The Cost of Convenience

[mefordis]

We stayed at BLT this past October, and I can't say enough about the location. We were able to walk home from the MK in 10 minutes. No lines. No rushing. Hoping on the monorail to get to EP or 'Ohana was excellent.

A big plus that we enjoyed was watching the fireworks every night after the kids had gone to bed. I knew we'd be able to see them, but enjoying them with a drink on the balcony was fabulous!

We're now thinking about another trip and trying to figure out where to go...I don't think BLT is in the budget this time (although I would stay there in a heartbeat!). Oh well....

Which room type did you get? Was it MK view? I can't wait to stay there in Oct! Was it a quick walk to the CR quick service?

Thanks for sharing!

 

[3boys4me]

I would love to stay deluxe and be able to walk to MK or Epcot. We need 2 rooms and just can't afford it. I would rather go to Disney often and stay value than go every other year and stay deluxe. Keep in mind that, to me at least, if I stayed deluxe I might really be bummed to have to stay value next year. Either way, you will have a great trip! Enjoy

 

[DznyPrnces]

We just stayed at the contemporary last week. My kids are young, so we had a double stroller with us. To me, the ability to roll the stroller right onto the monorail without having to take the kids out was priceless (ok, not really, but you know what I mean). I loved staying on the monorail loop. We stayed in the Garden tower, and did not find that our room was in need of an update. We loved it and had no issues with the walk to or from the tower for food, buses, etc.

That said, the next time we go will probably be in 3-4 years and we most likely won't have a stroller with us as our youngest will be 3-4 years old. So if I'm traveling without a stroller, the convenience of being on the monorail loop loses value to me, and I would probably go back to my favorite mod (POR).

 

[Arielle22]

I have stayed at several deluxe resorts on the Boardwalk and at Wilderness Lodge. The convenience of walking from the Boardwalk made it worthwhile. However our heart is at WL. We are booked at POR for November but if a good rate comes out we will switch to WL immediately.

 

[marybogue]

We stayed in a garden wing room at the CR last week, and it was worth every penny!! I know people have issues with lack of theming, and it not feeling Disney enough, but eating a bagel while the monorail cruised by, and hearing the sounds of Chef Mickeys just screamed Disney to me!

We stayed 7 days at the CR, and went to the MK 5 out of those 7 days, so the convenience factor was awesome. We also had meals at the Poly and the GF, and hopping on the monorail was fun within itself. Also, we took the boat to the WL for dinner, and rode the boat a couple of nights just to enjoy the fireworks.

On one of our last nights, my kids watched the movie under the stars, and that was such a fun activity. The monorail was in the background, and then the electrical water parade came through - so lovely!

We were in room 5116, and we faced the pool and bay lake - it was a great location, as we were just a few minutes walk to the main tower. If you will be spending as much time as we did at the MK, then you just can't beat the CR. I promise it will feel very Disney as you can watch the fireworks every night from the hotel, gaze at the castle and space mountain whenever you'd like, and when you hear the Disney RR train whistle blow.

Good luck with your decision!

 

[Aliceacc]

Your kids are going to have a fabulous time, no matter where you stay. So it's about what works best for the adults.

For my family, those Deluxe resorts are worth every dime. For starters, they sleep 5; the non-suite Values and Mods aren't a possiblity for us. But, aside from that, the convenience is incredible. They're well located, the food possibilities are varied, and they simply FEEL Deluxe. I feel like I'm on vacation, not just taking the kids on vacation.

And there's a LOT to be said for being able to WALK 2 tired 7 year olds right back to their beds after Wishes, without dealing with the hassle of waiting on line to stand on a bus.

We can't afford annual trips to WDW. We're saving now for summer 2014. And we're saving to return to the Beach Club.

Each family is different, but for my family, the Deluxes are well worth the extra money.

 

[ddwwelsh]

Our first resort stay in 2005 was at the All-Star Movie Resort. While we loved the conveniences and perks of staying on-site, we all agreed that we wanted to upgrade to a moderate the next time we visited. I know, I know. You basically need a place to sleep and shower; however, when you are inside the bathroom and have to step into the shower in order to open the door, that's a bit cramped.

With this upcoming trip, we will be staying at Port of Orleans Riverside. The pricing was just as reasonable for us. I'd suggest looking at some of the moderates before you make a firm decision.

 

[lhermiston]

Wow! Survey says...Contemporary Resort!

I'm glad that I'm not the only one who puts a value on convenience and it sounds like CR has that in spades.

My DW is still suffering from sticker shock and I'm not going to belabor the issue with her, but I will ask her to read all the responses.

Thank you so much for the feedback!

And for those you suggested listening to my wife/compromising/etc., I have done some research into ALL of the parks now. Hopefully, we can sit down and look at a few and see if any pique her interest.

 

[DznyPrnces]

We stayed in a garden wing room at the CR last week, and it was worth every penny!! I know people have issues with lack of theming, and it not feeling Disney enough, but eating a bagel while the monorail cruised by, and hearing the sounds of Chef Mickeys just screamed Disney to me!

