which hotel should I choose??

[TandCmum]

Going to be booking DLP this wek and can't decide which hotel to go for between Sequoia lodge, Cheyenne and Santa fe.

We stayed at newport bay last time, but want a change and anything above that is too much £££££. Are we going to notice much difference between them for the extra money? Is SL about the same standard as NBC

Also do all rooms at cheyenne have bunks because my eldest will not be 6 (and I'm not sure he would do too well on a top bunk anyway) and I don't fancy being up there)

I'm so excited about this trip, we were supposed to be going to WDW this year but have had to postpone it to next year, but i am really excited to be going to DLP during the 15th celebrations and seeing the new rides and parades etc.

 

[Cyrano]

Out of your choices only SL has a swimming pool so maybe that would have a bearing

 

[BRobson]

I think that I would choose the SL as it is situated on Lake Disney and is has a swimming pool.

 

[A Small World]

I suppose it depends on how much you have to spend and what you actually want from a hotel.

There was another thread with a similar discussion recently but my feeling is if you are only in a hotel to sleep why pay out for facilities you are not going to use.

We have only ever stayed onsite at Santa Fe as we were on a budget and decided we would rather spend the extra money on extra treats (character breakfast, nice meals etc). However we do spend every minute possible in the parks and so do not need a pool etc. as it wouldnt be used.

I think you need to look at park opening times for when you are there and if you think you will have evenings to fill it might be worth having a hotel with a pool.

Cheyenne has obviously better theming than the other 2 especially for children. Im not sure about bunkbeds. I thought there were some rooms with 2 doubles but I may be wrong

The other thing to consider is that Santa Fe and Cheyenne dont have air con- we didnt find this too much of a problem as there was a ceiling fan which we left on all the time but to other people it may be a big issue.

If I were you Id price up all 3 then look at what the difference is and what else you'd do with that extra money for treats and see if you could still have those treats anyhow thats what we did last time and in our case it was a better hotel or treats and we opted for the treats.

 

[dlpSteve]

You can get Cheyenne rooms with bunk beds or double beds, I'd suggest requesting your choice when you book if you do choose the Cheyenne.

it's no secret that I think the Cheyenne is the best hotel - I'm one of the shower and sleep crew so if you want luxaries and spend more time in your hotel room then just for the essentials then maybe another hotel would be better.

I still maintain that the Red Garter Saloon is the best bar on the resort - a great atmosphere and with the house band, The Thrifts, playing 5 days a week it's an attraction in itself. We found the Sequoia Lodge bar to be very smokey and crowded.

We'll be at the Cheyenne again in October

 

[MsFreud]

We stayed in the Santa Fe in March. They we in the process of remodeling so it smelled like paint... But other than that the rooms were clean. I think that you would choose based on the time of year you go and the ammenitites you are lookng to find there. The SF would be a great choice if you are only looking for a place to rack out for the night and don;t really want alot of frills.

If you are looking for a nicer room on about the same budget, the Elysse Val d'Europe is really nice. Not a park hotel, but the rooms are slightly bigger, have very nice bathrooms facilities, and Air Conditioning... and we got one with a nice view, as we could see the back of the village and the Balloon out our window.

 

[sarahc]

Personally, I'd go for SL as it is nice to come back and throw yourself in the pool!

 

[scald]

Have to say I agree with dlpsteve on the Cheyenne. We found NBC and SL both nice, but we have opted to go back to Cheyenne this summer because the theming is just great for kids. They really believe the wild west stuff and my son spends hours playing cowboys with all the other kids.

Mostly suitable for summer visits though, as you are required to go outside to get to the main building. Any rooms we've been in have had one double and a set of bunks and the air con is fine if you leave the fan on.

This would be my choice for sure...

 

[Fwapp]

I agree with dlpsteve and scald with recommending Cheyenne. The bunk is 'fenced-in' very well, with no chance of a fall. Although there is no AC, there is a large, quiet ceiling fan which cools the roon well. Our room (in soaring eagle) backed on to the path running along side the river, so was quiet enough to leave the window open. The kids also loved the wild west styling, even though they are not really 'cowboy' boys. I cant comment on the other hotels, as we have only been to Cheyenne, and we are definately shower and sleep people!

Hope this helps!

 

[DLPdaft]

I've stayed at the Santa Fe, my sister at the Cheyenne.
They are just across the water from each other, and whilst I certainly agree that the theming is much better at the Cheyenne, if all you're after is a comfy bed and a clean room then theres not much to choose between them. I can honestly say we used our hotel only to sleep and bathe in, the rest of the time we were out and in the parks and the village. And the beds in the Santa Fe were so comfy we were zonked in no time every night.

