I know Oak is the easiest (family) course. But interested in opinions of the other three. Which, in your opinion, is the most challenging course? Palm, Lake Buena Visa or Magnolia?
Magnolia, but that is still under reconstruction for the last few holes on the back 9 due to the road realignment. Palm is next, then LBV, followed by Oak Trails. You also have the Four Seasons course, which is in the best shape year round.
Magnolia, but that is still under reconstruction for the last few holes on the back 9 due to the road realignment. Palm is next, then LBV, followed by Oak Trails. You also have the Four Seasons course, which is in the best shape year round.
Personal view: Magnolia is the longest of the three, followed by Palm, and then LBV, but consider Palm the most challenging because it has more water hazards and narrower fairways than Magnolia. LBV is the easiest of the three, but none of them is overly hard or overly easy, i.e., each is a challenge and each is fun to play.
Palm, LBV, Magnolia is my 'like' order. ( I can hit a ball out of play anywhere, so they all seemed similar to me... hehe, Magnolia last cuz of refurb )
Oaks can be silly cheap if you don't mind walking 9. We paid $11 + pull cart fee ($10?) per person in September ( hot, almost collapsed from heat stroke, probably why tee times were wide open... bring umbrella for shade and a wet towel, and a couple of water bottles to cool down... Still fun )
DH just played at WDW last week (but LBV). He hasn't played Magnolia in about 2 1/2 years, but since they were working on it way back then, it should be very nearly finished by now. When he signed up to play last week, there was the option to play Magnolia as an 18 hole course.
It's currently a modified 18. Talk to the marshals and even they don't know when Magnolia will finish (supposedly it's Dec). But definitely stay away until then. The temporary 17th hole I can sorta accept as a par 3, but the shortened 15th hole drives me nuts (and OB) since I still don't know why they can't open that tee box to play it full length.
My course preference list is LBV, Palm, Magnolia. I would say they're all fairly equal difficulty in that same order.
I am heading down in March 2025 with some friends and would like to play Magnolia --have played LBV the last two years. If its not completed, I guess we will try Palm since we already plan to play LBV again. We own at OKW and it gives a different view of the villas !!!
I usually request an OKW villa with a course view-- My wife and I then will wake up our friends/family as we play by so we get the fun taunts and heckling from our peanut gallery lol.
With that said, the last few years we've been staying and requesting the SSR Grandstand because we absolutely love walking to the LBV clubhouse while still having golf views of the back 9 from our balcony.
Is LBV the best WDW course? No. Are the conditions top notch? Def not. But since we own both OKW and SSR it's the closest thing to feeling like it's "our home course."
Going way back, LBV was also used on the PGA Tour. The pros loved the fall stop at WDW simply because it was a great place for their families to join them.
In terms of difficulty:
1. Palm - greens are elevated making the club selection difficult, and there are numerous water hazards.
2. Magnolia - length
3. LBV - Fabulous layout with some challenging holes (#8, for example), but nothing in terms of difficulty compared to the other two.