wait times certainly reflect that.

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So if you can, wake up early and visit a park that is offering morning Extra Magic Hours to capitalize on shortened attraction wait times. If no morning Extra Magic Hours are being offered that day, or theme park you want to visit isn’t the one with available Extra Magic Hours – don’t worry. Simply arriving before the park opens will grant you all of benefits I listed above. Buses begin operating approximately one hour before a theme park opens. So if Magic Kingdom opens at 9:00am , but is hosting EMH (Extra Magic Hours) from 8:00am – 9:00am, you can expect the first buses to run at your resort hotel around 7:00am.

During your stay check with your Walt Disney World Resort Hotel front desk, Guest Services, a Times Guide, or any cast member to obtain more information on park hours and Extra Magic Hours. This information can also be found on the official Walt Disney World website.