CR Garden wing vs AOA Family Suite

[minerva78]

I haven't been on the boards much lately, so I don't know when the 2018 dates were released. But when I looked today and saw I could book for June 2018, I got right on it. I was willing to spurge a bit for this trip, so I looked to see what was available, and boom, there was a Garden Wing standard view at the CR available for my dates! I knew this to be the cheapest way to stay at a monorail resort, and I know these rooms go fast, so I booked it straight away. I really never cared for this resort, particularly the garden rooms, because I like the idea of staying at a nicely themed resort. But like most people I figured the monorail resort was worth it.

Problem is, the room I have always wanted to stay in was the Nemo Suite at the AOA resort. Our girls will be 9 and 10 at the time, and though I had wanted to take them to Disney when they were younger, I still think they will LOVE the theming of the resort, as much as I love the pictures I've seen. I also love the proximity to the food court, pool, and LOVE the separate bedroom, kitchenette, and much larger living space of the rooms. When I checked the cost of the AOA suite to the Garden room, they were the EXACT same price - seriously, a less than $2 difference.

So I am trying to figure out if the Garden room at the CR may be worth it over the AOA suite. On one hand, I know being on the monorail is super convenient. We will be there for 6 nights and likely spend 2 days at MK and 1 at Epcot. I don't plan on staying in the parks all day, so we will have down time in our room and at the resort. CR would be more convenient.

BUT, there is another factor in play. My husband and I are in the process of getting our home based travel agency off the ground. One of the things we plan on doing are taking lots of pictures while on vacation and posting them to our business Instagram and Facebook accounts, as well as our website with a blog. Our business focus will be on cruises, particularly Caribbean cruises, and our target audiences will be group travel and family travel. However I would also like to develop a side specialty in Disney travel. So not only would I personally love to stay in an AOA suite, I think the theming of the resort and room would be very appealing to families.

I am really starting to lean towards changing my booking to the Nemo AOA suite, both for personal and business reasons. Am I missing something with the theming of CR? It really doesn't appear themed to me. Are the buses so bad that the convenience of the monorail is really worth it? I really have no idea. I haven't been to Disney since I was a child, but I have been researching Disney extensively and have been trying to take my family there for YEARS - but my husband and kids always out vote me in favor of cruises, lol. But I told my husband, I am putting my foot down and we ARE going to Disney in June. I have years of cruise pictures I can use in advertising, damn it, I'm getting some Disney pictures and promote our Disney experience!

I just need some reassurance that I am NOT crazy for giving up the location of a monorail resort, because I really have no idea how crucial this is to promote a happy Disney vacation. I am a huge Disney flip-flopper, and I want to make a decision NOW and stick with it! I figure the Nemo suites won't sell out as fast as the Garden rooms, but I don't want to wait too long to change my booking either. Thanks!

 

[mi*vida*loca]

I would always choose deluxe over value. Especially with the prices of those suites being about as much as the CR GV rooms.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

None of the deluxe resorts have the over the top themes of AOA (or other values, which rely on big cement icons that are in your face).

The monorail's convenience is often overstated. It has a lot of downtime.

I think you need to evaluate if the in your face theming is important, or proximity. You walk to MK from CR. The Epcot monorail is actually kind of a nuisance from CR, as you go monorail to TTC then change platforms, and on the return you have to go all the way around from the TTC.

In addition, you'll all be in one room at CR, versus having a bedroom and kitchenette at AOA. That may matter. However, the girls will be on pull-outs at AOA, versus beds at CR.

AOA's pool does not have a waterslide. But CR's pools are the most boring of all deluxe, IMO. So there is also that. The AOA Big Blue pool, even without a slide, is pretty interesting in theme.

 

[Alabama Minnie]

IMO this would be a really good chance to try the suites at AofA. Your girls would be comfortable on the fold-outs. When they get older, this will NOT be the case because my DH and I slept on one of them. We were a group of 6 adults and a 2 year old. The only thing that was great about it was the 2 bathrooms. The theme there is GREAT though.

We have also stayed in CR garden-wing. The rooms are huge with the 2 queens and daybed and only 1 bathroom (which has sinks that I personally hate). I have never walked to MK though, went on the monorail loop, switched to Epcot at TTC.

I would suggest you consider a split-stay and do your MK/Epcot time at CR and your DHS/AK at AofA (you will have to drive or ride buses there anyway). We split-stay all the time, going to this next trip, but we drive-down. There are a lot of people on here who fly-down and do it too. Happy Planning!

