Not staying at your Favorite Resort to Save $$ ??

[lovmy2girls]

Everyone has their favorite resort and wow some heated debates have been started here on the boards on that subject. We went on a dream WDW vacation last summer and spent a lot of $$, but being our first WDW trip with the girls we planned for all of that. Now, since we already have our passes and want to make a trip June 1st - 9th and not spend as much, to do another mini vacation before school starts somewhere else other than WDW I think I wll most likely stay at the WL or even a Moderate if I can't get a standard view at the WL. Switching from the Poly to the WL will save approx. 1168.00, and from the Poly to a Moderate approx 1632.00.

My question is, have you ever stayed somewhere else and had wished you didn't and it put a damper on your vacation ?????

I just hope every time we see the poly, I don't feel bad about not staying at our favorite !!!

 

[chrismiss56]

Hi

We are Epcot resort people (Boardwalk, Yacht or Beach Club)!!. This next trip in March I could only get WL with my AP. WL is very nice and we have stayed there before but it won't be the same as the Epcot resort area. We like the idea of walking on the Boardwalk and the ease of getting to Epcot and MGM.

I have been calling in hopes of getting our ressie changed.

Will I be alittle disappointed? NO!! After all it is DISNEY and the pixie dust will find me wherever I sleep. Will I continue to try and get over to the Epcot area? Yes, right up to the last minute!!

So I guess my answer is that YES I am alittle bothered by it but it will NOT keep me from enjoying the magic

Have a magical Disney Day!!

 

[bytheblood]

I feel like I will always make the most of what I have, but I can see where staying some place I do not enjoy or a place I am "stuck" with could upset me a bit. I am a very emotional person though and really set my expectations high for certainthings. Everybody is different.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

Our first two trips were at the Poly. Since then we have stayed at many of the deluxe hotels--CR, WL, AKL, and Swan. I have also stayed at 3 of the mods and Pop Century. I am going back this week and staying 2 nights at Pop and 3 at POFQ (the one mod that I haven't stayed at). All the resorts are nice in their own way and I'm happy to be at WDW. I can't justify spending lots of money when I've gone multiple times this year and I'm only bringing one of my kids. We will be in the parks most of the time and don't need a large room.

T&B

 

[sfbank]

I agree with crissmiss56. You are still at Disney. I will however state that I too was a little disappointed with our trip last June. In Aug of 2002, we stayed at the Boardwalk for our first Disney trip. I loved it! Fastfoward to 2004. After my DH, DD, and I were in the emergency room with carbon monoxide poisoning last January, two trips to the er and gall bladder surgery for me in April, our funds were somewhat depleted so we stayed at the Wilderness Lodge. Don't get me wrong, I liked the Wilderness Lodge. It was really neat, very comfortable, and the lobby was gorgeous. One night after a day at Epcot, we took the boat to the Boardwalk. I was homesick and wishing we were back there. We will make up for it this year!! Deluxe Concierge--this will be our trip of a lifetime!! Bottom line--no matter where you stay, being at Disney is all that counts!!

 

[Crazy Kanga]

I look at each trip as a chance to experience a new resort. Once I have done them all, then I will pick a favorite. Go into it with the attitude that you are just sampling all that WDW has to offer, and maybe it will make it a little easier. I'm sure you'll have fun no matter what.
Have a Magical Day!

 

[dijojosh]

Everytime I have stayed at a different resort I have found something to love about it . I have stayed at the Contemporary, Polynesian, Carribbean Beach and my favorite is the Boardwalk. I am going to be staying at the Coranado Springs and I know we will love it. Start reading the posts and making sure that you have picked the right resort for YOU. You may decide you don;t even need a deluxe. I choose CSR over Animal Kingdom. For the price but mainly because of my interests.

 

[yecats]

I don't think you'll be disappointed in staying anywhere on Disney property. Your first trip will always be wonderful but subsequent trips will be too. Part of the fun at Disney is staying at the different themed resorts, whether deluxe, moderate or value they are all fun in their own way. The only difference is instead of taking the monorail to MK, you'll have a slightly longer ride on the bus.

As for the moderates, they are all special. I love PORS but after my last visit my new favorite is Coronado. You may want to consider the best of both worlds and stay at two different resorts during your stay. If you plan on being at Disney 8 or 9 days, then you may want to consider staying 3 or 4 nights at a value (on those days hit the parks longer than you normally would as fewer things to do at resorts) then move to a moderate and take the last several days a bit slower (enjoy the resort pool/slide, boats, etc). Of course this also works if you want a few days at a mod and a deluxe. Either way money can be saved. Have a great trip.

 

[Alexander]

If not staying in my favorite resort leaves me enough money to go another time in the same year, I'm there. If you can save $1600 not staying at the Poly, geesh, that's almost another whole trip! I have never stayed at the Poly, although I would love too. We either extend our trip, or add another one at a less expensive resort.

