This will be our third consecutive year going to WDW. We stayed last year on rented points at a DVC property. This will be our first year as property owners. We will be staying at our home resort, Bay Lake Tower. We bought resale, just fyi, for whatever ramifications that has on us. What should we be sure to take advantage of as DVC members? What if anything do we need to take with us or have on us? What is the best pool to legally hop to? As a resale owner they didn’t issue us a member card but I think I can print and laminate a temp online for our trip. Is there anything else like this I need to be prepared for? Any DVC tips, tricks, or experiences you feel like sharing?
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You have to try the 7 layer chocolate cake at TOTWL if you’re staying at Bay Lake. It’s the law!! 
Seriously it’s a great place to hang out and watch the fireworks if you just want a quiet evening. You check in at the lobby.
You won’t officially get discounts, and we find many places do ask for the blue card and id; however some places just ask “are you DVC?”. We found MK and DS really strict on the id, in that the first day I had the card but not my passport and the CM told me I needed to carry it. She did give me the discount though. 
As for pool hopping, basically any pools at WL, AKL and Poly are excluded. So is SAB and the villa pool at BC. However you can use the quiet pools at BC/YC, the BWV and GF pools, OKW and SSR plus any of the value/mod pools. My bucket list is the POR pool. But you need to ask at the front desk first, and then the lifeguards if they are present, and you could be told no.
You can hire DVDs from the community hall @BLT. If you have young kids it’s a good place to hang out, do some arty things etc.
Unfortunately the lounge at Epcot isn’t available to you. They do check you on the system. 
In terms of the villa, it’s the same as renting. If you like your own coffee, bring some plus filters. Worth bringing some of the washing powder or pods that you use. If you’re in a studio the washers will be free. Not sure where exactly they are, we always stay in a 1 bed.
If you have a lake view, you can watch the EWP from your balcony. If not, see it from the bridge between Contemp and BLT.
Oh, and there’s a back terrace off TOTWL (near the bar) looking over Bay Lake that no one knows about! I think Bay Lake is my favourite place. And there are panorama boards out on the terraces so you can spot EE and ToT (Spaceship Earth is a bit more obvious lol). If you have a decent camera, take it up if it’s still light.
And take a boat trip round Bay Lake. You can see the old River Country, plus stop off at WL and/or FW.
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shhhh! i had that whole place to myself a couple weeks ago…if there’s anyone out there next time we go, i’m pinning it on you! 
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Well, they’ll be a liner so just say hi!
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Im a law breaker but I just might have to follow the rules on this one Our first day is set aside for hanging out and exploring the resort. We are going to arrive at 8:00am and start using the property and we will be using the lounge that night for fireworks.
I am definitely going to have to find this balcony!
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Well, if you meet a grumpy looking person, annoyed that someone else has come out, you could ask them if they go by the name of @disney1974 on the TP forum! If they look at you quizzically then probably not. 
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Or, if you notice someone with a big grin on their face, it may be me. Thanks, once again, for the great info.
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Love BLT, will be there in September. Can’t wait to try the cake and hang out in the back terrace.
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OMG! That is so funny… I think my DH was responsible for that grumpy post (in my name). I have to keep an eye on him!
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Now, from the real me…
I think they will let you up to TOTWL, depending on who is manning the podium and how many people are already up there.
That particular perk is really only supposed to be for owners with blue cards. And, you’re supposed to be staying on property (this seems more flexible though)
The last time we went there, there was a party of 3 in front of us who gave the CM (a sweet, young Russian girl) a bit of a hassle as they were not owners and didn’t know the policy. She asked them for their card and the older woman in the group was very indignant and insisted that they were told that since they were staying at BLT, they could go up. The CM was kind enough in classic Disney fashion to allow them up.
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No no no! Who told you that?
TOTWL is open to all members, direct and resale owners. Honest! You can use your digital white card.
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That’s my understanding as well. Resale members have access to all the facilities as it is part of the building covenant which can’t ever be changed.
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There is so much conflicting info out there about the lounge. We have friends that live in Orlando & are DVC members (direct purchase at Poly) and they came over to meet us and were initially denied as they were not staying on site at the time. They persisted though and told the CM that the waitress in the lounge told them they could come absolutely anytime. I would have gone downstairs and brought them up myself as guests if the CM had held firm, but she relented and let them up.
My bad. I don’t want to spread false info.
Here’s a link with a pretty comprehensive list of perks for 2018
DVC 2018 perks
You doneed to be staying onsite at any Disney owned hotel, so not the Swan/Dolphin.
Although sometimes you may be lucky and get up if not staying onsite.
I wish I read that before I bought APs today! My son is a DVC member and he lives with his girlfriend. The way this is written we could of bought her a discounted pass since they have the same address. I just learned a very expensive lesson.
There is always next year 
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The washers are in a room near the door out to the pool. Very easy to pop in a few loads, go for a swim for a while, pop back to put it in the dryer and then swim some more.
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