Which hotel for 1 day....

[siestakeys04]

we are doing free dining of course and we want to arrive on the 12th of aug which resort should we try for 1 night we are staying at the wl for our stay.
ANY ADVICE????
kids are 10 and 6 me and dh.

 

[catherines_mama]

I'd pick POP. Since its just one night, its only a place to lay your head, right? Why pay $$ for 1 night?

So why not go Value, and the best Value is POP. Not only is it the newest, but you don't have bus sharing and its just really a fun resort.

GOOD LUCK!

 

[Buzz2001]

With the dining plan and 2 kids, I would suggest CSR. The Pepper Market offers great value on the dining plan and your kids will love the main pool.

CSR is a large resort that does not share services with other resorts and offers some deluxe amenities because it is a convention resort.

CSR has a salon, spa, and a gym that other moderates do not offer. CSR has full menu room service and offers an internal shuttle system provided by golf carts to assist in getting to and from the main building to the villages.

It is also the only mod to offer suites.

CSR is situated around a 15 acre lake and CBR is situated around a 45 acre lake.

CSR has terrific transportation. It does not share with any other resort (like POR / POFQ) and it only has 4 bus stops within the resort (vs 8 at CBR). And since CSR is centrally located, you'll have a quick ride to all the parks.

And being a convention resort, the buses seem less crowded because guests are busy with their conventions.

CSR is the most central to the 3 parks you mentioned. See the map below.

Photo by Ducky4Disney

CSR has the best pool of the mods and probably the second best on WDW property. Best mod pool. It offers a great slide (123 ft long), an arcade, a sand volleyball court, and a playground at the main pool area.

Review from mousesavers.com!!

Coronado Springs is my Best Value choice in the Moderate category. It has several advantages compared with the other Moderate resorts. It is newer, so there has been less wear-and-tear on everything. Also, Coronado Springs is a convention hotel, so it has a few extra amenities not offered at the other Moderates, including a salon, a health club and a more upscale food court.

The theming is radically different in the three areas of Coronado Springs. You can request a specific area when booking but there is no guarantee you'll get your request.

• The Spanish-style Casitas at Coronado Springs are very peaceful, with courtyards featuring tiled fountains. Casitas Buildings 1, 3 and 2 (in that order) are the closest to the restaurants and services. Casitas Building 4 contains the salon and health club, if those are important to you.
  
• The Cabanas at Coronado Springs have a beachy Caribbean feeling. Cabanas Building 8A is very close to the feature pool, which may be a blessing (convenience) or a curse (noise, light). Cabanas Building 9B is closest to the marina and relatively convenient to the restaurants and services.
  
• The Ranchos at Coronado Springs feel quiet and secluded -- some would say isolated -- and feature desert landscaping and pueblo-style architecture. They look closest to the main pool on a map, but in actuality they are separated from the rest of the property by a swamp, so it can be a fairly long walk from these buildings to the pool, and a very long walk to the restaurants.

 

[Zoemakes5]

Well, the ever dreaded answer: It depends....

Are you only going for the one night? I wasn't clear with the way it's written. If so, then maybe a "splurge" would be fun. Like the Animal Kingdom Lodge or the Wilderness Lodge or other duluxe.
Or, if you're only going for one night, the hotel nearest the parks that you will want to attend. If you're thinking EPCOT, then maybe the Carribean Beach. If you're thinking MK, then the Contemporary or Poly would be great. (I'd personally pick the CR if staying at MK, but that's a judgment call.) If you're thinking more of AK or MGM, then I don't think it matters much, though I'd like the ones that would take you directly there vs. having to go to the transportation center.
If this is just the beginning of a longer trip, then I may recommend a nicer hotel than the one you're staying at for the rest of your trip and one that will provide you with the most ease in transferring, one of the deluxes.

If I had the end-all pick of a single night in a room, I'd want the AK lodge, myself.
Best of luck and have fun!

 

[jj13]

We arrived a day early last year and called to get a one night room - we ended up with a studio at Boardwalk and really enjoyed it.

I wouldn't want to stay there for the week as there is a lot of "tourist" traffic and it's a bit loud, but for one night it was loads of fun. You can walk around the boardwalk attractions, hit Epcot by foot if the desire hits you - and you have your mini kitchen in place to keep any leftovers cold and you can make your coffee in the AM.

 

[soccer mom]

I would choose a resort that has never appealed to you. If we ever get there for a really short trip, I would choose the Contemorary. It has never appealed to me at all (except maybe a tower view of MK!), but I am determined to try all of them...so that's what I would do!

 

[Pixiedust34]

I'd try to get a WL room so I wouldn't have to move the next day. It's nice to get settled.

But, if you want to stay someplace else, I'd go with a mod or deluxe. I'd pick a resort with the coolest pool slide, and let the kids go swimming that evening since that is the only time they could use that pool. You'll probably be tired from traveling, and having a "down" evening at a resort is nice in arrival day.

 

[kizmac]

I think I would stay at ASMO.....your kids would love the big Icons. POP ...it's ok and would probably get my second vote...I did visit that one on our last trip and it didn't do anything for me. ASMO might not be as new but I think the kids would like it better.

I would not go to a Mod for one night, you may as well just add another night at WL which really isn't a bad idea...I know it seem like a lot for one night but atleast your checked in and ready to go the next morning. What's another $200 + LOL.... it's Disney!

