Haha... I'm one of those people! The parking lot is such an eyesore. We stayed Contemporary Main Tower with Bay Lake view a few weeks ago and it was soooo beautiful!
Transportation is such an important part of the Contemporary vibe. Looking from the window, you see monorail, rail, ferryboats, and astro orbiter rockets. It seems that the parking lot and buses just seem to add to that view.
This is my home resort & it does make me feel like childhood hotels and I love it here. I'm nervous and excited about the refurb because I dont want the cheap upgrades
My husband and I are just home from BLT. We split the trip between the Boardwalk and Bay Lake Tower last week. Love the Boardwalk so coming to the BLT was a letdown. It’s a high rise. For us it’s best for easy access to the Magic Kingdom. We went to the Not So Scary Party so it was perfect because of that. It would be nice to have the rooms updated to include Keurig coffee makers (we had to request one from housekeeping but brought our own k-cups) I also would like to see more outlets to charge things. The bedside tables were super tiny and one was mostly taken up by the Hey Disney device. My husband’s complaint was always choosing the wrong light switch. So many light switches, for such a small room. Great review. Love your channel!
BLT is our primary home resort. Sounds like you got a good room. We love the location and style of this resort, but have run into issues in the past couple years. We’ve had rooms with missing or broken trim pieces, cobwebs where walls meet ceiling, and gobs of hair on the shower wall 🤢 In my opinion, this resort could use some TLC. I’m SO looking forward to the refurb, which I believe starts today!
I'm not surprised to hear that one bit! We've had similar issues at resorts, even ones that were recently renovated. . . . which is sad. I'm excited to see what the renovation brings!
Great video guys! We almost booked a stay here in November (chose Boardwalk villa instead bc we would have been renting DVC points and I couldn't lock in the dates I wanted), but to me those rooms look perfectly fine, but probably bc I've been watching your videos of the recent DVC stays and some of those seemed OLD. I would like to stay there one of these times with its vicinity to MK and the great food options in Contemporary and the Monorail resorts. As for burgers, we will be trying the Deluxe one this upcoming trip as we have never had, but we LOVE the Sci-Fi Dine In burger as best in a park.
We stayed a the Swan in July and decided to come back for an afternoon nap (rope drop and extra magic hours aren’t a good combo lol), but we were awakened when water from a storm was pouring into our room! The hotel said it was a window issue, but it was coming in through the drywall/casing. Water was penetrating the exterior of the hotel and coming right in. It was not repairing a seal of a mechanism. Front desk acted like it was a new occurrence, maintenance acted like it was just another Tuesday and this battle was an old foe. Also, once water gets inside walls, isn’t that going to be a mold issue soon?
The Walt Disney World Swan has been leaking in one way or another for at LEAST the last 2 years. Now, I'm not there all the time. . . but every time I've been wandering through the lobby there's been a bucket collecting water raining down from the ceiling. So there's that. Of course, the Swan, Dolphin and Swan Reserve aren't owned and operated by Disney. They're Marriott. In terms of mold, it depends. I'm by no means a professional here, but I do know that there are ways to mitigate mold including in the building materials themselves as well as how the moisture/water is handled. What they are doing and how they are managing it, I'm not sure. I'd imagine that they're doing something. It's not necessarily an automatic issue though. It's all how it's managed.
@@2foolishmortals I’m in construction and when you have water constantly penetrating your exterior, there’s no way to manage it truly. When it comes in, not all of it comes out. Mold is inevitable when you have sitting moisture.
I’m currently staying at Bay Lake and we had to have our room changed and moved mid stay. We had water all over our floor and we first thought it was coming from other room and called front desk to do a wellness check. Turns out it was leaking coming from walls and the maintenance guy was not surprised when he saw it. So how often does it happen then? This resort needs a lot of TLC and full refurb. We saw some room work being done, but it just started 2 weeks ago per staff.
