Where have you stayed?

[Tiggerlover91]

I'm just curious to see where some of you have stayed and why.
Thanks,

Denise

[plutospup]

Our new favorite is WL. Very relaxing. Lots to do at the Lodge. The best part is I don't feel like I'm in the middle of a park, yet I'm right there!
Contemporary: Great service, loved being able to walk to the MK, and enjoyed the monorail. Also...I loved the theming! As a child of the 70's I found this place just filled with 70's Futuristic theming.
Beach Club:Nice hotel. POOR service. Great pool. Very convienent to EPCOT, and MGM.
AS Movies: For $49 a night I couldn't complain. Great service, clean room, nice pools, bus transportation good. Didn't like food court-seemed like thousands always converged at drink station. DD4 loved it.
Carribean Beach: Nice, colorful. No complaints.
Downtown Disney (Hilton, Hotel Royal Plaza): Nice, clean, large rooms. Ok if you can get a good deal (HRP-$45/nt last Dec). Has off site feel. Convienent to everything if you have a car, but still...doesn't have the same feel as a Disney hotel. Try to way the cost off offsite vs. "Disney feel/magic". In some cases offsite might be the way to go.

[Samsma]

1998 - Dixie Landings - stayed because our travel agent suggested it. Really liked it. Nice grounds and pool. The food court was okay. Nothing too great, but not bad.

2001 - Old Key West - much better. We had a eight and two year old. Very nice with small kids. Eat breakfast in room, put little one in bedroom for naps where we all didn't have to be quiet and sit around waiting for her to wake up. Great to have washer and dryer. Not as much packing, and I hate that laundry the day after we get home.

[wdwnutze]

Carribean Beach: 1st onsite stay in 96. Chose with budget in mind. Mousekeeping good(animal towel and arranging of dd's stuffed animals was an added treat). Thought grounds were beautiful and rooms were of good size and very clean. Really enjoyed the resort and the pool, and foodcourt. Would definately stay again. Did find resort to be very big and spread out.
BC: Chose based on theming, color scheme and pictures we had seen. Resort was very big. We were a LONG way from the elevators and found the rooms to be small. Not happy with the CM's(didn't find them helpful or knowledgeable).

[wdwnutze]

Carribean Beach: 1st onsite stay in 96. Chose with budget in mind. Mousekeeping good(animal towel and arranging of dd's stuffed animals was an added treat). Thought grounds were beautiful and rooms were of good size and very clean. Really enjoyed the resort and the pool, and foodcourt. Would definately stay again. Did find resort to be very big and spread out.
BC: Chose based on theming, color scheme and pictures we had seen. Resort was very big. We were a LONG way from the elevators and found the rooms to be small. Not happy with the CM's(didn't find them helpful or knowledgeable). Room showed some signs of wear. No quick, easy place to get something to eat. Kids did enjoy stormalong bay. Disappointed overall and swtiched resorts tos the Poly after 1 night.
Poly: Stayed there 2x. We love the Poly. The theming is very relaxing and soothing. Makes you forget just how close you are to the parks. Love the convenience of the monorail. Amazing view in the lagoon view room. Rooms are spacious(we had 5 in a room) Enjoyed all the resort had to offer(shopping, beach for kids to play on, mouseboats?, Kona, even capn' cooks for a quick bite.) This is our favorite resort and we will find it tough to stay anywhere else!

[BostonTigger]

The first time I went to WDW I was only 2, but the last two time I went I stayed at the Port Orleans. When I chose that resort the first time it was for the pictures I've seen and what I read about the atmosphere. I really like this resort. It's quiet, it's not as spread out as some of the other resorts. It's my favorite I think because it was the first resort I stayed at when I went on vacation on my own.


Steven

[eeyore0062]

You can see the various resorts we have visited by looking at my signiture.

Our favorite deluxe was the Contemporary, and our favorite moderate was PO-R--Alligator Bayou.

We did like CBR, but had a very remote building, so that made for longer treks wherever we wanted to go.

My DH and DD loved WL, and I thought the lobby and pool were great, but for the money, the rooms were awfully small and dark.

We will be staying at the Courtyard to take advantage of their 20.02 offer this summer, but in the fall we will be back onsite at PO-FQ.