Elaine

 

[poppyolivia]

I've stayed at the Santa Fe, my sister at the Cheyenne.
They are just across the water from each other, and whilst I certainly agree that the theming is much better at the Cheyenne, if all you're after is a comfy bed and a clean room then theres not much to choose between them. I can honestly say we used our hotel only to sleep and bathe in, the rest of the time we were out and in the parks and the village. And the beds in the Santa Fe were so comfy we were zonked in no time every night.

Elaine

EXACTLY what I would have said

 

[dlpSteve]

Although I prefer the theming of the Cheyenne, when we stayed in the Santa Fe I had no complaints and they even played Disneymania in the bar which is where we first found about the CDs.

 

[TandCmum]

Thanks everyone, still making my mind up. I'm kind of thinking that I would rather have the extra £140 by booking the SF to spend on treats, but I'm not sure about the look of SF at all, it kind of reminds me of a prison camp???? so I am leaning towards the cheyenne now as a compromise between the SF and SL.

Last year we stayed at NBC and didn't spend much time at the hotel and certainly didn't use the pool (we have 10 days at a campsite nearby first where we swim everyday) and we spent all out time in the parks and the village. Saying that though I believe the parks close even earlier by October, and because we went at strike time last year and were there over the weekend after the strike where everyone had free tickets, it was so busy it took us ages to get everything done. i am hoping it will be quieter this time so we might be done with the parks earlier and might have more time at the hotel.

Decisions, decisions

 

[Cyrano]

Thanks everyone, still making my mind up. I'm kind of thinking that I would rather have the extra £140 by booking the SF to spend on treats, but I'm not sure about the look of SF at all, it kind of reminds me of a prison camp???? so I am leaning towards the cheyenne now as a compromise between the SF and SL.

Having the extra for treats definitely makes sense if they are more importnat to you than the hotel.
I've no experience of SF but others seem to have enjoyed their stay here inspite of its outwards starkness. Cheyenne for me is the best of the themed hotels so I'm sure you will not be disappointed.

 

[Bexx]

I'm kind of thinking that I would rather have the extra £140 by booking the SF to spend on treats, but I'm not sure about the look of SF at all, it kind of reminds me of a prison camp???? so I am leaning towards the cheyenne now as a compromise between the SF and SL.

Yep, go for the Cheyenne It's a fun, comfortable hotel, and will still leaves you some money for treats.

 

[milomummy]

It'll be our first time when we go in September, we booked the Santa Fe as it was the cheapest option, and we figured we only intend on sleeping there so it was ideally suited to our needs. I'm kind of regretting it a little bit now as so many people say that the Cheyenne is the better of the 2 budget options. But, we'll go, and enjoy spending the money we saved on lots of goodies and treats instead, and then next time (cos I am sure there will be a next time!) we may see about the Cheyenne.

 

[marcus.ka]

I would also say that the Cheyenne is a little bit better than the Santa Fee but you will also have a great Disney holiday as you are staying in a Disney hotel and you can benefit from the EMH.

 

[DLPdaft]

Hi milomummy,

February was our first time at DLP, we stayed at the Santa Fe, and honestly, you'll enjoy it. My daughter loved looking out for the roadrunner sign which lit up in neon and was close to our block of rooms. You're easily close enough to the Village and Disney parks to walk there and back, and its a pleasant walk too.

I wouldn't recommend eating in the Santa Fe, dinner especially. Only because for the price of their buffet dinner, you could have more choice and nicer options eating at various places in the Village. And as you're staying in a Disney hotel, you have the option of having breakfast each day in the Disney Park instead of at your hotel, for no extra charge. If you've got a little princess with you, you'll be in Fantasyland loads anyway, and breakfast is taken there. I'd recommend it, and will be doing that again when I take my daughter back to the Santa Fe in October.

Elaine

 

[tennisfan]

Basically you have to weigh up how much time will you spend at the hotel? if it is not much, why spend more money on the hotel?

 

[milomummy]

"And as you're staying in a Disney hotel, you have the option of having breakfast each day in the Disney Park instead of at your hotel, for no extra charge."

Is this the GMF Breakfast? I thought you could only book one?

I agree, as it is only to lay our weary heads I am ok with our choice this time round, we'll see how we get on!