Thinking of changing resort....advice pls

[pooky_uk]

Hi All

We are booked in for Disney All Star movies in feb for 10 days, then off on disney wonder for 4 nights!

However, after watching the plannin DVD and looked at the hotels!!....we are thinking of upgrading....we would LOVE to do AKL but for an extra 700 quid we'd rather use that as spending money....but we can upgrade to any of the mods for £300.

Which Mod would you recommend??

I am 33, hubby is 40 and DD is 6 (will turn 7 out there).

We seem to be quite taken woth POFQ..mainly because it is smaller and has the ferry boat ride to Downtown Disney.

CBR looks great too...but with the cruise attached to the holiday we will be getting the carribean taste anyway!

Coronado Springs looks good too...

Or should we stick with ASMo?

Advice pls?

Thanks

Laura

 

[vernon]

Nothing wrong with the All Star resorts, the rooms are a little tighter than other Disney hotels, but with just 3 of you that shouldn't be an issue. They have nice pool areas, although the mods do all have slides (All Stars do not).

IMHO, a lot of it depends on how much time you'd spend at the resort. If you plan on 2 or 3 pool sessions then I can see an argument for spending the extra. If you'd only spend maybe one day at the hotel, you're paying £300 for one day's worth of entertainment, you'd be better off spending it on going to Discovery Cove for the day IMHO. Only you can decide if you'd get value for the £300 at the resort, or if you'd rather spend it on other treats (DC, meals, cirque etc)

Of the mods I think my favourite is Coronado Springs, it has a GREAT pool area and you can rent watermice on their lagoon. But they are all excellent hotels, each have their own fans and their own strengths. If you'd spend a few trips at DTD, then the watertaxi from PO would be a useful bonus and might swing it for that resort.

 

[Madjock]

Can’t help with the moderates I’m afraid although of all of them I would go for POFQ because I like the look of that one. Have stayed at the ASMo twice and it’s fine. I think your daughter would love it. We visited AKL for breakfast and it’s a very nice hotel (although youngest DD, 4, kept complaining that it smelt, I guess it was just a bit too close to nature for her delicate senses). Usually when I go on holiday I do like to stay at a 4 or 5 star hotel but at WDW you spend so little time at the hotel it’s money better spent elsewhere. We will definitely upgrade hotel when we decide to spend less time at the parks and more downtime at the hotel. What I’m trying to say is for me it boils down to how much time I plan to spend at the hotel and at WDW, even with pool breaks and downtime, that is very little so I’d rather use the money elsewhere.

Annmarie

 

[Scotfan]

We enjoyed POR and if we went back to onsite we would choose Magnolia mansions or POFQ, but Aligator Bayou rooms were a bit dark and rustic for us (although they have been refurbed since we went.)
The boat to DTD is great.

 

[sam_b]

Hi,

I haven't stayed at ASMo but I have stayed at AKL and all of the moderates and these are my thoughts:-

By upgrading will you be sacrificing any other treats such as DC, cirque etc -if so, then I probably wouldn't do it at all.

AKL is fabulous, the theming is great, the shop is interesting and they have some great kids activities - quizzes, story telling around the fire, watching the animals etc BUT - it is a lot of money and you can visit it for free and do most of the activities.

POFQ is really nice - the dragon pool is good, I like the theming and the best thing about Riverside and FQ is the boatride to Downtown disney - this is SO much nicer than the buses. If you plan to spend time at downtown, then I would definitely chose one of these resorts. DOn't forget guests can FQ can use Riverside's pool and vice versa - 2 for 1!!
FQ is the smallest of the mods and the buildings are all three storey - I found them to be fairly noisy (pipes, air con etc) but you are never far from the foodcourt.
Riverside is very pretty, and is my favourite - it is more spacious, well themed, but you can end up further away from the foodcourt and shop.

CBR is probably my least favourite (but it is still great) as it is quite spread out and the foodcourt/shops aren't as good IMHO as at the other mods. The hammocks on the beach are nice though.

CS has lovely theming, is very relaxed and slightly quieter than the other mods. The pool is great and there is a slightly more 'grown up' feel as it is used as a conference resort. It may not appeal to your DD as much.

If you can afford it with sacrificing, I would chose to upgrade to Riverside, but as others have said, mostly it is just a place to lay your head at the end of the day, so you may not feel you get £300 value from the upgrade.

Have fun whatever you decide!

 

[Celestine]

I don't know if it is true, but I have read that is often cheaper to upgrade once you are at the resort than to do it through your TA. This is probably true as Virgin wanted £60/night for ASMo & I booked direct & got it for £39!!! This is probably truer with the exchange rate being so favorable.

 

[Miffy2003]

We are staying at All Star Movies in a few weeks' time. My DDs (ages 5 & 8) are particularly looking forward to all the large Disney icons at ASMo - in some ways it is the most "Disney" of the resorts due to all the themeing. We are also staying at Saratoga Springs which is a brand new deluxe DVC resort (many many more $$$$$!), and in all honesty my DDs are more excited about ASMo (Kids! )

Just a thought, and you might not want the hassle of it, but you could spend 5 days at ASMo and then go to a moderate? Disney will move all your luggage (you just have to pack it )

 

[disneyholic family]

over the years, as our finances improved, we've moved up through the various resorts at WDW...
however, we've always enjoyed all of them, including the All Stars....
so i don't know that i'd necessarily advise you to spend so much money to make a change......

in terms of moderates, we loved POR (it was dixie landings when we used to stay there)....we always stayed in the alligator bayou section, in the building closest to the main building (i think it's building 14)....
we just loved it there.....the landscaping especially....there is also a boat from there to downtown disney....

but as i said, we also enjoyed the All Stars back when we stayed in them (the kids were much much much younger at the time)...

now we stay in the deluxe resorts (concierge) and we love them too.....(my kids are now 20 and 17 - they've been going to WDW every year since they were born and even when they were waiting to be born)...

it really doesn't matter where you stay at WDW....it's all fun....and my kids (who are reading this post as i write it, agree)....

 

[KayleeUK]

Laura

We have stayed at CBR for our first trip We loved it there great pool, we loved the choices in the food court too.

I can see what you mean that it might be a bit too much Caribbean for you after a wonderful Disney Cruise

I would choose between POFQ or stick with All Stars, I haven't stayed at either but as you are travelling with your DD I think I would pick All Stars

So......have you made any decisions yet???

 

[squitty]

Hi

My vote would be for the ASMo's, we stayed here and thought it was ideal for kids. We have stayed at CSR and POR, but still think that the ASMo's is/was great for kids, lovely themeing etc.

Good Luck with your decision