Favorite Resorts, Deluxe and Value and why?

[KV33]

I’m sure there has been conversation on this already, but I am new and did not see a thread. For the Dis enthusiasts what are the best resorts and why. We are planning a Disney Trip in the Spring of 2021 and want to gather as much info as possible. We have stayed at the Polynesian in the past and for nostalgia and memories it will be hard not to choose the Polynesian, but I don’t want to miss out on something great.

Also I’m not 100% sure if the abbreviations for all the resorts.

 

[cincystamper]

"Best resort" is really only something that you can define for yourself. For instance, my family believes Animal Kingdom Lodge (AKL) is the best deluxe resort. We're animal lovers and could spend our whole vacation sitting on the balcony watching the savanna or talking to the cast members there. Others would say the exact opposite because it's the only deluxe resort with only one mode of transportation to the parks (bus). My family would also argue that Port Orleans French Quarter (POFQ) is the best moderate resort because of the size and theming. My parents are in their seventies so a smaller resort means less walking for them. Others would disagree because they prefer the pool at another resort.

So really, the best we can do on this board is offer pros and cons for the different resorts you're considering. If you'll give us some details about your party, we could probably offer you things to think about when making your choice. But without knowing details you'll get responses all over the place. "Best" anything is really up to you...

Hope you enjoy the planning and have a great trip!

 

[joviroxx]

I think a better question would be "What is your FAVORITE" resort because opinions can differ widely.

 

[Marionnette]

Also I’m not 100% sure if the abbreviations for all the resorts.

https://www.wdwinfo.com/abbreviations.htm
HTH!

 

[KV33]

I went to the Polynesian when I was a kid, and it still smells the same. We went back in the Spring if 2018 and stayed at the Polynesian. My family loved it. My wife is a Dis newbie (her first trip was spring 2018). I have two kids the will be 9-7 in the spring if 2021.

They love to swim and loved the monorail station. I think they might like the skyliner as well. It seemed one of their favorite rides was the monorail.

Seeing as this will be our last trip before they become adults (in Disney’s eyes) I want them to develop their own memories of Disney and I’m not sure going to the same resort every time is what is best.

I also guess what I’m looking for is what are some of the great things, you don’t hear all the time, about some of the other resorts. For instance I had no idea Saratoga springs had treehouses.

 

[joviroxx]

My favorite deluxe is the Wilderness Lodge.I love the size and tranquility of it. I feel like I am in Disney but away from the madness. Second is the Contemporary because it brings back childhood memories and there is just something about seeing the monorail run right through it.

But I a m a Floridian and I don't need fun pools or the like.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

My favorite deluxe is the Beach Club. We've also stayed at Poly and Boardwalk.

I just love the Epcot resort area so I really enjoyed Boardwalk too. But Beach Club is my favorite for the pool, the vibe, the lobby, the walk to Epcot and so much more. It was always on my bucket list and when I finally got to stay there is definitely lived up to the hype. We did a split with Poly and I wished we would've done the entire trip at Beach Club.

 

[TheSouthernBelle]

I’m sure there has been conversation on this already, but I am new and did not see a thread. For the Dis enthusiasts what are the best resorts and why. We are planning a Disney Trip in the Spring of 2021 and want to gather as much info as possible. We have stayed at the Polynesian in the past and for nostalgia and memories it will be hard not to choose the Polynesian, but I don’t want to miss out on something great.

Also I’m not 100% sure if the abbreviations for all the resorts.

There are no best resorts, it all comes down to personal preference and budget. We stayed value when our girls were really little since we were new to coming to disney as a family and felt the added expense on resort fees was unnecessary when we weren't really in our room that much. Now that our kids are a little older and can enjoy the resort more, amenities, pools, etc. we like to stay moderate and deluxe only. Also, over time, we've learned that we enjoy the overall layouts of these resorts more and prefer the transportation options. We like BWI for walking proximity to parks, we like Port Orleans for the water taxi to Disney Springs, we like AKL for the savannah....there are so many reasons we stay where we do. Covered bus stops, monorail locations, food choices, prices, disney's promotions, etc. There are so many cool, unique features of all the WDW resorts but you need to find what you like. Perhaps if you included who you are traveling with, ages of travelers, number of days you'd be at WDW, park days/resort days, what you'd like in a resort, the folks on here can recommend some options. Hard to give advice without that info.

 

[_19disnA]

There are no best resorts, it all comes down to personal preference and budget....

^^ I agree. There are several older threads that discuss why someone likes/doesn't like about the various Disney hotels. Disney is a HUGE place, so no one resort is closest to every park. I think it matters mostly what your budget is and which parks you plan to visit and personal preference.

Why someone else prefers a particular hotel may have nothing to do with what you consider important.

 

[Wild4Walt]

I'm like you and Poly has always been a top choice for my 'best' BUT I think a very close second is Animal Kingdom Lodge (AKL ) . This resort is stunning. We loved being able to see the animals from several different locations at the resort ( including our room ) and the resort had so many activities too.

If you're looking for something that isn't quiet as pricing as the deluxe resorts but are still really nice have you considered the Gran Destino Tower at Coronado Springs ( CS )? If you haven't seen the new tower yet check them out on Youtube. It looks amazing! And it is definitely a step up from the typical moderate resorts.

