Thinking of 3 weeks

[AcrossthePondNic]

I'd be interested in your thoughts on OKW too. I liked the look of it and the idea of the kitchen facilities appealed to me, especially for 3 weeks but I wasn't struck by the menus for its restaurants.

My head tells me that I should be sensible. If we're going for 3 weeks we should go back to POR but my heart says we would get to experience more if we stayed somewhere like YC or SS so that we can get out and about on foot more. My wallet may well be forced to side with my head.

 

[AcrossthePondNic]

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[disneyholic family]

I'd be interested in your thoughts on OKW too. I liked the look of it and the idea of the kitchen facilities appealed to me, especially for 3 weeks but I wasn't struck by the menus for its restaurants.

My head tells me that I should be sensible. If we're going for 3 weeks we should go back to POR but my heart says we would get to experience more if we stayed somewhere like YC or SS so that we can get out and about on foot more. My wallet may well be forced to side with my head.

well you should do the maths....compare POR with the upgrade to full dining vs OKW, which comes with full dining (in the UK free dining package)..

we really like OKW and we really like POR, so i guess it's a question of looking at the pros and cons..

POR has a really good quick service restaurant - OKW doesn't...
POR also has a sit down restaurant, as does OKW...i haven't eaten at either one though..

the rooms at OKW are bigger than at POR...
but still you would be comparing a studio at OKW vs a room at POR, and that's essentially the same thing..

to get a full kitchen, you have to stay in a 1 BR or bigger..
but that's much more than a room at POR...
the cost of a one bedroom may be on par with YC or BC..
you have to check it to see.

by the way, i have two 2 bedrooms reserved for us (4 adults in one of the 2 bedrooms, and the family of 2 adults 2 toddlers in the other)..
and yes the reservation is for 3 weeks..
no, don't ask how much that costs......bank robbery worthy to be sure..

i think if i were choosing, i might stick with POR if i were you....with the upgrade to table service..
we stayed at POR at least 5 different times (different years) and we loved it..
i particularly loved the alligator bayou section ...we luckily always got the building right next to the main building where the food court is..

anyway, when you stay at POR, it's like you're someplace else....a million miles away from the madding hordes...

it's a very different experience from staying at YC or BC, which is much more hotel like...
i'm fine wherever we stay...
but i felt more at home at POR..
the only thing the YC and BC have going for them is the pool....and proximity to epcot...

here's the places we've stayed over the years, if you have any comparison questions feel free.
- fort wilderness (once back in 1974 in a pup tent together with two friends from university - we were 18 years old!! so much fun!!!)
- Shades of Green (once -before it became shades of green, when it was still a disney property called the disney inn)
- all star music (multiple times)
- all star sports (once)
- pop century (multiple times)
- art of animation (once)
- Port Orleans Riverside (multiple times)
- Old Key West (multiple times)
- Boardwalk Inn (once)
- Beach Club (three times)
- Yacht Club (multiple times)
- Animal Kingdom Lodge (twice)
- Wilderness Lodge (multiple times)
- Polynesian Resort (multiple times)
- Contemporary Resort (multiple times)
- Grand Floridian (multiple times)

the places we've never stayed: All Star Movies, Caribbean Beach, Coronado Springs, POFQ and Saratoga Springs

as for the 'multiple times" - remember i've been going to WDW since 1974. When we lived in the states, we went several times a year. So all those multiple visits were pretty easy over the past 42 years...plus, once we started going for extended stays, we used to switch from place to place (okw part of the time, yc part of the time, ak, etc.)

 

[AcrossthePondNic]

Wow, what a list. Yes I definitely need to do the sums but I will have to be patient until the offers come out for 2018. I've worked it out based on 2017 prices to give me a rough idea but I will have to see what happens and what the dining offers are like.

 

[Woodview]

Why not look into staying at a villa for a change , a 3 bed villa with own pool would be an idea ?

Hire a car and see more of Florida .

3 weeks gives you plenty of scope .

 

[disneyholic family]

Wow, what a list. Yes I definitely need to do the sums but I will have to be patient until the offers come out for 2018. I've worked it out based on 2017 prices to give me a rough idea but I will have to see what happens and what the dining offers are like.

if you noticed, the only moderate we ever stayed at was POR - we just loved it so much we kept wanting to go back!!!

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[EasternShoreGal]

Hi All. We're a family of 4 and we'd really like to go for 3 weeks. But, while I can, DH can't take that much time off and suggested that I take the kids and head out then he could join us a week later. I've been pricing it up direct with WDW travel company and have realised that the room price doesn't change whether it's all 4 of us or just 3. All that would be affected is the park ticket price and that's only about £30.

I was wondering how it would work if we book for us 3 then add DH in a week or so later. Would we have to check out and then back in? Would it be easier to just book all 4 of us into the room for the 3 weeks regardless on when he can arrive? But if we did that he wouldn't be able to use ME from the airport whenever he was able to join us.

I've also seen that for 3 of us we might end up with one king bed and a day bed if we were to stay in one of the deluxe resorts. But we wouldn't want that and I know that requests are just requests.

Anyone had any experience of this? We'd definitely still only want to stay in Disney and as my kids have additional needs I don't want to be moving rooms after the first week if I can avoid it. I'd like to arrive, have a leisurely few days for them to recover from the flight and take our time exploring and then daddy join us without any hiccups.

It wouldn't be my first choice, but if I did a week in one resort with them and then moved to another when DH arrived would an Uber be the best way for me and the kids to get from one resort to another? I'd worry that magic bands etc might not transfer. Any tips appreciated

So I didn't see anyone address the magical express part of this. We just came back from a trip to Disney world and my daughter and I drove, registering all of us in the room from the beginning. My husband flew arriving 4 days later. We were able to book Magical Express for him (he was arriving late and didn't want us to come get him). On another occasion we all arrived together and during the middle of the trip he had to fly home for a business meeting for two days. Although we drove him to the airport (our choice so he didn't have to allow the 3+ hour early departure since it was very early mining), we were able to arrange magical express to bring him back. So I think you should check with Disney and explain the situation. I am sure you would be able to arrange transportation on the magical express at different times. I would just call back to confirm it a couple days later to make sure they got the travel plans right.

 

[AcrossthePondNic]

Thanks all. I have explored other parts of Florida myself and would love to take the kids at some time but for them it is all about Orlando at the moment. With their additional needs they wouldn't be up for the adventure just yet. And neither I or my husband have ever fancied driving over there. One day...

I'm sure we'll sort the magical express one way or another. Just need to save those pennies now.