Keep Returning to Same Resort or Try New One?

[Hoosier37]

That's the question I'm dealing with now, in the early stages of planning our June 2013 trip.

We went for our first trip last year and stayed at Pop. We loved it. We loved the bustle, the over-the-top theming, just everything about it. We said frequently while there that we wanted to come back to Pop on our next trip.

We do need to stay in a value - moving to moderate would drop a day from our trip to stay on budget, and we aren't crazy about the look of any of the mods anyway. I haven't even bothered to price anything beyond the mods. Granted, maybe we'll get a pin code or something, but otherwise we will plan to stay at a value.

So do we go back to the value resort we loved, or do we try something new? I'm torn - on one hand, a new resort might be fun. On the other hand, what if we spend the whole time wishing we'd stayed at Pop?

I don't like the fact that the All Stars are all close together and share buses. But I do think that ASMo is adorable. And then there are the standard rooms in AOA, which should be open by the time we go. My DH and DS are not at all interested in Little Mermaid, so I'm not sure if that will be an option. We'll have to wait and see what they look like later this year.

So which is the better choice - stay again at the same resort for our second trip, or go see what else is out there?

 

[ToddyLu]

I agree once we found POP we loved it and stayed there until we joined DVC. The buses were great and we just liked the theming better. When talking about values I think Pop is the best because it is on its own. I think there is something to be said for the place that brings you back home with a certain comfort level to it when you return. That makes Disney feel like home to us and sets the vibe for the magic. I like to hear when people have a favorite resort--sorta like returning to that same beach house every year. You literally meet the same bellmen year after year and the smells of the place instantly settle you...


We still return to Pop for lunch.

 

[elaw]

Do a split stay ... And do both

 

[CajunMomof3]

Every time we find a resort that we really like, we think we will always come back here. Then, when we call, they offer us the military discount at another resort, and we try it, and end up thinking that we will always come back to that one. So, I say, try something new. We liked Pop, but we loved the theming at ASMo.
Have a great trip!

 

[IMGONNABE40!]

If a pin code puts a mod in your price range, I would explore that. If you stay with a value, I'd stay with Pop. It is not that the busses from the All Stars are bad...but they do seem far out there and it seems that it is a long bus ride to anywhere.

That being said, the All Stars are nice and other than time on the bus, you will likely enjoy the experience.

BTW I am on a quest to stay at all of the resorts. I have stayed at all of the mods and 3 of the values--haven't stayed at Movies... If I were to stay value again, I'd stay at Pop unless I wanted a suite. I liked all of the mods and would need to know more about your preferences before recommending one.

 

[dvcHammer]

Although I would be happy just to be at Disney at any resort, there are 2 that are my favorites and my first choices. I've been to or have stayed at all of them over 50+ visits.

I go home to:
Old Key West my "vacation home" for long stays.
Port Orleans for shorter stays

After a while you find where you are comfortable. Give me a balcony overlooking the canal at OKW and I don't even need a theme park.

 

[Trep72]

It's funny that I came across this post as I just made the decision to move from POP to Movies so we could utilize a Quick Service PIN recently received in the mail. Unfortunately, POP was not available for the dates we are going. My DD (14) and I absolutely love POP and have stayed their twice so far.

I'm not looking forward to the bus situation either, but ultimately we are happy to just be going back.

 

[portocall]

We stayed at All-Star Music three times. Then we outgrew it (we haven't considered the Family Suites) and moved to Port Orleans Riverside. We fell in love with POR and will stay there from now on. I can't picture staying anywhere else which is funny because I didn't want to stay at Port Orleans at all until we got there being familiar themeing.

 

[kaligal]

If it were anything but Value v Value, I'd say you should live a little and try something new. But the values are so very similar that if you like one, there is no reason I can think of to go to another.

 

[Belle83]

I would try a new resort Art of Animation looks awesome. They'll be more than Pop I think but not as much as a moderate. The rooms at the All-Stars are going to be slightly cheaper than Pop.

For my 2004 trip, I re-visited CBR and now looking back I wish I had tried a new resort. I want to eventually stay at all of the resorts. At the time, I picked CBR because I enjoyed it it on a prior trip, I wanted a tropical theme. At the time the themes of CSR and POR did not appeal to me, and I had stayed at POFQ on my most recent trip.

Go for Art of Animation! It will be all nice and new, and you can walk to Pop if you want. I know your entire family isn't thrilled about Little Mermaid, though.

 

[Mousemommy1]

DH and I have made it our goal to try every resort on property. We were going to go through all of the values, then mods, then deluxes. We have done all of the values, and we did CBR last year....we weren't overly impressed with CBR as far as what it offered "over a value" so we are skipping the rest of the mods right now and are headed for a Poly/BC split in July!!!! we will circle back and complete the mods (except for maybe CSR, just no desire)...and we want to try AoA as well....so much to do, so little time!!! Anyways, we think that after we've tried them all, we will have found our "home" and then we'll probably just stay at that one resort from there on out. But, it sure is a fun expiriment!!

 

[pepe of ohio]

We've stays at almost all the deluxe except the Boardwalk.....and some resorts we've returned to a few times.....some resorts have made changes we are not happy with and won't return to, some resorts are based on what park we're going to spend the most time at.....so now, after over 45 trips, we come to enjoy the MK area the most....

