Disney resort newbie!

[kymomcc]

While we are not necessarily newbies to Disney, we have not been in around 12 years & it will be our son's first trip (age 6). We are hoping to go the end of June (it's taken me this long to get DH to say yes to the trip! He is NOT a Disney fan unfortunately!). Because of work, I won't be able to make any real concrete plans until early April, but I am wanting to have a plan so that when I get the OK from work, I can go ahead & book immediately. DH has 2 stipulations for this trip: 1)we MUST fly & 2)we MUST stay on property. Seeing that we always drive on all of our trips & we have never stayed on property at Disney (I did stay at the Dolphin once, but that was the closest I have came & I LOVED it!) I am needing advice regarding where to stay. I am fairly confident that a deluxe is out of the question financially. I am looking at the moderates (leaning toward POR as I am a stalker of these boards & people seem to love it!), but am also looking at AoA Little Mermaid room or potentially POP. I know that people come on here quite often & ask for this sort of advice & usually people say "it depends on what you like," so to give you an idea of what we are used to we normally stay at Hampton Inns & Courtyards when we travel. We typically vacation in a Hilton condo at the beach with family, so we split the cost. I am one of those "I don't do outside entrances" people when I am looking for a place to stay, so the Disney resorts having all outside entrances is making me have to change my mindset when I look at the pictures. We are also used to always having our car, so relying on other transportation to go places is a little different, which is why we think staying on property is our best choice.

Any advice would be appreciated!! Because it has taken me so long to convince my husband to take this trip, I am feeling some pressure to make the right choice (although I don't know that Disney has any truly "wrong" options!)! TIA!!!!!!

 

[lala5176]

I really can't say much about the value resorts as we have never stayed at them but what keeps us away mostly is that we cannot fit (family of 5) unless we stay in a value suite and also I believe they are very large and spread out. The pools do not have a slide.
As for moderate resorts, I do agree we are not big fans of our room having an outside door and not a hallway, we never encountered an issue with that. We have stayed at PO Riverside and loved it. We stayed in the Royal room in the Magnolia section and it was great. I would pay for a preferred location there. The resort is very pretty and has some nice amenities. We did rent a car because my husband hates the buses so that made things a little easier. Another option is the French Quarter which is just as nice but this side is more compact and everything is a short walk away. No need for a preferred location.

 

[Princess Yvey]

Hi there! Glad you're getting to a make a trip soon, and btw, those two stipulations are not bad at all

We're used to staying in 4-5 star "regular hotels" everywhere, and I would also agree with you about the exterior entrances... BUT, we actually can be happy at a value resort at Disney. (We won't stay at a value if our main purpose to relaxation vs. theme parks from open to close, though).

I think younger kids are enamored by the values, as they have giant-sized icons and colorful themes. But kids will do well in any of the Disney hotels.

One word of caution for a value resort, though: The bathroom toilets flush pretty loudly, so you're bound to hear someone else's flush from your room.

A word of caution for moderate resorts: They tend to be very spread out, and can add a good 10 minutes to your travel time to/from a bus stop. POFQ is the smallest (I believe).

Keep checking for special deals on Disney's site, as discounts may be found. Also, sometimes their rooms will sell out, but there will be an available room on one of the travel sites (Expedia, Travelocity, Orbitz, etc) for a discounted rate. For example, If there is an offer for Summer, and the discount is 25% off, Disney's discounted rooms may have 'sold out' but the discount may be available elsewhere.

Good luck with the planning! It's all very exciting

 

[Gillyrose779]

I'm going to have to throw out the renting DVC points idea. Usually that is really short notice to rent points but I bet you could get a great deal on a studio or 1 bedroom at saratoga springs- possibly even animal kingdom if you are not picky on the view. The thing with renting is you can't cancel or change the dates. I only push this b/c you say your husband is not a Disney fan and maybe staying at a Deluxe will help him. AK is just beautiful and Saratoga is a nice walk or boat ride to Downtown Disney and has a spa and golf course.

My husband wasn't initially sold on Disney either but, every time we stay at a Deluxe, he warms up a bit more.

 

[Skullcrusher]

With a young child I would suggest AOA or POP just for the theming. Otherwise you cannot have a bad stay at POR or POFQ (IMO).

 

[ShayBells]

Since you are use to being in a hotel I would go with POP preferred room or POFQ so you are close to lobby food court transportation etc.

Pop is great for kids thanks to the theming but I really like POFQs pool and slide.

With your choices you can't go wring though so if it's budget you are worried about you can always price them all out and go with the cheapest.

