Resort Thread Disney's Club Level (CL) Thread

[no one]

Thank you! I will go searching for your post!
Your room sounds like it was in a great spot! How long did it take you to walk to the club lounge and to transportation from your room?

We stayed April 2016, savanah view with bunkbeds. Dont remember the room number but it was about half way down that wing of the resort. We did have to take an elevator to get to the lounge. We did enjoy the CL, we did breakfast every day, did not do afternoon snacks much. I will say it was a bit of a walk to the lounge, didnt time it but at least 5 min to get there. Also it is a long walk to the buses, dont underestimate how tired you and the kids are at night and you have to walk up that slight hill from the buses and then all the way to the room. It was exhausting. We loved AKL and the views. We are going in April 2018 but will probably do WL, maybe CL again, wanted to try something that is not as far away.

 

[bhardy]

Just curious... do you think less people will do club level and more will do dining plan next year since alcohol will be included in meals? Thoughts?

 

[mickeyluv'r]

Hello,
I have a quick question.
First time CL, also first time Epcot area resort. (we've only stayed at Poly and CR deluxe, CBR and POFQ mods) TIA

The only thing we ever really request is to be close to the lounge, but we don't always get it. Then again, we often arrive early, and they seem to prioritize giving us a room that is ready early, so there's that.

Sometimes we've had a limited view of Illuminations from our balcony, but not HS. Mostly, I book the least expensive room category available though, which is usually standard. We've also had the next category up from that, which I might be garden view? At YC and others, we've had pool view (sometimes that's the next tier, sometimes it is garden view) I think though the layout of both BC/YC hotels is such that most rooms face towards one park or the other or neither, except maybe the most expensive rooms.

While I really like seeing the MK fireworks (or did like seeing Wishes) from the CR lounge, at BC we just go outside to see them. MK's hub gets too tightly packed, but Epcot is more spread out. HS's fireworks are new, so we've only seen them from inside the park a few times. It was crowded, but not as bad as MK. We could also see HS fireworks quite well from the walkway along the lagoon.

Even standard view room views feature pretty landscaping, and mostly at BC our rooms have been close to the lounge. We've also always had a balcony with a table, but maybe we got lucky.

Staffing can always change, at any WDW hotel, but the staff at both BC and YC have always been super. Incidentally, part of the reason I lump them together is because WDW ALSO lumps them together. The two hotels share one main kitchen.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

Just curious... do you think less people will do club level and more will do dining plan next year since alcohol will be included in meals? Thoughts?

Probably. but then, I think CL has long been a kind of hidden secret. Actually, in the past, CL didn't even show up on the website, guests usually had to call and ask to get it.

For us, it always depends on the prices and deals WDW offers. Between the two, I still personally prefer CL over DDP, but we're always after the best deal that works for how we tour. Last year Universal offered us free food for trying brand new Sapphire Falls for a night. IMO, that was an easy choice!

I also confess to combining CL and DDP. (At the time, WDW offered a super discount for the full package, and the DDP was priced very differently, so it worked out as a decent deal.) It was way too much food, but we combined TS credits to eat a few signature meals and use all our credits.

For us, CL is largely about being efficient in the morning. When we stay at a value or mod, the walk to get coffee takes forever, and we often miss rope drop. Time is money, and morning time is especially precious. CL saves us time and stress.

 

[Rachel GB]

I can't help with room suggestions, but wanted to say I hope you have a great time. We haven't tried CL at AKL but have stayed at AKL during the holidays and it is beautiful! Hope you have a great time .



You're welcome

GF RPC is amazing! I know WL CL is one you're also considering and while I do love WL CL, RPC is my fav (although WL CL does run a close second ). You really can't go wrong with RPC, WL CL or Poly CL, but if RPC is doable, I would definitely try it. When we stay CL, I like spending time in the lounge just relaxing and RPC (to me) is very peaceful with beautiful views of the grounds .



Sounds very peaceful .

@mickeynut1 , thanks again for such awesome feedback! I have to say, RPC does give me some serious sticker shock! I've read good and bad reviews of WL CL (it seems to be very polarizing). It sounds as if you really like WL CL, though, even more than Poly CL??? Would love to hear your thoughts on why! Thanks again!