We often don't get to stay at our first choice of DVC resorts, but they all are beautiful and have something special and unique. If it means getting to take a vacation, we are there!

PS--We have decided however, that the All Stars is no longer an option for us. Loud, noisy, dirty, yuck in general.

 

[Micca]

We are long time "deluxe-ers" but when we stay at CSR we always enjoy it.
I can't say we had a good experience at All Star Sports, but for us CSR is a good compromise when we can't get a good deluxe rate.

 

[eeyore0062]

We definitely have our favorites and our not so favorites. Unfortunately sometimes when we want to stay at Disney (we only live 35 minutes away) it requires staying at a less expensive resort. Sure, I would LOVE to stay at the Poly or BC everytime, or even PO-FQ, but when the budget demands, I will stay at AS-Mo (and remember to drive to the parks, not impressed with the bus service from there) and enjoy it, because if it weren't for that resort, and others like it, we couldn't have made that trip when we wanted.

There is nothing wrong with trying new things. If you find you don't like it, put it on your list to never stay there again. If it is ok, then put it on your list to stay there if needed to be able to go.

I don't forsee a stayover for us this year, but maybe by the following we can do the Beach Club or the Disney Cruise!

 

[lclark0621]

We dont always do deluxe resorts to save money (though I sure would love to always stay conceirge a the GF everytime).

We are staying at the CS this time to save a little. I got our room for 7 nights for $983 with the AAA discount, which we are happy with. I am hoping to get a better discount code (though I never get those cool emails) or for Disney to release some better rates before we go. Maybe we can even get into the WL if they release something good.

Come on discounts.

All their resorts are great though. I dont think it really matters which hotel you stay in. We always love it there.

We also like to vary our stay from time to time. It is nice to stay at all the different hotels.

 

[wildernesslodgelover]

I think Crazy Kanga said it best...you gotta sample all that WDW has to offer, then decide what is your favorite!

We stayed at CSR on our first WDW trip as a family, and we absolutely loved it. We could not figure out why anyone would pay more to stay somewhere else. then we walked into the WL lobby for a PS and we decided that no matter what the cost, that was where we would stay for our next trip.

Well, our hearts will always be with the WL. We consider that "home base." But when we went in Nov we could not get the FL res rate so we stayed at AKL and we LOVED it...for many different reasons. I think in the spring we may take a quick trip ( 1 or 2 nights) and we plan on staying at PO-FQ...I keep hearing so many great things about it!

We have never satyed at any of the Epcot resorts...but now I am curious and maybe one day we will!

 

[EsmeraldaX]

I've never stayed anywhere on site that I did not enjoy. So if saving a little $$ by staying at a value or something meant more trips or more time on my trip, I'd be all for it.

I'm hoping for a May code to stay at CSR but if not, we'll just pay whatever for Pop.

 

[skiwee1]

We stayed at the WL once and wished we hadn't. We'd had a much better time at the Poly. Never again. The money is money well spent when staying at the Poly. Now if I can't get the Poly I change my dates so I do or I don't go.

 

[wildernesslodgelover]

OMG...what do they DO at the Poly? I just can't imagine being disappointed at WL! I have only been to the Poly for dinner and breakfast. I was just not impressed with the place. But I understand staying there is different than just dining there. Funny...the Poly, CR and GF just don't interest me due to the theming. I can see where the monorail must be nice though....

 

[pw2pp]

We did the exact thing you are doing. We had ressies for the Poly and switched to a Moderate instead. When we figured out the total for all of the nights, we just couldn't justify spending so much.
At least I talked DH into getting 10-day MYW tickets so we will just HAVE to go back someday.

 

[SB in KY]

We had spent all of our 2 or 3 trips a year for almost 10 years at Deluxes or DVC resorts...last summer we decided at the last minute to squeeze in 1 more trip before the AP's ran out...unfortunately the budget was not too accomodating...so I bit the bullet and reserved a room at CSR for 4 nights for an incredibly low AP rate and then we splurged for the last 3 nights in the tower at the CR....it was a super trip. I was really impressed with CSR and thought there was a lot of bang for the buck...I would not hesitate to go back and then it made the last few nights extra special (CR is our all time favorite place on earth!!)...

You might try splitting your stay between a moderate (or even a value...Pop looks like fun) and then move up to the deluxe...you save a good bit and get to try out a new resort too!! My only advice there would be to be sure and do the moderate first....CSR might not have looked nearly as good after coming down from the tower!! But when it was a new resort and the first nights back at WDW...a broom closet would probably be exciting!!

 

[eeyore0062]

We stayed at the WL once and wished we hadn't. We'd had a much better time at the Poly. Never again. The money is money well spent when staying at the Poly. Now if I can't get the Poly I change my dates so I do or I don't go.

WOW, now that is a TRUE BLUE Poly fan!

 

[lovmy2girls]

eeyore0062 - Thats kind of how I feel. I have stayed at the DxL way back when before they changed the name, and been to the other resorts to tour them. They are all special in their own way and very nice.