(PS I've never stayed at AoA but I hear the little mermaid rooms are a far walk so I would put that into your list of pros and cons if you have one)

 

[cckp72]

I agree with you about the exterior doors. When we pulled up to POR, my daughter (8yrs) was thoroughly disgusted. UNTIL we walked into the room and started exploring the grounds then we all just adjusted to it and it was a non issue. The only thing that did bother me a little was when people would walk by and our blinds were open - I felt a little exposed but it wasn't a huge deal at all.

Good luck! Hope your trip is great!!

 

[Spoiledraf]

We stayed in a little mermaid room for one night before moving to GF. It was actually a very nice room and resort. Obviously it's not a 4/5 star room but it was clean and the entire area was really nice. We don't care for outside entries either but it was quieter than the kids running up and down the halls of the BC our last visit there. We had our 6 year old grandson with us and he loved the theming, especially the cars area. They have three really nice pools but no water slides. Food curt was a little confusing but it was ok. But I'm guessing you might schedule a few dinners else where anyway, as we did. If you are looking to keep your son happy, this will work. On the other hand we stayed one night at All Star Music and I would not recommend that so I guess not all values are the same.
the onsite transportation is fine. just go in planning to leave a little time to get from point A to point B. But to me, it beats parking a mile away. The biggest downer is the mad rush at the end f the day after fireworks or parades.
Have fun.

 

[Lord Fantasius]

Welcome to posting on the Boards, kymomcc...it's a great way to indulge the dream!

Anyways, I'm assuming you need to please the hubby as well during the trip. Our family usually stays at same type of hotels as you do, and my wife is definitely NOT an exterior-door type of person as well. However, I/we have stayed at most of the Disney values and moderates and enjoy them all immensely. They are a bit pricier, but for what they are...an immersion into the Disney fantasy...it's hard to compare to any outside "motel."

For values, we like POP the best, but it definitely is larger and there are lot of kids running around! It's also where most of the "groups" are lodged, so you could be inundated by baseball teams, cheerleaders, etc. They don't, however, usually stand in front of doors talking (unless you're on the ground floor) so it's only the occasional passing group that might seem loud if you're not expecting to hear voices. I would get something higher up, overlooking the lake, if you want a quieter room. The theming is great for kids, but for the spouse, might think a moderate having a more intimate setting and less kids running around might be more pleasurable for him; think POR or POFQ as the other posters have noted. The only issue for POR and POFQ for children is that the pools are smaller than they are at the values, so if that makes a difference for your 6yo...

Yes, we loved CBR, and will probably go back there, but it's definitely larger than the other moderates, but so is the pool...and the food court is awesome (though it can get crowded). But except for the wife, the rest of our family, including the extended family, are extroverts, so we just keep the blinds closed in our room most of the time, and my wife is happy. Never had a problem with someone standing in front of the room since most Disney guests are respectful of that "space." Also, even though they are exterior doors, the way they are angled, you are not opening right into the outside path, but into a little setback that makes it a little more private...if that makes sense.

Have an awesome trip and, hopefully then, you can start planning your next visit if all goes well!

 

[the who #3]

just stay on prop. that is the most important thing we do on our trip. swan and dolphin are really on prop and can use disney transportation. they are wonderful too. we are dvc so we are always sat a dvc resort.

 

[Babsy]

You say that you stayed at the Dolphin before and enjoyed it. It is an affordable option that is a deluxe resort that isn't Disney owned but is definitely on property and has most of the perks offered by staying at WDW. (notable exclusions are the magical express and the dining plan) The best thing is the lower price for a luxury resort within walking distance of Epcot and Disney Hollywood Studios. Just something to consider...

 

[jperrot1]

You say that you stayed at the Dolphin before and enjoyed it. It is an affordable option that is a deluxe resort that isn't Disney owned but is definitely on property and has most of the perks offered by staying at WDW. (notable exclusions are the magical express and the dining plan) The best thing is the lower price for a luxury resort within walking distance of Epcot and Disney Hollywood Studios. Just something to consider...

I second this. They are in the middle of a full room rehab. Someone can correct me but I think Swan rooms are first (right now). Swan is a few bucks more per night, but queen size beds rather than "larger than double size" at dolphin.

 

[ARAITHEL]

As another "disney wife" with a husband who does not like Disney, I would recommend choosing some theming that he might like. I finally talked mine into going this May. (adults only trip) I chose Saratoga Springs as he is a golfer, and we are "horse" people, so I thought the theme would be fitting. I baited him in with golf and horseflesh! I'm sneaky! So which resort do you think he might like the best?