 

[mickeynut1]

We're staying first time club level at Beach Club this November in a water view room. We've already stayed club level at Animal Kingdom Lodge, Yacht Club and Boardwalk Inn. We've enjoyed them all but our favorite so far has been Boardwalk Inn. We hope to love Beach Club.

Hope you have a great time and enjoy BC CL .

@mickeynut1 , thanks again for such awesome feedback! I have to say, RPC does give me some serious sticker shock! I've read good and bad reviews of WL CL (it seems to be very polarizing). It sounds as if you really like WL CL, though, even more than Poly CL??? Would love to hear your thoughts on why! Thanks again!

You're welcome! RPC is definitely pricey, but with a discount it's sometimes a little easier to take .

WL CL is one of our favorites. It's been a number of years since our stay, but I have read a lot of recent reviews that mirror what our experience was. We loved everything about it from the atmosphere to the CMs. We've stayed at the Poly, but haven't tried CL. Sorry if I wasn't clear. But the Poly is an overall amazing resort and I am always reading great things about CL .

 

[JodyLynC]

@GADisneyDad14 I know you have been to the Poly recently - or anyone can answer this. We are going to the Poly CL with friends who have never stayed there before because they are DVC members and we want them to get the whole Poly welcome. Did you get leis the last time you went? Last year they had a club level check in desk in the lobby where we were greeted and given leis and brought to the Hawaii building. Do you know if that is still the same - or do you go directly to the Hawaii building. Thanks - they are so excited to stay at the Poly - their DD came with us last year and wants her parents and grandparents to get the whole experience that she got last year.

Checked in a few days ago. There is a check in desk in the main lobby for CL.
We received leis and were escorted to Hawaii.

 

[Mousemommy1]

We're staying first time club level at Beach Club this November in a water view room. We've already stayed club level at Animal Kingdom Lodge, Yacht Club and Boardwalk Inn. We've enjoyed them all but our favorite so far has been Boardwalk Inn. We hope to love Beach Club.

I'd be interested in hearing your opinions on it. We did BC CL in 2014 and it wasn't my favorite experience, but in all fairness the lounge was undergoing renovations and it wasn't a full on experience. Plus I was 5 months pregnant and it was August.

I need to give it another shot!

 

[DisneyFansInNYC]

Checked in a few days ago. There is a check in desk in the main lobby for CL.
We received leis and were escorted to Hawaii.

That is great to know it hasn't changed. Thanks. Enjoy!

 

[Rachel GB]

I've been doing research (as many of you know) on CL stays at MK area resorts, and I just stumbled across a video of a CR Atrium CL TPV room view... HOLY MOLY! Amazing view! Just when I think I've got things close to figured out, that video really made me think! So I have to ask the CL experts...

WHAT'S THE BEST MK AREA CL RESORT?

We're staying GF SL CL this holiday season, but I'm researching to make reservations for the same time in 2018, also.

Important factors for us:
We have smaller children and wake up and go to bed early, so a balcony/ outdoor area is a must for the adults in the evening, and a larger room would be nice. A great view from the balcony would be a real plus, as we can't count on going to the CL lounge at 9-10 p.m. We prefer a quieter resort as well as a sleep 5 with two queen beds and a day bed. We LOVE LOVE Christmas and are going at Christmas time, which I know affects things, too!!!

**Current options are (but open to suggestions):**
1. Poly GV CL
2. Contemporary Atrium CL TPV
3. WL CL Deluxe Room
4. GF SL CL (am drooling over RPC, but don't know that I can stomach the cost)
5. Also considered a split stay- adding a couple of days at YC CL towards the end for our Epcot/HS park days...
6. Have also considered staying non-CL but that makes me !
TIA! I am just loving this amazing community of WDW veterans!
P.S. I've seen older posts comparing 2-3 of these, but am having a hard time finding one recent post comparing all MK CL resorts. TY!

 

[Wonder05]

I've been doing research (as many of you know) on CL stays at MK area resorts, and I just stumbled across a video of a CR Atrium CL TPV room view... HOLY MOLY! Amazing view! Just when I think I've got things close to figured out, that video really made me think! So I have to ask the CL experts...

WHAT'S THE BEST MK AREA CL RESORT?

