How Do You Make Your Resort Choice?

[SaintsManiac]

What is most important to you when choosing a resort? We have plenty of time to decide, as we are not going back until early December 2017. I think it's part of the fun to watch videos, read threads and weigh out the pros and cons We stayed at POR last trip and would rather not stay again. We loved the Contemporary back in 2009, but should we try something new?

We spend enough time at the hotel to make it an important decision. What makes you choose where to stay?

I'm just curious if others agonize over this decision as much as I do LOL

 

[Disneylover99]

We choose our resort based on price or available discounts.

 

[OurLaughingPlace]

Totally agonize ... so much so that we are staying at 3 different resorts next trip since we can't decide (Contemporary,Beach Club, PORS)

First, we make sure it works for our budget. We've stayed at all levels, but are normally 'moderate' resort kind of people (suits our needs and our budgets). Love POFQ and the size and the boat to Disney Springs. We really enjoy visiting Disney Springs and eating at Wolfgang Puck Express. We (the adults) are big fans of Epcot and our teens favourite resort is DHS - this makes Beach Club our favourite deluxe. It is affordable to us only because of the magical deal we've received a couple of times. Plus, since our kids are teens, we are comfortable with them in stormalong bay pool - if I had little ones this pool would likely make me nervous (big, lazy river deep). We like the laid back atmosphere of the boardwalk area at night as well as early morning walks. This year we are trying 4 nights at Contemporary - have never stayed there. Once again, a good magical deal makes it affordable to us. We chose PORS because it qualified for the free dining bounceback offer (and boat to Disney Springs).
Good luck with your decision!

 

[5kidsmommy]

Well for us it's a pretty simple choice. We choose the campground because we have a trailer and we enjoy traveling and vacationing in it. It was the best purchasing decision we made especially since our family sizes makes Disney trips pricey and the family suites were never an option (too small) and staying in two rooms just still seemed too small. Plus the location can't be beat. It's simple for us, amenities, budget, and location.

 

[tcherjen]

I choose based on what is important at the time. I am a big fan of POR and AOA suites. I feel like those are great!
This will be our first trip to AKL- so I might have a new favorite.

 

[TxWriterMama]

Space. Kiddo needs space, and we've started traveling with our Mary Poppins so we find the 2 BDRM Villas work best for our family. I plug in the dates we want to visit and then pick from whatever is available. When we have enough time, I'll rent DVC points to save a little coin.

 

[dansdad]

Budget
Theme
Amenities

 

[elaw]

We choose our resort based on price or available discounts.

We pretty much do the same but we do have our favorites and generally choose amongst those based on price and availability.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Definitely! What is most important changes depending on the nature of each trip: who is going, how long, why are we going, etc.

For instance these were the priorities when I planned my last 2 trips


With parents to DL:
1) Convenience to parks
2) Resort amenities
3) Budget
We ended up at Grand Californian

Young-adult girls trip to WDW:
1) Budget
2) Uniqueness of resort
3) Resort amenities
We stretched our budget to get AKL when discounts came out, we came very close to POR FQ.

 

[constantstar]

I always start out value and then convince myself that I need more. Our December trip was booked Pop but then AoA looked all new so I started leaning there. Then, the POR royal rooms called my name so that's where we're booked now. But, I'm here searching about deluxe resorts so who knows where we'll end up. I consider space, transportation, and money (of course).

 

[minnie mum]

1. Budget.
2. Budget.
3. Budget.
4. Available room discounts.
5. Who is in our group this time that requires special considerations.
6.How long are we staying.

First I rule out all the values, because I would rather not go at all than stay at one. Usually we pick one of the mods, unless there is a good discount available at a deluxe (and it's a relatively short stay). Our next trip will include our 4yo DGS, so I'll probably choose either POFQ for its small size, or CBR for its great kid friendly pool and splash pad.

 

[tinkerbella16]

We usually stay moderate, preferably POR. So budget, theme and amenities are the 3 big factors when booking. This year was easy, paying a lot less than a Moderate for a Deluxe resort. Going in September, the pool was a big factor - Stormalong Bay was the obvious choice for us. Also location - we love the boat transportation to Disney Springs at POR, but Beach Club might be the best when it comes to location, being so close to Epcot and DHS. We frequent Epcot on our trips, so that is a real treat to be able to walk there.

