Deluxe, DVC or Waldorf Astoria for Honeymoon Fall 2021

[Miss Frankie J]

Hello all,

Me and my Fiancé were supposed to get married in August 2020 with a two week Honeymoon that consisted of a 7 night cruise and a 7 night stay at AKL. Due to Covid we had postponed our wedding (Twice) and cancelled our original Honeymoon plans and are now looking to rebook our honeymoon for September/October 2021. AKL Jambo house was my dream resort but since Jambo house has no set reopening date yet we are overwhelmed with the choice of picking a new Honeymoon resort. Our plan is to use my timeshare for one week, and pick another resort to replace the cruise.

We want a resort that gives us the amenities of what the cruise would have offered. (Amazing onsite dining, Spas, beautiful views, pools with possible cabana rentals, ect) We just don't know what to go with. Our options that we are stuck between are Yacht & Beach Club (Deluxe), Riviera, Copper Creek Villas, Kidani Villas (DVC), or The Waldorf Astoria (Offsite).

We are leaning towards a DVC or the Waldorf Astoria but I guess wanted to hear opinions and feedback on what we should go with. Should we splurge for a DVC and if so which one? Should we try the Waldorf Astoria? Or should we book a Deluxe resort?

Thanks in advance for the help!

 

[Rockbro]

Beach Club. The pool is the best, easy access to Epcot and Hollywood. Go club level. My wife and I did the same thing. A 2 week honeymoon split between a cruise and Disney. But if you have to choose one, Dis and Beach Resort.

 

[WalloghbyWay]

Hello all,

Me and my Fiancé were supposed to get married in August 2020 with a two week Honeymoon that consisted of a 7 night cruise and a 7 night stay at AKL. Due to Covid we had postponed our wedding (Twice) and cancelled our original Honeymoon plans and are now looking to rebook our honeymoon for September/October 2021. AKL Jambo house was my dream resort but since Jambo house has no set reopening date yet we are overwhelmed with the choice of picking a new Honeymoon resort. Our plan is to use my timeshare for one week, and pick another resort to replace the cruise.

We want a resort that gives us the amenities of what the cruise would have offered. (Amazing onsite dining, Spas, beautiful views, pools with possible cabana rentals, ect) We just don't know what to go with. Our options that we are stuck between are Yacht & Beach Club (Deluxe), Riviera, Copper Creek Villas, Kidani Villas (DVC), or The Waldorf Astoria (Offsite).

We are leaning towards a DVC or the Waldorf Astoria but I guess wanted to hear opinions and feedback on what we should go with. Should we splurge for a DVC and if so which one? Should we try the Waldorf Astoria? Or should we book a Deluxe resort?

Thanks in advance for the help!

I am at Kidani now. It’s really nice, however, for your honeymoon I would select riviera. It’s new, in a great location, and offers a beautiful setting. Plus having FW in sept/Oct, you’ll be close to Epcot.

 

[ElizabethG]

For the things you said you want, maybe Grand Floridian? I voted for DVC, but I'm a little biased as a DVC member. I love the 1-bedroom for a Honeymoon. They are beautiful and spacious.

Grand Floridian has beautiful villas (and rooms). They have a spa, pool cabanas, access to great dining, and a walkway to MK. (Cabana rentals are at Contemporary, Grand Floridian, Yacht/Beach)

For AKV, I have only stayed at Kidani. I have stayed there several times. I just cannot bring myself book at Jambo if I am planning a stay at AKV. It doesn't have some of the lux items you mentioned, but there is nothing better than having coffee and sitting on your private balcony on the savanah.

Beach & Yacht have a great pool and easy access to EP and HS. There is great dining in the area and Skyliner access to go to dinning at Riviera too. This would be my choice over what Riviera has. When we stay here, we often end the day with dinner at Epcot, then walk back to the room.

I love CCV. It is one of my home resorts. The cabins are amazing. The other rooms are beautiful too. It has a very laid back feel.

 

[bookwormde]

I would expect that Jambo will be open by your timeframe

For what you are looking for you might want to consider concierge level

If you are doing DVC I would splurge on a 1br which have been deeply discounted recently

 

[Miss Frankie J]

I would expect that Jambo will be open by your timeframe

For what you are looking for you might want to consider concierge level

If you are doing DVC I would splurge on a 1br which have been deeply discounted recently

Im hoping Jambo reopens by then because then it would be a simple decision. If we did do a DVC we were looking at the 1 bedrooms but right now the prices are pretty high as we were unsure if they would be discounted at all as it gets closer to our dates. Would it make sense to wait to book closer to our dates if we went with a DVC or should we consider buying rented points?

 

[Miss Frankie J]

I am at Kidani now. It’s really nice, however, for your honeymoon I would select riviera. It’s new, in a great location, and offers a beautiful setting. Plus having FW in sept/Oct, you’ll be close to Epcot.

We are absolutely in love with the interior of the resort however are worried about the food options onsite as it isn't as numerous as other resorts. It's one of the only things holding us back from the Riviera. But like you mentioned we would be close to Epcot so it might not be as bad as we think.