We're staying GF SL CL this holiday season, but I'm researching to make reservations for the same time in 2018, also.

Important factors for us:
We have smaller children and wake up and go to bed early, so a balcony/ outdoor area is a must for the adults in the evening, and a larger room would be nice. A great view from the balcony would be a real plus, as we can't count on going to the CL lounge at 9-10 p.m. We prefer a quieter resort as well as a sleep 5 with two queen beds and a day bed. We LOVE LOVE Christmas and are going at Christmas time, which I know affects things, too!!!

**Current options are (but open to suggestions):**
1. Poly GV CL
2. Contemporary Atrium CL TPV
3. WL CL Deluxe Room
4. GF SL CL (am drooling over RPC, but don't know that I can stomach the cost)
5. Also considered a split stay- adding a couple of days at YC CL towards the end for our Epcot/HS park days...
6. Have also considered staying non-CL but that makes me !
TIA! I am just loving this amazing community of WDW veterans!
P.S. I've seen older posts comparing 2-3 of these, but am having a hard time finding one recent post comparing all MK CL resorts. TY!

I've only stayed RPC in the past (Honeymoon) when they only had RPC and as lovely as it was the uptick in cost I wouldn't pay. Now since then we were at Disney in December. Keep in mind it can get pretty darn chilly (we were COLD wearing jackets and drinking hot cocoa to keep warm!) so do pack for change in weather just in case. We were surprised just how cold Florida can get and we're from an area that gets Blizzards.
Just wanted to give you a heads up.
They do up WL beautiful at Christmas we were there for a meal and we toured the Christmas decor it was the Most impressive out of all the resorts we saw. You can always visit GF to see the gingerbread house and BC? I think has the chocolate carousel. (This was 2010) I don't know if that's changed or not though.

 

[Rachel GB]

I've only stayed RPC in the past (Honeymoon) when they only had RPC and as lovely as it was the uptick in cost I wouldn't pay. Now since then we were at Disney in December. Keep in mind it can get pretty darn chilly (we were COLD wearing jackets and drinking hot cocoa to keep warm!) so do pack for change in weather just in case. We were surprised just how cold Florida can get and we're from an area that gets Blizzards.
Just wanted to give you a heads up.
They do up WL beautiful at Christmas we were there for a meal and we toured the Christmas decor it was the Most impressive out of all the resorts we saw. You can always visit GF to see the gingerbread house and BC? I think has the chocolate carousel. (This was 2010) I don't know if that's changed or not though.

@Wonder05 , thanks for the heads up! We live in an area that gets pounded with snow, too, and always think of WDW as eternally warm- so that's a great tip!

 

[mickeynut1]

Checked in a few days ago. There is a check in desk in the main lobby for CL.
We received leis and were escorted to Hawaii.

Hope you're having a great time!

I've been doing research (as many of you know) on CL stays at MK area resorts, and I just stumbled across a video of a CR Atrium CL TPV room view... HOLY MOLY! Amazing view! Just when I think I've got things close to figured out, that video really made me think! So I have to ask the CL experts...

WHAT'S THE BEST MK AREA CL RESORT?

We're staying GF SL CL this holiday season, but I'm researching to make reservations for the same time in 2018, also.

Important factors for us:
We have smaller children and wake up and go to bed early, so a balcony/ outdoor area is a must for the adults in the evening, and a larger room would be nice. A great view from the balcony would be a real plus, as we can't count on going to the CL lounge at 9-10 p.m. We prefer a quieter resort as well as a sleep 5 with two queen beds and a day bed. We LOVE LOVE Christmas and are going at Christmas time, which I know affects things, too!!!

**Current options are (but open to suggestions):**
1. Poly GV CL
2. Contemporary Atrium CL TPV
3. WL CL Deluxe Room
4. GF SL CL (am drooling over RPC, but don't know that I can stomach the cost)
5. Also considered a split stay- adding a couple of days at YC CL towards the end for our Epcot/HS park days...
6. Have also considered staying non-CL but that makes me !
TIA! I am just loving this amazing community of WDW veterans!
P.S. I've seen older posts comparing 2-3 of these, but am having a hard time finding one recent post comparing all MK CL resorts. TY!

