Choosing Resorts for guests

[torsie24]

So we are only having like 30 guests. And to be honest I don't think any will book through the room block as ooking through Disney UK will get them better deals, so our free night doesn't look like it'll happen.

But I still like the idea of them only being spread across a couple of resorts - of course if any of them have their hearts set on other resorts we won't make them stay elsewhere. (Although none are Disney nuts, so TBH I doubt they know any of the resorts) So i want to make sure if they do go by our recommendations they aren't disappointed.

Ideally I'd like to recommend:

Grand Floridian

Animal Kingdom Lodge (or maybe WL as it's closer to the WP and GF, but I think AKL is nicer for the same ££)

Coronado Springs or POFQ - can't decide here as we haven't visited...

BUT - do you think I need to offer a value also?

Is offering 4 resorts too much?

I'd really appreciate some input, all I get from Jack is "I don't mind, whatever you decide, I want to stay at GF and BLT"

 

[*Pixiedust1438*]

I'm trying to decide this also. I would recommend offering a value resort, but I guess it depends on your guests. I am actually thinking of offering two values, because I know most of our guests will stay there. I am thinking two values, one moderate, and one deluxe. I don't think offering four is too many. If you are planning on staying at the GF, I would choose this so you can get the discount, plus it is so close to the WP that other guests might want to stay there as well. I have not stayed at WL or AKL, but have visited WL several times to use the pool (even though I don't think your really supposed to do that!), and I love it there, but AKL looks really nice too, so that is a toss up. AKL is kinda out of the way from everything, so that is one downside. I haven't visited either of the moderate resorts either, but from the pictures and research I've done, I like Coronado Springs better. All of your choices are good, so I'm sure your guests will be happy either way!

 

[Judy in Texas]

It all depends on the financial status of your guests. If I were invited to a wedding at WDW, I would want/need to stay at a value resort. For some guests, NOT offering a value resort may be the difference between being able to be part of your special day and having to miss it.

 

[torsie24]

Thanks Judy, I don't want to scare anyone with high prices. but I also don't want to leave out the GF, so I think offering 4 resorts will be the best way to go.

I am not really expecting many people to stay at the GF, maybe some of my parents friends, and one of my school friends who has a super rich boyfriend. But from talking to most of my friends then they like the Mods prices. I jsut want to include GF as all the wedding day is happening in/around it.

Which value is the best to offer? Not having a clue about them I am assuming Pop as it's newest. But are the All Stars more recently refurbished?

 

[Chilly]

Pop is very central so that is good.

 

[pezaddict231]

We blocked four resorts. GF since that is where the wedding is. CR since it's only a quick monorail ride away and with the block prices is the same as WL or AKL. CSR - we stayed there for a night in June and it was nice, maybe not as Disney to me, but they have a gym and salon there and they are the only moderate with queen beds, which I think our guests will appreciate. And Pop as the value. While our guests are free to stay at any resort they want, we will only be offering transportation to and from the wedding for the blocked resorts.

For the Deluxe (convention center) resorts the discount is actually pretty large, 30% off the rack rate, I don't know what the UK discounts typically are, but you may be surprised. Plus for 25 nights, you can include your own stay and if you have a few other guests staying a few nights you're pretty much there!

 

[pezaddict231]

oops double post

 

[bellebride116]

I dunno... I guess I feel differently than most. I like the idea of everyone staying at one resort. I hate the fact that all guests can be spread throughout all Disney hotels.

I would do the block of rooms at the Grand Floridian so guests get a discounted rate, since it's the most expensive. If they choose to not stay at your wedding hotel then the choice is up to them and they can pick whatever resort they want on {or off} Disney property. Even if they choose to stay at a moderate or value it will still be cheaper if they opt for that. But this way you can give your guests the best option for your wedding and try to have everyone together. I feel like getting to choose between four of five different hotels for guests is a lot of work for them.

 

[gemmybear83]

We have been struggling with this too! We have opted to stay at the swan and dolphin (basically price of a mod and next door to the wedding gazebo), it might not be disneyish but it's excellent value for money, great location for us and has great amenities, and it stops making me feel guilty over asking our guests to pay do much!

I prefer the location of pop and it's getting a refurb in 2010.

On terms of csr vs pofq. Personally I would go for csr, I loved csr when we stated there the rooms are the nicest moderate (nicer than wl cl in our experience!), and it has the greatest number of facilities, it truly felt like a resort. We liked the fact it was a covention hotel as the customer service was much better. We didn't really like the look of pofq to be honest, it just looked like a motel and there was much going on, we loved the look of por and hope to stay there in the future, but I think a lot of it is down to
personal opinion!

