Help me choose - VGF or BLT for race weekend?

[alon86]

Hello! I am running the Princess half-marathon (my first!) and over race weekend, I have decided to rent a 2 bedroom villa because I need everyone to leave me alone when I go to sleep super early the night before the race! Traveling will be my family of 4- me, DH, DD9 and DD13 (at time of trip). DH likes to watch TV at night, so he can do that in the living room, while I'm sleeping and the DDs are also sleeping in their own bedroom. We will be renting DVC points for this trip.

We just returned from a June 2021 trip where we had a 2 bed villa at BLT with theme park view. Wow - it was worth every penny for us. The room is so huge (we typically stay in 1 bed villas). Plus, I LOOOOOOVED the Theme park view of the castle and MK, even without the fireworks! Def. worth it for me.

BUT, since we just did that, and we've never stayed at VGF, I'm leaning toward VGF for this trip? (Both DVCs have availability right now - I'll probably book this today). We love the restaurants at VGF - assuming they are all reopened by Feb, which I think is safe to hope for? BUT, what if they're not.... should I wait for a later trip (2023-24?). ALSO, I'm worried about the construction to start on Big Pine - converting that building into studio villas. Should I avoid a Feb 2022 villa booking because of that, or do you think since it's all indoors in a separate building, it shouldn't affect us at all?

This will be a split stay - we are doing Riviera the first part of the week in a 1 bedroom. We love the skyliner!

The pool is a big factor for us - I haven't stayed at GF before but the pools look better than BLT/Contemporary pools (which are fine, but just... fine. Not awesome). Although this is a Feb trip, so I know weather might be against us (or it might be 80!).

Anything else I should consider? WWYD? I like the idea of taking the monorail to the race, and we just prefer to be near MK generally - our favorite park. (I originally wanted a 2 bed villa at BCV because the race starts and ends at epcot, but no availability....)

 

[The Expert]

Honestly, if you are a light sleeper you might want to look at something in another area. The MK fireworks and the Electric Water Pageant are both likely to interrupt your sleep at both BLT and GF. If that's not a concern and the pool is important, I wouldn't do BLT. I'm an owner there and we love to stay there, but the pool is pretty weak, tbh.

As for transportation, historically the monorail only runs for the Half and I'm pretty sure it only runs from TTC (not the resort loop), so you'd still need to get there. From GF you COULD walk via Poly, but all on-site resorts have buses that take you directly and conveniently to the start staging area. I don't think taking the monorail to the race would be worth the extra time on your feet, but you may feel otherwise. And if you're doing other distances, you'll be on the bus anyway.

 

[alon86]

Honestly, if you are a light sleeper you might want to look at something in another area. The MK fireworks and the Electric Water Pageant are both likely to interrupt your sleep at both BLT and GF. If that's not a concern and the pool is important, I wouldn't do BLT. I'm an owner there and we love to stay there, but the pool is pretty weak, tbh.

As for transportation, historically the monorail only runs for the Half and I'm pretty sure it only runs from TTC (not the resort loop), so you'd still need to get there. From GF you COULD walk via Poly, but all on-site resorts have buses that take you directly and conveniently to the start staging area. I don't think taking the monorail to the race would be worth the extra time on your feet, but you may feel otherwise. And if you're doing other distances, you'll be on the bus anyway.

Thanks! I think I'll be ok with the EWP and fireworks (can you really hear them in the room if the windows are closed? We saw EWP at BLT last month but didn't hear a thing from the room). I saw a race program from 2106 and it showed all monorail lines running from MK resorts and TTC starting at 3am (for the half). I'm hoping that is the case in 2022 as well, but if not I'll just take the bus. I do hope that my fam could take the monorail to a spectator spot (MK main street?) but they haven't announced how spectators will work if they will be allowed. They can always walk to MK from GF I guess. We'll see!

I am leaning toward GF for the pools, and because we've never stayed there. And this will be an 8 day trip, so lots of downtime and resort/pool time.

 

[The Expert]

I've heard EWP from the end rooms on lower floors, but it really depends on location. I also love the EWP so I'm probably subconsciously listening for it.

I've never stayed at a monorail resort for a race, so my TTC assumption could be wrong, or it could have changed over the years or for different races. The busses are usually great, so I wouldn't base your decision on that too much anyway.

I think you'll be happier with GF pool time over BLT options for sure!

 

[anneeb]

I stayed at VGF for 2017 princess and the monorail resort loop was running for the half, busses for the 5K and 10K. I honestly don't recall anyone getting on from TTC, it was mostly people from the resorts getting off the resort loop and right on the epcot trains, they seemed to be synced up waiting. My last race weekend we didn't have to do security at the race, it was taken care of when boarding the monorail right at the hotel.

I've done both VGF and BLT for race weekends, I think they are comparable as far as transportation. I really appreciated the monorail option. Personally I prefer VGF but enjoy both resorts. I do recall being woken by electric water parade in a lake view at VGF, but it was so far into Dopey weekend I was right back asleep within seconds. Fell asleep during the fireworks.