I agree, so many great choices that it's very hard to choose! We haven't stayed at the CR, but CR CL seems to get a lot of positive reviews (GADisneyDad has stayed at all but YC CL I think, so he could probably give a great comparison of GF SL/CR CL/Poly CL/WL CL ). Doing a split is a great idea as it gives you the best of both worlds. With that said, I just want to mention that while we haven't stayed at the YC, we have stayed at the BC (sister resort to YC) and we found the room significantly smaller than Poly & GF. The monorail resorts have the largest rooms, as well as having a guaranteed daybed. At the YC, however, not all rooms have a daybed. Parties of 5 are given preference for those rooms, but they are not always available (they will, however, give you a roll away). Just something to think about if a daybed is a priority .

Now since then we were at Disney in December. Keep in mind it can get pretty darn chilly (we were COLD wearing jackets and drinking hot cocoa to keep warm!) so do pack for change in weather just in case. We were surprised just how cold Florida can get and we're from an area that gets Blizzards.
Just wanted to give you a heads up.

I agree, plan for changes in the weather just in case. We've been twice in December and this was our experience the first time. Our resort pool was actually closed the whole week due to the very cold temps. The second time, the weather was great with temps in the high 70s/low 80s, which made it great for swimming/relaxing by the pool .

We live in an area that gets pounded with snow, too, and always think of WDW as eternally warm- so that's a great tip!

Us too, so it was a shock when we experienced such cold weather on our first December trip. Needless to say, we were not prepared and had to buy coats & gloves to keep warm. But we had an awesome time as Disney during the holidays is amazing .

 

[TJA]

I've been doing research (as many of you know) on CL stays at MK area resorts, and I just stumbled across a video of a CR Atrium CL TPV room view... HOLY MOLY! Amazing view! Just when I think I've got things close to figured out, that video really made me think! So I have to ask the CL experts...

WHAT'S THE BEST MK AREA CL RESORT?

We're staying GF SL CL this holiday season, but I'm researching to make reservations for the same time in 2018, also.

Important factors for us:
We have smaller children and wake up and go to bed early, so a balcony/ outdoor area is a must for the adults in the evening, and a larger room would be nice. A great view from the balcony would be a real plus, as we can't count on going to the CL lounge at 9-10 p.m. We prefer a quieter resort as well as a sleep 5 with two queen beds and a day bed. We LOVE LOVE Christmas and are going at Christmas time, which I know affects things, too!!!

**Current options are (but open to suggestions):**
1. Poly GV CL
2. Contemporary Atrium CL TPV
3. WL CL Deluxe Room
4. GF SL CL (am drooling over RPC, but don't know that I can stomach the cost)
5. Also considered a split stay- adding a couple of days at YC CL towards the end for our Epcot/HS park days...
6. Have also considered staying non-CL but that makes me !
TIA! I am just loving this amazing community of WDW veterans!
P.S. I've seen older posts comparing 2-3 of these, but am having a hard time finding one recent post comparing all MK CL resorts. TY!

We've stayed CL at all of the MK resorts. But this year will be our first stay during the Christmas season, and we chose to split BC and RPC. Reasons: we'll be going to Candlelight Processional and probably the HS Jingle holiday show (or whatever they're going to do there), so staying at BC for 2 nights made sense to us since we can walk to both parks. Our one and only request is going to be a daybed and I think we'll have a good chance of getting it. If we add other requests too, then it becomes more difficult to fulfill. We know we might not get a full balcony, but we will be gone both nights so it's not as critical to us as usual.

Then we're moving to RPC for 3 nights. This has been a dream of mine, so there was NO doubt in my mind that I would book it. We've only stayed at RPC one time and it was in Easter 2016 and I totally fell in love with it. However, this year 2017 Easter price for RPC was WAY high, even with AP discount. So we stayed at GF SL. I'm going to be honest and say I wondered if I'd be drooling over RPC the whole time, and hate to admit it, but I was. Every time we walked into the main building, my girls would say "mommy don't look to the left" cause that's where the CL elevator was and they knew I'd be sad, lol. BUT, I will say that my DH and DD's all liked GF SL quite a lot! I never complained and I actually liked SL too, but it couldn't compare to the feeling I got in RPC.

