Disney Hotel which one?

[13Jane]

I am looking to have a two week holiday at a moderate or deluxe Disney Hotel in May 2014 or Sept/Oct 2014. It will be just me and my boyfriend and we are middle aged but young at heart. Would welcome any help. Many thanks for your help.

 

[MrRomance]

Every resort hotel has it's own merits and you will get a thousand different opinions on which one is "the best". I've had either stayed at, eaten at or visited almost every resort, it really depends on your own tastes and your budget.

Of the moderates, I think it's fair to say that the general opinion is that Port Orleans is the better resort. Personally, I disagree, I have stayed at 2 of the moderates and favour Caribbean Beach which happens to be the cheapest Moderate for 2014. Port Orleans was nice (we stayed at Riverside but our family stayed at French Quarter), French Quarter is the smallest Moderate so if you want something small and easy to navigate, that's your best bet.

Of the deluxe, it's really hard to say because they are all fantastic. Grand Floridian is the most expensive and some have said it's a little too posh. I'm inclined to agree, it is a little too formal for my taste. Personal favourites of ours are the Poly and Wilderness Lodge for the hotel catagory, but many people like the Contemporary so they can walk to MK.

Another option is the DVC resorts. Old Key West and Saratoga Springs tend to be the cheapest and we love Saratoga. We have just booked our 4th stay!

It really is horses for courses really, just read up on each one and see which one will float your boat!

 

[wilma-bride]

My two favourite WDW resorts are Wilderness Lodge and Boardwalk Inn.

Wilderness Lodge is a very relaxing resort, love the boat to Magic Kingdom, the resort itself is incredibly beautiful and we always feel very 'at home' there.

We also love the Boardwalk, mainly for its proximity to Epcot. I don't know what your touring plans would consist of but, when we visit as adults, we spend the majority of our time at Epcot and so the Boardwalk Inn is an ideal resort for us. It is also a beautiful resort but not quite as awe-inspiring as WL. The Boardwalk itself is great at night - we love taking a late-evening stroll around the lake - and the Belle Vue Lounge is one of my favourite lounges at WDW.

 

[DisFanJen]

I would also vote the Boardwalk for a moderate and for a deluxe I'd go for the Animal Kingdom Lodge Savanah view if you're young at heart.

Why, imaging waking up, opening your curtains and seeing a giraffe looking up at you...

 

[darthtatty]

I would probably suggest one of the Epcot resort hotels for you
Theres a few to choose from-Beach Club, Yacht Club or Boardwalk. Theres a lot of 'life' around the area and its a short walk to Epcot.
you can still reach the other parks fairly easy.
For anywhere near the MK, id go to the Contemporary for the walk to Magic Kingdom. The Poly is a lovely hotel too but I just love the walk to MK.

There are a lot of deals for free dining out for next years bookings, they finish by the 1st of July. There will be more deals after though, just usually the free dining finishes then.

No matter what hotel you choose, it will be magical.
Many love the 1st Disney hotel they stay in

 

[thestevied]

Personally I love the Epcot resorts. Dolphin is great and more adult orientated but not on the disney dining plan. I love the lack of kids but like being more part of disney and having a disney room key I can charge purchases too and being able to send packages to my room.

I've never done any resorts on the monorail by magic kingdom but I'd love to try them all. Bit too pricey for me though. But I'd still choose to be closer to Epcot every time.

 

[Elise79]

I am looking to have a two week holiday at a moderate or deluxe Disney Hotel in May 2014 or Sept/Oct 2014. It will be just me and my boyfriend and we are middle aged but young at heart. Would welcome any help. Many thanks for your help.

Personally, for a moderate we love Coronado Springs . It feels and has more upscale amenities than the other mods. We also love the rooms - they look so nice with the white duvets and the doors that separate the sink/dressing area from the room (other mods just have a certain). We had 5 fantastic stays at CSR before we bought DVC and it would still be our resort of choice if we were paying cash.

For a deluxe it has to be the Contemporary for us. Again we love the room decor but the whole atmosphere with the monorail running through is amazing. It truly feels like a home away from home for us.

You may want to consider either OKW or SSR as they are usually discounted making them not much more than a moderate. We personally love OKW (3rd stay in a couple of weeks) however the SSR studio would be nicer for a couple as it has a sofa in addition to the bed which gives you somewhere to sit comfortably when in the room

I would also vote the Boardwalk for a moderate and for a deluxe I'd go for the Animal Kingdom Lodge Savanah view if you're young at heart.