Yikes! Thanks so much for taking the time to pop in and share your experience. That's terrible, but I'm glad that they worked to get you squared away [despite the fact that it's, without a doubt, a royal pain]. Yeah, it seems like the maintenance people never seem surprised when things like this happen and I can't help but wonder the same thing. Anyway, enjoy the rest of your trip. Hopefully this didn't add too much extra stress to your vacation! 😄
The one bedroom villa over there at Bay lake tower is literally 1 of my favorites Just like old Key West, it still has the Jacuzzi hot tub.And just like animal kingdom kadani has two bathrooms It's more but when you walk out of that resort you've got about a ten minute walk to the magic kingdom
When I had the burger in 2022, it tasted so fresh and steak-like, that it blew me away. For the price, I have yet run into anything close off property. I still want to eat that burger again.
We heard a LOT of glowing reviews of this burger when Steakhouse 71 first opened up and I can't help but wonder if something with the burger has changed since then. I actually just read your comment to Russ and he said that it "definitely wasn't 'steak-like'; it was a hamburger". . . so I don't know. Maybe we need to get it again? Seems like a good enough excuse for me 'cause it was good and they have some other great options there as well! 😉
Bay Lake Tower is my Home resort. We love it. DVC members since 2011. I believe it is well maintained. It could use an update to include the tech update. We have had three, two bedroom Theme park view stays of a week each and have had a wonderful time, playing the music on the TV and watching the fireworks is amazing. To wake up with the children looking at the castle every day is truly magical. Thanks for your take and I look forward to hearing more.
It's without a doubt well maintained, especially compared to other resorts that we've seen recently, which is refreshing! In terms of updates, all of the upgrades that will likely come are sure to be welcome, but that tech update REALLY needs to happen. I can't agree more! There's just something magical about having that view. The little ones will remember that for the rest of their lives, without a doubt! 😄
I had a theme park view studio room like this in June and LOVED it. I had previously slept on the sofa bed with friends on a previous trip with a pool/lake view, and the sofa bed was like a cloud compared to the one at Animal Kingdom DVC rooms. I love this layout too...I actually live in a studio apartment right outside of NYC and I always say I wish my studio had this layout.
The layout was the FIRST thing that came up in our discussions later on about Bay Lake Tower. It is a pretty sweet layout that does feel like an apartment, as opposed to some of the other rooms that we've stayed in where the kitchenette feels more like a coffee bar. We really likes that about this room!
Only stayed at BLT once and did it mostly for the view and the MK proximity. It was a pretty big disappointment - the elevators were always slow and packed, the tower feels very cheaply built, and there is NO personality to it whatsoever. The original tower and wing will outlast it by decades. Hoping this refurb adds some nice pixie dust that was never present there to begin with. I'm assuming we should plan to lose the sofa and replace it with another cheaply assembled Murphy bed - becoming SO formulaic. Treehouses still look great to me - I hope they don't ruin them next year. I will give BLT more chances once the refurb is done, and I have a feeling that trying the 1 or 2-bdrm might change my mind. Thanks for the video!
I'd imagine you're right with what we can expect from the update. We'll likely see the couch replaced for the murphy bed with couch & storage combo, removing the table and chairs, first bed raised with under bed storage and updates to the entertainment center possibly including a 5th sleeper. I can't imagine that they're going to get rid of the galley kitchen, but I do think we can expect to see it updated. . . maybe. . . The carpet is also likely going to be replaced with hardwood style laminate. I definitely agree that BLT does lack something in the personality department. One thing I found surprising is that it has so much blank space on the wall alongside the bed. I'd imagine we might se something there and/or updates to the artwork in general. We'll just have to wait and see. You're right though, the quality of the newer resorts simply isn't the same as. . . though I do think BLT is far better than some of the much newer places [Riviera and Cabins at Fort Wilderness]; at least pre update. We'll see what happens moving forward.
