ROLR? Just curious

[bookbabe626]

So, out of curiosity and based on comments in a thread elsewhere, figured I'd throw this question out there, just for fun...

What's your WDW Resort of Last Resort? aka ROLR

What resort would you pick LAST if you needed to book and your go-to resorts were sold out? Is there a resort where you'd change your dates or do a rack rate cash stay rather than stay there?

Feel free to add why, or don't. You don't necessarily need a reason. All opinions valid, so also no trashing others' choices, thanks.

 

[GoingSince1990]

Old Key West, I guess. Nothing against it and I have never stayed there, but the only transportation is buses, like AKL and SSR, but at least AKL has the animals and at SSR you can walk to Disney Springs.

 

[tidefan]

This is probably not the opinion that you are going to get the most of here, but our ROLR is BWV. Hear me out...

We always drive to WDW (about 8.5 hours away) and convenience to the car is a big factor. We drive to all of the parks except MK. There is no bigger PITA parking situation than BWV, where you end up walking a LONG way to your room. It makes loading/unloading a pain (we don't use Bell Services, I am a more DIY person) and just getting into and out of the lot is a pain. We prefer CFW, SSR, Kidani, BLT, and VGF1, which all have much better parking situations (OKW is good for parking as well, but lacks elevators (for the most part), which is a strike against it).

If it were just based on resort, I'd say our last choice would be RIV. I just don't care for it...

 

[jillt2ph]

This is probably not the opinion that you are going to get the most of here, but our ROLR is BWV. Hear me out...

We always drive to WDW (about 8.5 hours away) and convenience to the car is a big factor. We drive to all of the parks except MK. There is no bigger PITA parking situation than BWV, where you end up walking a LONG way to your room. It makes loading/unloading a pain (we don't use Bell Services, I am a more DIY person) and just getting into and out of the lot is a pain. We prefer CFW, SSR, Kidani, BLT, and VGF1, which all have much better parking situations (OKW is good for parking as well, but lacks elevators (for the most part), which is a strike against it).

If it were just based on resort, I'd say our last choice would be RIV. I just don't care for it...

I would say BWV, but for different reasons these days. Lack of quick service options, lack of mug refill stations (they missed the ball by not adding one when they put in that coffee shop, so now here's hoping they add one by the pool with this recently announced closure/refurb), connecting door in main part of the room, scarcity of elevators...

 

[atthebeachclub]

Saratoga Springs. I’m sure it’s lovely but it looks just like a 90s condo in my hometown suburb from the outside, and being near Disney Springs isn’t a positive for me. And I never rent a car so it seems less convenient. At least with Old Key West I’m on board with the Jimmy Buffet vibes. That said, I haven’t visited either in person.

I would say Riviera otherwise, but it’s restricted. I don’t like the location. I wouldn’t want to stay there to go to any parks because I don’t like the Skyliner. I’m sure it would be fine for a resort only stay if visiting Universal though.

 

[Brian Noble]

At WDW? I don't think there is one. I've now been to most of them, including all of the ones that Everyone Knows are second-choice places, and I like them all for different reasons.

System wide? I think it is HHI. It is on the wrong side of the 278 "ring road" on an island that is jam-packed with other lodging options that are equally nice if not nicer and much more convenient to the beaches. I thought I'd feel the same way about Aulani, but everyone I know who's been there loves it---including people who've spent a lot of time in "real" Hawaii. So, I've decided not to go. ;-)

 

[RuntheMouse]

Old Key West. We don’t like the door location in the studio, it’s really noisy. Also the lack of food options there but we do like the “feel” of the resort.

 

[Sprinkles&Sprints]

Probably the cabins at FW - the vibe is so special but it’s just not how we’re used to doing WDW so I think it would be a challenge for us to adapt.

 

[Pens Fan]

Old Key West, followed by Saratoga Springs. We aren't fans of the sprawling nature of those resorts or the internal bus loops. Also the dining / lounge options are either very limited or just don't interest us (love Olivia's though). I'd pick Saratoga over OKW only due to it having elevators in all of the buildings. Still, I wouldn't go the cash route somewhere else if these were our only options. We stayed at OKW once for a very, very last minute trip - booked a week in advance - and had a great time. We would just pick any other resort over either of them if we had the choice.

 

[Sandisw]

My two last resorts are AKV and OKW. Since I always book tentative dates 11 months in advance, even if I am not sure if it will happen, I have not ever not gotten my home resorts.

AKV is all buses and since I’m not an animal person, it just is not my cup of tea.

OKW is the only one I have never stayed at and given that SSR is walking to DD it will always win over OKW.

The lack of elevators at OKW is a drawback for us as well.

 

[VGCgroupie]

AKV or CFW. I will stay home before I stay at SSR or OKW.

Edit to add why
AKV long walk to room or food, buses to everything including AK, dont love food choices.
CFW the layout of the room and no w/d isnt appealing to us.

 

[CarolynFH]

The one that costs more points than I have available for that trip.

Then I’ll look to stay offsite via an exchange with our other TS.

 

[Willow Ufgood]

SSR Treehouses. Weird layout. Complicated transportation scheme. CFW would be one notch above the treehouse for the very same reasons.

 

[MarkNC2Disney]

AKV — the Hershey colored cabinets and door trim looks like my junior year apartment. Also it’s dim, and the Savannah feels like a dust cloud in the summer.

 

[bookbabe626]

I just realized I hadn't shared ours. RIV, with PIT as a close second last, followed by BLT. PIT gets to be second last ahead of RIV because of the spam masubi in that new restaurant in the tower. BLT edges ahead a bit because of the walkability to MK.

We just aren't tower people. In fact, our request almost everywhere is for ground floor or lobby level, depending on resort. No idea why, but we just prefer rooms on lower floors for some unknown reason. It's not even like we have a stroller or scooter to deal with. We just prefer the lower floors.

 

[crazywig]

CFW. There is no way I'm staying in a campground. Ever.