In your case, since you are set staying at SL this Christmas and you're just researching for 2018, you should take a look around at the various resorts this year and see which appeals to you most. I would opt to stay at a different one since you're trying SL this year. Out of your choices:

Post GV CL - not my favorite room view, but with the new Oasis pool done and in sight, the view has improved dramatically from when I stayed there last. My personal favorite views are on the other side of the CL building. I love a LV on the 1st floor. Walking out onto the beach is great, and it's a nice fireworks view too. Not sure how this resort would be at Christmas time, though. Poly is my choice for summer season, and actually Poly CL is probably my overall favorite CL, just not sure about Christmas season there. Also, my kids are older now (14) but when they were younger, we preferred 3rd floor TPV to keep the kids contained (lol).

CR Atrium CL TPV - I can't give a recent opinion, but we've stayed in this room type a few times when my kids were younger. You nailed it - the view is great! Not sure if I'd consider this a great Christmas resort, but others with more experience can weigh in on that.

WL CL deluxe room - GADisneyDad14 stayed in one of those and I think it was during Cmas season just last year. I *almost* stayed in one too. I actually had it booked but then ended up changing to a different resort. WL is just one of those resorts for me where I love the lobby and "feel" of it, but I just don't like the rooms. A room on the CL floor has closed-panel balconies so if you want to sit on the balcony, all you see is the wood panels. Also, the rooms are small, no daybeds. So I thought I'd stay in a deluxe room and had it all booked, but those rooms are not conveniently located to the lounge, and we like to have frequent lounge access, so it just doesn't fit our style. BUT, WL is supposed to be one of the best Christmas resorts and the CL has been all refurbished, so it's always a temptation. The rooms hold me back, though.

Split stay - yes! I didn't like split stays until my kids were old enough that I didn't need to pack so many "extras." Now, everyone re-packs for themselves and it's a breeze to switch resorts. Save your favorite resort for last so that you don't miss it when you switch! Plus, by doing a split stay, it lessens the blow of the RPC cost (lol).

Non CL - only works for me if we're not going to be around to enjoy the CL. Admittedly, we usually always stay CL because that is what works best for our family.

Sorry this is so long and hopefully it helped a tiny bit!

 

[GADisneyDad14]

I've been doing research (as many of you know) on CL stays at MK area resorts, and I just stumbled across a video of a CR Atrium CL TPV room view... HOLY MOLY! Amazing view! Just when I think I've got things close to figured out, that video really made me think! So I have to ask the CL experts...

WHAT'S THE BEST MK AREA CL RESORT?

We're staying GF SL CL this holiday season, but I'm researching to make reservations for the same time in 2018, also.

Important factors for us:
We have smaller children and wake up and go to bed early, so a balcony/ outdoor area is a must for the adults in the evening, and a larger room would be nice. A great view from the balcony would be a real plus, as we can't count on going to the CL lounge at 9-10 p.m. We prefer a quieter resort as well as a sleep 5 with two queen beds and a day bed. We LOVE LOVE Christmas and are going at Christmas time, which I know affects things, too!!!

**Current options are (but open to suggestions):**
1. Poly GV CL
2. Contemporary Atrium CL TPV
3. WL CL Deluxe Room
4. GF SL CL (am drooling over RPC, but don't know that I can stomach the cost)
5. Also considered a split stay- adding a couple of days at YC CL towards the end for our Epcot/HS park days...
6. Have also considered staying non-CL but that makes me !
TIA! I am just loving this amazing community of WDW veterans!
P.S. I've seen older posts comparing 2-3 of these, but am having a hard time finding one recent post comparing all MK CL resorts. TY!

Sorry I keep responding to most of your questions... the MK resorts (and MK resort CLs) just happen to me my primary stomping grounds.

I'm going to give you my opinion from an angle not necessarily related to your direct question (sorry!). We tend to pick our resorts for other factors besides just the CL part. In order of importance for us are 1) the overall appeal of the resort / room types / view options; 2) access to and ease of transportation options; 3) recreation/amenities (eg, pools). Obviously time of year, length of stay, and purpose of the trip factor in as well. For us, a good combination of the above form the foundation of a fun Disney trip. CL is sort of the "icing on the cake" at any given resort.

