Very hard time picking a resort, advice please!!

[thr33boys]

This will be our first family trip to Disney and we definitely want to stay on site. Because it`s our first, I`m really worried about picking the wrong resort, if that`s even possible! Flights are booked, we`re heading out Nov 13-20.

I might be inclined to select a Deluxe as I like the bigger space (2 adults, 3 children), the balcony, and the closer proximity to the Parks. However, if I can save some $$ and get a great moderate, I`d probably jump on that too.

I`d love to hear any advice. Some of the things that are important to me are having good access to the parks, pool, and spacious rooms.

Right now, I feel like I`m all over the map, every time I read up on one, it sounds perfect, then I read the next one and that sounds perfect too!

Thanks so much!!!

 

[Mariep26]

It is tough for sure. We are bringing my DSS in March so we will be 2 adults and 3 children as well. I think I have settled on POR with an Alligator Bayou which has the Murphy bed (not sure of the ages of your kids but the Murphy bed is perfect for my DSS). Your other options are the deluxe as you stated, ASMu Family Suite, AoA (we are staying there in Dec). I know there are a few more but my mind is drawing a blank. We did our first trip at ASMo because we wanted to immerse ourselves in Disney -- if you are going for that AoA may be good (and the two bathrooms in the suites don't hurt either!). Anyways I just wanted to tell you that you are not alone!! I think about it constantly!

ETA: I know you said Mods and I am calling out AoA and ASMu but the suites are really nice so just making sure you had considered them as an option. Happy Planning!

 

[PoohsFan1]

My best advice to you would be to go over to allears.net and right here on the DIS and check out their accommodations sections. You can look at all of the pictures of the different resorts. This will help you decide which theme you like too. We really like the Deluxes because of the space and the balconies, of course being closer to a park always helps too . Our favorite Deluxe resort is BC because you can walk to Epcot and DHS, but I would be more inclined to take the boat to DHS because it can be a distance. Also, SAB is the best pool on site IMHO....then there is Beaches and Cream Soda Fountain, Cape May Cafe (has a wonderful character breakfast that shouldn't be missed), and the whole surrounding Epcot resort area is awesome. You also have the BW which is right across the lake that is fun to walk around at night and go see the entertainment, or snack on something from the bakery.

We also like the Moderates and our favorite is POFQ because of how much smaller it is compared to the other Moderates. The ferry that takes you to DTD and back is always so relaxing and according to my kids, the Serpent slide is awesome . Another great thing about POFQ is that it is the sister resort to POR so you can walk over there and use their amenities as well.

Have a great time deciding....like I said before, sit your family down and check out the pictures of the different resorts with them, and which ever resort looks best, is the one you should go with .

 

[guitarob]

We love to stay deluxe, specifically the Polynesian. We love it for the atmosphere and transportation choices. Please excuse my copy/paste from another thread, but this is why we love the Poly so much:

Atmosphere - You can't beat the laid back island feel of the resort. The separate longhouses make it feel like more of a resort than a hotel. The music and the tiki torches along the paths really add to the island feeling. It's almost a vacation within a vacation. And, honestly (and this just might be my rose-tinted view of the Poly, but I've seen it said elsewhere) the Polynesian staff are some of the best trained and nicest Cast Members you will come across in the entirety of the World.

Location - It's probably the best located resort on property as far as transportation is concerned. You have multiple options to get around the world. The resort provides the monorail, boat and buses, and the TTC is only a short walk away providing you with access to the whole world as well.

Restaurants - The Kona Cafe, 'Ohana and Capt. Cooks provide multiple options to eat wonderful food. Oh, and the Sushi Bar is amazing as well. You are also only a short monorail trip away from the excellent restaurants at the Grand Floridian and Contemporary Resorts as well.

The Beach is a perfect place to catch Wishes over the Magic Kingdom without worrying about dealing with the mass exodus of the crowds after the show. Plus, you get the Electrical Water Pageant nightly as well.

If quick park access is what you're after, again, I go with the Poly as my first choice, because of the reasons stated above, but all of the deluxe resorts have pretty decent access to the parks:

The Animal Kingdom Lodge is closest to the Animal Kingdom which is reachable by bus. Everywhere else is accessible by bus.

