Buyers remorse over $$$ spent for GF- Final Decision Update!

[triplefigs]

We're currently booked at the GF GV (2 rooms) for Nov 29-Dec 6. DH and I just think it's beautiful, we're big Christmas fanatics (the decorations), and it's on the monorail. HOWEVER, every time I look at what it's going to cost, I nearly faint (and think what I could spend the extra $$ on while there- it could pay for tickets and almost all the food if we stayed at a Moderate). I am just afraid if we keep the GF that the entire time we are there DH and I will both be thinking about how much $$ we're spending instead of enjoying our trip! We definitely want 2 rooms, so cancelling one room is not an option.

So, in anticipation of switching our reservation, I've priced out the Contemporary Garden Wing, WL Courtyard View, and Poly GV. We are open to other Deluxe (AKL, BWI, YC, BC) and the Moderates (probably POFQ or POR). With the Wing Rooms at CR, I could save $1470 (based this on the current AP rates as they are for Value Season and we're going in Value Season) and $1316 for a Courtyard View at WL. Poly GV would save us $630.

So, what would you do? We will be at MK for 2.5 days, Epcot once, and DS once. We stayed at the Poly 10 years ago for our honeymoon and loved it. Convenience is a big factor for us with our triplets (they'll be 5 when we go).

Pros/Cons for each are:

Contemporary: Pros~ walk to MK, on the Monorail, CM, big rooms
Cons~ not really decorated for Christmas, rooms in Wing need refurbishing, no balcony in Garden Rooms

WL: Pros~ balcony, great theming, boat to MK, great Christmas decorations, everything under one roof
Cons~ not on Monorail, smaller rooms, heard buses can be long

Poly:
Pros~ Beautiful resort, location to TTC and on monorail, theming, Ohanas and Konas, watch Wishes from Beach
Cons~ not decorated for Christmas, may be long walk to GCH

GF
Pros~ beautiful, Monorail and boats, Christmas decorations, turn-down service, 1900 Park Fare, kids activities
Cons~ COST!!!!!!!!!!!!! Cost!!!!!! (did I mention- COST!!!)

So, I really need some advice! Thanks in advance.

 

[Muushka]

Wow, you sure did your homework!

Just to get a little more info-have you stayed at any of these resorts yet?

 

[WDWDennis]

In recent years, my wife and I always prefered to get the nicer room and spend less(although we never actually did spend less). One time, years ago, I wanted a nice room, but decided to save money and go a cheaper route. I regreted it the entire time I was there and swore I would never do it again.

Of course, now that I'm older and have a child, I'm starting to think of ways to cut costs at WDW, so lesser hotels are the easiest options. Luckily we joined DVC, so most trips we use that. When we pay cash, we usually stay at a moderate.

You have a tough decision to make. You know all the pros and cons. It just comes down to where you want your money to go!! Are you sticking to a budget while your there?? If not, I'd go with the GF and have a great time with your credit card, then feel guilty when your back home!

Good luck to you!!

 

[mcbj]

I keep running into your posts, so knowing your background I think the WL would work out really well for you. I too hope to some day stay at the GF but would be constantly thinking about the cost.

We stayed at the WL two years ago with our then 4 year old DS and loved it. The boak to MK is great and quick. Our DS loved the Monorail, so we also took the boat to either the CR or MK and got on the Monorail to go to Epcot. We did not find the bus to be slow. We also liked being able to go to the other resorts CR, GF via the resort boat. We also rented a pontoon boat on our last trip and did our own water tour of the resorts, this was one of the highlights of our last trip.

The other positive for the WL would be its compact size, everything is in a fairly small space, I think it is one of the smallest resorts. The bus stop is close to the lobby. Easy to get around.

We too love Christmas, in fact we had a Christmas wedding and will be celebrating our 10th during our trip. I have heard the decorations are great and the warmth of the fireplace really sets the tone. I also saw on Allears, that they have sleigh rides.

Don't quote me on this, but I believe I read that Travel magazine rated it one of the top three resorts in the country for families. (Or something like that)

Finally, I think the WL is the cheapest of the resorts you mentioned, more money to spend on all those Christmas gifts.

Good Luck in your decision!

 

[sharonk]

I have stayed at all of these resorts (except the Poly) and love them all, so I don't think you can wrong with any of your choices.

If convenience is your biggest factor:

With your triplets and the amount of time you'll be at the MK, I would lean toward the Contemporary. The convenience of walking to the MK can't be beat.

On the other hand, if you're really concerned about the ambience of the resort (with convenience being a close second) go for the GF. It is really beautiful and you still have the convenience of the monorail. We stayed there just once (a year ago when kids were 2, 6, 8) and I was really worried about being dissappointed in the hotel (because of the huge amount of money we were paying and my high expectations) but afterward I had no regrets. We can't afford to stay there all the time. but I'm so glad we did it once.

WL has a great ambience too, and the small rooms won;t matter so much if you have two rooms, but I don't really like the transportation options from WL.

Good luck with your choice!

