Fall Visit Covid Questions - BWV or BLT?

[Fantasmic303]

Hi Friends - looking for some insight on booking a couple of make up trips this fall.

We're currently debating which resorts to book for a September trip. Home (and preferred) resorts are BWV and BLT, short(ish) trips of 3-4 nights. It's 3 adults and we're comfortable in a studio or splurging on a 1BR, depending on availability, so it's not a points issue. We will have a car on site, but we typically like the convenience of walking to MK/DHS/Epcot when we can. I can make a list of pros and cons based on previous experience but it's all from "the before times", and I'm hoping others can give some current insights to weigh into our decision. Anyone have any thoughts?

Here are some of the things we're considering:
- The BoardWalk still does not have an opening date for the Inn side, so only the Villas would be operating for our September dates. Has anyone noticed an impact to service/amenities? (Examples: is the pool noticeably less crowded, are buses even LESS frequent than normal, are operating hours for Belle Vue (where we get coffee) and The Bakery reduced)?
- Are the temp/bag check areas in the same places as the "old" checks, or would we potentially have multiple screening points for either hotel? (Previously, when monorailing to Epcot from BLT, we would end up having to pass through security twice.)
- How bad is the elevator situation? (We prefer not to be on the ground floor and can certainly walk a few flights of stairs if elevators are backed up, but the 3rd Floor at BWV is very different than the 7th at BLT)
- How busy has BLT/CR been in terms of availability of tables at Contempo Cafe?
- No way to predict this, but are we assuming once the NBA moves out of the Yacht Club that we'll be able to at least walk the full way around Crescent Lake?

Appreciate any input - thank you!!

 

[Deb & Bill]

You don't want a studio at BLT for three adults. Way too crowded. Get a one bedroom at least. Both BWV and BLT would be one queen bed and one double sleeper sofa. BWV would also have the bunk sized murphy bed.

 

[Fantasmic303]

Thanks! We’re not concerned with studio vs 1BR. We usually stay in studios, so space really isn’t an issue for us as we’re very used to traveling together. It’s more a question of available amenities and changes to the resorts due to covid.

 

[Geomom]

I'd probably pick BWV over BLT right now.

Elevators are limited to 1 party or 4 people property wide. With the Contemporary and BLT open, and monorail running, there are lots of people going to Contempo cafe.

We're at BWV right now, 2nd of 3 resorts this trip. Belle Vue isn't open. Bakery and Screen Door shops close at 9pm, no idea when they open. Trattoria Al Forno, Abracadabar, and pizza window are all open. Pool bar is open...got dinner there one night to eat in room. Clown pool can be crowded, right now BCV can use it too as storm along Bay is currently closed...that may change by September. We haven't visited pool, just looked crowded late afternoon/evening as we walked by. Epcot monorail is not running due to no park hopping. Monorail resorts bus to Epcot. (We were at VGF first.). There is a temp/security check on walkway from BLT to MK, and to get on monorails. International gateway is open at Epcot with temp and security. For the BWV portion of our trip, we walked to HS and Epcot. Did mostly MK and 1 Epcot day while at VGF.

 

[Marionnette]

Hi Friends - looking for some insight on booking a couple of make up trips this fall.

We're currently debating which resorts to book for a September trip. Home (and preferred) resorts are BWV and BLT, short(ish) trips of 3-4 nights. It's 3 adults and we're comfortable in a studio or splurging on a 1BR, depending on availability, so it's not a points issue. We will have a car on site, but we typically like the convenience of walking to MK/DHS/Epcot when we can. I can make a list of pros and cons based on previous experience but it's all from "the before times", and I'm hoping others can give some current insights to weigh into our decision. Anyone have any thoughts?

