Anyone else have a "found my perfect resort" moment?

[MichaelWill&Megan'sMom]

When my kids were very young (9 mo, 2.5, 5), we stayed at a value. While we had fun, we didn't love it.
For the next several years we stayed at POR - It really felt like our perfect resort until they were all too tall to comfortably sleep on the pull down bed.
A few years ago we switched to deluxe. While we really liked Poly, BC feels like home. We would never intentionally stay anywhere else if it was available!

 

[Barnabas T Bullion]

My DH looks at me and just goes "do you want to see if they have any rooms here for the rest of our trip? You love it here, I can tell just looking at you that you love it here"

Haven't read past this first original post but wanted to just stop right here and say your husband is one heck of a guy.

 

[catfan98]

We have stayed at AKL (1 night), BC (week), and BW (week) and for us, it's definitely BC. We love everything about it! We have visited Poly, WL, and GF, to eat/look around, and while we really enjoy visiting those resorts, it's been unanimous with us that we don't want to stay at any of them - with the exception that my husband wants to try WL. As for the ones we have stayed at: AKL - none of us liked it enough to stay again, it was just too dark for us, however we will keep visiting for Boma! BW - we really enjoyed our stay here, it is a fantastic resort and there weren't any dislikes about it, but it just didn't have the same "home" feel for us as BC. Maybe it is because BC was our first stay, idk, but it is hands down our favorite, and the kids have asked that we stay there whenever we go back.

 

[lovin'fl]

Yes, just 2 weeks ago. We are DVC and have 20-some trips under our belts. We did 2 off site Disney trips and a few regular Disney resort stays (POR, CR, CSR and Pop) and we have stayed at every WDW DVC resort except VGF. Some of the DVC resorts we have stayed at a lot and some, like Poly, has only been one couple night stay. But last trip we were doing our 2nd BLT stay. And while there are things to love, TOTWL and Cali Grill and the 1BR had 2 bathrooms, there were glaring things lacking (we're not MK fans nor monorail fans nor do we have little kids with strollers). And when we spent a few of our days over at Epcot and walked over to the Boardwalk it sealed our feeling that Boardwalk is truly our Home resort. Both DH and I agree and we both said it, almost simultaneously...'this feels right'. Glad most of our points are BWV points.

Surprisingly, on same last trip, we also realized our #2 is SSR. Have had it last on our list at times but we also found, on the last trip, taht we wanted to go to DS often. We used to hate DD/DS. Now, though, with three 20-somethings children, we find we are all about food and drinks (and some of us like shopping). We don't care about rides and parks so much at this stage (hence the love for Epcot and all the festivals as well).

 

[melvin1970]

Wilderness for my family. We have tried other Disney resorts but end up there every other trip. Love the boat ride to MK.

 

[tex1989]

We took our first trip to WDW in 1989 with our then 5 year old son. Returned in 1993 with him and our 2 year old daughter and another couple and their kids. Both trips we stayed offsite. We loved it but were curious about the folks getting off the busses at the parks and checked into it. Then in the summer of 1994 we booked a week at Port Orleans FQ. Back then it was Port Orleans and Riverside was Dixie Landing. All our research was through Birbaums books because the internet was not what it is today. So no requests for a room, no understanding of the busses, no idea about resort layout or any of the things people buzz about today, we headed off to Florida. We were put in a first floor corner room facing the poolnear the river. Bike rentals and fishing pole rentals were at the stand right on the river and that stand is there today but empty. We loved it! Greatest trip ever. Kids were the right age and we went to the parks (only three then) ate at the resturaunt that was still there at the hotel, swam rode bikes, fished and had a great time. Now 25 years later POFQ is still our favorite. We are going this May and will be at PoP but have reservations for my birthday week in September at POFQ. It is and will always be our favorite resort bar none. We have stayed in every level and at most resorts but this is still our favorite. Probably because of how great that first onsite stay was.

 

[MamaJessie]

Pop for me. My husband's is CBR, nice we can skyliner over for a visit.

 

[DisLiss]

For me YC/BC are the best. When I'm not vacationing at Disney I love to vacation in New England beach towns, so the theming works for me, but mostly I just love being able to walk to EPCOT (or Boardwalk, too). Now, when we're going with the kids and we're trying to squeeze in Disney AND Universal and other side trips here and there, it's better for us to go with Pop or POR, but when it's just DH & I again, I definitely want to always stick with YC & BC.

 

[disneydreamer1980]

First night at the Poly, standing on our balcony watching the fireworks with DH while the kiddos were asleep was magical. It was like a Disney World Commercial. Over the years I’ve stayed at every Disney resort that offers DVC accommodations and I never experienced anything like this anywhere else. It’s going to be hard to stay anywhere else now.

