For many years since our first time, 1977, we always stayed at the Contemporary, north garden wing. One year, just before we were to leave, we got a call from Disney asking us if we would like a free up grade to the Grand Floridian. We took it. Didn't like it at all, too spread out, too la-dee-da for our liking. Wilderness Lodge just opened that trip and we visited it and fell in love with the place and booked it for our next stay. That episode broke our staying at the Contemporary. From then on, we have tried:
Dixie Landings: One night, had room, mold issues and were up graded to the Yacht and Beach.
Beach Club: Great to see EPCOT and MGM, great pool, great resort.
Polynesian: Our favorite, we like the MK the beat and like the monorail travel to the other resorts and EPCOT
Pop Century: One night, couldn't get all our days at the Poly, couldn't get out of there fast enough. We're too old for all that hoopala and kids.
AKL: Again, couldn't get all the days we wanted at Poly and took first 3 nights there and switched to the Poly. Didn't like AKL at all, too dark, food offering we just what they had and along ride to someplace elase. AK closes at 5pm, then what, a bus to somewhere else and a bus back. Long, long walk to rooms and not too friendly CM's in resort.
All in all, our picks are deluxes, with Poly number 1, Wilderness Lodge number 2 and Yacht and Beach anywhere in there depending on what parks we're really going to conquor in our stay.