New Member With a Question!!

[LuvLuvLuv]

I vote Coronado. It has the deluxe amenities, great room decor, and in my experience... the best busses on property. We'll be back there in May!

 

[drj898]

Also.. Look at the Disney World official website and look at places to stay. Look up both places. The pictures look pretty close to what I know them to be. Another recommendation I thought about.. You may want to check in to the Swan or the Dolphin. Both are very nice and I think cater to a more mature atmosphere. They are about the same price as WL if not a little cheaper. You may even be able to find deals off of the Disney website for them. They do get the same perks as all other Disney Resorts. You can walk or take a boat ride to both Epcot and DHS. The putt-putt right across the street is really nice. Who doesn't enjoy putt-putt. The pool area and beach area are both very nice. I'm sure there are nice restaurants in both. They are also within walking distance from the Beach and Yacht Club and Boardwalk which also have good places to eat at from what I've seen. You may want to take a minute and check them out. Disney's official website has pictures and stuff on them. You can read reviews on here I'm sure of them. If my husband and I were to come ourselves without my parents, we would stay at one of these in a heartbeat. Remind you. We are both 29. Hope this helps..

Okay, first off: My old roommate was from Buffalo, New York, and he called it "putt-putt" too. I'm on Long Island. And I call it mini-golf. lol I'm just joking around.

Anyway, here's my stance on Swan & Dolphin: 1) It doesn't seem to offer Magical Express from the airport so I'd have to pay for airport transportation. 2) The biggest reason for me.....it doesn't have "Disney-ness". Most of the resorts feel magical and feel like I'm in Disney. Swan, Dolphin, Contemporary, even GF don't look like they'd give me that magical "Disney-esque" feeling. Staying at Beach Club or Boardwalk is an option i'm considering though. I like that they're so close to Epcot & DHS.

PS: I'm a steak nut. So Shula's Steakhouse is a big draw for me. And Yachtsman Steakhouse is also a big draw. WL doesn't seem to have a quiet place with lower-end food lol. It's either loud loud BBQ food, or quiet VERY high-end food.

Thanks!!!!

 

[drj898]

Wow-- I am 22 and would kill for a boyfriend willing to do something like this. For a romantic get-away, I would definitely go with either the AKL, WL or Swan/Dolphin.

In regard to the WL vs AKL, I would choose whichever resort theme most appeals to you. I much prefer the food at the AKL (Boma and Jiko are amazing), but certainly appreciate the location of the WL. The pool at the AKL is much larger than the WL pool, although both are equally fun. Rooms at both resorts are the same size, although I prefer the room decor at the AKL. Thankfully, I believe the WL rooms are about to receive a much-needed refurb.

Long story short, I would look at pictures of both resorts and go from there. It sounds like the WL theme excites you more, so go for that! Just make sure you pay the AKL a visit one night for dinner since it is truly so distinctive.

I would choose the AKL/WL over the Dolphin/Swan, but would choose the D/S over any moderate in a heartbeat! The resort themes are not my favorite (although the Swan is a bit more romantic than the Dolphin), but the location cannot be beat. The resorts are located right next to the Boardwalk, which has a lot of nightlife options that would be great for a young couple. Epcot and the Studios are super close too. The restaurants at the S/D are also fantastic (Il Mulino, Bluezoo, etc) and I have heard great things about the pool as well.

Let us know where you end up!

lol, I can't wait to see her reaction when I tell her in April so she can take the week off from work! I love how close D/S is to Epcot & DHS, but I can just take a bus there from AKL or WL. I love how WL is so close to MK and how I can take the boat. AKL...has animals so that's a plus. It has great food, so that's also a plus. But the huge reason why I'm ruling it out...is that it's so far from everything else. D/S has the Boardwalk for nightlife and stuff, but that's why we're spending the first night at DTD and Pleasure Island. Plus we're 15min from the Coney Island boardwalk, and 2hrs from the Atlantic City boardwalk so visiting it in Disney isn't that big of a deal lol. I love your input. Thank you so much!!

 

[stargazertechie]

My vote would be for POFQ.

Although, have you considered renting DVC points from an owner? It can be a really affordable way to stay deluxe.

 

[mariamouse]

lol, I can't wait to see her reaction when I tell her in April so she can take the week off from work! I love how close D/S is to Epcot & DHS, but I can just take a bus there from AKL or WL. I love how WL is so close to MK and how I can take the boat. AKL...has animals so that's a plus. It has great food, so that's also a plus. But the huge reason why I'm ruling it out...is that it's so far from everything else. D/S has the Boardwalk for nightlife and stuff, but that's why we're spending the first night at DTD and Pleasure Island. Plus we're 15min from the Coney Island boardwalk, and 2hrs from the Atlantic City boardwalk so visiting it in Disney isn't that big of a deal lol. I love your input. Thank you so much!!

I'm glad to help.

It sounds like you have already thought this out pretty well... and I agree that it might be fun to try something away from the Epcot resort area since you are already so familiar with the "real" boardwalk. I also totally understand why you prefer a mod to the S/D since that "Disney" feel at a resort makes a big difference.

You are right about the AKL feeling a bit removed. The past couple of times we stayed there, the buses were really efficient. I paid the resort a visit on my trip this past December and must admit that the bus service felt much slower now that the buses also stop at Kidani Village. IMO, they should have separate buses for each building since it is a deluxe resort and the buses are the sole mode of transport. I would still suggest staying there if the theme is your favorite, but agree with you now about the location being an issue more than I would have when it was only the main building being serviced by buses.

As for the WL food, I also agree that the restaurant options seem sort of extreme. We are not really big meat eaters (or big eaters in general), so we rarely pay the WL a visit for the food. I will say, though, that it is worth trying Whispering Canyon Cafe at least once just for the waiters' crazy antics. And we have not tried Artist Point yet, but have read good reviews and think it would be great for a romantic dinner. Roaring Fork at the WL is also one of the better deluxe QS options if you want to grab something and go, so that is convenient. Also keep in mind that you are only a boat ride away from the monorail resorts, so you can dine at those resorts as well! So many great options between the GF, Poly and CR.

If you are willing to spring for it, I say go with the WL. Those boat rides at night would be so romantic and the resort theme is so peaceful. Plus, you won't be too far from the resort you wish you could stay at (Poly). Keep in mind that a deluxe resort snob is writing this, though, and I am sure that you would have a great time at any mod too!

 

[mariamouse]

Although, have you considered renting DVC points from an owner? It can be a really affordable way to stay deluxe.

Just wanted to echo this as well-- the deals for deluxe DVCs can be amazing, but you usually have to book far in advance for the more popular resorts. It may be too late for July, but it's worth at least looking into. Here is a reliable site that a lot of DISers use:
http://www.dvcrequest.com/