[Steffi]

My first onsite stay was at ASMo, Jan. 2001...what a treat! I was hooked; I loved being completely surrounded by Disney.

Next was POR, May 2001...an even bigger treat.

Then CBR, March 2002...liked that one, too, but now I'm ready for a deluxe...BC is the next Disney resort I want to live at..I mean, stay at.

[Gail T AGAIN]

I have stayed at ASM,DL,CSR,WL,YC, POLY,AK and BWI by far my favorite was YC from the room to the pool to the help that was ever so friendly, I am going back again nex yr, so far doing all 6 days there but with code and AP rates I might split it up between GF and there.:)

[Tesabat]

I've stayed at CR, Poly, ASMu, WL, POR and will be staying at AKL this year if everything goes as planned. CR and Poly were several years ago...the others more recently. Also have stayed offsite at Wyndham recently and other offsite places too long ago to remember. My favorite so far has been WL. I can't say enough how much we love it there. The theming was more "us", we had great service, excellent meals, no transporation problems, etc....so everything clicked there. We intended to return there this year, but I'm excited about AKL. We'll probably return to WL on a future trip (I hope!) when it is just my immediate family. :) As to why we pick a particular place, it is a combination of how much is in the budget, what we will be doing, and how much we think we will like the resort based on its description.

[TigrLvsPooh]

I voted "various resorts". :)

[preshi]

I've stayed at CSR because it was cheap and it was closer to all the things I knew I was going to like (MGM, BB, and AK)

DH and I stayed at Poly concierge because of it's location and the themeing

and AKL concierge because we disliked the Poly so we moved! LOVED AKL... amazing resort!

[Chess]

I've stayed at Dixie Landings (POR now), AKL, Polynesian, Fort Wilderness campground and Cabins and hopefully in September at ASMu. Campground with my parents when I was a kid in a pop-up. Cabins in June 2002 with my DH and 2 DD's so we could have some room to move around in. AKL in Oct. 2001 - our first adults only trip (this is my favorite right now). Polynesian Feb. 2002 - this was a special upgrade ($99 a night) as CBR was overbooked. POR Feb. 2001. Both POR and the Polynesian were my DH, 2 DD's, and my parents with connecting rooms. ASMu this time because we doing another adults only on a budget (one more use out of our AP's) and the price was right ($49 a night). The AKL wins as my personal favorite but money decides where I stay on trips sometimes. The others all had good things about them but there is nothing like sitting on you balcony watching giraffes and wildebeasts at the watering hole.

[Bichon Barb]

We've stayed at:

Ft. Wilderness (motorhome) x 2
Buena Vista (?) Palace
POR
Dixie L. x 2
CBR
GF

I don't think it would be fair to call GF my favorite as it is out of the moderate league. Out of the moderates, I have to go with Dixie Landings. Love the size! Love the pool!

Staying in a home away from homes is in a league of its own also. We are hoping to stay in a Wilderness home in November. I have a feeling this will be my favorite. We love Fort Wilderness and all the activities. We have two rambunctious little boys:bounce: Hotel rooms can be confining. To be able to go to the parks and then come "home" for a swim in the pool or the lake or even River Country is great. Then to just slip into your comfies and throw something on the grill is nice.

Which reminds me! We've always wanted to stay in a tree house. Are they still around???????

Barb

[Tulip]

We stayed at ASSports Nov. 2000 for our first on-site stay because of the price. We were very impressed and will not stay off-site ever again!

[jabead]

The WDW resorts where we have stayed in the last 2 years are (starting with our least favorite and ending with our favorite):

1. Dolphin - Found that it was like walking thru a maze to get to our room from the elevator (many twists and turns). Very big hotel which IMHO lacked that Disney feeling.

2. Contemporary - Enjoyed the convenience of the monorail and being able to walk to MK. Nice size rooms but didn't like the decor. Also didn't care for the themeing of the resort and kids thought the pool was boring.

3. Beach Club - On the negative side, our room seemed like it was miles away from the lobby but on the positive side, we were very close to the building exit (which was just a few steps away from Epcot's International Gateway entrance). We could walk out of our room and be at the entrance in less than 2 min.!!! Great pool but very crowded (and this was before the BCV opened). Rooms were nothing special.