But to actually answer your question:

Balcony/Outdoor Area
Poly GV CL - 2/3rds chance of having an outdoor space (third floor rooms have balconies; first floor rooms have patios), so you have a 'decent' chance of a quality outdoor space.
CR CL TPV - All rooms have a nice large balcony and you are guaranteed to be on the 12th floor, which is almost at the top.
WL CL Deluxe Room - Those rooms have two balconies, one 'regular' balcony and one that is so small it has no useful purpose. Was not a fan of the regular balcony... too small for our tastes- about half the size of a Poly or CR balcony.
GF SL - All standard rooms have a balcony or patio.
GF RPC - All standard rooms have a balcony.

Views
Poly GV CL - Your view will be towards the Oasis Pool/courtyard. A wonderful view, but you won't see fireworks as you're facing the opposite direction. It can be a bit of a bummer confined to the room while your kids sleep and you can hear but can't see the fireworks going off. Been there, done that!
CR CL TPV - Amazing MK views, great fireworks viewing. Ideal setup for the adults to be able to be on the balcony/enjoy the fireworks while kids sleep.
WL CL Deluxe Room - Views aren't so great, unless you enjoy looking directly at trees. You can get some glimpses of Bay Lake, but it's really more of a tree dominated view than anything else. No fireworks view.
GF SL - either marina or courtyard pool views, both of which are nice. You can see some high fireworks from some rooms facing the marina, but a bit luck of the draw in this regard.
GF RPC - View depends on your room category, but the views can be lovely here. TPV rooms will have fireworks views. I could see high fireworks from my particular standard room a couple of years ago (I think I got lucky with this particular room).

Room Sizes
GF, CR, and Poly all shine in this regard. All other resorts are a step down size-wise. Even the WL Deluxe Room 'feels' small to us, although obviously does have more square footage.

2 Queens/Daybed
By far the dominant room type at GF, CR, and Poly. With the exception of some unusual booking categories, all rooms at these resorts have daybeds. WL rooms do NOT have a daybed, except the Deluxe Room does have the pull out couch. Epcot resorts are hit/miss when it comes to the daybed... lots of variations over there.

Sorry that is long! FWIW, my next trip is CR Atrium Club in a TPV room! I personally love it there!

 

[Rachel GB]

Hope you're having a great time!



I agree, so many great choices that it's very hard to choose! We haven't stayed at the CR, but CR CL seems to get a lot of positive reviews (GADisneyDad has stayed at all but YC CL I think, so he could probably give a great comparison of GF SL/CR CL/Poly CL/WL CL ). Doing a split is a great idea as it gives you the best of both worlds. With that said, I just want to mention that while we haven't stayed at the YC, we have stayed at the BC (sister resort to YC) and we found the room significantly smaller than Poly & GF. The monorail resorts have the largest rooms, as well as having a guaranteed daybed. At the YC, however, not all rooms have a daybed. Parties of 5 are given preference for those rooms, but they are not always available (they will, however, give you a roll away). Just something to think about if a daybed is a priority .



I agree, plan for changes in the weather just in case. We've been twice in December and this was our experience the first time. Our resort pool was actually closed the whole week due to the very cold temps. The second time, the weather was great with temps in the high 70s/low 80s, which made it great for swimming/relaxing by the pool .



Us too, so it was a shock when we experienced such cold weather on our first December trip. Needless to say, we were not prepared and had to buy coats & gloves to keep warm. But we had an awesome time as Disney during the holidays is amazing .

@mickeynut1 , TY for the awesome feedback! Room size and bed configurations are both great factors to consider (and weather is, too)!

We've stayed CL at all of the MK resorts. But this year will be our first stay during the Christmas season, and we chose to split BC and RPC. Reasons: we'll be going to Candlelight Processional and probably the HS Jingle holiday show (or whatever they're going to do there), so staying at BC for 2 nights made sense to us since we can walk to both parks. Our one and only request is going to be a daybed and I think we'll have a good chance of getting it. If we add other requests too, then it becomes more difficult to fulfill. We know we might not get a full balcony, but we will be gone both nights so it's not as critical to us as usual.

