POFQ or Value Resort for first trip?

[Amyg]

Me, DH and 9 yr old son will be taking our first WDW trip next May. I've researched all the hotels and was pretty set on POFQ but now I'm thinking about my budget and wondering if we should stay at a value resort instead.

Here's my dilema: 1) I'm a light sleeper and will be very distressed if I got woken up at night (are values noisy?). 2) I don't care for big crowds and can get pretty impatient if I have to wait around at check in, etc. (do values generally have long lines?) 3) Will I be able to get/rent a refrigerator at the values (I know POFQ already includes them).

I realize everyone's different, but what's your opinion? Is it worth the savings?

 

[crow11ad]

I think you already answered your own questions. Your a light sleeper. If you go to the value resort (any allstars) you might get noises.

The check in no matter what resort you are going to be staying, you can't control. It depends on what time of day you are checking in.

I don't know about the fridge...but you might be able to...


One thing you didn't state is what time of year you are going. That right there can determine alot. If your going at a time when Pop Warner will be there, you might not like the values.

Originally through this trip we were going to stay at POP. But we decided to stay at POR. But we are doing 1 night at POP as it will be the day we are driving from Boyenton Beach from a stay at my Dad's. Regardless what you decide. Don't worry too much about what you don't like and concentrate on the fact that you will have a great time and what you do like.

 

[Amyg]

We are planning for end of May 2006.

Since I have no experience, just wanted to know if it really is worst noise-wise at the values. About the crowds, how are transportation and pool areas and other common areas, any worst?

 

[Amy&Dan]

Port Orleans Riverside was extremely quiet. We were there in late April/early May and it was almost sold out and we never heard a soul. It is so wonderful. However, we had a great stay at All Star Movies. We loved all the Disney theming. We also enjoyed Pop (our least favorite however due to crowds and noise but still very fun and very Disney). If your son is really in to the Disney movies like Toy Story, All Star Movies would be great for him. If he loves sports he would enjoy All Star Sports. The size of the rooms at the moderates felt no different to me than the values and the beds are double sized either way. The moderates do have a better bathroom set up. I think you can have fun either way. It only takes one noisy neighbor to sour an experience and you can have that at any level of resort. But if quietness is something very important to you I think Port Orleans Riverside would be a good option. But it doesn't have the fun Disney theming the values do, to some that's a plus to others a minus. I thought my kids would miss the fun icons at Pop and ASMO but they surprised me by loving Port Orleans. Your son would also love the slides at the moderat resort pools.

Good luck with your decision!

 

[Okiemom]

We stayed at POR Riverside last time, very quiet. This time we are staying at POFQ. My husband and 2 of my kids are the same way. It needs to be quiet enough to sleep, and they don't like to wait forever. So the small size of the POFQ will be very nice. I think the values have large number of rooms, with 3 or 4 to a room, that makes for lots of people at food court and catching buses. So I would go to POFQ.

 

[palmtreegirl]

We just spent the weekend at the POFQ and it was wonderful! So peaceful and quiet and the resort is so small the foodcourt and busses are close by no matter what building you get.

We usually stay at a deluxe but now we'll definitely be back to the POFQ, it's a new family favorite!

 

[aubriee]

I am also a very light sleeper, but the quietest rom I've had at WDW was at POP this last May. I was in the 50's building third floor right next to the bowling pin stairwell. I guess because people with strollers had to go on down to the elevators and because I was the last room (on the corner) I never heard anyone go past my room. The lady next door to me was also traveling solo, so was very quiet. Using the stairs I was only 2-3 minutes from the main building. It was wonderful. However the loudest room I ever had was at AKL last January. We had the kid from hell next door to us who banged on the wall every night and morning and banged on our door as he left every morning. His parents were almost as noisy. FYI-If you're as light a sleeper as I am, you might want to get a white noise machine to take with you. They are wonderful to drown out unwanted noises.

I used DME in May and because the resort knew we were coming they had ALOT of CMs at the front desk to check everyone in. Again the check in line was slower at AKL than POP. Buses at POP were also not bad.

Refridgerators can be rented at the Values.

Don't get me wrong. I've stayed at POP, AKL, WL, and BWV and loved them all for different reasons. I'm taking my son and D-I-L to WDW next month and had planned to stay at POFQ, but after hearing me talk about how much I loved POP and seeing my pictures, they decided they would rather stay at POP. For us it wasn't a financial thing. I just fell in love with POP and they liked the looks of it better. I'm taking my 73 y/o mom for her first ever trip to WDW in Dec and we're doing a split stay at POFQ and CSR, because I know she would not like the over the top icons at the Values. I think your son would love them though. PORS may be a little boring to him. Something else to consider is that the moderates have pool slides and hot tubs, while the values do not. I took my GD to WDW in Jan and did a split stay at WL and AKL. We visited the All Stars and she asked why we didn't stay at the 'fun resort'. I may be surprising her with another trip in May and if so, we'll be at one of the All Stars, as she seemed to prefer it over WL and AKL.

