First Time - Overwhelmed!

[adventuregirl]

Please help - I'm turning 40 next year and have planned to celebrate with my first trip to WDW Sept 2010!!!!

So many choices to make - starting with where to stay...

Briefly - the cast of characters for said celebration DM, DD10 (at time of travel), DS6 and somewhat disney-reluctant DH. Planned stay 7 nights/8 days.

Have been to DL many times as we live in the Pacific NW (drive down nearly every year) and spend most of our time at DL vs California Adventure.

So where to stay between moderate, deluxe and villa? Here are some considerations

1. I think I would love being near MK, but as we have never been to Epcot, and it will be food/wine festival time - is it better to stay at those places to be more accessible to Epcot, DHS?

2. We always take the mid-day break when at DL - so to be able to get back to hotel is important (which leads me away from moderates somewhat...)

3. If we get a moderate, we would get two rooms, which means more bathrooms and privacy, but not convenience of deluxe. Also - we have all traveled together and do fine in close quarters (even w/ the M-in-law thing - its weird, actually)

4. Little interest in DD, but I love shows (fireworks, etc)

5. We all like scary/action rides the most (even DM + kids)

Bless you for getting through all that - I know there is a HUGE range of options - hence the overwhelmed status, however, I would love your opinions!

Thanks again

 

[kp22090]

IMO, If you like staying near the MK, try the Wilderness lodge. You will find that you have all of the perks of a disney deluxe resort, while not paying the same price as the GF, CR, or Poly. The only downside to staying at the WL, is the fact that there is no monorail to take you to the parks. However, you do have the boat which takes you directly to the MK, where you can board the monorail and transfer to epcot.

Also, IMHO, I would never stay at another resort just to be near DHS, AK, or epcot. Most of the time you will have to rely on WDW bus transportation to travel to any off these parks, regarless of what resort you stay at. Sure, the bus ride will be shorter depending on what location the park is from the resort you are staying at.

Hopefully this helps and enjoy your trip!

 

[2manypets]

Congratulations on planning your first trip to WDW for you Birthday!!

I usually don't recommend the CSR, but for your situation it sounds perfect. It's a moderate, but it's the only moderate with queen sized beds. The bus transportation is very good and it only takes a short time to get to any of the parks as CSR's so centrally located. It's a convention resort which means that the buses are usually empty. It also has a large pool your children will probably fall in love with. It also has hammocks along the beach for a little relaxation. Check out allears.net in the accommodations section.

If you're looking for deluxe I would suggest the Polynesian resort for the monorail and the size of rooms. It's beautiful!

Have fun planning!!

 

[TagsMissy]

Another consideration you can make is renting points from a DVC member and getting a 2 bedroom suite -- depending on what sort of sleeping arrangements you want.

Most DVCers rent their points for $10/point. If you get a Dedicated 2Br you get a master with a king bed, the second BR with 2 Queens and the living room, depending on resort will have a sofa double or queen and some with a single pull out as well. As well depending on resort you get 2 or 3 bathrooms.

if you want to be on the Monorail BLT is opening right next to MK at the Contemporary.

I don't know when your bday is but you can look up DVC point charts and see how many points are required by resort for the dates you need and multiply that by $10 to get yourself an estimate on the cost of the room.

 

[adventuregirl]

Great suggestions - my fingers are furiously typing/clicking to get info on all these places.

Thanks!

About villas - is it better to rent points or make reservations through Disney site (I am hoping the free dining extends to same times next year)?

BTW - B-day is 9/26 so hoping for a 9/25 to 10/4 escape!

 

[LoraJ]

For your 40th, I would go all out if you can afford it. I just turned 40 and took a 7 day cruise in a suite to pamper myself. On our last trip to Disney in the fall, we had 1 BR Villa at BCV. That was also part of my year of turning 40. I loved the Villa!!!! I do not know how we can ever go back to a regular room. For future trips we will definitely be looking into renting points since it seems to be much cheaper than booking through WDW.