 

[Bree]

1. Who will be on the trip?
2. How long will the trip be?
3. What type of trip will it be? (parks all day or time hanging out at the resort?)
3. Budget.
4. What resort can I get the best rate for that will fit my budget? I'm an AP holder, check with my magical agent, price out Orbitz, etc.

When we lived in MA and when we first moved to FL we only stayed Deluxe when we went to WDW. Those prices really added up when taking 3-4 short trips and one long trip every year. If we are only going to be at WDW 1-2 nights, I just book a value. Anything longer will typically be at a moderate unless I get a great rate for a deluxe.

 

[HopperFan]

Budget is a priority!

Resort time factors in, so amenities, but we are at a point that it's mostly just a bed and shower. If I can budget a nicer bed, and atmosphere - great.

No I do not agonize. Where I stay must meet my standards - so I work within a small parameter which then boils down to budget. I'd rather spend money on extras.

 

[alliecat523]

Budget and then location.

 

[Cotillard]

I go back and forth all the time -
there's a thread for that! http://www.disboards.com/threads/as...erending-saga-of-the-resort-changers.3299133/

 

[RMColosimo]

What is most important to you when choosing a resort? We have plenty of time to decide, as we are not going back until early December 2017. I think it's part of the fun to watch videos, read threads and weigh out the pros and cons We stayed at POR last trip and would rather not stay again. We loved the Contemporary back in 2009, but should we try something new?

We spend enough time at the hotel to make it an important decision. What makes you choose where to stay?

I'm just curious if others agonize over this decision as much as I do LOL

What was wrong with POR? We are staying there in August, and it looks like a great place to stay. Suffers from 'Large Resortitis' meaning lots of walking, but other than that it looks like a great place.

 

[Nancyg56]

Oh, this is always a huge decision for us. The first thing I do is consider who is coming on the trip and then what those people would either need or want to make the stay enjoyable.
Then I look at our budget.
I look at theme and amenities, as well as what we want to do on any given trip.
Then I reconsider the budget.

After all that, I pick the resort that we can all afford and that provides what we have decided we ant on that trip.

This trip we chose the Beach Club. It is not my favorite resort, but we are going to be spending plenty of time in Epcot. My DS and DDIL are with us for the first time: Total Stars Wars Fans!!! I think they will be in DHS a lot, and will want to get off by themselves for a few meals in the WC, so logistically BC is a great location. When you add my two little Mermaids who love swimming, and their Mom, who dislikes all of the parks but Epcot and who will be getting her sorry self left behind most days, the pool should be a hit.

My DH may join us as well, and he prefers the monorail resorts, but because of the group dynamic he is willing acquiesce.

We really had to consider the budget because I had originally chosen POR, but given our plans we looked at it closely and decided that while more money was involved, our needs would be better meet. My DH likes to isolate the cost of each resort we are considering and look at the upcost of each. If we see what that cost alone is, we can then determine if that number is worth the change.

 

[L&Lfan]

Whatever deluxe has the best room discount.....that's about it.

 

[SaintsManiac]

Thanks to everyone for your input! We are torn between Contemporary and Boardwalk. We want to stay deluxe again, so that narrows it down. Boardwalk is attractive because of the easy transportation to 3 parks! But we LOVE the CR. Decisions, decisions and hopes for a discount!

What was wrong with POR? We are staying there in August, and it looks like a great place to stay. Suffers from 'Large Resortitis' meaning lots of walking, but other than that it looks like a great place.

We had a bunch of issues with checking in, baggage transfer, cleanliness and DME on checkout day. It didn't ruin the trip or anything, but I didn't appreciate the stress. Mousekeeping was great after we got the first night of issues taken care of. We had a room close to the bus stop, so that was nice. We didn't get a single room request, though. We arrived at 10:30 at night and still didn't have a room. Our luggage was sent to POFQ from POP and took a while to get. Then on checkout day we never got our packet and almost missed the DME. It was just enough to make me cross it off our list.