Why, imaging waking up, opening your curtains and seeing a giraffe looking up at you...

Boardwalk Inn is a deluxe

 

[scoobydooby]

Moderate I prefer POR. Best food court and water taxi to DTD. The grounds are also beautiful and the quiet pools nice.

For Deluxe I would go Yacht/Beach Club very time for proximity to Epcot. If it was just me and DH we would always stay at the Beach Club.

If you want free dining there are not many days left to book.

As for your dates I would do October to catch the food and wine festival at Epcot.

 

[wideeyes]

I love Animal kingdom lodge. To me its like an extra holiday in a holiday. We could spend a day there and have tons to do. it is beautiful too.

 

[flortlebap]

I love Animal kingdom lodge. To me its like an extra holiday in a holiday. We could spend a day there and have tons to do. it is beautiful too.

Glad to hear something positive about AKL - we are going for the first time next month!

OP, just on a side note, if you're torn between May time and Sept/Oct then I'd choose Sept/Oct every time! The weather in May is very hit and miss - we had ten days of almost solid rain last year - plus the parks are a bit quieter in Sept. Its my absolute favourite time of year to go!

 

[disneyholic family]

my favorite deluxe hotels on property are the wilderness lodge and the grand floridian..

of the moderates, i like Port Orleans best..

you can't really go wrong....i've stayed at all but two of the resorts on property and they're all nice in their own way...

 

[higgy66]

Another vote for the Beach Club. Being able to walk to Epcot and Hollywood Studios is pricesless

You also have all the fun of the Boardwalk and restaurants in Epcot on an evening.

We went last year and and have booked again for next year but this year we're travelling with 2 other familes so have opted for OKW but had it been just us it would have definitely been the Beach Club again!

 

[orangetiggs]

I would go for pofq or okw. We love both

 

[tinks_1989]

I would recommend SSR. You can walk to DTD so you can enjoy a few drinks/evenings there.

DVC resorts are great for the extra room. We have had a studio and 1 bed villa at SSR the villa was lovely so much space but the studio was still plenty big enough for just the 2 of us.

 

[ukool]

We stayed at Coronado springs and it was great. Its a pretty big site but its very pretty with the lake, thiers a beach and a great pool.

 

[torsie24]

Our overall favourite is Animal Kingdom Lodge. It's so peaceful and beautiful and having the animals outside your window is just amazing.

I adore the Floridian. I don't really understand the "too posh" comments as that's only the old fashioned decor that makes people think that I think. I had no problem getting breakfast wearing my shorts and t-shirt or going down to the pool in swimwear etc. I felt as Disney there as anywhere else. The grounds are the nicest on property in my opinion.

Contemporary has a great location if you like MK the most, same goes for YC/BC/BW if EPCOT or DHS are more your thing.

For two adults I'd recommend either one of those 3 (probably BW the most as it is gorgeous if you get garden view) or AKL. Just pick if you'd rare have theme parks and nightlife on your doorstep or if you'd like the hotel to feel more of a retreat.

If you want more of a magical Disney feel then go for Floridian. Or Poly if you're in a beachy mood although I prefer to visit the Poly for meals etc as I find it's always very busy.

 

[sarah4291]

I am staying at the Animal Kingdom lodge in 5 weeks! I have stayed there before and would recommend it to anyone! The decor and the experience are just out of this world and it really is a magical hotel! I was 16 last time I stayed there and although people say you have to spend ages on buses - I have recollection of being bored waiting or thinking that it is taking too long! It really is an amazing experience!!!

 

[flortlebap]

I am staying at the Animal Kingdom lodge in 5 weeks! I have stayed there before and would recommend it to anyone! The decor and the experience are just out of this world and it really is a magical hotel! I was 16 last time I stayed there and although people say you have to spend ages on buses - I have recollection of being bored waiting or thinking that it is taking too long! It really is an amazing experience!!!

We will be there the same time as you!

 

[torsie24]

I've never found the AKL buses long (DTD maybe sometimes) as if you think about other resort buses they're much longer.

BW shares with 4 other hotels and when we stayed at BLT we had to go to DHS via the Poly and GF and it took aaaaaages.