I am not sure how Free dining works with renting points. Maybe stop by the DVC forums to see what they say. There are probably several posts about it there.


We were there last year during the F&W Festival and it was really convenient staying at BCV and we could just hope over for some food at the booths.

If you were to do a villa, I would go for BLT to be by the MK since your kids are younger. Or BCV for the location to Epcot and your kids would probably love the pool there.

 

[jamaunt]

We love staying at the BW resorts. It's a short walk to EPCOT and a little longer walk to Studios. You can also boat to either park. During the day, the BW is quiet and beautiful. Once the sun goes down, it gets much more lively. There are enough dining options to choose from but if you don't like them, the International Gateway entrance for EPCOT is a short 10 minute walk away. There are also a couple of nightclubs on the BW. Most of the BW hotels sleep 5 which is exactly what we need so for us, it is a no brainer to stay there.

 

[CLR4321]

I would look into getting a villa at Bay Lake Tower! You could get a 1 or 2 bedroom, either one would accommodate your family of 5. That would put you within walking distance or a very short monorail ride to MK or an easy monorail ride to Epcot. AK and DHS would still need a bus ride. If you'd prefer to stay in the Epcot area, I'd go with Beach Club or Boardwalk villas. I personally prefer being in MK area myself.

 

[adventuregirl]

I would look into getting a villa at Bay Lake Tower! You could get a 1 or 2 bedroom, either one would accommodate your family of 5. That would put you within walking distance or a very short monorail ride to MK or an easy monorail ride to Epcot. AK and DHS would still need a bus ride. If you'd prefer to stay in the Epcot area, I'd go with Beach Club or Boardwalk villas. I personally prefer being in MK area myself.

I was just looking at that option! DH loves contemporary building styles and the rooms look amazing! Does it still feel Disney-like? The pool is not as themed as other areas - but my kids are pretty happy when they are in any water - and, after all, we would be at Disneyworld

 

[karibritt01]

I usually don't recommend the CSR, but for your situation it sounds perfect.

CSR only sleeps 4, so you would need 2 rooms to accomodate your family. If you want to go with a moderate, then POR is the one you will need to look into. It is a New Orleans theme.

IMO, If you like staying near the MK, try the Wilderness lodge.

My understanding is that WL is themed very similar to GCH in DLR. If that doesn't appeal to you, then skip WL.

B-day is 9/26 so hoping for a 9/25 to 10/4 escape!

If WDW follows tradition, then you will fall into the free dining window. As long as you check in during the promotion, then it will extend for the length of your stay.

As for which resort... in 8 days you will visit all of the parks - probably multiple times. It is nice to be on the monorail, but not a necessity. We usually find that our wait time for a bus is about 10 minutes, and then travel time is 10-15 minutes depending on where you are, and where you are headed. Even taking a bus to a further out resort, an afternoon break is very doable. I think theme is a main issue when picking a resort, over location. I would suggest looking through the photos of the resorts, and seeing if a particular theme calls to you!

I can totally understand the overwhelmed feeling. We have traveled to WDW many times growing up on the East coast. I am trying to plan my first trip to DLR and feeling completely out of my element. Dining coupons, walking everywhere, and good neighbor hotels... OH MY!!

 

[Kimberle]

For a larger group, think about the FW Cabins. You'll have 2 rooms, 2 TV's, full kitchen, outside grill, parking spot next to your cabin, and they sleep 6. You can put the kids to sleep in the b/r while the adults relax in the LR. FW just re-did their main pool with a cool slide and sprinkler area.

Check out the camping board for more info.

