What makes you choose a WDW resort?

[butterscotchcollins]

Aside from Magical Express, we never used the other “perks” that you now have to pay for (i.e. Genie+).

What makes it worth it for us still is:
1. Early entry - if you’re early risers/rope droppers those 30 mins ahead of everyone else are invaluable.
2. The ease and convenience of using MagicBands for everything.
3. The on-site transportation and proximity to the parks - a quick 10-minute bus trip def beats a longer ride at the end of the night, and I find Disney buses more reliable/frequent than offsite hotels’.
4. Food options - most resorts have multiple on site dining spots/mobile order spots/quick service so if you’re an early riser (or a night owl) chances are you’ll have something available right at your fingertips without having to leave your hotel.

Our favorite deluxe is the Yacht Club for the pool and walkabaility to HS and Epcot (the friendship boats are great too).

But our OVERALL favorite is a moderate: Coronado Springs, specifically the tower (which is brand new circa 2019). But all throughout the property the rooms are beautifully renovated and pretty spacious with tons of storage and outlets, so price-wise it’s also a good value for us.

 

[Robbie Cottam]

Not having to worry about anything,
no car,
no parking,
no long travel times to and from the parks,

and generally, everything is nicer on property…..

have you consider and or looked into a DVC rental instead of, hotel hopping?
you might find out the cost are comparable, for a much nicer product….

 

[matt and beth]

For us it’s the WDW experience but also convenience. We do rope drop almost every time with some pool time after lunch. So we look for a resort with walking options to our favorite parks

 

[smrice95]

The walkway from SofG to Poly was being worked on this summer and I do not remember the completion date. It is because of the new Poly Tower I believe.

We like to stay on property because of the full immersion. We take Disney transportation even if we have a car. We just love being in the bubble. Before DVC we went were we could afford. Since I didn't go unless we had the money we would stay with what I had saved.

I did say I would never stay at the All-Stars because of a bad experience of watching people break the rules which could have lead to their children being hurt badly. (Moved the lifeguard chair close to pool edge after lifeguard left and allowed their children to jump into the pool.) I love the theming there, but I do not want to witness an emergency.

It is just nice to not have to drive in and out of Disney's property to get to your hotel after a long day or a mid-day nap. For my family, staying in the bubble is what we like.

 

[_19disnA]

But what I'm asking is, why is it still worth the money now that perks are gone or you have to pay for them, when staying at a non-Disney resort is cheaper? What is it that keeps you paying more?

Everyone's vacation budget is different. Some people can afford to spend more on a vacation then others.

 

[Robbie Cottam]

But what I'm asking is, why is it still worth the money now that perks are gone or you have to pay for them, when staying at a non-Disney resort is cheaper? What is it that keeps you paying more?

That is a personal choice
i personally would rather go somewhere else than stay off property….
maybe you can find what you value in doing so, I can’t.
a Disney vacation is a lot of money, if you go home unhappy that’s not cool…

no one on this board is going to tell you what will make you happy.

set Your budget,
decide where you want to stay and see if your budget is realistic

if you have wiggle room in your budget great,

again I would research renting you might find you get what you are looking for

 

[jimmymc]

Location and theming are the big two.

Driving or taking busses from off-site hotels take a long time and sometimes drop you off at inconvenient spots. The schedule might also not work with your plans. Renting a car is also not really worth it for me; it's easier to just take rideshares. And the hotels that are in decent locations usually cost the same or more as a value.

When it comes to theming, there are hotels off-property which are very well run, but I haven't found one that matched the theming of a Disney moderate or deluxe. I used to stay in moderates, and now with DVC, that's most of my trips.

 

[sponica]

While the magical express is no more, we still stay on site because I have a kiddo in a 5 pt restraint. It's easy enough to arrange the transportation to/from the airport and once we're on site, we're on site. I don't have to think.

Once my youngest is older, we might consider staying off site. But until that day, the premium is worth it to me.

 

[Mom2Anna&Elsa]

Mine is solely transportation. I don't want to drive on vacation, I commute daily for work and deal with enough headaches here at home with familiar roadways. I don't care if it's by bus, boat, monorail, skyliner, or someone else driving me in their car, I don't want to have to worry about maps and traffic and getting behind a wheel.

