Same or Different Resorts?

[mom2AidanAndEli]

Do you guys prefer to go to the same resort time after time or do you like to try something new each time?

So, we've been four times so far. The first three were all values and we were very happy with each one--Pop, ASMo, ASSp. This time we ended up at POFQ. We had a free dining PIN and by the time we upgraded our QSDP to a regular DP for four Disney adults, the price difference to go moderate just wasn't that much. We absolutely loved POFQ! My favorite part was just how small it was.

Well, while we were there we booked a bounce back offer for next August--again with free dining!!!! We went ahead and booked POFQ. We debated trying one of the other moderates, but couldn't decide on the spot. I figured POFQ, being the smallest, is probably the hardest to get for the Free Dining, so we went with that and will consider changing if we decide on a different resort.

So I'm doing the debate. We loved POFQ and I know we'd be happy staying there again. But we, as a family, had joked that one of our goals is to stay at every single resort at some point. So kind of feel we should try something else too. I know it's going to be a moderate. That just works best for our budget and dining preferences, etc.

Do you stay in one place and are happy? Do you wonder if you're missing something at the other resorts? Do you try new places and find you're missing the old? Do you discover new favorites by taking a chance? I know everyone has different opinions on favorite resorts and what's important to each family, but I'm just wondering about the old tried and true versus the new and unknown.

 

[lady_hlh]

We stayed at pop for our first 2 trips and my dh loved it but the next trip we got upgraded to okw. After that we've tried a different resort every year and I'm tempted to go back to some of them but it also fun to try a new one every trip. This year our dd picked cr which I wasn't thrilled about but I actually really liked it. I booked cr garden wing again with a bb but I know I'll be tempted to switch to something new, possibly wl. I'm dying to try poly but I am not paying that much with construction going on.

 

[cluvsdisney]

At Disney we bounce around a little but mostly land at the BWV since its our home resort. We have the luxury of going pretty regularly so we're willing to take a chance on other resorts, even if its just for a night or two. If we only went there once a year or less, I'd stick with places I know I love.

 

[Disneylover99]

Our first Disney vacation was ASmusic. Loved it!!!! So we booked it the following year. Our next vacation while enjoyable, felt too much like the previous vacation.

The third year we booked POFQ. Loved it!!!! But I did not book it again this year because I didn't want it to feel like the same vacation as the year before. So I booked Pop instead and I was very nervous about going back to a value after a moderate. But we loved Pop!

Right now we have AofA booked for next month and in December we will either stay at the Dolphin or POR. Next August we will be back at POFQ.

There are also resorts I have no desire to stay in. I guess our rule now is to not stay at the same resort two trips in a row. We want to make each trip different, and for us that starts with the resort we stay in.

 

[buzznina]

That was our goal years ago, but it seems like when we stayed at the deluxes we came away feeling like it was not really worth the extra $$. We really like the Mod resorts and have been staying there the most, clearly evident in our signature Our deluxe bucket list has shrank to just staying at one of the EPCOT resorts and CR with MK view.

 

[FUNMAMADIS]

This makes me laugh, we just did the same thing. Looked at value with upgrading the regular dining plan, decided that the difference between that and moderate was minimal and went for that. We stayed at CSR and liked it, but booked a different resort with the bounce back offer. I'm now researching like crazy to decide what result we will actually stay at.

Trying to balance out what we want more: a unique experience (fort wilderness), beautiful setting (wilderness), easy transportation (contemporary), extra space (art of animation) or lower price and upgraded tickets (port Orleans riverside).

 

[Mousemommy1]

So far, we have not repeated the same resort twice. We have the same goal of trying each resort. It's fun!

However, WL CL was absolutely amazing, and it's very hard not book there every time. We can't wait to get back! Not yet though!

 

[Babsy]

Stayed at all the resorts at least twice, some as many as 10+ (lost count). we usually stay in a split stay, one lower priced (mod or value) and one luxury resort. Sometimes we do economy all the way for a quick and dirty trip and sometimes we splurge and do an MK resort then move to an Epcot resort.

We do like to mix it up. after not being at any particular resort for a few months we tend to want to go back. No real rhyme or reason to it though. Perhaps the biggest factor is where we can get the best discount!

 

[Tara1988]

Next week will be our first on site trip. And I already know that no matter how much we love POP, the next trip will be something different. There are so many resorts to choose from that it just doesn't make sense to go to the same place twice. Once we go through the values and moderates, we might do some deluxe once our kids are older, but honestly, the only ones that appeal to us now are the Animal Kingdom Lodge and Villas. The values have the best theming for younger kids so that's what we will stick to for a while.

 

[Pakey]

I've done 25 vacations, sometimes with split stays. I have also owned DVC for 15+ years. I prefer to mix it up. I've stayed at all DVC resorts, all deluxes except Poly, both club level and non club, 2 moderates and Pop. I've enjoyed most but my favorite is BWI CL with boardwalk view.

 

[LittleMissMagic]

We bounce around. We used to prefer the Magic Kingdom resorts, but we stayed at the Beach Club a couple of years ago and really loved the resort and the Epcot area (we had stayed at the Swan before and enjoyed that location, too). I like to try new things, but also like to stay at my favorites again. It's always a difficult decision! So we've stayed at the GF twice, Poly twice, and are currently booked for our second stay at the Beach Club.