Sharon

 

[DisneycrazedX6]

Hi!!! Are your rates without codes??? Are you passholders and if not would you become one to get a hotel deal? I would love to stay at the GF but can't justify the cost. How about renting from a DVC member,just a thought.

 

[MickeyMagic]

I think the best Christmas atmosphere is at WL. I love it there!!!

 

[triplefigs]

Wow, you sure did your homework!

Just to get a little more info-have you stayed at any of these resorts yet?

Just the Poly, but that was in 1995 for our honeymoon. We were in Tuvalu with a Lagoon View (not in the budget now!)

 

[triplefigs]

Hi!!! Are your rates without codes??? Are you passholders and if not would you become one to get a hotel deal? I would love to stay at the GF but can't justify the cost. How about renting from a DVC member,just a thought.

Yes, these are passholder rates. I was basing my figures on the current rates (July 5- Aug) for the Deluxes since they are in Value Season (and it will be Value Season when we go). These of course are estimates, but should still give a reasonable comparison of amount of money saved.

 

[Yardbird]

Another vote for WL. It is a beautiful, affordable resort. We have never had a problem with the transportation. I do love GF, but for the difference in the price, I'll go with WL.

 

[cookielulu]

Hi Triplefigs! I don't know if I can help you with your dilemma but I noticed you were married April 1st - that is my anniversary also !! We don't have triplets but do have a DD14. It is such an interesting day to get married!

Anyway,back to your dilemma. LY we were at the WL for Christmas and the atmosphere is BEAUTIFUL but the rooms are so small - for us. We personally love the Contemporary - simply for the convenience of being able to walk to the MK. The Polynesian is decorated nicely for Christmas but in a Beachy theme. If you can afford the GF - go for it!

HTH - but I really wanted to comment on your wedding date - it's a good day!

 

[triplefigs]

You have a tough decision to make. You know all the pros and cons. It just comes down to where you want your money to go!! Are you sticking to a budget while your there?? If not, I'd go with the GF and have a great time with your credit card, then feel guilty when your back home! Good luck to you!!

We'd like to keep the trip (not including souvenirs) for around $5000 (even that seems like a HUGE amount to me!).

Tickets will be around $1100, food estimate is $1000 (did a spread sheet with the menus/restaurants). that leaves about $3000 for a room which would include CR Wing, WL, AKL, and the moderates.

 

[triplefigs]

Hi Triplefigs! I don't know if I can help you with your dilemma but I noticed you were married April 1st - that is my anniversary also !! We don't have triplets but do have a DD14. It is such an interesting day to get married.
HTH - but I really wanted to comment on your wedding date - it's a good day!

Glad to meet another April Fool's Bride! Boy, did we get a ton of jokes pulled on us! And when we found out we were pregnant with triplets, everyone said "what did you expect getting married on April fool's Day?!" Guess God has a fantastic sense of humor too!

 

[triplefigs]

I keep running into your posts, so knowing your background I think the WL would work out really well for you. I too hope to some day stay at the GF but would be constantly thinking about the cost.

We stayed at the WL two years ago with our then 4 year old DS and loved it. The boak to MK is great and quick. Our DS loved the Monorail, so we also took the boat to either the CR or MK and got on the Monorail to go to Epcot. We did not find the bus to be slow. We also liked being able to go to the other resorts CR, GF via the resort boat. We also rented a pontoon boat on our last trip and did our own water tour of the resorts, this was one of the highlights of our last trip.

The other positive for the WL would be its compact size, everything is in a fairly small space, I think it is one of the smallest resorts. The bus stop is close to the lobby. Easy to get around.

We too love Christmas, in fact we had a Christmas wedding and will be celebrating our 10th during our trip. I have heard the decorations are great and the warmth of the fireplace really sets the tone. I also saw on Allears, that they have sleigh rides.

Don't quote me on this, but I believe I read that Travel magazine rated it one of the top three resorts in the country for families. (Or something like that)

Finally, I think the WL is the cheapest of the resorts you mentioned, more money to spend on all those Christmas gifts.

Good Luck in your decision!

Thank you for all your good advice. This is a tough decision. I really like the WL, but would love to be on the monorail and walk to MK. It ultimately depends on availablity, so I've emailed our DU agent to check into the options.

 

[Ladyhawke10]

Well, I think with your kids that the GF would be great because of the children's activites. The Alice in Wonderland tea party is great and my son loved it when he was four. He's done it twice. He did the pirate cruise also but I think he was a little young for that at the time. He LOVED 1900 character dinner w/ prince charming when he was four. OMG.
Yes, the decorations are gorgeous and it's a perfect time to go--I'm sure you've seen the gingerbread house and the monorail access to MK is the best.

But honestly, if money is a strong concern the savings for staying at the Poly sound considerable, and that's a lovely resort, too. I would vote for the Poly and then you will having great theming, transportation and resort options (the beach activities are a lot of fun for the kids as well) but are saving a bit. You can easily visit the GF and walk around in five minutes from the Poly. I love to go to Hawaii at Christmastime because the combination of palm trees and Christmas is kind of exotic to me Therefore, I think you could enjoy the decorations at the GF but still find much to love at the Poly next door with a more reasonable price.

