Unofficial Guide Resort Report Card

[Sammie]

Unless you valet park at the Grand Floridian the self parking lot is across the street is by far the longest walk to the main lobby for any of the WDW Resorts.

Depends on where you park in the lot, but yes we usually valet there.

 

[Sammie]

Have you ever tried walking from the Tahiti longhouse at the Poly? That is miles from Captain Cooks. The same for the GF, it can really be a hike from some of the bldgs. to Gasparillas. The halls at the BW are long, but if you have a room near the elevator it really isn't a problem. Also, I don't see where the halls at the BC/YC are any shorter than the BW. This whole report card in my opinion desreves an "F" for failure. Come on, this has to be the most ridiculous rankings I have ever seen. How can some of the values be rated higher than some of the deluxe hotels (BC, YC, etc. )The rooms in the values are so small that you would be better off in my opinion staying at a Holiday Inn or similar type hotel where at least you had some room to move in. How could this insane ranking put BLT 9and the CR 24? They both basically share the same amenities, and unless you are staying in a 1 bedroom at BLT, the studios are incredibly small, while the rooms at the CR are one of the largest of any of the WDW hotels. Also, what is it with dis posters and the fear of clowns? The clown slide at the BW is not scary, and all you need to do is go the BW and see all the young children having the time if their life. It is the parents psychological hangup or fear of clowns that is the problem, not the water slide being the problem.

Yes I have walked from the Tahiti building many times.

 

[damien]

How could this insane ranking put BLT 9and the CR 24? They both basically share the same amenities, and unless you are staying in a 1 bedroom at BLT, the studios are incredibly small, while the rooms at the CR are one of the largest of any of the WDW hotels.

BLT is for the most part DVC. Obviously, some DVCers voted on this years survey. While not my cup of tea, BLT seems to get rave reviews. What I've found out about the Contemporary is many people want to stay there because it's one of the originals and the monorail goes through it. However, once they stay there, they weren't crazy about it. While the authors of the Unofficial Guide seem to like it, it always does poorly with readers.

 

[damien]

Yes I have walked from the Tahiti building many times.

Me too, and you're right - You can easily go from longhouse to longhouse if it's raining. Plus, if it's nice, the walk is actually very nice. You can take the path by the beach.

 

[carlton the bear]

Me too, and you're right - You can easily go from longhouse to longhouse if it's raining. Plus, if it's nice, the walk is actually very nice. You can take the path by the beach.

My original point in a previous post was that certain posters like to continually complain about how far it is to walk from the BW to a restaurant - the walk from the Tahiti to the lobby is far longer than anything at the BW. It might be a "nice walk", but that doesn't shorten the distance any.

 

[carlton the bear]

I had a horrible, and I mean horrible experience at BW Inn a few years ago, but I figure it was just one of those off days. I am not going to go on every BW Inn thread and bash them over something that happened to just me when it obvious so many others have wonderful times there including you.

I personally would agree with the ranking for BW due to parking, having to go outside to restaurants, no really good quick service, less than great front desk service and many just do not like the circus, clown theme.

Well, I guess you don't bash the BW on every thread, but at least on this one you did!

 

[damien]

My original point in a previous post was that certain posters like to continually complain about how far it is to walk from the BW to a restaurant - the walk from the Tahiti to the lobby is far longer than anything at the BW. It might be a "nice walk", but that doesn't shorten the distance any.

I wouldn't say it's "far longer". With the Poly, it's all just one straight shot on the same level. Took us about 5 minutes. At the Boardwalk, you need to take an elevator (sometimes 2), go outside, and you don't have any CS options other than the bakery. It's a huge disadvantage the Epcot resorts have.

 

[kaligal]

Birnbaums is certiantly NOT the Disney book....it was the first giude.....but is and always has been independent. We have used it for years and have always found it to be better then any of the other giudes!

