No Stupid Question

[charlielinda]

Please remember there is no stupid question. We've never stayed on site and may in September. A few questions:

1. Can you use any resort pool or only one where you stay?
2. Is there sufficient parking if you decide to rent a car?
3. Is it easier to drive to each park or take the bus?
4. If you book a standard room are you given the worst room in the resort?
5. Do you think of anything else I should ask?

 

[madalex]

Please remember there is no stupid question. We've never stayed on site and may in September. A few questions:

1. Can you use any resort pool or only one where you stay?
2. Is there sufficient parking if you decide to rent a car?
3. Is it easier to drive to each park or take the bus?
4. If you book a standard room are you given the worst room in the resort?
5. Do you think of anything else I should ask?

1. Only where you stay.
2. Yes
3. Transportation at WDW is complicated. Not all resort to park travel is by bus (there are monorails, boats and some parks can be walked to from some resorts). However, if you have to take a bus to a park, it can be easier to drive to some of the parks, but always take bus to MK as bus takes you right up to the gates, while if you drive you have to park and then monorail/ferry to the front gate.
4. You may be given a relatively bad view compared to other rooms, but all the rooms themselves are generally the same.
5. No

 

[goinback]

No worries! You're questions are not stupid!

You can only use your resort pool. If you are staying at any All star resort, you may use any of their pools. If you are staying at POR or PORFQ, you may use both pools.

Parking is sufficient

I think it is much easier to take the bus! No getting turned around, and you get dropped off closer.

You do not always get a bad room with standard! You are taking a chance, but I have always found that when we check in, they try really hard to accomodate a room request. You could find out where a good standard room is and request it.

 

[AppleSister1]

In terms of pools....as another poster suggested, you can only use your own pool, unless you are staying YC/BC/BCV (they share a themed pool and each have their own quiet pools.) As above poster noted, POR and POFQ have hopping privileges as well.

Also, the DVC Villas have rights to use the pools at the hotels at which they are located.

In terms of cars in general....we have never rented a car on our trips. For us, that's part of the "vacation" vibe. Disney transportation is pretty good, and you save rental and gas money and don't have to worrry about parking.
Just two cents.

In terms of standard rooms...it's really about the view. The rooms themselves are pretty similar. So it depends on how much time you plan to stay in the room. I believe there are also preferred rooms at the mods and values that are closer to amenities like food courts, bus stops, etc. Again, it's really about how much you care about convience. If someone in your party has issues with mobility, that might be worth it.

I would definitely try staying onsite. For us, the EMHs alone would make it worth it...but being carefree in the Disney magic 24/7 is amazing.

Any specific resorts you are considering?

 

[AppleSister1]

They do check to make sure you are not poolhopping. At Stormalong Bay (YC/BC) they have a wall around the pool and a couple of gates with CMs who check your room key/resort id and give you wristbands.

 

[spiceycat]

the all stars share the pools,
po shares their pool
bc/yc/bcv - shares it pool
and yes all the DVC resorts that are attach to a hotel - share the pools.

otherwise all the pools at that resort only.

2) most places have sufficient parking - Pop Century can get crowded.

3) depends - Epcot and Studio can be easier to drive - MK definitly take the bus, AK sometimes do the bus. - the problem here is the parking is not that close to AK - but the buses are. the only one I generally drive to is Epcot.

4)depends upon the hotel. Pop Century standard view rooms face the lake - hardily a bad view. some of the BC standard view rooms face Epcot. so just depends upon what you call a bad view.


5) I like food courts - only the moderates and values have them. WL has a snack bar that is nice. but most of the deluxes don't have a good snack bar. that say if you can afford to eat in their restuarants - then go with them. Otherwise stick to a value or moderate.

dvc resorts come with a kitchennett in the studio and a full kitchen in the 1-bedroom and up.

 

[KatMark]

We drive because we just don't like waiting for a bus, plus we often take drives to the outlet malls, etc. There is more than sufficient parking and parking at the Parks is free for those staying at the resorts with a car. For first time drivers, it can be confusing. But we have had a rental car every time we have stayed at Disney so we know the twists and turns of all the roads.

 

[LoraJ]

For us, it's much easier to use a car. If people head to the bus stop at the resort the same time we head to our car, we'll be at the park entrance and there's a good chance they are still waiting for that bus. Especially if you leave to the parks a little later in the morning. and if you want to go back to the resort for a mid-day break, you could be waiting 30 minutes for a bus to come pick you up. I just don't find waiting for buses to be magical. Depending on where you are staying, the only bus I would consider taking is the MK bus.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Re: standard room = 'worst' room.

By reason, that's not possible. There can only be ONE "worst" room at any given resort. There are many, many more than one standard room at each resort; not ALL those rooms can be the worst.

In addition, best/worst can be extremely subjective, a matter more of opinion than fact.

 

[safetymom]

Just a reminder we don't allow posts that suggest cheating Disney. Thank you everyone.

 

[eliza61]

Please remember there is no stupid question. We've never stayed on site and may in September. A few questions:

1. Can you use any resort pool or only one where you stay?
2. Is there sufficient parking if you decide to rent a car?
3. Is it easier to drive to each park or take the bus?
4. If you book a standard room are you given the worst room in the resort?
5. Do you think of anything else I should ask?

#1 & 2 have already been answered so I'll give my opinion on the rest.

3. We've done both. When my kids needed strollers, I hated loading and unloading them on the buses so I found it easier to drive. I think disneys bus system is really easy to understand. I still rent if I get a good deal.

4. The only difference in rooms, really are the views. I stay deluxe and have gotten the dreaded "dumpster view". You know what, it did make a whit of difference to me. Me & my honey still sat on the balcony with an adult beverage and canoodled. Don't go by me though, unless I want to see the castle, I never upgrade for a specific view. better use of my money.

 

[Gillian]

4. If you book a standard room are you given the worst room in the resort?

In general, no, but it depends on the resort and also what you think is a bad room.

For example, at Pop Century the preferred rooms are closer to the main building with the food court but it also has to do with being poolside. Rooms that are close to the food court but on the other side of some buildings are standard. And the rooms with quiet, pretty views of the lake are standard.

Standard view at AKL could be a roof or the parking lot, but as mentioned, the room itself is the same. And they're not closer or further from the resort hub. It's more about the view there.

There are FAQ threads for each resort so check those to see what rooms are better.

 

[kiteri]

I will chime in on the Disney bus transportation.

When we went in September 07 the busses were jammed with those huge double strollers, and that was before they raised the prices on the stroller rentals. Now, I think even more people will bring their own from home. There were also a ton of those motorized carts and the busses load those first, and it takes some time.

I stayed on property for the first time in 99 and LOVED Disney transportation. LOVED not needing to rent a car. It definately added to the magic. But, I can't remember ever waiting for them to load one of those motorized carts either. This last time almost every bus I caught had one on it.

As long as you are not in a hurry, and don't mind waiting for the next bus if the one that just showed up got filled up with motorized carts and strollers....you should do fine. If you want to go commando and get a lot done, having a car may help you do this easier.