Which Resort is the best resort for your money?

[frisco]

I'd like to know which resort gives the best value for your money! For example some people think it's CSR because you get a "deluxe" room for the "moderate" price-some say Port Orleans for the riverboat to Downtown is much like a Deluxe amenity. I've heard some argue that Contemporary is the best value because it is one of the least expensive deluxe resorts, on a lake, the monorail line, and next to Magic Kingdom. And I've heard some people say to just use a "Value" because the rooms and food are very similar and that Magic Express does a great job getting you where you need to go anyways.... I'm having the hardest time choosing a resort to stay at! Everyone seems to be decided EQUALLY among Disney's resorts- ALL OF THEM!

Convince me to stay at your favorite resort!

Not sure I'd agree that CSR rooms are deluxe. They're about 100 sq ft smaller than the average deluxe room.

I stayed at Riverside, and while it was nice, it was too spread out to feel deluxe, though the boat to DTD was nice.

The CR is only less expensive if you stay in the Garden Wings, which defeats the purpose. Otherwise, Animal Kingdom Lodge and Wilderness Lodge are the least expensive deluxe resorts.

 

[Minnie&Nana]

Not sure I'd agree that CSR rooms are deluxe. They're about 100 sq ft smaller than the average deluxe room.

I stayed at Riverside, and while it was nice, it was too spread out to feel deluxe, though the boat to DTD was nice.

The CR is only less expensive if you stay in the Garden Wings, which defeats the purpose. Otherwise, Animal Kingdom Lodge and Wilderness Lodge are the least expensive deluxe resorts.

I'll have to disagree about the CR Garden rooms. We prefer the garden rooms to the Tower sometimes and we still have all the amenities of WDW's first resort.

While WL & AKL are considered deluxe, and both fabulous resorts, the rooms are essentially the same size as CBR rooms. CBR 340 sq ft, WL & AKL 344 sq ft. We felt cramped with all the large furniture.

Also, I never quite understand why some DIS'ers feel that a deluxe is not spread out...our longest walks have been at AKL, BW & YC. Poly & GF walks were equal to POP. CR garden can be a hike too.

CSR does have some deluxe amenities: spa, fitness, queen beds. The rooms are in the midst of a beautiful refurbishment. If a guests enjoys that gorgeous theme, then it would be a perfect choice.

We enjoy so many of the resorts...sometimes we must choose according to cost, other times we plane purely on where we want to stay again that trip.

What we love about some of the WDW resorts is that it feels like a vacation within a vacation for us: Poly, CBR, CSR & AKL especially.

 

[MinnieMommy07]

Does Pop Century have anything (amenities/ extra features) that the All Star Resorts don't and vice versa?

And what is the big difference between Yacht Club and Beach Club? Why is Beach Club so much more popular than the Yacht Club??? Aren't they next door to each other and on the same pool?

 

[mmdisneyadventure]

I'm staying at the beach resort.. is there a thread or advice on getting around from our hotel to the parks? This is our first trip.

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

And what is the big difference between Yacht Club and Beach Club? Why is Beach Club so much more popular than the Yacht Club??? Aren't they next door to each other and on the same pool?

That is something I would like to know as well. . .

 

[dmaz]

The BC has a shorter walk to Epcot.

 

[Minnie&Nana]

I'm staying at the beach resort.. is there a thread or advice on getting around from our hotel to the parks? This is our first trip.

to the DIS!

The unofficial Yacht and Beach Club thread is full of great info and you can ask as many questions as will help you plan your stay!
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1858494

And what is the big difference between Yacht Club and Beach Club? Why is Beach Club so much more popular than the Yacht Club??? Aren't they next door to each other and on the same pool?

We've stayed at both and probably the biggest difference would be the theme and ambiance of each resort. Even though the resorts are side by side, the feeling of each resort is quite different.

The Beach Club will be the closest walk to International Gateway at EPCOT and the Yacht is closest to the boat to International Gateway and the Studios (both resorts are an easy walk to the boat or International Gateway). Also, the Beach Club has DVC Villa next door and due to those, the gift shop has a small area with food and snacks for sale.

Each resort has it's own restaurants and food offerings, but do share a marina, SAB (one of the best pool areas of the WDW resorts).

The DIS Beach and Yacht Club thread will have much better answers!
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1858494

Does Pop Century have anything (amenities/ extra features) that the All Star Resorts don't and vice versa?

We have not stayed at an AS resort, but have stayed at POP a few times - from what I understand some who have stayed at both prefer the POP food court and POP has one bus stop (does not make stops tp pick up more guests).

The lake at POP is very nice (AS does not have a lake) and the top of IllumiNations and WISHEs can be seen in the distance from some rooms. POP is a newer resort - the theme appealed to us much more and it is more understated in the rooms and lobby area. Of course, the term understated and a value do not seem to mesh, but the POP rooms are not gaudy at all.