 

[torsie24]

Thanks for the ehads-up on the Pop refurb Gemma!

You hadn't told me you didn't like POFQ. We totally meant to visit it and CSR on our trip, but just kept doing other stuff instead!

I think if we squeeze in a planning session next November then we'll stay at CSR if there are good AP rates, although that is me talking, so you'll know I'll book CSR then change my mind twice before going!

 

[torsie24]

Do all resort benefit from the discounts?

Am I right in thinking it's 10% for Values
20% for mods
20% for non-convention Deluxes
and 30% for GF/CR?

 

[pezaddict231]

pretty much, but I think it is:

Values - about 10% (could actually be slightly less)
Moderates - about 15% (could be slightly less)
Deluxe - Non convention - can't remember what this is now
Deluxe (convention center) - 30% (GF, CR, BC/YC, BWI)

So for the values / moderates, a AAA rate would give them really the same discount, and if Disney has any special rates those would probably be better. But something is better than nothing.

For the Deluxe (CC) it's hard to beat that rate, you'd have to get a pin or really great promotional rate. For our wedding the GF rate is around $100 off a night. For a party of two that would even be better than free dining.

 

[tiggerrifficheidi]

I struggled with the room block more than ANYTHING. To me, it was impossible to get into everyone's heads and decide how and where they wanted to stay (and for how many days).

Since the vast majority of the wedding events were at the GF, that was a no-brainer, and as pezaddict mentions...the CR was convenient as well. I thought the opportunity to stay at a 30% off rate was a good opportunity for most, so we booked those two and left out a mod. We did book a value, as well. Ironically...ALL of our block was filled...and I was stunned! We could have used more rooms at the value and more at the GF. The CR seemed to be the least desirable, even though it was much cheaper than GF, but almost as convenient.

One other thing to note...I was told that if someone books a room NOT through the block, you can get their reservation # and apply it to your block. There are separate reservation cast members that deal with wedding room blocks, so I was getting weekly emails from one on the status of our block. You can just contact this person and have the "Non-block" reservation count toward your wedding...as long as it is at a WDW resort.

 

[MegKate]

One other thing to note...I was told that if someone books a room NOT through the block, you can get their reservation # and apply it to your block. There are separate reservation cast members that deal with wedding room blocks, so I was getting weekly emails from one on the status of our block. You can just contact this person and have the "Non-block" reservation count toward your wedding...as long as it is at a WDW resort.

Exactly what Heidi said!! You just need the ressie number!

I did Pop and POFQ and it worked out well. Most people stayed off property due to having timeshares elsewhere. At the last minute I put in the Contemporary because of my flower girl's family wanted a place where she could wake up and see the castle. I was lucky to have an incredible reservation specialist (read: Goddess!) who helped a ton - love Anaeli!! Our final guest count was 34 and we just made our room block thanks to the DISBrides!

 

[lurkyloo]

One thing to remember, though, is that any Disney rooms booked outside your block will not count toward the number of rooms required to get a free night. However, as Tiggerificheidi said, they will satisfy the number required by your contract.

Also, non-convention Deluxe hotels usually only get a discount of about 15% thru the room block.

 

[torsie24]

Thanks Heidi, Meg and Carrie.

We are pretty much expecting not to get our free night (bummer but I don't want to deny our guests the chance of free DDP or other good Disney UK discounts to save ourselves $800). But we want to guide our guests to a couple of resorts so they can take advantage of the wedding day transportation.

Maybe we'll just make our room block AKL and GF and then that's where my parents and Jack and I will be staying so we'll know we'll fulfill it. Also if we do have to pay for his Mum and sisters we can include their rooms too.

Will Jack and I be able to count ourselves for the 15 nights we're on property? Or is it only a certain number of days around the wedding? As if we added my parents to our 15 we might actually be abel to do the 25 with only one more guest.group if someone chooses to go with a room block discount and not Disney UK!

 

[lurkyloo]

Yes - your stay counts, no matter how long it is.

We actually extended our room block to about 2 weeks so we could include one of our stays that fell more than a week after the wedding.

 

[torsie24]

Thanks Carrie. Amazing news. It makes the Contemporary look very promising! 30% off could almost make it win over BLT that we're currently planning.