Help Me Decide!! Changing resorts from value to deluxe

[harbin]

Hello,

So after reading this board, reviews, and just general obsessing, I have decided to change our reservation from ASMO to one of the (possibly) deluxe resorts.

Here is my reasoning...

1.) I think we will be happier in a "nicer" room, even though we won't use the room much, I want us to be as comfortable as possible when we are there.

2.) Looking for a resort with more transportation options than ASMO.. concerned about bus only transportation with two kids and a double stroller. Don't really want to rent a car.

3.) I originally booked ASMO for the "Disney theme" my 2.5 year old is crazy for Buzz and thought he would like that... but we are going to be at Disney and think he will get enough of the Disney experience!

Sooo.. Here are our plans and the resorts I am considering...

Two adults, two kids DS 7, DS 2.5
7/26-8/1, Followed by Disney Dream 8/1-8/4.

7 day park hoppers, with Deluxe Dining.

AK, DHS, Epcot... one day each, MK two days.

Resorts I am considering:

1. Poly- got quote for an additional $1800 to change to this resort.. vaca already costing close to $8k... don't know if I want to shell out another $1800, but could if it is REALLY worth it.

2. Wilderness Lodge- My mom is coming, she is from Montana.. and think she may not feel very "disney" here... but It looks nice, and I like the boat/bus option... will add another $700 to our cost.. totally doable.

3. Contemporary- Love the idea of Monorail.. don't know how much more it would cost though.

4. Beach/Yacht/Boardwalk... again I don't know how much it would cost.

If Contemporary is too much.. I am STRONGLY considering Wilderness.

We will not use the resort much, will probably stay in the parks... Someone Please help me decide!!

 

[Sue M]

WL is a beautiful resort. But the rooms are smaller then Poly or CR. Both Pooy and CR gives you 2 queens & day bed.

WL only has 2 queens. So your mom would have to share a bed with DS7, and your 2.5 yrs old can sleep in the pack & play. If everyone is comfortable with this option, it would be ok.

Poly gives you more sleeping options, and better transportation options with monorail or boat to MK, and walking distance to TTC for Epcot monorail. But you will pay for the convenience.

I'm not sure if this is your first trip to wdw? But the deluxe DDP is a lot of food, and a lot of time spent on dining, and less time seeing attractions. Again, I apologize if this isn't your first trip, but from reading about people's first visits, it seems they want to do Deluxe DDP and too many character meals. I would do the regular DDP, with 1 TS dinner daily. But that's me.

 

[LisaCM614]

Hi
I am worried about your statement about not spending too much time at the resort when I see that your trip is in the summer.
It will be hot and humid and you will sweat just taking a few steps. I don't mind the heat - I'm not trying to dissuade you but what I find really important is a mid day break. Rope Drop - Early Lunch - Break to swim and relax in your A/C room and then back to the park for dinner and night time entertainment. Your kiddos are going to need lots of hydration and time out of the sun.

I only say this because I want you to love your vacation!
Now back to your original question.
I'm not sure if AKL or WL is the cheapest of the deluxes. WL is lovely but if the theming doesn't do it for you then pick another! There are lots of choices
The Epcot resorts are next on the cost meter and then the monorail resorts.

You can use that as a general guideline.
We stay at the Epcot resorts.

I agree with the OP that Deluxe is too much food. To throw another planning wrench at you since you are switching to a deluxe - would you consider downgrading your dining plan and go concierge? I loved concierge with my kids - then you can grab breakfast without the ordeal of going to a restaurant.

 

[Dis703]

BC is the only deluxe I've stayed at and we chose it mainly for location to the parks as we also have a double stroller and 3 young kids. I thought it was really ideal for us. It was barely a 5 minute walk to Epcot and on the boat ride to HS you don't have to take them out of the stroller. So we only had to fold it up for MK and AK. BC was also much cheaper than Poly and the Contemporary and with the added perks of the Boardwalk and pool it turned out to be an awesome pick.

