Just returned...split stay at Pop and WL

[antkim]

We were in WDW 1/5-1/12...had a wonderful time OF COURSE!!

We stayed at Pop 1/5-1/9. I posted in another Pop thread but will mention our experience here as well. This was our 3rd stay at Pop (our 6th at a vlaue) and I have to say that as a family (2 adults, 2 children 4,9) we will never stay in a value again. More than anything I think it is because we truly spend just as much time enjoying the resort now as we do touring the parks!! My DH actually became quite stressed out this time at Pop and really was unhappy for a few reasons:
-Beds were small and very uncomfortable
-Room is getting small for us now that the kids are getting bigger
-While the food court is fine it just always seems packed...morning, noon, night. Also very loud and crazy! LOL
-We could hear the woman in the next room cough in the middle of the night not to mention the bathroom!
-There really is nothing to do at the resort other than go swimming.

I am in no way bashing the value resorts because as I mentioned we have stayed there several times. We (as a family) have just out grown them.

On 1/9 we checked into WL and when I tell you a "calm" just came over all us I MEAN IT!! While I checked in my dh and both my ds's sat on a couch in the lobby...dh read his book while the boys colored. They were all so content that I think they would have stayed there all day!! I was pleasantly surprised with an upgrade to a CYV...I had booked a Woods View. They told me that if I wanted to wait for the room to be cleaned they could give me a room on the 6th floor that would look out towards the MK OR I could have the CYV room that was ready. Of course I jumped on that not only for the upgrade but having a room to settle into right away was fabulous!

After being at Pop for 4 nights the room at WL felt like a mansion! LOL The rooms are so pretty now and the beds felt like a little piece of heaven!! After going to our room we ventured down to Roaring Forks for lunch...not only was the food wonderful but it was so nice and quiet and spotless...another piece of heaven. After that....headed to the pool. My boys swam for 2 1/2 hours straight!!! Up the slide, down the slide, up the slide, down the slide etc. etc. etc. What did DH and I do....NOTHING!!! Actually, we enjoyed a frozen beverage and read our books while lounging by the pool...yet ANOTHER piece of heaven!!

Again...I think it is all a personal preference but for us the resort truly MAKES the vacation. My husband looked at me while we were sitting by the pool and said "NOW I feel like I am on vacation"....that means A LOT! He likes WDW just fine but is not as obsessed as I. Crowds, noise and chaos are not his thing but as long as he has some peace and relaxation he can deal with anything!!

I was not sure what my experience would be at WL...I can honestly say that it is now my favorite resort!! We will be back next Jan for sure!

Kim

 

[pickles]

I think you said it all quite well. The values are great for famlies on the go or with budgets, but to truly appreciate your vacation, you have to try a deluxe like WL...tho that one is not my fav...too dark, I like the beachy themed ones

 

[ProudMommyof2]

How was the weather? Did yor boys get a bunkbed experience too? We were at WL in 5/07 and just loved it! Isn't awesome to have the balcony?

 

[Esmerelda]

We too feel the same about the value hotels. We have stayed at all 4 in the years past but can no longer manage 4 of us in one of their rooms.

We joined DVC in Oct of 04 for one of many reasons. We all LOVE WL (this is not our home resort but still we love it). We find the hotel as a whole totally fasicinating from the woodwork and the massive lobby to all that there is to do. We are splitting a trip in June. Three nights at WL (concierge, my family doesn't know yet), then onto 6 nights in a 2 bedroom at SSR. I am totally psyched about going.

Thanks so much for your post and I'm so glad that you and your family had a magical vacation.

here's to many more magical moments.....
Esmerelda

 

[antkim]

The weather was AMAZING!! 85 practically every day! Funny...since we are from New England we left some pretty cold weather behind so it really felt HOT to us...dh and I said we would not complain about the heat. At one point DH looked at me and said "Man it is HOT! BUT I am not complaining...just making an observation"!!

We have been fortunate to stay at quite a few of the deluxe resorts...CR, Poly, YC, AKL, BW and BWV. Up until this visit our favorite was BW...just LOVE that area. There is so much going on there...always something to do! Maybe it was just because the beginning of our trip was chaos that we welcomed the peacefullness of this resort. DH still likes the convenience of the Poly as do I. My oldest ds (9) asked if we could split our stay next year between WL and Poly because he just can't decide which pool he likes better!