We pick the resort on location and price...for us WL has all we want and the last 10 or so have been back to the Lodge....we also can not stand split stays.....we don't want to ruin a vacation by living out of a suitcase or packing up mid trip to move to another resort....we've seen everything we want to see in resorts....we enjoy being familiar with a resort, what it provides and easy access to our favoirte park...so we keep returning to it....mods and values hold no interest to us and therefore not even considered it our picks.....having done most of the deluxe...we're done, WL for us...

 

[JimS4210]

We pick the resort on location and price...for us WL has all we want and the last 10 or so have been back to the Lodge....we also can not stand split stays.....we don't want to ruin a vacation by living out of a suitcase or packing up mid trip to move to another resort....we've seen everything we want to see in resorts....we enjoy being familiar with a resort, what it provides and easy access to our favoirte park...so we keep returning to it....mods and values hold no interest to us and therefore not even considered it our picks.....having done most of the deluxe...we're done, WL for us...

I could have written this post almost word for word, but substituting the Boardwalk for Wilderness Lodge. Absolutely no interest in staying at a moderate or (shudder) value. We love the Boardwalk and the quick walk to either Epcot or Hollywood Studios. Love Wilderness Lodge, too and the quick boat ride to MK, but The Boardwalk seems like home to us. Heading back the first week of May

Jim

 

[Mynamewastaken]

If it were me I would try something new. It adds excitement to the trip IMO. The two times we have gone we have stayed at POR and then POLY. This time we are off site to to the whole family going. When we go back as a family of 4 we will try another resort. I just have to get DH in the disney bliss the 3 of us are in

 

[Paradise18]

I like trying new resorts. The way I look at it, you didn't know how much you liked Pop Century until you tried it. Have a great trip.

 

[jenjifer]

I say try a new one. We stayed at ASSp last year, and really loved it. We only shared a bus once in the whole time we were there (March into April) so don't let that be an issue. I've been struggling with this question myself: should we stay at ASSp next year, or try POFQ. I guess I'll take my own advice and try something new. (I really worry we won't love it as much as we loved ASSports.

Also? It really bothers me when I read comments on boards like this, it truly rubs me the wrong way.

I could have written this post almost word for word, but substituting the Boardwalk for Wilderness Lodge. Absolutely no interest in staying at a moderate or (shudder) value.

I get it, you're too good for a Value.

 

[minnie mum]

Also? It really bothers me when I read comments on boards like this, it truly rubs me the wrong way.


I get it, you're too good for a Value.

I seriously doubt that the poster was saying anything of the sort. They probably had a horrible stay at a value similar to the one that we had, and vowed never to return to a value again. You obviously have been fortunate to have had only positive results. Lucky you, but your statement is presumptuous.

To the OP: Adventure (and variety) is the spice of life. Live on the edge and try something new. Once you've experienced all there is, then pick what you liked best and go back to it! If that means (for now) staying with the value resorts, then go ahead and try one of the All Stars or AoA. I know you said the family is not into the Little Mermaid, but honestly the rest of the resort looks really intriguing.

My only word of caution, if you are looking at the All Stars is to do some checking to see if any big groups are likely to be there at the same time as you (Thinking cheerleaders, dance, BTGs) This could really impact your stay.

 

[Lumiere Lover]

As you can see by my ticker, we always like to try new resorts. Until---I went to Port Orleans French Quarter. This wonderful resort now holds my heart. I don't know if I will ever be able to stay anywhere else. I can't say enough about POFQ. The grounds were beautiful, the resort small, and the Cast Members (who are always great) are extremely terrific at POFQ. Going back in December, and I booked POFQ at the 500 day mark so I knew I had my favorite resort booked for sure!!

Good luck making your decision. You can always stay at Pop, and spend a day looking at other resorts for your next vacation.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

I thought POP was cute when I stayed there. I loved the gift shop. The food court was just crazy though and for some reason it bugged me. I also had issues with hearing the neighbors in the next rooms going to the bathroom, flushing toilets, hearing them talk. Maybe I was just grumpy that trip. LOL

I stayed at ASMo once and enjoyed it. The gift shop wasn't as fun as POPs. I liked the pool better at POP. The only time it shared buses with the other All Star resorts was in the middle of the day. At park opening and park closing the buses didn't share.

I'm going to try ASMu next in early May. I like to try different resorts and I figure if I don't like the resort, I'll spend more time in the parks or at DTD.

OP- If you are a bit adventurous and like trying something new, go for checking out an All Star Resort or AoA. But if you are the type of person who doesn't like change, staying at POP might be better.

To be fair, I need to mention I do prefer a moderate or deluxe resort over a value. I think they are more relaxing and I like their hot tubs but I can't always afford to stay at those.

See you around the boards!

 

[fightinillini229]

As you can see from my sig, we tend to have trends in where we stay...4 in a row at PO, 2 at ASSp, and now 2 at they Poly. There is something to be said for feeling like you're "home" when you get to a resort. I for one really love that feeling and can't wait to get back to the Poly, however if we never tried something new we would probably still be at PO!