We also did club level and used it a lot for the whole family. I agree with pp I would consider the regular DDP and go club level. We paid just a tad less for club level at BC than a standard room at The Poly. And we don't do the dining plan anymore. Did the regular once when it was free but its not worth it for us as it doesn't save anything and we had a hard time using it all. I can't even imagine deluxe for us. Going to standard and doing CL would be the way to go IMO.

 

[monorailsilver]

Here is my reasoning...

1.) I think we will be happier in a "nicer" room, even though we won't use the room much, I want us to be as comfortable as possible when we are there.

Maybe think of it as a bit bigger & easier to get to places depending on where you are staying.

2.) Looking for a resort with more transportation options than ASMO.. concerned about bus only transportation with two kids and a double stroller. Don't really want to rent a car.

We love the Poly. We mainly go to the MK & Epcot so the monorail or boat is great to have for both. We only do 1/2 days at DHS & AK. When we take the bus we make sure to look for the bus to the TTC even though it is a bit longer walk but that's OK.

3.) I originally booked ASMO for the "Disney theme" my 2.5 year old is crazy for Buzz and thought he would like that... but we are going to be at Disney and think he will get enough of the Disney experience!

He probably won't care where you stay.
Sooo.. Here are our plans and the resorts I am considering...

Two adults, two kids DS 7, DS 2.5
7/26-8/1, Followed by Disney Dream 8/1-8/4.

7 day park hoppers, with Deluxe Dining.

AK, DHS, Epcot... one day each, MK two days.

I am stressed just reading that. It is summer & hot. We don't do parks on arrival or departure days because we are tired from the flight at the beginning & we don't want to be burnt out for the entire trip. And we don't do it on departure day because it is too much of a rush.

We also do a mid day break & make sure to take at least 1, if not 2 (this year I will sort of have 3) days of no parks. We get tired, the kids get tired. We just need down time doing nothing, aka swimming.

Not sure about deluxe dining because for me I don't want to be rushed to get to a certain place at a certain time & miss a ride/show because of that. We just do QS with an occasional ADR but no dining plan. We drove home from FL (to CT) in April & made a pit stop in DtD for dinner. As we were eating, I realized that my girls could of easily split the pizza (they were hungry so ate almost the whole thing themselves), my ds, no since he has food allergies. And my dh & I each got a meal (sandwich & salad) & shared but we could of easily split one meal between us. I know some meals we can't split due to size but Wolfgang Puck express..yeppers!!

Resorts I am considering:

1. Poly- got quote for an additional $1800 to change to this resort.. vaca already costing close to $8k... don't know if I want to shell out another $1800, but could if it is REALLY worth it.

Love the Poly. We will be there soon & yes it is worth it but if you have never stayed there then stay cheaper this time around. I stayed there most years growing up. When DH (then boyfriend) came with me the first time was just for a day & he stayed at ASSports with us for a night (we did a split stay and the Poly was the 2nd half). Then the next time we stayed at the WL & the last time the Poly & now he won't stay anywhere else.

2. Wilderness Lodge- My mom is coming, she is from Montana.. and think she may not feel very "disney" here... but It looks nice, and I like the boat/bus option... will add another $700 to our cost.. totally doable.

It is nice. Stayed there twice. But for me I missed the monorail. Which is why I said avoid the Poly if you can...LOL!!

3. Contemporary- Love the idea of Monorail.. don't know how much more it would cost though.

Never stayed there so I can't comment but if I ever do it will be in the tower facing the MK...

4. Beach/Yacht/Boardwalk... again I don't know how much it would cost.

I was trying to get my dh to do a split at the BC & he said no. The pool is great but if you are doing 7 day park hoppers & are going to be there for 7 days, I am not sure how much you are going to get to enjoy the pool because you might want to take a nap during the mid day or go to be early.

If Contemporary is too much.. I am STRONGLY considering Wilderness.

We will not use the resort much, will probably stay in the parks... Someone Please help me decide

I would pick the CR, then WL, then Poly/BC/YC/BW

 

[HM]

Is this your first trip? I would not get Deluxe Dining. You are going to spend hours in restaurants. Regular dining should be plenty. Do your 'deluxe dining' while you're on the ship.

