Need Help, Can't Decide ! Headed for Breakdown !

[pandora174]

OK, we're headed (Me, DH & DS (1 year old at the time) to WDW 12/6 -12/13. We're getting the Seasonal FL. resident A/P passes so we can take advantage of discounts if no good FL resident codes come out. Regardless, we're coming back at least 3x next year. Now the dilemma " Where to Stay ?" I keep changing my mind & it's driving me & my DH crazy. First I chose the AKL (standard view). Then I thought "Maybe they'll have some good codes for WLV" which would be great with the micriwave & fridge. Then I got cheap & thought the CBR sounds pretty good. Then I remembered I have the Entertainment card & could get a good discount on the Swan/Dolphin.

As you can see I need help. I'm going crazy. I want this to be a special vcation b/c it'll be DS 1rst b-day & the 1rst time we're spending 6 nights. I'm just scared that at the Swan/Dolphin I won't feel the Disney magic, the restaurants may be too fancy for our burgers & chicken tastes & do I get early entrance. As to the AKL I'm scared with the standard view I'll lose the magic of the hotel since I've heard so much about the Savannah view (outside our budget). As to the CBR I've heard it's so spread out & with a 1 year old ?? & the WLV I've never stayed at a home away from home resort, does it feel the same ?

Ok, I've vented. PLEASE any & all suggestions are appreciated & welcomed. I need to hear all everyone has to say because once the codes come out I have to actually make my mind up.

 

[jenanderson]

I know that a lot of people will probably recommend the deluxe resorts but I do want to stick up for CBR. We were just there this April and I never once felt that the resort was too spread out for us. Now I do know that if we had been in a building in Trinadad South I would have felt like it was too far away but as for the rest of the resort I thought it was a relaxing walk to get to the different parts of the resort that we wanted to be at (except the building where you check in - which is a ways away). I would suggest a stroller for your DS but my 2 year old DS had no problems with the short walks. We loved the feel of the resort and the theming. We did have some problems with CMs in guest relations but all seems to be worked out. If you like the theming of the CBR it is a great place to be.

 

[safetymom]

I like the moderates and CBR is my favorite. If you are going several times the moderates would be great. CBR is great with the sandy beaches, hammocks that you can watch the Epcot fireworks from. The rooms are all refurbished and it has a new food court. We truly feel like we have escaped from the world when we stay at CBR.

 

[susy]

Hey! I'm right nearby-in Hollywood!!! We got the seasonal passes last year and they worked out great. We went six times.Our DS was 4yo. We never had to use the AP rates as the FL Resident rates were very good!

My recommendation is Wilderness Lodge or AKL. We absolutley fell in love with AKL. I have stayed at CBR and while I do like it, I feel that the theming is a bit lost on me , being from FL and you might feel the same once you are there. It felt like a real pretty, colorful apt complex. Take advantage of the fact that you are going while all of the Christmas festivities will be going on and the decorations will be up. We stayed at Coronado Springs and liked it much better that CBR.The theming is a little more exotic. the Ranchos section was very unique.

If you book at AKL, there is a chance you could receive a free upgrade to a savannah view, since AKL has few standard rooms in comparsion to the other views. You are going at a "not busy" time. You could just ask nicely when you check in. We stayed there with a pool view and loved it.
The bus service is great there. We don't use our car at Disney and love using the buses.

 

[erikthewise]

If you're going 12/6 - 12/13 it's very unlikely you will get VWL at this point; it's very popular among DVC members that time of year. Your best bet would be to call at 60 days out, but it's still a long shot at best.

Wilderness Lodge itself (not the Villas) is another matter. No reason you couldn't stay there.

A savannah view room at AKL may not be outside your budget when the codes come out. Last year we got AKL savannah view this same week for $149 (before tax) on an AP rate. If you can possibly swing it I'd recommend just getting a savannah view room. While you may get upgraded from standard view, the odds are against it, and by the sound of your post you'd be miserable if you were one of the few people in the resort who did not have savannah view. (90% of the rooms are savannah view.)

 

[maggiew]

The Dolphin has nice "regular" restaurants - not fancy ones - too. They have Tubbis buffeteria that has typical counter service type faire. There is also the Dolphin Fountain that has burgers/fries type food. You do get early entry if you are staying at the Swan/Dolphin. If those are the only things holding you back, then don't worry.