Here are some of the things we're considering:
- The BoardWalk still does not have an opening date for the Inn side, so only the Villas would be operating for our September dates. Has anyone noticed an impact to service/amenities? (Examples: is the pool noticeably less crowded, are buses even LESS frequent than normal, are operating hours for Belle Vue (where we get coffee) and The Bakery reduced)?
- Are the temp/bag check areas in the same places as the "old" checks, or would we potentially have multiple screening points for either hotel? (Previously, when monorailing to Epcot from BLT, we would end up having to pass through security twice.)
- How bad is the elevator situation? (We prefer not to be on the ground floor and can certainly walk a few flights of stairs if elevators are backed up, but the 3rd Floor at BWV is very different than the 7th at BLT)
- How busy has BLT/CR been in terms of availability of tables at Contempo Cafe?
- No way to predict this, but are we assuming once the NBA moves out of the Yacht Club that we'll be able to at least walk the full way around Crescent Lake?

Appreciate any input - thank you!!

BWV Pool: With SAB closed, those who are staying at BCV have hopping privileges to Luna Park. It’s not as vacant as you would expect it to be with BWI closed. In addition, shorter park hours mean more guests using the pool in the evening hours.

BW Bakery: Open from 7 AM - 9 PM. The menu is not as extensive as it was pre-COVID.

Belle Vue Lounge: closed

EPCOT Monorail: Not running. You would take a bus to EPCOT from BLT

Elevators: BWV is the same as always. Busy but not too bad except around check out times and park openings. I think more people are using the stairways if they have no luggage or strollers and are going down. There have been reports of BLT having lines due to social distancing limiting one party at a time per elevator car.

Contempo Cafe: Busy after the MK closes due to limited dining options for guests. Mobile ordering is required and you cannot be seated until your order is ready. Tables are properly distanced and cleaned between guests. A CM will show you to your table once your food is ready.

Crescent Lake Walkway: There’s probably no reason to expect it to be closed once the NBA vacates the YC. But who knows what Disney might be thinking?

 

[Fantasmic303]

Thank you both!! Very helpful information and helps the lean towards BWV for September. Only other factor in play seems to be whether the walkability of MK outweighs, but I'll let them decide that.

Thank you again!!

 

[andy_dangg]

I don't know if it's been fixed, but when I was at BWV mid-late July, 1/3 of the elevators was not working. There weren't lines most of the time but we had to wait for the next elevator more often than not.

 

[Geomom]

I don't know if it's been fixed, but when I was at BWV mid-late July, 1/3 of the elevators was not working. There weren't lines most of the time but we had to wait for the next elevator more often than not.

We left BWV on 8/3, middle elevator is still out of order. We were on 3rd floor and took stairs except checkout day. After seeing full elevators for 10 minutes, we finally grabbed an up elevator just so we could get one to bring our luggage to bell services for transfer to AKV.

 

[andy_dangg]

We left BWV on 8/3, middle elevator is still out of order. We were on 3rd floor and took stairs except checkout day. After seeing full elevators for 10 minutes, we finally grabbed an up elevator just so we could get one to bring our luggage to bell services for transfer to AKV.

Yikes. We never really had that bad waits when we were there, but it was still annoying, especially with the one party per elevator rule. I can see you've stayed there before, were the elevator buttons always not working together? We always had to press both unless we wanted to call just one elevator.

 

[Geomom]

Yikes. We never really had that bad waits when we were there, but it was still annoying, especially with the one party per elevator rule. I can see you've stayed there before, were the elevator buttons always not working together? We always had to press both unless we wanted to call just one elevator.

I can't remember how the elevator buttons worked before, but did figure that out this trip! We do tend to take stairs 90% of the time though... except our BLT stay on the top floor.

 

[bastraker]

We checked out of boardwalk villas today and yes one elevator is broken. The far right one.

 

[NoTime42]

FYI, since I didn’t see a previous mention, the TTC to Epcot monorail is not operating, so you would have to take a bus from BLT to Epcot, (or drive)
I believe the reconfigured Epcot entrance means whenever the Epcot monorail reopens you would not need to go through Epcot security .. just the Contemporary temp and security screening before boarding the resort monorail.