I think w/ triplets the transportation from the monorail resorts is really the main thing to think about. I would choose the Poly over the Contemp for the theming and access to GF, since you love GF so much.

Have a great trip!

 

[DisneyWisher]

I say go for WL. If you are so concerned about what you are spending I think it will bother you more as time goes by. WL now has a bus to MK. A lot of people still don't know about it and its faster than taking the boat but taking the boat is more fun. Plus I can imagine your kids asking for Ketchup at WCC. LOL. GF is beautiful but I've read where it can be very stuffy. I prefer relaxing than worrying how much I am spending or how much money I have compared to others. With the money you save DH can rent a Watermouse and take the kids one at a time on a ride around Bay Lake and Seven Seas Lagoon. My daughters love it.

 

[BeccaGrace]

I posted a similar buyer's remorse post the other day--seems to be a lot of that going around! We were booked at the Poly and I realized the main reason I wanted to stay there was the monorail. After weighing all the pros and cons (in a detailed fashion, similar to your number crunching) we decided to switch to the WL. And since our days coincide with yours if you switch we could be neighbors!

Our main reasons for changing are the ones that have already been listed--the theming; the Christmas decorations; having things under one roof; boat to MK. I realized that this was where I really wanted to stay and that it wasn't worth another $100+ just to be on the monorail at a resort where the theme didn't leave me breathless.

My only concerns were room size and transportation. We have 3 adults (me, dh & my mom) and my 4 & 2 year old dds...DH and I were talking about it though and 341 sq. ft. is pretty standard to other hotel rooms we've stayed at comfortably. As for the transportation--after some of the monorail issues I read about on here recently I realized the monorail doesn't mean perfect wait-free travel all the time. And I know that to my kids a bus or boat ride isn't viewed as inconvenient, it's a total adventure. When I thought about it from their perspective I think they will like the variety of travel options and we can still take the monorail to Epcot so they get to experience it.

That said, if the GF does leave you breathless and fits in your budget then it comes down to what will stick in your mind--"Wow, this is a fabulous resort" or "I can't believe I spent so much money!". In our case the Poly fit our budget but when I realized I could spend the same amount of money on WL PLUS get the meal plan I realized that I'd rather do that and have all the money I would have brought earmarked for food to use for fun stuff.

Good luck with your decision--I totally sympathize because I was just in the same mind set. I can tell you that I feel really happy and at peace with my decision. I know I had the budget to spend on the room but I feel like I used my money better this way. There has to be a moment after the number crunching is done where the decision is based on what you feel in your gut rather than what it looks like on paper...with all the resort choices I've made since last November (yes, it took me 7 months to choose a resort) I realized WL was my first choice all the time but I got sucked into wanting bigger and better. Hope this helps and I hope maybe we will get to see you at WL while we are there!!!

 

[pirateofthecarolinas]

Book the resort that you can afford and be happy with the price paid. We always go during the 1st 2 weeks in Dec. A lot of times the resorts won't have any AP rates for the room booked. Last year there weren't any available at the GF on the weekend because the resort was booked to capacity. The WL only had AP rates left on court yard view rooms. If the CR doesn't have any tower rooms left then there won't be any AP discounts. It is even more difficult when you need AP rates for more than 1 room. I had 3 rooms last year.

I just want to make you aware that you can't count on a certain AP rate because it may not be offered even though it is slow season. The MK resorts fill up quickly during Dec. The AP rate game is a difficult one to play. You just have to be very flexible or willing to pay rack rate for some of your nights. Especially if you don't want to split your resort stay.

I've stayed at all 4 resorts. If you don't want to stay at the GF then I would pick the CR. I know how it is getting 3 children going in the same direction.

Lori

 

[webray]

Our favorite resort at Christmas is BWI...the lobby is so beautifully decorated.

We did concierge at GF for our anniversary..main building..saved up for it and spent a bundle. We didn't want to stay at GF unless we could do it up right for a special occasion. Well, the GF was less than grand, and I would take a value resort before I would book GF again. It is a great place to visit..but we will never, ever stay there again.

Our vote..choose another resort.

 

[minniesota]

We have stayed at all of the resorts you mentioned (deluxes) and YC, BC and BWI. We have stayed at GF, BC, WL and BWI at Christmas. And we have stayed at GF 6 or 7 times. All that being said, we love the GF - especially at Christmas. And we love it for all of the reasons you posted.

I think you should consider a different kind of resort remorse. The year we stayed at WL, we couldn't help but long for the GF during our stay. EVery time we saw the GF across the lagoon - or every time things were'nt going as well as we expected at WL - we would look at each other as think "why didn't we stay at the GF?" LOL. So you see, you can still have resort remorse!

A final note - when my DH and I were celebrating our 10th anniversary we decided to go to Maui and stay at the Four Seasons. We had never spent that kind of money on a hotel and kept wondering if we were crazy. We knew we could stay someplace cheaper and have all that extra money for meals, etc. Well, to this day, it ranks as our very best vacation ever. It was a special trip and we went all out - we have never regretted it!