4. Wilderness Lodge Villas (studio) - We stayed here soon after they opened so everything was brand new and very nice. The Lodge is beautiful, especially at that time of year (early Dec.). The x-mas tree and fireplace were lovely. To get to MK you had to walk down a path to the dock to catch a boat, which was not as fast or convenient as the monorail.

5. Boardwalk Inn - Enjoyed the fact that this was a much smaller resort and seemed very quiet. Of the Epcot resorts, the Boardwalk is our favorite, however we prefer the villas side. Nice rooms but our room had a very strong odor which I couldn't identify (perhaps a cleanser of some sort ???).

6. Grand Floridian - Very nice resort with beautiful grounds and lovely rooms. I stayed here on my last trip (May '02)when I went with my mother and we enjoyed our stay. I couldn't help thinking though that if this had been a family trip (my family of 5, inc. 3 young kids) we would have felt more at home at the Polynesian.

7. Polynesian - I would have to say that is my family's favorite MK resort. We enjoy the convenience of the monorail, like both of the restaurants, love the whole Polynesian theme with its beautiful grounds and waterfalls, like their large and comfortable rooms, and the kids really like the pool (almost as much as Stormalong Bay).

8. AKL - This is a beautiful resort, inside and out. The lobby is gorgeous, the rooms are beautifully decorated (the bunk beds were a big hit with the kids), enjoyed watching the animals from our balcony, and loved to shop in their store. The only negative would be that the only form of transportation to the parks is the bus (although you don't have to share with other resorts, which is good).

9. BWV - The one-bedroom villas here are our absolute favorite of all. They are huge (bigger than my first apartment, LOL!) and have so many nice features (lika a jacuzzi and washer and dryer etc.) that I could go on forever about how wonderfu they are. I could live in one of these villas at WDW for months and be happy as a clam, LOL!

[helenk]

My first and second stay at WDW were off site, the first was at a Save Inn in kissimee and then at the Days Inn Lake side, then in 1995 we stayed at the ASsports and I was hooked on staying on site. Since then I have stayed at the GF which I loved and the YC which was great too. Our room at the YC was verrrrrrry far from the elevators but close to the stairs, but I really disliked the bus service, the bus went to so many other resorts.
My son (age 20) and I are going this December and since he is paying his way I booked the ASMU to keep within his budget ( he is still in college)...but if the codes come out I would like to get a nice rate at a moderate since I have never stayed in one, or better yet, a good rate at either AKL or even WL.

[kimmar067]

...who could beat the combo of $129 teachers' rate, great service, and LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION???

(although I WILL be staying at the WL in about a week ~ I'll let you know if I have a NEW favorite:) !!)

[halfway there]

I voted for "various resorts" because I intend to stay in them all!!
I started out trying to get into each "area" at least once then I cross referenced that with a different level each time. So far I've covered every "area" (MK. Epcot, AK, Village, Hotel Plaza etc) and every level from value to deluxe except 'home away from home'.

This is my list:

'89 - CBR (Epcot moderate)
'95 - Grosvenor (Hotel Plaza Blvd)
'96 - YC (Epcot deluxe)
'97 - CR (MK deluxe)
'98 - PO(FQ) (Village moderate)
'99 - Swan (Epcot deluxe)
'00 - BWI (Epcot deluxe)
'01 - AS Sports (AK value) and Polynesian (MK deluxe)
next one is Aug '02 - CSR (AK moderate)

As you can see the Epcot area is our favorite, as are the deluxes. Once I've been to at least one of each of the 'sister' resorts, I will return to the other one (such as YC/BC, S/D, etc). I'll probably save the GF for last!

[ead79]

I've stayed at AS Music, GF, BWI, WL, AKL, and Poly. Of these my favorite is the GF because I just love the ambience and luxury, as well as the monorail. I also really loved the Poly and BWI.

[fklhou]

We have stayed at most of the Deluxes other than the Contempory. They are all excellant and someday we will make it to the Contempory.