Then we're moving to RPC for 3 nights. This has been a dream of mine, so there was NO doubt in my mind that I would book it. We've only stayed at RPC one time and it was in Easter 2016 and I totally fell in love with it. However, this year 2017 Easter price for RPC was WAY high, even with AP discount. So we stayed at GF SL. I'm going to be honest and say I wondered if I'd be drooling over RPC the whole time, and hate to admit it, but I was. Every time we walked into the main building, my girls would say "mommy don't look to the left" cause that's where the CL elevator was and they knew I'd be sad, lol. BUT, I will say that my DH and DD's all liked GF SL quite a lot! I never complained and I actually liked SL too, but it couldn't compare to the feeling I got in RPC.

In your case, since you are set staying at SL this Christmas and you're just researching for 2018, you should take a look around at the various resorts this year and see which appeals to you most. I would opt to stay at a different one since you're trying SL this year. Out of your choices:

Post GV CL - not my favorite room view, but with the new Oasis pool done and in sight, the view has improved dramatically from when I stayed there last. My personal favorite views are on the other side of the CL building. I love a LV on the 1st floor. Walking out onto the beach is great, and it's a nice fireworks view too. Not sure how this resort would be at Christmas time, though. Poly is my choice for summer season, and actually Poly CL is probably my overall favorite CL, just not sure about Christmas season there. Also, my kids are older now (14) but when they were younger, we preferred 3rd floor TPV to keep the kids contained (lol).

CR Atrium CL TPV - I can't give a recent opinion, but we've stayed in this room type a few times when my kids were younger. You nailed it - the view is great! Not sure if I'd consider this a great Christmas resort, but others with more experience can weigh in on that.

WL CL deluxe room - GADisneyDad14 stayed in one of those and I think it was during Cmas season just last year. I *almost* stayed in one too. I actually had it booked but then ended up changing to a different resort. WL is just one of those resorts for me where I love the lobby and "feel" of it, but I just don't like the rooms. A room on the CL floor has closed-panel balconies so if you want to sit on the balcony, all you see is the wood panels. Also, the rooms are small, no daybeds. So I thought I'd stay in a deluxe room and had it all booked, but those rooms are not conveniently located to the lounge, and we like to have frequent lounge access, so it just doesn't fit our style. BUT, WL is supposed to be one of the best Christmas resorts and the CL has been all refurbished, so it's always a temptation. The rooms hold me back, though.

Split stay - yes! I didn't like split stays until my kids were old enough that I didn't need to pack so many "extras." Now, everyone re-packs for themselves and it's a breeze to switch resorts. Save your favorite resort for last so that you don't miss it when you switch! Plus, by doing a split stay, it lessens the blow of the RPC cost (lol).

Non CL - only works for me if we're not going to be around to enjoy the CL. Admittedly, we usually always stay CL because that is what works best for our family.

Sorry this is so long and hopefully it helped a tiny bit!

@TJA , WOW! Thank you for that very in-depth response! I am soaking up each and every detail, and all of your points are so helpful in considering the best match for us. Have a wonderful BC/RPC stay this holiday season ! We're skipping the CP this year, but I think we definitely have to hit it next year!

 

[Rachel GB]

Sorry I keep responding to most of your questions... the MK resorts (and MK resort CLs) just happen to me my primary stomping grounds.

I'm going to give you my opinion from an angle not necessarily related to your direct question (sorry!). We tend to pick our resorts for other factors besides just the CL part. In order of importance for us are 1) the overall appeal of the resort / room types / view options; 2) access to and ease of transportation options; 3) recreation/amenities (eg, pools). Obviously time of year, length of stay, and purpose of the trip factor in as well. For us, a good combination of the above form the foundation of a fun Disney trip. CL is sort of the "icing on the cake" at any given resort.

But to actually answer your question:

Balcony/Outdoor Area
Poly GV CL - 2/3rds chance of having an outdoor space (third floor rooms have balconies; first floor rooms have patios), so you have a 'decent' chance of a quality outdoor space.
CR CL TPV - All rooms have a nice large balcony and you are guaranteed to be on the 12th floor, which is almost at the top.
WL CL Deluxe Room - Those rooms have two balconies, one 'regular' balcony and one that is so small it has no useful purpose. Was not a fan of the regular balcony... too small for our tastes- about half the size of a Poly or CR balcony.
GF SL - All standard rooms have a balcony or patio.
GF RPC - All standard rooms have a balcony.

