Best All Star Resort?

[tdsryan]

Which of the All Stars does this group think is the best? Not just in terms of theme, but practical matters, like layout and amenities. I stayed at All Star Music about eight years ago, and I thought it was nice. For my next WDW trip in Feb. 2004, I am considering All Star Movies. The pictures I have seen online of it look a little nicer than Music or Sports. Is there a difference, because Movies opened a few years after the other two?

Ryan

 

[palmtreegirl]

I think the Movies is by far the best one. The layout is better designed even the rooms that are the farthest out aren't that far, where as with the others it can be a hike. Also you can't beat the way it's themed, it's really cute!!

 

[TiggerPiglet]

I've stayed at Music and Movies, and I have to say I liked Movies more. It's newer, the theming is better and it seemed layed out really well.

 

[epcotitis]

We have stayed at all AS resorts. I like them all for their value. Amenities are really exactly the same. Themes depend on what you like. If you have kids that love sports then go for Sports. Both Sports and Music can be kind of far away in rroms form main pool and foodcourt/bus stops. Just request a good building and don't worry about it.
If you are stressed about how far from the bus stop to the room late at night after a long day go for Movies. I has the best layout.
Maybe Pop Century will be open by then.

 

[primax]

Pop Century? What is that? Just Kidding

 

[Poohbear123]

Convienence, try SPORTS! It is the FIRST on the Bus Line-up and Building 7 and 10 are the closest to the Food court with out PAYING EXTRA! You get dropped off first and Picked UP first, especially in the Morning.

 

[tdsryan]

Is there only one bus that services all three All Star Resorts? My parents stayed at Music, and said that there was always a separate bus going to Movies that always looked empty.

Ryan

 

[molly213]

We started our AS stays at sports and maybe because it has the best memories for us we still think it is the best. We have always stayed at Baseball which is close to the smaller pool. This last trip though it was overrun with teenagers so we ended up at the main pool most of the time. I may be imagining it but it seemed much less busy than Movies. We didn't care for it nearly as well.

 

[bobcat]

Most of the time each resort will have it's own bus, but during slower times like the middle of the day thay may share a bus. Also at park closing they will often share a bus. This really isn't a problem since even with the moderates they have more than one bus stop in each hotel. The busses are the best on property.

I like Music because it feels a little more adult and a little quieter. I can also usually get a discount here while Movies is hard to come by.

 

[monalsw]

ditto on music!

we've stayed at all three and i prefer music! sports was okay, just not our cup of tea as far as theming. movies was way cool, but very crowded and not easy to get discounts. music was just right...easy discount, central location (when we wanted to visit sports for pin trading or movies for icons), good bus service, nice atmosphere.

we're going back in november and had originally booked PO-R, but changed to asmu after considering the value (lucky we did, with rehab coming!). we're looking forward to being back at asmu for only $49 a night, again!

hth

 

[Howling Howie]

Monalsw: Please, please...how did you get such a cheap rate and is it good at all the value resorts? We've never stayed onsite at WDW (but love the Universal resorts) and would love to spend our two nights before a cruise there this November. Thanks.

 

[monalsw]

howie-before discovering this board, i thought you always had to pay rack rate for resorts, if you could even get a room! little did i know...

for our february trip, we bought annual passes for the purpose of getting the annual pass discount at asmu. it was value season, and we only paid $49 a night. while we were there, we got a door hanger with the 'comeback offer', which was 40% off rack rates at any of the resorts, before 12/31/03, as long as you booked that trip before you left this one. the offer expired in march i think, and the catch was that you had to book while at disney. we initially booked po-r for december, but due to blackout vacation dates at work, i had to change the dates. at the same time, i considered the money spent on room, and how little time we actually spend there, and changed to asmu (ap discounts are more likely at music and sports, not as common at movies). i was lucky, i've heard that some cm's would not modify a 'comeback' ressie.

my advice is to keep a close eye on these boards, any discounts that come out will be promptly shared! annual passes are worth it if you will spend more than 8 days in the 4 major parks within a year (only one member of your party needs to purchase an annual pass to get the room discount), but annual pass discounts on rooms are not guaranteed-they are sometimes offered and sometimes not. but, there have been several discounts open to everyone over the last year or so, this is the place to find them!

good luck and happy traveling!

 

[Music Mole]

Howie - check out Mary Waring's Mousesavers site and consider signing up for her monthly email newsletter. That is where I have gotten all my codes for our stays. She posts AP rates, rates for everyone, as well as rates for special groups (reisdents of GA or FL, for example). I have subscribed to the "watchit" or "pagemonitor" feature for the codes page, and it emails me every time it's updated. It makes it really easy to stay on top of when the codes come out. Good Luck!

Back on topic - we stayed at AS Music at Christmas and loved it - loved the theming and it was a great first exposure to the All Stars Resort. This next trip will be at AS Movies - I love the theming there and am curious to see if we develop a preference for one of the AS over another.

 

[Luv2Roam]

I have stayed at ASMo (Woody building) and twice at ASMu. And have walked all three.
They are so interchangeable, guests should just go with what theme they like best.
I liked ASMo better, only because of the theming. I'm not a sports fan, and ASSp is gaudier (IMHO). But hey, people are there for the atmosphere (and cheap $ ) and can see where many would love ASSp!
Agree, bus-wise, ASSp is better for location.
In January, I was surprised at how much obviously busier ASMo was over ASMu. Once I saw the waiting lines for the busses at ASMo, I said more than once I was glad we weren't there afterall. Although I doubt the bus service was a huge problem at ASMo.
(ASMo was not offering the AP discount room rate for our October or January trips.)
I think the overall resort layout is better at ASMo and ASSp, only because it isn't a corridor going straight back like ASMu. But even at Rock Inn, the walk was not a big deal at ASMu.

 

[Poohbear123]

I am NOT a Sports fan either, but at 55 a night I Don't CARE!

 

[Luv2Roam]

Poohbear123 --AGREE

We aren't resort people. We are in the parks all day. So as long as we have a shower/bed, clean room & decent transportation -- who cares?
I always look at it if I wanted to lounge around a pool, I can do that here. I don't need to go to FL and do it.

 

[Poohbear123]

 

[sneezy1956]

I honestly think All Star Movies is the best.

I will never stay at Sports again. We have had 2 AWFUL visits at sports never again. Kids in the pools screaming and yelling till 2 or 3 a.m. kids on the football field just as late CM's that don't seem to care if you are being disturbed and not willing to enforce rules

We have had 3 or 4 wonderful stays at Movies. Room is alwasy clean, CM's seem to really care about your stay. Pools are monitored at night and if folks in the pools get loud they are told to either quiet down or they will be asked to leave. The food court is clean and well maintained. My only gripe is that poeple like to smoke outside of non-smoking rooms. (My son and I are both asthmatics and can't handle smoke at all.)

My pick would be:

1) Movies
2) Music
3) Off site if I couldn't afford Disney!