Which resort is right for me? Is one right for me?

[aprilfoolwed]

I have never stayed in a Disney resort - not as a kid or an adult. Now that my kids are pretty much adults, we are starting to think about taking our first trip as a couple to WDW.

I would love to stay in a Disney resort, but I am admittedly a bargain hunter who likes the most bang for my buck. When traveling as a family, we prefer the flexibility that a rental home provides. But I am dreaming of the DINING PLAN in 2024!

I have zero interest in staying at a Value resort (would rather stay off-site). Moderate resorts are more in our comfort-zone for prices, but one of the perks that I would really like is the extended park hours that come with Deluxe.

I'm also concerned about transportation - I've heard so many nightmares about busses.

Is a Deluxe worth the price - especially if adding the dining plan (even if that means having to push the trip out a bit to save up for it?)? Or is there a Moderate that would work well for us? I'd be open to adding a day or two to our stay at a Moderate to make-up for the extra hours?

Or, does it sound like we should just focus on an off-site stay and pay OOP for dining?

 

[Mle8308]

Regardless of your choice, if you are budget minded, avoid the DDP. You will overpay for food. The dining plan is purely for convenience sake, not to save money. Buy gift cards in advance at a discount and use those to pay for your food.

 

[matt and beth]

For a moderate I’d lean towards Coronado. It’s a deluxe in feel. If not and you want a deluxe but slightly worried about price go Animal Kingdom. Great resort with maybe some wine on the viewing deck. The buses honestly aren’t that bad. We’ve pretty much stayed at them all. If you enjoy each others company and are chatting away what’s an extra 5 minutes either way?

 

[RoseGold]

You could consider renting DVC points or a confirmed reservation. It's not for everyone, but it is competitive with moderate pricing for "deluxe" resorts.

I don't know why anyone would buy the dining plan, especially the revamped version.

Disney hotels are popping up cheaply if you want to do this last minute. There were some August AKL rooms for <200$, which is bananas. That kind of stuff is on the Priceline thread.

Don't count out Swolphin. They count as deluxe for the late hours, and their pricing swings wildly.

 

[intamin]

As above, consider renting DVC points to try out a deluxe resort. If you care more about location and amenities this is the way to go without breaking the bank. Try to have your request in by 11 months out or more, DVC members are able to book 11 months out from the date of check in so the closer to the 11 month window the more likely your room will be available.

For moderate the Gran Destino tower at Coronado feels like a deluxe but is technically a moderate because of the location and bus only transportation but that would be my preference for a moderate. Caribbean Beach is definitely a moderate but it does have skyliner access which is nice.

 

[Robbie Cottam]

Personally, the furthest “offsite” I will stay is the LBV palace….. the one with the bridge to the springs.

what park or parks do you want to be close to?
what do you do on vacation? Park all day or park and resort mix?

are the the deluxe worth it? Yes, if you are going to be there….
when are you going? Is it far enough out that you could rent DVC and realize an upgrade ? Cost savings

personally i like SSR for adult trips, because I like to be at the springs, and it is easier to book later in the game…..

RIV or BLT for kids trips, but early booking is a must….

Beach Club if / when we can get it, cause the pool…

AKL is nice, but not our speed….

wife love poly, I hate it because it’s studios only…. Well and bungalows

busses are free, most of the issues are at peak times, closing time being the worst…
most resorts have a board that keeps you informed on the next bus,

busses can be full…. But we’ll free….

stay at a monorail or skyline resort and cut down have your bussing ….

 

[Mirabell Rose]

You don’t say how much of your trip you plan to spend in the parks. If you are going to spend most of your time in the parks, the moderates may be a better choice and you could use some of the money saved towards the ticket add on’s like Genie and the other one for the biggest rides. (Sorry, the name escapes me). If you’re going to spend at least half your time out of the park you should have time to enjoy the extra perks at the Deluxe, and location to parks won’t be as important. I also have grown children and we are DVC so we usually stay at Deluxe, although we’ve done all 3. I will say when I go with just my husband I do like that there seem to be a lot less kids at the deluxe than the moderates or values - although time of year has an effect also. While kids are wonderful, it’s just harder for me to feel the romance when there are large numbers of them in some of the recreation areas - especially the hot tubs. Also, there are usually more table service options at the deluxe resorts than moderate, but they are available at both.

As to where to stay, is the look and theming important? If it does I’d encourage you to go online and check out the different resorts.

I know there is a lot of talk about whether you pay more/less with the dining plan versus without it. But convenience and paying upfront matters to some, so if it does for you then go for it. Just remember you still have to pay the tip at each table service meal even with the plan.

Hope you have a wonderful trip!