 

[kizmac]

I would choose a resort that has never appealed to you. If we ever get there for a really short trip, I would choose the Contemorary. It has never appealed to me at all (except maybe a tower view of MK!), but I am determined to try all of them...so that's what I would do!

Now there's and idea! I like that thought. I too am leary about CR and would really be hesitant to book a whole trip there in case I can't stand it. I don't mind going to Chef Mickey's there but CR just feels so convention center-ish. That my be the way to go for you if you prefer Deluxes and want to give them all a try. Do the one that appeals the least to you. You don't want to go with some place the POLY because then you may really not want to leave,LOL!

 

[Disney_Freak56]

If you're arriving late in the day -- Pop Century -- it's one of the least expensive. If you're arriving way early -- then Animal Kingdom Lodge with a Savannah view. And take full advantage of what AKL has to offer.

Just my two cents.

 

[minnie61650]

I think I would stay at ASMO.....your kids would love the big Icons. POP ...it's ok and would probably get my second vote...I did visit that one on our last trip and it didn't do anything for me. ASMO might not be as new but I think the kids would like it better.

I would not go to a Mod for one night, you may as well just add another night at WL which really isn't a bad idea...I know it seem like a lot for one night but atleast your checked in and ready to go the next morning. What's another $200 + LOL.... it's Disney!

I second the All Stars.

I love The All Star Resorts.

I am 55 years old and travel several times a year. I often stay at 4 star hotels.
So the deluxe resorts do not have anything special for me.
All Star is like being in the heart of the Magic and that is where I want to be.

Here is the map of All Movies.
http://www.wdwinfo.com/resortmaps/allstarmovie.JPG
The Fantasia Buildings are the preferred buildings.
The All Star Movie Fantasia pool has Mickey.
It is a great place to stay.
Preschoolers love it.
It is like being in the middle of a Disney Movie Fantasyland.
All Star Movies has a Fantasia themed children's pool area.

The buses are wonderful.

Bus rides are quite short from the ALL Stars according to PassPorter.com

All Star Buses-CBR buses---POPbuses--PO buses--- Contemporary
MK 20 min---- 20 min-----25 min------10 min---20 min(mono)
Epcot 10 min-- 15 min-----20 min------10 min---15 min
MGM 10 min----12 min-----15 min------15 min---20min
AK 10 min------20min-------15 min----15 min---20 min
DTD 15 min----20 min------20 min-----15 min---35 min

It only takes 10 minutes to get to Epcot, MGM and AK from All Stars.
MK is 20 min away. That's the same amount of time it takes on the monorail from the Contemporary.

A WORD ABOUT BUS SHARING

To me Bus Sharing at the All Stars is really a non issue.

In the mornings during Park opening hours each All Star usually has a dedicated bus.
During mid day it is usually just our stop and maybe one more on the way to the parks. On the way back sometimes it is all 3 but often Sports and Music share and Movies has it's own bus back.

I guess some people who stay at POP see all 3 All Star names on the return sign of our bus stop when they head to the POP bus stop and think All Stars also has 3 stops on the way to the park.
(Even when we stop at another AS resort to load up it has not taken more than 5 minutes and we are on our way!)

The gift shops are separate from the food court at the All Stars.
The gift shop and food court are combined at Pop.

When staying at the All Stars you can use any of the All Star pools. That means 3 main pools , 3 quiet pools and 3 kiddie pools to chose from.

Pop has 2,880 guest rooms. 4 floors in each building.
Each of the All Stars has 1,960 rooms. 3 floors in each building. That means more people in the food courts, in the pools and waiting at the bus stop at POP than at the All Stars.

I have visited WDW more than a dozen times with the 1st time in Oct. 1971. It was brand new. I've stayed at FW, Disney Inn, a few the of Hotels on hotel Blvd., CBR and the towers at the Contemporary. I got to see the MK from my balcony at the Contemporary and I'm happy I got to experience it once. I just prefer the All Star Resorts.
The theming is pure Disney.
My last 5 visits have been at The All Stars and this fall when we took dd,dsil, and our grandson age 3 for 8 nights we stayed at the All Stars Music. I thought about AKL and even though we can well afford AKL I just wanted Alex to experience the Disney Magic at the All Stars on his first visit.
Where else can one find Donald Duck or Mickey Mouse at the pool?

Have a great time at Disney!

 

[cobbler]

For just one night I would go with a value. Save some $$.

We came in early one night last year and stayed off site because it was less expensive. It stunk, I felt like I was miles away. So if it ever happened again where we came in a day early I would go with a value.

 

[Houston_Disney_Fan]

We're doing the same thing, staying at Beach Club for a week. I picked Pop for our one-night stay because I'd read it a was little newer/cleaner than the All-Stars. Just need a place to sleep, and a quick breakfast.

 

[Simba's Mom]

If you're arriving late in the day -- Pop Century -- it's one of the least expensive. If you're arriving way early -- then Animal Kingdom Lodge with a Savannah view. And take full advantage of what AKL has to offer.

Just my two cents.

I agree. I'm going in September and needed a hotel for one night before I check into BCV. First thing I did? Check flight arrival time! Since I'll be in early, I'm staying at AKL and planning to take full advantage of any tours, etc. there. From check-in to check-out at AKL, I'm not planning to leave the resort.