I'm sure there are other things that I've forgotten, but that's probably the gist of it!

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

I'm staying at the beach resort.. is there a thread or advice on getting around from our hotel to the parks? This is our first trip.

There is a BC FAQ on the resort board.

You will be able to walk or take a boat to Epcot. Same with DHS. And you will have bus service to everywhere else.

 

[JohnJohn2]

I'd like to know which resort gives the best value for your money! For example some people think it's CSR because you get a "deluxe" room for the "moderate" price-some say Port Orleans for the riverboat to Downtown is much like a Deluxe amenity. I've heard some argue that Contemporary is the best value because it is one of the least expensive deluxe resorts, on a lake, the monorail line, and next to Magic Kingdom. And I've heard some people say to just use a "Value" because the rooms and food are very similar and that Magic Express does a great job getting you where you need to go anyways.... I'm having the hardest time choosing a resort to stay at! Everyone seems to be decided EQUALLY among Disney's resorts- ALL OF THEM!

Convince me to stay at your favorite resort!

Like others have said everyone defines value differently. Value resorts have a higher ratio of guests per pool than the other resorts. Refrigerators cost $10 per night at values and are no charge at other resorts. Value resorts do not have in room coffee makers.

Buses are supposed to be more efficient at POP than the other values and go directly to / from the parks without other stops.

You certainly can't beat a Value for the price. If you're going to spend mostly all of your time away from the hotel, then I think POP is the way to go.

We've never stayed in a value (until tomorrow) so I'll know more afterward.

We've stayed in the Contemporary, the Poly, PO French Quarter, AKL, the Disney Inn (long ago), the Beach Club, Wilderness Lodge and the Cabins at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort.

My favorite resort to stay at is Animal Kingdom Lodge, then Wilderness Lodge.

 

[MinnieMommy07]

We've never stayed in a value (until tomorrow) so I'll know more afterward.

Great! Let us know how it goes!

 

[Mary2e]

Our favorite is dependent upon what time of year it is, what park is open later in the evening(s), and what we feel like doing.

Generally speaking, when the MK is open later, we'll stay at an MK resort - usually the Poly, or CR.

If the MK isn't open later, we'll stay at the Beach Club.

However, lately we've taken to the cabins at Fort Wilderness. You certainly can't beat the amount of space and full kitchen, the deck with table & grill, and the ability to park in front of your unit. Plus there's a ton of stuff to do there if you're frequent visitors and storming the parks isn't on the agenda.

It's all personal preference and sometimes it takes a lot of trips to decide which ones you like to return to.

 

[TJA]

And what is the big difference between Yacht Club and Beach Club? Why is Beach Club so much more popular than the Yacht Club??? Aren't they next door to each other and on the same pool?

YC and BC are very different in theming. YC is more subdued, quieter, colored with gold tones, elegant. BC is very light and airy, beachy/pastel theme, busier in the lobby due to character breakfast. We much prefer the BC, in fact it's our favorite resort, and it could be due to the fact that we have young children and the theme suits us better at this time. Otherwise, they do share the main pool and it's plenty big enough to handle both resorts. They each have their own quiet pool as well.

 

[Cinderella]

Hi - it depends on our length of stay, what kind of deals we get and where we feel like staying at the time. But we generally get a deal, so we'll stay in a more expensive resort. For a short trip, we like to stay at the Polynesian, because of the convenience of the monorail. For a longer trip we like WL.

We did own DVC points but it wasn't right for us, for many reasons. But we would pay to stay at a DVC villa, if we got a good discount. In fact, we'd choose a DVC resort over a deluxe resort, if there was discounts to be had at both.

Now, if we didn't get any discount, for a longer trip - 10 to 14 nights, we might give WL a miss and stay at a moderate resort or a value, so we could have two seperate rooms.

What is best for us has changed a lot since the kids got older. But we do like every single Disney resort we stay at. They all seem to have their advantages.

 

[kaffinito]

The "wish list" is a great idea, and one that I used to narrow down my choices for the last Free Dining offer. Experience can also tell you what you like/need in a resort too.

For me it's a boat that goes somewhere, lush foliage, good background music, a good food court ( a must for us) good bus service, and a lot of friendly people. For my youngest there has to be a pool slide, for the oldest it's simple transportation. The youngest loved Poly, the oldest loved AKL for the bus system, and I'm still partial to POR.

Since we joined DVC my list has changed for our now rare resort stays to a day or two at GF RPC, a stay at the BC or BCV, and maybe a week (if I'm lucky) at POR again.

It's hard to decide which resort has the best bang for your buck, so just try a few out to see which one you like!