 

[BarleyJack]

The Fort Wilderness Cabins may be a good idea, but it really doesn't address your ease of commute request. Sure, FW is very near the MK, but when staying there you have to "take a bus to get to a bus" or "take a bus to get to a boat", reversing the process on your way back. (Unless of course you rent a golf cart while there). We seriously considered staying at the cabins for our upcoming trip, but opted for a Monorail resort for this very reason. Think about the Polynesian maybe, they have a great pool area which would appeal to kids your age, its right on the monorail, and the newer longhouses have rooms that are some of the largest on WDW property. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Returning DisFan]

The Polynesian has large rooms, some of the best food, a wonderfully themed pool area, you have the option of viewing the fireworks from the beach, monorail and boat and bus service. You really don't need a rental car at this location. Also, Captain Cook's is open 24 hrs for snacks which you might find useful coming from the Pacific time zone going to the eastern time zone.The Neverland Club for kids is wonderful and it is at the Polynesian. My DD just turned 12 and still wants to go back We will be returning to WL next month because we needed two rooms and the price is less obviously at WL.(we will have 7 in our group this time)WL is also wonderful in it's own way. It does seem to "shut down" after 11:00PM (snack bar). However the rooms are recently updated,new tv's,etc. It is beautiful as well, You have a small fridge in each room and at the WL convenience/gift shop they have a wide variety of basic groceries available since the villas are next door. You can get milk, bread, peanut butter, etc. there. All of the Disney hotels are nice though. Good luck and I'm sure you will have a good time, no matter what you decide.

 

[adventuregirl]

Great tips...I guess I will just have to come every year.

So, while there are months of planning ahead, I have narrowed it down to these:

1. The Bay Tower at CR
- Pros - Proximity to MK (I know I haven't been to Epcot yet, but the thought of being able to walk to MK any old time is a dream), monorail (in the building) to Epcot, cool deluxe-style features like movies on the beach and
- Cons - lack of pool theme (this is pretty minor)

Didn't choose Poly because I am from Hawaii (only moved to Pacific NW in last few years). While WL looks AMAZING - I would have to upgrade to a suite to fit all 5 of us (though my DD likes that one best from the pictures)

2. BC or YC
- Pros - near Epcot, access to Monorail, super-cool pool
- Cons - Nothing really - still considering

Didn't choose Dolphin/Swan because I think we will qualify for free dining plan in late Sept and I am not sure those participate. Also - I really want the full WDW experience as it will be the first. Didn't choose BW as it seems more crowded at night and DH likes to hibernate. Plus the pool clown looks frankly freakish.

3. POFQ or POR
- Pros - 2 rooms for less than one at CR Bay Tower, nice theming (my favorite part of DL is New Orleans Square), great recreation areas
- Cons - farther from everything (though may rent car anyway - so this is less of a concern)

That's it - please correct my misconceptions and thanks again for the awesome suggestions

 

[Hopefully]

Congratulations on already narrowing down your choices. But you do have a few misconceptions, I hope I can help.
If you choose to stay at Bay Lake Towers, the only way to be eligible for the free dining is to book this through Disney at CRO versus renting points from an owner. Renting points can be significanlty cheaper, but there is a lot of trust involved between you and the owner. We booked, through Disney, at BCV 3 times before buying DVC because renting just didn't fit our travel model. The Bay Lake Tower is a self contained building connected to the CR by a walkway. You will have to walk to the CR to get the Monorail - it is NOT in the BLT building.
The Epcot resort area is our favorite. We love being able to walk to Epcot and the DHS. We love being able to eat at the International restsaurants in WS at Epcot. We love the pool, SAB which is really a mini water park.
However, it is a LONG walk through Epcot to get to the monorail. The BC is not considered a monorail resort. The buses aren't bad from here IMO.
You are correct, the Swan and Dolphin do not qualify for free dining.
We have stayed at POFQ and it is our favorite moderate resort.
We have rented a car in the past, but never do anymore. It sat in the parking lot most of the week. Now we use the free ME service to and from the airport and Disney transportation on property. I budget for a taxi trip or two to evening ADR's, which is still way cheaper than a car.
Happy Birthday and have a Great Trip.