AKK

As others said, it is copyrighted, published and sold by Disney. How on Earth you would think it is independent of Disney is beyond me.

I don't think it is a bad book. It's fun and cute and gets you all pepped up for your trip. If I only got two books, they'd be the UG and the Disney one.

It just isn't in any way something I'd rely on for advice about which thing was preferable, that's all.

And I don't work for the UG. I get no kickbacks. They really ought to give me something, much I as I advise people about their stuff, but they don't, the rat *******s.

 

[Saylan]

I've used both Birbaum's and UO in past trips. I found I liked Birbaum's organization and places to plan in the book (as well the 'for kids by kids' edition was helpful when I was a kid) but I felt like I was reading Disney material. That's not bad when I want information, but when I want opinion, Disney isn't the source I'd ask.

Both have their places, to me, but given that the copy of Birbaum I bought has coupons directly for Disney included in it, I felt like it was a promotional piece versus a review piece.

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

I am totally confused about people that think POP is that much better than the other values. I must be missing something. I stayed at AllStar Sports one time and POP one time and I just didn't notice ANY differences!!! I am thoroughly confused when people keep saying how much better POP is!

You may be referring to my post about Pop and I do think it is far superior to any of the All Star Resorts and we ahve stayed at AS Movies and Sports and won't stay there again. I give each resort a second try in case the problem was just ours.

Pop's Customer Service is much better, the set up is much nicer. Pop just feels fresher and newer, well I know it is, but it just has this feel about it that I didn't get at the AS Resorts. Some of Pop's services are available more hours than at AS, it doesn't tak an hour to get my luggage at Pop, in fact, most of the time it has been taken to our room before we have gotten back. I had to beg for it at AS Sports. The bus service is far superior.

I have even been known to choose Pop over even a Deluxe, because we feel at home there.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

I wouldn't say it's "far longer". With the Poly, it's all just one straight shot on the same level. Took us about 5 minutes. At the Boardwalk, you need to take an elevator (sometimes 2), go outside, and you don't have any CS options other than the bakery. It's a huge disadvantage the Epcot resorts have.

Well when coming from the Boardwalk Inn rooms once you reach the lobby just past the Belle Vue Lounge is a set of stairs that leads outside to the Boardwalk. For those guests with strollers, wheelchairs/ecv's they have an elevator that goes from the lobby to the same area that leads outside to the Boardwalk. So in my opinion getting there doesn't seem as long the way you and others have thought.

Now besides the Boardwalk Bakery they have other Quick Service locations such as the Boardwalk To Go and the Boardwalk Pizza Window. They even have a Funnel Cake stand and Seashore Sweets, so in terms of total food options the Boardwalk has a lot more then you think.

 

[RedfromNL]

I use any review site/book simply as an aid in choosing. I look what I think would be a good hotel or resort for us, based on what we like and value.

Any review I always look at why does this person say it's a bad hotel?? Do the reasons matter to me? Like cleanliness? Or not, like this review where the person was complaining about roomsize (which was given at the hotels own website, with pictures!)

Everyone has different wishes and values different things. Don't just look at the end-result. Look at the WHY, then ask yourself: does this matter to me?

I booked the WL. Best hotel (we think) for me and husband. If we had kids or wanted a monorail station or were on a lower budget, we might pick a different hotel.

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

I use any review site/book simply as an aid in choosing. I look what I think would be a good hotel or resort for us, based on what we like and value.

Any review I always look at why does this person say it's a bad hotel?? Do the reasons matter to me? Like cleanliness? Or not, like this review where the person was complaining about roomsize (which was given at the hotels own website, with pictures!)

Everyone has different wishes and values different things. Don't just look at the end-result. Look at the WHY, then ask yourself: does this matter to me?

I booked the WL. Best hotel (we think) for me and husband. If we had kids or wanted a monorail station or were on a lower budget, we might pick a different hotel.