As for resorts, to me BC/YC/BWI make the most sense because you have transportation other than buses to two parks (DHS/Epcot) and possibly to MK if you have hoppers and walk through Epcot to get to the monorail. They are generally less expensive than Polynesian as well.

 

[Wood Nymph]

The Wilderness Lodge is a really nice resort. The location is great for the price. And the boat to MK is fun for kids and a nice relaxing ride for everyone. The price is good, too.

I agree with the others about dropping the deluxe dining plan. We did the regular dining plan with two kids age 3 and 5, and it felt like we lost too much time going to our reservations. The kids would have preferred to spend more time at the pool and all of us would have preferred to spend less time traveling to and waiting for the dinner reservations. I can't imagine what it would have been like if we had two table service meals in one day!

 

[mickeynut1]

WL is a beautiful resort. But the rooms are smaller then Poly or CR. Both Pooy and CR gives you 2 queens & day bed.

WL only has 2 queens. So your mom would have to share a bed with DS7, and your 2.5 yrs old can sleep in the pack & play. If everyone is comfortable with this option, it would be ok.

Poly gives you more sleeping options, and better transportation options with monorail or boat to MK, and walking distance to TTC for Epcot monorail. But you will pay for the convenience.

I agree with everything here, with the Poly being my suggestion for the reasons stated above. We've stayed at both the Poly and WL and the Poly is awesome as the rooms are very large and spacious and you can't beat the transportation. The Epcot resorts are great for going to Epcot/DHS as they are within walking distance to both of those parks, but the Poly is just a 5-7 minute walk to the TTC where you can easily catch the Epcot monorail (which is just as easy, IMO). If the extra cost for the Poly is doable, I think it would definitely be worth it for the location and room size. The WL is also a great choice if you want to be close to MK for less money, but the rooms are quite a bit smaller with limited sleeping options for 5. Good luck deciding, although I'm sure you'll have a great trip no matter which resort you choose.

 

[harbin]

Wow!

Thanks for all the replies. So this is our second trip to WDW... both times we went in the summer. I tried to take a mid day break last visit when DS was 5 and it was meltdown city. My DS simply would not have it, leaving the park mid day was not an option. This is the reason for the Deluxe Dining plan. If we go to a nice themed restaurant it is a way to force a break on him and all of us, while keeping him entertained. We have TS reservations for breakfast and dinner, and will do QS for lunch if needed. We are dining at a few signature restaurants and Hoop De doo.. which will use two credits, so I think we will use the dining plan.

I really like the idea of Epcot resorts since we will be spending most of our time at Epcot and MK... so will look into that. BC appeals to me! If the cost is still high, then will look at WL...

Just need to get out of ASMO... it makes me nervous! The reviews are not good, and the bus situation is very concerning to me.

Thanks for all the help! I am so glad to have found this board, and can't wait for our BIG Disney adventure... literally counting the days!

 

[Pakey]

I probably would not do an Epcot resort since you only have 2 days planned for those 2 parks but 3 days at MK/AK which means that 3 of 5 days you will be on buses anyway (and you will have a hot boat ride to DHS unless you want to take the 20 minute walk). So the only park you get an advantage for with location is Epcot and you are only spending one day there.

I would pick an MK resort or stay where you are and save the money.

 

[ixmnrs]

With kids so young and not having a rental car, on the monorail is nice; maybe CR because you can actually walk to MK which is a bonus. That being said, BC/YC is very nice for kids that age because of Stormalong Bay and the sand bottom shallow area and also walking distance to both Epcot and Hollywood Studios. You would be looking at a significant cost differential but as other posters have said, Regular DP would be sufficient and that cost savings you can apply to the resort upgrade.

 

[WisconsinDad]

As PPs have said, I wouldn't do the deluxe dining plan. We've never done the deluxe plan but we've done the normal dining plan and my family thought that even that was too much. We underestimated how much time we would actually be spending in the TS restaurants. I couldn't imagine doing more than 1 TS meal a day.

