Help me please! Hotel Expertise needed!

[Zygofolis]

Hello! I am planning a trip to Disney World, and need some hotel advice. We have stayed at the following hotels:
1) Port Orleans (hated it-felt it was really run down)
2) Animal Kingdom Lodge (Okay, but far away)
3) Grand Floridian (Okay-expected to be wowed, but really hated the separate buildings and felt it was just Okay)
4) Swan/Dolphin (Definitely my favorite out of them all, but really want the transportation)

With all that being said, I just feel that most Disney hotels are overpriced for the level of luxury they offer. I want to stay on property, but I would love to feel like I was actually in a luxury property for the price.

Questions:
1) Should I just forget the idea of "luxury" and do something like the Finding Nemo Suite? Or am I going to hate it even more than Port Orleans...
2) What about the Contemporary? Or the new Riviera Resort?
3) Is there a hotel I am missing or that you would suggest?

Thanks so much!!

 

[val1234]

Hello! I am planning a trip to Disney World, and need some hotel advice. We have stayed at the following hotels:
1) Port Orleans (hated it-felt it was really run down)
2) Animal Kingdom Lodge (Okay, but far away)
3) Grand Floridian (Okay-expected to be wowed, but really hated the separate buildings and felt it was just Okay)
4) Swan/Dolphin (Definitely my favorite out of them all, but really want the transportation)

With all that being said, I just feel that most Disney hotels are overpriced for the level of luxury they offer. I want to stay on property, but I would love to feel like I was actually in a luxury property for the price.

Questions:
1) Should I just forget the idea of "luxury" and do something like the Finding Nemo Suite? Or am I going to hate it even more than Port Orleans...
2) What about the Contemporary? Or the new Riviera Resort?
3) Is there a hotel I am missing or that you would suggest?

Thanks so much!!

my family has recently stayed in the Rivera hotel and if you are looking for “luxury” on Disney property this will be your best bet.The rooms are really nice as is the property itself. All one building the skyliner is great to DHS and Epcot and we had excellent bus service to MK and AK. We never waited more than 5 minutes for a bus. For reference we have stayed at every resort on Disney property except the All stars and Pop and I would rate Rivera 2nd place as my favorite after the Yacht Club. If you love a great pool then consider YC also.

 

[disneygeek401]

I haven't done many of the resorts. I have done

All Star Music
Pop Century 3x
Coronado Springs 2x

ASMu was not good, but it was a school trip for 4 days over a long weekend and I was in the park most of the time so it wasn't bad but if I were there for 1.5-2 weeks I would have really hated it.

Pop has a special place in my heart as it was my first ever Disney resort. It was cute, and I like it but it is a value. I have seen photos of the new rooms, and they are nice.

CSR I really liked, the pool is really nice. Refurbed rooms were very nice IMO. Big con is that it is spread out.

Trying CBR for the first time next summer (fingers crossed) and it is spread out, but has the Skyliner, looks nice, and it is something different.

If you want luxury, try Boardwalk, try YC/BC esp if you want a good pool, you could also give the Poly or the Contemporary a try.

You can also try renting DVC points. There are some DVC hotels on property and just about all deluxe resorts have a DVC add on. Even if you are not DVC you can still stay there. You can book rooms with cash or you can rent points. It is what my family did for our vacation to Aulani (Hawaii, also a DVC resort) and we saved a lot of money. It was still expensive, but not as bad if we would have paid rack rate.

In terms of DVC at WDW, I know places like the Poly bungalows, the villas at Bay Lake Tower, the cabins at Wilderness Lodge, even the villas at the GF are really good and they are right near MK too.

 

[a1tinkfans]

Luxury and Disney, despite the hype is Not the same standard as say, across the world.
The prices may make one feel luxury but the amenities are not true luxury.
If you disliked GF and AKL was not to ur liking and you Truly need luxury, elsewhere off property may meet that need.
Good luck!

 

[hereforthechurros]

WL is often cheaper than the other deluxes and is a beautiful resort. Being on the water with the boat to MK and outdoor dining makes it feel more upscale. The Copper Creek rooms while not as inexpensive as the regular WL rooms, are wonderful.

 

[Marthasor]

Hello! I am planning a trip to Disney World, and need some hotel advice. We have stayed at the following hotels:
1) Port Orleans (hated it-felt it was really run down)
2) Animal Kingdom Lodge (Okay, but far away)
3) Grand Floridian (Okay-expected to be wowed, but really hated the separate buildings and felt it was just Okay)
4) Swan/Dolphin (Definitely my favorite out of them all, but really want the transportation)

With all that being said, I just feel that most Disney hotels are overpriced for the level of luxury they offer. I want to stay on property, but I would love to feel like I was actually in a luxury property for the price.