 

[sponica]

Don't get me wrong, I love deluxe resorts but those aren't exactly a bargain.

What you could do is if it's party season or they are running after hours nights, you could price out deluxe resort with EEH vs a moderate and an after hours night or party night?

If you're impartial on where you stay, you could push off booking until discounts are announced and then just book whatever is available at the price point you like. It's what I'm doing for my pre-cruise stay next year.

And no resort has the perfect transportation mix.

 

[holden]

If you like the rental home feel, maybe go for a 1 bedroom DVC unit? Kidani is usually less expensive and has two full bathrooms. OKW has a large 1BR unit and is also less expensive. Both are considered Deluxe resorts.

I'd also avoid the dining plan, especially if you do decide to do a DVC 1 bedroom. You'll have a full kitchen so you can have a quick breakfast (cereal, begals, etc) before you hit the parks. If you come back to the room for a break, you could also have lunch or a snack there. Just order groceries from Publix and you're all set!

As far as transportation goes, we use Lyft. I can't stand the buses.

 

[Shellyred8]

I have never stayed in a Disney resort - not as a kid or an adult. Now that my kids are pretty much adults, we are starting to think about taking our first trip as a couple to WDW.

I would love to stay in a Disney resort, but I am admittedly a bargain hunter who likes the most bang for my buck. When traveling as a family, we prefer the flexibility that a rental home provides. But I am dreaming of the DINING PLAN in 2024!

I have zero interest in staying at a Value resort (would rather stay off-site). Moderate resorts are more in our comfort-zone for prices, but one of the perks that I would really like is the extended park hours that come with Deluxe.

I'm also concerned about transportation - I've heard so many nightmares about busses.

Is a Deluxe worth the price - especially if adding the dining plan (even if that means having to push the trip out a bit to save up for it?)? Or is there a Moderate that would work well for us? I'd be open to adding a day or two to our stay at a Moderate to make-up for the extra hours?

Or, does it sound like we should just focus on an off-site stay and pay OOP for dining?

As a previous poster said, if you are a bargain hunter, skip the dining plan. You have to work pretty hard to come out ahead on it.

If you want to avoid the buses as much as possible, look at staying at one of the Epcot area resorts where you can boat or walk to HS and EP. Caribbean Beach is also a decent less expensive option and you can use the skyliner to get to HS and EP. When they skyliner is an option, it's a great option. But when it goes down for weather, Disney hasn't seemed to figure out how to quickly get the buses up an running as it's replacement, so be prepared to wait or call uber/lyft.

 

[_19disnA]

There are lots of threads talking about where to stay and why. Basically it comes down to budget, which park(s) you plan to visit and your impression of the subjective issue of theming. Also lots of dining plan threads. It was more a convenient way to pre-pay for your food and wasn't really about saving money. If you plan to eat some meals outside of Disney, then it becomes even less cost effective.

Some people like using Disney transportation, others do not.

Most of those are things you can only answer based on what your budget is and what are the things most important to you.

 

[Once.Upon.A.Time]

We spend a lot of time in the resort, so we feel mod or deluxe is worth it for us. We aren’t rope drop people. I think that makes a big difference in where to stay.

 

[sponica]

Basically it comes down to budget, which park(s) you plan to visit and your impression of the subjective issue of theming.

As I like to say, there's no such thing as a bad resort, it's just some resorts meet my needs/wants more than others.

 

[Robbie Cottam]

I have always wound value in the dinning plan.

Even the new plan, one table and one quick service is 60 dollar per person easily….

Plus a snack.

I have always felt bad for anyone that goes on vacation to cook….

Just me, and I love to cook…

 

[weather_lady]

If you want to stay onsite and aren't interested in a value resort, my recommendation would be to look into Swan/Dolphin (you'll still have access to early entry/extended evening hours, plus you can walk to HS and EPCOT), or Caribbean Beach (which has Skyliner access to both EPCOT and HS). If your dates are firm and you'd like to stay in a Disney-owned deluxe for the price of a moderate, you could look into renting DVC points from a reputable source (e.g., David's Vacation Rentals, The DVC Rental Store, etc.) and staying in a DVC studio. (I mentioned dates being firm, as the downside of a DVC rental is that it's usually non-refundable if you opt to cancel later, unless you buy special insurance.)

I wouldn't be swayed by complaints about Disney buses. Yes, you'll occasionally get an extra-long wait, or have standing-room-only, but those things are not typical. When I think about how much time and hassle it would be to get back to a car in one of those endless parking lots and make my way out of there to drive to my hotel, I still feel like we come out ahead using the on-site transportation, in terms of time and stress level.

