WDW regulars - tell me your favourite value/moderate resort and why!

[Saskiwi]

Haven't posted here in a while as we has no Dis trip of any kind on the horizon
We have done DL twice in the last few years but haven't been to WDW since the early 90s - BUT..... DH has a "significant" birthday in May next year and we are thinking of doing LA-Orlando-NYC with the boys (will 10 and 13 by then) to celebrate

Sooooo... I need to do a lot of catching up on WDW developments since our last visit.

First up: where to stay? Given that our currency is pretty weak, we can't really afford a swish Disney resort, so tell me about the "value" options - where do you all like to stay and why?

I like the look of the Wilderness Resort cabins - log cabins - too cute! And you get a full kitchen! But they are about $400 a night so probably out of our price range..

And (whispers) should we look at staying off-site? We stay at Hojo's in Anaheim but that is so different to WDW in terms of distance etc - is getting around WDW a major pain in the butt - it sounds like it can be - so is your resort's location a major factor?

Questions, questions, questions...fire away!

 

[Ms. Shuttergirl]

If budget is tight and you plan on hiring a car then I believe there are some good deals to stay offsite.

If you aren't planning on hiring a car I wouldn't consider it because getting to and from the parks would be much more complicated.

In terms of where is nice to stay, I think WDW offers some great value options. I have stayed at POP Century and would highly recommend it. For the price it really is amazing. It has it's own bus system (although I may share with AoA, not sure about that now) whereas the All Stars resorts all share. I would definitely consider POP as an option.

The only other place we have stayed is Wilderness Lodge which is a deluxe but bottom of the deluxes in terms of price. It was beautiful.

This upcoming trip we are staying at POFQ and it looks really nice.

I would jump over the resort section and read some of the reviews, so much great information in there.

Good luck with deciding.

 

[Luisa]

I agree with Ms Shuttergirl about Pop Century. I stayed there in 2009 and loved it! If you go to the resorts section there is a great big thread about it with lots of pictures and info.

I've noticed a lot of people say its too spread out and if you aren't in a preferred room the distance to the food court, buses etc is too far - I didn't think so at all. I stayed in the 90's section and it was a quick walk across the car park to the buses and getting to and from the food hall was a short stroll through what I thought was a really pretty garden setting. The theming around the resort is fun and bright and I had no trouble with waiting for buses - they came quite regularly (and they aren't sharing with AoA).

In saying all this though I have decided to stay at AoA in December as i love the look of the theming for that one too. Plus it's just a walk over the bridge for tie-dyed cheesecake at Pop!

 

[Royal Consort]

Given that our currency is pretty weak, we can't really afford a swish Disney resort, so tell me about the "value" options - where do you all like to stay and why?

Are you kidding? Our currency is currently AMAZING. We are hovering around parity now and have gone up to 1.10 during the last year. Remember when the Aussie dollar was 64c and lower?? Fantastic time to go!!!

 

[Luisa]

Are you kidding? Our currency is currently AMAZING. We are hovering around parity now and have gone up to 1.10 during the last year. Remember when the Aussie dollar was 64c and lower?? Fantastic time to go!!!

Yes, but the NZD is sitting about 78c

 

[tditter]

I would recommend POP century too. It is our favorite resort. BUT...on our Jan. trip we are going to stay at Art of Animation in a Little Mermaid room. It is brand new, so we want to see it. I hear they have their own buses too. No matter what...you will have a great time!!

 

[Royal Consort]

Yes, but the NZD is sitting about 78c

Oops, I should have looked at location. Naughty me. *smack*

Still though, it's not THAT bad :S ... optimism! haha.

 

[australiankaren]

naaaaah...just stiring (cant find the damn stirry thingy..lent it to one of you dodgy's on the board and now you've broken it and its because of you I cant have anything nice).......opps, there it is

POP...yep...POP

if its just 2 adults get a preferred room in the 70's building, top floor...quiet, no pool noise and king size bed......

we love the "quiet" computer pool, laundry right next to it.....big enough to swim laps without king hitting small children

and the smell of the food court is awesome..strange but awesome. Shop is good for variety, buses come regularly and you dont share with the all star resorts (i think) close to epcot (my fav)......and price is

so yep...POP

pooh bum bugger

 

[Caroline NZ]

Oops, I should have looked at location. Naughty me. *smack*

Still though, it's not THAT bad :S ... optimism! haha.

Actually .78 is good for the kiwi $
On our 2009 trip the kiwi $ bought $0.54USD
On our 2011 trip the kiwi $ bought $0.74USD

If it gets above 0.8 again, then I will be buying

 

[shadowblue]

Definitely can't make a 'WDW regular' claim with 1 trip / 2 linked resorts but as it was still within the last 9 months (and as you did include 'moderates' in your thread title) here's why I'd most likely go back to the Port Orleans resorts:

Both are set out beautifully with lush trees, gardens and little interests all over the place. And the river. They were quiet and just made me happy to be there. POFQ is quite compact, served by a central bus stop and one (quite funky) pool. POR has 4 bus stops around the perimeter, so close enough to your section but you might have a further walk to the food court, concierge, shop, etc. There are 3 smaller 'quiet' pools in addition to the big main one where there is also a very chilled-out bar. POFQ guests can walk (or get the boat) up to POR to use any facilities there and vice versa.
Often at the parks the bus lines to POR and POFQ (sometimes combined at slower times) seemed shorter than those to other places, incuding the 'values'.
The unique attraction to me is the free motor launch cruise down the river to Downtown Disney for dinner, shopping, entertainment, etc.

