Help me pick a resort! AKL, CSR or POP

[catho72]

I need some advice, please! I'm so torn as to what to do. We are staying 8 nights....4 are at Beach Club. Which resort should we stay at for the other 4 nights? AKL, CSR or POP? AKL would be $495, CSR would be $396 and POP is $250. We are currently booked at POP, but with these crazy low prices, how can I pass up AKL or CSR? I worry that it's going to be such a difference going from BC to POP that we won't like POP as much as we would if were just staying there for the whole trip.

My husband is leaving after our four nights at Beach Club so it's just me and the kids for the remaining four nights.

DIS'ers, please help me decide! We leave in three weeks!

 

[minnie mum]

If it's in the budget, then I'd definitely go for AKL. I LOVE that place. And I think you're right, if you're doing BC first, I think Pop (while a very nice place) might seem like a let down. But I think that would be true any time you move from a deluxe to a value.

 

[cjsm&d]

I need some advice, please! I'm so torn as to what to do. We are staying 8 nights....4 are at Beach Club. Which resort should we stay at for the other 4 nights? AKL, CSR or POP? AKL would be $495, CSR would be $396 and POP is $250. We are currently booked at POP, but with these crazy low prices, how can I pass up AKL or CSR? I worry that it's going to be such a difference going from BC to POP that we won't like POP as much as we would if were just staying there for the whole trip.

My husband is leaving after our four nights at Beach Club so it's just me and the kids for the remaining four nights.

DIS'ers, please help me decide! We leave in three weeks!

If you can get 4 night at AKL for $495 that is hard to pass up!

My family loves CSR, have stayed there twice (once for two nights as part of a split). If you plan on hanging around the resort, the Main pool and play area is just terrific IMO.

Having been to AKL and CSR, we would go back to CSR if we had the choice, but AKL should be experienced at least once!

I haven't stayed at Pop and I am not a value fan. You'll definitely notice the difference from BC the most here....

 

[DisneyMamato4]

AKL! It's our favorite resort! Plus I can't deal with full size beds so we always go for a resort that has queens. If you can swing it, definitely AKL!

 

[maryj11]

I agree going from BC to Pop might be a let down. I would go with AKL for sure

 

[mermaidblue!]

If you can afford it, I'd say go for it and reserve AKL! I've stayed at POP the past two years and seriously loved it, but you'd better believe I'd stay at AKL if that were in our budget! It looks so lovely and unique.

Whatever you choose, I hope you have a wonderful trip w/your family. You can have a great trip staying at any of the three. Enjoy!

 

[kddisney502]

Wow, how did you get 4 nights at AKL for $495? That's a great deal. If you can afford it, definately go to AKL. The theming is beautiful, the animals are a wonderful treat, the food is delicious and the atmosphere is great. The CM's are also wonderful, many are from Africa, so they will often tell you stories about living there. Also, if you can afford it (or have free dinning, I would suggest eating one meal at Jiko. Jiko is my favorite meal I've ever had at the world.

 

[Ro Z]

Love the pop. Not a fan of crs. LUV akl. At the rate you quoted. You better believe the akl is where you would find me! If you can stay at a deluxe for a little over $100 a nite. This is a no brainer. Have a great time

PS how did you get such a great deal.

 

[stitchlovestink]

LOL!!
NO way would I pay to stay at AKL! I MIGHT stay if it was FREE, but I would not pay to stay there... I cannot figure out what all the hype about that place is! It just doesn't do anything for me. I guess it is clearly a case of 'different strokes for different folks'

 

[Lehuaann]

4 nights @ AKL for $495!? You are correct those are crazy, low prices...how is that possible, please tell?

 

[raven69david]

AKL - hands down. We've stayed at most of the resorts and AKL is our favorite. We stay there each time we go to Disney and/or do a split stay that includes AKL. There's no other experience like the one you get at AKL in my opinion.

 

[CanadianPaco]

AKL! It's our favorite resort! Plus I can't deal with full size beds so we always go for a resort that has queens. If you can swing it, definitely AKL!

CSR has queens! It's our fav moderate choice! We've been to CSR and POP and love them both. But we chose AKL for our first deluxe stay because the price was awesome!

 

[StitchandPooh'sMom]

Tough call. We really like AKL and CSR for different reasons. We haven't stayed at Pop.

AKL is a great resort, and that is a great price for four nights. If you plan to spend some time around the resort, I'd stay at AKL. AKL has great dining choices as well. AKL is a more immersive resort experience than CSR or Pop.

My kids prefer the CSR pool to the AKL pool, and we all think the CSR beds (which are queens like AKL as Canadian Paco said) are more comfortable than the AKL beds (or any other deluxe beds we have tried except Boardwalk). We also think CSR has much, much better bus transportation than AKL, but we have only stayed at AKL once and CSR four times. If you plan to be in the parks a lot except for an afternoon swim break, I'd stay at CSR and save the $100 (or go eat at Boma and see the animals).

All that being said, my kids are dying to stay at Pop and DH will not stay in a value. I might choose Pop in that instance because I know I would never get DH to stay there.

Coming from the Beach Club, all of the rooms will feel smaller, and the beds will feel smaller at Pop. The AKL room is much darker than Beach Club or CSR. You will have a balcony at AKL, but not at CSR or Pop. Beach Club has the nicest pool, but my kids really like the CSR pool as well. AKL and CSR have pool slides - Pop does not.

AKL, CSR and Pop all do not share buses with other resorts, so they will probably all be an improvement over Beach Club (at least to MK and AK). You won't be able to match the convenience of walking to Epcot and boating to DHS, though.

Not very helpful, I know. Good luck with your decision!

 

[AJA]

It's really tough to go from a Deluxe to a Value (the other way around would be easier, value at the beginning of the trip when you're in the park all day anyway then over to the Deluxe to relax and have slower days).

I vote either AKL or CSR!

For just $100 more than the mod, AKL wins in my book! -Awesome prices BTW!!

 

[ExpatDisneyLover]

AKL! AKL!! AKL!!

To me the price difference between AKL and CSR isn't enough to justify staying at CSR (though if I were to choose a mod that would be the one) - AKL is a very special resort and can't be beat - miles away from POP IMO - now I like POP and enjoyed my stay there - but AKL was extra magical!

 

[BYC]

LOL!!
NO way would I pay to stay at AKL! I MIGHT stay if it was FREE, but I would not pay to stay there... I cannot figure out what all the hype about that place is! It just doesn't do anything for me. I guess it is clearly a case of 'different strokes for different folks'

LOL! That's the way I feel about the GF, Poly and Contemporary! I wouldn't want to stay at any of them. They do nothing for me. I LOVE AKL, though, and that would be my choice of the ones listed!

 

[chocovrdmicears]

We have stayed at all 3 - absolutely positively no doubt - AKL.
I don't know how you managed 4 nights there at $495 - but that is a fantastic deal for a fantastic resort!

 

[kerri0616]

AKL. It is so unique. If I could afford DVC points, I'd buy them at AKV. Just love that resort.

K

 

[vettegirl]

Akl!!

 

[tinkmom76]

AKL because it would be hard to go from a deluxe to anything else on the same trip. I want to know how you got such a good deal.