We stayed 7 days at the CR, and went to the MK 5 out of those 7 days, so the convenience factor was awesome. We also had meals at the Poly and the GF, and hopping on the monorail was fun within itself. Also, we took the boat to the WL for dinner, and rode the boat a couple of nights just to enjoy the fireworks.

On one of our last nights, my kids watched the movie under the stars, and that was such a fun activity. The monorail was in the background, and then the electrical water parade came through - so lovely!

We were in room 5116, and we faced the pool and bay lake - it was a great location, as we were just a few minutes walk to the main tower. If you will be spending as much time as we did at the MK, then you just can't beat the CR. I promise it will feel very Disney as you can watch the fireworks every night from the hotel, gaze at the castle and space mountain whenever you'd like, and when you hear the Disney RR train whistle blow.

Good luck with your decision!

This is funny, we were in room 5120 last week!

 

[DisneyGuy]

Another vote for the Contemporary!

First, the whole "Not Disney" feeling is just that, a "feeling" and it's different for everyone. While the Contemporary is not my favorite resort, I could never say it isn't "Disney". The monorail, a Disney icon in itself runs right through it - doesn't get much more "Disney" than that! Also, you can walk to Magic Kingdom!

You've done the value resort thing, you enjoyed it, but if you are going again, try something else and see if you like it. If you don't think it's worth the price, than go back to value. You know your financial situation, if you can swing it, I say do it!

50% of the reason we stay deluxe is due to location. If a resort can offer at least one other way to get to the parks besides a bus - that's a plus in our book!

Good luck!

 

[jperrot1]

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

No. It won't get lost by your kids. In fact, expect them to rant and rave about the contemporary and say it is their favorite. In other words, be ready to save your cash for your next Disney (deluxe resort) vacation. Have fun.

 

[cheesemouse]

We have stayed at both Pop (right next to AoA) and the Contemporary (both garden and tower rooms). Here's how I see it:

Contemporary - hands down, the MOST convenient resort to MK. The walk is about 10 minutes. Yes, you can take the monorail to Epcot (with a monorail change at TTC) but really it still took us about 40 minutes door to turnstile which is a long time. The bus transportation to DHS and AK is very poor in my opinion. Each time we have gone, it shared with the Poly and GF and sometimes WL. The buses pick up at Contemporary first (which is great for getting a seat as opposed to standing) but then stops at the other resorts which makes for a LONG transit time to DHS and AK. Usually took us about 45 min each.

As for dining with the Contemporary, we have done Chef Mickey's several times and it is fun. It is also nice to have all of the other dining options of the other monorail resorts and WL. Also, you are just a quick boat ride to Hoop Dee Do if you are interested in that. The counter service restaurant is very good at the CR in my opinion. Very rarely crowded and above average food.

As for the garden vs tower rooms. Each has their pros and cons. They are all the same size, shape and decor. Garden rooms are very close to the pool, beach, laundry. The farthest rooms are a bit of a walk for sure. But the close ones are very close to the main building and probably a 1 minute walk from the main building. The tower rooms are obviously closer to the monorail and restaurants but are far from the pool and laundry. I personally would not pay for a tower room (we were given a complimentary upgrade from a garden room). The one difference is that the 2nd and 3rd floor garden rooms do not have a balcony. The 1st floor rooms have a very nice patio. So if you MUST have a balcony, book a tower room.

Now for Pop (or AoA). I was surprised at how much we liked our stay there. We found the location to be perfect. It was so close to DHS and the bus rides to the other parks were very reasonable. No one park was a long ways away (like AK is for the Contemporary). And, they have specific lines for the buses which I like because I hate waiting and then have a ton of last minute people show up and take all the seats. But the best part of the transportation was that it had dedicated bus service, meaning it didn't share with any other resorts. Once you got on the bus you headed to the park. The theming was very Disney and my kids did indeed love it. We had a preferred room and it was so convenient to the pool and restaurant.

We are in the middle of making a similar decision. I'm not sure how we'll swing yet. Love the room sizes of the CR and the location but the price, not so much.

 

[lhermiston]

We have stayed at both Pop (right next to AoA) and the Contemporary (both garden and tower rooms). Here's how I see it:

Contemporary - hands down, the MOST convenient resort to MK. The walk is about 10 minutes. Yes, you can take the monorail to Epcot (with a monorail change at TTC) but really it still took us about 40 minutes door to turnstile which is a long time. The bus transportation to DHS and AK is very poor in my opinion. Each time we have gone, it shared with the Poly and GF and sometimes WL. The buses pick up at Contemporary first (which is great for getting a seat as opposed to standing) but then stops at the other resorts which makes for a LONG transit time to DHS and AK. Usually took us about 45 min each.

As for dining with the Contemporary, we have done Chef Mickey's several times and it is fun. It is also nice to have all of the other dining options of the other monorail resorts and WL. Also, you are just a quick boat ride to Hoop Dee Do if you are interested in that. The counter service restaurant is very good at the CR in my opinion. Very rarely crowded and above average food.

