Bonnet Creek or Port Orleans Riverside?

[Mommydar]

Please help.
We are planning on going next spring with my parents, and we're trying to figure out if we will stay on-site at POR or at WBC. If we stayed at POR, we would book two rooms. With the 7 for 4 deal, I priced out no-expiration, 10-day water park fun and more tickets (we plan to go back many times in the future), and the balance cost of one room was $350 or so. My parents would still have to rent out their own room, but since they probably won't stay seven nights, will get a room only rate when a deal is released.
Or... we could stay at WBC, all together in a two bedroom for $600 for the week. I'd still have to buy the 10 day ne, wpf tickets, but it would be at full price.
We more than likely will not buy the dining plan if on-site. We probably plan to do 4 days total of parks.
We stayed on-site last year at Pop Century, and loved the magical experience, but WBC looks gorgeous, and I must say even nicer than moderate level resorts in the park.
HELP!

 

[Brian Noble]

Figure on a room-only deal in peak season, they'll be paying about $140/night for their room, maybe more if demand recovers.

Assuming your total cost is similar, if the Bonnet Creek unit is a 1BR, I might rather have two rooms at POR so that I had two bathrooms and real beds for everyone. IF the Bonnet Creek unit is a 2BR, I'd probably lean that way for the nicer room/amenities, etc.

 

[Mommydar]

Bonnet creek will be a two bedroom. I really am leaning more towards it too. It looks like a nicer resort all around. I am just smitten with the Disney magic though - I have to get over it.

 

[A Mickeyfan]

I have stayed at PO many many times over the years. This past Aug I stayed in a 2 bedroom at Bonnet Creek. Bonnet Creek gets my vote. The pools there are awesome, the views from some of the bldgs over look EPCOT..
You would have the option to eat in the unit, do your laundry if needed.. each bedroom comes with it's own flat screen TV... While it doesn't have the Mickey Shower Curtains and the Mickey soaps or wall paper... it is a beautiful resort and clearly puts any Disney Moderate to shame...

 

[princessap]

Can I please ask who you are booking Bonnet Creek through?? we are going in the spring as well and the cheapest I have been quoted for a 2 bedroom is 840 for the week...so 600 would be great!
Thanks!
We debated the same thing and everyone on these boards convinced me that Bonnet Creek was the way to go!

 

[kidsister]

I'm spending 4 nights at OKW and then 3 at Bonnet Creek (I own DVC but hate paying double for weekend nights). The nightly cost at BC compares with a value resort, so its a no brainer.

If you stay at BC, add in the $14 parking charge a day for the theme parks. (A car rental is really helpful here as the bus service is not magical. The Waldorf will have service e very half hour, but I don't know if they will be sharing that with the BC resort.

BC is closer than some Disney hotels to the theme parks, and if you'redriving, I don't think you'll notice much difference..I even got a Welcome Home last trip!

 

[A Mickeyfan]

Can I please ask who you are booking Bonnet Creek through?? we are going in the spring as well and the cheapest I have been quoted for a 2 bedroom is 840 for the week...so 600 would be great!
Thanks!
We debated the same thing and everyone on these boards convinced me that Bonnet Creek was the way to go!

I went thru Redweek.com and met a guy named Paul. He doesn't charge an "extra" fee for the guest confirmation as some other people do. I will pm you with his email... I don't think I am allowed to post it here...

 

[Mommydar]

We were able to get that rate as an extra vacation through RCI. I think Bonnet Creek is going to win out. I will probably buy the tickets through Undercover Tourist and save some money on that.

 

[hartyjs]

amickeyfan

Will you alsp please pm me Paul's contact information? I am interested in booking Bonnet Creek in the spring as well.

 

[Lisa AF]

We have stayed at both PO and BC and will always choose BC now. Loved it! We are have teenagers. If we had younger children I might be more inclined to stay in a Disney resort.

 

[guelde96]

Could you please pm me Paul's information also. We have been looking into BC in the spring also. Your rate is much better than what I have found. Thanks

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

I'm spending 4 nights at OKW and then 3 at Bonnet Creek (I own DVC but hate paying double for weekend nights). The nightly cost at BC compares with a value resort, so its a no brainer.