I liked the moderate rooms better than the values. Seems like the walls are a bit more sturdy and the beds/furnishings are nicer. The only value resorts I have stayed at are the All Star Resorts. I thought they were a step above the Super 8. My DD snubbed her nose at the resort and said, "Really, Mom? This is our resort? ***Yes, child, It still costs about $2K***

Whatever your choice, the resorts are all beautiful and clean. There are perks to all of them. I have stayed at both POR and POFQ. My recommendation would be POFQ because it is small and quiet. The other moderates can be quite large and have a longer walk to bus stops/dining. We love staying on property! The transportation system lets Disney take over, you don't have to wrestle with maps and directions and cars. It's wonderful.

Have a great trip! Congrats on getting your DH to go!

 

[HairyChest]

Save alittle more and book the wilderness lodge. Itll completely change the feel of you vacay into magic versus just fun imo.

 

[sallytigger]

There may be a Disney summer discount, which would open up some choices for you. Last year discount rates for late June were released in mid March (soon!). Even if you aren't sure of your exact dates yet, you could book a room with a buffer day or so. There are no penalties through Disney for chancing or canceling your reservation. The rooms book quickly once the deals are released, though. Sometimes Orbitz will have the Disney discount plus an additional code for discount through Orbitz (often 15% extra).

This site is so helpful for finding the discounts!

As for where to stay, if you find a great deal you could check out Wilderness Lodge. Our stay there made my non Disney husband into a huge fan! It's a wonderful, restful place and has so many great features.

 

[kymomcc]

Thank you all for the replies! I had seen on here that some people had gotten pin codes and, since I have always gotten them in the past, decided that I would just call Thursday night and ask in case mine got lost in the mail this time. I was expecting to hear no. I was SO EXCITED when the CM said that I had one on my profile!!!! So, I booked POR with the discount and got free park hoppers! I can't wait for this vacation!

 

[gdrj]

A couple of thoughts:
1- Great that you are staying on property. If you are not renting a car Dolphin and Swan do not have access to Magical Express. If you have a car Resort fee and Daily Parking Fee.
2- Everyone will have their favorites, some people love the values, others the moderates, and some will only stay Deluxe.
3- Another poster mentioned to gear hotel towards Husband's interests. If I was not a Disney Fan and my wife booked us at a Value with 1800 to 2200 rooms and just a food court, and limited lounge options, I probably would make that my last trip.
4- Either Port Orleans Resorts are nice options with the boat to DTD to avoid the parking issues with the construction.
5- If you are Deluxe I would avoid Poly since there will be construction on going and with a non-Disney Fan you may not get the full buy-in.



Enjoy your trip!

 

[gdrj]

Thank you all for the replies! I had seen on here that some people had gotten pin codes and, since I have always gotten them in the past, decided that I would just call Thursday night and ask in case mine got lost in the mail this time. I was expecting to hear no. I was SO EXCITED when the CM said that I had one on my profile!!!! So, I booked POR with the discount and got free park hoppers! I can't wait for this vacation!

Just saw after I posted. POR will be SOOOO much fun. Enjoy

 

[DizDaD7]

Any advice would be appreciated!! Because it has taken me so long to convince my husband to take this trip, I am feeling some pressure to make the right choice (although I don't know that Disney has any truly "wrong" options!)! TIA!!!!!![/QUOTE]

While we are not necessarily newbies to Disney, we have not been in around 12 years & it will be our son's first trip (age 6). We are hoping to go the end of June (it's taken me this long to get DH to say yes to the trip! He is NOT a Disney fan unfortunately!). Because of work, I won't be able to make any real concrete plans until early April, but I am wanting to have a plan so that when I get the OK from work, I can go ahead & book immediately. DH has 2 stipulations for this trip: 1)we MUST fly & 2)we MUST stay on property.

1st off... to the disboards.

2ndly. The 2 stipulations are really perks anyhow...When flying, you get to have DME=Disney magical Express which will grab your bags from the time you land and magically whisk them away, and they'll be waiting at your resort. And the second ( staying on property ) will mean getting to make FP+=Fast Pass plus selections, earlier than others, & also will let you take advantage of EMH= Extra Magic Hours.
Also the fact that you won't need to drive a vehicle to and from any park, or DTD. So as you can see, plenty of extras.

In terms of choosing a resort, this is entirely up to you, and what suits your needs/tastes.

Be forewarned though, If you start at a higher level eg. Deluxe or Mod. than it'' be harder to downgrade later on, because you'll be used to certain things.

I'd suggest PoP, to get your feet wet basically...But it does have outside corridors. & so do the mods.

If you decide a mod. is the way to go, we really enjoy CSR alot, then followed close behind by POR....Once again it's all a matter of taste.

Either route you go, it doesn't matter because in the end, you'll be in WDW, and somehow it always works out, and you'll end up having a great Time...

 

[busymommy2pink]

As the dates get closer, also don't ve shy about checking discounted prices at AKL and WL. We didn't think the Deluxes would be our price range either, but with a30% discount it brings some of them down to near moderate prices.