As for the garden vs tower rooms. Each has their pros and cons. They are all the same size, shape and decor. Garden rooms are very close to the pool, beach, laundry. The farthest rooms are a bit of a walk for sure. But the close ones are very close to the main building and probably a 1 minute walk from the main building. The tower rooms are obviously closer to the monorail and restaurants but are far from the pool and laundry. I personally would not pay for a tower room (we were given a complimentary upgrade from a garden room). The one difference is that the 2nd and 3rd floor garden rooms do not have a balcony. The 1st floor rooms have a very nice patio. So if you MUST have a balcony, book a tower room.

Now for Pop (or AoA). I was surprised at how much we liked our stay there. We found the location to be perfect. It was so close to DHS and the bus rides to the other parks were very reasonable. No one park was a long ways away (like AK is for the Contemporary). And, they have specific lines for the buses which I like because I hate waiting and then have a ton of last minute people show up and take all the seats. But the best part of the transportation was that it had dedicated bus service, meaning it didn't share with any other resorts. Once you got on the bus you headed to the park. The theming was very Disney and my kids did indeed love it. We had a preferred room and it was so convenient to the pool and restaurant.

We are in the middle of making a similar decision. I'm not sure how we'll swing yet. Love the room sizes of the CR and the location but the price, not so much.

Thanks for the information on the travel times, that's very helpful information. I would have guessed EPCOT would be a much shorter trip. 45 minutes to AK is a bit of a haul, too.

Ultimately, I think we'll spend half of our 6 days at MK and one day each at the other 3 parks. If we're a short walk from MK, we might even spend more time there.

On the other hand, a 10 minute bus ride is just as good as a 10 minute walk. Maybe I need something more centrally located. Are Pop and AoA the only hotels that don't share bus device?

 

[Carrie in AZ]

Two words: Do it! You will NEVER regret staying at CR! We have stayed there twice and it is our favorite resort. Actually, staying at CR and doing a split stay with BC/BCV is our favorite.

You cannot put a price on being able to walk out the door and be on your way to the MK or over to EPCOT. Being able to walk to a park or parks is worth every single penny. NOT having to wait for a bus on either end of your park experience is such a bonus, I can't even express it! Ultimately, my best advice is to walk over in the morning and then take the monorail back to CR for your afternoon break. We found no wait for the monorail during the day.

Regarding the BC, same type of thing. You walk out the door and you are on your way.

You will LOVE being so close to the MK. And, your girls will love the pool, beach, ducks and EWP, and you'll love being able to easily hit the restaurants, shops, monorail and arcade. In my opinion, all of these things matter when you are dead tired from park touring.

Thanks for letting me share. I just can't stress enough how much I feel the convenience is worth the cost. Have a wonderful vacation!!

 

[pennyring]

Have you asked your wife what her 1st Choice Deluxe resort would be? Maybe she's just not into the Contemporary. I'm not.

We love the Polynesian and the GF. The Contemporary just does nothing for us. Maybe she feels the same way? Ask her about the other Monorail hotels. See what she says.

 

[maxiesmom]

On the other hand, a 10 minute bus ride is just as good as a 10 minute walk. Maybe I need something more centrally located. Are Pop and AoA the only hotels that don't share bus device?

No. CBR doesn't share with any other resort. Neither does CSR. Most times POR and POFQ each have their own bus, but they sometimes share, as do the All Stars.

My advice would be to not pick your resort by bus service. It can be great at every resort, and it can be horrible at every resort. Don't factor that in at all!

 

[Aliceacc]

.

On the other hand, a 10 minute bus ride is just as good as a 10 minute walk. Maybe I need something more centrally located. Are Pop and AoA the only hotels that don't share bus device?

Not when the bus ride brings with it a 10 or 20 minute wait. The 10 minute walk begins when YOU'RE ready.

If you're considering other Deluxe resorts, take a look at the Poly. It's on the monorail loop and transports you to another world. It's an amazing place!!!

Also take a look at the Beach Club. It has a pool that's ginormous-- my kids (and husband and I) LOVED Stormalong Bay!!!! My daughter told EVERYONE that "the pool is so big it has its own map!!!!!!" And we could walk to Epcot, and take the boat to Hollywood Studios-- we can't wait to get back!!!!

 

[dmaxphil]

Not sure if mentioned, but since you are a year out, consider renting points and staying at Bay Lake Tower - Contemporary. The total cost should be similar to that of a Little Mermaid room at AoA.

 

[foreUT]

Only stayed at the CR once, but it truly makes the MK so much more enjoyable w/o that bus ride back to your resort.

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

I totally don’t get the idea that CR (or any of the Deluxe resorts) doesn’t “feel Disney”. Disney doesn’t have to be loud and (IMHO) garish with huge icons all over the resort. When we were little, to us, Disney WAS the Polynesian, or Dixie Landings (Port Orleans).