Thanks for pointing out the shower head issue- it's all I see now lol! We just got back from a split stay between Jambo house and SSR both 1br DVC. We had a better experience at AKL tbh. SSR while looked pretty, it had less storage/closet space, a few of the wall outlets were broke and loose from the wall, and our thermostat broke: just stopped working and their solution was to bring us box fans (not even an apology- like it's a normal thing?). The 1br at jambo house was so spacious, agreed it needs updated and clean shower heads! Next stay for me will be a long birthday trip: Vero Beach, Grand flo and boardwalk for 4th of July (if booking goes well). Love your channel btw.
A box fan!? That's hardly a solution. . . at least IMO. 😅 Vero Beach? That sounds exciting! We've been interesting in staying there and checking out Hilton Head as well, but that's gonna have to wait a bit. One day though! Is this your first stay there? Glad you enjoy the channel. Glad you're here!
It does suck! Though, I'm thinking that it might have something to do with construction at BLT starting. . . . which I know is ridiculous, but it's my best guess as to their reasoning. I'm hoping that this space becomes available to guests again soon. We'll have to check back later and see what happens.
As much as I love the parks, I can't stand the rooms. Very blah and ordinary. WAYYYYYY overpriced. I can get a 1,000 sqf room in Thailand or Vietnam for half the price WITH A PRIVATE POOL.
I personally never had an opinion of BLT. I'd never stayed there before and never really had the desire to with the EPCOT resorts being more my speed, but I did hear all the hate over the years and. . . . I don't get it. I mean, don't get me wrong, it has its downsides. All resorts do, but even with the outdated rooms we though it was nice. Russ really liked it and is looking forward to staying there again and so am I.
We love Bay Lake. We don't mind the parking lot but think the view should be called Parking Lot/Theme Park. We do call it the parking lot view. Yes it does need a refurb but lovely resort.
I agree! Calling it a "Parking Lot/Theme Park" view would definitely give guests a better idea of what to expect. . . especially those guests who don't prefer loooking out over the parking lot. Personally, I don't mind the parking lot at this particular resort either. I think the fact that the park is RIGHT THERE, both visually and in terms of walking distance, that it's well worth the tradeoff of seeing the cars. Not to mention the view of the fireworks from the comfort of your own room. . . .🥰
The rooms look like the cramped spaces on the cruise ships. I am sure they did that so they could cram more rooms under the roof to sell DVC spaces. Its all money.
Thanks for the vid. Looking forward to staying here someday just for a night because it’s something we’ve always wanted to do. That view was spectacular tho. Sorry you didn’t get to see happily ever after 😢
It's definitely a GREAT view! We definitely recommend a stay, even if it's just for a night! It was a little disappointing to not see the fireworks, but we did get to see the fireworks from Contemporary very recently. . . so I can't really complain!
We stayed at Bay Lake Tower in 2 bedroom villa in 2023...and we LOVED IT! The refurbishment is supposed to start this month...but I don't know if it has.
In terms of dvc refurbs I think akv, blt, and ssr treehouses are the most overdue. I believe all were refurbed in 2016 and were due in 2023. Since you staid in all recently I was wondering what do you think is the most “worn”? I believe blt is under refurb soon but no dates for treehouse or akv yet but from your videos akv definitely looked rougher.
Animal Kingdom Villas are, without a shadow of a doubt, in the worst shape. Like peeling wallpaper, things not working and such a lack of upkeep that it needs to be gutted type of "needs a refurb" rather than just being out if date or well used. Treehouse Villas definitely were #2 on the list in terms of overall condition. Bay Lake is in the best shape IMO. Yeah it needs more outlets and the things that would make the room more convenient for guests, but it's hardly in "dire" need of an update IMO. . . certainly not when comparing it to the other 2.
@@2foolishmortals thanks for feedback, I think you covered in video but I posted before getting to the room comparison at end. One other thing is regarding deluxe burger vs the steakhouse 71 burger, are the sizes noticeably diffent given one is like $13 and other $23? I know you mentioned both good but deluxe better variety and value since quick service but I wasn’t sure if the size of dish is appreciably different steakhouse vs deluxe.