 

[snappy]

I wold not count on club level by the fall. I will be am outlier and go with a suite at Waldorf Orlando. There are some unbelievable suites at the Hilton Bonnet Creek as well, I have been in 2 different versions. Just really nice. The Waldorf scores with not as many kids too, much more of a adult vibe for a honeymoon. Last time we stayed you had access to both pools no matter what you choose, and the peacock lounge at the Waldorf had a lovely tea service in the am. There was a dedicated bus to the parks, and Uber is useful no matter where you stay.

 

[bookwormde]

DVC both direct from owners and from rental agencies tends to drop inside the 7 month window and there are some deep discounts in the final month.

OF course once made DVC point reservations are not changeable

1br savannas views generally have the best availability..

Since it sounds like you are date locked against a cruise that makes it more difficult unless you are open to a split stay..

 

[Miss Frankie J]

For the things you said you want, maybe Grand Floridian? I voted for DVC, but I'm a little biased as a DVC member. I love the 1-bedroom for a Honeymoon. They are beautiful and spacious.

Grand Floridian has beautiful villas (and rooms). They have a spa, pool cabanas, access to great dining, and a walkway to MK. (Cabana rentals are at Contemporary, Grand Floridian, Yacht/Beach)

For AKV, I have only stayed at Kidani. I have stayed there several times. I just cannot bring myself book at Jambo if I am planning a stay at AKV. It doesn't have some of the lux items you mentioned, but there is nothing better than having coffee and sitting on your private balcony on the savanah.

Beach & Yacht have a great pool and easy access to EP and HS. There is great dining in the area and Skyliner access to go to dinning at Riviera too. This would be my choice over what Riviera has. When we stay here, we often end the day with dinner at Epcot, then walk back to the room.

I love CCV. It is one of my home resorts. The cabins are amazing. The other rooms are beautiful too. It has a very laid back feel.

Thank you for the suggestion! We were looking at the Grand Floridian but since we are going close to the 50th I imagine it will be packed at the MK resorts. (though the DVC Villas at the Grand Floridian are simply moth watering they are so beautiful)

What about Kidani do you prefer over Jambo house? I've stayed at Jambo before and only visited Kidani for a short time.

 

[Miss Frankie J]

DVC both direct from owners and from rental agencies tends to drop inside the 7 month window and there are some deep discounts in the final month.

OF course once made DVC point reservations are not changeable

1br savannas views generally have the best availability..

Since it sounds like you are date locked against a cruise that makes it more difficult unless you are open to a split stay..

Thank you so much for the DVC insight!

We actually don't have a cruise at all anymore. Due to Covid we never rebooked so we have a two week span that is open as far as check in and check out goes so we are a little flexible. I think because we are going in September/October and Hurricanes chances are high, I think that is what is making me nervous about buying DVC points as they are not refundable. But we do have time and knowing that if we decide within that 7 month window to check for a deal we may be more confident in booking closer to the date.

 

[Miss Frankie J]

I wold not count on club level by the fall. I will be am outlier and go with a suite at Waldorf Orlando. There are some unbelievable suites at the Hilton Bonnet Creek as well, I have been in 2 different versions. Just really nice. The Waldorf scores with not as many kids too, much more of a adult vibe for a honeymoon. Last time we stayed you had access to both pools no matter what you choose, and the peacock lounge at the Waldorf had a lovely tea service in the am. There was a dedicated bus to the parks, and Uber is useful no matter where you stay.

Thank you! The Waldorf looks so beautiful and luxurious and I agree it feels more adult. Did you find the bus service there to be efficient and reliable? Is it far to walk between both properties to enjoy both pools?

 

[HikingFam]

I would choose Riviera personally. I love the Waldorf, and it’s very nice with a spa, but the location isn’t as optimal as the others you are considering (if you want this to be a true Disney trip). The food at Riviera is head and shoulders above any other resort, in my opinion. Even the quick service is worthy of a Skyliner ride over from HS. Also the Skyliner opens up more options for dining- at the Boardwalk/Swan and Dolphin, for example.

 

[Marthasor]

Hello all,

Me and my Fiancé were supposed to get married in August 2020 with a two week Honeymoon that consisted of a 7 night cruise and a 7 night stay at AKL. Due to Covid we had postponed our wedding (Twice) and cancelled our original Honeymoon plans and are now looking to rebook our honeymoon for September/October 2021. AKL Jambo house was my dream resort but since Jambo house has no set reopening date yet we are overwhelmed with the choice of picking a new Honeymoon resort. Our plan is to use my timeshare for one week, and pick another resort to replace the cruise.

We want a resort that gives us the amenities of what the cruise would have offered. (Amazing onsite dining, Spas, beautiful views, pools with possible cabana rentals, ect) We just don't know what to go with. Our options that we are stuck between are Yacht & Beach Club (Deluxe), Riviera, Copper Creek Villas, Kidani Villas (DVC), or The Waldorf Astoria (Offsite).