Questions:
1) Should I just forget the idea of "luxury" and do something like the Finding Nemo Suite? Or am I going to hate it even more than Port Orleans...
2) What about the Contemporary? Or the new Riviera Resort?
3) Is there a hotel I am missing or that you would suggest?

Thanks so much!!

"Luxury", as far as 5-star luxury really doesn't exist at WDW resorts. The most luxury you will get would be at the Four Seasons, but then you give up the transportation you are looking for (I'm assuming you mean DME). IMHO, if you liked Swan/Dolphin, I would stick with that, particularly with the pricing they are currently offering. I've never seen Swan/Dolphin prices so low. I would then use that savings to hire a private car service from the airport. If you want WDW "luxury" and hated the separate buildings of GF, I would suggest YC. The lobby doesn't have a wow factor, but the rooms were recently redone and are really lovely. It's right next to Swan/Dolphin so you would be familiar with the benefits of staying in that area of WDW. RIV is also very nice. The resort is brand new and everything is within a single building. You would also have the advantage of the Skyliner though you do lose the location advantage of being directly in the EP resort area. I think you will hate AoA more than you hated POR.

 

[FSU Girl]

I really like staying at the contemporary in the tower. I also don’t like the outdoor buildings of Grand Floridian. I like being able to walk to Magic Kingdom and a short monorail to Epcot. The lake view is nice and theme park view is great to watch the fireworks without the crowds. Riviera does look really nice, I haven’t stayed there yet but I want to in the future.

If you’re looking for a 5 star luxury hotel you’d find elsewhere for Disney prices you’ll probably be disappointed. You’re paying more for location for the deluxes being near a park or two

 

[cvjw]

If you didn’t like grand Floridian, stay offsite in a true luxury property. None of the other disney properties will wow you. We have stayed in all the deluxe resorts with the exception of riveria - which just looks cheap to us from the outside and is basically part of the Caribbean beach resort.

 

[Eastern]

I don't think you will be happy on Disney property if you are looking for luxury value for dollar. It doesn't exist. You are paying for proximity to the parks.

 

[LeslieLou]

We love yacht club and you cannot beat the location. We also love the swolphin as long time Sheraton and Marriott folks. Could always consider a split stay to manage the transportation.

 

[lorimay]

Our last visit was in February before our world changed and we stayed at Rivera Resort in a preferred suite.
What a beautiful room, the grounds were appealing and it was very quiet.
Walking over to the Gondola's in the morning was great.
Highly recommended.

Contemporary would be next, then Polynesian, both were wonderful stays too.

 

[Deb & Bill]

If you are considering the Riviera, remember that it is a DVC resort. There are zero hotel rooms and zero suites. No club level. Just studios (some with a single murphy bed and some with a queen bed and murphy bed), one, two and three bedroom villas. Even the bedroom villas have convertible beds, not all are standard style beds. If you have more than two people and they all need real beds, you might need to consider one of the other standard resorts. Or you could even try the Four Seasons.

 

[Blondie58]

Luxury and Disney, despite the hype is Not the same standard as say, across the world.
The prices may make one feel luxury but the amenities are not true luxury.
If you disliked GF and AKL was not to ur liking and you Truly need luxury, elsewhere off property may meet that need.
Good luck!

I couldn't agree more. The prices at WDW are luxury plus but the amenities are not even close to Intercontinental across the US. The club floors at Intercontinentals are amazing!! (Boston, Cleveland 2 locations, New Orleans, San Francisco, etc.) IC prices are half the CL floors at Disney Resorts GF and CR. We have even found some Crowne Plaza's to be nicer than Disney. BUT you are paying for the location and in normal times all room are booked so the price does not prohibit at WDW.

 

[CynBeth]

Not sure what is open or closed so just giving my opinion on the deluxe resorts we have stayed that we loved. In the MK area the theming at WL is incredible and Whispering Canyon Cafe is one of our favorite breakfasts. It is an easy boat ride to CR and FW if you want a meal there. CR was the first resort I ever stayed so it holds a special place in my heart. To me there is something special about the monorail going through it and having a TPV. Also nice to be able to walk to MK. At Poly the tropical theme with the torches at night was great. The Hawaii building for CL had a lot of glass so there were great views of the MK especially in the lounge and is close to the boat dock. It was an easy walk to the TTC for the Epcot monorail. For the Epcot/DHS area we have only stayed at YC. It was an easy walk to both parks and the boat dock is in front of it if you prefer that instead and it is the first stop when it shares a bus with BC to AK and MK.