Not really. . . at least not in terms of the burgers themselves. D-Luxe Burgers definitely feel more substantial, but that's because of the toppings. However, they don't come with a side. On the other hand, the Steakhouse 71 burger lacks the toppings/variety BUT comes with your choice of a side salad or fries. Is it worth the extra $10-ish plus tip? I'm not sure that it is for me. The the extra $6 - $8 at D-Luxe burger you can opt for fries or onion rings. . . .
With respect to the height of the balcony rails and the chairs - is it possible that it is sone this way so children don’t stand on the chairs too close to the balcony? Maybe a thought for you guys - but I can totally see where Russ is coming from with that comment! Thanks for your videos!
Yeah I'm not a big fan of the 71 stack burger, it's OK, I think it's definitely overrated I prefer the Bison burger at WL. And I agree I like Dluxe burger too. I loved the French onion burger and the wellington burger. Plus their fries are delicious!!!
I would struggle with the lack of technology updates, but otherwise it looks like a great place to stay. As for the parking lot, I think the cars just provide more reflection opportunities for the fireworks! Twinkle twinkle little car. 😊
The lack of outlets was our BIGGEST issue with this room, which makes sense give its age, and is the clearest indication that they need to update things. But yeah, other than that. . . . not much to complain about. I agree 100% about the reflection at night as well!
I loved staying there. It was private and quiet. Does it need an upgrade yes. It gave me this weird feeling of my childhood lol So it didn’t bother me. But definitely needs a refurbishment 👍🏻
Thanks so much for the suggestion. We have done a review of Pop Century in the past, within the last year, that you're welcome to check out if you want to hear what our thoughts were. 😄
We don't really have a "go to" burger at D-Luxe. We're usually trying what's new and sometimes getting that again before it goes away forever. . . . That being said, the burger at Steakhouse 71 didn't outshine any of the burgers we've had at D-Luxe.
Sorry totally disagree, stayed in September for 4 nights and was in room 8220 and it was one the best views I have ever had ! Iwas surprised at how good it looked as it’s up for renovation , it was still in really good nick !
We never said that it wasn't a great view. In fact, we agree! It's probably the best Theme Park view that you can get anywhere at Walt Disney World. . . . certainly the best view of Magic KIngdom of any Monorail Loop hotel. It surprised us too! Usually these rooms are in much worse shape when they come due for refurb and with everything that I've heard, I thought it would be falling apart. . . but it was in pretty good shape considering.
Are you a DVC member? If you are not, you're probably not getting the same type of room you would get as a member. Florida law requires timeshare resorts to allocate 20% of rooms to regular resort guests, as such they discourage guests from staying there, so the rooms are not aesthetically pleasing as a member room, so you may not be comparing apples to apples here.
Yes, I am a Disney Vacation Club Member. That said, I think you may be misunderstanding what the "20%" means; it's about availability not the rooms themselves. Disney Vacation Club Resorts do not have separate villas for non-DVC Members. They are all the same rooms with the same decor, theme, quality and features.
![Disney's Bay Lake Tower [Everything You Ever Wanted to Know and More]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/989BVFGTy6E/mqdefault.jpg)
Haha... I'm one of those people! The parking lot is such an eyesore. We stayed Contemporary Main Tower with Bay Lake view a few weeks ago and it was soooo beautiful!
I had that exact same view in 2017 on my first DW trip. I hope to stay again. That was back when they had free fast pass plus.
Transportation is such an important part of the Contemporary vibe. Looking from the window, you see monorail, rail, ferryboats, and astro orbiter rockets. It seems that the parking lot and buses just seem to add to that view.
This is SUCH an interesting perspective that, quite frankly, we as well as the Boo Crew LOVE! We all agree! We all love this! Thanks for sharing! 😄
This is my home resort & it does make me feel like childhood hotels and I love it here. I'm nervous and excited about the refurb because I dont want the cheap upgrades
I feel the same way about the refurb!
My husband and I are just home from BLT.
We split the trip between the Boardwalk and Bay Lake Tower last week.
