Booking remorse...

[jemeh5]

I just posted this on the Disney Resorts website and wanted to post it here to, to get opinions from both forums. I hope that's okay...

We currently have a split stay booked - 3 nights at the Yacht Club (with 40% discount), but then the next 4 nights are offsite at Wyndham Bonnet Creek b/c the 40% expired for the 2nd half of our trip. Now I'm questioning our decision and wondering if we should have booked the 2nd half at the Dolphin. There are five of us - two parents and three daughters ages 16, 13 and 9. I know we'll be cramped at the Dolphin, but I'm wondering if we'll regret being off property. The prices will be comparable b/c with WBC we'll have to rent a car and at the Dolphin we won't.

Opinions? Why oh why do I constantly re-analyze??? Ack!!

 

[Upatnoon]

I just posted this on the Disney Resorts website and wanted to post it here to, to get opinions from both forums. I hope that's okay...

We currently have a split stay booked - 3 nights at the Yacht Club (with 40% discount), but then the next 4 nights are offsite at Wyndham Bonnet Creek b/c the 40% expired for the 2nd half of our trip. Now I'm questioning our decision and wondering if we should have booked the 2nd half at the Dolphin. There are five of us - two parents and three daughters ages 16, 13 and 9. I know we'll be cramped at the Dolphin, but I'm wondering if we'll regret being off property. The prices will be comparable b/c with WBC we'll have to rent a car and at the Dolphin we won't.

Opinions? Why oh why do I constantly re-analyze??? Ack!!

With 5 people, I would cancel the Yacht Club and do the entire stay at Bonnet Creek. I don't like being cramped in a hotel room. From bonnet creek, I can drive to the boardwalk in 5 minutes.

You will also have 2 bathrooms at Bonnet Creek assuming you get a 2 or 3 bedroom. With 4 women in the room, that would be useful.

Now if you were to offer me a 2 bedroom at the Beach Club or Boardwalk, or you get 2 hotels room the Dolphin, I would go for that, but is that in your budget?

 

[rie'smom]

After the Grand Floridian and Coronado Springs, the Dolphin is our favorite! The restaurants are great as is the staff!!If you want queen sized beds instead of double beds, get a room at the Swan which is also fabulous.
Check out this link for great deals which are updated fairly often:
http://swandolphin.com/offers/index.html

 

[ez]

I would keep your ressies just as you have, I am a former dvc owner and have also stayed at the dolphin and almost every deluxe resort on disney property...and you will LOVE bonnet creek. We stayed at bonnet creek a couple weeks ago and went over to the beach club to do the character breakfast...the whole lobby at beachclub was such a madhouse...couldnt wait to get back to our suite at bonnet creek. I prefer it to disney properties, please give it a chance

 

[jemeh5]

I'm leaning towards keeping the reservations I have but if I could afford 2 rooms at the Dolphin, I think I'd switch in a second. Thanks for everyone's opinions - I love reading them and wouldn't mind more!

 

[kvnchapman]

Just keep in mind that WBC is in Disney property, just not "on" Disney property. It's next door to Carribean Beach Resort, and though not walking distance to the park, it's close and next to the moderates. You can see DHS and Epcot from WBC. HTH!

 

[jeff968]

After the Grand Floridian and Coronado Springs, the Dolphin is our favorite! The restaurants are great as is the staff!!

Hadn't I read that Disney no longer owns/manages the Dolphin/Swan? I recall someone posting that the quality was slipping. When was the last time you were there?

 

[ez]

I would still choose bonnet creek over 2 rooms at the dolphin...I was disappointed when we stayed there...the rooms felt very small. Sure a two bedroom at beach club or boardwalk would be great but the $$$ price of that is unbelievable. I got a 3 bedroom at bonnet creek for 120 a night off ebay. Cash for a two bedroom dvc resort would probably be 10x that much.Plus at bonnet creek...there are fabulous pools everywhere...one leads right to the next...at the dolphin I felt like it was all a huge hike...we were exhausted by the time we found the pool...just saying

 

[Straitlover]

When are you going? Travelzoo.com is showing a special for the Dolphin for certain dates through 2/20/12:

http://www.travelzoo.com/hotels/orl...t-Disney-World-4-Star-Hotel-Save-65--1146579/

Today's the last day to book, though.

 

[Lewisc]

Hadn't I read that Disney no longer owns/manages the Dolphin/Swan? I recall someone posting that the quality was slipping. When was the last time you were there?

Disney never owned/managed the Swan or Dolphin. They're both Starwood properties. Disney leases the land. Disney had a say in the design of the hotel.

I stayed there last December and the quality was excellent.

 

[swilshire]

With 5 people, I would cancel the Yacht Club and do the entire stay at Bonnet Creek. I don't like being cramped in a hotel room. From bonnet creek, I can drive to the boardwalk in 5 minutes.

You will also have 2 bathrooms at Bonnet Creek assuming you get a 2 or 3 bedroom. With 4 women in the room, that would be useful.

Now if you were to offer me a 2 bedroom at the Beach Club or Boardwalk, or you get 2 hotels room the Dolphin, I would go for that, but is that in your budget?

That's my vote, too. A car for the whole time wouldn't be much more expensive (and might even be less because of weekly pricing). You can drive to the parks from Bonnet Creek quicker in most cases than you can take the Disney buses.

We like having a full kitchen and washer/dryer. I hate coming home from vacation with a pile of dirty laundry and we pack lighter when we can throw a load in while we get ready in the morning. We don't like sitting in restaurants multiple times a day. We prefer our own food in our own place.

Sheila

 

[Belle5]

I know others don't seem to mind, but put us in the camp of those who HATE switching resorts in the middle of a vacation!! It is such a time waster and TIME is MONEY in WDW! Also, I have to agree with whoever mentioned it being a lot more comfortable for four women to have two bathrooms to share instead of one. We just stayed at a Wyndham timeshare property in another state and may just never be able to stay happily in a cramped hotel room again!

 

[mousemom11]

That's my vote, too. A car for the whole time wouldn't be much more expensive (and might even be less because of weekly pricing). You can drive to the parks from Bonnet Creek quicker in most cases than you can take the Disney buses.

We like having a full kitchen and washer/dryer. I hate coming home from vacation with a pile of dirty laundry and we pack lighter when we can throw a load in while we get ready in the morning. We don't like sitting in restaurants multiple times a day. We prefer our own food in our own place.

Sheila

I agree. We love the freedom of having a car. It frees us up to go grocery shopping and when we do go out to eat, to go to offsite restaurants, which are cheaper and faster than eating on property.

For less than the price of a moderate and a LOT less than a deluxe, we get 3-4 times the space, multiple bathrooms (with 3 females, it's a must), kitchen, washer/dryer.