 

[2xcited2sleep]

Hello! I am planning a trip to Disney World, and need some hotel advice. We have stayed at the following hotels:
1) Port Orleans (hated it-felt it was really run down)
2) Animal Kingdom Lodge (Okay, but far away)
3) Grand Floridian (Okay-expected to be wowed, but really hated the separate buildings and felt it was just Okay)
4) Swan/Dolphin (Definitely my favorite out of them all, but really want the transportation)

I'm not sure what you mean by really wanting the transportation at Swan/Dolphin. You can still walk to DHS or EP, or walk to Skyliner. Buses are still running to the Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, and Disney Springs. Friendship boats aren't running for any Epcot area resort. Magical Express isn't offered (even pre-COVID) but these days Magical Express doesn't include the luggage service or airline check-in on the return so I'd argue it's not as big of a benefit. If you know you like the Swan, I'd say it's still a great option and they have some $$ deals (believe Dolphin side is closed - temporarily reopened for Labor Day due to demand but closing back up).

If looking for "true" luxury per general resort (not just Disney) standards, I'd recommend the Four Seasons.

 

[disneygolfer1985]

Personally, we are DVC members at GFV and BWV and we prefer the location at BWV over staying at the GFV. Typically, the deluxe resorts are priced more for location and transportation. With that in mind, I would say and Epcot resort would be the best in terms of location and transportation. You are at a Disney resort and you can walk to 2 parks.

 

[chasgoose]

Hello! I am planning a trip to Disney World, and need some hotel advice. We have stayed at the following hotels:
1) Port Orleans (hated it-felt it was really run down)
2) Animal Kingdom Lodge (Okay, but far away)
3) Grand Floridian (Okay-expected to be wowed, but really hated the separate buildings and felt it was just Okay)
4) Swan/Dolphin (Definitely my favorite out of them all, but really want the transportation)

With all that being said, I just feel that most Disney hotels are overpriced for the level of luxury they offer. I want to stay on property, but I would love to feel like I was actually in a luxury property for the price.

Questions:
1) Should I just forget the idea of "luxury" and do something like the Finding Nemo Suite? Or am I going to hate it even more than Port Orleans...
2) What about the Contemporary? Or the new Riviera Resort?
3) Is there a hotel I am missing or that you would suggest?

Thanks so much!!

To answer your questions in order:

1. I agree with all of those who say there's no real true on-site "luxury resort." As far as room/service quality goes, they are at best up to the standards of a basic Sheraton/Marriott/Hyatt. You are essentially paying more for some combination of bigger rooms/less garish, but still mostly more immersive theming/better transportation. For me the big thing that has kept me staying Deluxe in the past has been that they are the only hotels on property that aren't set up "motel style" and have interior hallways, but now you can get that at the Gran Destino Tower at Coronado or the Family Suites at AoA (although unless you need the space the Family Suites aren't really that much cheaper than the Deluxes). Also even then, the Poly and all but the most expensive rooms at the GF only offer rooms in separate buildings. The GDT could be a good compromise if your group isn't too big and if you prepare yourself for the garishness of the Family Suites (which are currently being renovated and toned down, albeit slowly) could work if you want the extra space (although the non-room features of the hotel are definitely more "Value"). The theming and the subtle Disney touches keep me paying the exorbitant Deluxe prices, but I would probably stick with the Swan/Dolphin in your case since you get the same quality as a Disney Deluxe at a far lower price that would more than cover the cost of losing the reduced service Magical Express.

2. As far as the Contemporary/Riviera, I would say that, along with the Yacht Club, they are the "closest" to providing a luxury hotel experience, at least as far as rooms go, the service standards are still typical for Disney Deluxes (aka far below what you would expect for the price or at a "real" luxury resort). That said, however, in addition to all the caveats I described above, they both only really do that in their more expensive rooms. The cheapest rooms at the Contemporary are in a separate building outside the main tower and the cheapest rooms at the Riviera, the "Tower Studios" are small and only offer one murphy bed. The costs to upgrade to the Tower at the Contemporary or a Deluxe Studio at the Riviera start pushing those rooms into the $500-600/night rack rate territory. You could potentially rent points to stay at the Riviera, but given the uncertainty right now and the difficulties both renters and rentees have had post-COVID, there is a risk involved.

3. If luxury is what you are really after, the only other option you might consider is the Four Seasons. It's priced around the same as the more expensive Deluxe resorts, but you are actually going to get a 5 star luxury experience both in terms of the rooms and service (which blows away CL rooms at Disney even in their lowest price rooms). Their transportation is almost as good as on-site transportation in terms of convenience (aside from having to go to the TTC at MK) and location wise its not much further from anything than the monorail Deluxes/WL is. Also their pool is second only to Stormalong Bay at the YC/BC. That said, it seems like your issue was more the fact that you didn't really receive a luxury experience that matched the exorbitant prices charged by the Disney Deluxe resorts (combined with the fact that you realized the Moderates weren't going to do it at their also exorbitant prices) than that you truly needed the luxury experience. If that's the case I would probably still stay with the Swan/Dolphin.