The Yacht & Beach Clubs and Boardwalk Inn are closest to Epcot and DHS, which are both accessible by bus, friendship launch (boat) and a short walk. MK is mainly accessible by bus, but you could technically take the bus to the front of Epcot and jump on the monorail to the TTC then the monorail or ferry to the MK.

The Polynesian, Grand Floridian and Contemporary all offer multiple ways to get to the MK (monorail and boat), offer the monorail to the TTC for Epcot, and direct buses from the resort to DHS and AK. The Contemporary has the added option of a 10-15 minute walk to the MK. The Polynesian has the option of a short 5-10 minute walk to the TTC.

Wilderness Lodge offers a boat to the MK and buses to all other parks.

The Moderate and Value resorts are bus only.

I hope that helps.

It really boils down to which park area you think that you're likely to spend the most time in, and which resort theme you like the best. I'm sure that you'll have a magical vacation no matter what resort you choose.

 

[pigletto]

If you can swing deluxe, (and a discount might come out for those dates) I would highly recommend the Poly too.
We found the room very spacious for our family of four. Another child would have been fine as dd had the queen bed to herself. The location is great next to the transportation and ticket centre as well as being on the monorail.
Food choices were great (but book ahead for reservations ASAP. Getting one while there is very hard if not impossible).
It sounds like it would be a good fit for your family.
If moderate pricing appeals to you more (and it does to me so I get it!) we really enjoy Port Orleans Riverside and CSR and stay there happily. The one element that is missing is a balcony, but it really doesn't matter to us. They both have great pools as well.

 

[disneydee6]

You are going to get all sorts of ideas and opinions on the boards, you really can't go wrong. If you are staying onsite, from values to deluxe you will have a great stay in disney. Your best option to at least narrow down your choices is what park you want to be near? If you are going to be in MK for most of your stay, a monorail resort is a wonderful option (Grand Floridian/Contemporary/Polynesian). If you will be doing alot of Epcot/DHS touring, an epcot resort is great choice (Boardwalk/Yacht Club/Beach Club).
We spend about equal time at each park, and we love World showcase, so we always do beach club. Also, we love Stormalong Bay Pool at the Beach Club. It is so fun. I also like how the 3 epcot resorts are very close to each other. So we can go to Boardwalk for some breakfast, have a drink at Crews Cup Lounge or go to dueling pianos, have a yummy dinner at Cape May Cafe. I am partial to BC, but good luck with your choice!

 

[jennyjinx3]

It is tough for sure. We are bringing my DSS in March so we will be 2 adults and 3 children as well. I think I have settled on POR with an Alligator Bayou which has the Murphy bed (not sure of the ages of your kids but the Murphy bed is perfect for my DSS). Your other options are the deluxe as you stated, ASMu Family Suite, AoA (we are staying there in Dec). I know there are a few more but my mind is drawing a blank. We did our first trip at ASMo because we wanted to immerse ourselves in Disney -- if you are going for that AoA may be good (and the two bathrooms in the suites don't hurt either!). Anyways I just wanted to tell you that you are not alone!! I think about it constantly!

ETA: I know you said Mods and I am calling out AoA and ASMu but the suites are really nice so just making sure you had considered them as an option. Happy Planning!

but I have a DD Presley too!!

 

[cannmom]

With 5 to a room your only moderate option I think is PO Riverside. We stayed there this past January and really liked it. We stayed at the Beach Club on a different visit and loved it. The quick access to Epcot is great if you think you will spend a lot of time there. The pool is wonderful also, but we were there in about your same time range in November and I thought it was a little cool to be swimming. Now of course the kids didn't mind and it was generally late afternoon or early evening that we hit the pool. Middle of the day may be entirely different.

Hope you have a great vacation.

 

[Karabee]

Any chance you could give a little more information? Ages of children, budget per night you're trying to stick to? Favorite park that you see yourself most at? That can matter alot in trip planning.
Personally I'm a deluxe girl at heart : but as someone said, you can't go wrong staying on site.
I'm all about ease of transportation, so if you do stay at a Mod, I would look into POR or POFQ since you can take the boat to DTD. It saves a headache at the end of the night!