 

[LSUmiss]

Currently staying at POFQ, and the resort is lovely. Our room is wonderful, with all of our requests met, overlooking the river. It's peaceful, the weather is amazing, our room is by all accounts clean and well appointed. I would never not recommend someone stay here.

However...

Last night we went back to the Poly for a dinner just DH and I (without the friend group we travelled with) at 'Ohana. We took the resort launch from MK, and as we were pulling in I got "that feeling". We stayed there in August for our (belated) honeymoon, and as soon as I saw the resort every piece of me relaxed. I inhaled the air, I felt at peace, it just felt so perfect. My DH looks at me and just goes "do you want to see if they have any rooms here for the rest of our trip? You love it here, I can tell just looking at you that you love it here", and he was totally right. The Poly is my resort, the one that suits me best, that gives me that Disney magic, and I can't even place why (fwiw there was no availability so no resort change for me lol).

There's nothing wrong with POFQ, we're having a great time, but the Poly just feels like home. Anyone have this experience? What's your resort that just feels perfect to you.

Poly is always our resort of choice too! We love it!

 

[keishashadow]

Own several DVC resorts and fortunate to be able to visit several times a year. Glad I bought where I generally want to stay (BW, WL & AK) but do switch over now & again to other resorts. Admit I prefer deluxe type accommodations in general when traveling.

If doing a once per year trip to WDW, would likely book BC/YC for SAB. Poly or CR if cost were no option. I find it difficult to believe to see POR coming in close to $300 a night for dates i’ve Checked this year.

JMHO but don’t feel as though many of the wdw moderates or deluxe resorts live up to their nightly cost/category as to designation of level of resort. Well, other than location, location.

At WDW, my favorite resort is where-ever I have landed, especially if a bonus trip. Even when i run into loosely supervised youth groups at the values. All the resorts have their charms. Some of my favorite memories were made at the AS resorts when my kids were young, still have a great fondness for the 3 amigos pool and often will add it onto the beginning of a trip as a split stay

 

[ErinsMommy]

For me, it was the Poly. For husband, its the Contemporary. For daughter, it may be the Beach Club (we're staying there in November and will find out if she's still a Poly girl or not). Just something about the hawaiian music, the tiki torches and overall theming wowed me from the moment I stepped on property.

 

[rangerxenos]

Animal Kingdom Lodge for me, it always feels like I'm coming home when we stay there.

 

[DisneyGirlMI]

Add us to the BC list. Every time I walk in I feel like I’m coming home. The smell of the lobby, the relaxed vibe, the peaceful ocean colors, the closeness to Epcot, the pool....I could go on and on. Ever time I stay at another resort I’m wishing I was at the BC. The ONLY exception to that was when we stayed at the Poly. I loved that place and would stay there again in a heartbeat, but it’s still not the BC, just a close second. BC is MY resort!

 

[FSU Girl]

I think it would be a split between Animal Kingdom Lodge and Bay Lake Tower. I just love being close to Magic Kingdom, watching the fireworks from my balcony and riding the monorail. But I also love having a savanna view and watching the animals all day. My favorite moment at a hotel is when we arrive and we are walking down the hall with our suitcases and the whole trip is before us it's such a happy feeling.

 

[Ladyandthepuppies]

When I was younger it was BC due to SAB. I grew up with a pool so most hotel pools didn’t impress me... SAB took my breath away.

Now that I have 3 small kids of my own, we’ve been staying at CR for the convenience of walking to MK. In 2017 we did MNSSHP and in 2018 MVMCP. We stayed till close both nights and then enjoyed an uncrowded walk back on the path while watching everyone else wait for buses/monorail. It really cemented how much we love the convenience of CR. Walking into the lobby/hotel room is fine but when I’m walking “home” from MK I can’t imagine staying anywhere else.

 

[ZebraDomeCrazy]

The first time we walked into the lobby at Animal Kingdom Lodge in January, 2002 we were hooked! Lucky for us, we joined DVC at Kidani soon after. I must say, we have never looked back! This is such a truly amazing and relaxing resort. We love how removed it is from the the hustle and bustle of the other areas in Disney. Between the artwork, the aromas, the animals and the Cast members, I am sure we picked the perfect place for us!

 

[mrsap]

First time we stayed at GF, we knew we had to make it our ‘home away from home’. There’s something so magical about it, even more so around Christmas

 

[dbogen]

As crazy as it sounds all star music is where I smile the most. I remember when we stayed at Port Orleans and did our last day at ASM and that feeling of walking in the lobby made me so happy. Now with that said we are new DVC members and all that might change.

 

[JAMIESMITH]

Our first trip to Disney was a five night stay at The Polynesian since then only AKL has come close to that coming home feeling. We at least visit The Poly for a meal every trip, but we haven't been able to afford to stay there since our first trip during the last great recession.