 

[lady_hlh]

We love CR garden wing, I was never interested in staying at CR but my daughter chose it one year because she wanted to walk to MK. Now I love CR because nothing beats walking to MK. I think of the theme as being iconic disney and love the monorail running through the resort. We have had a standard view room and loved to watch the monorail coming out of the building. This year will be our first time with a garden view room because standard was sold out. I think taking the monorail to TC to get the Epcot monorail is not really a hassle. The pool is kind of boring but being right on the lake is nice.

 

[jennib5426]

I am in the same situation a Cars room at AoA or a cabin at Ft Wilderness, same price, two totally different experiences.
I have stayed in a garden wing room and we really liked it. The pool isn't that bad, has a good size slide and water play area. Walking to MK is the best but taking 2 monorails to Epcot sucks and there is no bus to Epcot.
I have also stayed in a studio in BLT and I would choose the garden wing room over the small studio any day.

I loved POP before I had kids so I know we would love AoA.

It's a hard choice

 

[quandrea]

I don't like AofA. Too loud, too busy, not relaxing at all. I would always pick Deluxe over value. You will be able to walk to the MK. It's a lovely resort. Great counter service, lots of dining options, Monorail or boat transportation to other area hotels. CR is the clear winner.

 

[minerva78]

Thanks for the input everyone. My husband and I went back and forth on this last night, with no resolution. So I decided that I would take the plunge and book a standard room at the Poly! It's about $560 more than CR and AOA for the week, which stings, but it gives us the convenience of the monorail (which my husband really wants, although he is concerned about whatever down time the monorail has) and the beautiful theme of the Poly, which I really want! Plus I love the food options there, even the QS, which is where we will primarily eat. It's more money, on an already expensive vacation, but I have almost a year to save. Already plan on adding 5% off gift cards to my Disney Vacation Account, which also gives me a $20 gift card for every $1000 spent. I've always wanted to stay there, and I'm glad our business gives me a reason to justify the cost! Not just for the advertising but I'm using the increased commission to justify the Poly as well, LOL.

 

[ColoradoMom12]

I was going to say I'd go with CR. We've only stayed at AoA once. The price is why won't stay there again. We usually travel as a family of 4 so we fit into a room at other resorts. The theming there is a little over the top but still nice, and the pool is great. Our kids prefer it to the pool at the CR. I would not say we love the theming of the CR, but the convenience (especially at the price of the garden wing) is what makes it attractive to us.

But the Poly sounds amazing!!! I am sure you will love it. We've visited the resort but never stayed there. That is a dream for us. Hopefully we'll stay there one day!

 

[minerva78]

Haha, funny story.

I had been talking to my husband about these different more expensive options (AOA suite, CR, Poly) but had kinda left out the actual prices. When I told him I made the change to Poly, it was only $560 more, he groaned and said that was way too much extra. So I finally broke it to him how much the options were, he told me I had completely lost my mind! He said we could go on a 7 day Disney cruise in a balcony (which I really want to do more) for that much, with meals included! He said I need to snap back into reality. LOL

So now we are booked at Pop Century for 7 nights, instead of 6, which gives us a full non-park day, for about $2200 less than the Poly trip. I guess being on the monorail wasn't that important to him after all.

Either way, I am SO excited. Once I read and saw a picture of the new refurbished rooms at Pop, with queen beds, I fell in love! I've wanted to stay at Pop as well, just didn't like the idea of double beds, so now that's not the problem. Is it as nice as a monorail resort? No. But the look my husband gave me when I told him the monorail prices, I knew I didn't have a chance! LOL. But I am so happy to be at an in-your-face themed Disney resort.

Oh well. Thanks for everyone's opinion anyhow!

 

[lady_hlh]

I have been trying to justify booking the Poly some day and even booked it with a free dining BB offer last year but then decided it wasn't worth paying that much more so we're back at CR next month. Nice to know that they switched to queen beds at the POP, that was our first resort which we really enjoyed except for those double beds.

 

[Jaimie1911]

This made me laugh! For our last time I had us booked at POFQ, Beach Club, looked at Poly and CR garden Wing, a Cars suite at AoA, and finally ended up in a Nemo suite followed by a couple nights in AKV. Too many good choices out there!

 

[ColoradoMom12]

I think you'll really like Pop Century. It's a great resort and among our favorites at WDW. Our kids like it better than the CR, and as far as theming, I do too. It obviously doesn't have the convenience of the CR in terms of proximity to MK, but the buses at Pop are efficient. I think the bus service there is better than at the deluxe resorts in fact! It looks overwhelmingly big when you see it on a map, but the resort was laid out well. Nothing is a very long walk, and (unless you're taking a shortcut through the parking lot), it's a fun walk! And if you want even more Disney, just head over to AoA. Lots of people think the food is better there. We like the food at Pop Century fine, though.