Did you have to talk your spouse into a higher level resort?

[Wood Nymph]

I would skip club level. You are already going over budget for the upgrade to WL. The cost of CL exceeds the cost of the dining plan for two adults.

 

[Amy&Dan]

The thing about club level is that you have to be in the resort to use it. Unlike your club level at DL, getting around WDW can be time consuming, and you say you are light eaters. I have never been able to run the numbers in a way that has me thinking CL would work for us because although we are "resort" people who love time at our resort, I just can't see us getting our money's worth and I don't like to be tied to anything that ties me to one park, or restaurant to get what I paid for.

I love OKW but do have to say, given the age of your kids and it being their first choice, I'd save that for another trip. When they are older and into the whole DTD thing and you need the extra space of a one bedroom then OKW and your own DVC contract will be the way to go.

I would go with WL if that theme appeals to you but not do the CL.

And all this said, I would seriously look at the moderates. We have stayed around the World so to speak and the moderate levels work for us even better than our DVC stays back when we were DVC members.

Any of the mods is great, although I find the one and only pool at POFQ too small and the slide is lackluster.

POR, CBR and CSR all have a lot to offer, great pools and activties. So I would think about one of those or stick with WL.

Regardless of what you do, your kids will have a great time at WDW, its poor mom who in the midst of all the planning and choices that gets stressed beforehand!

 

[J.C.&ALI'SMOM]

No, he talks me into deluxe, all the time. It's usually he won't go unless he can stay at the CR or Poly

 

[BensWife]

Can't offer any advice, since I'm a firm believer in sticking to budgets - but that's me and I was the one earning the lions share of the income and thus responsible for supporting my family.
You and hubby set a budget of $4000 for a seven day stay and now you want to increase that budget by $1700? Because OKW is not 'exciting enough' for your 3 and 6 yr. old sons and because you're not 'feeling it.' Why would you agree to a specific budget and then want to increase it almost 50% - did a bonus get paid, overtime, or pay raise happen for one of you?.

Yes, DH's bonus was bigger than we had expected, so that is why I am ok with upping our budget. I would never ask to up a budget by that much without having a means to pay for it.

 

[sndral]

Yes, DH's bonus was bigger than we had expected, so that is why I am ok with upping our budget. I would never ask to up a budget by that much without having a means to pay for it.

Well, if extra money is on the table (congrats on the bonus, btw,) then dream on, w/ boys the age of yours the easy access to MK would be a plus, so WL is a great option, but, since you fly from Colorado (I think you said) would the lodge theme of WL be more of what you already see a lot of @ home? It is a lovely resort. I see you've stayed @ the GC in California, the theme of WL is much the same, although the GC feels more 'grand ' to me than the WL (not sure why.) I do like WL's pool area better than GC's.
I'm not a big CL fan @ Disney - the food isn't to my taste, we don't drink alcohol much, and we love so many of the restaurants, so there's neither time or value for us w/ CL.

 

[LovinPooh]

I m still trying to convince my dh of the deluxe upgrade and its been booked and paid for an we leave next month lol
He will come around when we get there lol

 

[Mousemommy1]

I m still trying to convince my dh of the deluxe upgrade and its been booked and paid for an we leave next month lol
He will come around when we get there lol

After your trip, you won't have to convince him.

We stayed deluxe (and CL) at the WL for the 1st time in July. I thought that would be our one forray into deluxes, and it was special because of our 10 year wedding anniversary...but...ahem...you can see in my ticker where we are staying in April...his choice...wouldn't accept anything less...

Fine with me!!!

 

[LovinPooh]

Sometimes (most of the time)men just need to be shown lol!
Yeah i agreed with him that we could spend the extra $1400 elsewhere...but i acted like my dd13 and yelled "you only live once" and booked it lol
30 days til our very first deluxe stay at akl. Cant wait.
Ahhhh husbands....when will they learn we are always right.
Hope u have a great trip

 

[Robbi]

OP, CL honestly is not worth it you get cereal, danishes, toast- sometimes eggs for breakfast but it is not a buffet by any means. We've stayed at that level at all of the deluxe resorts. Unless you plan to hang out at the resort and actually eat the food, save your money. On a first trip for your boys, I don't think you'll get your money's worth. I would use the money to do some extras at the parks-maybe the Pirate experience or whatever it's called.

WL is one of our favorite resorts- we love everything about it. That said, I'd like
to suggest that your boys might LOVE a pirate themed room at CBR. I think that would excite them more. You know them better than any of us do though.

Sometimes, I see on the DIS where upgrade their resorts and I think it has something to do with reading all of the resort posts. That's fine but not worth it if your husband is adamant about the $$$$.

 

[Cindie-rella]

Is OKW actually much cheaper than WL ? I would agree with others that staying closer to MK would be more of a plus than staying OKW with 2 little guys. We stayed there back in 08, and although a very pretty resort it was fairly large and didn't quite do it for us either. It was our DGD's 1st trip and she had just turned 3. So in my opinion something closer to MK or even a Mod like others suggested might be your best choice. As far as CL goes, I have never done it but I couldn't see spending all the extra unless you plan on spending extra time at the resort and using the food served there in place of meals elsewhere. I might consider CL on a trip for just me and DH b/c we probably be spending less time at the parks and doing alot more lounging around at the resort. Before you pay all that extra for CL you might consider pricing a GV at one of the monorail resorts. Probably about the same price as CL at WL or perhaps a bit cheaper. This option would be even more convenient and most "magical" with the boys.

 

[lovealldisneythings]

I say skip club level and even stay at the OKW because it is a nice resort and what you save you could spend a little more on other memorable things Disney to bring home!