I'm not knocking the 'values', having never experienced them but because the cost of a holiday to WDW from those in our parts are massive due to airfares to Florida, it's important to me that accomodation there gives me a "how good is this" feeling even if it costs a little more.

 

[Travel Mum]

Saskiwi, I too am not happy about our exchange rate but that's probably both because I was spoilt when it went to the mid 80's when I was buying currency for our trip last year and also because I frequent these boards where I hear about the much better Aussie exchange rate regularly!

I am certainly not a regular WDW visitor (in fact a one-timer) but I can say that I loved the ambiance of Port Orleans Riverside. Sure the food court is often busy and the area around the pool usually is too but the majority of the resort feels so tranquil as its set around the Sassagoula River that peacefully meanders through the middle of it. You really do feel like you are down on the bayou in Louisiana and I loved that experience. We stayed there by default because I was on a tight budget and it was the least expensive option for a family of five to stay onsite, but I'm thrilled we did.

I have not even visited any of the Value resorts but, if my budget dictated it, I would certainly stay at one of them however they do look much louder, brighter and busier than POR.

 

[WAMUMOF4]

We also Pop believe it or not but our kids favorite food from WDW was Pop food court pizza we would happily stay there again but DH says if we have to go back we have to stay somewhere different so we are staying at AOA the kids are super excited and the theming looks awesome and I the fact that we get our own space as well.

 

[austraveler]

I will add my vote for Port Orleans French Quarter. We love the size of the resort, the boat to downtown Disney, the music playing around the resort and the good placement of the resort relative to the parks.

 

[battymum]

I would like to see a thread on resorts people didnt like - I think everyone gets defensive of the resort they have chosen - when basically I think you cant go wrong with any of them!

 

[australiankaren]

we bought DVC because we didnt like POP.......but we are back again this year for a few days..... couldn't survive it for the whole time...too noisy now for us...but will be great for when we take the GK's...BLT would be too grown up for them.....

 

[BecBennett]

I would like to see a thread on resorts people didnt like - I think everyone gets defensive of the resort they have chosen - when basically I think you cant go wrong with any of them!

We stayed at POR for our last trip too, and I loved it - I'd have a hard time booking anywhere else after staying there.

Having said that though, my sister stayed at a hotel directly across the road from one of the DTD entries and it was super cheap, and had bigger rooms then what we did at POR, and also an amazing view.

A friend of mine also stayed at a similar hotel (maybe next door to my sister's?) and same thing again below $100pn big room and a great view.

Now we come to the problem of transport - WDW resorts offer free transport, but (and I know this is naughty) has anyone ever been asked for proof that they are staying in a WDW resort when getting on a bus? My sister and her friend quite often jumped on the bus/boat/whatever with me when we were there, and no one batted an eye.

Like I said - I know it's naughty, but

 

[Saskiwi]

Wow - thanks for all the replies! - Port Orleans does look lovely - and I like the option of walking along the river to the other "half" too.

Anyone have preferences about whether to go POFQ or POR?

The transport to DTD is a big plus too, I can see.

Here's an OT question - have any of you managed to get a WDW planning DVD sent to you? The Disney website makes it look like it will only ship to US/Canada or UK

 

[BecBennett]

Try the Australian site http://www.disney.com.au/disneyland/waltdisney_world.html

Don't expect it soon though, it can take a while to turn up.

I prefered the Magnolia Bend section of POR, but I just love all that old mansion/manor stuff.

If you think you might prefer the mardi gras style of port orleans, then maybe POFQ would be better for you.

 

[Travel Mum]

Try the Australian site http://www.disney.com.au/disneyland/waltdisney_world.html

Don't expect it soon though, it can take a while to turn up.

I prefered the Magnolia Bend section of POR, but I just love all that old mansion/manor stuff.

If you think you might prefer the mardi gras style of port orleans, then maybe POFQ would be better for you.

Yes, I think that is where I got my DVD from too. I found it a bit too wishy washy though and didn't really learn much I didn't already know from the Disboards and other sources.

We were in the Alligator Bayou section of POR because those are the rooms that have the trundles and can therefore fit five. We were perfectly happy but then again we did get upgraded to a preferred building (close to reception, food court, main pool etc). The mansion buildings do look lovely. Yes, walking along the banks of the river was wonderful and we even hired a crocodile bike one day and rode it around the river. I think people like POFQ because it is smaller than POR but we did love POR. Riverside Mill is reportedly the best food court of any WDW resort - I can't compare though because it's the only one we used.

 

[gregpso]

Pop Century for sure. we stayed 8 nights last september. Only go in the quieter months NOT peak seasons