I can't decide! SoG or a value with dining?

[marj70]

Not being able to do the dining plan is driving me crazy! (I mean the one you pay for, not the free one.) I love the idea of the trip being pretty much pre-paid and not worrying about food. We always eat well, so would do a lot of TS anyway.

Right now I have booked dec 11-18 at SoG, but was hoping for a good deal to switch to AKL. Rack at AKL with dining is out of my desired $$ range (I'm also planning a big Universal trip in March and paying for everything myself with a little part time job--yes I'm proud!)

Anyhow, now I'm thinking if I did a AAA MYW package with dining and hoppers at a value resort it would only be about $200 more than the SoG WITHOUT dining, we would save around $500 by staying at a value when I figure what we would spend out of pocket on dining.

I've stayed at SoG, and the family has only stayed at moderates. The only thing DH cares about is a decent pool and not driving anywhere. We will have car but like to park it as DS loves to ride the busses.

What would you do (assuming no good deals come out)? Has anyone out there stayed at both SoG and a value?

DS, 4, has autism so I really don't want to do a split stay. I'd rather get him settled in one place and not move.

 

[milmore104]

I chose POP for our upcoming trip. This is an unexpected trip for us. We also LOVE to eat at a lot of TS places so the difference for us was about $900 if we didn't go w/ the dining plan. We usually spend around $1300 on food while we are there. I would say stay at a value and save the money spend it on some really great souvies or extra's. your DS will really LOVE the themeing and colors at a value.

 

[LIFERBABE]

The SOG room will be larger than the Values. The pool is about the same, because SOG doesnt have a slide either. SOG will be quieter and not as busy if that is important to you.

I dont think SOG will get EMH so that should be considered if you would use it.

The thing about the dining, is that you can do a really great meal each day with Characters or other Table Service. You will also have to allow more time for dining at sit down meals, which may be good or bad. I would not plan alot of resort dining, if you do not want to drive your POV. Plan your dining around your park visits.

We have stayed at SOG and will be staying at POP 3 days next month with the Free dining. We have always wanted to do HDDR, but it was never in our budget, so when the free dining hit, we switched our ressie from BWV to POP. We are going on DCL, so we figured the cruise would be the highlight of our trip this time and we can experience some new dining options with the plan at WDW.

Good Luck with your decision!

 

[jckdisneybound]

Personally I would stay at SoG over a value resort, but I like the valet parking, and interior corridors. And you still get the EMH option and the package delivery option.

 

[Momof6]

dh and I prefer SOG. Our kids tend to prefer WDW themed resorts - BUT they have never stayed in a value resort. I will say that even with just our two daughters with us they were feeling cramped at POR compared to the Cont. I'm actually a little afraid of our upcoming trip. It's just dh and I and we have to spend one night in POP - a first for us. We're hoping that there are some cancellations for SOG. Maybe it's just me - but I kind of like our hotel to a very calm place. SOG was like that. The WDW properties weren't. You'll end up having a super time either way...best to do your homework, check the pics available online, and then you can be more confident with your decision.

Denise

 

[samefay]

OP, I could be you writing the post.
I just debated the same issue.
We just signed up today with a AAA discounted package because of the dining. We're going Oct. 2-7th.
5 nights at SoG would have only been $500. I love the resort and do consider it a deluxe - just didn't care for the transportation but we always walked to the Poly. Not to mention the room size.
I haven't stayed at a moderate since 2000 but decided to go with one because of the package. The room will be cramped but who cares this time around. (3 adults & 1 child) We're never in it much anyway.
Anyway we got CSR with a 1 day ticket and dining for 5 nights for $1501.
We would definately eat $1000 while we would be at SoG because we like nice restaurants too.
Hope this helps.

 

[marj70]

Did you get one day tickets because you are passholders or do you intend to buy the rest from Shades of Green? I do like that the Stars & Stripes passes include Pleasure Island. Quiet doesn't appeal to me as much with a very noisy 4 year old of my own, but I agree that Shades is so peaceful. I just think DS would enjoy the theming at a value (I'm leaning toward POP) a lot.

 

[minnie61650]

I am 55 years old and travel several times a year. I often stay at 4 star hotels.
So the deluxe resorts do not have anything special for me.
All Star is like being in the heart of the Magic and that is where I want to be.

All Star Music is my favorite.It is quieter because more couples stay there. I love staying at the Clypso building. It is closer to the pool,food court and bus stop.