Love the Boardwalk so coming to the BLT was a letdown. It’s a high rise. For us it’s best for easy access to the Magic Kingdom. We went to the Not So Scary Party so it was perfect because of that.
It would be nice to have the rooms updated to include Keurig coffee makers (we had to request one from housekeeping but brought our own k-cups)
I also would like to see more outlets to charge things. The bedside tables were super tiny and one was mostly taken up by the Hey Disney device. My husband’s complaint was always choosing the wrong light switch. So many light switches, for such a small room.
Great review. Love your channel!
BLT is our primary home resort. Sounds like you got a good room. We love the location and style of this resort, but have run into issues in the past couple years. We’ve had rooms with missing or broken trim pieces, cobwebs where walls meet ceiling, and gobs of hair on the shower wall 🤢 In my opinion, this resort could use some TLC. I’m SO looking forward to the refurb, which I believe starts today!
I'm not surprised to hear that one bit! We've had similar issues at resorts, even ones that were recently renovated. . . . which is sad. I'm excited to see what the renovation brings!
Great video guys! We almost booked a stay here in November (chose Boardwalk villa instead bc we would have been renting DVC points and I couldn't lock in the dates I wanted), but to me those rooms look perfectly fine, but probably bc I've been watching your videos of the recent DVC stays and some of those seemed OLD. I would like to stay there one of these times with its vicinity to MK and the great food options in Contemporary and the Monorail resorts. As for burgers, we will be trying the Deluxe one this upcoming trip as we have never had, but we LOVE the Sci-Fi Dine In burger as best in a park.
We stayed a the Swan in July and decided to come back for an afternoon nap (rope drop and extra magic hours aren’t a good combo lol), but we were awakened when water from a storm was pouring into our room! The hotel said it was a window issue, but it was coming in through the drywall/casing. Water was penetrating the exterior of the hotel and coming right in. It was not repairing a seal of a mechanism. Front desk acted like it was a new occurrence, maintenance acted like it was just another Tuesday and this battle was an old foe. Also, once water gets inside walls, isn’t that going to be a mold issue soon?
The Walt Disney World Swan has been leaking in one way or another for at LEAST the last 2 years. Now, I'm not there all the time. . . but every time I've been wandering through the lobby there's been a bucket collecting water raining down from the ceiling. So there's that. Of course, the Swan, Dolphin and Swan Reserve aren't owned and operated by Disney. They're Marriott.
In terms of mold, it depends. I'm by no means a professional here, but I do know that there are ways to mitigate mold including in the building materials themselves as well as how the moisture/water is handled. What they are doing and how they are managing it, I'm not sure. I'd imagine that they're doing something. It's not necessarily an automatic issue though. It's all how it's managed.
@@2foolishmortals I’m in construction and when you have water constantly penetrating your exterior, there’s no way to manage it truly. When it comes in, not all of it comes out. Mold is inevitable when you have sitting moisture.
I’m currently staying at Bay Lake and we had to have our room changed and moved mid stay. We had water all over our floor and we first thought it was coming from other room and called front desk to do a wellness check. Turns out it was leaking coming from walls and the maintenance guy was not surprised when he saw it. So how often does it happen then? This resort needs a lot of TLC and full refurb. We saw some room work being done, but it just started 2 weeks ago per staff.
Yikes! Thanks so much for taking the time to pop in and share your experience. That's terrible, but I'm glad that they worked to get you squared away [despite the fact that it's, without a doubt, a royal pain]. Yeah, it seems like the maintenance people never seem surprised when things like this happen and I can't help but wonder the same thing. Anyway, enjoy the rest of your trip. Hopefully this didn't add too much extra stress to your vacation! 😄
The one bedroom villa over there at Bay lake tower is literally 1 of my favorites Just like old Key West, it still has the Jacuzzi hot tub.And just like animal kingdom kadani has two bathrooms It's more but when you walk out of that resort you've got about a ten minute walk to the magic kingdom
The proximity to Magic Kingdom simply can't be beat! Nothing like a resort that's walking distance from a park!