I know I didn't help much. Sorry! but don't rule the values out. They are alot of fun and PURE Disney. To throw another monkey wrench into the works: Have you considered renting DVC points. If you spent the weekends at a value or moderate and just stayed at a DVC resort Sunday-Thursday when the points are cheaper you could stay in a nice DVC Studio with a fridge, microwave, queen size bed and sleeper sofa, plus enjoy all the amenities of a Deluxe resort for probably cheaper than the price of a moderate. I rented points for a BWV studio for my trip this past May and had a wonderful view from my balcony of the Boardwalk and Spaceship Earth. I could easily walk or take the boats to Epcot and MGM, so didn't have to deal with waiting for a bus. I spent less than if I had stayed at a Moderate, It was great. With the money I saved, I added two more days to my vacation and bookended my stay with two nights before and after the BW at POP. Personally I loved both resorts.

 

[minnie61650]

I have always found the rooms at All Stars Music quiet.
Just request a quiet area.
My SIL is a light sleeper also that is why I requested music instead Movies
when we take dd,dsil and our grandson age 3 when we go this Oct.
My stay at the Contemporary was the noisiest. There were kids running up and down the hall making all kinds of noise. I hated it!
Just remember you are staying at Disney and even Deluxe resorts have lots of young children staying there.
BTW May is a wonderful time to go to Disney. Most children are still in school so you will have lighter crowds.
Also the flowers are so beatiful in May.

Fridges are available for $10 a night but I read they putting Fridges in the All Rooms and All Star Sports already has them. Hope thats true.
I am calling All Star Music later today to find out the Fridge info. I will keep you updated.

I am 55 years old and travel several times a year. I often stay at 4 star hotels.
So the deluxe resorts do not have anything special for me.
All Star is like being in the heart of the Magic and that is where I want to be.

All Star Music is my favorite.It is quieter because more couples stay there. I love staying at the Clypso building. It is closer to the pool,food court and bus stop.

Here is a site with a map of All Star Sports and All Star Music.
http://www.wdwinfo.com/resortmaps/allstarmap.htm
Scroll down.All Star Music is at the bottom of the page.
The Calypso buildings at All Star Music are #1 and #10 are nearest to the food court and bus stop.
They are the preferred buildings and cost about $12 extra per night.
The Calypso pool at ASMU has Donald Duck.

The buses are wonderful.

Bus rides are quite short from the ALL Stars according to PassPorter.com

All Star Buses-POP buses---CBR buses--PO buses--- Contemporary
MK 20 min---- 25 min-----120min------10 min---20 min(mono)
Epcot 10 min-- 20 min-----15 min------10 min---15 min
MGM 10 min----15 min-----12 min------15 min---20min
AK 10 min------15min-------20 min----15 min---20 min
DTD 15 min----20 min------25 min-----15 min---35 min

It only takes 10 minutes to get to Epcot,MGM and AK from All Stars.
MK is 20 min away. That's the same amount of time it takes on the monorail from the Contemporary.

The All Star resorts have 1960 rooms each.
Pop has 2,880rooms.
That means more people in the pools,food court and in line waiting for the bus at POP.
When phase 2 of POP is built it will be 2 bus stops at POP and the 2 POPs will have the same # of rooms as the 3 All Stars.

Also All Star is closer to the main road to get to parks and thats why bus rides are shorter from there than from POP.

I have visited WDW more than a dozen times with the 1st time in Oct. 1971. It was brand new. I've stayed at FW, Disney Inn, a few the of Hotels on hotel Blvd., CBR and the towers at the Contemporary. I got to see the MK from my balcony at the Contemporary and I'm happy I got to experience it once. I just prefer the All Star Resorts.
The theaming is pure Disney.
My last 4 visits have been at The All Stars and this fall when we take dd,dsil, and our grandson age 3 we are staying at the All Stars Music. I thought about AKL and even though we can well afford AKL I just wanted Alex to experience the Disney Magic at the All Stars on his first visit.
Where else can one find Donald Duck or Mickey Mouse at the pool?
Have a great time at Disney!
Linda

 

[kmebee]

I have only stayed at Values and I LOVE it. I too am a light sleeper but have never had a problem sleeping there. My feeling is that I like being immersed in the Disney theming and that I am usually only in my room long enough to sleep, shower or change clothes so why spend the extra $$ (and $$ is not a problem). The rooms are large enough and comfortable enough for 2 adults (even 3). I think you will/could run into crowds at check-in/food court/etc. no matter where you are staying depending on the time of year and the time of day. I think your son would truly love the All Star Resorts or even POP. I know my nephews LOVED ASMu this past June (their first trip). Whatever you decide, have a great trip!