Pls help newbie with no kids

[kittykay]

Thanks for any suggestions/advice. For my 60 bday I want to visit Magic K for 3 nights Jan 5-7 along with my hubby. We haven't visited Disney for 30 yrs. No kids and hubby may get tired so would like a lounge in the hotel if he wants to rest with a brew. The value hotels are far away and I'm worried about spending time traveling but budget is fairly tight. The Swan is wow and I love to cook and admire Todd English and would love to see the bar and restaurant but with a 25$ fee, gee, pricey!

I would like to see Magic Kingdom for 2 days and Epcot for one day. Seems expensive to stay near MK but would like a lounge/bar in the hotel with casual restaurant and/or takeout as we'll probably have a later lunch break at a theme restaurant.

Should I worry about the travel time/distances? if we stay at the Yacht Club how far walk is it to the Swan? When I called Disney for info she gave me different $ for the Swan and much less for the Yacht club. We don't care about the room or theme, just prefer quiet and a lounge and easy access.

Buy the tickets with the hotel room?

Look online for any deals?

Appreciate your help and thank you!

 

[pattyw]

To help with your budget but also gain a nice lounge, I'd suggest staying at Coronado Springs Business Class. For a significant price less than a deluxe, you get a beautiful resort and a business class lounge open for breakfast and evening appetizers and drinks (beer, wine included). Offerings in the business class lounge are included with your room cost. They also have Rix lounge open at night as well as an outdoor bar. It's relaxing and the buses are very good. This is our favorite resort- and we've stayed at all of the deluxe resorts! Best bang for the buck!

 

[Sue M]

You won't get an inside lounge at any of the value resorts. They have pool bars.

Yacht Club is maybe a 10 min walk to Swan.
You haven't said, but I'm thinking if you're only going 3 days you are close enough to drive? WDW resorts don't charge for parking, but if you're comparing rates with Swan/Dolphin they charge parking plus resort fee that isn't included in the room rate they quote.

You may have to be flexible on resorts booking this close to January. Be sure when you go on the WDW web site to scroll down to the Special Offers link. You may find a deal, if they aren't sold out already.

All the moderates except Caribbean Beach have inside lounges. CBR has an outside lounge near pool.
One of our favs is Port Orleans French Quarter. And they have evening entertainment in the lounge, as does their "sister" resort POR, Riverside. They are walking distance away from each other along a pretty river path. The resorts are very central, close to Epcot and maybe a 10-15 min bus ride to MK.

Things have changed a lot in WDW. I'd read up. The web site My first visit may be helpful. And a good guide book like WDW, The Unofficial Guide. You want to make the most out of your 3 days without being stuck on lines. Being prepared with a plan is essential for a successful visit. Everything has changed. Now you need a My Disney Experience account, your tickets and resort booking are linked on it, and you use this account to book your fast passes up to 60 days ahead of your visit. Also order your magic band on this site and book any table service dining you may want. Lots of research to be done.

You may as well book your tickets with your reservation, just in case they raise prices after Christmas!! And you won't have the time to order tickets thru a ticket discounter like Undercover Tourist. I don't think there's much of a saving for a 3 day ticket vs buying from WDW anyway.

 

[hamilkm]

I agree with Port Orleans French Quarter. We just stayed there for a quick 3 night trip and it was perfect. It's small size made everything very convenient. I also has a nice food court and bar/lounge area. The bus transportation to the parks was great there as well. Another suggestion is to look at booking through Orbitz. They often have a discount code that gives you an extra 15% off of the Disney price and your confirmation number easily links to your my Disney experience account. This is what we did at Christmas and it worked very well. Just be sure to change the address so your magic bands come to your house!

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I would second the Coronadoj idea. In Business Class, you are guaranteed a close-in room. Beer and wine at Disney lounges is Not Cheap. The cost difference between a preferred room at a resort and business class at Ciro ado can be measured in beer or sangria consumption at a fairly low rate. (The cost difference is like 2 beers/night.)

Now, this comparison only works for a preferred room vs. business class. A normal room at POFQ may be cheaper. However, the lounge at POR is kinda more interesting, because Yeeha Bob is there.

 

[kittykay]

YOu all are fantastic, thank you so much! Onward to book!

 

[bumbershoot]

A resort being "far away" is not something I worry about. They are all in the WDW property. And we always have a car anyway.

 

[schwaa]

I know I'm a little late to the game, but I second (or third) Port Orleans. I think your husband would probably prefer the lounge at the French Quarter. It's more secluded (it's almost it's own room); the lounge at riverside is more open to the rest of the building.