Here is a site with a map of All Star Sports and All Star Music.
http://www.wdwinfo.com/resortmaps/allstarmap.htm
Scroll down.All Star Music is at the bottom of the page.
The Calypso buildings at All Star Music are #1 and #10 are nearest to the food court and bus stop.
They are the preferred buildings and cost about $12 extra per night.
The Calypso pool at ASMU has Donald Duck.

Here is the map of All Movies.
http://www.wdwinfo.com/resortmaps/allstarmovie.JPG
The Fantasia Buildings are the preferred buildings.
The All Star Movie Fantasia pool has Mickey.
It is a great place to stay .
Preschoolers love it.
It is like being in the middle of a Disney Movie Fantasyland.
.
The buses are wonderful.

Bus rides are quite short from the ALL Stars according to PassPorter.com

All Star Buses-CBR buses---CSR buses--POP buses--- Contemporary
MK 20 min---- 20 min-----15 min------25 min---20 min(mono)
Epcot 10 min-- 15 min-----15 min------20 min---15 min
MGM 10 min----12 min-----15 min------15 min---20min
AK 10 min------20min-------10 min----15 min---20 min
DTD 15 min----20 min------35 min-----20 min---35 min

It only takes 10 minutes to get to Epcot,MGM and AK from All Stars.
MK is 20 min away. That's the same amount of time it takes on the monorail from the Contemporary.

The All Star resorts have 1960 rooms each.
Pop has 2,880rooms.
That means more people in the pools,food court and in line waiting for the bus at POP.
When phase 2 of POP is built it will be 2 bus stops at POP and the 2 POPs will have the same # of rooms as the 3 All Stars.

Also All Star is closer to the main road to get to parks and thats why bus rides are shorter from there than from POP.

A WORD ABOUT BUS SHARING:

It is usually just our stop and maybe one more on the way to the parks. On the way back sometimes its all 3 but often Sports and Music share and Movies has it's own bus back.

I guess some people who stay at POP see all 3 All Star names on the return sign of our bus stop when they head to the POP bus stop and think All Stars also has 3 stops on the way to the park.
(Even when we stop at another AS resort to load up it has not taken more than 5 minutes and we are on our way!)

I love the All Star Resorts --they can't be beat. I have visited WDW more than a dozen times with the 1st time in Oct. 1971. It was brand new. I've stayed at FW, Disney Inn,(that was before the military bought it and changed the name to SOG) a few the of Hotels on hotel Blvd., CBR and the towers at the Contemporary. I got to see the MK from my balcony at the Contemporary and I'm happy I got to experience it once. I just prefer the All Star Resorts.
The theaming is pure Disney.
My last 4 visits have been at The All Stars and this fall when we take dd,dsil, and our grandson age 3 we are staying at the All Stars Music. I thought about AKL and even though we can well afford AKL I just wanted Alex to experience the Disney Magic at the All Stars on his first visit.
Where else can one find Donald Duck or Mickey Mouse at the pool?
Have a great time at Disney!
Linda

 

[samefay]

I did only buy the 1 day base pass to get the dining plan. We'll run over to the shades of Green to get my father-in-law a 3 day hopper pass.

To many choices I know.

I did run it to problems with the dining plan though today- most of the restaurants are already booked because of the dining plan and MNSH
I'm eating at 1 restaurant at 9pm and I still can't get into 1900 Park Fair.

 

[stm61]

I had to decide the same thing. I booked last month and at the time there was a military special for disney resorts. Check and see if it's still available. It was something like 30% off for a stay of 1-3 nights, 40% off for 4 or more nights. You can use the free dining with the discount. Hopefully it's still available.

 

[marj70]

The military discount will end before my stay, but I thought you couldn't combine ANY discount with the dining plan? Now I'm really confused... Also, if I can get a deal like that I'd upgrade to AKL.

 

[samefay]

Nope WDW wouldn't let me combine military discount and a package.
So we went with the package.

I have to say we really loved the SoG restaurants too but wanted to try some new ones and of course some old favorites.

 

[Anewman]

You say you will save $500 overall staying at a Value. Upgrading to a Moderate is about $500 for your 7 night stay. HMMM

 

[stm61]

try again with the military and dining together. I had 8 night reservations at POR before I ended up at SOG for the bigger rms (5 of us and one is my mother). I even had the CM price it out for me, called several times, changed dates at least 3 times, and got both each time. Only problem for me was I would have needed to buy a 1 day pass for everyone at POR, then buy tickets for the remainder of our stay at SOG. Maybe I just got lucky but I did call at least 5 times between July and the beginning of Aug.