If you stay at BC, add in the $14 parking charge a day for the theme parks. (A car rental is really helpful here as the bus service is not magical. The Waldorf will have service e very half hour, but I don't know if they will be sharing that with the BC resort.

BC is closer than some Disney hotels to the theme parks, and if you'redriving, I don't think you'll notice much difference..I even got a Welcome Home last trip!

When did it go up? We were just there early Sept and it was $12/day.

 

[katallo]

When did it go up? We were just there early Sept and it was $12/day.

It was increased today!

 

[DonnaL]

We have stayed onsite, as DVC members, for all of our visits over the past nine years except one, which was this past January. We were meeting relatives at WDW and there were 11 adults, 8 of which were couples. The other three were two twenty somethings and one eighty something. So, our DVC options were pretty limited......studios for everyone, since even a grand villa wouldn't work with the mix we had. Instead of studios, with no w/d or full kitchen, we stayed offsite at Acadia Estates in a 6 bdrm pool home and loved it. Given the time frame we were there it worked great for us since the parks close earlier in January and we were able to just relax at the house in the evening.....we had a pool table, air hockey, foosball in addition to our own pool and hot tub on the screened lanai. We still love onsite and will continue to stay onsite, except when we have a very large group. Also, Bonnet Creek is as close as you can possibly get to staying onsite.......I would definitely do the 2 bdrm BC option over 2 single hotel rooms at POR (even though POR is very nice). However, that said, keep in mind unless someone in your party has an AP, you will be paying for parking every day. We didn't have that issue, since we have AP's, so even though we had two vehicles, we just made sure one of us was in each vehicle with our AP. You might want to price out an AP for one member of your party vs. a 10 day non-expiring PH......making sure to add the cost of daily parking onto the PH vs. the AP. Also, our adult kids used to get 10 day non expiring PH's until Disney changed the ticketing a few years ago.........even with a yearly price increase it still costs more because of the added expense of adding the nonexpiring option. So for the past few years they've only purchased a 6 or 7 day PH which expires 14 days from first use and found that to be more economical. You mentioned you probably would only use 4 park days so check out the price of a 4 day PH with options vs. the cost of a 10 day with options + non expiring.

 

[ms mouse]

We have never stayed offsite, but with no real deals over Christmas (no way we can stay 7 days) we are considering it. We are thinking about just taking a cab to the parks, anyone done this from Bonnet Creek, how much does it cost?

 

[Brian Noble]

I am just smitten with the Disney magic though - I have to get over it.

Well, if it helps, Stacy is on a loop on the TVs there. And, you can also request an "upper floor Epcot view"---with a little bit of luck, you'll have Spaceship Earth staring at you out your sliding glass door. We did---very nice.

 

[horseshowmom]

Well, if it helps, Stacy is on a loop on the TVs there. And, you can also request an "upper floor Epcot view"---with a little bit of luck, you'll have Spaceship Earth staring at you out your sliding glass door. We did---very nice.

If you ask for building 5 fireworks view, you can sit on your balcony and watch (and listen to) the fireworks each night from both Epcot and Magic Kindgom.

 

[webprinter]

There is a shuttle from BC if you don't want to pay for a cab or parking. We own a Wyndham timeshare and BC is our favorite Wyndham resort. We have stayed there multiple times and see a number of people taking the shuttle. I don't think it is run by BC but it is free. I think it might be a maingate shuttle. Bonnet Creek is a very nice condo complex. We love it.

 

[Mommydar]

How is shuttle service from Bonnet Creek? I have heard mixed reviews - it can be reliable, but it can be unreliable too. Is it scheduled?
I think we are definitely going to do WBC and request building five, upper level fireworks view. I can't wait. Now if May will just get here already I don't mind paying the parking. Do you have to pay to park at the water parks? My plan is doing the 10 day magic your way water park tickets with no expiration is that we could use it over the next five years or so - doing two water parks (hubby loves them) and two theme parks each visit. Plus have downtime to just relax in Orlando (we usually stay seven nights). I think that will be better than an annual pass since that expires after a year.

 

[Princess Disney Mom]

I think Bonnet Creek is the way to go.