I loved that magical express took care of that for me at no charge, but now I just hire a driver and do the Publix stop en route. I also am a big fan of Universal's on-site deluxe hotels because of walkability and the express pass included. But I go the same route with Disney because I can just enjoy vacation and not worry about transportation.

 

[Robbie Cottam]

While the magical express is no more, we still stay on site because I have a kiddo in a 5 pt restraint. It's easy enough to arrange the transportation to/from the airport and once we're on site, we're on site. I don't have to think.

Once my youngest is older, we might consider staying off site. But until that day, the premium is worth it to me.

Having had to stay in several parts of Orlando for work, I would strongly recommend doing some due diligences before making that decision.....

I got to the point I was staying at the LBV palace when in Orlando for work, because it was about the same price as the local hotels the company could put me up in,

It was far less shady,
It was more efficient over all,
and well, I know how to negotiate for what I want, and maybe complain ....

But in any case, staying on I drive was not all that great and it only saved 30 to 50 bucks a night......

 

[R&RsMom]

For us, it’s location and immersion. Our first WDW trip we stayed off site in Kissimmee. I hated leaving at the end of the day with every other family driving out of the lot at the same time. When we left at dinner time, it was then a question of finding someplace to eat without a hour or two wait; my husband hates to wait, so we’d end up with fast food or one step above. We were back in the reality of tourist town. The next trip we stayed on site at Caribbean Beach, and it was a game Changer. We could get on Disney transportation and be back at hotel easily. We stopped renting a car even before MagicalExpress because my kids wanted to ride the bus. This was before Magical Express and maybe even Fastpass, so it wasn’t about perks, but more about staying within the Disney bubble. Themed hotels and quick access to the parks. Later, the Extra Magic Hours and Magical Express were great, but we started without them. That said we use the current Early Entry and Genie+ to get the most out of our trips.

 

[daae3]

For me it’s the purpose of the trip, then value. If I’m going to Disney, I’m going full park warrior mode. I’m fine with Pop as a value…I actually love it but know some of the drawbacks, it’s noisy, tons of kids and rooms are small…but transportation is a+… and that was pre skyliner…I have stayed moderate and deluxe…but for me deluxe isn’t worth the price point for as little time as I spend in the room…I do love a balcony though! Moderate is a good compromise if you want a slide and a restaurant on site. Off site, too much trouble not enough cost/benefit return. As others have said, only you will know what you really want out of this vacation…good luck in choosing what works for your family!

 

[FriggnOdie]

Hi all! It's been 8 yrs now since I've been to WDW & stayed at a resort. My granddaughter's mom and I just decided to take her next yr for her bday when she will turn 9 (2nd week of Sept). We discussed a split stay, value/mod and then maybe a night or 2 at a deluxe, but if the extra hours at night are only on select days of the week, that's probably not going to do much for us, if anything. I'm 100% VA disabled, so SoG is an option also, although I'd love for their 1st visit to be completely immersed in Disney. No theming there, no dining plan option.

So my question is this: with all of the perks that are now gone, or that you now have to pay for, what is it exactly that makes you still decide to pay more money at a WDW resort? I know this may be different for everyone, so I'm looking forward to some persuasion! Thanks in advance!

Transportation is my #1 reason.

 

[Miffy]

But what I'm asking is, why is it still worth the money now that perks are gone or you have to pay for them, when staying at a non-Disney resort is cheaper? What is it that keeps you paying more?

Yes, it is still worth the money to me, however, we used to stay at AKL all the time and now we stay at POFQ. Even with discounts--my sister and I both have APs--AKL has become quite expensive and we like to go at least twice a year.

What is it that keeps us paying more? We want to be in the Disney bubble--we love being in the Disney bubble. That's half the reason to go at all. We like the convenience of their transportation system--we fly down and never rent a car--and proximity to the parks. We love Early Theme Park Entry and use it nearly every day.

