The Cost of Convenience

[lhermiston]

My DW and I are planning our next Disney trip. We have our dates figure out and even which parks we want to attend on what days, even though we're nearly a year out.

Where we are getting hung up is the resort.

Well, actually, we weren't hung up at all until I floated the idea of staying at the Contemporary earlier this week.

We stayed at Pop Century last year and were planning on Art of Animation next year, but I crunched some numbers, did a little research and figured we could save a little more each month, dedicate a little bit more of our tax return and stay at the Contemporary.

The cost difference was a bit of a shellshock, but she was willing to listen to my "pitch." I told her about the proximity to MK, the dining options and other amenities. She was intrigued and we sat down and did a pros/cons for each park.

Basically, it came down to this: AoA is considerably cheaper, "feels like Disney," but isn't very close to anything. Contemporary is expensive, offers more convenience in terms of dining and proximity to the park, but doesn't "feel like Disney." (We're taking our two 7 year old daughters, so that is a consideration).

After some discussion, my wife still feels like she wants to go the less expensive route, but my question is this: what is the cost of convenience? What is the value of being right next to Magic Kingdom? We plan to go to MK three out of our six days down there and I could see myself going more for photography if we were that close. We could see Wishes from our hotel and do Chef Mickey (which, admittedly, we could do no matter where we were staying, albiet not as conveniently).

I feel pretty strongly about "going big" for this trip and doing the Contemporary, but I'd really value the opinion of my fellow DISboarders. Specifically: how much value do you place in convenience (which seems to be the biggest draw of the Contemporary)?

 

[waitomo]

A short trip back to hotel with happy but exhausted kids is a wonderful treat for the whole family compared to a long wait and bus ride as tired happy children turn into tired cranky children. If you can swing it, go for the contemporary. Having a restaurant in the lobby called chef mickeys and a monorail running through the lobby truly makes it feel like Disney!

 

[Dizzytime]

My DW and I are planning our next Disney trip. We have our dates figure out and even which parks we want to attend on what days, even though we're nearly a year out.

Where we are getting hung up is the resort.

Well, actually, we weren't hung up at all until I floated the idea of staying at the Contemporary earlier this week.

We stayed at Pop Century last year and were planning on Art of Animation next year, but I crunched some numbers, did a little research and figured we could save a little more each month, dedicate a little bit more of our tax return and stay at the Contemporary.

The cost difference was a bit of a shellshock, but she was willing to listen to my "pitch." I told her about the proximity to MK, the dining options and other amenities. She was intrigued and we sat down and did a pros/cons for each park.

Basically, it came down to this: AoA is considerably cheaper, "feels like Disney," but isn't very close to anything. Contemporary is expensive, offers more convenience in terms of dining and proximity to the park, but doesn't "feel like Disney." (We're taking our two 7 year old daughters, so that is a consideration).

After some discussion, my wife still feels like she wants to go the less expensive route, but my question is this: what is the cost of convenience? What is the value of being right next to Magic Kingdom? We plan to go to MK three out of our six days down there and I could see myself going more for photography if we were that close. We could see Wishes from our hotel and do Chef Mickey (which, admittedly, we could do no matter where we were staying, albiet not as conveniently).

I feel pretty strongly about "going big" for this trip and doing the Contemporary, but I'd really value the opinion of my fellow DISboarders. Specifically: how much value do you place in convenience (which seems to be the biggest draw of the Contemporary)?

I relate to your situation, not with Contemporary but with Beach Club. Long story short, we've decided that the location is worth the price, so much so that we don't even debate it anymore. We love EPCOT, W/S in particular, plus enjoy the walk to Boardwalk, boat or walk to H/S, etc.

In a nutshell, it's not the resort that we pay extra for, it's the location. Considering how expensive it is for us to come from CA, so much so that we can only come every few years, the added, extra cost for location for us has become obvious must-do.
Have a great stay!

 

[Al and Kate's Mom]

If it's in the budget, go for it! I can't imagine you'd regret doing it, but you might regret NOT doing it!

 

[CoolPool]

The Contemporary IS Disney. It's the first resort completed and it remains an original...it does not require giant icons. Please let us not speak of it again, my friend.

Go to the Contemporary. Hope for a discount and do a little saving.

 

[Sue M]

Are you in the family suites at AoA or the Mermaid section that is a standard Value resort size room?
If its the room and not the suite, they are small. The CR rooms are huge, you'd have plenty of room to stretch out, and a balcony, so if the kids need some quiet time to settle down, you and your wife could hang out on the balcony.
There are many pluses to staying in a Deluxe vs Value resort. For sure you'd be more comfortable.

A compromise may be WL? It's still convenient to MK and the monorail resorts, with a boat to MK, and another resort boat to CR & FW. Making it easy for those ADRs like Chef Mickey. The rooms are not as large as CR, but still a lot more room then a Value. And the extra amenities like queen beds, 2 sinks, balcony, coffee maker and fridge, pool with slide, 2 hot tubs, beach, great dining options, etc. and not as expensive as CR. we love WL.