Regarding the resors, you may want to consider a CR-GW standard view room. These rooms are hard to come by but if you can get one, they are actually some of the least expensive deluxe rooms (only AKL and WL are less expensive). I haven't stayed in one yet (we will be staying in one this August) but I've read that the rooms are exactly the same as the ones in the tower and they do include the daybed.

If we weren't able to get these rooms I next choice was one of the Epcot resorts (BC/YC/BWI) so we could walk to Epcot.

 

[guppy1013]

We love to stay at the Epcot resorts. Although it is a little longer, we would walk through Epcot to take the monorail to MK because the buses are no fun with strollers. We usually stay at Swan or Dolphin, but have also stayed at the Boardwalk. The nightlife there is fun too. We walked to HS as well, although the boats go to both Epcot and HS. (We went 1st week of December- low humidity, 70-80 degrees....beautiful walking weather).

LOCATION is worth the price! We have never stayed on the monorail circuit because it was much more expensive when we looked.

Have a great time!

 

[Gary M]

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2969675

Take a look at the pictures of the WL in the above link. We have stayed at WL, AKL, Poly, GF, POR, BWI and YC. The WL is our favorite resort.

 

[Mickey & Minnie Mom]

Sooo.. Here are our plans and the resorts I am considering...

Two adults, two kids DS 7, DS 2.5
7/26-8/1, Followed by Disney Dream 8/1-8/4.

7 day park hoppers, with Deluxe Dining.

AK, DHS, Epcot... one day each, MK two days.

Curious if you could save some money to go toward your upgrade by changing your tickets.

You say you will be going to AK, DHS, Epcot 1 day each and MK 2 days. That only works out to 5 park days ... so why purchase 7?

It also seems you wouldn't be using a park ticket on 8/1 since you will need to head over to port that day for departure on the Disney Dream. Correct?


Also purchasing hoppers adds quite a bit. If you are already set with your park days (same as mentioned), it seems you don't need the hopper option ... unless you plan to hop for your Deluxe Dining meals?

 

[Ofinn]

WL is a beautiful resort, but there is not a lot of convenient dining options if you're buying the deluxe dining plan. I don't know how much your mom is going to enjoy WL since she is from Montana. WL has a Montana theme. Poly is worth it, but if you want to spend a little less I would go with a Epcot resort. You will have tons of places to eat in Epcot and on the Boardwalk. I think your mom would really enjoy something different than what she is used to. I think you may end up using the pool and resort a lot more than you think. It's going to be very hot in August.

 

[Mama Who]

Hello,


Resorts I am considering:

1. Poly- got quote for an additional $1800 to change to this resort.. vaca already costing close to $8k... don't know if I want to shell out another $1800, but could if it is REALLY worth it.

2. Wilderness Lodge- My mom is coming, she is from Montana.. and think she may not feel very "disney" here... but It looks nice, and I like the boat/bus option... will add another $700 to our cost.. totally doable.

3. Contemporary- Love the idea of Monorail.. don't know how much more it would cost though.

4. Beach/Yacht/Boardwalk... again I don't know how much it would cost.

If Contemporary is too much.. I am STRONGLY considering Wilderness.

We will not use the resort much, will probably stay in the parks... Someone Please help me decide!!

Rack rates on the website (just to give an idea of the price ranges) are:

Poly $491
WL $330
Beach/Yacht $407
Contemporary $385

So the Contemporary would be more than WL but way less than the Poly. ($491 a night! Holy moly!)

I kinda covet a stay at the Beach Club. I read a trip report and while I can't justify the expense, those photos... wow. And if you're doing 2 resort days it might make sense to put some money toward the pool of your dreams.

 

[amomma23]

Can I throw another idea at you? How about a suite at AoA? It's not quite the cost of a deluxe, but you'll have a bigger room to spread out in. The theming would be fantastic for your kids. I bet the 7 year-old would love a Cars suite just as much as Buzz. The buses are great at AoA. There is only 1 stop, and they don't share with any other resorts. Might be worth checking out?