Old Key West is the largest sq ft per for your money. When they first sold those they had park tickets went with it. You don’t see that anymore
When I had the burger in 2022, it tasted so fresh and steak-like, that it blew me away. For the price, I have yet run into anything close off property. I still want to eat that burger again.
We heard a LOT of glowing reviews of this burger when Steakhouse 71 first opened up and I can't help but wonder if something with the burger has changed since then. I actually just read your comment to Russ and he said that it "definitely wasn't 'steak-like'; it was a hamburger". . . so I don't know. Maybe we need to get it again? Seems like a good enough excuse for me 'cause it was good and they have some other great options there as well! 😉
I’d love a video of you ranking the resorts you’ve stayed in!
@@tiffanylanduyt4402 It's on the way!
Bay Lake Tower is my Home resort. We love it. DVC members since 2011. I believe it is well maintained. It could use an update to include the tech update. We have had three, two bedroom Theme park view stays of a week each and have had a wonderful time, playing the music on the TV and watching the fireworks is amazing. To wake up with the children looking at the castle every day is truly magical. Thanks for your take and I look forward to hearing more.
It's without a doubt well maintained, especially compared to other resorts that we've seen recently, which is refreshing! In terms of updates, all of the upgrades that will likely come are sure to be welcome, but that tech update REALLY needs to happen. I can't agree more! There's just something magical about having that view. The little ones will remember that for the rest of their lives, without a doubt! 😄
I had a theme park view studio room like this in June and LOVED it. I had previously slept on the sofa bed with friends on a previous trip with a pool/lake view, and the sofa bed was like a cloud compared to the one at Animal Kingdom DVC rooms. I love this layout too...I actually live in a studio apartment right outside of NYC and I always say I wish my studio had this layout.
The layout was the FIRST thing that came up in our discussions later on about Bay Lake Tower. It is a pretty sweet layout that does feel like an apartment, as opposed to some of the other rooms that we've stayed in where the kitchenette feels more like a coffee bar. We really likes that about this room!
Only stayed at BLT once and did it mostly for the view and the MK proximity. It was a pretty big disappointment - the elevators were always slow and packed, the tower feels very cheaply built, and there is NO personality to it whatsoever. The original tower and wing will outlast it by decades. Hoping this refurb adds some nice pixie dust that was never present there to begin with. I'm assuming we should plan to lose the sofa and replace it with another cheaply assembled Murphy bed - becoming SO formulaic.
Treehouses still look great to me - I hope they don't ruin them next year.
I will give BLT more chances once the refurb is done, and I have a feeling that trying the 1 or 2-bdrm might change my mind.
Thanks for the video!
I'd imagine you're right with what we can expect from the update. We'll likely see the couch replaced for the murphy bed with couch & storage combo, removing the table and chairs, first bed raised with under bed storage and updates to the entertainment center possibly including a 5th sleeper. I can't imagine that they're going to get rid of the galley kitchen, but I do think we can expect to see it updated. . . maybe. . . The carpet is also likely going to be replaced with hardwood style laminate. I definitely agree that BLT does lack something in the personality department. One thing I found surprising is that it has so much blank space on the wall alongside the bed. I'd imagine we might se something there and/or updates to the artwork in general. We'll just have to wait and see. You're right though, the quality of the newer resorts simply isn't the same as. . . though I do think BLT is far better than some of the much newer places [Riviera and Cabins at Fort Wilderness]; at least pre update. We'll see what happens moving forward.
The refurbs recently have been down themed, reducing the hotels to more like a Motel 6 environment. Dont expect much.
Thanks for pointing out the shower head issue- it's all I see now lol! We just got back from a split stay between Jambo house and SSR both 1br DVC. We had a better experience at AKL tbh. SSR while looked pretty, it had less storage/closet space, a few of the wall outlets were broke and loose from the wall, and our thermostat broke: just stopped working and their solution was to bring us box fans (not even an apology- like it's a normal thing?). The 1br at jambo house was so spacious, agreed it needs updated and clean shower heads!