 

[lhermiston]

The Contemporary IS Disney. It's the first resort completed and it remains an original...it does not require giant icons. Please let us not speak of it again, my friend.

I understand that, but it might be lost on a couple of kiddos who are used to Pop Century.

 

[lhermiston]

Thanks for the feedback. It's re-enforcing the opinion I had formed about the Contemporary/convenience.

I will look into Fort Wilderness, however. How long are the boat rides to MK?

 

[Cindy's Mom]

The monorail running through their hotel will make up for any icons. Do it! I went to the CR a million years ago with my parents and it was probably my most magical trip. Back then ot was only CR and Poly. Such memories

 

[Cindy's Mom]

Thanks for the feedback. It's re-enforcing the opinion I had formed about the Contemporary/convenience.

I will look into Fort Wilderness, however. How long are the boat rides to MK?

Maybe 5-10 minutes. WL is our favorite. We're doing GF this year because of the summer discount it was a no brainier. We've always wanted to stay there so were doing it first time at a monorail resort in a million years.

 

[Anonomom]

I'll admit we've never stayed at a value, but we did stay at Moderates our first two trips. I can't begin to stress enough how convenient it is to stay at the Contemporary. Not only can you walk to MK, but the resort itself is nice and compact, meaning food and transportation are close by. Three other resorts are just minutes away for more food, shopping and plain ol' sightseeing. It all makes for an easy vacation.

Go for the Contemporary. I'd be surprised if you ended up regretting it.

 

[bwilliamsjones]

We just went through the same debate at our house. We have always stayed at Pop or ASM, but I have always dreamed of staying at Contemporary for the convenience. We crunched the numbers and found that it was within reasonable cost and we were willing to spring for it. I looked at a map of the property and then realized the garden rooms (the ones we were looking at), were in a different building. For us, looking at the map made us decide against it. I felt like the tower rooms were where the real convenience was, not so much the garden rooms. The walk looked longer and you weren't in the building with the monorail. Our kids also said they wanted the "Disney-looking" hotel, so we booked Pop again. Never having stayed at the Contemporary, I would love to hear from others about the convenience factor in the garden rooms versus the tower rooms.

 

[dansdad]

A compromise may be WL? It's still convenient to MK and the monorail resorts, with a boat to MK, and another resort boat to CR & FW. Making it easy for those ADRs like Chef Mickey. The rooms are not as large as CR, but still a lot more room then a Value. And the extra amenities like queen beds, 2 sinks, balcony, coffee maker and fridge, pool with slide, 2 hot tubs, beach, great dining options, etc. and not as expensive as CR. we love WL.

Maybe 5-10 minutes. WL is our favorite. We're doing GF this year because of the summer discount it was a no brainier. We've always wanted to stay there so were doing it first time at a monorail resort in a million years.

Thanks for the feedback. It's re-enforcing the opinion I had formed about the Contemporary/convenience.

I will look into Fort Wilderness, however. How long are the boat rides to MK?

Just to clarify, Sue M and Cindy's Mom are referring to the Wilderness Lodge which is a very nice deluxe resort. The Cabins of Ft. Wilderness is considered a moderate, and the priciest of the moderates. Both do have a boat to and from MK, but the Wilderness Lodge will have a shorter ride.

 

[Susieo]

I wholeheartedly agree with the previous posters about the Wilderness Lodge. It may be a good compromise for your family. To your point, it has multiple modes of transportation depending on which park you are heading to. It is a great resort for a family planning on spending a good deal of time in the Magic Kingdom because the boat ride is so easy and quick. You can see the Electric Light floating show that goes by on the lagoon; if you time your departure correctly, you can watch the fireworks from the boat on the water at the end of a long night. The theme ing is amazing. It is a truly impressive hotel. You are a short boat ride to the Contemporary for a Chef Mickey's ADR.... Very easy to get over there. You are also a quick boat ride to Fort Wilderness... You can do the Hoop de Hoo Review or Mickey's Backyard BBQ. Finally, the Wilderness Lodge has its own restaurants as well.... Artist Point is a fancy dining experience and the Whispering Canyon Cafe is legendary for good family fun.

It is the least expensive of the deluxe hotels, but still has the amenities and superior theming. Definitely worth a look... Good luck!

 

[CoolPool]

I understand that, but it might be lost on a couple of kiddos who are used to Pop Century.

By all means stay at Pop or AOA! They are wonderful options. Why even have this question come up if your wife doesn't want to spend the money and the kids associate Disney with Pop? Convenience is a variable. The math is easy.

 

[wendow]

I don't have a ton of WDW resort experience but still gonna give my opinion We splurged and stayed at BLT this past September and the convenience was worth every penny (we rented points). Now we had 4 kids in tow and two in strollers so not having to deal with buses was a big deal to us. We also enjoyed being at MK for rope drop, leaving the park after lunch and then returning at dinner. That would have been much harder had we been using buses. It was great and even our older dc liked hitting the pool in the afternoon.