Views
Poly GV CL - Your view will be towards the Oasis Pool/courtyard. A wonderful view, but you won't see fireworks as you're facing the opposite direction. It can be a bit of a bummer confined to the room while your kids sleep and you can hear but can't see the fireworks going off. Been there, done that!
CR CL TPV - Amazing MK views, great fireworks viewing. Ideal setup for the adults to be able to be on the balcony/enjoy the fireworks while kids sleep.
WL CL Deluxe Room - Views aren't so great, unless you enjoy looking directly at trees. You can get some glimpses of Bay Lake, but it's really more of a tree dominated view than anything else. No fireworks view.
GF SL - either marina or courtyard pool views, both of which are nice. You can see some high fireworks from some rooms facing the marina, but a bit luck of the draw in this regard.
GF RPC - View depends on your room category, but the views can be lovely here. TPV rooms will have fireworks views. I could see high fireworks from my particular standard room a couple of years ago (I think I got lucky with this particular room).

Room Sizes
GF, CR, and Poly all shine in this regard. All other resorts are a step down size-wise. Even the WL Deluxe Room 'feels' small to us, although obviously does have more square footage.

2 Queens/Daybed
By far the dominant room type at GF, CR, and Poly. With the exception of some unusual booking categories, all rooms at these resorts have daybeds. WL rooms do NOT have a daybed, except the Deluxe Room does have the pull out couch. Epcot resorts are hit/miss when it comes to the daybed... lots of variations over there.

Sorry that is long! FWIW, my next trip is CR Atrium Club in a TPV room! I personally love it there!

@GADisneyDad14 , oh my goodness, no apologies needed! I'm thrilled that you're responding to my (many!) questions. Your feedback is incredibly helpful, and your expertise is appreciated. Is there a way I can view some of your awesome sets of photos from each resort (like the WL ones you shared in a previous post)???
As for your response, choosing a resort based on important amenities makes a lot of sense. Your point about room sizes in non MK monorail resorts really makes me think twice about that split stay idea, too!
CR is really appealing to us for the balcony/TPV rooms and proximity to MK, although, like others, the vibe isn't all that appealing to us (especially at Christmas!). I also read that the CL food offerings don't measure up to other CL lounges. Thoughts?
THANK YOU again! This site is so much fun!

 

[TJA]

@TJA , WOW! Thank you for that very in-depth response! I am soaking up each and every detail, and all of your points are so helpful in considering the best match for us. Have a wonderful BC/RPC stay this holiday season ! We're skipping the CP this year, but I think we definitely have to hit it next year!

Oh you're welcome - just hope I didn't make things worse for you in making a decision lol. Where we stay is really important to us, so I understand the dilemmas in making a decision.

I went back and forth on if I should book CP, but in the end I booked it since we've never been.

Good luck and have fun!

 

[mickeynut1]

@mickeynut1 , TY for the awesome feedback! Room size and bed configurations are both great factors to consider (and weather is, too)!

You're welcome, glad to help (although I'm not as much help as GADisneyDad & TJA....lol). Room size and bed configurations are factors for us as well. We are just a family of 4 and while we don't need a larger room/daybed, it's hard to go without once you experience it .

@TJA , WOW! Thank you for that very in-depth response! I am soaking up each and every detail, and all of your points are so helpful in considering the best match for us.

I agree, your posts are always helpful as they are very detailed .

@GADisneyDad14 , oh my goodness, no apologies needed! I'm thrilled that you're responding to my (many!) questions. Your feedback is incredibly helpful, and your expertise is appreciated.

I agree! Always very informative & helpful .

 

[Rachel GB]

You're welcome, glad to help (although I'm not as much help as GADisneyDad & TJA....lol). Room size and bed configurations are factors for us as well. We are just a family of 4 and while we don't need a larger room/daybed, it's hard to go without once you experience it .



I agree, your posts are always helpful as they are very detailed .



I agree! Always very informative & helpful .

@mickeynut1 , yes, we're family of 4 who prefers a sleep 5, too! Thanks again.