Next stay for me will be a long birthday trip: Vero Beach, Grand flo and boardwalk for 4th of July (if booking goes well).
Love your channel btw.
A box fan!? That's hardly a solution. . . at least IMO. 😅 Vero Beach? That sounds exciting! We've been interesting in staying there and checking out Hilton Head as well, but that's gonna have to wait a bit. One day though! Is this your first stay there?
Glad you enjoy the channel. Glad you're here!
Well that sucks that you can't get up on the balcony to watch the fireworks underneath the monorail anymore. Ridiculous!
It does suck! Though, I'm thinking that it might have something to do with construction at BLT starting. . . . which I know is ridiculous, but it's my best guess as to their reasoning. I'm hoping that this space becomes available to guests again soon. We'll have to check back later and see what happens.
As much as I love the parks, I can't stand the rooms. Very blah and ordinary. WAYYYYYY overpriced. I can get a 1,000 sqf room in Thailand or Vietnam for half the price WITH A PRIVATE POOL.
I love Bay Lake. I love the streamlined aesthetic. People hate on it, but it's one location where a sleek, simplistic design makes sense.
I personally never had an opinion of BLT. I'd never stayed there before and never really had the desire to with the EPCOT resorts being more my speed, but I did hear all the hate over the years and. . . . I don't get it. I mean, don't get me wrong, it has its downsides. All resorts do, but even with the outdated rooms we though it was nice. Russ really liked it and is looking forward to staying there again and so am I.
We love Bay Lake. We don't mind the parking lot but think the view should be called Parking Lot/Theme Park. We do call it the parking lot view. Yes it does need a refurb but lovely resort.
I agree! Calling it a "Parking Lot/Theme Park" view would definitely give guests a better idea of what to expect. . . especially those guests who don't prefer loooking out over the parking lot. Personally, I don't mind the parking lot at this particular resort either. I think the fact that the park is RIGHT THERE, both visually and in terms of walking distance, that it's well worth the tradeoff of seeing the cars. Not to mention the view of the fireworks from the comfort of your own room. . . .🥰
The rooms look like the cramped spaces on the cruise ships. I am sure they did that so they could cram more rooms under the roof to sell DVC spaces. Its all money.
Thanks for the vid. Looking forward to staying here someday just for a night because it’s something we’ve always wanted to do. That view was spectacular tho. Sorry you didn’t get to see happily ever after 😢
It's definitely a GREAT view! We definitely recommend a stay, even if it's just for a night! It was a little disappointing to not see the fireworks, but we did get to see the fireworks from Contemporary very recently. . . so I can't really complain!
We stayed at Bay Lake Tower in 2 bedroom villa in 2023...and we LOVED IT! The refurbishment is supposed to start this month...but I don't know if it has.
At very least, they seem to be prepping for the work to begin.
That’s why it’s getting total rehab this year. I love bay lake tower
In terms of dvc refurbs I think akv, blt, and ssr treehouses are the most overdue. I believe all were refurbed in 2016 and were due in 2023. Since you staid in all recently I was wondering what do you think is the most “worn”? I believe blt is under refurb soon but no dates for treehouse or akv yet but from your videos akv definitely looked rougher.
Animal Kingdom Villas are, without a shadow of a doubt, in the worst shape. Like peeling wallpaper, things not working and such a lack of upkeep that it needs to be gutted type of "needs a refurb" rather than just being out if date or well used. Treehouse Villas definitely were #2 on the list in terms of overall condition. Bay Lake is in the best shape IMO. Yeah it needs more outlets and the things that would make the room more convenient for guests, but it's hardly in "dire" need of an update IMO. . . certainly not when comparing it to the other 2.
@@2foolishmortals thanks for feedback, I think you covered in video but I posted before getting to the room comparison at end. One other thing is regarding deluxe burger vs the steakhouse 71 burger, are the sizes noticeably diffent given one is like $13 and other $23? I know you mentioned both good but deluxe better variety and value since quick service but I wasn’t sure if the size of dish is appreciably different steakhouse vs deluxe.