As for the dining plan, unless there's some sort of "free dining" offer that applies to your booking (*note: DVC rentals will exempt you from any discount offers that come out later, so buyer beware if you choose that option), you won't save money buying it for adults. Pay out-of-pocket instead, perhaps with discounted Disney gift cards (available at wholesale clubs).

 

[maltdizzy]

At the Deluxe level.

• AKL and WL are priced more like Deluxe Lite (or Moderate Plus) because they are the Deluxes with the worse access to all parks...but they are very well loved and popular resorts. I expect the WL would probably come in within the top 3 most popular WDW resorts.
• Swan/Dolphin is not a Disney resort, and lacks Disney theming, but are nice resorts and get you the Deluxe Evening Hours for the best price. But I don't think they qualify for DDP?
• If you want an Disney Epcot resort, the Yacht Club is almost always cheaper than the Beach Club, shares Stormalong Bay, and every YC room has a balcony (not true about the BC, BWI, Poly, CR, S/D, etc.

For Moderates, POR, POFQ and the tower rooms are CSR are all very well liked, but CBR has the Skyliner.

 

[Robbie Cottam]

Just something to think about for the swan, dolphin, and the reserve,

They can be 130 per night or 1300 per night for the same room..... Their pricing is VERY dynamic....

I was pricing out a trip for April of next year, The Swan was more than the GF, not DVC but the actual GF hotel.
The same week the dolphin was more by a few dollars and the Reserve was a 400 a night...

I had learned to always double-check the swan and dolphin pricing, against Disney resort. Also, they have increasingly been blacking out BonVoy points..... mostly coinciding with over-the-top pricing.

Although I enjoy staying at the Swan, Dolphin, and Reserve, you have to make sure you are getting an actual "deal" ...

 

[Tink3815]

Swan and Dolphin have a resort fees .

 

[R&RsMom]

I’m just going to add that while Swan and Dolphin are not themed inside, there is nothing quite like walking out of the hotel to be surrounded by all things Disney: the Epcot hotels, Boardwalk, with views of Epcot and HS not that far away. plenty of theming for me.

 

[TheSouthernBelle]

So there are a few variables that dictate where we book, season, budget, parks we'll visit, resort transportation and trip length. I also know what we as a family like for theming so that goes into my decision making. The only way I can explain disney resorts to those who have not stayed before is that you are paying for location and the disney bubble. But, as a rule of thumb, disney deluxe resorts are no where near what you'd expect from most 5 star hotel chains around the world. It's simply categorized deluxe because it's the best that WDW resort has to offer. The deluxes will offer superior benefits to their moderate and value counterparts but it's not really saying much when your entry level value is essentially a motel 6 with a sports theme lol. Don't get me wrong, I love disney world but we all know that their resorts leave a lot on the table when it comes to competitive amenities and pricing. And in reality, most of the guests aren't choosing disney resorts for amenities, it's the disney bubble you get to be in, really great cast members, and some of the other peripheral benefits like transportation, location, ETPE, extended eve hours, etc.

Food for thought, but if you want to try a disney resort out, maybe do a disney value/moderate first and then switch to a deluxe when there are EEH. You can mitigate the cost of the trip with only a few nights deluxe. It's important to know that buses can be an issue in every resort category. The majority of bus concerns usually stem from the larger resorts with a multitude of bus stops like CBR, POR. The smaller properties that have fewer/or one stop, can still have issues too.

Our favorites in each category-

Deluxe- (we like the boardwalk area most, even over the MK monorail resorts)
BWI/BWV- we love the location and choose this property over BC/YC as we don't care for the pools/crowding at Stormalong bay
Swan/Dolphin- can get great pricing with all deluxe amenities outside of MB charging/room opening. You will pay for parking/resort fees but many times if you can get a good price, it's still A LOT less than most deluxes. The location is great with boats to DHS/Ep or walkability if you choose and having the boardwalk right there with so many other dining options around you.

Mod-
POFQ- small footprint, convenient buses, boat to DS, great discounts when offered
GDT-also convenient bus, nice rooms and good dining options, downside- main pool can be a bit of a walk

Value
POP- easy buses and great basic rooms

As far as the DDP, waste of money but I will say, some guests prefer to have that "all inclusive" feel so I get why it's appealing but overall, it's not the bang for your buck it used to be given DDP limitations now and cost. If budget is your overarching deciding factor, the best bang for your buck will almost always be staying offsite, barring some amazing disney discounts, but you have to just decide, which is more important, the disney bubble/benefits or value. Keep in mind, there are also the good neighbor properties that will have ETPE too, but won't have EEH. The only non disney resorts with EEH are Swan, Dolphin, Swan Reserve and Shades of Green.