We sometimes get ILL$ and if you're staying on-site you can get these at 7 a.m. If you're off-site you have to wait until you're in the park and sometimes these are sold out by then.

At a non-Disney resort, we'd either be at the mercy of their hardly optimal transportation to the parks or having to take a taxi or rideshare all the time, or have to rent a car, thus erasing the savings. And it'd be cumbersome to go back to the resort midday, which is something we often do.

The main perk, for me, that's gone is DME. I use Mears Connect now instead. The last time I used it, it was $15 one way. Not expensive. And quite convenient.

 

[sponica]

Having had to stay in several parts of Orlando for work, I would strongly recommend doing some due diligences before making that decision.....

I got to the point I was staying at the LBV palace when in Orlando for work, because it was about the same price as the local hotels the company could put me up in,

It was far less shady,
It was more efficient over all,
and well, I know how to negotiate for what I want, and maybe complain ....

But in any case, staying on I drive was not all that great and it only saved 30 to 50 bucks a night......

We stayed offsite at Caribe Royale pre-kids. Got an awesome deal on hotwire. And back on some adult family trip, we got a getaway through interval to one of the Marriott time shares at Marriott World Center and paid like 300 for the week for a 2 bedroom unit. We're picky?

 

[Miffy]

I already posted about some things, but I just reread your original post, OP, and I want to add a couple of things.

(1) The dining plan is no longer a money-saver, if it ever was. Apparently they clearly state this now, that it's for convenience only. Frankly, it was never worth it for me even when it was supposedly some kind of discount, but it may have been for you.

(2) I am not a fan of a split stay. The day you change resorts, you probably won't have a room in the middle of the day, which is when we often come back to the resort. Also, one ends up living out of a suitcase during split stays (yes, I've done this) and I like to get to my resort, unpack, and settle in. Perhaps this isn't a consideration for you, but it's something to think about.

(3) Someone upthread mentioned renting DVC points. If you decide to go this route, just be aware that this is very very different from reserving a room through WDW directly. If you rent DVC points, you will have zero flexibility, won't be able to cancel without a severe penalty (often the cost of the entire stay), and will usually not be able to modify any of your trip plans. You haven't been in 8 years. I highly advise against doing this unless you're 100% certain that there could never be any mitigating circumstances and are also fine with paying for a trip you might not be able to take for any number of reasons. I have had to rearrange trips and a couple of times have gone home early for different reasons. WDW is extremely accommodating under these circumstances. A DVC rental is not.

 

[Sacahara]

I always go for whatever is cheapest, I'll be honest, I'm not there for the resort or the pool. But I pay to stay on site so that I don't have to drive once I arrive. So I'm a big fan of the All-Stars.
I've been thinking about trying out Pop or AOA for the Skyliner but that'll depend on who's with me as I know quite a few people with a fear of heights.

 

[Ricguz]

For me, location, pool Love YC/BC resorts since it is within walking distance to two parks, boardwalk area, biggest pool on Disney property. Plus the restaurants, theming and CM's.

 

[kanerf]

You might want to consider renting DVC points for all or part of your trip. You can often get a very good deal and will have at least a microwave, refrigerator, coffee maker and toaster in the room or more depending on the size. Being able to do breakfast in the room can sometimes outweigh the extra cost of a deluxe villa. Not too mention bringing left-overs to re-heat later.

 

[tinkerjo]

I have stayed at all levels at WDW and SOG. SOG rooms are not themed but the lobby is. The rooms are large and the main pool is great!! They had a breakfast plan when we went and we didn’t get it, (didn’t open early enough for us to rope drop) but it was very reasonable. The restaurant inside was also reasonable and very good. I didnt feel the transportation was the best there but it was Christmas week so it probably wasn’t good anywhere. That walk to the Poly was WAY too long and I dont recommend it. You walk enough during a WDW vacation. I hate the value resorts but if I was spending the whole day in the park I would consider them. Too many screaming kids and pools are too busy. We personally like having a kitchen so we can save money on food. The cabins at Ft wilderness are private and the pool/activities are top notch and we rented points for a villa our last stay at WL which was beyond amazing. I won’t go anymore unless I am staying onsite!!!