Not really. . . at least not in terms of the burgers themselves. D-Luxe Burgers definitely feel more substantial, but that's because of the toppings. However, they don't come with a side. On the other hand, the Steakhouse 71 burger lacks the toppings/variety BUT comes with your choice of a side salad or fries. Is it worth the extra $10-ish plus tip? I'm not sure that it is for me. The the extra $6 - $8 at D-Luxe burger you can opt for fries or onion rings. . . .
we care about your opinion Kat
That is why we watch…. hehe
With respect to the height of the balcony rails and the chairs - is it possible that it is sone this way so children don’t stand on the chairs too close to the balcony? Maybe a thought for you guys - but I can totally see where Russ is coming from with that comment! Thanks for your videos!
There's no doubt in my mind that you're right!
Yeah I'm not a big fan of the 71 stack burger, it's OK, I think it's definitely overrated I prefer the Bison burger at WL. And I agree I like Dluxe burger too. I loved the French onion burger and the wellington burger. Plus their fries are delicious!!!
YES!
I would struggle with the lack of technology updates, but otherwise it looks like a great place to stay. As for the parking lot, I think the cars just provide more reflection opportunities for the fireworks! Twinkle twinkle little car. 😊
The lack of outlets was our BIGGEST issue with this room, which makes sense give its age, and is the clearest indication that they need to update things. But yeah, other than that. . . . not much to complain about. I agree 100% about the reflection at night as well!
I loved staying there. It was private and quiet. Does it need an upgrade yes. It gave me this weird feeling of my childhood lol
So it didn’t bother me. But definitely needs a refurbishment 👍🏻
Can you do a review for Pop Century?
I still believe Pop Century Resort is the best value, hands down.
Thanks so much for the suggestion. We have done a review of Pop Century in the past, within the last year, that you're welcome to check out if you want to hear what our thoughts were. 😄
@@2foolishmortals
I didn't know. I will check that out. Thanks.
It sounds like you were comparing the Stackhouse burger to the entirety of D-Luxe. How does it compare to your favorite D-Luxe burgers individually?
We don't really have a "go to" burger at D-Luxe. We're usually trying what's new and sometimes getting that again before it goes away forever. . . . That being said, the burger at Steakhouse 71 didn't outshine any of the burgers we've had at D-Luxe.
Sorry totally disagree, stayed in September for 4 nights and was in room 8220 and it was one the best views I have ever had ! Iwas surprised at how good it looked as it’s up for renovation , it was still in really good nick !
We never said that it wasn't a great view. In fact, we agree! It's probably the best Theme Park view that you can get anywhere at Walt Disney World. . . . certainly the best view of Magic KIngdom of any Monorail Loop hotel.
It surprised us too! Usually these rooms are in much worse shape when they come due for refurb and with everything that I've heard, I thought it would be falling apart. . . but it was in pretty good shape considering.
@@2foolishmortals I thought that it was in good nick to be fair and in better shape than jambo house last year !
23:24 Finniest ever! 😂
But you can book lake view here too… watch fireworks from the bridge😊
Absolutely!
no fireworks recording from the balcony 😢
Not this time.
What a beautiful parking lot! Who wouldn’t want enjoy that view. Go to the park and watch the fireworks.
Swallow…..
Are you a DVC member? If you are not, you're probably not getting the same type of room you would get as a member. Florida law requires timeshare resorts to allocate 20% of rooms to regular resort guests, as such they discourage guests from staying there, so the rooms are not aesthetically pleasing as a member room, so you may not be comparing apples to apples here.
Yes, I am a Disney Vacation Club Member. That said, I think you may be misunderstanding what the "20%" means; it's about availability not the rooms themselves. Disney Vacation Club Resorts do not have separate villas for non-DVC Members. They are all the same rooms with the same decor, theme, quality and features.
BAY LAKE RESORT WAS JUST SLAPPED UP IN A WEEK. SO THEY COULD MILK $$$$$$ FROM FOOLISH GUESTS!