bigbahamadada
05-19-2008, 04:39 PM
Just returned from 8 days at BCV. Our first stay at BCV and I can see why it is so popular. Not our favorite, but very nice. I'm not a trip report guy, but I did learn a few things this trip that others may find useful.
(1) Hoop Dee Do Revue -- Request table 22 if you want to be in the show. This show is a favorite of our family and table 22 is one row off of the stage on the left hand side. Our table was called to participate three times during the show. Lots of fun.
(2) It can pay to make very specific room requests. Immediately after making the reservation, I went to the DVC website and put in some specific room number requests for a dedicated 2 bedroom based on recommendations gleaned here and elsewhere. When we arrived to check in at 3 pm, the manager came over and very apologetically informed us that the room they intended to give us to meet our request was unavailable because the prior occupants had decided to "self-extend" by not checking out. As they couldn't contact the individuals, they had locked them out of the room but couldn't remove their items. So, management ended up putting us in a 2 bedroom suite at Yacht Club, with access to the concierge level. And they refunded the 34 points for the 1st night of the stay -- actually moving them back into the use year from which they had been borrowed. And the DVC room was available early enough the next morning that the additional luggage suffling didn't cause us to miss planned rope drop at AK. While it was certainly inconvenient, management couldn't have been better about communicating the nature of the problem and a reasonable solution.
(3) Once you swipe your ticket at the front gate of MK, it won't work again for admission there or elsewhere for approximately 90 minutes. We learned this waiting for rope drop when a potty emergency befell my DS. You can, however, talk you're way back in pretty easily.
(4) You can use Dreamfast passes on a day other than the day you receive them. We received 5 MK dream FPs when exiting the Goofy Coaster on Saturday morning. Very exciting, but my DW began to feel ill shortly thereafter so we bailed to let her rest. (Ultimately determined that the prescription in her new sunglasses was causing severe nausea). We didn't end up using any of the tabs that day, while she recovered. Now, the dream FPs say all over them that they are specific to that day, but when I asked at the MK gate a few days later, the CM advised that since it wasn't a busy day, we were unlikely to be rebuffed trying to use the FPs. Ended up using just a few of them and it was nice.
As an aside, and not to sound like an ingrate because we were thrilled to get the FPs, but exiting the Goofy Coaster strikes me as a very odd place to hand out dream FPs. I don't think those on the Goofy Coaster are looking to hit Space Mountain, Splash and Big Thunder next. Now, if they wanted to give us a FPs to Dumbo . . . . .
(5) Beaches and Cream needs to be ADR enabled. Or quadrupled in size. It is way too small for its location. Ridiculous waits, both for a table or for take-out.
(1) Hoop Dee Do Revue -- Request table 22 if you want to be in the show. This show is a favorite of our family and table 22 is one row off of the stage on the left hand side. Our table was called to participate three times during the show. Lots of fun.
(2) It can pay to make very specific room requests. Immediately after making the reservation, I went to the DVC website and put in some specific room number requests for a dedicated 2 bedroom based on recommendations gleaned here and elsewhere. When we arrived to check in at 3 pm, the manager came over and very apologetically informed us that the room they intended to give us to meet our request was unavailable because the prior occupants had decided to "self-extend" by not checking out. As they couldn't contact the individuals, they had locked them out of the room but couldn't remove their items. So, management ended up putting us in a 2 bedroom suite at Yacht Club, with access to the concierge level. And they refunded the 34 points for the 1st night of the stay -- actually moving them back into the use year from which they had been borrowed. And the DVC room was available early enough the next morning that the additional luggage suffling didn't cause us to miss planned rope drop at AK. While it was certainly inconvenient, management couldn't have been better about communicating the nature of the problem and a reasonable solution.
(3) Once you swipe your ticket at the front gate of MK, it won't work again for admission there or elsewhere for approximately 90 minutes. We learned this waiting for rope drop when a potty emergency befell my DS. You can, however, talk you're way back in pretty easily.
(4) You can use Dreamfast passes on a day other than the day you receive them. We received 5 MK dream FPs when exiting the Goofy Coaster on Saturday morning. Very exciting, but my DW began to feel ill shortly thereafter so we bailed to let her rest. (Ultimately determined that the prescription in her new sunglasses was causing severe nausea). We didn't end up using any of the tabs that day, while she recovered. Now, the dream FPs say all over them that they are specific to that day, but when I asked at the MK gate a few days later, the CM advised that since it wasn't a busy day, we were unlikely to be rebuffed trying to use the FPs. Ended up using just a few of them and it was nice.
As an aside, and not to sound like an ingrate because we were thrilled to get the FPs, but exiting the Goofy Coaster strikes me as a very odd place to hand out dream FPs. I don't think those on the Goofy Coaster are looking to hit Space Mountain, Splash and Big Thunder next. Now, if they wanted to give us a FPs to Dumbo . . . . .
(5) Beaches and Cream needs to be ADR enabled. Or quadrupled in size. It is way too small for its location. Ridiculous waits, both for a table or for take-out.