Which resort for honeymoon?? Help plz

[TomRT]

Hello everyone,

My fiance and I will be having our honeymoon at Disneyworld starting around July 23, 2012 & ending around August 4th. I have done some research and many people recommend on site disney resorts. It is very overwhelming trying to figure out which one to stay at. I have read good things about the POR but still not sure. Go with value, moderate or deluxe?

Here is an approximate breakdown of our trip to help with any suggestions.

Epcott- 1.5 - 2 days
Magic Kingdom 1.5 - 2 days
Animal Kingdom - 1 day
Hollywood - 1 day
Universal 1 - 1.5
Islands of adventure 1 - 1.5
1 Waterpark - .75 - 1 day
Downtown disney / outlet shopping - About .75 of day
Possilby a beach / relaxing - 1 day
We may also stay a bit longer to be able to relax in between some parks
We are not the type of people to go on extreme thrill seeking rides so if you recommend different amounts of time to spend at each park please let me know.

Thank you

 

[LadyLuck24]

I think your breakdown looks pretty good. If you're really going all-out (which it looks like you are since you're staying 10 days and planning to do water parks, Universal, etc), you're probably going to get a park hopper pass. For a trip where you're not exactly sure what you'll end up liking best, a park hopper is good---you can go wherever you want on whatever day you want. I haven't been to Universal so I can't comment on whether those parks are worth it for non-thrill-seeking types.

In terms of resort, since you'll be there for ~10 days, I would recommend picking the theme that seems most appealing to you as a couple. I had always dreamed about staying at the Wilderness Lodge and the Grand Floridian, so we did 7 days at WL and 3 at GF for our honeymoon. That's an expensive trip though---we saved $$ by using my parents' timeshare for the WL portion of the trip. If we hadn't had that, we probably would have stayed at a moderate for the 7-day portion and still treated ourselved to a short stay at a deluxe at the end of the vacation. All the moderates are great and there's plenty to do for a week there...just pick the one whose theming is most appealing to both of you (for the record, I hear that the newly designed room decor at the POFQ--the only mod I've never stayed at--is very nice and the resort is the most romantic for a honeymoon).

The beauty of a 10 day vacation in Disney is that you don't feel like you need to go crazy trying to cram everything in...it was the best, most relaxing vacation I've ever had! Have fun!

 

[TomRT]

Thanks for all the info.

I am not familiar at all with any Disney Resorts. As for the POFQ how much walking distance is there to get around everywhere? How long does it take to take shuttle from here to the theme parks? I think we will stay in a Moderate because our trip is longer and would be costly to stay in a deluxe. Where is the best place to look for deals on for example the POFQ?

Thanks!

 

[Mickey'sApprentice]

If money were no object...I would get one of the cottages at the Boardwalk Inn. They scream "honeymoon cottage." They are so cute. Plus...you have very good access to both Epcot and Hollywood Studios via boat, plus cool activities in the Epcot resort area. In that area you can ride surrey bikes, rent small boats, and play miniature golf.

You could consider moving to a MK area resort on the days that you will be visiting MK. Any of the MK area resorts would be ideal. I would pick a MK resort strictly on what appeals to you and what you can afford.

IF the BWI cottages are a little rich for your blood...go for a regular room or a DVC room in the Epcot resort area to still be able to walk or boat to 2 parks. You may actually be more relaxed to go to Storm-A-Long bay at your leisure than to go to a waterpark. That would require staying at Y&BC.

If a deluxe resort is not in the cards...you will still have a fabulous time!

For the moderates, DH and I love Port Orleans Riverside!! It is so romantic!!

The values aren't known for being romantic...but we really like Pop Century. Its a great resort for people that are on the go!

 

[catra121]

I think the moderates are a great choice if you want to keep the budget reasonable (and still have some spending money for other stuff). I stayed at POR with my boyfriend a few years back and absolutely loved it. But I agree with PP and would pick whichever moderate has the theme that appeals to you the most. Taking a bus to the parks is generally 10-20 minutes I think...depending on which ones from where. The nice thing is that the buses drop you off right near the park entrance, as opposed to parking and then having to take a tram from the parking lot (or monorail or boat if you park at the TTC).

When pricing things out I usually start with the Disney website and that is essentially my base price to start. Then I will call on the phone (you can often get better deals this way). You can also check out other travel sites that will sometimes have some pretty decent deals. Another option is to use a travel agent...which is free to you and they usually know all the ins and out of discounts and will check daily to see if any new discounts have come out that could save you money. You can always do this yourself as well...really just depends on your preference in terms of having control of the reservation and if you have the time to sort it all out.

You are getting rather close to those dates though so the one thing that I would definitely suggest is to call and make some ADR (dining reservations) as soon as possible if you know you are going to want any special meals. Many are completely booked at 6 months out and you can rarely just walk up to a table service restaraunt and get in (especially in a busy time of year like July). Just wouldn't want you to miss out if you didn't know.

And one more thing...if you only plan on a waterpark one day then it is cheaper to NOT buy the waterparks and more option on the tickets and just get a one day admission when you get to the park. If you want to try out Disney Quest or multiple water parks or other stuff then it can be a good deal but if you just want to go to one waterpark one day then I would skip the waterparks and more option. I would get the park hopper tickets though...as you can definitely get your money's worth out of that option on a long trip. I can especially see it being useful if there are multiple restaurants in Epcot that you will want to eat at for dinners (there are so many good ones).

 

[TomRT]

Thank you for all the great info!

I did not know I should making dining reservations this soon so I will get on that. I will do the 1 day waterpark pass if anything and probably get the hopper pass too.

 

[twinboysmom]

Hi Tom. Congrats on your upcoming wedding. If you are ot into thrill rides, 2 days at the universal parks is all that you will need (they have lots of them). You also might consider staying a night or two on universal property. There hotels are really quite nice (IMO nicer than any Disney properties). I would spend some time looking at the videos on you tube of the various resorts and pick one that you both really like that is within your budget.

Also look on mousesavers.com for upcoming room or package discounts. I do not go during the summer so I am unaware if there are even discounts during this time. I noticed you are going in July. I would definately not stay in any of the all star resorts during this month due to the tour groups that come during this month. I have heard they do stay at moderates occasionally but I am not aware which one. Maybe someone else can provide this information.

I don't see this recommended on here very often but this worked for me. We have annual passes and are going for a short trip in April and staying at CBR. I found significantly cheaper prices on expedia and travelocity than Disney quoted me for my AP discount rate. Do not be afraid to check those sites as all the Disney hotels were on them.

Ask more questions as they come to you. I also recommend checking out the unofficial guide to WDW (book) or a site such as easywdw.com. Consider using the recommended park days from either touring plans (small charge) or easywdw.com (free). Have a great trip!

 

[DisneyDiana]

If it was me, I would not stay at POFQ on my honeymoon. At least, if you plan on spending time at the pool. It can get packed with kids and is not really adult friendly IMHO. The rooms are very nice though. I would go with POR and request Mansions or go with CSR.

 

[TomRT]

Thanks everyone! Lots of great advice.

From what you guys have said and other posts I have read, we will probably stay at POR. We may stay 2-3 nights near Universal, if not we will just travel there by taxi or shuttle the days we go there.

Thank you again,
Tom