As far as CR not feeling like Disney, I couldn't disagree more. Like others have mentioned, the monorail running right through the hotel is so fun. Also watching Wishes from the hotel and seeing the Electrical Water Pageant are very cool and all my dc loved that. Being on the monorail also made visiting the Poly and GF very easy. We didn't do it this last trip but will next time but you can also take the boat from CR to WL.

If it doable financially for you, I say go for it!

 

[Dannek]

I look at it this way...

You gave it your best shot Your wife was willing to listen to your "pitch", and she sat down with you and did a pro's/con's for each resort. Afterward she still felt/feels that the less expensive route is the one that she prefers.

You seem to be looking for a reason, or reason's, that will let you further pressure her with what you want to convince her to do.

From my viewpoint, you should consider the age old saying that states: "A happy wife is a happy life".. You gave it your best shot, she doesn't agree. Just move on and be happy that she was willing to honestly consider your viewpoint.

As well, as someone mentioned above, there is a large price per night difference between a garden room and a tower room at the CR. Many of the tower rooms have been refurbished recently, and some of the folks on this board have reported that some of the garden rooms look to be in need of a refresh. Nothing worse than paying so much more per night only to get a room that looks tired and in need of a refresh. Good luck.

 

[o0quirkygirl0o]

Have you looked into renting DVC points for BLT? Might be the compromise you are seeking.

Good luck! I hope your trip is everything you hope it will be!

 

[chasgoose]

I look at it this way...

You gave it your best shot Your wife was willing to listen to your "pitch", and she sat down with you and did a pro's/con's for each resort. Afterward she still felt/feels that the less expensive route is the one that she prefers.

You seem to be looking for a reason, or reason's, that will let you further pressure her with what you want to convince her to do.

From my viewpoint, you should consider the age old saying that states: "A happy wife is a happy life".. You gave it your best shot, she doesn't agree. Just move on and be happy that she was willing to honestly consider your viewpoint.

As well, as someone mentioned above, there is a large price per night difference between a garden room and a tower room at the CR. Many of the tower rooms have been refurbished recently, and some of the folks on this board have reported that some of the garden rooms look to be in need of a refresh. Nothing worse than paying so much more per night only to get a room that looks tired and in need of a refresh. Good luck.

There is a minor refresh happening at the CR right now in both the garden and tower rooms, but the non refreshed rooms are still pretty nice and they are the same in both

 

[bluejasmine]

Let me tell you. I started my adults stays at WDW at values and Im more than happy to stay at values again if its the only way I can afford it. Believe me!

I had stayed at POR in 2005 on an extended family trip and was amazed at the "step up" a mod was. The rooms were bigger,had ceiling fans and fridges (that was before values got them) fantastic themes, multiple bus stops and pools.

My dream was to stay at The Poly and on my honeymoon we tried to book a value with FD but all that was left was SSR, so we took it. On our first nights dinner we ate at Ohana and my husband was impressed with the Poly so I told him of my dream. While we were at WDW we booked a bounce back at ASMuto bring the kids back had a blast , booked a bounce back for CSR during that trip. Then my husband comes to me and says, if you promise to slow down, and let us relax more, you can book The Poly! I agreed thinking yea right! Well I ended up with a 40% room only code and added tickets and DDP and even upgraded to CL! It was the MOST amazing, MOST relaxing trip to WDW we have ever, I have ever had and I had been many, many times. Every day we would come back from the parks around 2 and relax at the pool with a cocktail, go back to the parks around 6 for our dinners and ride more rides but the convenience of the monorail cut so much travel time for us we were in shock! We were able to take time and fall asleep together in a hammock on the Poly beach with the Hawaiian music in the background, noises from MK in the distance and the sound of the boat horn as it pulled up the Poly dock. With all my memories THIS is by far my fave!
The views you get from the monorail resorts cannot be beat! The convenience of that 5 min monorail ride cannot be beat! The themes cannot be beat! The whole vacation becomes different!
We ended up booking bounce back to bring our teens to the Poly the next year, but the year after that we stayed GF CL and I fell in love with the GF, we were literally 5 min from our door to walking into MK! We also stayed at CR for a night for DD 15th birthday to go to MVMCP and we LOVED the room and the view (Bay Lake) but the theme of CR felt like an airport in the inside. NOt my favorite..
Next was BC CL, we had some bad experiences here that I wont go into but its a gorgeous area if you like being close to EP and the BW!
At Christmas we stayed one night at ASmu which is our fave value and both agreed it wasn't bad, theming was very cute but our main resort for that holiday was POR which we really enjoyed.
In Sept for our 5th anniversary I booked POFQ but was able to upgrade to BWI with the RO code. We haven't been on the boardwalk much but EP is one of our fave parks and we eat here a lot so we are excited about the convenience of the 10 min walk to EP as well as the 10 min boat ride to HS!
I will say this deluxes are addictive, once you stay at one you wont want to stay at any other level.. I say if DW is set against a deluxe, try a mod!