 

[mickeynut1]

We have our favorites, but we do like to try different resorts. Our first stay was at a mod (CBR) which we loved, but once we tried a deluxe we haven't stayed anything else since. With that said, we have stayed at a few of the deluxes twice, but have 3 more to try until we have stayed at all of them. When/if we get through all of the deluxes, we will then repeat as we only stay deluxe .

 

[tkbbmom]

Our first stay was at CBR which we enjoyed, but we didn't research everything and now looking back we realize we missed a lot of things at the resort. We would like to try it again - and were tempted by the pirate rooms -- but Queen beds won out.

Our next trip we were a family of 5 so we stayed at POR AB which all my dc loved and still talk about that as being the best resort. A few years later we went back as a family of 6 and booked 2 POR AB rooms but ended up in a smoking room which was terrible for a toddler w/ severe asthma. After 1 night they moved us to the Magnolia rooms --- we liked them and liked the close proximity to Dining but for my kids it wasn't the magic of the AB rooms.

The next trip was a quick 2 day off-site bec of dd's gymnastics competition -- we decided that off-site was not in the cards for our family.

Our last trip the kids requested POR but it wasn't avail so we went w/ CSR. We loved the brand new updates w/ the queen beds and flat screens (almost 4 years ago) and the kids loved the pool area. But, it was a once and check off our list resorts they said.

So, this time we're back at POR in the RR's w/ a 1 night stay at AOA. We had wanted to try out more resorts this trip since we're there for 10 nights -- but w/ free dining it wasn't cost effective to keep bouncing around.

We would really like to do a deluxe next time -- but I'm not sure I can justify to myself the upgrade price when we need 2 rooms at least. Maybe a villa, which we considered before.

 

[soccer mom]

We use to want to try something new all the time, and still want to try a few of the resorts that would be new to us, but our kids are grown and now we are more likely to go alone and do just as much kicking back as we do park hopping, and when we want to relax we go to POFQ. Small, quiet and its feels like home.

 

[cheermouse]

I always had the goal of staying at every hotel. When the kids were small, we did all the value and moderate, some multiple times. I could never justify the expense of the deluxe resorts. Well, this year my daughter accepted an internship with Disney and moved to Orlando for a year. That means big CM discounts. We try now to go down every other month to visit her and we stay the weekend with her at a new hotel. We have done BW, Poly, Wilderness CL and in Oct will be doing AKL Arusha view. December we are doing AOA suites. Hoping to hit CR, BC and GF next year before she comes home. It has been awesome and I will have my goal done much sooner than I ever anticiapted.

 

[mom2AidanAndEli]

OP here. Thanks for all the replies. Looks like most are kind of like us--wanting to try some new ones, but having favorites, too. I like the idea of not repeating two times in a row!

Right now, I don't think we'll be doing deluxe at all. I just can't justify the price!!! We visit, at most, once a year for about a week. During that time we're on the go! We may come back to the resort for a quick rest or dip in the pool. We may go for a swim before bed. Maybe breakfast in the food court before heading out. Visit the gift shop and take a walk around the grounds. But that's it. Otherwise, we're at the parks, DTD, out to dinner, etc. I just looked and to change to a deluxe would add about $800 to our 6-night vacation. To me, that's crazy--but that's just because of our family's style right now.

And with the free dining, the values don't really make sense. We want full dining, so that means upgrades for four, which puts us at a moderate price (give or take a little bit). So we'd really be looking at another moderate. And I'm afraid after POFQ, we might be disappointed with the others! Riverside is nice, too, but huge! We took a walk there, used their pool, and did the "bus tour" once when we shared a bus. I feel like I can have the best of both worlds--stay at POFQ and stroll over to visit POR if we want. CSR and CBR just both seem big to me. After a full day of walking the parks, last thing I want is a mile hike to my room!

Also, my kids are now 11 and 13 and at POFQ we felt perfectly comfortable letting them head to the gift shop to trade pins or down to the food court to get something on their own. I don't know if I'd feel the same at the bigger resorts.

So the more I talk about this, the more I think we'll end up back at POFQ and put off the "new" place until another time. At least that gives us another reason to head back (like I really needed one!)

 

[Jenny1975]

We have always stayed at POP and I love the theme of POP,All Star Movies and AOA(they just scream "Disney" to me)and my son loves the look of those hotels too...but for our upcoming Christmas trip I really wanted to stay somewhere different and splurge and stay at a moderate and experience staying at one,so we are staying at POFQ!!!!!So excited to finally stay at a moderate!!!!!!!!!

 

[mom2AidanAndEli]

We have always stayed at POP and I love the theme of POP,All Star Movies and AOA(they just scream "Disney" to me)and my son loves the look of those hotels too...but for our upcoming Christmas trip I really wanted to stay somewhere different and splurge and stay at a moderate and experience staying at one,so we are staying at POFQ!!!!!So excited to finally stay at a moderate!!!!!!!!!

You'll love it! It doesn't scream Disney the way the values do, but it's so peaceful and pretty. And SMALL! Nothing is more than a few minute walk away. The pool slide is fun. And you can walk over to Riverside and use their pools as well for a change of pace. The boat to DTD is a nice change. And in our whole week there, we only had to pickup at Riverside one time. So the buses were fantastic.

 

[MinnesotaMouseketeers]

We have never been to the same resort twice. Our goal is to stay at as many of the WDW resorts as we can before we can't travel any more. While I do have a favorite resort WL (DW is the POLY), I can honestly say I have not been disappointed in any of the resorts we have stayed at.

I am hoping to do an extended WDW stay so we can do a split stay, staying at a new resort followed by either the WL or POLY again because it would be good to be back.