We are leaning towards a DVC or the Waldorf Astoria but I guess wanted to hear opinions and feedback on what we should go with. Should we splurge for a DVC and if so which one? Should we try the Waldorf Astoria? Or should we book a Deluxe resort?

Thanks in advance for the help!

If you are looking for onsite dining, a spa (at least one nearby) and a pool with cabana rental, YC/BC fits the bill. You will have a ton of restaurants within walking distance, could utilize the spa the Dolphin and SAB offers cabana rental only for guests of the YC/BC/BCV resort. The quiet pools at YC/BC are also lovely. Have you considered a studio or one-bedroom at BCV for extra space? If you would rather stay on the resort side, I highly recommend the water view rooms at YC. The YC rooms were recently refurbished and I find YC to have a more "adult" vibe than BC. I would not recommend renting points if there is even a remote chance you will cancel. Copper Creek is lovely, but it's quite remote and you will not have as many dining options as in the EP resort area. We've stayed at the Waldorf and it screams "convention resort" to me. If you are looking for an offsite, upscale resort, I would consider looking into the Four Seasons.

We are absolutely in love with the interior of the resort however are worried about the food options onsite as it isn't as numerous as other resorts. It's one of the only things holding us back from the Riviera. But like you mentioned we would be close to Epcot so it might not be as bad as we think.

The Riviera is gorgeous, but you are correct regarding the variety of dining choices. You would have the Skyliner to access restaurants on the Boardwalk, however, and you can walk to CBR as well. The Riviera rooms are some of the nicest on property, IMHO. We stayed in a one-bedroom and it was stunning. Second only to the rooms at VGF, IMHO. You can save a little money by booking a standard view room - ask for a high floor in the west wing for a stunning view of Spaceship Earth. If fireworks are back by then - bonus viewing from your room!

Thank you! The Waldorf looks so beautiful and luxurious and I agree it feels more adult. Did you find the bus service there to be efficient and reliable? Is it far to walk between both properties to enjoy both pools?

It is quite easy to walk between the two properties at the Waldorf. We found the bus service to be horrible and ended up using taxis/ride shares to get to the parks.

 

[snappy]

Thank you! The Waldorf looks so beautiful and luxurious and I agree it feels more adult. Did you find the bus service there to be efficient and reliable? Is it far to walk between both properties to enjoy both pools?

We used the bus service and thought it was fine. I think the bus came every 30 minutes on the hour and half hour. It was a comfortable bus, more akin to the magical express busses in quality. I believe one bus stopped at 2 parks, the other bus stopped at the other 2 parks. It’s been a few years so I am not sure if circumstances are different. It was not super speedy but we are not rush around on vacation types anymore. At MK you are dropped off at the TTC. I would confirm all of this with the hotel, much may have changed with Covid. Even staying on site if we don’t feel like waiting on a bus we uber. Did that a lot On our last stay at Gran Destino. We do like BWV and bring able to walk/boat to epcot and HS.

 

[snappy]

One other tip re: Waldorf is we have booked at the Hilton next door and as Hilton Honors members have received very attractive offers to upgrade to a better room at the Hilton or a variety of room configurations at the Waldorf, suites included. The pool at the Hilton has a very nice lazy River. The pool at the Waldorf is relaxing, has Cabanas and upscale deck furniture.

 

[ElizabethG]

What about Kidani do you prefer over Jambo house? I've stayed at Jambo before and only visited Kidani for a short time.

Some of these may not apply to you, but here it is:
I like Sunset Savanna. There are a lot of rooms at Kidani on this savanna. I have always requested and received it.
The one bedroom villas have 2 full bathrooms (Jambo has only 1)
When both resorts are open, the buses stop at Kidani then Jambo. So, you get on first and usually have a seat (when they were packing them in). Then, in the evening, you get to get off first.
Sanaa is one of my favorite restaurants. It has beautiful savanna views and great food.

 

[Wishuponastar0412]

Personally, my husband and I prefer the DVC rooms. We only need 1 bed so it seems to make the room a lot bigger. We own Kidani and while we love it, there is only 1 food option. Obviously the views can't be beat! Based on your list and wanting a lot of amenities, I think Beach Club would be your best bet! There is an amazing pool, lots of food within walking distance, plus you can easily walk to 2 parks.

For the price, the Hilton next door to the Waldorf is basically the same rooms. We stayed at both and honestly preferred the Hilton. We didn't think the Waldorf was worth the additional cost. We only took their bus once, but it was comfortable. It does stop at 2 parks- we had to go to TTC before we got dropped off at Epcot. We ended up taking Ubers instead to save time and be on our own schedule.

 

[VandVsmama]

Spend a week at the Waldorf Astoria and then a week at Yacht Club, Beach Club, Riviera, or Grand Floridian. Pay attention to availability around the 50th anniversary because I've heard that things are starting to book up for the week before and immediately after that.

 

[VandVsmama]

AKL is great, but a big detractor for AKL right now is there's hardly any dining available there at the moment. And there haven't been any announcements yet on when the other dining at AKL will reopen.

I'd also probably vote for Wilderness Lodge.