Day 494: Right at Home

Day 13 of the Disney Photo Challenge: A picture of your favorite "Home" Resort. 

Blast from the Past: 

I often get the following questions/answers...

Other Person: "Wait, how many times have you been to Disneyland?" 
Lizzie: "It's Disney World...and over 20 times."
OP: "20!?!"
L: "Yes."
OP: "Are you rich?"
L: "No."
OP: "Then how do you get to go to Disney so much if you aren't rich?"

It is, honestly, one of my pet peeves when people ask me if I'm rich. I HATE IT. I am not rich. My family owns a business, we take a trip to Disney once a year as a family vacation...as a tradition, and that's it. And my house only looks big because we have a double deck, a sunroom and a "tower" which isn't anything more than where our kitchen table sits. That's it. Sorry for disappointing you. 

Anyway, one of the main reasons I am able to head to Florida with my family is because we are long time Disney Vacation Club Members. My parents joined back right at the beginning in '96, and it's the reason we got to ride in a limo. Anyway, DVC is is kind of like a time-share, but you buy into one of the Disney Resorts, and then are able to use the points you get yearly to help pay for your stay at a Disney resort...and you can pick any resort with the DVC program. When my parents bought into DVC, the only option was Old Key West. So that's our literal "home." The OKW resort has some of the best rooms on property...and it's great for our family. Everything is close, but the one-bedroom includes a Master Bedroom, a bathroom that's more like a double bathroom than anything, including a whirlpool tub, a laundry room, which really helps for packing, and a full kitchen/dining room plus living room...which includes both a pull-out couch and chair (yes...a chair). The theming is awesome, based on classic Key West Style...specifically Conch Flats (also the name of the "town" that Old Key West makes). There's rental stuff, for shuffleboard, ping pong, two tennis courts, a basketball court and plenty of bikes and boats. Plus there's two pools at the resort. 

It's where my family has always stayed, although I've been to plenty of other resorts too, and it's part of the reason we're able to go back. The DVC costs a lot, but when you travel there every year like we do, it pays itself off within about 4 years. It's not the only reason, but it's one of them. 

And my favorite part of Old Key West? No matter if it's 9 in the morning, noon or 2 A.M., when you pass security to get into the resort, you can always expect the security guard to give you a "Welcome Home." And they're right...I am home.

Back to the Future: 

Oh, for sure Old Key West...that's not going to change, at all.

But there's one other resort that's wormed its way into my heart as well, and since I know I talked a bunch about Old Key West already, I'll tell you a little bit more about Bay Lake Tower.

BLT (Yes, B.L.T.), is the DVC portion of Disney's Contemporary Resort, and connects to the main building via a pathway on the fourth floor. I've only had the chance to stay at BLT twice, but the second time especially was well worth it, getting to stay on the top floor and visit the Top of the World whenever I wanted. I think I spent more time up there than I did just about anywhere else on that trip.

The two resorts are vastly different, with the Contemporary being closer to Magic Kingdom (within walking distance), therefore right in the middle of the action, while Old Key West is spread out a bit further, with the closest park being Epcot, although Downtown Disney is just a boat ride away.

Will BLT ever actually overpower my love of OKW? Goodness no, but it does deserve an honorable mention!

Have a magical day!

(Note: This blog post was written on August 19).