[christianweecare]

Poly (1975)-Honeymoon
Offsite (1981 or 1982--can't remember)
offsite (1984 or 1985--still can't remember)
CBR-several times throughout the late 80's and 90's (Our kids love this place.)
All Star Sports (my memory is going!)
Port Orleans Riverside (2001)--First trip without kids in 26 years. DH & I loved this place.
All Star Movies (Jan. 2002)--Back with grown kids!
Port Orleans FQ (Nov. 2002)--Just the two of us again!
All Star Movies (Jan. 2003)--Trip with my kinfolks!

[allforpooh]

We have been very lucky and have really liked all of the resorts on site that we have stayed. Before our first on site visit we stayed off site, but didn't realize what we were missing.

PO was our first on site resort and will always be special. We had a great room close to everything and my 2 DD's loved the Pool.

CSR and WL were also great. When we stayed at WL last Sept the hotel was empty so we were upgraded to a 1bdrm at the Villas. It didn't hurt that we were looking a becoming a DVC member.

This year were are going to try the YC. I can't wait to stay in the Epcot area since Epcot and MGM are my favorite parks. Of course there is the pool for my DD 9, and the Board Walk for my DD 17.

Denise:Pinkbounc :Pinkbounc

[joyful1nh]

Dixie Landings (now POR) because of price & travel agent recommendation - ok, but I didn't really care for the room layout with no balcony and outside entrances.

Poly - great location, nice rooms, okay theming, but expensive

AKL - wonderful! But far away from everything. Great dining

WL - our favorite. Location, theming, CM's, pool....


About us - myself & DH, late 30's and DD 4
Like a leisurely trip with lots of resort time.
Most time spent at MK & AK
Use the kids clubs
Room size not overly important to us, but private balcony is.

[robinb]

I've stayed at all of the above!

Contemporary or one of the other deluxes
Shades of Green
I stayed at the Contemporary as part of the Shades of Green rehab. The location was fantastic. We could walk to the MK. We could monorail to Epcot. We could watch the MK fireworks from the parking lot and the boat parade from our room. The room was very spacious and comfortable.

Old Key West or another home away from home
We're members at OKW and BWV. I have also stayed at VWL. All are great for their own reasons. The main advantages of a "home away from home" is the extra room and the cooking areas. In a studio you get your own microwave and refrigerator. In a 1 BR you get a full kitchen and your own laundry facilities. Ah! Heaven!

The Allstars
I've stayed at All Star Music and All Star Sports. I liked Sports better, but I am a huge baseball fan. The rooms are small, but the themeing starts to grow on you after a while. The food courts are fantastic and the bus system is the best on Disney property.

The Moderates
CBR is my only moderate. I was very lucky to be near the OPR, otherwise it would be quite a walk to the food court. The room was comfortable and the resort grounds were very relaxing. I loved the islands theme. The bus system was great at CBR too.

Downtown Disney Hotels
I've stayed at the DD Hilton with my husband on business. It was OK, but dull. It had a great location to DD, though and the double decker hot tup was very cool (yet, hot ;). I also stayed at the Wyndham Palace on Priceline. We had a great view of Disney and Universal fireworks from our balcony.

Swan/Dolphin
I stayed at the Swan last December via Priceline and it was fab! The room was very comfortable and it had location, location, location. We were upgraded to a room with a balcony where we could watch the Epcot/MGM boats come in.

Offsite
I have stayed off-site lots. I use Priceline and stay off-site to save money. We have APs and always rent a car so staying off-site stretches our Disney vacation without too much of a hassle. I've stayed at the Marriott Orlando World Center, the Rennaisance Worldgate, the Wyndham Orlando and many others.

Timeshares
I did this once because I got a great deal I could not pass up. I stayed at a SunTerra resort, Cypress Pointe for $150 for 3 nights in a 3 bedroom condo with a rental car. Of course, we had to give up 90 minutes of our time too. Since we own at DVC it was easy for us to say "no" and for them to accept our answer. It was better than your average off-site hotel and the sales pitch was not so bad either.

[Gramma]

I've stayed at the Contemporary, and Polynesian concierge. Polynesian concierge I love because of the monorail and the theming. The concierge staff at the Ploynesian is wonderful, can't wait to visit again.

[JulesMom]

We have stayed at a variety...but my favorite is Yacht Club!!:bounce:

[lovmy2girls]

My husband and I stayed at the DXL Back in 95, before kids, and loved it. Our hopes now are to take our girls in December and stay at the poly.