 

[Sara_H]

Our favorite Deluxe resort if probably the Beach Club. It has a nice pool area and you can walk to EPCOT and HS. However, we also enjoyed Animal Kingdom Lodge, because, well the theme is awesome and having to the bus everywhere didn't bother us at all. That being said, Poly is on our bucket list.

As for moderates, we have only stayed at Coronado and it was nice...we didn't LOVE it but we definitely didn't hate it. Port Orleans either FQ or RS are on our list for future stays...they are smaller resorts and that is appealing.

 

[loves to dive]

It's all subjective but for us, as far as deluxe we love the Epcot resorts. We spend most of our time in Epcot, we are normally there for a part of every day of our trip so being able to walk there and HS is great. My favorite of them is YC but we will stay in whichever one is less, which lately has been Dolphin. My least favorite of them is BC, I don't the like the fact that all the rooms don't have full balconies. While Dolphin doesn't have them and getting a room with even a small balcony is an upgrade and more money, the price to stay there is around the price of a WDW moderate so it's worth it.

Our favorite moderate is CS. It was before the tower was built and we haven't stayed there since it has been, but I'm sure we are still going to love it. I love the Spanish feel of the place and the food there is pretty good too.

We don't really have a favorite value. We tend to only stay in them for a night or two at the beginning of a split stay and usually I just book the one that's the least expensive.

We enjoyed AKL when we stayed there and while we wouldn't want to stay there for an entire trip, we like doing a split stay with it and one of the Epcot resorts. Our least favorites are the MK resorts. Back when we first started going they were the only resorts on property so if you wanted to stay on property that was where you stayed. MK is a half day park at best for us. I'm not a huge fan of the monorail and the fact that is the only way to get to Epcot from the MK resorts unless you hop over to MK and catch a bus, puts them lower on our stay list.

We will be staying at FW in Oct. in our RV so that will help us decide if we ever want to stay at WL.

 

[tguz]

Our favorite deluxe is the Grand Floridian. My Fiance and I have never stayed there but we toured it in 2017 and I asked her to marry me at the Grand Floridian Cafe 3 weeks ago. It is her style. Our favorite value is the Pop Century. We stayed there this Summer and last Summer. We enjoy over the top theming at the value's but have found good transportation at the Pop and we like to walk over the AoA to eat or for a snack. I'm a big skyliner fan so that is an extra plus for the Pop.

 

[gorkt]

Sooooo subjective. My personal favorite is Wilderness Lodge, mostly for the aestetic and that is my most important criteria. I also am a big fan of the food options there and the pool. I haven't stayed there since 2009, and I want to go again to see the new Geyser Point area. The weakest point for the WL area is transportation.

I also loved the Polynesian for similar reasons, and it is on the monorail, but it also costs way too much. I tacked on a two day stay on our last trip and just loved it.

I have only stayed at one Moderate, Port Orleans Riverside, and really, really liked the ambience, particular in the rustic areas.

I liked AOA a lot more than I expected for the values, particularly the food court and the suite room set up. Sure it was a bit garish, but still fun.

 

[cwestpvb]

This is a tough one to answer! My favorite deluxe would have to be a tie between Yacht Club and Wilderness Lodge. YC covers all the bases when it comes to location, theme, and luxury feel. It is beautiful and we have never had any issues there. Typically its been less expensive than BC whenever we go, and it has a much more refined atmosphere and is a bit less "busy" than the BC. WL is the first place we stayed, so there is that nostalgia factor which is why I love it. It really has some of the best theming, and is typically more affordable than the other MK resorts. It needs a bit of updating soon, but I absolutely love every moment I am there.

It's funny how you are so connected to the Poly, I have a very hard time trying to decide that it's worth the amount they charge for it (especially since Ive always seen GF cheaper!). But at some point I'll have to give it a shot!

 

[MudQueen22]

Our favorite value has been Pop Century. It is clean, spacious enough, and we like the food court. We liked the theming at AoA, but the food court left a bit to be desired. We did like the pools there.
Dh has stayed at All Stars. He said it's better than no disney at all, but his last choice.

We recently stayed at the Fort Wilderness Campground in our travel trailer, and we LOVED it! So far, it's our favorite overall.

 

[Mome Rath]

Deluxe: Poly
Mod: Port Orleans FQ
Value: Pop

Poly because of the food choices and easy access to the other monorail hotels, and of course the monorail itself, and the theme. Port:FQ it's tiny and quiet, love the music and theme, and has lots of memories floating around. Pop because it's busy and in your face... love the lake, and can't wait to try the Skyliner.

 

[KV33]

It's funny how you are so connected to the Poly, I have a very hard time trying to decide that it's worth the amount they charge for it (especially since Ive always seen GF cheaper!). But at some point I'll have to give it a shot!

I remember the Polynesian from my childhood. I remember the huge waterfall that isn’t there. I remember the stone floor, was the same kind of flooring my grandmas house had. I remember the smell. All came back other than the waterfall when we were there last spring.

I’m only tied to the Polynesian like I’m tied to an order at a restaurant (like Cheesecake Factory) You see this big menu. And your afraid to try something new bc if it’s not good you leave there thinking I should have ordered my regular meal. The one I know is good.

It’s almost like i want to hear the great things about the other resorts so I can have an emotional tie to them as well.