That is exactly the way I chose BWI, I wanted to be close to Epcot, giving us several options, then I looked at the overall popularity and it seems that BWI may be quieter than say the Beach Club and I didn't care for the darkness of Yacht Club.

We have visited BWI several times and I am excited to be staying there in January.

 

[Monorail Bob's dd]

I read the Unofficial Guide's ratings before our trip this past summer and I was both shocked and worried. I had not stayed at a deluxe resort in 14 years and was worried we may have made a mistake in picking the Boardwalk. As it turned out, we were thrilled with the Boardwalk - everything about the atmosphere was magical. We stayed club level and loved the lounge, we got sandwiches for dinner at the Boardwalk Bakery and my dh thought it was one of our better counter service meals of the trip, and we got a pizza for lunch on our first day from the Pizza Window. The rooms were beautiful and clean, our boardwalk view was spectacular, my girls loved the clown pool - I find it very hard to believe that only 33% of people who stay at the Boardwalk would return. There was truly nothing we did not love about it. Now, we did have a rental car so we did not use the busses, but we had no issues with guest parking and I did not feel like we had to park that far out. I will definitely be taking reviews with a grain of salt after our experience.

 

[BLTLDZ]

Well, I agree with Yacht club being in last place.. we did not care for it at all.

Boarwalk, on the other hand, is one of our favorites.
We are staying at BCV for the first time in may...can't wait!

 

[dadizzles]

in the last four years we've stayed at pofq,animal kingdom,keywest and coronado.the only one we would go back to is coronado.we loved the setting and the scenery.the romantic walks over the lake to eat everynight.the bus service was great......we are doing beach club this dec .epcot was our fav park on the last trip and we wanted to try one the epcot resorts.it ended being between beach and boardwalk.it was a coin toss for and us and we'll see how it goes.

 

[pixarmom]

I use any review site/book simply as an aid in choosing. I look what I think would be a good hotel or resort for us, based on what we like and value.

Any review I always look at why does this person say it's a bad hotel?? Do the reasons matter to me? Like cleanliness? Or not, like this review where the person was complaining about roomsize (which was given at the hotels own website, with pictures!)

Everyone has different wishes and values different things. Don't just look at the end-result. Look at the WHY, then ask yourself: does this matter to me?

Exactly!

One example of the differences between preferences and priorities is counter service. CS is not a priority for us at all. Our favorite resort CS is at Poly, but I think the Epcot resorts have plenty of great options. There are tons at BWI alone, then add Hurricane Hanna's, BC Marketplace, Picabu - lots more within walking distance than at most resorts. But when guests complain about CS or "no food court" at BWI or BC, it doesn't really matter to us because that's not one of our priorities.

We stayed at both AKL and BWI this year. I would return to both for different reasons and under different circumstances (AKL for a brief non-parks stay and BWI for typical trips.) Generally, we prefer BWI and it's now among our very favorite resorts. And CL there is wonderful. So I hope this ranking doesn't deter people - just evaluate it based on your own preferences and priorities.

 

[biondagirl]

I honestly don't know why the AS resorts have such a bad rap. We just got back from there last week and ASSports was AWESOME. I will definitely stay there again.

 

[chainkid]

I own at both Boardwalk and AKL and for me it is no contest. I would sell the AKL points in a heartbeat. The resort is too dark and depressing and the location is remote. I have never had a bad stay at BWV and have owned for over 10 years. Just got back and found the new colors and decor very brightand airy. The staff were wonderful. I only stayed once at all stars for one night and it was just not my cup of tea. I find the BW has alot of good options for fast food and even better choices for sit down meals. The AKL is limited to put it mildly. I'm guess it is dfferent strokes,

 

[Sammie]

Well, I guess you don't bash the BW on every thread, but at least on this one you did!

Actually bashing is when you go on a thread where someone does not ask an opinion of said resort and go off on it. We were discussing "all" the resorts in the poll and everyone was giving their opinions.

Others on this thread said the same thing?