Please rate your favorite resorts

[tinkerszs]

I am in the process of comparing vacation packages. Sometimes the difference between one resort and another is $300-$400. So . . . I am trying to decide if it is worth it. For example . . . one resort has Pirate Shaped beds. Worth the cost or not?


So please can you rate your top 5 resorts. 1 being the highest and tell me if that was in a deluxe, preferred, or standard room. Do not factor in cost. Right now I am looking for the "wow" factor. (Two children, dd 6 and ds 8, first trip!)

Thanks!

 

[aubriee]

1. Boardwalk (Deluxe)--location, location, location

2. & 3. tie between CSR and POFQ (both moderates and generally my resorts of choice)--CSR has best transportation of any WDW resort and the most comfortable beds, but POFQ is the smallest resort on property so nothing is very far from the main building/bus stop, plus they have the boat to DTD

4. AKL (Deluxe, but on the cheaper end)--feels like you're in a whole different world and has fantastic restaurants, but the transportation is lousy

5. Yacht Club (Deluxe)--Storm Along Bay and again location, location, location

if you happen to be going around Christmas I'd add Wilderness Lodge (Deluxe, but on the cheaper end) as #4. because it is so beautiful at Christmas. That lobby is breathtaking, plus they have the boat to MK.

The resort with pirate beds is CBR (moderate) and is probably my least favorite resort on property (bad bus service, pool always packed, too spread out). If this is your first trip, you guys probably won't be spending much time in the room so I'd go with a moderate over a deluxe. Then again, even though I don't care for them, my grand daughter absolutely loves the values and would rather stay at Pop than a deluxe. She says they're more fun. lol Yeah, this kid actually preferred her stay at Pop over the split stay we did the year before at AKL and WL. lol

I've stayed at Pop, AS Sports, AS Music, CBR, CSR, POFQ, PORS, WL, AKL, YC, and BW.

 

[buzzrelly]

1. Contemporary Resort-this place was phenomenol! We had a MK view in the tower and it was spectacular!

2. Old Key West-nice room but kind of far out.

3. Caribbean Beach-would not stay here again. We didn't care for this resort at all.

That's all I can rate since these are the only places we've stayed at!

 

[theflyingzero]

1. Animal Kingdom Lodge(deluxe) definately worth the price
2. All Star Sports(value) just like it alot
3. Beach club(deluxe)
4. Contemporary(deluxe)
5. Saratoga Springs(D villa)

 

[Pig Pen]

Fave value - POP - huge icons, great for kids

FAve mod - CSR - awesome grounds, never feels crowded, good bus transportation, fab pool

FAVE deluxe - 3 way tie between BLT/WL/BW (we have only stay at DVC though). BLT for location, WL for theming, activities, and overall wow factor; BW for location and views.

 

[mickeynut1]

1. Poly - Deluxe; it's convenient being on the monorail and walking to the TTC, large rooms, the volcano pool is great (especially being able to see the castle while swimming), the tropical atmosphere is very relaxing, it's great having the beach to sit and watch the fireworks .

2. Wilderness Lodge - Deluxe; beautiful lobby with a home-y feel to it, convenient boat transportation to the MK and CR, everything is under one roof with no need to go outside to get to your room .

3. Grand Floridian - Deluxe; convenient monorail service, beautiful grounds, large rooms .

4. Beach Club - Deluxe; it's convenient being within walking distance to Epcot and DHS, the boardwalk is just across the lake for nightly entertainment, Cape May Cafe is a great TS restaurant, SAB is a great pool complex .

5. Animal Kingdom Lodge - Deluxe; beautiful resort, has great animal viewing areas, Boma is amazing for dinner .

Good luck deciding and happy planning .

 

[goofy4tink]

Soooo hard to list....but I'll give it a shot.

BWV..own there, love it there
BLT..can't beat the location, but it's nasty expensive
POP...love the feel of this resort
AKL...yes, a bit dark but oh what wonderful theming
POR...favorite moderate
S/D...love it here if I can't get in somewhere else

In addition, I've stayed at...
WL, Polynesian, BC, ASMu, OKW. Liked them well enough, but will most likely not stay in any of them again. There are the others that I love to much.

 

[jackemail]

1. Boardwalk Inn (deluxe}
2. Polynesian (deluxe)
3. Wilderness Lodge (deluxe)
4. Animal Kingdom Lodge (deluxe)
5. Caribbean Beach Resort (moderate)

 

[jlk806]

Pop Century - have stayed here 4 times and it is a great resort. The price cant be beat, excellent bus service, awesome food court (best on property IMO), spotless rooms, and on last visit nicely refurbed rooms! And the decor of the resort is awesome, esp. for kids! We spent hours with our 2 year old last trip just walking around looking at all the giant icons, etc. Only drawbacks: can be noisy at times, which does not bother us during the day, but late at night and early morning it can be bothersome. All in all, POP is a great resort for a first trip to Disney because it has such a Disney feel to it!

