Need help booking resort!!! Please :)

[GirlfromTN]

My BF and I are going to Disney Sept. 4-7. We cannot decide which resort to book! We are most concerned with transportation around the world and what will be the most convenient/fastest/easiest. Here is our schedule:
Thurs: arrive, check in, dinner at WL (Artist Point).
Fri: Animal Kingdom; Jiko for dinner
Sat: Hollywood Studios; Flying Fish for dinner
Sun: leave.
(We also want to visit the Poly resort at some point for a dole whip and a lapu lapu!)
The resorts we are trying to choose from are:
Value-All Star Sports (only value available for this weekend right now)
Moderate: any of the 4 (Coronado Springs, Caribbean Beach, Port Orleans Riverside/French Quarter
Deluxe: either Animal Kingdom or Wilderness Lodge.
The issue is we like the idea of the AK or WL, especially since we have a dinner at each of these resorts planned BUT since we're going on such a short trip we don't know if its worth it to pay more for the deluxe. We've only stayed at a deluxe resort before (Yacht Club) so we're not really sure about the differences in categories. As I said before, the most important thing to us is convenience and ease of transportation. Also, we'd like a resort that we can go to a bar for a drink after returning for dinner, and before going to bed. Not really concerned about pools/snackshops/other amenities. Any opinion is VERY MUCH APPRECIATED!!!

 

[tessa]

Well, since your options are pretty broad, It is hard to respond, but:

I would choose one of the hotels that you have the ADR's at (AKL or WL).

Personally, I love the WL.

That would be my choice!!

 

[Lamandpercy]

I would go WL. Value resorts are ok but the transport can be slow and you would have to travel to all your ADR's. AKL is great but right at one side of WDW so travel to MK can be a long job. Have only stayed at CBR out of the moderates and found it very big and spent lots of time walking about the place (15 mins from room to main pool). That was a short stay (4 days) and wish we'd been nearer to places.

WL also has boat access to MK which is a nice way to start or end the day.

 

[Minnie&Nana]

We've done several 3 or 4 ngts trips, not visiting all the parks. My suggestion is AKL - it's very different and if you get a room with a great view, can make a short trip feel longer. Many folks do not like the long bus rides, but because you'll be visitng AK that is a very short ride and MGM really is fine. We did not mind the buses at AKL at all. At AKL you'll have one park a quick trip, the other park a longer ride.

POP is the only value with a Lobby and Pool bar.

CBR is a large, but beautiful resort - a very short bus ride to MGM...and yet another resort that makes you feel so relaxed it's like a vacation within a vacation. Some rooms are far from Old Port Royale, but you could request a particular village on your reservation and try again at check-in. But even the further rooms still have that away from everything tropical feel and buses are good. If the pool bar is open late for that weekend, then that would be available for drinks day or evening.

FQ is quaint and small, so most room locations are fine.

POR - well you could end up in the back of the resort - if you like rustic, out in no where then this could be a good choice. Probably the worst of the bus resorts. POR and FQ both have a bar - both very popular. We did have a wonderful stay at both resorts, but had a car that trip.

In a nutshell:

AKL will have one short park ride, one longer. Bar.
WL - both long bus rides (and generally long bus wait times), but you'll be handy for your first adr and there's a nice Bar.
CBR - short ride to MGM, longer to AK. Pool bar.
All ofther Mods - both parks a good bus trip. MGM, a bit shorter than AK. Bar.
Sports - not too far to MGM, but longer to AK. no bar at all.

No matter which resort you choose, easiet way to get to another resort is take a bus to a park, then resort bus.

No matter where you choose to stay, have a wonderful trip!!

P.S. Marty Joe has a good point about the Poly - it is fabulous for all the reasons mentioned and even more Of course, the cost is why we do not stay there every trip...and which parks we are visiting.

 

[Rylee]

Hi,

Are you aware your dates fall when Disney is offering Free Dining?

1) You need to call and find out which resorts are available.

2) If you don't have a strong preference for a certain resort, choose whichever still has availability for the free dining offer.

You can upgrade to the Deluxe Dining Plan for just the cost between the basic and deluxe, and that would cover your meals choices.

Also, you need to book your Advance Dining Reservations, if you haven't already done so.