 

[heidijanesmith]

We love to stay deluxe, specifically the Polynesian. We love it for the atmosphere and transportation choices. Please excuse my copy/paste from another thread, but this is why we love the Poly so much:

Atmosphere - You can't beat the laid back island feel of the resort. The separate longhouses make it feel like more of a resort than a hotel. The music and the tiki torches along the paths really add to the island feeling. It's almost a vacation within a vacation. And, honestly (and this just might be my rose-tinted view of the Poly, but I've seen it said elsewhere) the Polynesian staff are some of the best trained and nicest Cast Members you will come across in the entirety of the World.

Location - It's probably the best located resort on property as far as transportation is concerned. You have multiple options to get around the world. The resort provides the monorail, boat and buses, and the TTC is only a short walk away providing you with access to the whole world as well.

Restaurants - The Kona Cafe, 'Ohana and Capt. Cooks provide multiple options to eat wonderful food. Oh, and the Sushi Bar is amazing as well. You are also only a short monorail trip away from the excellent restaurants at the Grand Floridian and Contemporary Resorts as well.

The Beach is a perfect place to catch Wishes over the Magic Kingdom without worrying about dealing with the mass exodus of the crowds after the show. Plus, you get the Electrical Water Pageant nightly as well.

If quick park access is what you're after, again, I go with the Poly as my first choice, because of the reasons stated above, but all of the deluxe resorts have pretty decent access to the parks:

The Animal Kingdom Lodge is closest to the Animal Kingdom which is reachable by bus. Everywhere else is accessible by bus.

The Yacht & Beach Clubs and Boardwalk Inn are closest to Epcot and DHS, which are both accessible by bus, friendship launch (boat) and a short walk. MK is mainly accessible by bus, but you could technically take the bus to the front of Epcot and jump on the monorail to the TTC then the monorail or ferry to the MK.

The Polynesian, Grand Floridian and Contemporary all offer multiple ways to get to the MK (monorail and boat), offer the monorail to the TTC for Epcot, and direct buses from the resort to DHS and AK. The Contemporary has the added option of a 10-15 minute walk to the MK. The Polynesian has the option of a short 5-10 minute walk to the TTC.

Wilderness Lodge offers a boat to the MK and buses to all other parks.

The Moderate and Value resorts are bus only.

I hope that helps.

It really boils down to which park area you think that you're likely to spend the most time in, and which resort theme you like the best. I'm sure that you'll have a magical vacation no matter what resort you choose.

1st of all congrats on your 1st trip!!

the post above has so much great info, I have to vote for either the Poly or AKL. Our first trip we stayed at AKL. It was a wonderful welcome to the World! We loved the pool, theme and general atmosphere. I am not sure of the ages of your children, but one room at AKL might not be big enough as it sleeps 4 and a crib.

The Poly is my dream resort and loved our stay there. The rooms are huge, there is a day bed for the 5th person. The transportation options are wonderful.

We are trying YC this year, as we want to try out the awesome pool and like the idea of walking to EPCOT.

We like to try resorts out by theme, pool and location. I think all WDW resorts have positives and negatives, but you really can't go wrong. Staying on site for the first time will emerse you in WDW magic and really enhance your stay. Enjoy the extra magic hours, magical express and easy transportation.

 

[thr33boys]

Thanks everyone for the feedback. I really appreciate you taking the time to give me your input. I called Disney last night and was told I could get 35% off deluxe, 30% off moderate or 25% off value. This is the only way that I`d be able to consider the deluxes.

My children are ages 8, 5, and 3 - all boys so the Royal Rooms at POR are out. But I could consider other options at POR. I just don`t understand why the POR rates are so much lower than others - makes me wonder if we`ll be on top of each other. The other moderate option is the FWC but wonder if that`s the type of Disney experience I want my kids to have.

So now, I guess I`m debating between the Poly or the BCR. If the FD offer became available it would be more economical for us to do POR but in case it doesn`t, I have a bigger savings with the room discount on the deluxe.

Thanks again!!