Animal Kingdom Villas - Kidani - stayed here once and loved it. Amazing savanna view, huge 1 bedroom villa we could have lived in for months, beautiful resort. Did not think the room was dark at all, as others mention. The resort was so quiet, we never heard another soul while in our room. Pool was pretty awesome, too. Only drawback no quick service at Kidani.

 

[stitchlover]

We have only stayed at five resorts so I will list them in the order that we like them:

AKL
WL
POFQ
Poly
ASMovies

 

[pas130]

1) AKL Jambo House(first CL stay)
2) AKL Kidani Village
3) FW Cabins (loved the privacy and parking spot)
4) Saratoga Springs
5) AS Movies (kids LOVED the icons)
6) BCV (Sorry didn't love it guys)
7) Caribbean Beach (way too spread out, and we stayed during Pop Warner with cheerleaders EVERYWHERE)

 

[LSchrow]

of those we've stayed at, on order of preference (some are ties, as shown):
BWV (absolute favorite, no competition)
BWI/GF/YC
SSR/POLY
CBR/FW homes
AKL
BCV/BC/CSR
WL/OKW
POR

 

[DAZY3BYZ]

1) Poly!! Deluxe. Monorail, theme. beach, restaurants, pool, room size
2) AKL Savanna view Deluxe. exotic theme, animals, cast members, restaurants
3) POR preferred BLDG Moderate. homey-relaxed theme, pool, great food court, boat to DTD
4) BC standard view Deluxe. location to Epcot WS and Boardwalk area, pool

 

[baler31]

My rating are based on current knowledge of the resorts, my favorite 10-15 years ago no longer applies.

1. Grand Floridian- Main Building, Deluxe Room approx 700-800 sq feet
2. BWI Club Level, Deluxe Room approx 700 sq feet
3. CR Club Level, MK View
4. Grand Floridian any room
5. BWI any room

 

[gianjoe]

Sometimes this depends on when/where I'm going to visit. Every resort has a nice pool, a nice slide, and a nice game room. But that put aside:

1. Bay Lake Tower - So new, clean, plus it links up to the Contemporary which has Chef Mickeys. They have a parade on Bay Lake around 9pm, there are bocce/shuffleboard courts, plus you can walk over to the Contemporary and rent boats, parasail, go fishing, or even go in their pools. BLT has a neat area downstairs where the kids can do crafts and play games. I played fooseball with my boys & it was hilarious, they are 4 & 7. They show movies at night on the big screen outside on the lawn for the kids. Plus for all it is you still feel like you have the place to yourselves.

2. Beach Club - Especially if you do during swim weather, the pools are the best here. They have a very cool pirate slide, a pool with sand in it. They have jacuzzi's, funny pool games, and a small lazy river. You can rent tubes to the river. They have a table tennis area that is nice. Also Cape May is a great restaurant as well as the ice cream shop they have. The rooms are really nice too. Plus you walk right over to the Epcot World Showcase or walk/boat ride over to the Boardwalk resort.

3. Boardwalk - I can't tell you how many times we've been here but have never stayed in the actual hotel. Its probably the best if you have no kids. Its got a really fun piano bar that's open really late. Its got the ESPN bar. Its got restaurants and bakeries and you can rent 4-wheel bicycles and ride like maniacs through the resort. Its got an expensive art shop with cool sculptures and paintings. We will be staying there for two nights in February for the SuperBowl.

That's my favorites. I will eventually look to stay at the others, I'm curious about the Wilderness Lodge because there is supposedly horseback riding there. A couple of other resorts:

4. Animal Kingdom Lodge - Not 100% thrilled with the restaurants on this resort, they try to have an African theme and you find yourself paying $125.00 to avoid all of it and eat fried chicken/fries. If you stay here you must get a room with an animal view otherwise don't waste your time.

5. Polynesian - The best thing was the luau, which was GREAT!!! You can, however, participate in this even if you're not staying there, so why waste your time when you can have more fun at other resorts and visit the luau one night?

6. Contemporary - I liked everything about this resort, I put in there with Bay Lake Tower because they are linked but I would advise staying at BLT if you can.

7. Grand Floridian - Very classy place, very expensive though. We stayed at BLT and went to dinner at the GF one night.

8. Yacht Club - Very expensive, boring too.

9. Dolphin & Swan - For the money, better off at Beach Club or Boardwalk. These are hotels and not resorts.

That's all I am familiar with, I've stayed at the economy resorts but the rooms are small, off the beaten path and not really a true resort.

Good luck!!

Joe

 

[KatMark]

We've only stayed at four (trying our fifth--AKL--this September) so I'll rate the four we have stayed at:

1) CSR -- it has everything we want in a resort and at the right price
2) Poly -- love everything about it but the price and NO hot tub
3) Contemporary -- it's okay, but we have no desire to go back
4) All Star Sports -- never again (too noisy and too busy for us)