 

[Marty Joe]

GFTN,

A short trip/long weekend is the perfect time for a deluxe. Judging from your agenda, you will be bussing it where ever you go, and you said you wanted to go to the Poly for a Lapu Lapu - stay at the Poly. At the end of the day take your drinks to the beach and watch the fireworks/electrical water parade. Then go back to your room on a tiki torch lit pathway with Hawaiian music in the background. It is also easy to take the monorail to the MK and hop a bus to another resort. The busses at the Poly are just as effecient/noneffecient as any other resort. The Poly is a 5 minute walk to the TTC where you can take the monorail to Epcot (not on agenda - but just in case). AKL, while is a beautiful resort, is kind of isolated for home base when your short on time. I can't comment on the Wilderness Lodge because the last time I was there I stepped on a toad and turned it into soup. I made a small scene and I need to give it a couple years before I can go back. (The same thing happened at the CBR except with a snake - I can never go back there!) Anyhoo - consider the Poly for a central location, relative access to anywhere, and beautiful theme. The Tambu Lounge also makes an evil little Mai Tai - I can only have two. Any more than two and I get myself in trouble and start stepping on things...

 

[disneymd33]

I would say with a short trip, definatly go with the Deluxe Resort. You're not staying that long, so it won't cost a fortune to get a little extra from your hotel. Between the two deluxe resorts, I would vote for WL. It's location is beautiful- especially at night! There are some nice places to catch a drink after a night at the parks. And explore the resort because you will find some nice quiet places to sit and relax. The transportation issue is probably one of the best out of the resorts you listed. You have boat transportation to MK. From there, you can take the monorail to Epcot and Poly. You also have bus transport to DTD, DHS, and AK. I've stayed at WL before and was very impressed. In fact, it's my DW's favorite resort! Good luck with your planning and have a great trip!

 

[Hugpug]

Personnaly I would choose WL as I don't care for AKL for a number reasons. But the one reason right now would be the construction that is going on at AKL for the new DVC villas. Also it will be a lot easier to get to POLY from WL then AKL.

 

[mickeynut1]

I would go with WL. It's a beautiful resort with great theming . Plus your first dinner is at the WL......makes it alot easier on check-in day to be right there . On Friday you can take the bus to AK for the day and then go right over to AKL for dinner at Jiko......the more convenient you make it for yourself, the more relaxed trip it will be, IMO

 

[GirlfromTN]

Thanks for all the excellent advice! I do already have ADR's for all my meals (3 dinners, 2 lunches); I am planning on upgrading to Deluxe dining so that will use up all of our table service credits. We'll just use snack credits for breakfast and then other snacks. I would absolutely love to stay at the Poly-but I think I will save that for our next trip since we have a gift certificate for 1 free night at a deluxe resort (can't use it this time though b/c can't get the dining plan if we use the free night stay). Looks like the WL is our best bet option considering transportation and convenience, especially since our first night's dinner is at Artist Point. So I think I'm going to go ahead and book it today.
My only hesitation is, of course, the price difference. The moderate resorts are about $75 cheaper per night than WL and AKL. Is it worth it to pay the extra $$ for convenience and location?
And just for fun, what would the best moderate resort option be? All 4 of them are currently available for the dates we're going. I am 90% set on WL at this point, but just in case....
Thanks again! can't believe how much great info I get from these boards!

 

[Minnie&Nana]

You'll get lots of good opinions!

When it comes to a moderate for a short stay we've tried POR, FQ and CBR - none will have the convenience of WL or AKL with your ADR's...on the other hand, it is easy enough to take a bus to the nearest park and then bus to the resort where you have your adr - not easy, but not terrible either.

As mickeynut1 wrote, taking the bus from AKL to your AK ADR would be easy.

But if you want a resort with a bar then the good options might be French Quarter (soo pretty) or POR - then request a building location if that is important to you.

Both POR and FQ have a bar with very popular entertainment: POR has Bob the Piano Man, who is a hoot. FQ has Eliot, the Sax player who's fantastic.

Have you checked out the photos of these resorts?

Have fun!!

 

[skipperkim]

I love POFQ. That said, I'd have to cast a vote for AKL, only because AKL your ADR is not on AK's EMH night. So getting there and back to your resort would be difficult. There's also another thought that the $ you save on the room at POFQ, one of the more romantic resorts, you could spend on cabs for your dinners and a carriage ride at POR.

 

[Mr Man]

We really enjoyed our stay at AKL last year (right around the same time as your stay).

I especially liked their Pool Bar (my favorite at WDW so far- Safari Amber....mmmmmm). It was very hot and the pool and convenient bar were refreshing.

We think the transportation to and from AKL is the best at WDW. Period.

We are staying at VWL this August so I cannot comment on WL other than to say that we are staying there mainly for the convenience of the boat to MK (we have 2 young DS) and are not renting a car this trip.

Best of luck with your decision.

Regards,