 

[karibritt01]

Cons - farther from everything (though may rent car anyway - so this is less of a concern)

IMO, it actually takes longer to get into most parks with a car than on the bus, no matter which resort you stay in. In a car, you must drive yourself to the park, wait in line to get through the parking booths (although parking is free for resort guests), park in the lot, and then walk to the park entrance. At MK, this also requires a shuttle ride to the TTC, then either the ferry or monorail to the MK entrance. When using the buses, they drop you off in a covered loading area right by the park entrance. While it is possible to get a slow bus at any resort, for the most part I think the buses are very efficient. You will hear horror stories about people waiting 45 min for a bus, and watching other buses streaming in for other parks, etc. We have always found that if we are waiting longer than we should, we can ask ANY bus driver to call and request a bus for us, and have never had an issue doing this. Just a tip to keep in mind for when you go!

 

[LoraJ]

IMO, it actually takes longer to get into most parks with a car than on the bus, no matter which resort you stay in. In a car, you must drive yourself to the park, wait in line to get through the parking booths (although parking is free for resort guests), park in the lot, and then walk to the park entrance. At MK, this also requires a shuttle ride to the TTC, then either the ferry or monorail to the MK entrance. When using the buses, they drop you off in a covered loading area right by the park entrance. While it is possible to get a slow bus at any resort, for the most part I think the buses are very efficient. You will hear horror stories about people waiting 45 min for a bus, and watching other buses streaming in for other parks, etc. We have always found that if we are waiting longer than we should, we can ask ANY bus driver to call and request a bus for us, and have never had an issue doing this. Just a tip to keep in mind for when you go!

I guess it depends on when you go. We always rent a car and save so much time using it. I like to be in control and not have to wait around forever for a bus. We never have to wait at the booths going in. They just wave us in. There is always a tram waiting to take us to the entrance. Plus we get to sit down and not worry about possibly having to stand.

I even don't mind driving to the MK because I like to have a ride on the monorial.

 

[lirija]

The buses are efficient and convenient, but pretty much everyone on these boards, as well as the Unofficial Guide, states that driving a car is quicker. We still don't drive though...I'll trade off some time for simplicity any day.

I can understand why the OP won't choose the Poly since she is from Hawaii, but that's too bad b/c it would be perfect since it is right next to the TTC which would make getting to Epcot a breeze, on top of the already-convenient MK monorail. When we stayed there, we only took buses to DHS and AK, and it does sleep 5. It sounds like she has a lot of other great options to choose from though, thanks to everyone's advice....

 

[rngclick]

Another consideration you can make is renting points from a DVC member and getting a 2 bedroom suite -- depending on what sort of sleeping arrangements you want.

Most DVCers rent their points for $10/point. If you get a Dedicated 2Br you get a master with a king bed, the second BR with 2 Queens and the living room, depending on resort will have a sofa double or queen and some with a single pull out as well. As well depending on resort you get 2 or 3 bathrooms.

if you want to be on the Monorail BLT is opening right next to MK at the Contemporary.

I don't know when your bday is but you can look up DVC point charts and see how many points are required by resort for the dates you need and multiply that by $10 to get yourself an estimate on the cost of the room.

Could somone post a link to the DVC point charts, please? thanks

 

[adventuregirl]

Okay - more questions now...

I realized I did not even consider GF - is it worth the extra cost?

Also - while cost is not THE issue, it is AN issue - I have 14 months to save/plan and am certainly willing to pay more for a deluxe if this would enhance the experience, but also don't feel the need to stay in a deluxe if I could be just as happy somewhere else; deluxe mostly for location and a bit of wow factor (still leaning toward CL for that). Also - DM, kids and I are in the park most of the day except afternoon break - but DH spends about 1/2 day relaxing in room and near pool - and would likely be just as happy near the moderate pool as the deluxe.

Also (one more question ) - when is the best time to start reserving - I would probably use AAA discount.

Thanks Thanks Thanks (you board folks are great)