We just stayed there in June and had a fabulous time. The location can't be beat for the price.

I haven't stayed at any of the other places so I can't compare.

Maggie

 

[yecats]

Just my opinion and suggestion. Sit down with your husband and decide which parks are important to you. As your child is still small the rides are more for you and your husband. If you both want to spend a good amount of time let's say at Epcot and MGM and the Boardwalk, then stay in that area. If you are planning on spending a fair amount of time at MK/Fort Wilderness, then stay near there. I don't know what type of prices are available for the pass your looking at but you may be able to get cheaper prices at WLV by renting points online. If you stay in the off season from S-TH then each night stay would cost $120.00 per night for a studio. Lastly you can also split your stay. Should you decide to stay at WLV spend one or two nights at Swan/Dolphin. Just pick something and go with it, you will enjoy it no matter what.

 

[Carrieberry]

I have to agree with the others that recommended giving the moderates a try. They are centrally located, and a POR even has a boat ride to Downtown Disney. The food courts are almost a must with the little ones, and you can always spend the extra $10 a night to have a fridge in the room also. We stayed at the Poly on our very first trip, when I was 5 months pregnant and our son was 2. It was awful. We were in even in conceierge, but it couldn't make up for the fact that the only park we were close to was MK, and it was quite a ride to get everywhere else. We split the next trip between All Star Movies and Port Orleans Riverside (then Dixie Landings) and the trip was smoother, and much more relaxing due to the fact that the bus rides were generally shorter, and the food court was there to fill milk bottles, and get drinks easily. The only option of a deluxe that I would stay at with such a small child is the Beach Club or Yacht Club so you can cut out two buses and opt for walking or boat rides instead. In the middle of the day when you are trying to load everything (stroller and all your stuff) on to the bus to get back to the resort to rest it can make you want to cry. Even if you plan on driving your car everywhere, the walk from the parking lot, and taking the tram out to where you are parked can eat up a ton of your time as well. Of course, if you already plan on spending most of your time at MK since you will be going so much next year, then the WL would be a good choice, even if you can't get a villa. At this point, that would be very difficult as the other poster said since the first couple of week sin Dec are the favorites for the members of DVC. You might be lucky enough to get a villa over on the DVC rental board if a member has a reservation they can;t use. It might be wirth looking at. Other than those things, I really don't think you can go wrong unless you pick AKL. This place is just TOO far from everywhere except AK and when we were there it seemed way more adult oriented than any other resort we have stayed at. The lights were dim, almost dark, and the place was packed (we were there Dec 1-8-02) We hardly saw any animals except giraffe from our savannah view room. If you were looking for a romantic resort for you and you spouse, I would highly recommend the AKL, but if you want it to be wonderful for your child I think one of the other ones you mentioned would be better. Just my oppinion of course. I always decide which parks I am going to spend the most time at, and then decide where I want to stay, but now that I have stayed over at the BC ( we rented points for a studio and it ended up costing us about $135 a night), it will be hard to compete with that kind of beauty and location!

 

[mbaker1277]

We have taken our daughter who is 5 to WDW 5 times, and she will tell you by far that her favorite resort is the WL. BUT, when she was 10 months old we stayed at the Coronado Springs and loved it. The resort was gorgeous, and she LOVED the baby pool at the dig site. I thought the bus service was great, and the food court was wonderful. We rented a refrigerator and shipped ahead snack, formula, food, diaperrs, juice and sippy cups and this worked out great. When she was 2 we went to the AKL and had a savannah view room which was great for the first day, but the novelty wore off quickly. Plus it was really out of the way from the other parks. With the WL there is so much to see and do, and even if you don't get a courtyard view room the woods view rooms are nice and less expensive. She loves chasing the ducks around the pool area in the morning, watching the MK fireworks over the treetops, and watching the electrical water pageant from the beach every night. The boat ride to the MK is great, and you can also go over to FT. Wilderness. There is 24 hour quick dining which is a plus for us, and the resort is not so huge that you have to walk a mile to get to your room. The bus service is not as bad as people make it out to be. i think that the WL is pure magic, especially for families!